God, I so did not wanna proofread this chapter. I'm waaaaay too lazy… but I did it anyway! I'm too tired to be proud of myself for it.
Either way, I can't believe I did this in… what? Two days? Something must be wrong with me. This isn't normal. Someone call a doctor. If I keep this up I'm just gonna crash and burn.
Well, enjoy these fast uploads while they last…
Ashford Park.
Sleepy Ash didn't have a problem with the park itself, just parks as a whole. Places where people congregate to enjoy the outdoors or bring their kids to play on the playset. Luckily, Ashford Park was the former and not the latter. Ash hated being at the park already just because of all the nature. He didn't need annoying, terrifying little kids added to the mix.
Inside the park, it immediately started off as a trail. One with wooden railings on either side and a partially wooden path on the ground. It was like a path used for hiking so no one ran the risk of slipping and falling. The path continued far into the forest. It was only two miles long, but there were many branching paths. The main path followed along the main road that connected the town and the major city located to the north. The forest ended before actually reaching the city and so did the path so walking or driving along the road was the only way to leave town, unless one took the south road which lead to the ocean, but there were no ports that way.
There were benches placed against the railing near the entrance, so Ash decided to take a seat. He didn't see Mahiru anywhere meaning he probably got there first. Ash didn't take himself as the type not to be late, so he took out his phone to check the time. It was a few minutes before three. Ash was actually early. Perhaps Mahiru was just planning on being on time.
Kuro jumped up on the bench and curled up in Ash's lap. They both were tired from walking such a long way. Ash started getting worried over the fact that he'd have to do even more walking. He had no idea how long he and Mahiru would stay, or how much they'd walk. It could just be up and down the main path, or they could take all the branching paths. Ash hoped it was just the main path, but he knew he'd go along with whatever Mahiru wanted to do.
Ash put a hand on Kuro's back to start petting him. He could hear a purr coming from the small cat. Suddenly Kuro's ears perked up and he lifted his head to stare at something beyond the trees. Ash looked in the same direction, but didn't see anything. However, it felt like someone or something was staring back at him and he suddenly remembered what was so special about the park. It was a supernatural hotspot. It wasn't something he could feel or sense for certain, but he just knew. He could tell there were plenty of them hiding behind the trees. He hoped that him being at the park didn't stir them up. Ash didn't want anything ruining his first time being alone with Mahiru.
Ash let his hand be still on Kuro's back. He noticed Kuro was still staring of in the distance. Kuro had stopped purring and Ash could feel that Kuro was getting ready to hiss. He couldn't figure out what was upsetting the black cat. It dawned on Ash that the air in the park was a bit stuffy. Like there was a presence in the air itself. There was something that had the creatures in the park on edge and Ash didn't know what it was.
"Hey." Ash called out as he rubbed behind Kuro's ear.
Kuro looked up at him.
"I can count on you to make sure none of them act up while I'm with Mahiru, right?" Ash said.
Kuro nodded his head and let out a determined sounding meow.
Ash felt comfortable about having backup from Kuro. If Mahiru thought he was human then he'd have to keep up the illusion so dealing with something supernatural would ruin that illusion.
Ash picked up his phone again and nervously checked it. It was one minute to three. It wasn't three yet so there was still time until Mahiru was late. It's not like one, or even several, minutes late mattered to Ash. He was late for almost everything all the time. But it still worried him that Mahiru might stand him up. He was still looking at his phone when the time changed to exactly three and the screen turned off, showing nothing but black. Ash sighed. He didn't want to start freaking out, but he was already beginning to feel paranoid. He just had to hope that if Mahiru didn't show up then he'd at least get a text explaining why.
"Kuro!"
Both Ash and Kuro looked up and over to the entrance of the park. Everything started to slow down for Ash. His cheeks turned red and his eyes widened. It was Mahiru. He had the brightest smile Ash had seen from him yet and was waving a hand in the air. Mahiru wore a black shirt that said 'sunny' and a plain orange jacket. He had on black capris with a white belt and the same shoes Ash had previously seen him wearing. Mahiru went straight to Kuro and lifted him up off of Ash's lap. The apparent magic of the moment immediately disappeared for Ash.
"How are you!? Oh, you look extra fluffy today! Yes you do, yes you do~!" Mahiru cheerfully complimented Kuro.
Kuro squirmed around in Mahiru's grip. He may have liked being petted by pre-approved people, but he did not like being baby talked to by anyone. Ash stared at poor Kuro as Mahiru held the cat close and ruffled the fur on his head. Ash was starting to get the feeling that Mahiru was more interested in seeing Kuro than him. Mahiru finally looked at Sleepy Ash.
"Hey Ash! I didn't keep you waiting, did I?" Mahiru greeted.
"Ah, n-no. You're right on time actually." Ash replied.
"Yeah, I always try to be on time. It's just simpler than being early or late." Mahiru said.
The brunet sat down on the bench next to Ash. It wasn't exactly a big bench so Mahiru ended up extremely close to Ash. Ash froze as he felt Mahiru's arm press closely against his own. He was too afraid to move it so Mahiru could have more room, but at the same time he didn't want to move it in the first place. He almost couldn't hide the excitement he was feeling on the inside from being so close to Mahiru. Ash glanced over to Mahiru who seemed preoccupied with petting a clearly aggravated Kuro.
"S-so… uh, d-do you like the park?" Ash nervously asked.
Mahiru looked over at Ash.
"Yeah! I come here a lot. I don't live far from here so it's an easy place to come to. I also really love the feeling I get from being here. There's just something about the park that keeps me coming back. Like it draws me in… or… something weird like that, haha. Do you like it here?" Mahiru responded.
"Uuumm… I don't hate it. I'm just not much of an 'outside' person." Ash admitted, feeling nervous over what Mahiru would think.
