Chapter 4: Rebellious One

Several hours had passed and it was quickly getting dark again, Liza spent a good while organizing and cleaning out her kitchen and the mess she left on the table with her snack fest last night.

Naru was just silent the entire time, leaning back against the couch still sitting criss-crossed. Liza had already changed his bandages to dry one's and both him and her were pretty much dry at this point except Naru's wings, they still were somewhat wet and she figured it was because of how large they were.

He was clearly having a hard time being able to fall asleep now, she couldn't tell if it was the injury and the pain or something entirely else, she still hardly knew anything about him, she was honestly very intrigued to know more but wasn't going to push him.

Liza gave a subtle sigh after finishing up with washing her hands, she then walked over in front of him and crouched down just like before. He had his head semi-tucked into his scarf with his eyes closed, trying to rest, "You've been too quiet." He stated weakly, slightly opening his eyes and glancing at her.

He wasn't wrong, Liza hasn't said or asked anything the past several hours. He most likely figured she would be full of questions, and honestly, she was, she didn't want to bother him until he felt better considering he looked miserable and exhausted currently, almost like he hasn't slept for days, and he did lose quite a bit of blood.

"If I go about asking you things, you'll just give me the silent treatment. Look how long it took you just to give me your name." Liza said semi-sternly, his small hesitant reaction told her she was correct.

"Hey, you're in no condition to be out and about and you know that as much as I do, you still went out anyway to make sure I was ok and I am truly grateful for it whether you like it or not. I'm offering you a solid roof over your head and a place to stay even though it isn't the greatest, so will you stay, Naru?" Liza asked pleasingly, almost as if begging him once more with how soft and grateful the tone of her voice was with him.

Liza formed a small smile on her face, pulling something out of her pocket and raising it in the air. "You mutants can eat chocolate, right? Otherwise, who else am I going to share all this junk food with?" She asked.

Liza had a small chocolate bar in her hand, gently swirling it around to maybe tempt him with a sweet, and it clearly was working with the subtle surprised look he gave mostly because of her words and not just the candy.

Naru had a sad but also very gentle expression, Liza knew he was hesitating, going back and forth with decisions. He was slowly shaking his head, denying her offer, "You know I can't…" he remarked hesitantly and sadly.

Giving a small sigh, Liza already knew why he was denying and being hesitant. She knew he wanted to stay, and she knew he was lonely, just like she was, she could also tell he was broken from the inside out and it only made her feel more pity for him.

Despite all these, he still put others ahead of him as he chose to help her more than once and clearly didn't seem to care about himself much from what she experienced so far.

Liza gently placed the chocolate bar on his leg, "When you're ready to decide and maybe even open up to me with more about yourself, then I'm all ears. Eitherway, you're more than welcome to stay here." She said, giving him a small smile before standing up.

Liza had decided to go to bed as she went to her bedroom, leaving the door cracked open most likely on purpose. Naru spent a good while just staring down at the candy bar that was resting on his leg still with a hesitant and sad expression on his face, he finally just grabbed it weakly, staggering up to his feet and off the couch silently.

He peered through the crack of the door as he leaned against the side of the door, looking at Liza who was already passed out on her bed, slightly snoring away peacefully. He already expected her to fall asleep easily with the fact she was up for just about two days straight without any sleep at all.

Naru twirled the candy bar in his hand as he stared back down at it and then gently removed his hand from his injury and glanced at it as well. "Damn…" He said weakly, gripping the candy bar into a fist.

Naru knew immediately that she wasn't afraid of him whatsoever, she outright chose to follow him after he helped her with the perverted muggers, she chose to track him down after he warned her and could've gotten hurt by the croc worse than he did, she even chose to help him despite the amount of times he declined her and now it's only made him feel somewhat pitiful.

He couldn't get the far fetched fact of all these choices she made out of his head, she knew about the croc tracking him down and now she was at risk because of a choice he made, thinking it would go a different way and not like this.

Liza slept like a log as she accidentally woke herself up with a small snort, she glanced at her clock and several more hours had passed since she fell asleep and left the turtle with an offer. Liza took a glance at the window, it was still pouring rain and somewhat dark outside, though the sun was slowly peeking through the storm clouds and window.

Liza climbed out of her bed, wrapping herself in her blanket as it was pretty chilly and she was still somewhat tired. She peered out the crack of her door, standing and leaning on the edge wall under the doorway, noticing Naru was still in his usual spot on the couch, criss-crossed.

