-sorry for the wait, here's a long one for you guys -
Aliens to Monsters
Giroro- Ganrougel
Dororo- Aldmora
Keroro- Kurse
Tamama- Taiki
Kururu- Krueger
Mois- Molioke
Ganrougel thrust an ax into his target. The wood log split easily under his strength. He tossed the hunks of wood into the pile quickly building into a mountain behind him.
"Thank you again." Aldmora spoke up as he approached offering a glass of water. "Now Koyuki can focus on her school work without worrying about getting too cold at night."
"It's nothing. I needed something to do instead of sulking around the Hinatas anyway." Ganrougel accepted the drink and chugged the cold water. He found he expended energy more in his current body and would sometimes rely on food and water. He looked out at the summer flowers blooming around the meadow and rested a hand on his hip, grazing over his old belt as it held up his jeans. The old brown ratted cloth had since been removed from under the skull.
"How are things going anyway? Koyuki's been too nervous to ask." Aldmora adjusted his mask nervously.
"The old lady Hinata has been over every chance she gets and is even looking into getting older books than her own. The Nishizawa girl keeps offering to supply everything and flies in every grimoire and artifact her people can locate, some are even carved in old stone but nothings worked so far." Ganrougel sighed. "Even Fuyuki's been practicing his magic every day to try and experiment new ideas and theories."
"I'm sorry." Aldmora apologized, feeling guilty for asking.
"They say she hasn't even budged." Ganrougel felt his heart stiffen. His body felt cold and hard to move. "I can't even bring myself to go see her. Last time I couldn't get myself to leave and..."
Ganrougel ran his hand through his blonde hair, swallowing the lump in his throat. He released his breath in a long drag before turning back to Aldmora and forcing a small smile. "So you and Koyuki doing good? You've mentioned her almost every time you said something today."
"Oh." Aldmora blushed and tried to pull his mask to cover more of his face. He wasn't prepared to have the attention driven to him. "W-well we uh…. She's so nice to me and…."
"Don't feel like you're going to make me feel worse if you're having happier moments than me." Ganrougel let out a quick huff of a laugh. "Honestly it's kind of nice to know that at least everyone else is in a better situation than before."
Aldmora nodded. "Well, want to see my secret?"
Ganrougel furrowed his brow in confusion before stepping closer, showing he meant to keep it just between them. Aldmora glanced away for a second. Slowly he pulled his mask down his chin. Ganrougel was unsure what Aldmora was trying to show him. "I… don't even know what I'm looking for."
"Look." Aldmora pointed to his blank face. Ganrougel looked harder, eventually he grew slightly frustrated knowing there was something he couldn't instantly see. He grabbed Aldmora's chin and tilted his head slightly. The sunlight shaded a soft silhouette where his mouth would have been when he was still alive.
"No way. Lips?" Ganrougel was happily surprised. "Have you shown Koyuki?"
"Not yet." Aldmora blushed a deeper pink as he moved his mask back into place. "We haven't kissed since that day so I don't think she's noticed either."
"You gotta tell her." Ganrougel shook his head with disapproval. "She's gonna be so happy."
Aldmora wrung his long hair in his hands. "I'll tell her tonight."
"Good." Ganrougel gave a small smile. He turned to the log pile. "Anything else you need help with? I'll do anything."
"Go home to the Hinata house." Aldmora's eyes curled as if he were smiling. "You've already been here all day and literally did everything."
"But-" Ganrougel started with an uneasy look in his eyes.
"After seven months, it might be time to start pushing yourself." Aldmora suggested. "Besides, Koyuki's house is small and I already take up so much room."
Ganrougel let a soft laugh escape his throat. "Alright then, promise you'll tell her though."
"Agreed if you go home." Aldmora chuckled.
Ganrougel returned the glass and turned back to the city. He made sure to take the longest route between the busy roads and hoards of employees and students trying to get to their own homes. Walking alongside other people felt odd to him after so many years running alone. Every now and then he would glance at the pedestrians and remember how it felt to run your life focused on trying to live the next day and not really know what would finally happen when you did die. Most of them would pass right on into the sky but he knew some would fight for more if they could. He was certain there may be one or two among them who were already monsters disguised as a human like him.
The light blinked green and he crossed between the huge traffic pileup. He started getting back in the swing of modern human life with the help of Garuru and Fuyuki. He glanced into the store windows as he passed, recalling when he used to go shopping with his brother for new workout equipment or devices. Passing by an old rundown toy store, Ganrougel grinned at a toy train that almost looked like one he had as a kid. A few minutes later he began to recognize some of the houses and his eyes locked on to a pink roof behind them. He took a deep breath and marched on around the bend to see the Hinata house in full view.