"Oh, you're more into playing video games indoors, huh?" Mahiru wondered.
"Yeah… It's kinda all I do." Ash muttered and looked away from Mahiru.
"All you do? Say, how old are you Ash?" Mahiru inquired.
Ash froze. He didn't know which answer to give. How old he physically was, or how old he really was. The safest answer would be the more normal one.
"Um, eighteen." Ash answered.
"So you graduated high school this year? Or, I guess, the year before."
"Uh, no… I was, uh, homeschooled."
That wasn't exactly something Ash ever said since the only people he knew already knew that, although he wasn't ignorant to the fact that being homeschooled was something he could get made fun of for. He just hoped Mahiru didn't think he was weird for it. It was true after all, although he never truly graduated… or even got past a middle school level. He was afraid he'd have to end up admitting that. He didn't want to come off as dumb for not being fully educated.
"Home schooled!? Wow! I've always wondered what that was like! You live with your seven other siblings, right? Are you all home schooled?" Mahiru inquired.
Ash was glad that Mahiru didn't see it as a bad thing.
"No, not all of us. My sister, and my brothers, Doubt and Love, went to school when they were younger. The rest of us were homeschooled. Oh, except for Lawless, who had private tutors, and Old Child, who's five." Ash explained.
He made sure to be honest with Mahiru, but left out enough information so as to not sound suspicious. Giving Mahiru the full truth would probably sound like he was lying, or that he just couldn't remember how old his siblings were. It would be weird for Ash to admit that he was the oldest while the only one physically younger than him was the five-year old, who also happened to be the second eldest.
"That's odd. Your parents didn't want to do the same thing for all of you?" Mahiru wondered.
"No. Our father wanted us all to be homeschooled, but not all of our mothers wanted that." Ash told him.
Mahiru looked surprised to hear that. Ash could tell it didn't have anything to do with the homeschooling part. Aaaand now here came the awkward part of the conversation for Ash.
"You're all- um…" Mahiru trailed off, not sure how to word what he wanted to say.
"Half siblings yeah. We all have different mothers." Ash stated, already knowing what Mahiru would ask.
Mahiru had a lot he wanted to ask, but it didn't feel right to pry into Ash's personal life just because he was curious. Mahiru got the feeling it wasn't Ash's favorite topic to discuss anyway. Especially since Mahiru noticed him using past tense when he referred to his parents. Mahiru decided it was best to try steering the conversation in a different direction.
"I'm an only child, so I don't know what it's like to have half siblings, let alone full siblings." Mahiru stated.
Ash glanced to Mahiru. "It has its ups and downs, that's for sure."
Ash fell quiet after that and Mahiru felt like he failed. Kuro jumped out of Mahiru's grasp and landed in Ash's lap. Ash put a hand on Kuro's head. Mahiru sighed and stood up from the bench. He stood in front of Ash, who looked up at him with a curious expression.
"Why don't we go walk down the path together?" Mahiru suggested with a smile on his face.
Ash nodded his head and stood up. Kuro jumped down onto the bench then up onto the wooden railing.
"Do you want to just take the main path?" Mahiru asked.
"Yeah, if that's fine with you…" Ash answered.
Mahiru smiled again as confirmation and the two began walking together with Kuro following them on the railing. It was silent between them for a while. The only thing heard was the sound of their footsteps, birds chirping, and leaves rustling in the wind. Mahiru liked listening to the sounds of nature, while Ash hated how loud it sounded in his head. Mahiru wanted to say something so they could start a conversation again, but had trouble coming up with a topic. He suddenly remembered history class earlier at school and what he read in his textbook.
"Hey, do you know the myths about this forest?" Mahiru inquired.
Ash was pretty sure he did know, but he wasn't sure which ones Mahiru was talking about. He also wanted to hear whatever Mahiru had to say, even if he already knew about it, so he shook his head.
"What myths?" Ash asked.
Mahiru looked off to stare out at the trees as they walked.
"Well… It's said this forest is where a lot of supernatural creatures live. There's been sightings going farther back than when the town was founded. There's been people out here at night that claim they see women beyond the trees, and get this, there's at least six different women seen and each one is only seen around a certain time of year. It's always the same six too."
Ash glanced away from Mahiru. While he'd never seen anything like that in the park before, he immediately knew what it was. He heard stories about it and even of the descriptions of the women. Despite never seeing it himself, just from their descriptions alone Ash knew it was true.
"There was this one incident a few hundred years ago where people described seeing a unicorn laying in the forest and bleeding. When they checked back almost an hour later the unicorn was gone, but there was blood left at the scene."
Ash remembered that one a bit. He was sleeping a lot that day so it wasn't something too vivid in his memories. Apparently Doubt Doubt was out hunting, back when that wasn't banned in the forest yet, and accidentally shot a unicorn without realizing it was even a unicorn. He felt bad and didn't want to kill it so he came home to get help. The Mother went with him and tried to take care of it, of course it being a unicorn, the wounds healed up pretty easily after that and it left on its own.
"Then there's also relatively recent sightings, starting one hundred years ago, of people coming here alone and meeting someone else who has weird conversations with them then robs them without them knowing about it. This one is supernatural because everyone that's made these claims says they saw the person have two black and white tails. What's stranger, though, is that the description of the person is different every time. The only consistency other than the tails is the person is always a man with his eyes closed."
That wasn't one Ash knew about, surprisingly. He never heard of a man with two tails before. He did believe it though, since practically everything supernatural turned out to be true in their town. Kuro, on the other hand, hissed and turned his nose up. It surprised Ash and Mahiru, who both looked over at the cat. Ash wasn't completely sure, but he thought his cat was angry over the last myth Mahiru told him. Ash looked back at Mahiru.
