"TORK

Title: Anger over Fear

Summary: Shirako and the rest of the teams go to have a nice relaxing picnic, but at the end of the fun, Mother Nature decides to test them and there friendship. Can Shirako save Porkchop from his own fear, or will the teams lose another one of there friends.

Parings: ShirakoXPorkchop friendship.

Disclaimer: Don't own Acceleracers

Third chapter: The River below

Alright people. Here is the chapter that will earn the story's title, and my favorite chapter to write so far. Hope you enjoy it

--

Chapter Four:

Anger over Fear

"TORK! TORK!!" Shirako screamed out.

Tork turned his head to the dim sound of his name over the river. The first thing he saw was Shirako fighting the current to just stay above the water. When did he fall in? Tork watched as another wave slammed into Shirako, and Shirako's head disappeared for a moment. Oh Fuck! Tork tried to swim towards Shirako, before the kid ended up at the bottom of the river, drowned. Yet by doing this he ended up fighting against the current, and the truth was that he was having enough trouble trying to stay above the water. Though luckily, not nearly as bad as Shirako was.

"You have to go after Vert!! I will get Porkchop!!" For a moment, Tork wondered if he had heard right. Yet as Tork turned his head to look to where Vert was, he saw that Vert was doing just as bad as Shirako was. If he did not get help soon, Tork knew that Vert would not be able to fight the current for long. And yet, Porkchop was his teammate, his responsibility. Tork turned his head, and saw Shirako. Fucking kid looks like he needs saving himself. He had to make a decision now; the current was already tearing them apart, weaving and hooking onto them. Tork took one look at Shirako, and nodded. Shirako trusted him to save Vert, so he had to trust that Shirako would save Porkchop. And pray to God that they both did not end up drowning. After that, they both did not waste any time for words, and Tork turned his head to where Vert was swimming. He kept his eyes sorely on Vert, all it would take is a moment for Vert to disappear, and Tork might not be able to find him again. The river teared at his clothes, yet Tork was a big guy, and he was strong. He would not let the river have its way with him. He was already straining and panting, as he slowly made his way over to where Vert was. With a last lunge in the river, Tork grabbed onto Vert's sleeve. Vert spun his head around and saw that it was Tork that had graded onto him.

"Tork-" He gasped out "What are you doing, you have to get to the rivers bank."

"Shirako tolled me to help you out, and by the look of it, he had the right ideal. Grab onto my shoulder, and don't let go. I'm goanna start to swim towards the edge." Tork screamed over the river's sound

Even with them being as close as they were, Vert could barely make out what Tork was saying over the river. He nodded once, and with his hands began to slowly make his way to Tork's shoulder. Once there, he held on with all of his might, and hoped that the river would stop trying to pull them apart. They were still racing down the river, and Vert knew if he fell off, he was dead.

Tork slowly began to swim across the current, just another few meters, that's all. As they got closer to the edge, the current began to lessen just the tinniest bit. Almost there. His foot hit a rock, and Tork was no longer swimming, but climbing the sandy and rock filled shore. Soon enough the river was only reaching up to Tork's waist. Luckily, the slop was not as bad as it was near the bridge, but it was still a bit steep. There was the smallest splash, as Vert suddenly let go of Tork's shoulder, and fell on all fours.

"Come on, all it takes is just one big wave to send us right back into that hell" Tork panted. They had to get as far away from the river, and find out if the others made it out ok.

Vert made it slowly to his feet, and just as Tork suggested, began to climb up the shore. Though it was not as bad as other places Vert had climb, they were both exhausted, and ended up sliding down almost as mush as they were climbing up. After about a good twenty minutes, at the end in which Tork was cursing like a drunk, due to the simple fact, that it really should have only taken them 5 minutes. As he got to the top, Tork reached down and graded the younger mans arm, who once at the top fell down exhausted.

"What about the others?" Vert gasped out.

"I hope to God they made it out, but we won't find out anything if we just sit here like ducks. Come on; let's see if we can find out if the others made it out of the river all right." With that said, Tork slowly and painfully made it to his feet; he knew that tomorrow he was going to be a hurting puppy when his muscles decided to get revenge on him for his little 'work out'.

They had only walked about a few feet, when they heard yelling off in the distinct. Tork looked up from his feet, it was the only reason he had not tripped yet, and saw Taro and Karma running towards him. At least they had all ended up on the same side of the river, though truthfully, at the time Tork really hadn't cared what side he swam to, as long as it was out of the river.

"Where's Porkchop?" Toro asked

Tork took one look at Taro, and flinched. He was soaking wet, and his long hair had been freed of his hair tie. This resulted in his hair just full of knots, and all over the place. He was panting, and looked a bit pale around the edges. Karma was in no better condition, her hair looking like a mop, with her makeup gone, and her cloths wet and in disarray. Of course, Tork knew that he did not look any better. Being washed away in a raging river did not help one's looks in the least.

