Chapter 12 – The lost book.

It was a quick trip back to City Z, Garou muttered how unfair it was that he couldn't eat what he wanted. Star was a little worried about that too. How on earth could they afford to feed him! When the bullet train came to a stop, Garou was the first one out before turning to Star. "A concerned citizen ratted out my eating habits." He said. "That and the heroes who saw it said something. No wonder they didn't take credit for the monster take down, they wanted to take me down!"

Star nodded in agreement. "Cheap shot," she said. "On the bright side, you are not going to be locked up… I doubt they had anywhere they could have put you!" They made their way back up to the city streets. The walk back to the dojo seemed a little farther than before. Yet along the way Garou kept his eyes to the ground, not wanting to look up and enjoy the day for once. That was when he noticed it. A book of all things, the one he happened to have been interested in, just feet before him.

"Would you look at that, now I don't have to keep bothering that kid to borrow it!" Garou opened to the first page, but froze. There was a name written on the first page. "This book belongs to hero in training Tareo,"

Star looked at the name, it was the kid's book! "Why is it on the street, he loved this thing. He wouldn't let it go, would he?" she asked.

Garou shook his head; his eye caught something on the left side of the sidewalk. A single, large red feather. His blood ran cold. Dropping the book, Garou approached the feather and knew exactly where it came from. "Garou?" asked Star.

"I need a favor." He said. She nodded to him. "I need you to get the old man, Genos and Saitama. I need 24 hours, if I am not back, come get me and the child."

"Garou, where are you going? Where are we to find you if you aren't back? What do you know?"

"The old Monster's Association headquarters. But promise me. 24 hours, got it?"

"Let me go with you!"

"No, this is my fight. Besides, they want me. Anyone else will just be in harm's way."

Shuriken Star froze, she knew she had to go with him. When she tried to follow, he turned sharply. "I said stay here!" he snapped. Never has he raised his voice to her in such a manner. It scared her stiff, but he continued on without an apology. When he was gone, Star ran all the way back to the dojo. But she remembered, Silverfang was still at HQ. She did the next best thing, but first, she needed to make a stop at the grocery store…

In the underground of City Z.

Garou ran as fast as he could to the abandoned district of City Z. From there he recalled and took all the paths and tunnels he knew well. Without hesitation, he began his search for the child in the ruins of the Monster Association. The stench of death and decay flooded his senses. The monsters that fell here will remain hidden until they turn to dust, many whose demises were caused by his own hands. But there was no time to reminisce. "BRAT? BRAT ARE YOU HERE?!" Garou called.

He would pause in hopes an answer would come. "SOMEONE, ANYONE, PLEASE! HELP ME!" he heard the voice of the child. He wasn't too far.

Garou took a chance, he knew the boy would be kept on the bottom floor of the Monster's association; there was one way to get there the fastest. Throwing himself over the edge, he hurled down into the depths and darkness. Passing floor after floor until he saw the crushed debris. With a quick turn of his body, he landed on his feet, crushing the rubble to dust below him. He remembered this room, it was Gyoro Gyoro's resting area.

The rubble of the room lifted, it began to fall back into place and became a solid once more. Gyoro Gyoro appeared, and the look in its eye was one Garou didn't care for. If he didn't know any better, she was smiling.

'My beautiful creation!" she cheered, the look of excitement only grew in her eye "Oh look at how much you have grown!'

"Where's the kid?" said Garou.

'Oh? Why would you care about a silly thing like that? Aren't you a monster?'

"Where's the kid!" he demanded.

'Tsk tsk, where are your manners? All will be answered soon, I need a closer look at you'

Garou felt his body freeze up, but he was quick to break the hold over him. "That won't work on me, remember?!" he roared. "Child, NOW!"

Gyoro Gyoro toyed with her smaller hand sticking out of her chest. 'hm, not yet. The boy is still useful, after all, you won't leave here without him, will you?'

He sneered. 'Just as I thought, now, don't you want to know what is really happening to you?'

"I already know, that damn king of your impaled, but embedded part of himself into me!"

'Oh no, that's not what caused your growth, that you did yourself.'

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

'We need to discuss matters where it is more appropriate…' Gyoro Gyoro's body lit up, her powers caused the floor below to give way, Garou dropped but managed to land on his feet once more. He found himself in the den of the fallen monster king. Gyoro Gyoro floated down before him. 'You have done something impossible, and never could I have imagined it to be so. You broke your limiter not just in human form… but monster as well!'

Garou was confused. "I didn't do any such thing as a monster. I couldn't get any stronger after my third transformation,"

Gyoro Gyoro laughed. "You were never supposed to have a third transformation. But it didn't stop you now, did it?'

She continued to laugh joyously. 'Oh how I have longed for another chance at this, to have a test subject come back from the brink of death time and time again, but never could I have imagined a monster doing it! Indeed, the king's horn restarted your monsterfication, but the rest… the rest you did yourself. I don't have to remind you of that scab your formed now do I?' she asked. Garou reached for his left side, remembering it all too well. "That was a monster organ forming in you, that's what the horn did, it made the organ to turn you but to also help you grow… it aids in your digestion of creatures, absorbing their best materials into your own body. Just look at yourself, and you know it to be true!"

Garou clenched his left side, but was sickened with the thought of it all. "I am not a monster, not anymore!" protested Garou. "I want my life back, I want my old body back, and I want to be human again!"

Gyoro Gyoro shook her head. "You keep forgetting one thing, when you decide to become a monster, there is no taking it out of you. I raised Orochi myself, not once did he show the power you do. To consume a monster and retain the best and strongest traits of it!'

"This was what you tried to do to me before, isn't it?" question Garou. "What I turned into before… that wasn't your intention."

'Sadly no," Gyoro Gyoro confessed. "As I said before, not all my experiments turn out as I had hoped. My dream was for you to become what you are now… but far greater. I know just how to get you there, now then. You are going to be a good little one, and you will grow up bigger and stronger than Lord Orochi.'

"I refuse. I won't become that, I don't want to become that!"

'It's not your choice…'

"BIG BROTHER!"

Garou heard it, clear as a bell this time. "Hang in there brat! I'm coming!" But before he could move. Garou was struck hard across his chest. Flying into the wall, he hit with a sickening thud. The impact knocked the air from his lungs, he gasped to breath.

'It won't be that simple,' Gyoro Gyoro said.

Garou peeled himself off the wall. His wounds were bad. He needs to eat, with this stomach moaning Gyoro Gyoro eye smiled. "Yes, be a good boy and eat what's in front of you,"

He was hit pretty hard, his vision blurred at first until he saw the dragon like serpents that made Orochi's body slither out. They possessed limited mobility, but they were all eyeing Garou. Slowly, he stood once more, prepared to fight. Yet the hunger in him was growing.

Gyoro Gyoro continued to laugh inside his head. "That's it, be hungry. Eat Garou… or be eaten!"