A/N Hello everyone, here's the next chapter and I don't have much to say right now, so enjoy.
I watched as the t-rex sculpture lit up, illuminating the dim field in a warm golden hue before a chorus of amazed gasps and praises ring throughout the gathered crowd of students while I also couldn't keep my astonishment hidden so, despite feeling slightly exhausted, I was filled with warmth and joy at the golden light that filled the field while I was proud of how much work we've accomplished.
'I'll be damned...Kai and Legoshi sure did a great job today,' I thought as I marveled at the glowing sculpture.
I started showing a weak smile before I glanced up at my own dinosaur until I let out a sigh and set my paintbrush down, admiring my work as I stretched my arms and heard a satisfying pop while I was surprised that I had finished the sculpture all by myself.
Seeing the slightly cooler colors reminded me of the currently vanishing sun as dusk falls, and with one last proud smile, I gather my supplies and head down the ladder.
'Sure, I didn't finish it before Legoshi and Kai got done with theirs, but I still completed it all by myself in that short amount of time so that has to count for something, right?' I thought as it didn't take long for me to stack away my supplies, and it takes even less time to notice that everyone basically left already.
With a heavy groan towards the sky, I grab my bag and set out to hopefully find someone I know because if not, then that meant I would have to go to the train station by myself and I really wasn't fond of that, though I was in luck when I spotted Haru at her booth still tending to the flowers.
'Well, at least Haru is still here so it's not all that bad but seriously, this place was packed like ten minutes ago so where the fuck did everybody go?! This is like losing a parent in a store, only instead of a parent, I somehow managed to lose the entire goddamn drama club!' I thought in exasperation as I watched Haru.
I smiled as I saw her looking happy while she cared for her flowers before writing something on a sign with a marker and at this distance, I once again realize how small and vulnerable she was but I knew she wasn't completely helpless so I took one last glance at the darkening sky and steadily approached the smaller girl.
"Hey Haru," I greeted and the rabbit was shaken out of whatever little world she was lost in before she turned around.
"Hey Eric, I wasn't expecting you to still be here so what are you still doing here?" Haru asked curiously.
"Not much, just wanted to come to check out your booth and it's looking great, by the way," I complimented before Haru smiled.
"Well, thanks for that so I should probably get going," Haru stated and I nodded.
"No problem, I'll see you tomorrow so stay safe," I told her, and before I knew it, the rabbit took off in the direction of the train station and I stare at her until she soon vanishes from my line of sight.
I prayed that she would be okay since I've been hearing about there being more murders lately so all I can do is hope that she stayed safe and made it back to school okay, then I ran my hand through my hair and sighed.
"Are you a Cherryton student?" a male voice, strong and authoritative, asked me from behind but I already knew he was there as I looked over my shoulder to see a familiar well-groomed lion in a suit while I recognized him as the mayor.
"Sir," I greeted with a respectful nod.
"You should get back to school right away," The Mayor told me and I nodded.
"Actually, I was about to leave anyway," I replied with a small smile, then I observe the mayor as he clasped his hands behind his back.
"My duty as the mayor is to build a city where everyone feels safe, so go on now," The Mayor urged as I narrowed my eyes and watched him while he strides away and leaves me by my lonesome self.
For some reason, a weird sensation of dread settles into my stomach so something about the mayor gave me a bad feeling like before when I encountered him briefly last time and I'm unsure if it's because he's a carnivore or an authority figure, though I was aware that it was a bit rude to always assume the worst in everyone but what I've experienced this past month has taught me to be wary around strangers.
"Shit, I should probably make my way to the station then," I murmured as I scratched my arm nervously, just before a large shadow looms over me and tensed up.
'Seriously, what kind of cartoon bullshit is this?' I thought irritably as I scowled and swiftly turned to look up at the stranger, only I relaxed when I saw that it was Legoshi but I became confused when I noticed that he was towering over me menacingly and glowered down at me.
"Eric...hi," Legoshi greeted with a creepy tone, and I stared at him weirdly while wondering what the hell he was doing.
"Hey, what's up, Lego-head?" I asked as I felt a little uncomfortable by what he was doing.
'He's acting kind of off today...earlier, he was being cold like he couldn't wait to get some distance between us, then he stared at Louis like he wanted to kill him, and now he's being very strange so it's a little funny but I'm a bit concerned right now,' I thought as Legoshi gawked at my face until he flinched and his posture slouches as always while his tail softly wagged.
"Not much, so how are you doing?" Legoshi inquired curiously, though my eyes narrow as I notice how he makes an effort to hold that intense eye contact with me, much to my dismay.
"So, you didn't go back either, huh?" I asked, avoiding the wolf's question and answering with one of my own as Legoshi lowered his ears.
"Uh, nope. Eric...why don't we...head back together," Legoshi offered, and I was slightly taken aback but I certainly wasn't against spending more time with the wolf.
"Oh, sure...but why?" I inquired just before Legoshi stared at me intently.
"Because it's extremely dangerous out there, you know?" Legoshi replied, his small pupils staring into my larger ones while I sweatdropped at his ominous tone.
"Okay..." I trailed off in confusion before we begin our way back to the station.
Neither of us strikes up a conversation during our stroll back to the station as the two of us stiffly walk beside each other while I would glance at the wolf every now and then, but whenever he would meet my gaze, Legoshi will flinch and swiftly turn away until I arched a brow at his odd behavior.
'Seriously, what the fuck is going on with him today? He's always been quiet and reserved but this is odd, even for him since he wouldn't stop staring at me for five minutes and now he's avoiding eye contact at all times so this guy needs to make up his damn mind,' I thought with a look of annoyance as we entered the station.
The lit-up hallways lift my mood a little, giving me just enough energy to survive the ride back without falling asleep but I'd rather not be away from my bed longer than necessary as I moved through the barriers after scanning my ticket, only Legoshi wasn't lucky a second time and my eye twitches nervously.
I resist the urge to facepalm as the wolf repeatedly apologized to the herbivores around him, causing them to flinch away in fear before Legoshi got through the barriers and I swore under my breath as I ran down the stairs with the large wolf right behind me but as my luck would have it, the doors close just as my feet touch the platform and the train speeds away.