"Shirako swam after him; hopefully Shirako is able to help Porkchop get over his fear of water, just long enough for them to swim to shore."

"You can't mean that Shirako and Porkchop are still being carried away in the river can you?" Karma demanded with fear in her wide eyes.

Tork looked at Karma, "ya, Porkchop was heading down the stream, and Shirako said he would go after Porkchop. Why, what's wrong?!"

"There are rapids down the river, a few kilometers from here. If they hit the rocks, both of them will be killed!!" We have to help them!" Karma shouted out, she turned around and started to run.

Tork's hand reached out and grabbed onto her wrist, stopping her from her full out running.

"Does Shirako know this?" Tork asked, he knew for a fact that Porkchop had no idea of this. If Shirako knew, then he might know how important it was to get out of the river before it was too late.

Karma froze, and thought for a moment. She looked up, and with sorrow on her face, "Yes, he was behind me and Taro when I was telling Taro about it."

"What! You mean he went after Porkchop, even knowing that there were rapids at the end of the river?" Vert cried out in alarm

"You guys go back to the bridge; you have to let the others know that you're alright. Get them to call the police and ambulance. I will run ahead and see if I can find out what happen to Porkchop and Shirako. Out of us all here, I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one who can probably carry them if they're hurt." Karma looked at him, but knew he was right. If Porkchop was hurt, Tork would be the only one who would have any hope of carrying him back to where everyone else was. She looked longingly at the river, and where it leads. She bowed her head in defeat and weariness, but turned her head towards where the other where most likely at.

"Don't worry, both of them are tougher them they look." Taro said, trying to offer her at least a small bit of comfort. She smiled a thin smile, and both her, Taro and Vert began to lightly jog the other way. Tork was already running towards the other end of the river. Karma had said the rapids were only a few kilometers down the river, and considering how fast the river was moving, Porkchop and Shirako had about 10 minutes to get out of the water before they hit the rapids.

Tork kept running, hoping against hope that both of them were ok, when Tork looked up ahead, he saw a figure coming towards him. Tork started to run just a bit faster, still to far away to see details yet. It only took him a short while to finally see that it was Porkchop, and he was carrying Shirako bridal style, but it was how still that Shirako was in Porkchop's arms that scared Tork the most. He looked pale and lifeless from where Tork was running Oh God no, please don't let him be dead, Tork didn't think that they could handle another death; it had only been a year and a half since Tone's death. And now to lose Shirako, after saving Vert, it would probably kill the Teku, and the Metal maniacs as well.

-A few moments before Tork.

Shirako gave a strangled gasp as he was shoved under the water. Fucking hell he was getting tired of being pushed under the waves all the time. And he still had not yet reached Porkchop. Shirako was swimming with the current, and in doing so was finally starting to catch up to Porkchop. Even from here, Shirako could see Porkchop, and the piece of wood that he was holding on to. The only reason that Porkchop had not yet drowned, since he could not swim and would have sunk like a rock without the wood to help him keep afloat. But Shirako knew that it would make no difference if they were to end up hitting the rapids. Shirako took a deep breath and started to swim towards Porkchop, trying with all of his might reach him. Shirako slowly but steadily began to reach Porkchop, and with a last reach of his arm, Shirako was able to grad onto the 'raft' that Porkchop was holding onto.

"Porkchop! Porkchop, we have to swim toward the bank!" But Porkchop was not listening. His eyes were tightly closed, and his face was pure white. Porkchop was to terrified to think, lost in his fearful mind; all his he was doing was making sure that his body held onto the wood. Shirako felt fear once again enter his body, but he pushed it back with his will alone.

Shirako did not mention the rapids, and how they had probably only a few minutes to get out of the river before they both ended up dead. Porkchop was panicking, and Shirako was sure that if he knew of the rapid, he would go deeper into his little world. Shirako had to think, and he had to do it fast. If Shirako had more time, he would have tried to calm Porkchop's fear, and tell him everything was going to be alright. But the problem was that Shirako had no time to try and calm Porkchop down. They had only a few minutes, and that was it

Shirako took a deep breath, and with all of his might began to shout at Porkchop, right into his ear.

"You fucking coward!! You call yourself a god dame man, what the fuck are you, a fucking chicken? Wake up you asswhole, or I swear that I will tell everyone what a shitty coward you are at the first sign of some water. Won't that be nice, one of the scariest looking man, only to find out that he screams like a little girl at a small puddle. No Wonder you smell all the time. What does your mother have to threaten you with, a spanking if you don't get in the tube? Of course you never consider the fact that if your scared of water, you might want to get swimming lessons? "

Even through all of this, Porkchop still has his eyes tightly closed, and his face scrunched up in fear and self denial at what was happening. Shirako could feel true anger and fear rising in him at the simple fact that he could not get Porkchop to open up even in the slightest. And the clock was ticking for time. For one second, Shirako had a great erch to leave Porkchop, let him die in the rapids, Shirako could still make it to the shore in time, the others would understand that there was nothing he could have done, right? But Shirako felt sick with himself in the next moment for even considering doing this. Porkchop was his friend, and he was not going to leave him, never mind that fact that he had tolled Tork that he would save Porkchop.

