LONE WOLF CHAPTER PART 2: REASON

When Shinichi woke up for breakfast the next day, the last thing he expected to find was a guy with long silver hair and mismatched eyes sitting at the dining table. Not only that, it was the same guy who tried to kill him the other day.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Shinichi shouted.

"Having breakfast," Garoh answered as he took a bite out of his toast.

"I MEANT WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN MY HOME!"

"Stop raising your voice," advised Garoh. Shinichi was hyperventilating.

"If you're here to kill me…"

"Actually, I'm not," Garoh denied.

"Thought someone paid you," Shinichi commented.

"True, but after yesterday I decided to abort my assignment," said Garoh.

"Why?"

"Your girlfriend convinced me."

"Rena?"

"Is that her name? Well, when she was ready to give her life for you, it made me think that I shouldn't be killing you."

"You shouldn't kill people because you were paid to!" Shinichi retorted.

"Look, I'm not gonna apologize for what I did yesterday since it wasn't personal. It was business," Garoh said.

"That makes it so much better!" Shinichi shot back sarcastically. "My body still has aches and pains from yesterday."

"Praise your good fortune coz you don't have a mark on you," countered Garoh.

Shinichi was about to turn hostile when he saw his mother come into the dining area after a bath. She was drying her hair and was wearing a pink bathrobe. "Oh, good morning Shin-kun." She then went over and kissed Garoh on the cheek, "And good morning to you too, Kenzaki-kun!"

Shinichi's right eyebrow twitched. "Kaa-chan…please don't tell me…he spent the night here…with you?"

"Fine, then I won't tell you," smirked Shiori.

'Kaa-chan…and him…he spent the night…OMG!'

"I think we broke him," Shiori frowned.

"Just wait a few minutes," said Kenzaki. "Or splash water in his face." He picked up his glass and continued, "Like this!" He splashed the water in Shinichi's face, causing the teen to sputter.

"Oh my!" Shiori let out. "Let me fetch you a napkin, Shinji!" Shiori left the two alone.

"You slept with my mother!" Shinichi hissed as he stood up, glaring at Kenzaki who stood up as well. Their eyes were locked.

"That's right," Kenzaki answered. "We met at a bar the other night and hit it off."

"She's older than you!" Shinichi exclaimed, "And did I forget to mention she's my mother!"

"Hey, she asked me to come over and let me tell you she's quite attractive," said Kenzaki.

"Oh…God…" Shinichi groaned as he palmed his face and slouched in his seat.

"Why are you freaking out? Your mother writes dirty books."

"Adult Erotic Literature," Shinichi corrected.

"Same thing," Kenzaki retorted. "Look, a woman who writes about that stuff must have a lot of experience. Plus, she's single."

"She's a widow."

"That means she's single and available. It doesn't hurt that she's a-"

"Don't say it!" Shinichi interrupted. Hearing Keiichi tell him his mom was a MILF was bad enough, but hearing it from a guy who'd tried to kill him the previous day was even worse.

"Don't say what? That she's hot and great in bed?"

POW!

Shinichi's fist was imbedded in the man's stomach. Unfortunately, the one feeling the pain was not the recipient of the punch but the one who delivered it.

"Ow…" Shinichi groaned as he withdrew his fist. It was like punching solid steel.

"You should've aimed for the face, kid," mocked the man. He returned to his seat and pulled a file out of his jacket before throwing it at Shinichi.

"What's this?" asked Shinichi as he began leafing through it.

Kenzaki took a drink of his coffee before answering, "All my contacts' info on GIN-SHOCKER."

Shinichi gaped at him before letting out a hushed, "What!" He would have screamed it out, but was trying not to alert his mother. He began to leaf through the file. "Why?"

"You're not a bad kid," replied Kenzaki. "This was just a job that, by contract, I can void at any time I like. Congrats kid, you're the only person to ever have been targeted by The Grim Reaper and live."

"So, you're just leaving?" blinked Shinichi. "What about Kaa-chan?"

"What about her? She knew I'd be leaving town soon. It was just a fling. One, possibly two nights at the most."

"Just a fling? Is that all?"

"I'm an assassin kid. I kill people for a living. You think I wanna put a target on anyone's back?" Shinichi nodded in understanding. "Besides, she and I have another date tonight. So, don't wait up."

Shinichi was about to retort when his mother returned. "I'm back with a napkin!" Shiori announced. She was none the wiser of the hostility her son had towards Kenzaki. "Oh, and Shin-kun. Let me introduce you to Kenzaki Tsukuba-kun!"

"We've met," said Shinichi. He really wanted to elaborate and tell his mother that Kenzaki was the man who tried to kill him yesterday, but he didn't want to ruin his mother's pleasant mood so early in the morning. It just wouldn't be right. So, he settled with glaring at Kenzaki the entire time all the way through breakfast before leaving to meet with his friends, but not before giving them a call.

"So, a Rider who is an assassin is-" began Keiichi.