"Sorry," Legoshi apologized for the hundredth time and I sighed.
"Don't be, it's not your fault those damn machines don't work all that well," I assured him, sitting down on the green bench to wait for the next train.
An awkward silence soon occurs between us for a few seconds while Legoshi still avoids my gaze and I became lost in thought as I pondered what was bothering him until I cleared my throat and looked at the wolf again.
"You know, Legoshi, ever since we first met, I could never really understand what's going on in that head of yours," I admitted quietly, causing Legoshi to look uncomfortable as he anxiously rubs his clawed hands on his pants.
"E-Eh, it was a hot day today and it's supposed to go down by tomorrow, so it should be nicer," Legoshi evaded as he grimaced.
It takes everything I had not to groan out loud in annoyance since the wolf's emotions have been all over the place today and now he wanted to talk about the weather? I refrained from outright smacking him in the back of the head and simply looked at him like he had two heads.
"You're not seriously talking about the weather, are you?" I asked in disbelief and I knew it was rude of me, but my patience was running out and a headache started to appear.
With a heavy sigh, I close my eyes and leaned my head against the wall while trying to ignore the pain throbbing in my head and attempted to keep my irritation at bay from Legoshi acting in a manner that was really annoying me.
"You know...you've never told me who assaulted you because when you talked with that panda, you said an herbivore assaulted you so why didn't you tell me?" Legoshi asked, making me crack an eye open and peer at him.
"Because when it happened, I didn't know you well enough to confide that shit in you and once I did get to know you, the problem was already solved so there was no reason to bring it up again...you never talk about that day, at the black market.
You never told me why you ran off all of a sudden or what happened while you were with Gouhin, but you don't have to say anything and now that it's over with nobody getting seriously hurt, we can just laugh about it," I stated as I started feeling tense and having the urge to leave the station for some reason.
"Yeah, well, it's honestly easier said than done since that day...was a pretty shocking one and I, uh, haven't been able to really process it yet, so I just ignore it," Legoshi admitted as he angled his face in my direction and his gaze meets mine while he added, "All I want is for you to trust me and be safe, Eric, because you don't...well, you don't have to deal with that kind of stuff on your own."
"You know, it's hard to trust someone who just demands it like it's up for the taking, and besides, I've been through worse than a mere assault as you already know," I said with my voice having a hard edge to it.
I really didn't know where this hostility is coming from so maybe it's because I felt really on edge and wanted to leave the station for some unknown reason, or it's probably because the headache was putting me in a foul mood as I hear a train approaching and stand up, slowly walking towards the tracks and stopping at the yellow safety line.
The train weaves past me, the current moving my clothes and my hair slightly as my stress levels started to increase and I started feeling danger again as the alarm bells went off in my head and I frowned tensely.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Legoshi, but you'll never understand what it's like getting shot and losing your memories before feeling out of place so at least you can remember your friends and family while I can't...I'm fucking terrified of dying and losing a chance to experience love or saying goodbye.
I'm so scared of getting close to anyone because, with every day that I live, I don't know if the next one will be my last and then I'd leave everyone behind so you haven't experienced what I've been through and I pray to god that you never do, but because of that, you'll never understand how I feel at all," I said bitterly with my voice uneven.
The train vanishes again, leaving me with a perfect view of the other side of the tracks as my sense of danger kept rising and I wanted to leave the station quickly while my breathing is shallow and I turned to walk away from Legoshi, only my arm was grabbed and a firm grip on my arm holds me in place as I had the urge to attack the wolf for touching me suddenly.
"Please let go of me, I don't feel like taking the train anymore," I uttered and even I didn't recognize my voice, which sounded cold and dead.
But Legoshi refuses to let go of me, tightening his grip around my arm so even though it didn't hurt, it certainly doesn't help the growing panic that was happening in my body as I started breathing heavily.
"No, not yet because we still have more to talk about," Legoshi conveys, leaning closer to me as I still refuse to look at him and didn't want to deal with this right now.
"No, we don't...I was just being honest so please let me go," I retorted while my stress levels were going through the roof and I felt like escaping to anywhere right now.
"I know, but-" Legoshi tried to say and I cut him off.
"Don't lecture me when you don't know shit, now let me go!" I hissed lividly as I tried to pull my arm free once more.
"Just don't run from me," Legoshi pleaded, his grip still refusing to budge.
"What the hell is your problem?! I said let go of me, dammit!" I exclaimed in outrage, still yanking my trapped limb.
"No way!" Legoshi refused loudly before I sent him a nasty glare.
"Legoshi, let me the fuck go or I will kick your ass!" I snarled as I started letting out soft growls and my muscles tensed like a spring ready to act.
"No!" Legoshi shouted in protest while I noticed our argument drawing a crowd.
"(Hey, are you harassing him?!)" an herbivore gasped in Japanese as she looked shocked and the crowd immediately bombarded the wolf with accusations, none of which were true since he wasn't harassing me and was simply being dense by not letting go of me, but how would he ever understand what I went through and what kind of friend would let me run off into a dark strange place like this?
"(Is there another large-sized carnivore around?!)" someone yelled, also in Japanese and it was most likely to have somebody force Legoshi away from me and I couldn't even say anything since there were too many people speaking in unison at Legoshi and telling him to let me go just as a security guard showed up to intervene.
"(Wolf, what the hell are you doing?! Explain yourself!)" the security guard demanded and it made Legoshi let go while he flinched.
"(We were just arguing...I, uh...I wasn't trying to do anything-)" Legoshi tried to reason while slipping into this country's natural language, but he was cut off as my sense of danger went through the roof.
"(You there, human, stay where you are and put your hands up!)" a male voice ordered and it all went silent after that.
(Play Escape from Embassy by John Powell)
I looked back and saw two police officers cautiously approaching with one holding a pair of handcuffs and the other with his hand on his taser, then I slowly raised my hands and focused on the security guard as he rested his hand on his baton while I was observing the situation and my mind quickly came up with a plan without me realizing it as the crowd started dispersing with people backing up with looks of alarm while Legoshi was completely frozen and unable to move as he gazed at me.
