Disclaimer: I own nothing of the properties within this story and all right rights go to the creators and companies of said properties
Betaed by: Forzarismo
Chapter 2: Feeding Frenzy!
"I still can't believe you not only pick a fight with a teacher but also with a delinquent!" Subaru said, normally he would have gone to kendo practice after school but it was canceled for today as they were figuring out how to include the Liminal students in the club. According to Subaru, several clubs needed to open themselves for them but several sports clubs have come across a couple of problems with it. It is more of how they would lose their positions on their team due to the simple fact that Liminals are simply stronger than humans, so Subaru's club has been trying to push for divisions, one for regular humans and another for Liminals.
"The teacher had it coming, and if anything he started it, but I haven't picked a fight with anyone else." I told Subaru. My ears were still ringing from the windbag's yelling about respecting elders and how I get my act together. Just because you're older doesn't mean you get respect for nothing.
"There were rumors of you picking a fight with Urameshi." Mishiro said, throwing his two cents.
"…Who?" Seriously, who is Urameshi? Was he that guy in green? Because he is the only person that I can think of that can reasonably explain the rumor. Everyone else tries to stay away from me, so only he can be this Urameshi guy.
"Yusuke Urameshi. He is quite famous for a delinquent." Subaru comments. "There are rumors about how he has beaten a gang of high schoolers when he was in middle school, how he can call a hundred people with a snap of his finger, to even how the yakuza clans were fighting for whoever can recruit him."
"Sounds like whoever made those rumors had too much free time." I said. Why the hell would the yakuza want to add a literal kid into their ranks? Even if he is a great fighter, kids are stupid. One wrong word from his mouth and he can cause the cops to storm their hideout.
"Even so, you really should try to stay away from him. If more rumors of you starting fights come out, mother and father will start to worry." Mishiro said.
"Again, I didn't start anything. I run into him in the hall, I knocked him down but I did apologize and even offer to help him up. I didn't raise my voice when he shoved his shoulder into me." I said to calm my two sisters down. But Mishiro does raise a point. Getting mom and dad involved with something so stupid is dumb. "But I get it. I will try to avoid stuff like that."
Besides, I doubt I would ever meet him outside of school anyways.
"As long you understand. But we really should get back to the shrine or Hinowa might break into the snack cabinet." Subaru speeds up his walk to a light jog, something that Mishiro soon follows.
"I swear, he is going to rot out his teeth and ruin his appetite one of these days. Being a servant of the gods doesn't mean he's immune to diabetes and cavities." Mishiro sighs at what he said. Hinowa does have a history of overeating sweets, I remember back to when we ever first years and he ate nothing but sweets until we got back. Saying Hinowa was rather sick that day was an understatement.
But Colton's high school life prior to my bodyjacking has certainly been a crazy one. Liminals coming out at the end of his first year, his second year being entirely online since schools were rebuilding themselves from the ground up, and now I'm taking over his body in his third year. A part of me does feel sorry for the guy, but it was out of my control. At the very least I can do is enjoy life to the fullest in order to make it up to him.
I speed up to catch up with my childhood friends, following the familiar track home. Only for both of them to suddenly stop.
"Hinowa… what did you do?" Subaru asked out loud while Mishiro's jaw dropped. I turn to see what got them like this and- my god. What the absolute fuck am I looking at? The house is something akin to a manor from the Edo period, with a stone wall surrounding the premises but the building was tall enough to see around three-story above the wall. And said wall stretched around most of the neighborhood.
"Are we sure we made the right turns?" I ask my sisters.
"It was a straight path! There were no turns to make!" Subaru yells at me, shocked at the turns of events.
We all run past the gate, another new thing, getting our first look inside. There is another building beside the shrine and the house, it seems to be a dojo, a large pond with fucking koi fish, and a small garden. I would give a more proper lookover if Subaru and Mishiro weren't running around the new place looking for the little dog boy.
Though knowing him, he will probably be in the same place he always is when he's alone with no chores left. And judging by how close Mishiro and Subaru are on my tail, they had the same line of thought. We fight our way through the door to enter the far more open entranceway, we don't even take off our shoes as we rush towards the living room and sure enough, Hinowa was playing a game on a console I know we didn't own. How did remodeling a house and a shrine lead to Hinowa playing a PS5?!
"Oh? Welcome back everyone, how was the first day?" Hinowa asked, pausing his game in the process.
"Our day?! What the hell happened here?!" I'm still trying to wrap my brain around everything!