"Don't say it. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous," Shinichi cut him off. He really didn't want to imagine his mom and that…man being like that. Shacking up was probably what Keiichi was meaning to say.

"Well, I can't blame this Kenzaki character for being interested in your mother. She is an attractive woman," said Satoshi.

"She's also almost twice his age," remarked Shinichi.

The three boys were sitting at Angel Mort. Shinichi had contacted them to talk about his problem.

"Which is the part that actually bothers you?" asked Satoshi. "Is it the part where he tried to kill you or the part where he is involved with your mother?"

"The part where he tries to kill me is nothing new. I've had attempts on my life for awhile now," answered Shinichi. That was true. The NUMBERS had tried to kill him before nearly half of them chose to defect and join him instead. He continued, "It's the part where I find him in my home after he spent the night with Kaa-chan that disturbs me."

"Have you spoken to her?" asked Keiichi.

"No," Shinichi shook his head. "I don't have the right to stop her from having a social life. After she lost me and Tou-chan died she's been alone. She deserves some happiness."

"But this guy tried to kill you," reminded Keiichi.

"He said he was paid to. He's an assassin."

"How are you sure he's not trying to kill you by getting close to your mother?" Satoshi questioned.

"That thought did cross my mind," said Shinichi. "But I get the feeling that he didn't need to be so elaborate. He strikes me as a guy who goes for the simple kill before walking away."

"Just be careful, and if he tries anything just kick his ass," encouraged Keiichi. "I can lend you my baseball bat if you want."

"I'm good," chuckled Shinichi. "Thanks, guys."

"Hey, Rena-chan," said Shinichi as he entered her home.

"Shin-kun, are you alright?" Rena asked. After yesterday she was worried sick about him.

"Not 100 percent but I'll live," he answered. She led him into the living room and they sat at the low table. "Rena-chan, if your father was seeing someone romantically, would you try to separate them or just be happy your father is happy?" She became silent. "Rena-chan?"

She sighed, "A couple of years back my father was seeing a woman named Rina Mamiya. She was a hostess at a club in Okinomiya. However, one day I overheard her with Teppei. They were planning to cheat my father out of all our money. She was going to hurt my dad. So, I wanted to kill her…but then I just couldn't."

Shinichi recalled the vision. Rena in a previous world had killed Rina Mamiya and then killed Teppei to protect her father. That was just the start of her descent into the Hinamizawa Syndrome fuelled madness.

"I had nightmares about me killing her and Teppei and I hated the feeling I got afterwards," said Rena. She looked to her hands. "I don't want to hurt anyone, but they were bad people like…" She trailed off. She didn't want to think of her mother who'd betrayed them. "So, I spoke to Mii-chan and she helped me figure something out. We gathered up evidence and showed it to my dad and then he broke it off with that woman. Sure, my dad was heartbroken after that but he didn't break down. I was glad because I never wanted to see her again."

"Rena-chan, I'm glad you didn't kill them," he said taking her hands. "These hands should never be stained by blood, ever." He placed her palms against his cheeks. At least her sins had been erased by Hanyuu and Rika. He, however, still had them all. 10 years worth.

"Oh, Shin-kun…" Rena smiled serenely before leaning close to kiss him. It was a short one but full of meaning. "So, why did you ask me?" she said as she took her hands back.

"Remember that guy who tried to kill me the other day?" asked Shinichi. Rena's expression turned dark.

"Yes."

That tone was even and scary.

"Well, when I woke up this morning I found him in my home," Shinichi answered.

"What!" she shrieked. "Did he hurt you!"

"Not physically…partly emotionally and partly mentally," Shinichi answered vaguely. He then elaborated and after he finished, Rena was staring at him in silence. "The good news is that after tonight he's gone. He also provided me with some very valuable info," he said, referring to the file on GIN-SHOCKER.

"And you're okay with this?" asked Rena.

"I'd be lying if I said I was," he mumbled. "It's one thing to have my Kaa-chan seeing men and another to have it being the guy trying to kill you. But, I have no choice but to be mature about this and be supportive. She's a grown woman who just wants to get into another relationship and I want her to be happy, even if it does feel weird and awkward."

"It does get awkward," Rena agreed, "But while Dad was seeing Rina-san he was happy, even if it was fake."

"Speaking of your dad, he's been avoiding me a lot. What's his deal?" asked Shinichi.

"I don't know," answered Rena.

Shinichi still didn't know his mother and her father had a one-night stand. Sure, they'd been drunk but that was no excuse. That was why Retsu Ryuugu was avoiding Shinichi. It was to avoid anymore awkward situations.

"I think its work related," Shinichi theorized. "Stress maybe."

"Maybe," agreed Rena.

"Well, is he here?" he asked.

"He went out of town for work," said Rena.

Shinichi smiled, "So…we have the place all to ourselves?"

"Yes," Rena returned the smile. "Race you to my room!" She dashed off.

"Oh, you little minx!" He gave chase.