When a hand grabbed my shoulder, my eyes turned cold and detached before I spun around and snatched the officer's wrist while kicking the security guard down and stomping his face as people gasped in shock, then I let go of the officer's wrist and shoved him against his partner while the other officer had his revolver out and was taken off guard by the human shield before I threw the officer down and grabbed the other one by the throat with one hand as my other gripped the hand holding the gun until I threw the officer to the ground and picked up the revolver to aim at the three men who were on the floor, everything occurring in a matter of seconds.
People around me screamed in a panic and dropped to the ground or huddled up against the wall as I spun around to aim at two more officers that showed up through another route before they held up their hands and slowly backed away, not making any sudden moves until they were out of sight and I aimed at the three men again as the security guard who was on the floor with the two officers held up his hands in surrender before I quickly glanced at Legoshi to see him stunned and more than a little alarmed at what I'm doing.
Acting quickly, I grabbed Legoshi's wrist with my free hand before bolting and dragging the wolf with me as I moved like a blur and Legoshi struggled to keep up with me while we left the platform and I dumped the revolver in a trash bin.
We quickly moved up a flight of stairs as I saw a security guard reporting the situation on his end and he saw me before his eyes widened, then I punched him in the groin and he let out a choking yelp before I threw him down the stairs where he tumbled down the steps until he slowly slid to a stop completely unconscious while he was on his back.
I stopped and went back down to the man while yanking Legoshi with me until I knelt down and picked up his radio as I heard from the chatter on it that a Japanese Special Assault Team, or Special Unit, was being sent in to secure the area and I continued to drag Legoshi with me as we went back up the stairs.
"Eric, what are you doing?!" Legoshi exclaimed in disbelief, only he shut up after I sent him a cold glare and the wolf gulped as we moved into another section of the station.
I ripped off an evacuation plan from the wall and studied it as I listened to the chatter on the radio to plan out the best route to either reach the emergency exit or make it back to the platform where the train would stop so that we could get on it before the police locked down the entire station.
I moved calmly but walked fast to not attract suspicion as Legoshi and I reached a bunch of stairs, then I heard on the radio about SAT operatives coming up the very same stairs we were at so I moved down another part of the station while pulling Legoshi with me as I heard SAT operatives clearing security offices or broom closets before there was chatter on the radio that talked about how I might have a radio and they went radio silent.
With the radio now useless, I tossed it and continued to follow the evacuation route but I was forced to take an alternate route since the SAT operatives planned and had the emergency exit guarded by a couple of regular metropolitan officers while I snapped out of it and was in shock by what I did just until an officer spotted us while moving around the corner.
"(You, stop!)" The officer shouted and that startled me.
"Oh shit!" I yelped before running in the opposite direction while yanking Legoshi along with me.
"Eric, what did you just do back there and why are the police after you in the first place?!" Legoshi exclaimed.
"I don't know, it just happened and as for why they're after me...well, I may have put two of them in the hospital a month ago after I just arrived in this country," I admitted sheepishly.
"You did what?!" Legoshi shouted incredulously.
"Look, there's no time to talk about this because we're being chased right now and even though I'll be arrested for multiple counts of assaulting a police officer, you'll be arrested as well since carnivores can be sent to jail for even breathing at someone the wrong way!" I yelled back as we kept running.
"H-Hey, careful, I might kick you!" Legoshi yelped and I let out a groan.
"You know, you're really fucking difficult to figure out because I don't know what the hell is going on with you today, so I can't tell if you're sensitive or just being an asshole!" I shouted, focusing on running as if my life depended on it.
"Actually, I'm just...trying to figure things out myself since you and I are different in so many ways, which is why we really need to talk it out!" Legoshi panted, then I looked back at him.
"Good to hear, but for that to happen, we need to avoid being arrested so get to the goddamn front and run as fast as you can, Legoshi!" I urged loudly as we kept running, well, more like I was running and he was being dragged behind me.
Before I knew it, Legoshi had gained the courage to run ahead and gently shook my grip from his wrist before he took my hand and we ran at full speed together, starting to outrun the officer that was demanding for us to stop while Legoshi's hand was warm and made me feel safe.
Legoshi looked back at me with a determined smile and I grinned breathlessly because right now, he was my haven in this dangerous world as we kept running as fast as we could and didn't let anything stop us.
(End song)
("Where the hell did they go?") the officer mumbled as his footsteps shuffle through the bathroom, making me cover my mouth to prevent myself from making noise.
I was panting heavily, unable to catch my breath and I tried to remain calm since panicking would only get us caught and I really didn't want us to go to prison because I wasn't sure Legoshi would survive there, a place full of hardened criminals and such a place could break a gentle person like him.
The wolf and I are hiding in a bathroom stall, huddled together on the toilet so the officer wouldn't see our feet while Legoshi was behind me, holding onto the walls and just as out of breath as I am before I glanced at him to see his long cream-colored snout right beside my head as he breathes heavily.
Now and then, I catch a glimpse of his pearl-white fangs that mark him as a carnivore before my gaze wanders further and rests on his large clawed hand that rests on the wall of the bathroom stall next to my head while his muscles are tense, trying not to move and make any sort of sound that could alert the officer in the room.
'Despite refusing to let me go earlier, now he goes out of his way to avoid touching me...not sure if I appreciate it or if I want him to touch me right now, anything to keep me focused,' I thought tensely while my breath, uneven and not fulfilling my aching lungs' desire for oxygen, hitches when the feline officer crouches to look under the stalls.
("Unit 42, suspects are believed to have fled the station so drop what you're doing and regroup with the special unit,") a male voice spoke on the officer's radio and he let out a noise of confusion.
("Huh? I could've sworn they...") the officer muttered as he stood up fully and I heard him responding, ("Understood, unit 42 regrouping with the special unit.")
As soon as he left and the door closed behind him, I quickly removed my hands from my mouth and started heaving to take in as much air as I could while Legoshi let out a sigh of relief, the two of us calming down slightly but still tense.
"H-Hey, it sounds like he's gone so we should go before they lock down the station," I whisper with a quivering weak tone as I started to get up.
"Eric, even at this moment, do you feel out of place like you don't belong? Do you feel close to dying?" Legoshi questioned quietly and I paused at that.