"The remodel? Yeah, the master gives me the go-ahead to tell the workers what we want. The mistress was delighted when they said they were basically upgrading the house for free." Hinowa said, leaning down to the new coffee table, pulling out a can of soda for it. "Here, good job surviving your first day of school." Hinowa said, tossing me a can before doing the same with Mishiro and Subaru. I also realize that the can was cold.
"That thing is also a fridge?!" I yell, pointing at the table. "Also, why were game consoles added to the remodel? How do those affect anything?!"
"I don't know why either but they include it on the list and told me it was free, so I thought why not? They even give several games too." Hinowa said.
As my sisters are trying to keep themselves from strangling the little dog boy, I let out a sigh. "Mishiro, Subaru, let's just drop it." I told them, causing them to focus on me. "Dad already gave Hinowa the ok for doing this, so it's his fault for thinking Hinowa wouldn't do something crazy." I continue, ignoring the annoyed 'hey!' from said doggy. "I doubt all this is truly free, in fact it may very well be there to entice people to become hosts. Besides, I don't think we can call and ask them to take some of this stuff back so there really isn't much we can do now."
Both of them seem to agree since they drop their look of annoyance for acceptance. "Guess I'll use that dojo then, seeing as we have one now…" Subaru said, stepping out of the living room.
"Then I should go ahead and start making dinner. Hopefully, they didn't throw anything away, I was planning on making curry tonight." Mishiro said before taking his leave, making Hinowa and I the only ones left in the room.
"Game?" Hinowa asks, pulling out another controller.
…
"Eh, fuck it." I take my seat on the couch next to Hinowa, but Hinowa decides he has something else in mind. Considering that he moves onto my lap. It would look cute to an outsider, them seeing us playing as if we were brothers. But my mind wandered elsewhere. I was too busy freaking out over the house to notice that Hinowa changed out of his normal shrine outfit for something more casual. The issue is he is wearing very short shorts that show off his plump thighs and a shirt lose enough for me to peek inside to see his bright pink nipple. His hair also has the scent of grass and the woods, which is quite pleasant. But what was really doing it for me was how plump his butt feels in my lap and how he fits so well in my lap.
Fuck… I'm now starting to get hard from the thought of it.
And I bet Hinowa can feel it with how thin his shorts are.
"Hinowa! Can you help me with dinner real quick?" Mishiro yells from the kitchen.
"Sure thing." Hinowa replied, pausing the game and heading towards the kitchen. He didn't seem to be too off from feeling me get hard from him. Could he just not notice?
{Hinowa's P.O.V.}
Colton has been acting strange since this morning. He isn't the quiet, meek boy I raise since he was a child, now he's far more confident in how he acts. There was also how reacted to me setting on his lap, normally he would tell me to get off but now he was ok with it, giving me no reaction at all when I made myself comfortable.
Well, there was one reaction, and it was one I didn't expect. But it must have been nothing! It was just his phone!
…Right?
Shaking my head away from such thoughts, I walk in to see Mishiro cooking in the now very large kitchen. Maybe I had gone a little overboard with the requests.
"You need me?" I ask, taking Mishiro's attention away from his cooking.
"Yeah, the workers put everything in different places so I don't know where the spices are at now." Mishiro remarks, before getting back to chopping.
"Ok, so what am I looking for?" I ask as I start searching for said spices.
"Just the soy sauce, I already have most of what I need." Mishiro said, causing me to look at the table to see what he was cooking.
"Didn't you say you were making curry? Because it seems like you're making gyoza." I point out. I won't complain about gyoza though, Mishiro's cooking is really good.
"Well, gyozas are one of Colton's favorites and I'm a bit happy today." Mishiro comments, his face gaining a slight blush.
"Really? What happened?" What happened while they were at school?
"Colton hugged me! Though I wished it was only with me, though I guess getting hugged with Subaru isn't that bad as long Colton continues it." Mishiro said, his blush deepening as he told me. "Maybe there's hope for my dream yet~"
That… is very weird for Colton. He has been very against the idea of him getting with Mishiro or Subaru, and it has only gotten worse as the years went by. I even know about how he plans to basically leave the shrine once he graduates college and just simply hand in the rights to the two. I remember me asking why he was so against marrying the two when we all know how they feel about him, even Colton himself knows about their feelings. All he said is he can't marry a guy and believes Mishiro and Subaru will realize that one day. It honestly made me angry, if he told them he can only see them as family members is one thing but ignoring their love is another.
Maybe I should talk to him after dinner. I don't think he would do something as cruel as to give them hope of a relationship for him only to disappear but there is something off with him today.
But for now, I need to help Mishiro finish setting up dinner because I am starving! And judging by how close Mishiro is to being done, I won't have to wait too long.
