Panda Hero

Chapter 9: Changed

I lean back against the cruel stone wall with a faint smile. Last night's baseball game was. . .amazing!

When it was my turn to step up to the plate, gripping the Panda Hero's prized bat in my hands (an honor) I swung it with all my might at the oncoming baseball. A deep metallic thud followed as the ball sliced through the air with a whistle, I ran. After watching everyone on my team ahead of me step up to bat, I learned what to do and was no longer worried about running around the bases the opposite way.

The ball started to descend in the air until it bounced a couple of times on the ground outside the rusty fence circling the field. I kept on running.

When I got to the makeshift home base (which is a pole from the fence topped with a hand-sewn glove) it was then that I was told I hit a homerun. At first I didn't know what that meant, I was just so excited that I ran across the beaten bases. But when I heard how amazing it is to get a homerun and got a point for the team, I just wanted to step up to bat again.

I feel my upper arms and the rigid bumps of muscle. Years of boxing definetly helps.

Boxing. . .It will always be my favorite thing in this crummy life of mine. Now it has competition, with Baseball being in second place.

I'm actually surprised that the amount of people that showed up actually did. It definetly wasnt the amount at the Arena, since the field was smaller, but there were a lot of "Panda Zombies" looking on and making a weak attempt to cheer on the two teams.

The Panda Hero really does know how to get people to listen to her. I admire her for that and so many other things. Speaking of, she was the pitcher for both teams and has a talent for it, too.

Now i'm in Kaito's tiny shack of a home, practicing my kicks after I raise myself from the ground. Len's watching, deeply concentrating. He's no doubt trying to learn a few moves to use on the Panda Hero. It's so obvious how much he doesn't like her. I don't know why though, she a good frien-

"Hey, blondie." Len suddenly speaks, breaking off my thoughts. I continue thrusting my knee into the bag.

He continues, "Where'd you get that bracelet?" he nods at my wrist where my gift from the Panda Hero hangs from my tiny wrist.

That's right, he doesn't know. I suddenly feel guilty at not telling him anything.

"The Panda Hero got it for me." I respond softly, knowing how he'll react. It's not like I can lie. Afterall, where would I say I got it from?

I can practically hear him grind his molars into a white powder. Rolling my eyes I sigh inwardly, preparing for his rude comments.

He stands to lean against the wall, making himself comfortable as he waits for me to explain like the stubborn player he is.

Well, okay, he's not much of a player. He still hasn't gotten a girl yet even though the slums aren't such a suitable place for looking for one. But he still acts like one.

Switching to punching, I decide to out wait him. Two can play at the stubborn game, where i'll always be the winner.

"Why." he demands, more than asks politely.

"What happened to manners, Shota?" I retort. This immedietly angers Len and he sends the side of his fist into the wall with force. I try to stop a giggle from escaping when I see him cringe in pain from his own stupidity.

He recovers quickly and shakes his head ruefully. "She's changed you." he says with a hard expression on his face.

Stopping, I turn to watch him in confusion, then in anger. "Why do you not like her, Len?" I ask loudly. There was no reason to hate her!

He doesn't listen. "You're her minion, a bitch like her." he says evenly.

I'm at a loss for words. Where was all this coming from? Len is just blind to how good of a friend the Panda Hero is! Len would never say something like this.

"How can you say that to me?" I stutter, still astounded from being called that word. "It's not like you at all!"

Len walks over to me and looks into my eyes, a short distance away from me. I look away from his serious gaze.

"How can you say that to ME?" he asks in return. "You know how much I can't stand that." he says, a sliver of hurt in his voice that rivals the steely look in his eyes, which match the exact hue of mine.

My shoulders slump at how awful that was of me. All that guilt suddenly goes out the window that Kaito's shack doesn't have at what Len says next.

"She's a whore and a horrible influence Rin. You're just like her now and thats something I can't stand to see."

Sapphire once again meets sapphire as I stare him down, daring to take a step closer to him.

"How dare you." I say in a low snarl that surprises me. He blinks in shock. I continue, making sure my tone is softer. "I'm my own person, and you have no right to say that about her." I say.

Len stares at me for a while, almost in disappointment. Licking his lips, he responds. "I have every right when my Rin is now twisted and contorted."

I blink rappidly, appalled. What was that supposed to mean? Not just the twisted and contorted part, but about me being his. Since when? I never agreed on that. Len likes me, yeah I realized that since Day One, but now i'm his possession? I don't think so.

"You don't spend time with me anymore Rin, like you used to before." I open my mouth to say that he was practically forced to tag along with me, but stop myself from inerrupting his speech. I refrain from hanging my head in shame, since after awhile I actually enjoyed his company in a way.

Dropping his voice to a heartbroken whisper, I can't help but wonder what happend to Len.

"What happened to sweet, quiet, shy and easily embarrassed Rin that I met that day?" Len asked quietly referring to the day in the interogation room. He begins to search my eyes as if that Rin was hiding under the pool of clear Carribean. He wasn't going to find anything, because i'm still that same Rin.

I can't help but slightly blush at him describe me like that, but I immedietly clench my fists at the stupid warmth on my cheeks. I'm supposed to be angry at him.

He grins slightly, that familiar twinkle sparking in his eyes. "See, that's the Rin i'm talking about." he chuckles slightly. "She's still there, under all the contamination from the Panda Hero."

That last comment flooded my cheeks with fire, not from being flattered, but the complete opposite. I need to go before I do something drastic like smash that pretty boy face in with my fist.

To stop myself, I walk out of the dipping concrete building and into the rain. Rain, it must have started while I was practicing.