Naru glanced up at her, already knowing she was there and came out, Liza only gave him a confused look as he lifted that candy bar in his free hand. She slowly made her way to him, realizing now it was just the wrapper, he ate the chocolate bar itself, clearly telling her that he accepted the offer.

"I'll stay, under one condition." He began, "You want me to stay inside at all times, huh?" Liza interrupted with a somewhat sad expression on her face, already knowing it. Naru nodded lightly, "Because of that croc mutant, huh?" She questioned him again, he nodded once again.

"The croc's name is Zon, he's been hunting me down for almost a year now. The other night was only the third time he's ever found me, and you happen to show up." Naru began. Liza could tell he was steadily finally opening up with her, slowly but surely, she sat down next to him and gently removed the empty wrapper from his hand.

"Sorry… but couldn't you have just teleported away though easily like you seem to be able to do… you seem like a good fighter, so how did he manage to get you so badly?" Liza questioned him as she glanced down at his injury that he still continued to have a painful grip on.

Naru hesitated slightly, she could tell he felt uncomfortable telling her really anything but he still proceeded to anyway. "Element of surprise… became a stance off for a short while then we picked up on your scent. I already sensed ya coming before he did, couldn't do anything though yet." He remarked somewhat ashamed of his choices and actions during that situation, he could've prevented her from being found out by this, Zon.

Liza couldn't get the fact off her mind of what he kept mentioning, smell and scent. "You… really are… Valkyrie, aren't you." Liza questioned him very hesitantly, she was unsure and she really didn't want to make him uncomfortable with the assumption, but his colors, skills and everything else she's experienced with him so far just outright seemed to match the rumored legend.

He semi-worriedly looked up at her, she hesitated worriedly herself with this but proceeded to try and get an answer out of him, she pointed at his eyes, "As beautiful as they are, you can't really hide it once they're exposed. You've been hiding your eyes from me since the beginning until now, no one or anything in recorded history has your eye color Naru, it's impossible to make, not even contacts exist to make that color, except one myth that is."

"Valkyrie…" He added, glancing down and away from her somewhat shamefully. "I thought the Valkyrie dragon was a myth, folk tales, something made up for children. I never knew the said myth was actually real, then again, it was millions if not, billions of years ago." Liza stated, somewhat confusing even herself.

Though his response and shameful expression told her it clearly was real, this was no joke or fun in games. His wings, eyes, scales and just about every other feature about him was extremely related to the said mythical dragon of Valkyrie. Valkyrie was the only dragon in recorded history that had the colors he has currently, red and blue mix, there were even rumors of the dragon possessing strange but extremely powerful supernatural powers.

It was almost like he had no feelings for himself, which made her believe her conclusions were correct about him so far, but she could tell there was more he was clearly hiding and she obviously was not going to push him. In fact, she felt pity for him, he seemed clueless about people, about himself, about the world, it was as if he was still a kid in learning when it came to his mental state, but his actions proved otherwise.

She gently reached out to him, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him which caused him to immediately stiffen and become spooked by this sudden action of Liza's. She knew he obviously feared being touched a bit, which is why she was gentle, he must've had a bad and miserable childhood for him to be this distant and unsure with people who even try to help him.

"Naru, I would be more than happy to help you with whatever it is you're going through. You can hide here as long as you need to…" Liza began, only to immediately jolt away suddenly as it spooked him, forming a very confused expression on his face as he looked at her.

"Oh my god…' She added hesitantly and worriedly, immediately remembering something. "How good are you at faking being unconscious?" She asked him, only to clearly have him form an even more confused look upon his face as if asking why.

"I totally forgot, Jean is coming by again today… I don't want her finding out more about you just yet." Liza said somewhat frighteningly, "She's a vet is she not…? She'll probably know i'm faking…" He stated hesitantly, causing Liza to sigh in defeat as he was correct, she probably already came to the conclusion as well he would wake up by now.

"Just don't say anything to her, give her the silent treatment you gave me." She said giving a subtle sigh, the look he gave her exceptionally told her that it was easy enough to do that. As much as Liza trusted and respected Jean, she still understood how much it hurts to spill the beans to people about your past and current situations.

After what felt like hours despite it being minutes that had passed, Jean had never shown up, this honestly caused Liza to become frequently worried as she wandered to her phone and grabbed it. Naru, who was still sitting on the couch, followed her with his eyes in confusement only to suddenly shoot a look at the door seconds before a loud knock echoed through the living room.

