Chapter 17: 3 Days: Day 3

Day 3: Reasonable Doubt .

Finally Shadow opened his eyes, despite just doing so he'd been awake for an hour or so, but elected to stay where he was rather then move. His vision was greeted with the unusually blinding flash of light that made him shut them quickly again with a growl. This didn't make sense, usually the normal light of the room didn't bother him but now it was unbearable, why?...Why? Why did this light hurt so much?

His mind went over yesterday during his process of thinking over the last hour, it was a large and important piece to what he was thinking about. It in itself was what made him think.

Yesterday.

Seifer had in fact showed that he knew what he was doing when he cooked, at lest to a point, Shadow could remember very distinctly how good it smelt, but of course anything smelt good in comparison to that dog food crap Cho was trying to feed him. Sense of smell was the strongest thing tied to his memory since he was a wolf, the one thing he could recognize something by over everything else was it's scent. Like every time he smelt vanilla, he'd associate it with Cho and the shampoo he used to give him a bath, even after one use.

The food itself wasn't too bad, it was actually good, but almost anything tasted good after being deprived for two days. Anything except for dog food.

And Seifer continuously told Cho how much he approved of his own cooking while he held a full plate in front of his face and ate. It was one behavioral pattern of many that confused Shadow , they were obviously something along the lines of allies or friends but Seifer wouldn't give him any food, he teased and taunted him with it instead.

Shadow started to understand the behavior a little better when Seifer finally let him have it, it must have been something humans in general or just they did, Shadow decided it was just an action for enjoyment, form of play (that's what humans called he thought.) that they used with each other. It was strange though,.Cho didn't exhibit that same type of behavior with Carbuncle or Nida, Cho and Carbuncle were more friendly with each other.

Nida and Cho had an mixed type of relationship, most time they had the same one Cho and Carbuncle had, and had no problem exhibiting the type Cho and Seifer had with other. Shadow at first wondered was it because they were involved, did everyone who were lovers have the same type of relationship?

No, when he thought about it again that couldn't be right. Different types of friendships and depended on different type of people, every human had a different type of personality. These humans were so confusing.

After breakfast, Cho volunteered to clean up before he depart. Seifer went with him, saying he had nothing better to do which was probably right so Shadow followed with out much thought into the behavior.

Shadow began to notice more things about his new mate now, though Seifer technically had calmed Shadow as his own, he didn't act like it. Shadow was accustomed to the treatment that when someone had been clamed, they were a subordinate from that point on. He'd lived on that thought for hundreds of years, it was right, it was how things were. But Seifer treated him just the same as before, exactly like he treated Cho.

Just as he called Cho a brat, he called Shadow a dog, knowing that he was the farthest thing from it. In fact, one of them really knew what Shadow was exactly, the unknown seemed to scare these humans, it also confused him. It was their nature as humans, they always wanted to destroy things they didn't understand, it was a instinct that resided since the species' creation….No one could possibly understand what Shadow really was but yet…

Damn humans, they were so confusing.

After Cho cleaned up the mess from breakfast, which in retrospect was unusual considering the state of his room when Shadow first saw it. He headed, naturally, to Nida's room, once again Shadow had to stop and think about his behavior. Cho was extremely worried about Nida's well being even though he was clearly fine, or at lest would be, humans healed. He showed him more attention and more care to him then he had before.

Usually, the injured were ignored and expected to keep up normal pace, if not they were shunned or even killed if their pace had fallen enough below par. Or at lest that's what Shadow was used to, that's how it worked, that's how it always worked for him.

Maybe it was because the type of relationship they had?

Cho did just about everything for Nida, even though Nida protested most of the treatment Cho constantly insisted…This was new, not only did he show more care, he did everything he could possibly do for him.

It made Shadow feel sorry for Nida, being that helpless, at lest that's who Cho's actions made it seem like…this empathy was also new, what most likely came with the other things he felt when he was with them.

Why were all of these new sensations coming about so suddenly, he'd been alive for hundreds of years and never experienced anything like this, anything like everything he'd felt here. It was starting to scare him, he'd never feared anything, he didn't know what was happening to him. It was like a fear of pain, only these feeling were completely opposite and he didn't know what direction they would turn. He was beginning to think something was wrong with himself…

Another thing he found questioning was the concept of a Birthday. It was only a date used to mark age by, age was a measure of one's superiority, the it itself had no real meaning. They however treated with value, as something special. It was Nida's Birthday, marking 18 years of age. Age didn't have the meaning it had here where Shadow came from.

It seem to have the same underlining concept in both places, only they thought it was an occasion to be celebrated. So they ended up taking him to different spots in Fisherman's Horizon to do so, Shadow also noted that they ignored all of Seifer's request for places. He couldn't understand why they would read so much in to such a trivial thing. They did ask Shadow when his was, and he made a note to himself to track it on their calendar, which he just reminded himself of now.