Feeling foolish at being stranded in the rain with no where to go, I just sit on the cold, but dry, spot under the tin awning nearby. My blonde hair is slightly damp and raindrops roll down my forehead onto my cheeks, cooling off my agitation.

Why can't I just be left alone? Len's footsteps can be heard through the rain nearing me.

Sitting down next to me, he stays quiet for a moment as if thinking what to say. The rain is fast and heavily pounding the top of the weak awning as if it were boulders instead of measley water. Looking out, I can tell that the sky is gray, like the Panda Hero's bat, with an occasional streak of blue. The harsh showers give an odd illusion of television static, which i've seen only once from a TV in Headquarters.

The sound soon gets to me and I cringe as I hear a sharp pang and a groan, suddenly cautious of the top caving in and drenching gallons of freezing rain on me. He looks over to me, obviously thinking that his horrid presence is the cause of my shudder.

"I'm. . ." he stops and huffs. "I shouldn't have said all that back there."

Atleast I know he hasn't completely changed back there. Typical Len never says the word 'sorry'. I look the other way and tap my foot in a nearby muddy puddle, just ignoring him.

He notices that i'm not up to talking, so he goes on. "Things have been kind of rough."

Life in the slums isn't like going on vacation to somewhere magnificent. Everyone has to deal with the unfortunate grind daily, not just you Mr. Perfect.

"It's. . . it's the first year anniversary of my parents death today." he says softly and quickly clears his throat just when another pang is heard from above in hopes of covering the sound.

Oh. I remember when I first met him in the questioning room at HQ. He went insane and started to rave about how his parents were shot and murdered in cold blood. The rage and sadness in his eyes were just. . .

But Len was only here for about half a year. How is that even possible?

As if reading my thoughts, he answers. "I was out on the streets for a while until I got accepted into the clan. It's so much better here. Safer." he says, eyes glazing over as he watches my foot in the puddle.

"It was horrible out there in the wild, especially for a kid. Everyone is out to get the weak." he continues.

Before I can say anything, he starts to talk again. Snapped out of his dream-like state, he bends his knees up, leans back, and crosses his arms on them.

Looking up, he begins to say something that catches me off guard. "These dreams that I have don't help, either. About the night that they were murdered." his voice cracks near the end.

I've never seen Len like this. This was just something so bizarre that I thought never exsisted in him, not even behind that cool barrier.

"But recently, they've turned into being about fire right after I see my mom shot squarely in the chest. Its weird, because there was nothing about fire that night. I'm sure of it."

Fire? Maybe I should bring up my dream.

"Was there a boy with brown hair and green eyes?" I ask as calmly as I can, trying not to alert anything suspicious.

I know there won't be any connection, but hey, I figured this is how I can get into the topic about my dream. Ever since that night, I never told Len about it and I just have to get it off my chest.

He quickly looks at me, eyes wide."How'd you know?"

I didn't know. I didn't even think there would have been! I try to say something, but I can't.

Finally, I croak out a few words, suddenly feeling the phantom smoke filling my lungs again. "I had a dream like that too. The night I woke you."

Len looks back up again and chuckles. I'm not sure if it's because his neck is outstretched, but it sounds strained.

"I was up way before you started screaming. That was the first night I had the dream and it was. . .horrible." he forces out.

I know how bad it was, even after I woke up.

"I was scared shitless, it felt like my skin was melting because of the heat." he says.

Now I just want him to stop talking about it. I want him to make a suave comment about anything that'll make me want to kick him. But he was using profanity again, which is a good sign of him returning back to himself. Or atleast try to lessen the mood.

As if sensing I don't want to continue with the topic, he just stays silent. And it's an awkward silence.

I decide to go to my little hiding spot as something to do. Once I remove the worn out brick, I stop.

Whipping around, I scowl at Len. "You took my money!" I shout, furious.

Shock takes over his features. "What? I would never do that!" he defend himself as he stands to face me.

I shake my head stubbornly. Who else would have known where I kept all my hard earned money that i've been saving for ages? Len was the only one who knew and I thought I can trust him enough with that.

"Then who? You're the only one I've ever shown!" I scream. "I thought I could trust you." I say softer, dissapointment taking over my anger.

I suddenly notice someone coming our way. I stop and watch, curious. Len notices my distraction.

Someone was stumbling up our alleyway, but still somehow managing to stay upright. I squint. It's hard to see through the heavy rain.

Soon, the unidentifiable black blob shows some more features and details as it gets closer.

"Hey. . .What's all the noise about?" the man asks in a flat tone, void of life.

No, no no. It can't be. He. . .he wouldn't!

My arms go slack as does my jaw in disbelief. I somehow regain enough strength to clench my blonde hair in my fists in madness, the familiar acidic sting of tears quickly rimming my eyes. My breathing hitches at an unsafe speed as I hold back a mixture of screams and choking sobs.

I-it's Rei. But, it's not him.

Rei, my brother and the only one I love on this planet. . .

He stands there, confused as to what's going on, what he's done to himself.

He stands there, grey corpse complexion glowing sickly in the rain. His eyes that were once a lush, vibrant with life forest are nothing but a bleak green. The black shadows haunting, unforgiving. A network of ice branches out in all directions from under his translucent skin.

Injection.

I had to retype this THREE TIMES because my laptop kept getting overheated and decided to shut off -_- But anyways, what do you guys think? I've been wanting to experiment in differen't POV's for a while now. I think the next chapter might be in Len's POV and will be his memories before this chapter. Sound cool? I want to add differen't characters views in this story so it's paints a bigger picture and understanding. Might also add other Vocaloids as minor characters, also. And i'm soooo sorry this is late, really! D: Review and tell me what you thought!

~Sabby-Sama