His voice was so close to my ear that I can hear the deep guttural growl behind it for the first time as he spoke, then I remained quiet as my mind was in turmoil and I had that same distorted memory of the ship deck and two gunshots flash by, making me tremble slightly while frustration sparked from my situation and I let out a quiet stressful whimper as tears welled up.
"E-Eric, are you okay?" Legoshi asked, his concerned and unsure voice reaching me slightly until I rested a hand just below his on the wall to steady myself, my hand frantically twitching to touch his.
I didn't know if it was instinct or something else, but Legoshi instantly wraps his strong arms against my quivering form as his hand moves to gently grab mine, causing me to take the opportunity to intertwine my fingers with his and hold the bundle close to me.
I squeeze my legs against my torso, pressing myself as close to the large canine as possible and relishing his body heat as my stifled sobs shook my body and drew a worried instinctual whimper from Legoshi while I was still hyperventilating and squeezing his hand in an almost painful way as I continued to freak out from what happened earlier.
"It's okay, Eric, it's okay...I'm here and you're safe, so I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise," Legoshi soothed as his chin touched my temple.
Slowly but surely, his words managed to reach me and my breathing is still uneven but I stop hyperventilating as the wolf's warm fur on my skin remind me that I'm not alone, though sobs continued to rattle my body for a little while longer until the last tears began to fall.
Eventually, my panic attack started to come to an end, leaving me with exhaustion, patchy skin, and a sore throat as my breathing reached its normal pattern and I rested my head against Legoshi's chest, closing my tired eyes for a few seconds.
I'm still trembling and freezing, but now, all that is due to fatigue and not because of terror while Legoshi doesn't say anything as he sat behind me, his arms still around me and his hand intertwining mine.
I loosened my tight grip on Legoshi's hand and he exhales in relief, though he still doesn't let me go yet as my legs relax and my feet touch the ground, my blue eyes staring at the door in front of me while our clasped hands fell into my lap and I began to rub soft circles on his hand with my thumb.
"Thank you, Legoshi," I whisper, my voice hoarse yet soft like his fur.
"N-No problem...we should head out now, catch the next train before the police lock down the entire station," Legoshi replied, sounding flustered but also happy that I was okay now.
Wordlessly, I nodded even though I wanted to stay like this for just a little while longer, then we left the bathroom and managed to catch the next train before we were caught by the police but we had to run to catch it with Legoshi taking the lead once more.
Thankfully, with our speed, we squeezed ourselves inside just as the doors were about to close but the train was unfortunately packed, which meant that I had to stand throughout the whole ride while Legoshi dutifully shielded me from any other person.
The large wolf was leaning over me, staring down at me shyly as I held onto his arm since there were no other things to hold onto so that I could steady myself on the train and it was awkward, but I would be lying if I said I didn't find it cute.
Later, I decided to take a short break and we headed to a park near the academy, now we were sitting on a bench beneath the midnight blue sky, the two of us holding water bottles as my gaze follows the happy couples that pass us and I wondered if Legoshi and I had any chance to be like that as well, at least soon or maybe it wouldn't work out at all.
"So...what happened earlier?" Legoshi inquired, his tone full of uncertainty as he visibly gulps and I knew that he was asking about how I attacked those cops.
I was quiet for a moment, pondering on what I should do as I watched the water in my bottle swirl around just like my restless mind, then I furrowed my brows as I came to a decision until I sighed and my eyes focused on the large wolf's.
"To be honest, I don't know because it just happens without warning...but that wasn't the first time it happened," I admitted hesitantly while Legoshi hummed thoughtfully.
"You told me that you attacked two police officers when you first arrived in this country, so I guess that explains why they are after you," Legoshi said while I nodded in confirmation.
"Yeah, but that incident and what you just saw weren't the only ones...there are two more that happened, and what you saw only seems to happen when I feel like I'm in serious danger so that's why I didn't want to ride the train anymore after we talked about that assault shit," I explained before Legoshi's ears dropped guiltily.
"And then I wouldn't let go...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have forced you to stay," Legoshi told me before I shrugged.
"You're right, you shouldn't have, but I'm almost thankful because who the hell knows what would've happened had I gone off on my own, and then that crowd gathered around us before I started feeling claustrophobic so that's why I suddenly reacted by attacking those cops since I felt like I was in danger and needed to run.
Sadly, there are some problems you can't run from because the panic attack hit me full force once that cop was gone so thanks again, for comforting me," I said quietly as I took a sip from my bottle.
"N-No problem, I'm happy I could help," Legoshi stutters, looking flustered from my gratitude and it grows quiet again until he turns back to me with worried eyes and slightly lowered ears.
"S-So, are you in control when you react like that?" Legoshi questions in concern, then I stared back down at my water bottle with a tense look.
"That's the thing, it's like my body goes on auto-pilot when it happens and I'm simply in the passenger seat...I'm terrified that the next time it happens, I might kill someone without even realizing it so everything I've discovered about myself so far proves that I'm dangerous to anyone around me if I'm pushed far enough into a corner.
As for panic attacks after it happens, they're rare but they do occur since those reactions scare the shit out of me and my worst panic attack was when you and Bill had that fight on-stage," I answer honestly, then Legoshi mutters a quick apology before I softly bump my fist against his shoulder.
"Stop apologizing, dummy," I added with a small smile before his gaze rests on me, just as I stared at the greenery before me.
"I-" Legoshi started to say, only I cut him off.
"Actually, I was almost killed by a carnivore a while ago, which caused a panic attack since I couldn't handle the stress and the new environment around me...I didn't see who it was and I honestly don't remember much about what happened that night, so I guess my mind blocked out most of the incident.
It was at school and do you remember the bandages on my arm when you came to the gardening club for those roses?" I asked as I held up my arm slightly, tracing the almost invisible scars while I didn't notice Legoshi had grown stiff and was staring at my arm.
"I said that I cut myself by accident, but that was a lie because I didn't want to make you worry, and...it was easier to pretend it didn't happen so I'm glad I survived since I didn't want to die as some nobody and put you and the others through so much," I continued as I leaned against Legoshi and rest my head against his shoulder, feeling the sensation of his tail wagging next to me.