"Thanks Hinowa, now can you get Subaru and Colton and tell them dinner is almost ready." Mishiro asked as he started making plates, nodding at his request.
It wasn't that hard anyway. I just run by the living room, telling Colton to wash up for dinner and run outside to see the place I call home. And I can finally understand why Mishiro and Subaru were so shocked, the place had a complete makeover! How did those workers do so much and made so little noise?! But again, it was free and the place looks amazing! We now even have cute little fish in a pond!
Though I can look later, I need to find Subaru! And knowing him, he's probably training in that new dojo. I honestly thought it would take them weeks to finish that but I guess I was wrong. As soon as I enter it, I already hear Subaru getting to work on his practice. Even after they finally settle at issue in middle school, he's still practicing.
Both he and Mishiro had taken up a martial art when they were younger to protect, as they said, their little brother. Colton being mixed blood did cause him several problems, such as some kids believing that it was ok to bully the boy. Just remembering how angry the master was that day still sends chills down my spine, but neither here nor there. The two boys practically begged their parents for lessons, with Mishiro learning aikido and Subaru learning kendo, something that the two are pretty talented in. Though Mishiro had stopped his training since they left middle school so I bet he's pretty rusty.
I watch as Subaru takes a couple more swings of his shinai before he notices me. "Hinowa? Why are you here?" Subaru questions.
"Mishiro is done with cooking dinner and asked me to get everyone." I explain, taking a look around the dojo. Those Liminal government people really spare no expense.
"Oh, thanks for telling me. I will just take a quick shower and join you all." Subaru said, tugging his collar to cool down a bit, his skin shining from the light amount of sweat coating over it. "Thankfully, there's also a shower here now too. Tell the others they can start without me." Subaru finish, going to another room where the shower should be at.
I give a quick ok before heading back into the house to wait for Subaru to join us. Sure he said he can eat without him but Colton and Mishiro would wait until he joins, meaning I have to wait too. Though I can't complain, Mishiro's food is good but it gets better when we eat together! It's a shame that the master and mistress can't join, the mistress' job and the master's duties tend to leave just me and Colton alone in the house after Mishiro and Subaru return home.
I enter the house and head towards the dining room, seeing Colton finishing placing cups onto the table.
"Subaru is taking a shower so he will be a bit late joining us." I told him, taking my seat at the table.
"Eh, the rice should be done by the time he finishes so we can just talk as we wait." Colton said as he takes the seat across from me.
"Fair enough, and besides, you never told me how was your guys' first day at school." I said, trying to keep my focus away from the smell of dinner.
"It was fine, boring really." Colton said.
"You mean it was fine until you picked a fight with a teacher?" Mishiro said, taking his own seat.
Colton? Colton got into a fight? The same Colton that refuses to take a martial art with Mishiro and Subaru and rather just hopes the problem goes away?
Ok, something really strange happened to Colton and now I need to find out what happened. Colton is too much of a pacifist to stand up for himself, even when kids in his elementary school tried fighting him.
"The dick had it coming." Colton said, shocking the two of us. Colton had sworn at times before, but very, very awkwardly, but now he's doing it without much thought. "The guy was too hung up about how the school looks but the school has students with fur, scales, wings, and fins. How does having blonde hair matter? I bet he only did it to make himself look tough to the new students and thought I would just roll over."
Is this really the Colton I've been with since he came into the shrine when he was five? What could have happened to change someone so much?
"Besides, I'm tired of it." Colton said, making me focus my attention back at him. "I'm tired of having to please others when they do nothing to help me. Why should I change how I look, how I act, how I think for them? When they would just abandon me at the drop of a dime. So, I decided to say fuck it and be honest with myself. If they don't like it, I don't care."
"While that it's good and all Colton, are you sure about this mindset?" I ask.
Colton just shrug at my question. "I plan to be the school's top student and still tell the teachers that treat me like that jackass today to fuck off. I'm certain that he's the type that wants students to become high-ranking politicians so he can brag about him being their teacher. The guy can't become something he wanted so he teaches to make a student into what he can't."
I can't help but stare at Colton, he's truly nothing like the person he was yesterday. Once was a more meek guy stands someone that speaks his mind. I'm not sure which was better but it should mean that I can get answers easier.
"How about we drop it before Subaru gets here. I doubt he wants to deal with this again when we can just enjoy the food and each other." Colton said.
He does have a point. I can ask my questions after Mishiro and Subaru head home. For now, I should just enjoy dinner. Just remembering it made my stomach growl.