His shoulders stiffened as he prepared himself, walking up to the front door. He held his hand mere inches from the handle feeling unable to reach closer. He sighed before turning around and walking around the back. At the glass doors he entered easily. "huh, that's probably weird."
"What is?" Fuyuki asked. He stood by the living room doorway as if he were on his way out. He held a pile of books in his arms. A sturdy stack that almost blocked his view.
"Nothing I just…. Do I always come in by the back or have I come through the front yet?" Ganrougel gestured to the glass doors behind him.
"I think you always came through the back." Fuyuki answered honestly. "It's just kind of normal for you. I don't really expect you to come in any other way now."
"Heading downstairs with those?" Ganrougel nodded to the books.
"Yeah." Fuyuki replied. "I should probably get down there before I drop them like last time."
"Here." Ganrougel briskly approached and pulled more than half the pile for himself to carry. "Let me help."
"You're going to come down today?" Fuyuki looked up to Ganrougel a little surprised but more worried than anything else. Ganrougel only nodded quickly before leading the way to the hidden stairs to the basement. In the hidden room below countless machines were stacked against the walls, whirring and beeping. In the center of the room sat Natsumi still trapped; on her knees and her arm remained raised where she held the crystal that now encased her in defense against the bull.
Ganrougel felt his heart and body stiffen at the sight. She looked so afraid to him and he couldn't help. He forced himself to move and place the books beside Akina who was tracing a new circle of marks and emblems around Natsumi.
"Welcome back." Akina smiled kindly to Ganrougel and watched him sit in the chair they left for him in case he did visit when they weren't aware. "How long are you staying this time?"
"As long as I can… without losing my mind." Ganrougel sighed. He turned his eyes away from everything, staring at the cold floor below him.
"I have a good feeling about this one." Akina spoke as she laid down a few charm bags and stones. She took a deep breath and held her hands over the markings. Fuyuki kneeled beside her and did the same. They focused their best intentions and good will into the items.
"You say that every time." Ganrougel muttered. "But nothing's worked."
"You can't start a spell with doubt, it cancels out the magic before it even starts." Akina smiled warmly as a soft chuckle escaped her. She sighed content with the spell so far and stepped back to admire her work. "Besides that star girl was here earlier and she seemed a lot more confident in her work too."
"What did she say?" Ganrougel interlocked his fingers bracing for what might be said; his eyes daring to glance up at Akina.
"She said that she was done with her part." Akina smiled.
"But… does that mean that..." Ganrougel swallowed his hopes, afraid to climb up only to fall even harder into his shadows of despair and grief.
"She said she couldn't guarantee anything but she seemed happy enough in her work to return the child's spirit. Working inside of the crystal was very difficult for her." Akina explained.
"So there's no way to be sure." Ganrougel sighed grateful he didn't let himself get too high spirited. He only wanted definite answers and surefire spells to save Natsumi and their child.
"There's never any guarantee for the best things in life. Those are the things you have to work hard for and when you can't work anymore you just have to hope and trust." Akina spoke calmly and opened a book Fuyuki brought down for her.
Ganrougel thought hard about her words. Sure he knew she was right and everyone was telling him to do just the same, but when he did pray and beg to whatever gods or powers could have fixed his mistakes he didn't feel any good or trust in it and he didn't believe he deserved to be hopeful. So he sat as he had done for months, thinking, sulking. He twisted his fingers between themselves thousands of times with his elbows bearing deep onto his knees. The silver of his eyes drilled into the floor as if it held the answers.
Once he twisted a finger so hard he sprained it calling his attention to the pain. He cursed himself and begged for a gun to clean like he used to do in training. Sometimes he would find food and drink beside him on the floor and sometimes he could catch Fuyuki or Aki as they came to clear away either a nearly emptied plate or a full one with spoiled food. It was the only signs he had that time was still passing around him but he would soon forget again as his mind spiraled in his thoughts. The fears he spent too long thinking about and the fears he could do nothing to settle. All of the things he finally remembered he enjoyed about being human and now he couldn't share with Natsumi.
He caught glimpse of an arm reaching to him, he swiftly stood from his chair; tall and braced for an attack. He sighed when he saw it was Fuyuki holding a glass. "Fuyuki… it's just you."
"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you were more lucid today and could use some water. It gets hot down here sometimes with all of Krueger's machines." Fuyuki gave a calm smile.
Ganrougel nodded and accepted the drink, chugging down the fresh water. He didn't know he needed it as much until it was there in his throat and chilling his body as he swallowed it. The sweat on his skin was noticeably present compared to the cold water. He lifted his shirt and wiped his forehead clear of it. "How long has it been? A week? Two?"
