Chapter 12

Something felt off.

Garou couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something wasn't quite right. He felt it in the air, he got a chill any time he thought about it. And yet, he wasn't overly concerned. "Garou?"

Melee snapped him out of his trance. "Sorry, deep in thought." He explained. "Something just feels… wrong."

She was surprised but nodded. "You do have a sense of these things. Anything in particular?"

He paused for a moment. "Alley." He said right away. "She's been gone for the past few days. Not a word from her. Normally that's fine, but I find this to be… odd. She slept for three days before going back to the lab, almost anticipating something. She never does that. She would sleep maybe a day or so, but not three days for a trip to the lab!"

Melee agreed. "That is strange, should we be concerned?"

He thought it over for a moment, but shook his head. "No, not yet. I have a feeling though, if she does need help, we will know immediately." Garou however couldn't shake the feeling though that his daughter could be in over her head on something. However he didn't want to panic Melee.

"So I figured out why the twins keep going to Snek's room!" he announced.

This got her interest. "Oh?" she asked.

"Well, they aren't out of their cuddling stage, I remembered with the triplets when they were about that size they refused to let go of me. I think they find the scales comforting to say the least. Snek certainly has the scales!"

"That and they can lie on him without much of an issue." Snickered Melee, but she was a little worried. "What do you think is wrong with Snek? He's been acting a lot more strange than usual."

Garou didn't put much thought into it, after all Snek is Snek he does things his own way and acts out when something is on his mind. Yet he's too proud to admit anything, much like Garou himself. "I think he maybe contending with something in his head. I don't know if you've seen the paper recently, people are starting to praise the M Class for their quick action. We respond faster than the S Class, people are taking notice." Then the thought occurred. "You know Snek is when he was human, if someone didn't know who he was right off the bat, he was offended… ever since he became this, EVERYONE knows who he is. He has greater recognition now than he did before as human Snek."

"That makes a lot of sense," said Melee. "So we're finally seen as heroes?" she asked.

"Perhaps, or there's a blue moon somewhere and everyone is acting weird because of it." Then there was a smirk on Garou's face. "Snek didn't tell you yet either."

"Tell me what?"

"We were at the Association, the S Class did their own 'rookie crushing' of the new dragons. Snek took on Sweet Mask… and won."

"WHAT!?" she demanded.

"It was glorious, he beat Amai Mask, nearly bursting his lungs. Man, Sweet Mask was pissed."

"Wish I knew about that, I would have LOVED to have seen it!" said Melee.

Garou paused as Hunter came in through the door. He was covered in gore once again. "Showering, no calls…" he said and went right to the bathroom.

"I think he's taking this a little too seriously." Melee whispered.

"Nah, I think he's just trying too hard. He's in C Class, he doesn't have to defeat monsters all the time, he can help a kid get a damn cat out of a tree and it would count!"

There was a blip on the computer screen. The heroes association page was left open. Melee decided to see what it was about. Hunter went from Class C level 88 to number 4!

"Whoa… he's only been doing this for two days!"

Garou smirked. "Yeah, he's out to prove a point. It won't be long before that letter comes to get promote to class B. Shit, Fubuki is going to be pissed!" but his smile grew. "I can't wait!" he said with great excitement.

"Admit it, you just want to piss off the Fubuki group!"

"And how!" Garou said.

Hunter emerged from the shower a short time later, when he checked his standings. He was surprised once more. "How come I am moving up so fast? I only took down three monsters in two days!" he demanded.

"You got a fan club!" Garou chimed in. "They help raise your recognition. How else do you think Sweet Mask stays on top?"

Hunter rolled his eyes. "I really can't wait to knock him down a few pegs! Gah!" Hunter paused as he grabbed his side oddly. Instantly Garou took notice of his son's discomfort. "It's okay dad, it's nothing…"

"Like hell it's nothing!" Garou cautiously approached his son, and then saw it, the same movement that was under Pac's skin before he shed into his monster scales. "Hunter…"

"I know… I know. I'm not fighting it." He said. "I just want it done and over with."

"Quite pushing yourself!"

"I'm not dad! This stuff is easy for me, I take down monsters without a problem! I don't know what's causing this. I am not pushing myself, I am not trying to get stronger, faster or tougher! It's just… happening."

Garou merely nodded his head, he patted his son on the shoulder and said. "I'm proud of what you are doing." Hunter smiled and gracious thanked his father.

However a smile began to peer over his lips. "When I am in class B, I'll have to deal with the Fubuki group won't I?" he said.

Garou nodded. "Yeah, you nervous about it?"

Hunter shook his head. "No… but I can't wait to scare them when they come to do the rookie crushing!"