The sound from my stomach caused both Colton and Mishiro to chuckle. Hey! Remember that I'm older than all three of you! I will tell people about your embarrassing childhood moments, like how the three of you tried capturing Santa!
Though the master might not want to remember how he was hanging upside down from a tree in a Santa costume that night.
He was spending hours in the tub getting egg yolk out of his hair.
As I remember past days, Subaru enters the dining room. "You really shouldn't have waited on me. The food will get cold that way." Subaru as he takes his seat.
"We can just reheat it, and we decided that we wait." Colton smirked. "We're a family, so we should eat like one."
"Colton is right Subaru. And we can wait a couple of minutes, we're not going to waste away." Mishiro said, looking at me when he said the 'waste away' part.
I'm hungry ok?!
Dinner was good and it sounds like the three of them had a nice day at school, minus Colton's start. After dinner, I tried getting Mishiro and Subaru to stay for a round of Mario Party but the two of them said no, saying they need to return home before it gets too late. Colton joked about them asking their parents if they can just move in since they practically live here already, making the both of them blush. Mishiro's eyes glaze over, probably daydreaming about marriage life between him and Colton(especially the nightlife judging by how the blush darkens even more). Subaru's blush turns cherry red as he yells at Colton not to joke about stuff like as he drags Mishiro, who was still in la la land, but I can tell that he also thought that life with Colton.
And now it's just me and Colton… all alone.
And now is the best time to ask my questions.
As I was about to talk to Colton, I see him go into the kitchen and grab some items. Mainly shochu and some rice crackers.
"You better not be planning on drinking that Colton." I stare down at him with a deadpan look. Now I'm just worried if Colton is just going through a rebellious phase where he would do stupid shit that gets him into deep trouble.
Colton returns fire with his own deadpan look. "No, I'm just getting stuff for the offering. I doubt anyone did it today with all the construction this morning." That… makes sense. "Also, I plan to go for a short run after placing the offering. Mishiro's cooking is good but I swear he makes me eat until I burst, if I don't do something then I bet I will go up three sizes before the school year ends."
Mishiro does make Colton eat a ton… he would even swap plates with me to have a smaller portion. Not that I'm complaining, more for me!
Wait, now isn't the time for that!
"Colton, wait one minute!" I yell at him, stopping him from heading out.
"Yes?" Colton turns, setting the offering down on the table.
"... What is going on? Why are acting so different now, especially with Mishiro and Subaru?" I'm not going to beat around the bush. I want to know what is going on, and I want to know now.
"Oh. The reason is quite simple really. I just thought of the 'what if's." Colton said, making me raise a brow. "I thought of what if I have actually gone through with my plan. Of me leaving the shrine and going on with my life. I thought of how Mishiro, Subaru, you, and my folks would react. I thought about not seeing any of you for years, probably decades." Colton explains.
"But that doesn't explain why you're treating Mishiro and Subaru so differently." I said.
"If you wait I was about to explain that." Colton sighs. "I thought of the possibilities of Mishiro and Subaru finding someone, of them marrying and living a life without me in it… and it tears me up inside."
Colton's eyes take a more somber tone. "I realize that I truly like them more than family, I thought of two futures. One with them and one without them. The one without them felt painful while the one with them felt so warm. So, I decided at that motion to stop lying to myself. I like them, both Mishiro and Subaru."
I… I can't believe what I'm hearing. The Colton that refuses to entertain the idea of being with either of them now said he likes them?! I almost want to believe this was some kind of cruel joke, but the look of his eyes, the tone of his voice, and how he shows no shame in what he said says otherwise.
But that's great! Mishiro and Subaru will get their happy ending after all!
"But I also thought of one more person. Another person I like." Colton said, dragging me out of my inner thoughts.
"Really? Who?" I ask, I don't know anyone else Colton hangs out with.
"You."
…
I couldn't but burst into laughter. Colton? Liking me in a romantic way? Impossible. "That's a good one Colton. You almost had me there." I said, wiping a tear away from my eye.
… Though a part of me was happy to believe that. Even if it was for a moment.
"Guess I need to be more blunt to get through that scatterbrain of yours."
Wait, what?
As I thought that, Colton moves in closer to me and soon enough I feel both of our chests pressing onto one another. Colton then moves his hand behind me and… HE GRABBED MY BUTT!
"Damn, now I know where those treats went for you to stay so fun size. You really got a nice butt Hinowa." Colton said, giving my bottom a squeeze, and before I can stop it a moan slips out of my mouth. "And such a cute voice too."
"Colton! Stop it! This joke is going too far!" I yelp out, my face heating up the more he fondles with my bottom.