"Do you really believe all that though?" Ash questioned.
"Well, I believe in Occam's Razor. It revolves around the theory that the simplest hypothesis proposed as an explanation of phenomena is more likely to be the true one than is any other available hypothesis. So, if the most logical and simple explanation is that it really is something supernatural, then yes. I believe it. Although, I haven't actually found anything like that, so… actually no. I guess I don't." Mahiru answered.
Sleepy Ash stared at Mahiru. He had no idea what anything Mahiru said actually meant, but he thought he got the gist of it. If there was a simpler explanation to something believed to be supernatural, then Mahiru went with the simple option. It made sense to Ash, at least in theory. It was a bit hard for him to give something like that credence when the things Mahiru told him about actually were supernatural.
"Do you believe it, Ash?" Mahiru asked.
"...I've seen enough questionable things in my life to keep myself open-minded." Ash kept his answer vague enough to be true, but not overly revealing.
Mahiru laughed and Ash got a confused expression on his face. He didn't know if he said something that Mahiru found funny, or if Mahiru was laughing at him.
"Haha! You're the mysterious type, aren't you, Ash?" Mahiru noted.
Ash stared at Mahiru. He didn't actually know. Was he mysterious? It wasn't his intention to come off like that. Sure, he was hiding things, but he was trying to be as honest as possible despite that. Ash didn't respond to Mahiru and it became quiet around them again.
They passed by a big group of slightly older people. Ash hoped none of them recognized him. It was more often the older townsfolk that kept more of an eye out for him and his siblings. One of them walked right by Ash, a bit too close to him for comfort, and he tensed up. He kept his head facing forward so he didn't look suspicious. Nothing seemed to come out of it as the two groups got further away from each other. Ash let out a sigh of relief. He just wanted to be alone with Mahiru so no one could ruin the moment. Every single person that saw him was another opportunity for someone to announce his presence or call C3.
Ash glanced at Mahiru. The brunet had a small smile on his face and was simply enjoying their walk together. Ash wanted to keep talking with Mahiru. The silence felt too awkward to him and the stuffy air in the park only made him feel more uncomfortable. He hoped Mahiru wasn't feeling the same way and just putting on a fake smile.
"So, um… Ya like cats?" Ash asked.
He felt stupid over asking that. He already knew the answer and the way he worded it came off as way too simplistic to him. There were so many better ways he could have asked that. They looked at each other and Ash saw Mahiru's face light up. He couldn't help but blush at the sight of it.
"Cats are my favorite animal! They're so soft and cute and amazing! They're capable of understanding so much! It's like you look in their eyes and they just know. Did you know dogs can only make ten different vocal sounds while cats can make one hundred?" Mahiru cheerfully said.
It made Ash so happy to hear Mahiru talk about cats in such an energetic way. It made him want to join in.
"Cats can be right-pawed or left-pawed like people. Kuro is right-pawed." Ash said.
"Cats can jump seven times their height!" Mahiru added.
"Cats can't see under their noses." Ash added as well.
"Cats have two hundred-thirty bones!"
"Cats can't sweat."
"Cats can't move their jaw sideways!"
"All cats are born with blue eyes."
"Cats' brains are closer to humans than dogs' brains are!"
"White cats with blue eyes are deaf and if it's one blue eye then it's just the ear on that side."
Mahiru stood still and Ash stopped next to him. Mahiru just stared at him with a look surprise. Ash hoped he didn't say something wrong, or worse, his information was incorrect and Mahiru was about to make fun of him for it.
"Wait, really? I never knew that!" Mahiru exclaimed.
"Uh, yeah. It can also happen in white cats with yellow or green eyes, but it's most common in ones with blue eyes. It happens with the, uh… man, what's it called? Organ of Corti I think. Pretty sure that was it. Yeah, and after that the spiral… gang...lion... degenerates too." Ash explained, feeling pretty proud of himself for using big words and medical talk.
"Wow! So, all cats with white fur and blue eyes are deaf?" Mahiru repeated.
"Um, well… No, not all. That's a misconception. It's just, like, a super common thing." Ash clarified.
Mahiru stared at him and Ash felt nervous. He knew that sometimes his vast supply of cat knowledge got him weird looks from his siblings. Mahiru seemed very knowledgeable about cats as well, but the way he stared at Ash made Ash afraid that he nerded out a bit too much.
"It's amazing to meet someone else that knows so much, and maybe more than me, about cats! My friends always tell me I'm going to end up becoming one of those crazy cat ladies when I'm older. Living alone with, like, ten cats as my children. It can get a little annoying to be laughed at about it." Mahiru admitted.
It was Ash's turn to stare at Mahiru. He felt exactly the same way as Mahiru and it made him feel so overjoyed.
"I feel ya there. My siblings say I'm cat obsessed. Although, I wouldn't mind living with ten cats. Then again, I think that just proves them right." Ash responded.
Mahiru chuckled and Ash knew right away that it wasn't meant to be Mahiru making fun of him. He ended up worried anyway, though, because Mahiru feel silent and stared down at the ground.
"I wish I had a cat, at least." Mahiru muttered.
"Wait, you like cats so much… but you don't have one?" Ash inquired.
Mahiru glanced at Kuro, who was sitting down on the railing, waiting for the two males to keep walking.
"No. I've never even had a pet of any kind before. A pet wasn't something I could afford with my mom and it would be too much responsibility right now with my uncle." Mahiru explained.
Ash knew what Mahiru was feeling. He never had a pet either until Kuro came along, and that was only thirteen years ago. He didn't like that Mahiru had that same feeling. He looked back at Kuro too.
"You're free to borrow Kuro if you want. He pretty much takes care of himself and he comes and goes as he pleases too, so there's not much you'd have to do responsibility wise…" Ash offered.