After a few hours or so, Seifer started making pointless excuses for himself to leave the two of them. It was puzzling, it came about so suddenly, and Seifer had seemed to be enjoying himself up to that point. It wasn't like he had anything else to do just like Shadow didn't, he didn't appear sick or tired, and most of the world didn't like him so he doubted Seifer had few other friends that'd be important enough.

Even stranger, he took Shadow with him. Shadow didn't exactly want to leave so suddenly, he was enjoying watching the day unfold, studying the humans. Plus, Shadow had nothing to do with any other outside affairs, but after audibly showing his protest he went with Seifer anyway. Only because Seifer had clamed him, not because he wanted too, he made that point clear.

Seifer didn't take him anyplace in particular, and when he asked him why they'd left, (Why he'd left and forced him to come alone.) Seifer laughed.

Shadow didn't like being laughed at.

He told him that Cho and Nida needed to be alone only in different words, another thing Shadow didn't understand. Maybe it was because of the relationship between Cho and Nida, and after a few minutes of being alone with Seifer Shadow could see the appeal of separation.

It was some how different then when being around Seifer with more people, being alone with Seifer gave him a chance just to simply talk with him. Conversation wasn't something Shadow particularly enjoyed, it was one sided at best. But everything was different when they were alone, Shadow gained a sense of... for lack of a better word, enjoyment, being with Cho and Nida, but in spite of his lack of participation it was better being alone with Seifer on some level.

It only when they were by themselves and nothing was there to interfere with there conversation and his thoughts, Shadow was started to realize that he had feeling of contemptment for Seifer, ones deeper then when he had sex with him. Strange.

It was stronger, it made him want involvement with him besides the ones he had now while he was in heat. Those new found feeling also started to confuse him, much like everything else that was happening.

It made him more willing to do what Seifer asked him to (quite possibly the only reason he left Cho alone), it made him want to be around Seifer more. And it was really and truly scaring him now.

How can someone do this to him? How could anything cause this type of reaction in him, let alone a human. He liked it, but at the same time he hated it, and he hated it more then he liked it. He didn't like feeling like that about anyone, anything that would make him more submissive was unwelcome.

He ignored it for the moment and didn't tell Seifer.

Finally, the last thing that happened last night was Seifer saying he'd wonder what it'd be like to see Shadow drinking Alcohol, or something like that, Shadow couldn't remember it clearly... it was unclear? Why was this unclear? Shadow asked what alcohol was, and Seifer was reluctant to give it to him. But eventually Seifer gave in and let him have it.

Seifer had relatively small amounts, Shadow had a lot. Mainly because he kept asking for more, not knowing this wasn't the type of drink that should have been used to satisfy a large thirst. Shadow found that he actually liked it, but what happened after that moment was a blur.

This was another thing that scared Shadow, he never had a lapse in memory before. And now he had a pounding headache…

The first logical thing he went to was...'Did they…try to poison me?' It would explain the pain, the memory, this sensitivity to light...

Betrayal wasn't an uncommon thing for Shadow, where he came from betrayal was as common as air. Everyone wanted power, and they'd do just about anything to get it, you could never trust anyone.

The betrayal didn't surprise him, basing that on the fact of human nature. Human's always sought to destroy what they didn't understand, it happened one way or another, and Shadow thought, he knew it had to be happening here.

He was betrayed before, this was just like every other... only it hurt this time, not just physically, but on some level he couldn't explain. He was always unwilling to be betrayed, that was common sense, he was always on alert to head up of someone would actually do it to him. But this time he didn't expect it in the slightest bit...

All of this terrified him, no one had ever came close to doing whatever Seifer did to him physically and emotionally. And even though it happened, his feeling for everyone didn't subside at all. His mind didn't want to believe it had happened at all, some denial he couldn't explain.

It made him feel grief... he couldn't control it.

To think someone he quite possibly trusted and along with others he had strong feeling towards would do this. This time it was inexplicably different, they were different, different from anyone one he ever met. That's why he wasn't expecting this, and these emotions were all overwhelming…

What were this emotions? He never had any of these before, he never really felt anything before but the pain of battle and the normalcy of his own existence. These never came until he met these humans, these feelings of mental growing ties and some liking and submissiveness to Seifer... It was almost like he was being manipulate some how...

These humans had found away to manipulate him, but...how?

Shadow started to squirm and kick, flailing wildly to get off his back that much quicker. He was laying on Cho's couch, in-between Seifer and Nida and above Cho, who was sitting on the floor. He kicked all of them in the process, waking everyone up before he could do what he set out to and get to his feet.