"I told you Hinowa, I do like you. I like you the way a man likes a woman." Colton said, his face being very close to mine, his lips slowly moving closer to mine. This can't be… Mishiro and Subaru are the heroines! I'm just the cute mascot character! The one to be cute and funny but never ends up with the hero!
His eyes… are serious. He really wants me in that way…
His lips move closer to mine… almost touching…
I close my eyes… waiting as I feel Colton's hand rub and squeeze my bottom.
Only to feel his lips on my forehead.
"You wouldn't believe how tempting it was to kiss you there Hinowa, but I really should go make that offering." Colton said, his hands sliding away from my bottom.
I watch him walk out the door into the night as I stand there, unable to move. Thank the gods that I order my own room as I head up the stairs.
I realize that a guy taking charge turns me on, very hard. Colton left me with a problem that I now have to fix.
{Colton's P.O.V.}
I can't help but smirk in pride at making Hinowa a blushing mess. The reason why I didn't Hinowa then and there was because while I'm positive that he, Mishiro, and Subaru like me but I don't know if they would be okay with sharing.
With Liminals being part of the world and several species being only female, such as Yuki-onnas, Lamias, and Harpies, added to the fact several species can't realistically mate. Like a human female with a male centaur. Meaning that human males will be in more demand and the government will have to allow every male to form a harem to prevent a race war to who gets a man.
The idea of making a harem with my three childhood friends is nice, the image of us having a nice and happy life is something I wouldn't complain about. But again, just because I'm okay with it doesn't equal them being okay with it.
And if that was the case, things will get very much harder. I do like all three of them and each of them has their own unique charm: Mishiro's gentle sisterly love, Subaru's harsh but well-meaning love with times of true gentleness, and Hinowa's fun-loving and playful nature.
I can worry about that later, I just told Hinowa how I feel and I still need to tell Mishiro and Subaru. Once it comes out, then we can talk about the future.
"Talk about a crazy first day. At least all I have left to do is make the offering." I sigh. Maybe it's because I have nothing to really distract me but feel like I'm in a whirlpool. Confronting my ex, dying, coming back to life, learning that other species exist, school, and everything.
A part of me wants to yell and hit something from being murdered, another part of me feels like shit for basically robbing some kid of their body and planning on getting with his childhood friends, and there is also the feeling of wanting to roll into a ball and cry at everything.
But I know doing any of these wouldn't change anything.
Crying, yelling, and cussing wouldn't bring me back to my world or bring the old Colton back. Besides, maybe I did old Colton a favor.
He has been saving a bit of cash and was planning to get a part-time job this year so he can move out for college, planning to leave the shrine and his friends behind.
Colton had a bit of a complex about how Mishiro and Subaru always protected him all the way to how the shrine runs, people had questioned his preference for sex.
If he really felt that way, he should have done something instead of setting and wishing it would just go away. But then again, I wasn't any better until Alex helped me.
In the end, do I feel a bit guilty for taking old Colton's body? Yes. But do I think nothing good can come from this? No.
I can make Mishiro, Subaru, and Hinowa happier knowing I will accept their feelings and I will take after the shrine just like my uncle wanted.
Does this erase all my guilt? No, but it helps and I know it's something I will have to get used to.
Great… Now I'm going all emotional when I should just focus on getting to the shrine, placing the offering, and heading back and sleep.
A weird, and honestly annoying, thing about the shrine is that the actual shrine isn't near the house but near a cave that leads into an underground network. And that shrine is a bit of a walk away from the house.
But at least the night is peaceful and quiet.
And just like that, Murphy's law proves it's a cunt as the sudden roar of an engine cuts through the night. I'm not sure but I feel like it's a motorcycle engine. Maybe a chopper with how loud it is.
And the worse part? It was coming from where the shrine should be.
I sigh, maybe they will at least listen to me if I ask nicely. I walk towards where the shrine should be and I see four people with three bikes, one being a double seater bike.
"Hey! Can you quiet it down?!" I try yelling over the engine noises but my voice was drowned out. "HEY! CAN YOU STOP?!" I try again, but with no result, outside my raising annoyance. Calm down Colton, you can do this like someone of your age. Just ignore the engine noise, the tire tracks marking the ground, the bottles that litter the ground that we have to clean, the wrappers that would be a bitch to pick up with they seem to tear the damn thing to bits…
"HEY, ASSHOLES! TURN DOWN THOSE DAMN THINGS! PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP AND I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN LOSE MY HEARING FROM YOUR FUCKING BIKES!"