"Don't worry, I'm not afraid of you because I feel safe around you and I don't really blame the carnivore either since they were just following their instincts to hunt, so I think me being human and not being a part of anyone's menu actually helped me get out of it alive.
Hey, cheer up a little and smile, will you?" I reassured as I chuckled, then we finished our drinks and dumped the plastic bottles into a nearby recycle bin before we headed back to the academy and arrived at the front gate.
"Eric...today, well...thanks for everything," Legoshi said as we stopped at the gate, then I let out a soft laugh as I turned around to look at him.
"I should be the one to thank you since you offered to go home with me after all, and then you helped me during my panic attack so you're a real gentleman, you know? Now smile," I replied with a grin.
"Huh? Smile?" Legoshi questioned, his confused expression making me laugh.
"Seriously, is it really that hard? Come on, I know you can do it, buddy," I encouraged as I beamed at him.
Either way, we went into the school grounds and headed back to our dorm before going to bed and getting some sleep as I felt better than before thanks to Legoshi.
In another location, Miles was feeling irritable that Eric Miller hasn't been found yet and it had been an entire month since the rogue asset was last seen, now Miles was starting to regret having Eric trained so well in evasion tactics since he was becoming more than a pain in the ass at this point, just before Takashi burst into the office and breathed heavily.
"Sir, we found him," Takashi gasped out breathlessly, causing Miles to widen his eyes.
"Where?" Mile questioned as he left his office with Takashi and they entered the main room as analysts were working in a frenzy to locate Eric again.
"Camera footage in a train station located in Tokyo picked him up last night but that's not all, he tore up the place while putting two cops and two security guards in the hospital," Takashi answered as he went and had the footage being played.
Miles watched the footage and furrowed his eyes when he saw the asset having what appears to be an argument with a large gray wolf, who was about the same age as Eric but his size was unnatural for a wolf to have and what confused him was that the wolf and Miller were wearing some kind of summer school uniforms.
"Who's the wolf that with him?" Miles asked as the footage showed Eric beating the hell out of the two cops and a security guard that confronted him and the wolf before the asset ran while dragging the wolf with him.
"Unknown at the moment, but we're checking his face on any national or international databases to see if we can make a positive ID and narrow down where Miller is holed up," Takashi replied while Miles stared at the footage intently before he pursed his lips.
"Something's not right...is it a threat? A warning? Is he telling us to back off or is that him basically saying that we're next? I mean, he has to know that we're checking the footage right now so why is he blatantly exposing himself like that when he knows it would get our attention?" Miles wondered quietly but Takashi heard him and turned his gaze to the german shepherd.
"No clue, but I agree that something is off," Takashi said just before an analyst turned to look at the two canines.
"Sir, I have a positive ID on the wolf who was with Miller," the alligator informed them, causing Miles and Takashi to quickly look at him.
"Alright, show us," Miles said as he and Takashi walked over to the alligator's desk, then they looked at his computer screen and saw information on the wolf.
"Okay, his name is Legoshi and he's 17 years old...hmm, he currently goes to school at Cherryton Academy and currently lives on campus," the alligator muttered as he scrolled through the information.
"What about family?" Miles asked.
"Father's not in the picture and the mother committed suicide five years ago when he was twelve, but there's a grandfather by the name of Gosha who still lives in the city and...you'll be surprised to hear this, but the grandfather is a Komodo dragon and he did some work as a law enforcement approved vigilante several years ago with the current Beastar back when they were young," the alligator said with a look of surprise, also taking Miles and Takashi off guard.
"I see, that means that Legoshi is a mixed species and I've heard that hybrids are looked down upon in society, so he must've had a rough life...especially when his mother killed herself when he was twelve and I can't imagine how psychologically damaging that was for him," Takashi commented while Miles frowned thoughtfully.
"The footage showed Miller wearing the same uniform as Legoshi's, so check Cherryton's school records and see if they've had any new students join this past month," Miles instructed before he went to head back to his office, knowing that they were one step closer to finding Eric and eliminating him.
Time flies by as usual and before I knew it, I'm back at the drama club after already accomplishing the most difficult part of our job, painting most of the dinosaur statues and all so there isn't a lot left for us to do at this point.
At least, not for today as I stand off to the side of the rest of the stage crew, sometimes helping Fudge move some boxes around or organizing some stuff with Kai while the actors and dancers limber up with me checking the lights once and a while, my eyes trained on the weirdly behaving gray wolf that shares the same duties.
Legoshi's mood seems even gloomier than usual, which was odd since he seemed more or less cheerful the last time I saw him and I arch a brow in confusion as I watched him sneak up behind Louis, whose hand was wrapped in bandages after a minor accident with Bill yesterday.
"I heard Bill got you, hope...it doesn't leave a scar," Legoshi says, standing mere inches behind the deer and sounding cold.
'Seriously, what's got him in such a bad mood today and why does he seem pissed at Louis these days?' I thought as Louis scowled and shoved Legoshi back in response to getting his personal space invaded.
"It's certainly nothing compared to your back, now what do you want? If you have something to say, then say it," Louis retorted irritably.
"Not me, nothing to say," Legoshi replies, though his mild glare begs to differ.
The two guys stare at one another, not even bothering to hide their obvious dick-measuring contest and my right eye twitched, remembering the last time something like this happened and I was more than ready to get it over with and smack both of them in the back of the head to get them to knock it off.
"Oh gosh, all this tension so what's up with those two?" Els asked as I silently make my way to the group.
"Are they friends or do they hate each other?" Kibi questioned while I'm also wondering what the hell happened between the wolf and deer since this started back when the dinosaur statues were being painted.
"They hate each other," Bill answered bluntly while leaning over to respond to the question.
"I don't know, I thought they were neutral with one another," I piped up, my arms crossed as I gazed at the wolf and deer.
"Don't bring your personal issues into the club," Louis states to Legoshi sternly before turning to the rest of us and adding, "This goes for all of you! The festival's right around the corner and we're not even close to being ready, so you guys better be able to give me a flawless performance right now."
In response, the actors and dancers groan in dismay and I quietly whistle at the obvious tension in the room while I winced.