This caused Liza to hesitate, Jean never knocked, she had a key to the apartment. She glanced at Naru worriedly who was staring at the door, slumping his wings down slightly more, though instead of noticing a defense coming from him, it was more of a relax, like he knew who it was at the door.

"Liza!? It's me! I lost the key!" It was Jean, shouting from the other end of the door as she knocked once more to grasp her attention. Liza, letting out a subtle sigh of relief put the phone back down, she could already tell that Naru clearly had very keen senses aside from his scent of smell that she already knew about, glancing at him worriedly as she passed, giving him an small stern expression to remind him in keeping his mouth closed.

Opening the door, Liza quickly noticed that Jean seemingly was out of breath somewhat. "Are you ok…? What happened?" Liza asked her, helping her inside, peering her head out and glancing both ways of the hallway to double check and make sure something wasn't off.

Though despite it, Naru probably would've already reacted to it if there was any danger or anyone unknowingly nearby. Jean had become silent and obviously surprised when seeing Naru awake, sitting criss crossed still on the couch, peering at her from the corner of his eye unamusingly and with no interest, though she saw this to be somewhat menacing, so he directed his look away from her and closed his eyes clearly showing ignorance.

"Jean?!" Liza shouted, waving her hand in front of her face to get her attention which was clearly all focused on Naru. Jean, blinking, had finally directed her attention back at Liza who had a worried expression upon her face. "Sorry…" Jean stated tiredly, "You ok?" Liza questioned concerningly, noticing she was wet from the pouring rain and didn't have her bag with her this time around, and the sheer fact she apparently lost the key of all things.

"Yeah sorry, got called in early for work, then power went out and closed early as well. Went back home, and couldn't find the key to your apartment so I rushed over hoping I might've left it here…" She explained, easing Liza's concern and worry thinking it was something far worse like her being found out and having some psycho mutant after her.

"Seems you're not dead." Jean said to her, raising an eye subtly. Liza only sighed annoyingly a bit as she rolled her eyes, "I already told you, if he wanted me dead I would be already." Jean sighed lightly, "Is he really the mythical dragon? I saw his eyes." Jean questioned, also adding the fact she clearly did when he glanced at her the minute she came in, which is probably why she froze in surprise.

Liza hesitated and shrugged at the same time as Jean glanced at him once more, "Beats me… hasn't said a word since he woke." Liza lied, she was very good at lying to people, even her own close friend though she absolutely hated the result of doing it to her. "Is that so?" Jean said sternly, causing Liza to become somewhat surprised and frightened, knowing what she's about to do.

"Jean, no… don't… just leave him be." Liza said, attempting to grasp her attention as Jean made her way angrily to Naru, who still was slumped over sitting on the couch and grasping his injury with his eyes closed.

"Hey you!" Jean began, snapping her fingers in front of his face, causing him to slightly open his eyes and look at her, though with no amusement at all. "Yes you, if you're gonna stay here and can't even give an explanation then you can at least help out, I don't care what you are and what you've done, but being under Liza's roof doesn't give you authority to give her the silent treatment. Got that?" Jean said angrily.

Naru only closed his eyes again, slumping back slightly down, obviously showing no interest as he seemingly had a subtle stern look himself. This only angered Jean more as he was clearly ignoring her, "Jean, it's ok." Liza said, grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling her away from Naru before any more drama took place.

"Why do you even bother keeping him here if that's all he's going to do?" Jean growled questionaly, Liza didn't hesitate to respond honestly on this term, "Because he's hurt, and he already helped me, Jean. Did you forget already? I… somewhat begged and forced him to be here…" Liza added somewhat innocently.

"You what!?" Jean growled, "A complete stranger, not even that, a mutant, something that's probably twice your strength and can tear you apart!" She added angrily, "Jean!" Liza growled, finally picking her voice up in return as an action of defense for Naru, she already made herself clear more than once about him on what she did know based on his actions and what he did tell her so far, she even slept a night with him in her apartment and he still didn't do anything to harm her.

Jean, glaring at Liza only sighed, giving up and raising her arms and hands. She clearly didn't like or trust Naru at the moment, Liza didn't blame her considering she was only being protective and was unsure with him, since he was so secretive. "Oh and look, there they are." Jean said, walking over to the table and grabbing the key that was laying there that she did apparently leave somehow.