"Your mother's probably ashamed to have a coward for a son! She's probably a fucking coward too, passed it on to you, right?" Shirako knew it was low, but at the moment, he really did not care, as long as it got Porkchop to wake up from his terror.

"Don't you talk about my ma like that, or I swear Shirako that I really will break your nose!" Porkchop growled. Yet even thought Porkchop was now paying attention to what was going on around him, he still was not doing anything, just letting the river have it 's way him. Shirako held on to the piece of wood, his hand already had gone numb to the cold.

"ya, well your fucking mom and dad need to raise their children better, if their son's sacred of water. What they do, threaten you that the water monster would come and eat you if you were a bad boy?! Poor you, well get the fuck over it! " Shirako taunted

"I said, don't talk like that about my parents!!" Porkchop scream at Shirako, anger slowly taking the place of fear inn his eyes.

"Well good for you, scaredy cat, But I'm not the one freaking out over a little bit of water now am I? If I fucking die because of you, I swear to god I will haunt you for the rest of your life, in heaven or hell! You'll never know peace from my music again! Now start kicking with your fucking feet, and let's see if we can swim toward the shore, or are you too weak to even do that? How the hell did you help your parents out around the house if you can't even do this simple thing?" Porkchop gave him the evilest look ever, and Shirako had a feeling that when they reached shore, Porkchop was not going to hold back this time. But if Shirako got a few broken bones, well it was a lot better then dying in the end. Both Porkchop and Shirako were kicking and straining against the current as they started toward the shore.

"Can't you try a little harder?" Shirako kept going, he had to kept talking and screaming at Porkchop, considering that at the moment it was the only thing that kept Porkchop tied to the now.

They were almost there, when disaster struck. Shirako was holding on to the piece of wood with both hands, kicking and pushing the piece of wood to the bank of the shore. Shirako gave a kick, and his right leg exploded in pain as it slammed into something. Shirako gave a strangled scream, and without meaning to, let go of the wood. The next moment Shirako was under the cold hard water. All he knew was pain, pain that kept pulsing back at him every time that he tried to move his leg. He tried to kick, to do anything that would help him get back to the surface, yet he couldn't find the strength to do this. The water graded on with its icy fingers, and seemed to do everything to keep him under. Shirako closed his eyes, he had no idea which way was up or down, he was turning and being twisted every way. His ears were starting to ring from his lack of oxygen, since he had not been able to grad a breath of air before he went under. Shirako slowly started to sink, he had no strength to fight, and wasn't it much easier to just let himself go, his body's weight bringing him deeper and deeper into the darkness. It was at this moment, that out of nowhere a hand grabbed his shirt at his shoulder, and gave a tug. The next moment Shirako's head came up. Shirako began to cough and take great heaps of air, to confused to understand what was going on around him.

"You little twerp, don't you fucking go under like that, and not came the fuck back up!" Porkchop screamed at him, while making sure that one arm was around the piece of wood, and the other holding tightly onto the younger and smaller man beside him. Shirako couldn't have responded to that even if he had wanted to, his eyes still had black spots dancing in them, and his lungs had not quite gotten rid of all the water in them that Shirako had so thoughtfully tried to breathe in.

The river was still rushing around them, bring them closer to their upcoming death, but it seems with Shirako's little display of almost drowning, Porkchop was using all of his strength to swim to the shore. Instead of letting himself became trapped in his own fear, he was focusing all of his strength into trying to get them both to safety. Porkchop took a quick look to were he was holding on to Shirako. The kid looked pale and a bit dazed at his near drowning experience. But other then that he looked none the worse for wear, considering on how they were both being tossed around like rag dolls in the river. Porkchop turned his attention back to his job at hand, and kicked with his legs to reach the shore. In about a few moments, Porkchop felt the ground start to slowly rise to meet them. Only when he was able to stand straight and have the water reach his waist did he let go of the piece of wood that had saved him from drowning.

Shirako was standing as well, but gave a scream when he put his weight on his right leg. The only thing that kept him from falling back into the river was Porkchop's hand on his shoulder. Porkchop had no time to be careful of Shirako's injury; he pulled and dragged Shirako to the top of the bank, as far away from the river as he could manage. The bank wasn't stepped, so in about two minutes they were away from the river with no fear of being pulled back in with a wave. With the fear of being pulled back into the river gone from his mind, he turned to where Shirako had fallen on the ground. He was pale and shivering from the cold, holding tightly onto his right leg with a pained expression on his face. Porkchop got down on his knees, and very gently lifted Shirako up so that he was leaning on Porkchop's chest. Then just as gently, moved Shirako's hands away from the wound on his leg.