Kuro's ears perked up and he seemed both shocked and confused at Ash's words. Ash was pretty protective of Kuro when it came to other people. The only exception was people that Kuro didn't mind, and Mahiru and his friends, which were only an exception to Ash, not Kuro. It was a shock to the cat that Ash was essentially suggesting he and Mahiru share Kuro. At the same time, Kuro understood Ash's uncharacteristic behavior as him trying to win Mahiru over.
He couldn't figure out what his owner saw in the human. He agreed with Ash's sister. Humans die easily. Their lives are fleeting and letting even just one in only causes trouble. Kuro knew that all too well. Humans were afraid of what they couldn't understand. That's what made them afraid of Ash and his family. That's what made them afraid of Kuro. Mahiru's laughter made Kuro focus back on him.
"That actually sounds interesting. I have to admit, I really like Kuro. I don't think I've ever come across a cat that I was interested in as much as I am with him, but it would feel a little wrong to me. He's your cat, you shouldn't have to share him with someone else." Mahiru said.
"Well, uh, the offer's always there. Hell, Kuro's a free reign kinda cat. You may find him coming your way on his own." Ash stated.
Mahiru laughed again and nodded at Ash. Kuro turned his head away. Mahiru's hair may have been a wonderful place to take a nap to Kuro, but he didn't actually want anything to do with said human.
"Hey, let's keep walking." Mahiru suggested.
Ash nodded and the two began walking down the path again. Kuro got up and followed along side them. They had only walked about a half-mile so far. Ash didn't want to show it, but he we getting tired. To walk to the end and all the way back would mean walking four miles. Ash didn't know if he could actually do that. Mahiru seemed just fine, though. Ash didn't want to end holding Mahiru back if the brunet wanted to do a lot more walking. Ash regretted not at least bringing water. He did drink a soda on the way, but that wasn't exactly healthy. Not like his health was even an issue. Staying hydrated wasn't really necessary if nothing could kill him. It did make him feel better on a physical level, though.
The path ahead of them wasn't a straight one. Due to some very large trees in the way of the path, it ended up winding a bit. It was basically a big corner that they had to go around, but it was sharp enough that seeing what was around it was almost impossible. There was a branching path towards the end of it that led further into the forest. They rounded the corner and Ash suddenly froze. He spotted a small group of people in white uniforms standing off to the side and talking amongst themselves. Kuro saw them as well and started hissing. Ash didn't want to be anywhere near them. He was too afraid to make a sound incase one of them looked in his direction, but he wanted to get away as quickly as possible. Just them seeing him would ruin everything. They'd attack him right away and there was a chance Mahiru would become a target as well. Ash didn't want to put Mahiru in danger like that. Mahiru finally stopped and turned around, noticing Ash was several feet behind him.
"Hm? Is something wrong, Ash?" Mahiru asked, noticing he seemed stuck in place.
Ash dropped his head down and rubbed the back of his neck.
"U-um… If it's not too much to ask, can we go down the other path? I think there's something down this way that Kuro doesn't like." Ash requested and pointed to the branching path.
Mahiru stared at Sleepy Ash. He knew Ash had been acting nervous around him pretty much the whole time, but now it seemed more like Ash had been crippled by fear. The hooded man was looking at the ground and fidgeting with his hands. His eyes darted around at the dirt and wooden planks of the path and he bit his lip. Mahiru was certain that whatever Ash was referring to, he didn't like it either. Mahiru didn't want Ash, or Kuro, to be uncomfortable. He wanted them to have a good time with him so he was more than willing to comply with Ash's request.
"Sure! I don't mind." Mahiru said with a smile.
Ash looked up at Mahiru with a bit of surprise. Mahiru's smile eased his concerns and he let out a sigh of relief. Kuro was still hissing so Mahiru walked over to the cat and picked him up. Ash wanted to stop Mahiru in case Kuro tried to bite him. The small cat had a tendency to get violent around C3. Ash was pleasantly surprised to see that Kuro didn't try anything. He just let Mahiru pick him up and hold him in his arms. Mahiru kept a hand on Kuro's head to pet him and walked up to Ash.
"You're okay, Kuro." Mahiru told the cat.
Kuro's hissing turned into purring and he put his head down on Mahiru's arm. Even if the human didn't have permission to pet him, Kuro had to admit that Mahiru was good at it. Ash couldn't help but stare at the beautiful sight.
"Uh, thanks." Ash muttered.
Mahiru nodded and they began their detour down the branching path. The path they were now headed down went all the way into the east side of the forest and stopped at a dead end. It was a short path so it was only a few minutes of walking until they got there. Two teenagers walked past them on the way, obviously a couple. It got Ash thinking about his intentions with Mahiru. He was told to ask Mahiru out on a date, but he never actually used that word specifically. Doubt told him the park was a common date spot, but that wasn't exactly what Ash and Mahiru were doing. Ash wanted to think of Mahiru as some kind of love interest to him, but he had no way of knowing if Mahiru was interested in him like that.
Upon reaching the end of the path, Ash stood still. He didn't know what he was looking at. There were makeshift steps at the end that lead to a campsite. It wasn't a real one, but a historical recreation of the town founder's campsite when he was staying in the forest doing research. Ash didn't actually know that was down there. It must have been new. He didn't know how new, though. There was another couple at the campsite that looked like they were getting ready to leave.
"Oh! I totally forgot about this. It's a common date spot. From what I've heard you tend to get made fun of for coming here alone so I've never actually been here." Mahiru said.
Ash wanted to scream. He was at a popular date spot. With Mahiru. The guy he wanted to go on a date with.
"Haha, I guess it's kind of embarrassing being at a place like this together. I mean, it's not like this is a date in the first place. Hm, but I've always wanted to come look at it. We should check it out anyway." Mahiru suggested and walked down the steps.