…
Maybe I could have done that differently, but the results were immediate as the sounds of engines dies down. I will just apologize but has turning back into a teen made me more reckless? Thought for later, just focus on making the offering and get back home.
I walk towards the shrine, only for someone to step in front of me and give me my first good look at who I was yelling. And I immediately realize that my actions can easily bite me in the ass.
Case in point, while both are of similar height, the guy is built like a brick shit house. But it wasn't the muscles he has that got my attention, but rather his face.
It was a hammerhead shark. And he looked pissed.
"What did you just say punk?!" the hammerhead yells, grabbing me by my shirt.
Just apologize Colton, ignore it. "Listen, I will say I'm sorry but it's late at night and this is private property. So, I'm going to ask you all to leave quietly." it was quite hard to be mature when your shirt is being torn with how sharp hammerhead's claws are.
"Let him go, Clint. We rather not get into more trouble as is." another one of the sharkmen said, him appearing to look like a Great White shark.
"Why should I?! We tried being nice to humans and you saw what happened! And I bet he was making shit up about how this was private property! What is here anyway?! Some trees, a cave, and some run-down wooden table with a mirror!" The hammerhead, Clint argues.
"That's a shrine you are talking about." I told him, though the shark just give me a blank stare.
"I might be from America but if that's a shrine, then why isn't it in a building? But I bet that some pile of junk you made and just tell people that's a shrine to make a quick buck from them." Clint smirks as he insults my family's shrine.
While I may not have much of an opinion of the shrine, I know it's important to my family. It's important to Mishiro, Subaru, and Hinowa. And it was important to old Colton, even when he was planning on leaving it to Mishiro and Subaru.
So that means it's important to me. Just tell the guy and maybe he will…
…
You know what? Why do I have to be the one that has to be the mature one? They are the ones making a shit ton of noise and hammerhead was snarling at me and insulting my family's shrine. So, I decided to act my actual age.
"FFFUUUCCCKKKK!"
And that's by driving my knee straight where all men are weak, even Liminal men.
"Guess sharkman has nards." I chuckle. Though that chuckle soon dies as I got slammed by another shark, a tiger shark at that. In hindsight, probably wasn't the smartest move as now I have four pissed-off sharks now. Great… Now I'm in a brawl and have never been in a fight before…
Wait… didn't that gamer thing call itself a brawler system? Hey! Magical floating box thing! Give me a hand here!
…
I know you can hear me!
So now you want my help? I thought I was useless?
Save the sass for later! Tell me how to use you before I wind up as shark food!
Fine, but only because we are tied together in this. How it works is simple, make sure your attacks land and don't get hit.
…
DID YOU SERIOUSLY GIVE ME THE SAME ADVICE AS BERRY FROM POKEMON!?
That's how I work! I'm like the Heat from Yakuza, the more you hit the enemy equals more heat, which means your attacks will hit harder and faster. But it will drop when you're hit or do special moves.
So just punch and dodge? Wow, why didn't I think of that before? But jokes aside, at least it wasn't something super complicated to understand and use. I take a deep breath as the four sharks circle around me. The Great White is the closest while the tiger, hammerhead, and whale shark block any escape paths I can use. I slide into a fighting stance, despite it being a crappy one. I ball up my left hand into a fist and move it next to my chin, protecting it, as I point my right fist in front of me as if I was a boxer.
But really, I'm in a tough spot. One versus four is tough but doable under normal cases, but my opponents are literally walking talking sharks. Even if I had experience fighting or a better system, I still would have some trouble because the others will jump as soon as I go for one. I need a miracle to get out of this.
"BOBBY!" I hear one of the sharks yell out, drawing my attention to where they're yelling. The tiger shark was on the ground but was setting up and shaking his head, showing he wasn't too hurt but he was certainly dazed. I look at what could have happened, seeing another person entering our fight. A monster of a guy with three spikes of black hair with one lock of hair going over his forehead, his white shirt outlining his muscles.
"Who the fuck is he?!" The Great White demands, probably thinking he was some kind of backup for me. Jokes on you mate, I don't know who he is either. Though I doubt he would believe me if I tell him that.
"Who are you and why are stepping into this?" I ask, keeping my eyes on the Great White.
But all I got was silence, with him staring at… me? Why me? Wait, could he be looking at me for something? Guess it doesn't matter since he just sighs and shakes his head.
"Another miss." The giant comments. A miss? So he was looking for something. "Though… it does seem a bit unfair here. Four versus one and them being Liminals? Guess you're not that smart."
Hey!
