The young wolf cub ran as fast as his paws would carry him. He was not to far from the Harlock mansion as he had used the cars on the road to get back quicker. Now he was running back up the last road.
Hold out Harlock. I am nearly there. He thought to himself as he could finally see the big house. Jumping over the wall, he ran strait to the front door. As he skidded to a stop he gasped for air, as his though hang out from his mouth. He could clearly smell Harlock's parents but they were no where to be seen.
Where are they? He asked himself whining a little. Then his instincts took over and he lifted his head backwards and howled out. In died the house the father and mother jumped to their feet and ran out side to met the cub followed by the grand father.
«See, Phantom? I told you he would come back.» The grandfather said looking to his son.
«The question is can he help us?» The father said growling. His wife stood shaking behind him. The cub looked at them not sure how he could let them now where Harlock where. He barked and jumped up and down.
«He knows something.. Maybe if you take him into the car, he can show you the way?» The grand father said to his son. The cub barked quickly showing that he agreed. The father, named Phantom nodded.
«Mira, wait here, if the kidnappers call try to stall for as long as you can. I will be back with our son, I promise.» Phantom said and hugged his wife.
«Be careful my love.» She said as tears where coming up in her eyes again.
«I will.» He said and walked down the stairs to the wolf cub. The cub ran after him up to the car. The cub had never sat in a car before and became a little uneasy but forced himself to shake it of, Harlock's life were on the line. Phantom lifted the cub over to the passenger seat and sat in himself. He looked to the cub as he stood up looking out. Phantom shook his head and started the car. As they moved out of the gate the cub whined.
«Take right.» The cub said inside the fathers head. The man looked to the cub and shook his head.
«Right.» He said and took right. The cub lead him quickly forward as the cub remembered the way clearly.
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Soon enough they arrived the old factory the men had come to.
«Is this the place?» He asked looking to the cub. The cub barked. Phantom nodded, and parked the car on the outside. He got out closely followed by the cub. They moved quickly towards the door the men had gone into.
«Wait!» The cub said biting hold of Phantom's pants leg. The man looked down to the cub.
«The door is locked. This way, I found another way in.» The cub said and ran back tot he stairs where he had gotten in the first time. Phantom followed closely behind him as the cub climbed the stairs.
Incredible. This cub has done everything in his power to help my son. I have never seen should devotion in an animal before. Maybe my father was right, it was a great loss when the wolfs were killed. Phantom thought to himself as he came to the door. He took hold of the handle but the door was locked. He drew up his gun ready to shot the lock, when suddenly the door slided open. As it did he could see that the cub were hanging by the handle and had used his hind legs to turn the lock. The cub smiled and let go. Phantom smiled shocked but picked up the cub as he saw he was bleeding, he had a cut on his left shoulder. Phantom turned around looking for any danger, when he suddenly saw the broken window and that on some of the shards there were blood.
«Why did you?» He asked when suddenly the cub twisted his ear around and then twisted out of his grip before ruing down the hall. Phantom followed closely holding his gun ready.
«Give us the green box, or your kid will suffer the consequences.» Phantom heard as he ran. Running towards the voice he could also hear his fathers angry voice.
«I told you I have no idea my son had any green box, or where he has it. You will have to wait to my son gets here, I tell you.»
Good going dad, keep stalling. Phantom thought as he came to a stop. From where he stood he could see three of the green man standing in the door, moving slowly on he could also see the fourth one standing next to a bed where Harlock lay.
Easy son, hang on I will have you out of there soon. Phantom thought as he moved closer.
«No more waiting, old man! I told you what would happen if you did not do as I told you. Now regret not doing as I said!» The leader of the men said and aimed his gun to Harlock's head.
«No! Stop!» The grandfather called and there where a horrified scream coming from the mother. Phantom jumped down from his hiding place and ran forwards.
Suddenly a shot here heard freezing Phantom in his tracks, a gasp coming from the screen and then a growl of pain where heard. The green mans shot had missed Harlock's head with a few inches as Harlock had just managed to turn his head away. The green leader backed of just enough for Phantom to see the cub hanging by his gun arm. The cub had used the went to get in and came surprising at them as his anger took control. Phantom screamed a call of challenge as one of the green men ran in to help his leader and the two others turned to see Phantom run towards them.