Shadow was some what disoriented when he jumped down to the ground, he felt a little nauseous from all the sudden and sharp movements, so much that he stumbled and fell to the ground. 'What did they do to me!' He mentally shouted, wondering what strange sound had come unwillingly from his mouth when he fell to the ground. It sounded like a strangled outcry, not something he himself could make... and much to his disappointment it had come from him. He found he wasn't any weaker, he only felt strangely.

"What the hell?" Seifer shouted loudly from the blows to his face, he opening his eyes, his vision greeted the frantic wolf. Shadow finally managed to to get enough baring to push himself hurriedly on to his feet, that rushing compared with heavy disorientedness caused him to slam his head into the edge of the table and fell painfully on the ground in front of Cho.

He was out of breath and much sicker then when he began trying to get up, all that flailing made his headache worse, not to mention slamming his head. "Liars." He said with heavy breaths.

Cho yawned sleepily, this was not how he pictured waking up... "Huh? What are you talking about?" Cho placed his hands back on to the side of the couch behind him and climbing to his feet, rubbing the side of his head where he'd been kicked. "You don't look so--" It happened just as he started to walk towards Shadow, a spike came shooting out of the wolf's back, just barely grazing past his head and scraping his shoulder enough to draw blood and fabric. "What are you doing!" Cho clamed his hand on to his shoulder quickly, this was strange...

Shadow growled angrily. "You tried to kill me… I... I should have expected it" Shadow climbed to his feet, shaking his head wearily with clinched eyes. That light was just so bright, so painful to his eyes...

Seifer blinked in confusion, where did he get that idea? "What? No one tried to kill you. What the hell are you goin' on about?" Seifer stood up with a small stretch, not feeling particularly threatened he walked forward, attempting to get closer to the wolf. Maybe if he calmed him down some then he could find out what brought on this course of thought.

"Get away from me!" Shadowed forced out 3 more long, thin spikes from his back towards Seifer. Despite the fact that he was sleepy and half paying attention he evaded the blind attacks way easily with a few side steps, watching them pass by his side and hearing the sound of the spikes go through the wall behind him.

"!" That effectively fully awakened Nida since it came dangerously close to his head, it was even worse since he wasn't currently in a position to dodge an attack. After watching more and more futile attempts by Cho and Seifer to calm down a frantic Shadow, he encourage them to back off. Seeing it wasn't working and Shadow was particularly dangerous. "Cho, Seifer, wait a minute." He abruptly reached forward and grabbed on to what ever part of Cho and Seifer he could get a hold of and pulled them back. He took a different approach, maybe if he could figure out how this supposedly attempt to kill him he could disprove it, or at lest calm he down a little. "And just how did we try to kill you?"

"Y-You poisoned me!" He accused offensively, "My head hurts, I feel sick and disoriented…" Shadow shook his head again, as if trying to shake this feeling off, but it only served to make things worse.

"What are you talking about?" Cho asked. "Maybe it was a dream or something, maybe your just sick."

Sick? He'd never gotten sick in his life, ever. "You...You tried to-- Why!"

Cho rubbed his head with frustration "Damnit! I don't know where you got that idea from but we didn't try to kill you! If you don't believe me, you have to believe Seifer at lest!"

When Cho said that he clearly wanted Seifer to chime in, but Seifer seemed to be a little distracted. "Disoriented..., a headache? Sick?"

Shadow stumbled, he couldn't even seem to stand up strait. "I have to...I have to get away."

"Shadow." Nida called out haltingly "Wait a minute, tell us what happened, why do you think we poisoned you?"

Shadow shook his head "Liars! Damn Liars!" With out another thought he ran, forcing his strained eyes to open as he burst head through the door and out into the hallway. He had to get away, he didn't know why he was running, all he knew was that he just had to get away, try and get his thoughts together. At the moment his mind seemed fragmented, a messy blur. He had to find out what else would happened to his body in the effect to whatever poison he'd been given, it could get a lot worse, he could get weaker.

'Damnit...Damn them...' But... that wasn't the real reason he was running, he didn't know his way around this world, he didn't even have an idea of where he was going or what he'd do. He didn't want to kill them, but they betrayed him, he had too get away... and he knew he would have to if they really did something like this. That's why he had to leave, now.

! - ! - !

"What? What's going on?" With out hesitation Cho darted after him.

'"Hey! Stop!" Nida followed hastily after him, abandoning his crutch because he was faster with out it, though it hurt a lot more. He leaned on his right leg embedded in a nearly full cast, trying to maintain balance as he pulled it, nearly dragged it along with his left. Of course the fact that his left arm was encased in a half cast and resting in a slink nearly made him fall forward. This really hurt... 'Ow...damn...'

"Cho wait, it's too dangerous to go after him right now!" Nida called out just as he reached the door, obviously doing nothing to stop Cho who was already halfway down the hall. "We have to go after him...Seifer?"