Ash had to clench his jaw shut so he didn't scream. The leaving couple passed by him as he stood there. He looked at Mahiru, who was observing the campsite near the unlit fire pit. He hesitated before slowly walking down one step at a time. He trudged over to the fire pit with Mahiru and sat down on a fake log that was meant to be a seat. He was trying to calm his nerves down when Mahiru sat down next to him on the log. As a bright blush started appearing on his face, Ash didn't think it could get much worse. Suddenly, Kuro's ears perked up again and he lifted his head to stare out into the forest. Before Mahiru could do anything about it Kuro jumped out of his lap and ran off into the woods, leaving Ash alone with Mahiru.
"Kuro! U-um, is it okay that he just ran off?" Mahiru asked, sounding extremely concerned.
Ash wanted to say no since Kuro was meant to be his wingman in a way, but instead the cat left Ash by himself at a date location with the person he wanted to date. Ash just sighed and tried to let it be. Obviously if Kuro left at such a crucial moment then it had to be related to something in the forest. He did tell Kuro to take of it if something in the forest acted up due to Ash's presence.
"Y-yeah. He's allowed to leave and do whatever he wants. He's smart enough that he always comes back without an issue. Plus he has a collar, so people know he's a pet." Ash answered.
Mahiru stared out at the forest where Kuro ran off. He didn't doubt Ash, Kuro was his pet after all, but he still couldn't help but worry about Kuro's safety. He was a small cat so anything could easily snatch him up. Despite his concerns, Mahiru looked back to Ash with a smile.
"Have you heard about this place?" Mahiru wondered.
"Uh, other than just now, no. I had no idea about this spot." Ash replied.
"It was put up almost a year ago as an early celebration for the town's six hundredth anniversary. It's supposed to be a historical spot that you can come and sit at, but other teenagers ended up taking it over and deciding it was a date spot. That's because it wasn't exactly popular so it ended up being a pretty secluded place. On the down low... I've heard it's also a party spot. I've never been though, I'm not really popular enough to get invited to one. I wouldn't even go anyway, since I've also heard they bring alcohol. Apparently my friend Sakuya, the one that's your gaming rival, came to a party here a few weeks ago. He got wasted and got in some seriously bad trouble with his parents for sneaking out." Mahiru explained.
Ash just nodded his head. He didn't care for much of what Mahiru told him about. Teenagers were stupid and reckless and no matter how many decades passed they just stayed the same. That did explain why Ash was picking up the faint scent of beer, though. There was one thing about Mahiru's explanation that bothered him.
"What is this supposed to be a historical spot of?" Ash asked.
"Eh? You don't know the story? This is where the founder set up camp to do research on the supposed 'supernatural creatures' in the forest." Mahiru answered.
Ash went wide eyed. He had no idea he was sitting in the same spot as his father did almost six hundred years ago. He wanted to get up and leave and never come back. It disgusted him just thinking about that man. Mahiru realized that Ash seemed on edge so he put a hand on the hooded man's shoulder. Ash tensed up a bit and looked at Mahiru. His face started burning up.
"You okay?" Mahiru questioned.
"Yeah ...I just don't care much for history… for this town's history…" Ash admitted.
" Really? This place is kind of interesting to me. Well, in a quirky, weird kind of way. Because of how odd this whole island is, it makes me want to know more... Although, I'm not even originally from here so I feel like an outsider sometimes. Learning about this place helps with that." Mahiru said.
"What…? You're not from here? Did you move here or something?" Ash inquired.
"Yep. I moved here from Japan to live with my uncle when I was six. He moved here some time before I was born." Mahiru answered.
It didn't really surprise Ash that much. The town was almost fully made up of both European and Japanese immigrants. Although, the same couldn't be said for the city up north, which was a bit more diverse. What was surprising to Ash though, was that Mahiru and his uncle moved into town rather being descendants of immigrants that moved there generations ago. It was pretty unheard of now for people without ties to the town to just up and move in. Outsiders weren't exactly welcomed with open arms in Ashford.
Ash wanted to know more. Mainly because it was Mahiru and he wanted to know everything about Mahiru.
"Why'd you leave Japan?" Ash asked.
Mahiru was silent for a moment, like he was contemplating whether or not to give Ash an answer. His eyes looked away from Ash and down at the dirt.
"Because my mom died... I never knew my dad and nobody else would take me in except for my uncle." Mahiru responded.
Ash immediately regretted asking that. He knew that look on Mahiru's face. He got the same expression whenever parents were brought up around him. Mahiru's story sounded a bit like Ash's, except Ash initially believed he knew his father and no one ever took him or his siblings in. Ash wanted to cheer Mahiru up, but he never saw meaning in just saying 'I'm sorry' and giving the person a pat on the back. He wanted to get closer to Mahiru too. Ash wanted Mahiru to know that he understood how he felt, that Mahiru wasn't alone.
"...My… My mother is dead too… and my father left when I was five." Ash revealed.
He decided not to mention that his father ended up coming back then leaving again numerous times.
Mahiru flashed a fake smile.
"At least we both have other family members. I have my uncle and you have your siblings." He said.
"Yeah." Ash muttered and nodded his head.
Ash didn't really agree with that, but he wasn't about to admit it. At the very least he could say he had Old Child and Kuro, and that was it.
Deep in the forest, Kuro quietly and slowly placed a paw down on the dirt. He crept around the base of a tree like he was a lion, stalking whatever prey was trying to hide itself from him. Unbeknownst to him, Kuro was also being stalked by the same prey he was after from the other side of the tree. He knew his prey was close, very close, but he couldn't see it so he had to be extra cautious. His tail twitched and a white snout poked out from behind him. Getting closer to Kuro's tail, it's jaw opened and slowly moved in around the tail. Unsuspecting Kuro had his tail chomped down on, causing Kuro to freeze and tense up.
