I don't think I can do it anymore. Miyu stared down at her phone screen, her stomach churning. She was sitting on the edge of the rooftop, under the soft glow of the rising sun. Dressed and out of her room before Garou was even awake because she was afraid to let him see the changes.
While she slept, the hero's body had undergone a transformation that made her feel even more monstrous. Her nails had sharpened and extended into short claws, her ears had grown a little longer and tapered dramatically at the tips, her canine teeth had lengthened and sharpened, and the most terrifying addition was at her lower back. Just above her rear, a fluffy pink tail had broken through her skin while she was asleep.
Miyu knew what triggered so many changes at once. She challenged Genos so she could protect the mother monster. That was something she'd never done before so it could be the only reason. It frightened her, but she didn't have any regrets about it.
What made her question if she could keep being a hero wasn't the fact that she was becoming more like a monster. It was the fact that Genos was so ready to kill the mother monster without a shred of reluctance. She knew there was a human brain in that robotic body, but he didn't seem to have any sympathy toward the monster.
If Genos was that way, she wondered if that was how the other heroes felt. Saitama had helped her distract him so the monster could escape, but she didn't know about the others. How many of them were ready and willing to just exterminate monsters without even considering they were once human? That thought made the mother monster situation all the more horrifying.
I want to save people. I want to show that I'm strong and I want to be able to lift people up. But…who's going to trust a monster to save them? Miyu set her phone aside and reached into her hoodie pocket for the black and red egg.
It was still cool to the touch and silent. So different from all of the other eggs laid by the mother monster. The spicy licorice scent it gave off was such a contrast from the sickly sweet aroma the others had given off.
You're the only one left, but I don't even know if you're okay. She held it closer, squinting in the morning light at the blood-colored speckles on its smooth black surface. "Can you…hear me?" she whispered, tilting her head. Miyu's eyes widened when she felt something tap against her fingertip from within the shell of the egg. "Hello?"
She felt another tap in response and her eyebrows raised. It can hear me? Wait. It can understand me? Maybe? Or maybe it's just reacting to the vibrations in the air when I'm talking. The girl rubbed her thumb over the shell and frowned. "I don't know if I can keep protecting humans, but…I'll protect you, okay?"
"There you are." Garou's voice came from behind her, near the door to the roof. "What're you…?" His words faded when his eyes settled on the fluffy pink rabbit tail poking out of the hole she'd cut in the back of her pants.
The girl slipped the monster egg and her phone into her pocket again before she stood. Miyu turned to face Garou, letting him see the alterations her body underwent while she slept. "Ah…I think…I might've changed some more," she started.
He looked her up and down before his mouth drew into a wolfish grin. Garou crossed the rooftop to where she was standing and set a hand on the top of her head, ruffling her soft pink hair. "Looks good, Miyu."
"I have a fluffy tail," she mumbled, her cheeks flushing red.
"So what?" He tilted his head and leaned down to get a better look at her fangs when she talked. His grin spread a little wider as he straightened his back. "Let's spar. I wanna see how strong you are now."
Miyu took a step back, frowning. "I don't think I should. Garou, if I push myself too much…what if I end up going full monster?"
"So what?" he repeated. "Come on! Don't you wanna test your strength? You can go all out with me. Besides, if you go full monster…" He paused and rubbed at the back of his head. "I'll take care of you, okay? I'll take you somewhere the heroes won't mess with you. You don't have to worry about it."
I told Sonic that I would try to stay calm, but that's a lost cause at this point, isn't it? She chewed at her lower lip, considering Garou's proposal. It scared her to think about changing even more and possibly losing her humanity, but at the same time there was a part of her that wanted to test herself. A part of her that wondered how strong she might be if she did go all out.
Her right ear twitched and she stepped back, lowering her head. I've already changed this much. I mean…I have a bunny tail. I can't really hide that, can I? So does it really matter anymore, if I do go further?
She glanced up at him and saw the excitement in his narrowed yellow eyes. Miyu's lips drew into a smile as she flushed pink. "Alright. I'll try it."
He set a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be fun. Come on. I know the perfect place to spar!"
The girl followed him across rooftops with ease, finding her leg strength increased. Each jump was effortless and the quick pace was just as easy for her. Trailing behind Garou, she pushed her hands into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the monster egg. Once again, her thoughts drifted back to the whole egg hunting ordeal.
The way the egg happened to catch her eye just as it toppled over the edge of that roof. The way the mother monster didn't seem to be afraid of her; it seemed to recognize her as another monster. It brought her to one conclusion. The mother monster had to have known what Miyu was, had to have been monitoring the two heroes as they got closer, and it deliberately left this egg where the girl was bound to spot it. The mother had trusted Miyu with this special monster egg.
When Garou leapt down into an industrial area, Miyu hesitated at the edge of the roof. She drew the egg from her pocket and hopped down, giving him a slight frown. "I need to put this somewhere safe," she said, holding it up.
"Oh, that thing? Yeah. Let's see…" The wolfish young man looked around and spotted a metal bucket. "How about you leave it in there? We'll put it somewhere safe and you can get it before we go."
She was reluctant to let it out of her sight. Her hoodie was pulled off and settled into the bucket for cushioning before she put the egg inside. Miyu blushed, knowing that Garou was watching her. As embarrassing as it was, she just had this feeling in her gut. An instinct to keep it safe at all costs.