"But… I can respect someone willing to fight to protect their family's legacy." The giant looks towards the shrine. "Besides, I don't like the idea of leaving you to only get the beating of a lifetime, so I will give you a hand."
…
Wha?
"Slammu! Jab! You two and Streex will take care of that guy! I will handle this one!" The Great White orders.
"What?! Why should we focus so much on him?! He is just one guy!" Clint argues but I am more curious about the names the Great White said. Maybe codenames for when they ride out?
But as the Hammerhead makes the comment, the giant grabs one of the trees near him and rips the damn thing out of the ground, roots and all!
"What the actual FUCK!?" I can't believe it! That tree was probably ten feet tall and that lifts it like it was nothing!
"Don't worry, I will plant a new one." The giant says as he holds the tree as if it was a bat.
While that's nice, that isn't why I was freaking out!
"THAT'S WHY!" The Great White yells, but the two other sharks already rush towards the big guy with the Tiger shark following not too far behind.
A part of me feels bad that the guy is getting rushed by three shark men but after that show of strength, I bet he can handle himself. Besides, I doubt Jaws will let me jump in to help.
But I would be lying that I don't like my odds more than what they were three minutes ago. A one on one is way better, but I know I'm still far from-
"SHARK ATTACK!" The Great White yells as runs straight at me!
And I did what any normal person does when a four-hundred pounds of shark muscle come rushing towards you, I roll like I was Dark Souls!
"SHIT!" I quickly get back onto my feet, only having to dodge again! This time dodging a right punch, but barely! I try giving a quick kick to his open side, which hit, but my leg felt like I just kicked a brick wall!
Though the pain from my leg was soon replaced by the gut punch I had just taken. Damn it! That blow not only knocked the air out of me but also made me fly a couple of feet!
"Just go down already!" The Great White yells as he runs towards me again. I was forced to be defensive, dodging his attacks. But I did notice something, his attacks are simply just wild punches, aiming to knock me down quick. And when he yelled at me, his tone has a slight bit of panic to it. My guess is he wants me to go down to help his fellow sharks.
But while his attacks are wild, making them easier to read, I can't really hurt him. His muscles are simply too thick to really do any damage. At this rate, I'll get too tired to dodge and lose.
"Stop using brute force! Use your damn head!" I hear the giant yell at me.
My head? How would my head-
Wait… I can do that. And it's probably my best shot.
{Akira's P.O.V.}
My luck today has been rather bad. I haven't found any of them and now I helping this guy, Colton was his name if I'm right. Originally, I was only coming to see if Colton is one of them, while their goal is to rebirth Japan I wouldn't put past Takeshi and Homura from adding a couple of wildcards in. But Colton was clean as he doesn't have one of their marks on his neck.
Though now isn't the best time to think about that. I look between the stump of the tree I was holding and the three sharks, each of them chewing massive amounts of wood and pine needles. I was surprised that they decided to eat my weapon rather than do some pincers attack but it seems to work in their favor. The tree bat that was once ten feet tall is now three feet, and while I can swing it faster now, the lack of range and the fact they can just eat more of it means the usefulness of this weapon had run its course.
I feel my muscles hardened as the color of my skin changes into a deep black, akin to lead. Normally I would hold back unless I'm fighting one of them or their underlings but Liminals by nature are tough, so I can't hold back.
I have no doubt I can handle these three but doesn't change the fact I'm worried about that Colton guy. Since he isn't one of them, that means he's a normal civilian, meaning fighting a Liminal might cause him some serious injuries.
I took my eyes off my opponent to quickly look over to see how he holding up. Not the smartest thing but I know my abilities and if he needs help then I can rush over there before the sharks can react.
I watch as the guy rolls and dodges out of the Great White's attacks, keeping his distance and going for quick kicks. Not a bad attack plan but judging the winces from the guy's face and the lack of reaction from the shark's tells me that he was hurting himself more than the shark. Damn it…
"Stop using brute force! Use your damn head!" I told him. Use the environment or grab a rock or something if your fists and legs are having no effect.
The guy's eyes widened as he hears me. Hopefully, he's quick on his feet when making plans.
The guy's eyes hardened as he stops moving. What could he be planning? Dodging is his best opinion for a while but judging how the guy was breathing means he couldn't keep it up for too much longer. So he is probably going for one last stand.
I felt something slam into me, seeing the whale shark make his move. Great… I can't focus too much on him if I don't want to get ganged up. I grab the shark and easily lift him, throwing him at the two sharks that were running at me.