"Mmmrooooww!" Kuro screeched and yanked his tail away as he ran forward.
The poor cat didn't make it far since he tripped on a tree root and went face first into the dirt. He heard snickering behind him, familiar snickering.
"Kehehehe! Silly Kuro couldn't even see me! How pathetic." His prey mocked him.
Kuro kept his sore tail tucked down as he got up and shook the dirt off his face, his bell jingling loudly. He turned around to see a black and white fox with two tails and closed eyes.
"There you are, Tsubaki. I knew you were here." Kuro said.
The fox, sharing his name with the youngest of the Ash family, happily wagged his tails at the sight of Kuro.
"My, my! You did? That makes me sooo happy that you knew! So, what brings my bestest pal out to the forest today? I didn't think you ever came here." Tsubaki questioned.
Kuro glared at Tsubaki. "I am not your pal, I've told you dozens of times that I don't even like you. And I'm only here because my owner is spending time with a human. I'm acting as their guardian, making sure nuisances like you don't interrupt them."
Tsubaki let out an exaggerated gasp. "Reeeally!? Kehehe! You're still a pet!? Geeeez! When are you gonna ditch those humans and come have some fun on my side?"
"Like I've said, they're not humans! They're like me… and I don't like your side. I prefer relaxing indoors where I know there's always a meal waiting for me." Kuro refused.
Tsubaki walked up to Kuro and circled around him. One of his tails slid under the bell of Kuro's collar. Kuro swatted the tail away with a paw.
"You'll never know freedom until you free yourself of that ridiculous shackle." Tsubaki said.
"I know what those shackles feel like. This is not one of them. This is a gift." Kuro said, referring to his collar.
Tsubaki just snickered, finding Kuro's response a tad bit humorous. Kuro looked away from the annoying fox.
"You need to leave. C3 is in the area and I don't want anything bothering Ash." Kuro ordered.
"Oooh? I need to leave? As in, go? Disappear? Be gone? Poof?" As Tsubaki said that, he vanished in a puff of smoke.
Kuro wasn't fazed by it since he was used to the fox doing that. It was when he turned around to come a bit more than face to face with Tsubaki that he flinched.
"You think I can't conduct myself in a proper manner when those rats are around? Of course I can! I just choose not to! It's much more fun to mess with them!" Tsubaki exclaimed.
Kuro backed up. "No! Don't do that! Just leave! Go bother some citizens in town or something, just don't be here for the time being."
"Kehehe! And what if I refuse?" Tsubaki teased.
"Leave! Now! Or I'll bite both your tails off!" Kuro threatened and hissed at Tsubaki.
"Ooooh! Look at the cute, sweet, little kitten trying to be scary! I'm soooo intimidated~!" Tsubaki said in a fake scared tone.
Kuro groaned and Tsubaki laughed at him. They both knew Kuro would never put forth the effort to do something about the annoying, inconsequential fox.
"Listen, Kuuuro~ I'm seeing a determination in you that I don't think I've ever seen before. If it's really what you want, for me to leave, then so be it. You are my bestest pal after all! Kehehe! I'll go elsewhere for the day, but only because you want me to." Tsubaki submitted.
Kuro let out a sigh of relief. He was glad that one possible problem was dealt with. The two animals stared at each other for a moment until Tsubaki suddenly disappeared, leaving behind nothing but smoke. Kuro suddenly stood up on all fours, remembering he had something else he needed to say.
"And stop stealing from humans! You'll get caught eventually!" Kuro shouted, hoping Tsubaki would hear him.
"Nooo promises, pal!" Tsubaki replied.
Kuro looked around, but couldn't find the fox anywhere, let alone pick up on his scent. Deciding Tsubaki was finally dealt with, Kuro wanted to start making his way back to Sleepy Ash and Mahiru. He was pretty far away from the campsite and he hated running, so it would take him a few minutes to get back. He started making his way back at a jogging pace. It was quiet in the forest, a bit too quiet. Kuro believed it was due to the loudness of his and Tsubaki's encounter, which caused the other forest residents to be wary. A nearby crunching sound of leaves made Kuro change his mind. The cat stood still and his ears twitched when he heard the sound again. Sniffing the air, Kuro could tell humans were nearby. Two different scents, ones he recognized, but didn't belong to anyone he actually knew. His ears twitched again as he picked up voices.
"Seriously? I don't see anything! Ugh! This stupid forest is so annoying! Why are we always stuck with park duty!?"
"Stop complaining about it. Our info is never wrong so just keep looking."
"Maaan! This would be way easier with Tsurugi here! But noooo, they don't put the sensor on park duty! It's like a damn maze out here! The least they could do is stick the human radar with us in this God forsaken hellhole!"
"Okay. Stop. You do this every time we have park duty. It's getting a little intolerable. He's the only sensor we still have so he's pretty busy all the time, you know that."
Kuro only heard incoherent grumbling after that. He peeked around a bush to see two humans, one blonde, one brunet. He recognized their white jackets as C3 uniforms. Kuro had to fight the urge to confront them. He already got rid of Tsubaki, he couldn't ruin everything for Ash by trying to take on two, maybe more, C3 members. There was a chance he wouldn't win anyway so he didn't want to risk it. He carefully continued on his way past the two humans and was overjoyed to finally see the campsite appear in his view. He didn't want to alert Ash that C3 was snooping around since he was afraid it would disrupt his time with Mahiru, so when Kuro finally entered the campsite he just kept himself calm like he always was. He sat down next to the log that Ash and Mahiru were sitting on.
"Mrow."
They both looked over to see Kuro and Mahiru happily scooped the cat up in his arms.
"Kuro! There you are! I was worried about you!" Mahiru exclaimed as he hugged Kuro.