"I can't right now, if you want him here, so be it. Your responsibility, don't forget what I said the other night, Liza." Jean said, also being somewhat threatening, she was always like this though with any boy that was close to her, mutant or not it seemed. Liza, letting out a subtle sigh as Jean took her leave angrily, had turned from the door and walked over to Naru.

Crouching down in front of him with a concerned look, hoping he didn't take anything offensively or anything she said would hurt him. He immediately gently raised his head slightly and looked at her with the same gentle look in his eyes he had, "Sorry, she's just being protective. Thank you, Naru, for not staying quiet." Liza said, giving a small grateful smile.

She can tell he was hesitating, seeing that he was thinking that Jean was correct with the words she said to him, Liza didn't hesitate to recorrect his thoughts, "Hey…" She began, moving her head too look at him in the eyes as he was glancing away slightly. "I offered for you to stay here. If you have a keen sense of smell, then I'm sure you do with hearing as well and you heard what I said to her. This was also my choice, don't forget what I said earlier too before bringing you here, this is my debt to you for what you did, twice." She explained, proving and trying to convince him he only needed to rest and not push himself with continuing help.

Liza gently placed a hand on his shoulder as she stood, passing him and heading to the kitchen to get a drink. "JJ, turn the TV on." Liza said, having the TV turn on immediately to her command, which was apparently some strange western movie that had just started.

"Damn.." Liza growled lowly, digging through the freezer, "Outa Ice…" Liza placed the empty glass on the counter, grabbing the small containers to just fill up with water for Ice and refill. She jumped slightly frighteningly at the sudden loud gunshot sound, which was from the movie causing her to let out a sigh of relief realizing it was that.

She quickly glanced down at the glass when she also felt a sudden cold breeze, only to have her become profoundly amazed when she immediately noticed sudden Ice cubes in the glass. She shot a look at Naru, noticing him peering over his shoulder and at the corner of his eye giving the same gentle expression.

She was only amazed, she didn't think he was capable of such power, let alone if he actually had any supernatural power at all and believed it was just his colors and senses. She did hear that Valkyrie did possess extremely powerful but also dangerous Ice abilities that could be formed and created in thin air wherever the dragon wanted it too, just as Naru did.

Liza was honestly speechless, before she could thank him, he had already turned away and let himself collapse on his side and turned around on his uninjured side to probably try and rest more, She decided to leave him be and let him rest, which he obviously needed.

She poured some soda into the glass and only made her way to her chair next to the couch and sat down with a blanket to watch the movie, only to end up heading to bed after several hours early when it was starting to surprisingly get late suddenly.

Stopping and crouching down beside the couch where Naru had finally managed to fall asleep, and was clearly passed out as he doesn't seem to move a muscle when asleep. She couldn't help but to gently place a hand and sooth it across one of his wings that were slumped and hanging on the edge of the couch, they were very large but surprisingly also very soft, and warm.

She let out a subtle sigh, almost like petting the feathers and fur parts of his wing as she became lost in thought, trying to figure out more about him on her own so she wouldn't push him, he was clearly lonely and hurting, not just physically. She could see the sadness in his eyes, but also the regret of something she was unsure of, and it only left her more intrigued.

Despite the fact he's been pushing her away from the beginning and has finally opened up a bit with her was a huge leap for him but also her, she didn't even know mutants were a thing, let alone existed, but seeing him right in front of her and actually touching him clearly told and shown her otherwise, clearly with the fact he had Valkyrie in him as well.

She honestly didn't care where he came from, it was actions that proved him to be the kind of person he was, and it was clear to her that there were obviously more mutants out there than just him. Letting out a subtle reluctant sigh, she grabbed the blanket she previously put on him as it rested at the end of the couch and put it over him, whether he needed it or not, she didn't care, it was still more comfort.

Before she fully stood up and was about to head to bed she noticed something at the corner of her eye with Naru, she silently and gently grabbed his scarf, pulling it down slightly to see his neck, only to become with a mix of concern and surprise as his neck was covered in scars.

She glanced back up and down him, coming to the conclusion if he had various scars on his neck, he probably had more elsewhere as well. And now that she remembered clearly and focused, she did also see a few cracks on his plastron and shell. She removed her hand from his scarf and gently placed it on his shoulder with a concerned look and full of more questions, "What happened to you…"