"Come at me you overgrown sardine!" I hear Colton yell, his stance open. Though I see where he's standing, with the cave entrance behind him. Planning of using the cave to aid him? Maybe there was a pitfall near the entrance, not deep enough to hurt the shark but enough to trap him? If so, probably his best plan and if not, at least might give us some time to take down one or two of the sharks that I'm fighting.
The Great White rushes towards Colton, probably annoyed at the comment or the fact he hadn't gotten a clean hit since that gut punch. Either way, the shark was making a beeline toward the human. As the shark closes in, I realize something myself, making my eyes widen.
The guy isn't moving, not even one bit! Was he not using the cave?! Damn it! I have to help him! I try running to the guy but the ground suddenly starts to shake! What?! I turn towards the sharks I was fighting, they already recovered from their dogpile and the whale shark's fists are buried into the ground.
Was he the reason for the shake? Was he strong enough to make a miniature earthquake?
Crap… If I run to Colton to help then the whale shark will just do another shake and I can't run if the ground itself was shaking! If I fall then I doubt they will let me get back up easily.
Means all I can do is watch as the guy takes a punch to the face. At least the guy bends his head forward, making the shark's fist hit his forehead instead of his nose. But the punch itself had enough power to make the guy bend backward, almost falling over. Then the guy grabs the shark's arm and quickly reels himself up! The shark didn't react, most likely in shock that the guy simply wasn't knocked out from the blow.
"HEY! LET GO OF ME!" The Great White tries pulling his arm back but Colton quickly moves his hand to grab the pit of the elbow, with the other hand doing the same, giving him a solid hold on the shark.
"Nah, this is my best chance at getting you. So I won't let go," Colton stares deeply into the shark's eyes. "Even if it means my breaking."
Colton gives a small smile and gives a small chuckle. "I realize something from this fight, things about you Jaws. Your big teeth, sharp claws, and thick muscles that act as both power and armor." Colton comments. "But I realize another thing, how big your eyes are," Colton leans back, "And how big!" and slams his forehead straight into the shark's "your nose is…!"
Well… He did use his head, just not in the way I was expecting. Going for the nose is a good choice, the lack of any real bone and how effects a broken nose can bring are great. Between the pain and the blood hindering breathing, several people stop fighting just from that.
"RIPPER!"
The three sharks run towards the Great White just as Colton goes for another headbutt, worsening the first blow. Yeah… can't have that!
"WILD TRAILER!" I yell, clotheslining the three sharks with my arm and launching them into the trees, knocking several trees over as the three sharks' bodies rip through them.
I doubt they can get back up easily after that. I turn to Colton, seeing him standing while the Great White was holding his smashed-up nose. "You ok?" I asked, seeing that the fight was basically over. "You have quite a bit of blood on you." looking at his forehead. Sure, some of it was the shark's but I bet he has torn the skin of his head with those headbutts.
"Yeah… I got one hell of a headache… grhk…! but I'll live." Colton comments but I know he was on his last legs. A headbutt is a double edge sword, he broke the shark's nose but he played pinball with his own brain, so a hard enough wind might knock him down.
"So, what are you going to do now? Call the cops?" my question made the shark flinch, the risk of being deported is very real.
"Nah." Colton said, making me raise a brow. "I was the one who did the first blow, so they were just defending themselves." Colton shrugs.
"Didn't one of them insult your shrine?" I asked, it was the whole reason for the fight.
"Yeah, but it doesn't change the fact I could have gone about a different way. Besides, despite the tussle between ourselves, they don't seem like bad people in my eyes." Colton comments as he looks at the shark as gets up.
"And how do you figure that?" the only conscious shark questions.
"You could have used your claws or teeth to hurt us, probably even kill us. But you didn't. And I bet you were holding back not to break anything too important." Colton said. Guess he isn't too blind to the facts. "And we are all just teens and teens do stupid stuff all the time."
"And how will you explain the head injury to your family?" I pointed out.
"I was making the offering and some shark Liminals decided to go into the cave despite no one being allowed to enter, I tried stopping them, only for me and Great White to fall into the cave, busting up my head and his nose." Colton explains. "Of course, if you're willing to go with that story."
The Great White nods, saying that's what happened. Well, if he was willing to let it go then I shouldn't bother too much.
"Also, can you do me a favor, um?" Colton asks, looking at me.
"Kongou Akira and what?" I introduce myself.
"Can you carry us to my house? I can't exactly feel my legs right now." Colton beseeches with a weak smile.
Ah… what did I get myself into?
Author's note
I hope you all enjoy the second chapter and the fight. I wanted to make Colton not too unrealistic in this fight and give a nice reason for him to learn more about his system.
I'm also part of the SGO server so if you want to join and chat, here is a link
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