The cat was annoyed, but he let it happen anyway. Ash reached a hand over and pet Kuro on the head.
"Huh. He doesn't usually come back that quickly." Ash stated.
"I bet it's because he missed me! Did you, Kuro? Did you miss me? I missed you!" Mahiru baby talked to the cat.
Kuro scowled at Mahiru and kicked his back paws around. He just got done dealing with one nuisance, he didn't want to deal with another one. Mahiru stood up with Kuro in his arms.
"Want to get going, Ash" Mahiru asked.
"Sure." Ash said.
He stood up as well and began walking with Mahiru. They made their way back to the main path and Ash checked to see if C3 was gone. He didn't see them anymore so he wasn't worried about it.
"Hey. Do you think it would be fine going down the main path now, or would you rather we head back to the entrance?" Mahiru wondered.
Ash wasn't sure. Since the moment he got into the park he wanted to leave, but leaving would mean he'd have to stop hanging out with Mahiru. He didn't want that, but he didn't want to stay either.
Mahiru could see the uncertainty on Ash's face. Knowing Ash was more of an inside person, Mahiru didn't want to keep him outside for too long. He kind of got a feeling that Ash was ready to call it quits anyway.
"You know what, don't worry about it. It is a weekday so I guess I shouldn't stay out too long. Why don't we start heading back?" Mahiru suggested.
Ash felt disappointed in himself that he didn't make a decision fast enough. He wasn't about to protest Mahiru's choice, though. He simply nodded his head in agreement.
Without another word they began walking back the way they came. Ash enjoyed the time he was spending with Mahiru. It may not have been anything more than sitting, talking, walking, repeat, but as long as it was with Mahiru he enjoyed it. Ash glanced at Mahiru out of the corner of his eye. He liked Mahiru more than anything. He didn't want to spend a single second away from the human. As they got closer and closer to the entrance of the park, he became more and more afraid that he'd never see Mahiru again. There was a possibility that Mahiru didn't have a good time at all and he was just being polite. If that was the case then Mahiru might refuse to hang out with him again. Ash wanted to do whatever he could to get Mahiru to like him. The problem with that, though, was that Ash didn't even like himself. Ash dropped his head down and stared at the ground as he walked alongside Mahiru.
Mahiru happily pet Kuro on the head as the cat purred in his arms. He certainly did enjoy his time at the park with Ash, but he wasn't sure if Ash did. Glancing over to the hooded man, Mahiru noticed he had his head down. He had to admit that he found Ash to be interesting. Mahiru wanted to know more about him, a lot more. He just seemed so mysterious to Mahiru. It was interesting to Mahiru that he met someone that was so similar, yet so different to him. Neither of them had parents in their lives and they both loved cats to the point of a possible obsession, but Mahiru liked the outdoors while Ash preferred to stay inside. Mahiru goes to a normal high school and Ash was home schooled. Only child, eight siblings. Never had a pet, has a pet cat. Mahiru didn't mind their differences, in fact, he liked them. It was a good opportunity for Mahiru to see a different perspective.
The entrance to the park was in sight as they reached the beginning of the path. Mahiru turned to Ash.
"Let's walk home together! Do you live far?" Mahiru suggested.
"Oh, uh, yeah. I live all the way on the south end of town. I could walk with you to your place, though." Ash said.
"Sure! Sounds good." Mahiru replied with a smile.
Ash was happy that he would get to see where Mahiru lived. He wondered what it looked like. It got him thinking about Mahiru's room. What kind of stuff did he have? It was probably a clean room, unlike Ash's bedroom. Mahiru seemed like the type to be responsible and organized so his room was probably very tidy. Ash felt embarrassed over his own room. Unless it got thoroughly cleansed he would never want Mahiru to see it. All the clothes strewn about and the disorganization of his possessions was just a mess. He was afraid if Mahiru did see it then he'd never want anything to do with Ash again.
They passed through the entrance of the park and came to the parking lot. It felt like a weight was lifted from Ash's shoulders. The air wasn't thick and suffocating anymore. He didn't realize how the air in the park made him feel until he was out of it. It was like breathing became easier and the wind actually felt nice and cool. Ash wondered if Mahiru had noticed the same change. He could see that Kuro looked more relaxed in Mahiru's arms than before so at least Kuro felt it too.
"I'll lead the way to my place." Mahiru decided.
Ash nodded and followed slightly behind Mahiru as they both started to leave the parking lot.
"Hey, this was fun." Mahiru said.
"Yeah." Ash replied.
"Heh, we didn't really do much, but it was nice to walk around and talk. I'm glad I finally got to see the campsite too. I usually go to the park alone so it was a nice change of pace to have someone with me. Thanks for inviting me, Ash!" Mahiru told him and smiled.
Ash blushed and looked away.
"Uh, y-yeah… Thanks for… Thanks for coming out here… with me." Ash nervously responded.
"We should hang out again, maybe do something different." Mahiru suggested.
Ash flinched. Mahiru wanted to see him again. He wanted to keep spending time with Ash. Mahiru wasn't scared off or disinterested or anything like that. He actually wanted to continue being around Ash. It made his stomach knot up and Ash felt like he wanted to puke, but in a good way. If throwing up in a good way was even possible.
"Yeah… I'd like that." Ash muttered.
"My friends and I always hang out after school everyday so you could join us for that. In fact, tomorrow is my turn to pick what we do! Would you like to come with? I don't know yet what I'll suggest, though." Mahiru offered.