Once the egg was settled, the vision in her left eye tinted crimson. Miyu moved on instinct; crouching and shifting to the side to avoid a hand darting forward as if to strike. The girl's soft pink hair was swept back by a rush of air as her friend twisted and lunged toward her, striking again. She leapt back, eyes wide as she saw the feral grin on his face.
Her heart was hammering from the adrenaline rush and she ducked to avoid another strike. Miyu felt a tug at the corner of her lips, pulling her mouth into a half-smile as she darted to the side. The girl tensed her leg muscles and turned sharply, aiming a kick to his ribs. He moved back to avoid it and leapt up onto the edge of a metal fence.
"Not bad," he commented, taking in the sight of her fangs flashing when she grinned. "You're pretty tough for a little bunny."
"I haven't gone all out yet," she replied, clawed fingers flexing. I don't know how much I can really do, but this feels…really good! She sprinted forward and turned, aiming a kick at his face and knowing he would dodge it.
When he leapt back, she bounded after him. Hopping over the fence and picking up speed. Miyu jumped and reached out, planting a hand on his shoulder and launching herself forward ahead of him. Her right leg shifted back, hooking her ankle behind his leg and moving quickly to try to throw off his balance.
Any normal guy might've been knocked onto the ground, but Garou was able to steady himself and grabbed her arm. Miyu was hurled backwards over his shoulder and smashed into the side of a warehouse building. The girl landed on her feet with just a few scrapes on her before she rushed toward him again.
"Determined little bunny," he teased, still grinning.
"I haven't gone all out! I've still been holding back!"
"C'mon, then, Miyu! Show me everything you've got!" Garou crouched and struck up from below, slamming a hand into the girl's chin and forcing her head back. "Show me! I wanna see how strong you are! Show me how strong-!"
Her clawed hands came together and slammed down on the top of his head as she drove her knee into his jaw. Mimicking his attack, but making it more dangerous with the added pressure from above. Her instincts were guiding her again. Shifting when she thought he was stunned and slamming the sole of her shoe into his sternum to send him flying backwards.
With her speed and super jumps, she was able to get ahead of where he was being thrown and met him with a knee slamming into his back. Aiming between his shoulder blades. Miyu leapt over him and rammed the bottom of her foot into his ribs, hard enough to make him cough and send drops of crimson into the air. She lunged toward him with her fangs bared. She stopped just short of making contact with his throat and stumbled back a few steps.
Sweat was dotting her skin and she trembled when she realized what she almost did to her friend. "G-Garou, I'm so sorry! I-!" Her eyes widened when she felt an arm wrap around her, a hand planting against her back. "Garou? Are you okay?"
"Shouldn't keep holding back, Miyu." His hold tightened harshly, making her thrash as the pressure increased around her ribs. "Come on! Show me what you can do! Don't hold back!"
Miyu struggled to breathe as both of his arms wrapped around her abdomen and squeezed. She felt tears filling her eyes and her clawed hands frantically scratched at his back to try make him let go. Self-preservation was making her fight him no matter how much damage she might do to him and she knew this was what he wanted to happen. He didn't want to hurt her; he was trying to push her to see just how far she could go.
Blood was making her fingertips slip over his skin, through his now-ripped shirt. Her legs kicked at his and she could feel blood collecting in her face, turning it bright red. Her lips parted and moved in silent begging for him to let go. Finally, something in her seemed to click.
She drew her head back and slammed it forward, her forehead hitting his hard enough to draw blood from both of them. His hold loosened just enough for her to draw a breath and Miyu parted her lips, releasing a hellish scream. High-pitched and horrifying; like the death screams of a rabbit in peril, but horribly, demonically warped. Ear-piercing enough to make anyone within hearing range cover their ears to try to stop the pain.
Garou was forced to let go of her, wincing at the loud sound erupting from the girl's mouth. Miyu seized this opportunity and as soon as she closed her mouth, she leapt backwards and landed a hard kick to his midsection that sent him spitting up blood again. He rushed forward and managed to land a strike to the right side of her face, sending her reeling back before she snarled and came at him again.
She failed to notice it in the moment, being so focused on attacking him in retaliation. The vision in her right eye seemed to be almost glitchy. Distorted and taking on a faint reddish tint as tears rolled down her right cheek. She lunged and bared her monstrous fangs, snapping at his arm when he tried to strike and crouching as she regarded him.
He wiped a thumb across his lower lip, only succeeding in smearing his blood. His grin returned and his posture relaxed. "Not bad, Miyu. Didn't think a bunny would be this strong. You got me to bleed."
The girl blinked as her vision cleared and she shook her head. Glancing down at her blood-tipped fingers and then looking at her injured friend. It was then that she realized what exactly had happened. Miyu stood and hurried closer to him. "I-I'm sorry! How bad is it? Let me-!"
An arm went around the girl, pulling her in and keeping his hold loose enough for her to breathe. It felt like butterflies took flight in the girl's stomach as she blinked in surprise. "Garou? Um…?"
"What're you apologizing about? That was awesome!" He snickered and pulled away, resting a hand on her shoulder. Now that he was looking down at her, she could see a faint warm tint to his cheeks. "You're pretty strong, even though you're not totally a monster yet. I can only imagine how you're gonna be when you're done changing!"
The praise sent her pulse skipping and she looked away, blushing red. "Y-yeah? You really think I'll be that strong?"
"Why not? If you're already this cool-!" Garou's eyes widened and he glanced off to the side, rubbing at the back of his neck with his free hand. "I've gotta figure out how I can become a monster. I don't want you to get too far ahead of me," he finally said, casually ruffling her hair.