'Damn, am I glad to be on the stage crew since Louis is scary as hell when he's pissed,' I thought with an uncomfortable look, just before the door bursts open suddenly and a familiar female gray wolf stumbles in.
"Sorry, I'm a bit late!" Juno announced sheepishly and almost everyone, especially the guys, gathers around her like she's the newest display in a museum.
The equally perplexed deer finds my gaze and sends me a questioning look, to which I respond by shrugging as Legoshi merely watches us before making his way to my side of the room.
"Juno, it's about time so when you know you're going to be late, you have to let us know, remember?" Els gently lectures, like she was talking to an adorable toddler.
"I'm sorry but my classmate, who's a sloth, really needed to use the restroom so I carried her there," Juno explained, and I had nothing against the girl, but her voice just makes me feel almost nauseous as the others fawned over her.
'Okay, am I the only one who sees this as a poor, kind of racist/ableist excuse? You know, this girl is starting to annoy me,' I thought irritably as I watched her with narrowed eyes while most of my fellow club members swarm around the young girl like bees to honey and her extremely sweet nature does little to lessen the wrenching of my gut since I don't buy her bullshit because no one is that nice in real life.
"Oh, but there's no excuse for being late so I'll stay afterward and clean up, I don't mind," Juno said, and I glared at her slightly for the obvious ass-kissing she was doing until my blue eyes focused on Louis next and my gaze follows the deer as he crosses the room to talk to Sheila but they're too far away for me to understand what they're whispering about.
With a twitching eye, I continued to observe the situation and my fingers nervously play with the fabric in the pockets of my sweatpants so, under different circumstances, I'd be glad that a carnivore is treated with such kindness but something about Juno rubs me the wrong way.
In a way, I also feel that she's only being accepted because she acts so unnaturally sweet and innocent, which makes her seem like a lamb in wolf's clothing but I knew that she would reveal that dark part of herself if she was given the opportunity as her gaze falls on me or, more specifically, the large male wolf next to me.
"Oh Legoshi, I saw the dinosaur in the field so thanks to the art department's hard work, the actor's team can do our best and dance our hearts out!" Juno calls out excitedly, then I flinched with widened eyes as every single person in the drama club turns in my direction so that they can glance at the oblivious gray wolf next to me.
'Why the fuck is she only thanking Legoshi? Sure, he's a great guy, but he's not the one who worked his ass off by painting an entire statue alone with no supervision at all, so I feel like I'm not getting the credit I deserve and it's pissing me off,' I thought while looking slightly offended.
"Mhm, I'm glad to hear that," Legoshi replied while his arm brushes against mine, just as the rest of the stage crew grumbled since they felt the same as I did because they weren't getting the credit they deserve as well.
"See how she's looking at Legoshi?" Kai murmured while standing beside Dom and I nodded curtly.
"Yeah, I'm insulted at this point because I didn't paint that entire goddamn sculpture in an entire day for nothing," I grumbled irritably.
"Just admit that you're jealous," Fudge teased as he sent me a knowing look, prompting me to glare at him.
"Why in the ever-loving hell would I be jealous of her?" I questioned quietly with a frown, only Fudge grinned at me and wiggled his brows.
"You know why, Eric," Fudge said as he subtly nodded at the male wolf next to me and quietly snickered when my face turned red and I twitched.
"Shut up!" I hissed with a tickmark while I was embarrassed that he figured it out quickly.
"The meteor festival is the summer event, so let's all practice hard today!" Juno encouraged cheerfully and the chorus of yay from the actors and dancers is quite disturbing to watch, especially because just a few minutes ago, Louis had urged them to do the same thing.
Although the deer's way was far less motivating and gentle, I'd have preferred it over Juno's creepy behavior because at least Louis was honest about failures and strives for perfection while Juno's poor excuse probably tells me that I shouldn't count on her if need be.
My eyes fall on the stag, who seems to watch the scene unfold with distaste and weariness while his arms were crossed, his ears twitching in annoyance so I make my way to him with hasty steps and leave a mildly confused gray wolf behind until I stopped next to Louis and stared at Juno suspiciously while I noticed that the deer also appeared to feel the same way.
"Yeah, I don't trust her either," I spoke up suddenly, causing Louis to jump in surprise before he looked at me.
"And why's that? Do you miss the attention?" Louis remarked, causing me to send him an unamused look for the stupid comment.
"No, she unsettles me because no one and I mean no one is that nice, especially not after being treated the way she was," I stated uneasily and Louis leans further in interest.
"So, what do you think is going on here?" Louis inquired before we gazed at the crowd of people.
"She may seem nice, but I bet that's to hide a dark side of herself that no one is aware of, and the way she's drawing people to her almost reminds me of a cult so it's freaking me out," I admitted unnervingly.
"A cult?" Louis asked and I looked at him to see the questioning look in his eyes.
"Yeah, unless you have any better ideas," I said before Louis shook his head.
"No, I don't so what do you suggest?" Louis questioned, and I was surprised for a moment before I shook it off.
"See if you can keep an eye on her because even though she looks like a sweet and innocent girl, doesn't mean she's dangerous through other means like manipulating people to turn them against each other for her own agendas," I answered before I began to quickly walk away to warn Mina about the light she was about to hit headfirst.
Time flies by quickly and I finished a painting for Louis while he visited me once, also discovering something that had been occurring between him and Haru after some gentle coaxing so imagine my surprise when he told me that he and Haru were having sex with each other, which explained the smell that one time but I didn't judge either of them since what they do together is none of my business.
Still, it was rather ironic how close he and I had become after the terrible start we had since he did assault me, and sure, I wouldn't forget that but I did forgive him for it since it was a mistake that he regretted doing and I wasn't the type to hold a grudge as long as people own up to their mistakes and work hard for a second chance.
The time I spend with the red deer had given me enough time to understand the basics about him, like his major inferiority complex and his hatred of carnivores that stems from it so he strives for control, to have everything go just as planned and for him to know about every single detail.
With that kind of knowledge about him that I've learned, it was clear that he had a complicated upbringing that he wasn't eager to talk about but simply being misunderstood and having a hard childhood doesn't excuse one's actions, it merely explains them and it's the reason why I keep bringing up his first interaction with me to show him that he could cope with his own demons in other ways that didn't require him to shove others against a wall and stick his hand in their mouths.