After school? Ash let that sit around in his head for a moment until it finally clicked in his mind. He didn't know how he missed it. None of it seemed to register earlier since he didn't pay enough attention. All the dots connected and something dawned on Ash. Mahiru was a high schooler, meaning he was a teenager, meaning that even physically he was younger than Ash. He sort of assumed that already considering Mahiru was shorter than him and he didn't necessarily consider himself to be tall, but he never actually thought about how old Mahiru was. If he was in high school then he had to be between fourteen and eighteen. That wasn't an issue, it wasn't an issue at all. Right? It might not have been one five centuries ago, but things have changed a lot since Ash was originally eighteen. Mahiru didn't seem to have a problem hanging out with someone older than him who's supposedly already 'graduated', but Ash's intentions were more than just to hang out. Of course, if things did go Ash's way, being in an actual intimate relationship with Mahiru probably wouldn't happen for a long time. Mahiru would be older by then, so it wouldn't be a problem. In fact, with enough time Mahiru would end up much older than Ash on a physical level. Ash shook his head. It wasn't a problem. Not a problem at all. He was worrying about things he didn't need to worry about. Ash realized he never actually had the opportunity to act like a normal teenager when he was one, so being around Mahiru and his friends might give him that chance. Ash finally noticed Mahiru staring at him with a confused expression.
"Oh! U-uh, yeah! Sounds fun. I'd like that." Ash quickly responded.
Mahiru sighed and smiled at Ash. He wasn't sure what Ash was thinking so hard about, but he was nonetheless glad that Ash agreed to join them tomorrow.
"Great! School gets out at twelve-fifty and we always leave right from school to hang out. If it's not too much to ask, can you meet us at school?" Mahiru informed him.
"Yeah, sure." Ash agreed and nodded.
"Wait, you know where the high school is, right?" Mahiru asked.
"Uh… yeah. I was homeschooled, not locked in my house for eighteen years." Ash answered.
Mahiru laughed at his response. "Okay, just making sure. Heh."
Ash realized that came off as a bit snarky. He was glad Mahiru took it as a joke and not the other way around. He didn't mean for it to sound like that, he just wasn't one for making jokes sound like actual jokes and not sarcasm.
Mahiru suddenly came to a stop and turned around. Ash looked up and noticed they were in front of an apartment complex. They were finally at Mahiru's home. He felt a little disappointed over not being able to see a house. At least that way Ash could get a generalization on what Mahiru's home was like. Then again, considering how run down Ash's house looked on the outside, he didn't want Mahiru using that as a point of reference. Books and covers and judging and all that, or whatever that saying was.
"So, uh, this is my place." Mahiru said.
Ash nodded and the two stood there for a moment in awkward silence. There was a tiny part inside of Ash that hoped Mahiru would invite him inside.
"I guess I should give Kuro back." Mahiru muttered.
They both looked down at the fluffy cat laying in Mahiru's arms. His head was down and his eyes were closed. Ash would have believed Kuro was asleep if the cat's tail wasn't twitching ever so slightly. He looked like he was in cat heaven. It made Ash a bit jealous of his pet. To be held in Mahiru's arms and have his head pat, it sounded wonderful to Ash. It made him wish he could turn into a cat and get Mahiru to pet him. Then he'd be able to curl up in Mahiru's lap, rub up against his leg, maybe lick his finger. Ash blushed and shook his head. No, that was weird. He shouldn't think like that. That was a little bit too creepy sounding. He wasn't allowed to be creepy. Creepy would scare off Mahiru.
"Ash?" Mahiru called out, holding Kuro up to Ash's face.
Ash flinched and realized Kuro was extremely close to him. Kuro wiggled a paw out at Ash.
"Mrow."
Ash couldn't deny how cute Kuro looked. He grabbed a hold of Kuro so he could take his cat back. Ash's hands sort of went over Mahiru's hands since Kuro had such a small body. He blushed again and wanted to scream. His hands were on top of Mahiru's. It was like they were holding hands in a way. Ash quickly pulled Kuro away. Any longer with that and Ash might've fainted. Ash sighed and held Kuro in his arms the same way Mahiru did. Kuro groaned and adjusted himself until he was in a comfortable position. Mahiru smiled and pet Kuro on the head.
"Thank you for coming too, Kuro! I hope you had fun! I can't wait to see you again! No I can't! No I can't~! Haha." Mahiru baby talked to Kuro.
Kuro let out a very annoyed meow.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." Mahiru said.
"Yeah, tomorrow." Ash muttered.
Mahiru turned around to start walking to the front door of the apartment complex. He looked over his shoulder and waved at Ash.
"Bye, Ash! Bye, Kuro!" Mahiru called out.
"Uh, yeah! Bye… Mahiru!" Ash shouted and waved back.
Mahiru disappeared inside the building and Ash continued to stand there for a moment. Ash stared down at the pavement of the sidewalk.
"Can't deal… Can't deal! Can't deal! Can't deal!" Ash shouted, making a few people walking by stare at him.
He stomped a foot on the ground and his whole body tensed up. Kuro lifted his head up to stare at his owner. He let out a meow to get the man's attention. Ash heard him, but didn't react to it. He couldn't stop thinking about Mahiru. Now that Mahiru was gone, Ash became overcome with a feeling of loneliness. Sure, he had Kuro with him, but Mahiru was who he wanted to be with. He got to know a lot about Mahiru just from being at the park with him and talking for a while. He wanted to run after Mahiru and grab him and never let go. He didn't want to be left alone after he felt so, so happy with Mahiru. Being with Mahiru, he didn't feel any kind of loneliness. He didn't want Mahiru to feel lonely either. Ash's grip on Kuro tightened a bit and he clenched his eyes shut.
"Kuro…" Ash muttered.
"Mrow?"
"...I'm in love with him…"
Please help Ash. He is struggling. The struggle has never been more real than now.
Oh, and when Ash asks "Ya like cats?" I can't help but think of the 'Ya like jazz?' meme XD It's stupid, I know. But it's also hilarious.