The cub let go of the arm and jumped down on the floor, running under the leaders feet he move quickly and jumped up using his fangs in the same way that he had done before. His fangs made a deep cut over the leaders face before he cut the arm of the other one as well. As the leader aimed his gun to the cub again, the cub moved quickly and jumped at them again, this time moving so quickly he looked like a black light flashing past them. Cutting them two more times the cub suddenly slammed into the wall, as he could not stop in that speed. The cub sank together gasping for air.
«Blasted beast!» The leader called and aimed his gun to the cub.
«Wolf! Don't!» Harlock called. The cub growled but could not move. The suddenly a well aimed blast came from the door and took down the leader before taking down the other one as well.
«Dad!» Harlock called seeing his father standing in the door.
«Are you hurt?» He asked smiling faintly. He was short breathed and looked at his son worried.
«I am okey.» Harlock answered. The cub forced himself up and jumped up in the bed. He whined as he came up tot Harlock's face.
«I knew you would not fail.» Harlock said glad.
«Thats one of a kind wolf you have there.» Phantom said smiling as he shot the chains of his son. Harlock threw himself around his fathers neck.
«Easy son, lets go home.» He said as Harlock let go.
«Dad, your arm..» Harlock said worried as he saw the blast wound on his right arm.
«Yeah.. Luckily it's not so deep. Your mother is gonna yell at me, still.» Phantom laughed as he lead his son out of the factory. Harlock held the cub in his arms.
«I have found a name for him, dad..» Harlock said smiling, as they sat down in the car.
«What then?» Phantom looked at him smiling as the cub lay down in his son's lap.
«Ligthingtooth.» Harlock said proudly. The cub looked up at him wide eyed.
«Thats a good name for him, son. A very good name.» Phantom said as he started the car but had to laugh as the cub jumped up in Harlock's face giving him an overhaul licking, while his tail went like a drumstick.
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Tochiro dried an tear in his eye, as Harlock ended his story.
Ligthing smiled and lay his head in Harlock's lap again. Harlock smiled as he stroked the wolf over his head.
«Ever since he was little, Ligthing has been your protective shadow.» Mimee said smiling with her eyes.
«But what happened with the box? I mean if the Illumidas where on Earth already back then?» Tochiro asked shocked. Harlock stood up and moved over to the window. Ligthing whined as he saw that Harlock was not gonna tell on about that.
«Phantom Harlock took it to be looked into and found the orders of the attack of the Earth's colonies. He then took it to the government to make them prepare for an attack but no one would listen to him. They all agreed that Phantom Harlock must have gotten some sort of space madness, as he claimed that Earth would be attacked by Green men. Phantom become enraged at took his ship The Discoverer out in the stars again, with his crew. They were never heard from again but a few years later the wreck of the Discoverer was found. The government claimed that Phantom had gone mad and must have rammed into a meteor or something... They never even bothered with finding out what had really happened.» Lighting growled. Tochiro looked to Harlock's back. He understood why Harlock could not bring himself to tell it.
«But we knew that that were not true. Joining up with the military right after the first attacks, we found out the true ending of Phantom. His ship had held the first advancing troops back for a long time, but at the end, the Discoverer was not a battle ship and were destroyed. The Illumidas were shocked when they heard Harlock's name the first time.» Ligthing said growling. Tochiro nodded slowly. He finally understood why Harlock had joined the Military in the first place. He had known the Illumidas had killed his father and had joined to revenge his father.
Tochiro took and refilled his and Mimee's glass.
Harlock turned, sensing a change in his friend.
«Your father was a true warrior, Harlock. Gohram!» Tochiro said lifting his glas proud. Harlock smiled and lifted his glass as well.
«Gohram!» He said thinking of his father, wondering if he lived up to what his father had wished for him to be.
Author's note:
Here it is:
the final chapter of this story. Hope this worked as en explanation of how Harlock came to have Ligthing as his guarding wolf friend. Also I tried to cover a bit more background for the good Pirate as well covering more of his fathers fate and how it changed his.
Hope it was a well enough attempt.
Feel free to tell me how I did.
Ligthingtooth.