Porkchop took one look, and began to swear with all of his might. His pants had been cut right through the material, and his lag was in no better condition. The cut was deep, and jagged looking. Shirako had probably teared it on a sharp rock when he was swimming. But that wasn't the worst of it; it started at his knee and went all the way down to his ankle. Plus it was bleeding badly. Shirako looked up at him with pained filled eyes

"I don't think I can walk on it. Sorry, wasn't paying enough attention." Porkchop snorted at this. Porkchop may get annoyed with Shirako all the time, but he would never, ever want to hurt Shirako, or let anyone else hurt him for that matter. It was kind of like a rule that the only one who was allowed to threaten Shirako was Porkchop. Just like Shirako was the only one who was allowed to bug Porkchop. It was their own little annoying game and theirs alone. Porkchop then looked at the wound again. It was still bleeding; he had to stop the flow of the blood, unfortunately he had nothing on him that would really help. Porkchop grabbed the sleeve of his sweater, and with a great heave ripped it clean of. Shirako looked at him like he had grown another head, but kept silent and just watched to see what Porkchop was up to. With another tear, the sleeve was no longer a sleeve but a nice long bandage. He did the same thing to his other Sleeve, and then began to try and ring them out. With this done, the sleeves were now only damp and not soaking wet. Porkchop looked at Shirako, and knew that he was going to have to cause some pain to the younger man.

"This is going to hurt, but we have to try and stop the blood flow before you loose to much more. I'll try to be quick about it, but other then that there nothing much more I can do" Porkchop looked into Shirako's eyes, so that the younger man knew that he would try his best to not cause any more pain then what was necessary. Shirako gave a strained smile and nodded. He let his head rest for a few seconds on Porkchop's shoulder, and tightly curled his hands into fists

"Ok, I'm ready"

With that said, Porkchop quickly tied the two make shift bandages tightly around Shirako's lag. He gave a pain filled gasp and whimpered at the pain, but other then that he kept his mouth and eyes tightly closed against the pain.

"Thanks" he said weakly when it was done.

"Guess I'm goanna have to carry you then shrimp." With that now said, Porkchop lifted Shirako up onto his shoulder and began to walk. Shirako gave a startled scream at being man handled so easy, and then started to swear at him. Porkchop just smiled, he though he deserved a little revenges for all the things that Shirako had said to him in the river. But he started to walk fast, Shirako's wound had him worried that it might get worse.

Shirako gave a gasp when Porkchop started to walk. He was not a pack of potatoes meant to be slung on the shoulder and taken home. The only good thing was that Porkchop did not have boney shoulders, which made it just a little bit more comfortable. Not much, considering on how he was being carried. His head was resting against Porkchop's chest. Shirako was still cursing him, when he was done with English; he switched over to his native language, something that he rarely, if ever did in front of people before. He weakly struggled to get his arms up, so that he could at least get his head to look straight instead of down at Porkchop's feet. But he was tired and aching all over. His body had not yet recovered from his near drowning experience, and the lose of blood from his right leg was starting to affect him. Of course, swimming for you life in freezing cold water did not help out in the least for his condition. And slowly but surly Shirako soon started to get dizzy. Was it just him, of was it a bit hard to breath. His eyes started to get dimmer, and soon his body was starting to go limp.

Porkchop seemed to notice that his human baggage was starting to slowly lose its strength.

"Shirako, are you ok? Hey, answer me!" Porkchop stopped, and with a little slug of his shoulder, Shirako was laying in his arms. He was paler now, almost as white as chock, and his breath was coming out in short gasps. His eyes were glazed over, and his lips had just the faintest tint of blue to them.

"Humm, are we there?" Shirako weakly said. His eyes kept blinking, trying to stay conscience. But his body had finally had enough of the abuse that it had been put through, and had decided that since it was now safe, it was going to shut down for a bit.

"Come on man, don't leave me yet." But it was said in vain. For Shirako's eyes had already closed, and his body went limp.

"Shit Shit Shit SHIT!" Porkchop yelled out, and began to carry Shirako bridal style. Shirako needed help; he was cold and had lost too much blood due to the wound on his leg. Porkchop began to lightly run, while holding Shirako close, as if he was made out of glass and would break at the tinniest touch. Porkchop tried to give Shirako some of his body heat, but considering on how he was freezing just as much, he drought that it would be mush help. In the back of his mind, he noticed that Shirako was no longer shivering, and knew that it was a bad sign. In the distance, he saw a figure come towards them. Porkchop picked up his speed, please, please let it be help.