Despite feeling the pains caused from the cowfish's kicks, Bars was running with all his energy away from Grina. Never in his life, he'd ever dream to escape from his female friend, holding a girl regressed into babyhood, and being forced to act like a father in her regards.
Occasionally the boy looks behind: Grina was still behind him! She doesn't seem to be sweating, after that long run… actually, she seems to be closer and closer to him.
"BARS! PLEASE, STOP!" Grina calls him desperately.
He begins to feel really tired: the stress was pressuring his body, forcing him to slow down noticeably. His motivation wasn't lacking in the least, however… and in his last stand, he grabs a big wooden stick and turns his back, facing Grina.
The girl stops in shock, seeing the boy suddenly armed with a dangerous weapon.
"B-Bars, what are you doing?! Put that stick down!" Grina orders worried.
"S-stay away from me… insane girl!" He menaces her.
"Y-you don't seriously intend to harm u-us, right?!"
"Don't make me do this, Grina… go home, please."
"No! I don't want to leave you here! Mirii needs you! Mirii needs caring parents!"
"WE'RE NOT HER PARENTS! STOP SAYING SUCH LIE!"
Baby Mirii starts crying.
"… you… YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SELFISH MONSTER!" Grina starts crying.
Bars looks surprised.
"We're not her parents… WHERE ARE HER PARENTS, BARS?! DID YOU EVER SEE THEM IN PERSON?!" She vented.
"I… I know she has a mother…"
"A mother that not only is old, but SHE'S ALSO A HORRIBLE PERSON!"
"W-what?! N-no way!"
"Yes, that's true… she told me about her… before I met you."
Bars stood there in silence, thinking about something…
"… her brother! Yes, her brother! He can take"
"Not even her brother, Bars. He's too busy with his job, to have any time for Mirii!" Grina explains, while trying to calm down the baby at the same time.
His firepower was rejected and Bars was too tired, to think about other possibilities.
"Now, do you see the entire situation…? No one can look after her, except for us… her new family." She took a big breath, still crying a bit. "Y-you can't make her suffer a second time, Bars! I know w-we can pull this one off… together…"
"Grina… what you're asking is stupid! Did you forget the very first reason, we are here? I thought that you cared about Hunter! After all… he saved us, man! If we focus on Mirii, then he'll be done for! T-think about his sister, please… a-and his parents…"
The girl lowers her head.
"… poor Hunry… we don't even know where his parents are…"
"S-so, you're finally realizing it?! You are understanding everything?"
"… I have a question for you, Bars."
The boy didn't like the sound of that phrase. Grina looks at him, seriously.
"… tell me… who's in real danger, now?"
"Huh? I-In danger? What do you mean?!"
"It's true that Hunry has a ticking bomb inside… but that doesn't mean Mirii is safe, right in this moment!"
"S-she with us… she's safe!"
"Really… judging from that stick, you seem in the opposite position…"
"W-wait! We can go together, you know!"
"WITH A BABY?! DO YOU REALIZE THAT EVEN A SMALL BUMP, MAY BE FATAL FOR HER?!"
Bars got once again against the logical wall.
"P-please, Bars… come back to us… please…" Grina starts walking near the boy. "There's no other solution… we can't give her to someone… or leave her at home… or anything to solve this problem…"
Suddenly, he swings the stick in the air, scaring the girl.
"B-BARS!"
"You know what… I… I think to understand our problem: it was obvious, but we didn't fully notice it yet… or should I say, we didn't want to admit it."
She remains in silence.
"… we are both scared, aren't we?"
She listens without complaining.
"I can see that… I mean, this is the first time we're dealing with such situation… I'm still scared about all this, you know."
Bars starts crying too.
"You… are kinda right, actually. Mirii needs our help… in that condition, she can't do anything for herself…" He sighs. "But… if we let the fears dominate us, a solution will never come! And that means… one of our friends, must go…"
"N-NO!" The girl understood everything. "I DON'T WANT HUNRY TO GO AWAY! But… b-but Mirii… no… she d-doesn't deserve this, either…"
"Don't worry, Grina. I already took a decision. The best thing I could do…" He shakes his head slowly.