Either way, I was now shamelessly gaping at the beauty of the lights in the festival as lanterns decorate the sky, weaving past the illuminated statues of the dinosaurs and drowning the field in their warm glow while in the heart of the field sits a large round sculpture, glowing a bright golden-yellow.
I knew it was the meteor and I was unsure exactly why someone thought it would be a good idea to honor the spirits of the dinosaurs with a statue of the exact thing that killed them, but I wasn't complaining since it looked nice and was quite an eye-catcher while I was more than happy to help with the painting process.
Jack and the others had told me what I already know about the legend of the meteor festival, how if a couple were to lit a candle together inside the meteor on the day of the festival, then their love would prosper and they'd stay together for the rest of their lives.
As doubtful as I was about it, the story certainly sounded nice as I was finished with my duties today and was wandering through the field to stash my bucket away in the shed with the rest of the supplies while waiting for the other club members to be done.
To the best of my ability, I ignore the strange looks other people give me and it's mainly because I've grown used to the stares, so it was annoying but I wasn't bothered with it as long as someone didn't get into my personal space and touched me without my permission.
Humming quietly, I weave my way through the crowd while making sure nobody recognized me after the incident I've caused at the train station, eyeing the sculptures or the small booths while my gaze flies over many faces before eventually landing on Haru as she spotted me and made her way to me with a smile.
"Hey, Eric," Haru greeted warmly and I nodded.
"Hey, you done for today?" I asked.
"Yeah, why?" Haru inquired curiously before I looked at Louis, seeing that he was done and an idea came to me.
"Well, seems like Louis is done as well so I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you went back with him," I said and Haru looked surprised, but then she narrowed her eyes in confusion.
"Wait, why would I go back with him if I barely know anything about the guy?" Haru questioned while I paused at that, pondering if I should tell her that I know what's going on between her and the deer but decided not to since it would be rude and a breach of trust between me and Louis if I revealed to her that I know about her relationship with the deer.
"No reason, he probably would want everyone to get back safely and it's better heading back with someone who can handle himself than going back alone this time since there have been a lot of murders going on in the city lately," I pointed out logically, then Haru looked thoughtful for a short time until she nodded.
"When you put it like that, you have a point so I'll go with him, but what about you?" Haru asked before I held up the bucket.
"I'll be heading back with the rest of the stage crew but before I do, I need to put this back in the shed so I'll see you tomorrow," I said, then she nods and shifts her gaze to the red stag before heading over to him, stopping in front of the deer and saying something to him until Louis went to make eye contact with me and nodded slightly as I sent him a small smile and continued my way to the shed.
'I should probably hurry since the others are already done or I'll be forgotten again,' I thought as I kept walking and made it to the shed before stashing the bucket inside.
Suddenly, as I made my way back, everything became swallowed in darkness and before I even fully realized what happened, I was surrounded by terrified people that either pushed each other out of the way, screamed at the top of their lungs, or bawled their eyes out in some corner while I was frozen in alarm.
"Shit, of course there's a goddamn blackout so what's next, the fucking dinosaurs come to life and eat people?!" I hissed to myself as I managed to regain myself as I quickly looked around, but it was pitch black and I felt slightly scared since most of the murders occurred at night and I didn't want to be added to the list of dead or missing while wishing that I could see better.
At that moment, something bizarre happened as the darkness grew brighter and before I knew it, I could see everything around me and witnessed everyone running or screaming while I widened my eyes in shock.
"What?" I gasped in shock as I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, not knowing that my pupils and irises had narrowed into animalistic slits while my vision had become amplified.
Either way, I didn't think too much of it as I needed to focus on getting someplace safe while I pitied the herbivores since most of them had lost their ability to see because they weren't nocturnal, but what's happening to me is an advantage that I decided to take as I bolted from the main area.
I knew that being around a crowd wouldn't do me any good if I was trampled to death by a herd of frightened herbivores and besides, being alone gives me an advantage of finding a better hiding spot and actively listen for anything suspicious.
Basically, with the lights out, I had to rely on these new senses that cropped up and my sixth sense of detecting danger so I didn't know how this was possible, but it was starting to look like I wasn't fully human since someone of my species shouldn't be able to fully see in the dark like a nocturnal carnivore but I wasn't complaining as long as it'll help me survive.
As soundless as I could, I slid past the booths and make my way into the greenery of the park that surrounds the festival grounds while I was hyper-aware of my surroundings and my heart rate slowed down to normal as I hid behind a thick sturdy tree and pressed my back against the rough bark.
I remained absolutely quiet as I studied the situation, keeping two major problems in mind since I had successfully avoided being trampled to death by the panicking crowd but I was all alone and there was a very good possibility that I would be attacked by someone, maybe a carnivore that might've been responsible for the blackout so I would be at a disadvantage if it was a large breed one like a bear since they would simply pick me up and snap my spine in half by putting complete pressure on my back.
Before I knew what was happening, I was mentally reciting the pressure points on a body that would seriously hurt someone as my breathing was quiet and steady with everything silent around me, save for the distant screams and the occasional chirping of crickets.
Although it was a bad situation, I was really calm right now even though I was alone during a blackout in a city that has a shady black market and has had multiple murders in the last few months, but if I had to be honest, I'd guess that I was one of the safest individuals in case this blackout was a distraction to find prey to hunt and devour since humans aren't on anyone's menu and my scent isn't as delicious as an herbivore's.
I suppose that's why I'm really calm right now, but I still need to be careful since an herbivore could kill me by accident if he or she was panicked enough so I focused my ears to listen for footsteps or anything else that would indicate anyone was approaching me but there wasn't anything I picked up, causing me to let out a quiet exhale.
'I'm alone again, so it seems that whatever I do, I'm always alone in dangerous situations like the attack, the black market, and right now...whether it's by choice or not, I'm always alone and I know why because I don't belong here, I'm just acting like I do.
This isn't my home, my family's not here if I even had a family in the first place, not even anyone of the same fucking species so I'm a human that doesn't belong in a society full of animals...this isn't my home and no one's going to come for me, right?' I thought mournfully as I gritted my teeth and my chest ached at the thought.