"Uh-no, you've been down here for months. It's the end of November." Fuyuki explained a little surprised with how out of the loop Ganrougel was.
Ganrougel stiffened. "It's almost been a year then. I've just been sitting here this whole time."
"Most of it was spent preparing for the next spell so you didn't miss much." Akina spoke up from behind Natsumi.
Ganrougel looked to the floor to see the etchings and charms had almost reached him. He took a deep breath and set the glass on the floor beside the chair. "What can I do to help? I know I can't do magic but there has to be something."
"You can help soon enough. We just need you to stay where we can find you ok?" Akina smiled kindly.
Ganrougel's eye flared in surprise. "That can't be all. I'm tired of sitting here and doing nothing."
"You've already done enough help right now." Akina stated.
Ganrougel sighed. He closed his eyes and sat in his chair feeling defeated. "You're right, I guess I did do enough damage."
"That's not what I meant." Akina tried not to laugh but a soft chuckle did escape her. "Did you know you mutter in your sleep?"
"I-what? What does that have to do with the spell?" Ganrougel asked.
"You would say things and sometimes Natsumi's name would be the only thing we could understand." Akina explained. "But look at Natsumi closely."
Ganrougel slowly turned it his eyes to the crystal. He could see she had grown in subtle ways. Her hair was longer, redder, and her legs and arms were showing she was somewhat taller. "She's growing up."
"Not that." Akina shook her head. "She's smiling."
Ganrougel looked harder through the crystal to see Natsumi's expression. She didn't look afraid like she did months ago. Her eyes even seemed to smile, she looked more calm than anything. Except for one tear on her cheek.
"I think you've been talking to her in your sleep." Akina suggested.
"How is that possible?" Ganrougel whispered. He hesitated from stepping closer to the crystal.
"There was one moment when you had muttered something about it pulsing, something about the crystal. It isn't just Natsumi's anymore is it? It became a connection between you two." Akina explained. "And since that's just what's surrounding her now it might let you through in someway. At least to talk to her. Let her know that you're here and will do anything to help. I think if she knows that she might feel powerful enough to do something from inside instead of just relying on us."
Ganrougel took a deep breath and dropped to the floor, sitting with his legs crossed. His fingers dug into his knees as he closed his eyes and focused. He thought of nothing but Natsumi and felt the heavy guilt in his heart. In his mind he could see her smiling bright, making fun of him. Sometimes he could see her blushing again by whatever accidental sweet words he wish he could tell her. He flinched when he thought he heard sobbing. It was like the last time he visited her, his mind drowned in his sorrows that he was hallucinating her and seeing her cry and so upset broke his heart. He had run away and didn't return for months until Aldmora suggested it again.
He opened his eyes to see red light all around him, just like his hallucinations last time. Ganrougel looked ahead of him to see Natsumi sitting with her knees curled to her chest. She sobbed softly to herself. Ganrougel gripped the denim of his pants tighter, his face wrenched in pain. He wanted to run away again but forced himself to stay and for once tried talking to her. "Natsumi?"
The Natsumi before him froze upon hearing his voice. She lifted her face from her knees and looked to him. "Oh finally. I thought you weren't coming back."
"I've been here before?" Ganrougel asked.
"Yeah but I guess it was too much for you, you flickered in and out for a while and then you just weren't here." Natsumi wiped her tears from her cheeks and stood up. "You wouldn't even really talk to me. You just kept saying you were sorry."
"How do I know this is real? It seems like a dream." Ganrougel asked.
"Did you go to sleep?" Natsumi crossed her arms.
"No." Ganrougel answered unsure of where she was going with that.
"Then it's not a dream you dork. You kinda have to lose consciousness first." Natsumi sighed in annoyance.
Ganrougel smirked. His heart raced as he stood up and started walking to her. Her strong will and attitude was one of the features he loved most about her and hearing it again seemed to free him of his guilt and loneliness. "It really is you. I missed you-"
"STOP!" Akina suddenly stood in front of Ganrougel, pushing him back with Fuyuki's help. Ganrougel looked to see he was only inches from the crystal. His heart sunk again as Natsumi looked up to him with a soft smile from inside her prison.
"Why did you stop me? I was almost there! I almost had her again!" Ganrougel felt anger and frustration burn through him as he reached forward and caressed the crystal, begging it to let Natsumi out.
"We don't know what would happen if you went inside. You could get trapped too." Akina explained. Ganrougel sighed and stepped back.
"Did you see her?" Fuyuki asked.
"Yeah." Ganrougel smiled. "She's just as strong as ever."
"That's good." Fuyuki felt relieved.
Ganrougel's eyes remained locked on Natsumi. I swear I'll get you back out. I don't care what I have to do, you'll be free again.