"W-what's it?!" She asks at the highest peak of the concern.
"… I'll solve this problem, alone."
"BARS, DON'T DO IT! Y-YOU CAN'T"
Bars swings his stick again, stopping Grina from running towards him.
"Go home, girl… let this boy become a man, for once."
"NOOOO, BAAARRSSS!" Grina starts crying uncontrollably.
Bars looks at the girl for a moment… and then, he turns his back going all alone through the forest. The girl falls on her knees, hugging baby Mirii tightly: she was sad and scared, not knowing what will happen next… and honestly, she doesn't even have the courage to learn.
Even the boy was feeling the same way: the more steps he does, the more doubtful he becomes. Was he really able to help Mirii, from this twisted fate? Was he capable to save Hun's parents? Or he was too late… for everything?
The boy didn't even know where he was going. A town located somewhere in those deserted farmlands… black trucks to chase around… all those vague hints, are making Bars even more insecure than before. This was the first time, that his ego was put into question… and the boy never felt so weak, in his whole life.
He was getting really fatigued… the stress and depression was too strong to bear. Bars was staggering, wishing to take a good nap. No… that wasn't enough for him. Something important was missing… something that he didn't really thought about, until in this very moment.
The idea of having a family… suddenly, didn't sound as insane and crazy, as Bars thought it was. Grina was a nice girl, after all… just this morning, he was laughing and having a good time with her! And Mirii… maybe she wouldn't mind as much, having young stepparents protecting her and giving her all the care of this world.
Maybe… just maybe… that nightmare wasn't really one, isn't it? It was actually an incredible dream, that would bring the best joy, an Inkling could wish for. But now it's too late… too far away, from that one-chance occasion, to take it with his hands and say Yes, I want to be her father. I want to stay with this family.
Forever.
... zzz… uh… hmpf… … zzzz… uff… the sun… the sun is waking me up… yaaaawwwnnn! I kinda hate that… I don't wanna get out of the bed, just yet… it's so comfy and relaxing… five more minutes, please…
Knock knock.
Oh no… that knocking sound… I could recognize that everywhere. Perfectly executed, always at the same exact time. Great… now the five minutes become five seconds… or maybe 10, if I get to hide under the blanket…
"Rise and shine, little bro!"
No, leave me alone! I want to rest and sleep… … I don't hear anything else. Maybe she gave up? Good! I can enjoy the bed a little more, then... hmm? Something warm and soft was grasping my tummy. It tickles a bit too… actually… pffff, hahahaha!
"Tickle tickle tickle!"
There I am, escaping my perfect hiding place, to make a desperate attempt to regain control of myself. I started taking off those giant hands, with mine: didn't really work. I tried crouching and turning away from her: she didn't let me move! Luckily, this madness ended all the sudden… just in time for me, to take some air back!
"Ih ih ih! Good morning, lazy bones!"
I groaned to my annoying big sister. Thanks to her tickling games, there's no way I'm going back into the dreamy fields. My fuzzy eyes are trying to look at my huge sibling and I couldn't help but rubbing them, to improve my eyesight.
"… good morning…" I said while yawning again.
"Come on, gnome. The bathroom is waiting for you!" My sister jokes on me, with a smile.
I stood there for a moment, without moving or reacting: just sitting on the bed, looking at my relative like any zombies would. I took a big breath and jump out of the bed, landing near my huge sister. Right after that, she raises both her arms in the air… and then quickly dive both towards my small back.
A noticeable warmth was taking over my body, making all the tenses go away. I smiled, while closing my eyes. Then her big hand was caressing and patting my head, with the delicacy of a flower. I couldn't help but to get easily addicted, in front of such cuddles.
"Let's go now, Jack."
Well, you heard her: it's time to get out of house and do some hygienic needs. Thanks to that well-deserved hug, now leaving the bed doesn't feel as drastic as before. My sister holds my right hand tightly and together, we exit from my little house.