Moisture fills my eyes when I think about Legoshi, who never fails to make me feel safe and put a smile on my face so, despite all the shit he pulls sometimes, he's also there to comfort me and show that my voice still matters.
'Heh, I can't even deny it now after months of trying...I've developed feelings for him and it's no wonder why I have since I was bound to eventually be attracted to someone who isn't a part of my own species after not being around my kind for an extended period of time and on top of that, I'm still a male hormonal teenager.
I was bound to fall for someone one day, just didn't think that it would feel like this since he would sometimes make me feel like I'm suffocating and I would want him to look my way whenever he's around.
I want to hold him close, despite what society would think but...it wouldn't work out from the start so he could have everything, a nice family, a beautiful gray wolf, and a good reputation so he's...probably not even interested in me and even if he was, do I have the right to essentially destroy his life?
I want to be selfish and fight for him, want to stay by his side, but...who am I to ruin his chances at such a great life? If he chose me, society would shun us no matter how long it would last, and...what if he were to lose everything because of me?
I should just...let him leave, let him have this one good thing in this unforgiving world so I can't be selfish, not this time,' I thought as my grip on the tree was close to painful while I glanced up at the night sky, my altered eyes finding a few stars amongst the early night and the thought of my new vision, as well as everything else I've discovered, made me feel like a freak as angry tears welled up.
'I have to stop chasing after the wolf and stay as his friend, but...I should do what's best and bury my feelings until I can forget about them completely,' I decided mentally, trying to ignore how much that hurt as I let out a quiet sigh.
"What a relief-" a voice spoke right next to me and I panicked after that.
I reacted by grabbing whoever it was and throwing them to the ground, causing the person to let out a pained yelp as I raised a fist and was about to start hitting whoever snuck up on me until I fully saw who it was.
"Wait, Lego-" I started to say and was cut off when the lights suddenly turned back on one after the other and my eyes changed back to normal.
With every lit lantern, my guess is proven correctly as Legoshi's appearance on the ground takes up most of my vision and all of my focus, seeing him on his back with his hands up in surrender while I was on top of him before I lowered my fist and realized with growing horror that I could've killed him if I hadn't recognized him in time.
I let out a gasp as I quickly got off him and scooted back until I was a few feet away and I stood up as I gazed at the wolf who came looking for me, the wolf I was about to put in the hospital in just a second as he stood up and his eyes were focused on me while holding a neutral expression, but I could still see the pain and hurt in his eyes and it kills me that I caused that by showing fear on my face when I was about to beat the hell out of him.
"Legoshi? Oh fuck, I'm so sorry! You just came out of nowhere and I couldn't tell who you were for a few seconds so I panicked, I'm so sorry! I-I could've killed you and I can't believe I nearly did that, oh god!" I exclaimed as moisture clouds my eyes and it took everything I had not to make the situation worse by crying.
I glanced at my hands that were trembling and felt so disgusted with myself while Legoshi slightly leans forward so he could make eye contact with me, then he exhales in relief and smiles at me.
"No, no, I'm just glad you're okay, Eric," Legoshi said as he chuckled huskily, only I saw the pain in his eyes and knew how much I hurt him by being scared of him and seeing him as a threat, even if it was just for a few seconds.
"N-No, I'm such a fucking idiot! I-I didn't even think that it could be you because I just heard a voice and it was dark and I reacted without thinking-" I whimpered and was cut off.
"Yeah, I know and it goes to show that I shouldn't sneak up on you like that, so are you hurt? Your uniform got dirty, so here," Legoshi replied with the same forced smile on his face that I would show to everyone else around me so many times now as he hands me his handkerchief that was blue just like our shirts.
I couldn't even fight the tears anymore as a few went down my cheeks, my gaze not even moving to the handkerchief and staying glued to his face and the agony in his eyes while I barely kept my composure.
"You came for me, I-I thought that...I was so sure that no one would come and find me but you did, you came to find me and I hurt you," I choked through the tears, hiccuping as the fake smile on Legoshi's face slowly slips away and reveals the gloomy wolf behind it, the wolf that cared enough to find me and I hurt him by making him think that I was scared of him by seeing him as just another carnivore when that couldn't be further than the truth.
"You didn't hurt me-" Legoshi tried to say and I cut him off.
"Yes, I fucking did! Don't lie to me, Legoshi! I hurt you because I was scared and could've killed you, so I'm sorry! I'm so fucking sorry because I didn't want to hurt you, I never wanted to hurt you in any way but I fucking did! I-I'm not scared of you, I promise!
Oh god, I could've killed you...I don't know what I am and it fucking terrifies me, so please don't leave me! I don't want to be alone, not like this!" I pleaded as I continued to sob, staring into the eyes of the large canine as they soften and the pain in them began to vanish until his smile slowly begins to turn into a real one.
"It's okay, we'll figure this out and don't worry, just use this," Legoshi reassures as he crouches and pushed the handkerchief further into my direction.
With trembling lips and a single hiccup, I take the handkerchief and stare at the wolf for a moment longer before I throw my arms around his neck, hugging him like my life depended on it as my face buries itself into the nape between his shoulder and neck while my tears made contact with the soft gray fur.
Legoshi froze for a moment before he eventually eases into my embrace and puts his arms around me, holding me and soothingly rubbing my back while there was so much desperation in my hug, so much guilt, and so much fear of being alone that I didn't want to let go since I was scared that I would lose him if I did.
Pretty soon, I pulled back and the male wolf watched me while I cleaned my pants, then he made a comment that caused me to laugh as my mood got better and Legoshi's eyes now held so much happiness as his tail gently wags behind him, a content smile on his face.
'Yeah, I'm glad that I've gotten to know him because I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't met him,' I thought thankfully as I finished wiping my pants and we proceeded to head back to where the other club members were.
A/N Hey guys, finally done with this chapter since it took several days to work on and I'm pleased with it so far, now I'm sure you have more questions since Eric can now see in the dark apparently but I'm not spoiling anything since there's a reason why he has night vision.
Well, let me know what you think and stay tuned.