Again, Seifer didn't seem to be paying attention...'...?' Seifer thought about it for a moment, and the more he did the more it became clear to him, all of those symptoms sounded familiar… That's when it finally fell together. 'Wait, he's not poisoned. He has a hangover.'

! - ! - !

! - ! - !

Zell had no luck finding Carbuncle again yesterday, he was so worried he didn't sleep last night.

He checked every inch of Fishermen's Horizon and the Garden, all of it was futile. With no desire to give up not even for a second of rest, and also with no sign of Carbuncle, Zell started from the very beginning. Currently he was in the process of checking again.

Everyone he'd asked hadn't seen him, and that was just about every one he could find. It wasn't surprising, Carbuncle was small enough to avoid being seen even if he wasn't trying 'He always hated his size...'

If there was a word stronger then worry…

Zell looked around his room again, seeing that it was exactly how he'd left it with no sign that anyone or anything had been there since his last visit.

"Damnit! Why didn't you tell me were you were going at lest." Zell growled to himself. Being back in his room tempted him to do a lot of things, he wanted so much to fall face first in the bed and sleep, Hyne he was tired, but he knew he wouldn't be able too sleep anyway.

He wasn't tired, just sleepy, and he wasn't hungry. Which made him wonder if it was the same for Carbuncle, the GF practically hadn't eaten anything in 2 days. "Where the hell are you..." Zell sighed, departing from his dorm.

"!" Much to his relief as soon as he turned around and stepped into the hallway he saw him, Carbuncle was just standing in front of the door. He looked…. Zell couldn't describe that expression, it was just completely empty.

"Zell!" As soon as Carbuncle looked up and saw him he immediately jumped in to Zell's arms and started crying into his chest.

It so sudden that it left Zell was in a daze for a moment, he almost dropped him, but he got over it quickly. "Carbuncle! Where--"

"I had to come back… " Carbuncle voice was mixed in heavy anguish, drowned in sobs that obstructed over other word that came out of his mouth. Tears streamed down his cheek as he curled into Zell's arms, trying to memorize this remotely safe felling... He was going to miss this, he just wanted to burn this into his mind so that he wouldn't ever forget it...

"Why did you leave?"

"Do you remember when I told you it felt like something was hollowing me out," He sobbed "And I couldn't feel anything."

Zell nodded. "Yes."

"It got worse…" Carbuncle couldn't begin to describe how intense this transition was. "It's feels like the world is closing in on me and I'm being crushed, I can hardly breath. Something. keeps trying to pull me down and no matter what I do I can't get away from it." He was so frantic that his words started to meld together in an incomprehensible mix.

Zell rubbed Carbuncle's head soothingly, "Calm down, I can barely understand you."

Carbuncle bit down on his bottom lip and nodded, forcing himself to speak slower. He was panting so hard that between it and the sobs he could barely speak. "Inside my head it feel like I'm falling…I'm so dizzy it driving me crazy. I don't know what I might do--"

"Wait, what do you mean you don't know what you might do?"

"There's something inside my head, I'm sure of it now. I can feel it, it's taking over me."

Zell looked down at Carbuncle, trying to think of anything that might help at lest. But he couldn't think of anything, mainly because he didn't know what was going on. All he knew was that Carbuncle sound so... afraid, scared like he'd never seen anyone scared before. He just wanted to--

Carbuncle's eyes shot opened wide and he started struggling with out reason or working, trying to get out of Zell's arms. "Carbuncle, What are you doing?" It was another sudden sift in emotions that left Zell confused. Why was he doing this? Zell didn't know, but he wouldn't let him run again, he couldn't. Zell tightened his hold, calling frantically for him to calm down.

The only reply he got was grunts from his struggling and pants from already extended breath. Seeing that he wasn't strong enough to escape physically, he compensated and used a shield to do it. He created an invisible barrier that expanded outward and preyed Zell's arms from him around him.

"Carbuncle!" Zell wasn't nearly strong enough to hold on and Carbuncle jumped free, running away with all his speed. "Stop! Comeback!"

'Zell...I'm...sorry but...' He had to get away from Zell, right now, before he lost it completely. He felt his conciseness slipping fast, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was sure that when he finally lost conciseness that he wouldn't regain it, so the least he could do was just to get away... for Zell's sake.

"His eyes….they were red?" Zell charged after him with out hesitation, trying to at lest keep Carbuncle in his sights. But Carbuncle was so fast... "What happened to him? What the hell was that!"

Things could only get worse after this, if what the GF said was true whatever was doing this to Carbuncle had won at that moment. Carbuncle wouldn't act this way, he had to be right, something had to be making him do this... something had to be.

"DAMNIT!"

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