Wednesday
Two weeks pass and the city stays pretty quiet.
"Why's the city so quiet since the attack?" Takeshi sighs as he heads to school with Maiman following.
"I don't know. I was just about to ask you that," Ren walks out of a store and makes her way towards them.
"Wow. Long time since we've seen you," Takeshi chuckles lightly.
"I've been trying to avoid you," she shrugs.
"Well I definitely wouldn't blame you," he turns and keeps walking.
"Oh come on. I was joking," she jogs to catch up to him.
"Where've you been anyways?" He looks over at her.
"Busy. Family is in town," she sighs tiredly. They walk in school and make their way to class.
"Today is a very special day. All of you will be paired up with the partners I have listed on the board. You will be running a border check. Each group will have half a mile between each other as you run or walk. No teachers will be running but we will have surveillance of you on our sky drones. Find your partner and head to the front of the school. Once everyone gets there, you will begin," Mr.Norio points at the board then makes his way out of the room. Everyone grabs their partners then makes their way to the front of the school. Takeshi and Ren find their names then find each other.
"Paired again," Takeshi sighs and Ren nods. They make their way to the front of the school then get in line. Everyone starts the hike and Takeshi and Ren head out last. They head into the forest around the city and begin the check.
An hour in, there's a scream ahead of Takeshi and Ren, making Takeshi naturally rush up to the big group of students who stood together in a group, all facing a certain way. He pushes his way through the group to the front and stops at the sight of a tan griffin facing them. It lets out a low growl as Takeshi steps closer to it.
"Nobody move. We have to keep it calm or we won't get out of here very easily," he sighs then gets on his knees in front of the griffin. It steps forward and sniffs his head as he looks at the ground.
"You need help. Your wing is hurt. I know people who can help. People that are human," he slowly stands up and the griffin takes a step back.
"Trust me. We can help," Takeshi holds his hand out. The griffin hesitates and glances at the group of students before nudging its head against his hand. Takeshi carefully rubs its neck.
"Ok. Let's finish the border check," he looks at the students.
"Go, now," he moves out of the path and the students start to murmur before they start to run off. After everyone leaves except for Ren, Takeshi walks over to her with the griffin behind him.
"Let's finish up then we can take them to the Church," he nods his head towards the griffin.
"Yeah. Ok. Sure," she replies. They start walking with the griffin following.
"Takeshi…. Don't you think the others will question you, about the griffin?" Ren looks over at him after a little while of walking.
"I'll just think of a lie. Plus. It's not like I was going to just leave it there. It has an injured wing meaning it can't fly so it becomes a threat to everyone and everything. Griffins aren't very nice when they're angry," he shrugs in response.
"Takeshi. Can I ask you, why, you're like this?" Ren sighs.
"Like what?" He keeps walking with the griffin next to him.
"Like, the way you are. Why it's hard for you to be social. Why you're so certain monsters can understand you. Why…" Ren watches Takeshi's movements.
"Why do you ask so many questions? Why do you act like you want to know me so much but when we first met, you could care less about me being alive on this planet? I don't get you. And, by the way, what's with the hostility? You're so quick to judge and you're so quick to defend yourself. You do know that not everyone cares about you right? Not everyone is interested in figuring you out. Not everyone gossips about you because you're the top in your class. Why do you work so hard anyways? School isn't a life or death situation. Why do you act like it is? I'm so tired of all your questions. I'm just done. You don't make any sense at all! None!" Takeshi stops and faces Ren as he talks. Once he's done talking he turns and continues walking faster. They get back to the school without another word and Takeshi heads to the Church with the griffin and Maiman.
"Takeshi. What's wr…?" Before Arhiyan can get her third word out, Takeshi rushes up to his room and slams the door as soon as he gets home. He locks his door and turns his music up all the way before sneaking out of his bedroom window an hour later, leaving Maiman on his bed asleep.
"Sick of this place, aren't you?" A voice says behind him as he walks down the city streets.
"Jin…" Takeshi turns and faces the long blonde haired girl who stood behind him, her light brown eyes studying him.
"Hey Takeshi," she gives him a light smile as she fixes the black hood over her head.
"What're you doing in the city? You're considered a "monster" around here ya know?" He looks her up and down as she stood in a long, loose black dress.
"I know. I just don't get how you aren't considered one," Jin takes a step towards him.
"I miss you Takeshi. You don't come around anymore. It's like you abandoned me, us," she takes a few more steps towards him until her hands were laid against his chest.
"Jin. I've been busy. I'm sorry," he leans his head closer to hers.
"What? With the Church? With school? That's pathetic. You're becoming like them, Takeshi. You do realize that, right?" Jin takes a step back, releasing herself from them touching.
"What else am I supposed to do Jin? I need to fit in. It's safer for me," Takeshi takes a step closer towards her.
"You could come back to me! To us. Please Takeshi. I need you. I miss you," she locks eyes with him.
"I know. I. I just. I don't know what to do right now. I'm stuck in a web of so many things right now. I can't just disappear," he studies her.
"Right. Kinu. That's all over the news now ya know?" She breaks their eye contact.
"Yeah. I figured," Takeshi sighs.
"Why don't you just come back?" Jin suddenly slams him against one of the sides of the buildings around them.
"We aren't different. We were in the same situation basically. You just, you actually had a way out. A way to control it. A way to figure out how to use it to your advantage," she leans in closer to him.
"Jin…" he mutters.
"No. You don't get to speak. Not until you see where I'm coming from. My point-of-view," she leans closer to his neck, her hands holding his wrists above his head.
"Jin. Stop," Takeshi tries to pull away but can't. "Jin! Stop!" He tries moving more as her mouth gets closer to his neck. She carefully opens her mouth to bite him, holding him where he is without letting him move.
"Let go of him or I'll shoot!" A voice yells a few feet away. Jin leans back and looks over at Ren whp held a gun pointed at her.
"I said I'll shoot!" Ren growls. Jin lets go of Takeshi and takes a step back before turning and running off.
"I thought you'd be mad at me," he snickers lightly as he straightens up and leans against the wall.
"Who said I wasn't?" Ren turns and starts to walk off.
"How much did you hear?" Takeshi lets out a long sigh.
"None of it," Ren mutters.
"Ren. Quit your lies. How much did you hear?" Takeshi stands up straight with a slight growl in his voice.
"Enough," she turns a corner and walks off, leaving Takeshi alone in the street.