Feeling refreshed, Shinichi returned home to his apartment. After spending several hours alone with Rena, all his troubles just disappeared. Well, not exactly. It just felt like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It was already night when he got home and when he entered he could not sense his mother's presence. "She went out with him again," he concluded. He went over to the dining table, which was also their part-time work table, and saw sheets of paper scattered on it. Sighing, he went and tidied them up. He then read a few lines and his eyebrow twitched. It was a bedroom scene between two characters. A woman named Hiyori and a man named Ken. It didn't take a genius to realize Shiori had written about her and Kenzaki time in bed.

Shinichi wanted to tear the paper to pieces but instead turned it facedown on the table. "He'll be leaving tonight. He'll be leaving tonight. He'll be leaving tonight," Shinichi repeated. His twin ahoge twitched. "Good, some more stress relief."

"Hyah!" Showa shouted as he ran a Darkling through with his sword. He then whirled around and kicked another one in the head before slicing it in half with his sword. He was grinning under his helmet because he was imagining Kenzaki's face on them.

When he was done, he heard clapping. Turning around, he saw Kenzaki leaning against the wall.

"Nice job, but I think you're a bit showy," said Kenzaki.

"What do you want now?" asked Showa. "What about Kaa-chan? Aren't you supposed to be with her?"

"Oh, she went to get wine…and some other stuff," Kenzaki answered, "We'll be staying over at a hotel for the night so you and your girlfriend can have the place to yourselves."

Showa retorted sharply, "I was just at my girlfriend's place, thank you very much. Not like it's any of your business." Then Showa's eyes flashed. "Ugh, I don't need this."

Rising from the darkness was a Darkloid that resembled a huge wolf. It had red teeth, pointed ears, and instead of a single pair of eyes I had three pairs. It also had 4 tails instead of the normal singular tail normal wolves would have. It was also standing at ten feet above Showa.

"Oh, great," grumbled Showa. He then saw Kenzaki looking at the creature.

"Uglier than a Gigandeath," stated the strange Rider. "Well, maybe it's not as tough as one." He whipped out his belt and fastened it around his waist. He pressed the black button, causing the centre to release a tune before swiping his rail pass over the belt buckle. "Henshin!"

"HUNTER FORM!"

His armor formed out of black energy fragments that were released by his belt and converged onto his body.

"Stand back and watch, cub," said Garoh. "You might learn something."

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean!" Showa demanded. Garoh did not answer and went to engage the unholy beast.

Garoh charged at the Darkloid, his leg engulfed in violet energy. "Rou Rou Shu!" Garoh leapt into the air and delivered a powerful kick upside the Darkloid's head. He then kicked off the Darkloid's head, causing it to stumble as Garoh allowed more violet energy to gather in his fist. He again charged forward before swinging his fist upward. "Shou Shou Ken!" A powerful uppercut slammed into the creatures head, knocking it upwards before it came falling down. "And… Gon Gon Ken!" A violet aura covered fist slammed into the Darkloid, causing it to slide across the ground. "Che, so weak. Barely worth my time." Garoh quickly assembled his GaroGasher, Scimitar Mode. He then pulled out a train pass before swiping it over his belt.

"FULL CHARGE!"

"Never fuck with the big, bad wolf…" sneered Garoh. He then slashed down, sending a massive arc of energy at the Wolf Darkloid. The Wolf Darkloid was ripped to shreds by the attack and howled before exploding. He hefted his sword on his shoulder and huffed. He disengaged his armor and turned to look at Showa. "Well, gotta go. Your mom is waiting for me."

Showa really wanted to beat Kenzaki up but restrained himself, barely. He watched as Kenzaki went over to his own bike and got on before speeding away.

"Now, who was it that put Kenzaki there?" asked the Infernal Merchant, casting a look towards the Balance Guardian. "Was it you?"

"Yes, yes, it was me," said Warren.

Topper inquired, "So, just putting him there to help my client?"

"Actually, this was more for Kenzaki than anyone else," answered Warren. "By placing him in a situation similar to a situation he faced in the past, I figured there was a good chance he'd figure something out."

"Well, I guess you're right about that at least."

Warren narrowed his eyes at Topper, "I'm keeping my eye on you, Elder. Shinichi's a good kid. I don't want you corrupting him like you have tried to with so many others."

"He's one of my clients, Balance Guardian. Sooner or later he'll contact me. He just doesn't remember how…yet."

A day later, things returned back to normal for Shinichi, or as normal as they could possibly be. Kenzaki was gone and Shinichi was hoping he would never have to see the man. Right now he was in his room studying the file Kenzaki had given him.

"So, this is what GIN-SHOCKER's been up to…" Shinichi realized. "Gotta tell the others. We have to stop them for good."

KR Chrome: Well, this chap was brought to you by me and Shadow Element 13. Say something, Shadow!

Shadow Element 13: Always glad to help Chrome! Anyways, Kenzaki didn't kill Shinichi because of Rena getting in his way. She reminded him of his older sister, who sacrificed herself for him.