Where was she going?
The concrete roads, noisy vehicles and loud people hurt her wolf ears.
An old table cloth was draped around her bare and aching body. Bags hung under her eyes, and her cuts had closed into scars. The concrete was cold under her feet, and many eyes glanced at her as she passed by various shops and structures.
Buildings. Was that what they were called, She thought.
Her mind was so hazy. Any time she would think, it would all rush back to that moment. The feeling of hands and blades on her body, it being used and thrown around like she was mere trash.
The feeling left an imprint on her. She didn't want to feel that way again. She wanted to get away.
She wanted to be free.
That freedom would come at a cost. She had four months to bring them the Gems. Not just any Gem, her master made it very clear that it had to be the boy. The boy with his white hair and piercing violet gaze.
The thought of running into him again terrified her.
He would kill her, without hesitation. She stirred too much negativity in him, and there was no way she would be forgiven. She knew that, and it was painful to think about. She knew of no one in this world, and she certainly didn't belong with any wolfen or dog breeds.
This society was something different than from what she knew. In her world, her realm, animals and most humans lived in coexistence, to the point of creatures like her being created.
More so, her species exactly. The Huntress types, created to serve her people. To hunt those that were huntable, or needed to be brought in for whatever reason. The Hunters were entirely new to her, yet she saw a trace of kin within their structure.
She would close her eyes, and faint memories would come into her mind. The last image of her world, there was a massive battle. She couldn't remember which side she was on, or what she was fighting for, and yet towards the end, a blinding light covered the battlefield, and everything just stopped then.
"Did I die? Is that what that memory is? Of my death?" She placed a hand on her forehead and shook it, her brain feeling like it was rattling inside her skull. "My, what an awful headache. The more I think, the more it hurts, but also clears a little. For what purpose did I hunt that boy?" She paused, walking around a corner and slumping against a wall.
"The Gems. Right. I was told the boy had it, and I must retrieve it at once." She touched her chest. "Something does not feel right. I was not lied to, I saw the essence of the Gems on the boy, and his twin. So why does it feel wrong to hunt them?"
A man came from the door nearby, tossing a black bag in the large, metal box nearby. The Huntress sniffed, the smell of something old yet delectable within. The man looked at her, eyes scanning, before saying, "Get out of here, you bum!"
Startled, she gave her apologies and rushed off. "This world is so… Different.."
------------------------------------
The Huntress stopped, dropping to her knees, breathing heavy. Her stomach rumbled in intense hunger.
She had no form of currency to purchase any food, nor was there any animals delectable enough for her to hunt down in this concrete jungle. Raising her head, her nose picked up the scent of something warm. Just up ahead. Her feet carried her forward without her even realizing it, eyes shut as she just followed her nose. It never occurred to her that she'd meet them here.
A scream brought her from her hungry daze. Once her eyes widened, she met the shocked eyes of multiple different teenagers, all dressed in different styles foreign to her.
It must be a thing of this world.
Her eyes skimmed the different faces, then fell on the large yellow vehicle. When he stopped off, her eyes widened with a horrid fear. He didn't see her at first, too wrapped up in the conversation with the three females around him, and his twin who hopped off the top of the bus.
She wanted to run. To go and hide before they noticed her, if they noticed her. If she left now, maybe they wouldn't be able to catch her, and may even just let her go.
She turned on her heel, but her feet were planted firmly to the concrete. She couldn't move. Her body was paralyzed, in fear for her life. Death never scared her much before, yet that boy left such a strong, evil image in her mind she couldn't help herself.
One of the other teenage females turned to his group, and yelled, "Takabi! There's a… A… A thing!"
That's when they all looked, and eyes went wide. The blue haired girl raced through the crowd first, followed by the redhead and brunette.
"What, the HELL are you doing here," Nana asked bitterly.
Takabi stepped through the crowd with Kairas, the five of them watching the Huntress. Her eyes were on Takabi's only. She couldn't speak. It hadn't even occurred to him how much he towered over her, even if it was just a bit. Everything about him sent a horrific chill through her.
"Well," He said, crossing his arms. "Surely you didn't come to fight. You know you can't defeat me, and I highly doubt you'd be able to get away clean if you did." His eyes glanced at Nana. "You should step back."
She looked at him quickly, relaxing herself. She understood his reasoning. It wasn't because he was worried about her, even though that was part of it. No one knew about her abilities still. They assumed she got hurt as badly as she did because they were together, that was the face value explanation they decided to stick with. If her powers got out too, her and her family would be in danger if anyone else was lurking around the corner in the dark.
Takabi made his fight public and exposed himself because he had no choice but to. Jewel revealed herself in an attempt to save him. They, along with Kairas, had nothing more to hide.
"Listen, didn't we settle this last time you showed. You attacked us, and ran away when I took down your partner." He projected his voice loudly, which sent another chill through her. "Just go away."
"I… I…" She couldn't form a sentence.
Takabi narrowed his eyes at her simple words. Jewel was going to speak, but he stopped her.
Something was different about her. He couldn't hear any hostility, or any sense any malicious intent in her currently. All he saw was fear. A strong, broken fear that left her paralyzed at the sight of him.
"Speak," He instructed her.
"I just… I didn't… I didn't come here to hunt you, boy." She lowered her gaze, before doing what no one expected.
She fainted, her head hitting the concrete in a quick thud. No one moved to help her at first, most of the students sighing relief and cheering at her effortless defeat.
Kairas looked at his twin, and could see it. He wasn't satisfied. He wasn't happy with this, even though this is the some creature that almost had Nana killed.
"Serves her right." Nana spat, crossing her arms. "Let's go." She turned with the crowd as they began to file out. "She deserves to lie there and rot like the monster she… Takabi?" She stopped speaking, watching Takabi approach the Huntress and kneel. Slowly, he raised her head and rested it on his thigh, examining the small cut on her forehead.
No one deserves this kind of trauma, He thought.
"You're too kind," Kairas said as he walked over, hands in his pockets. "You're thinking of taking her with us?"
"Mhm," He nodded, standing with the Huntress in his hold. "We can at least get some information from her."
"I'm sorry, I'm lost," Jewel said, walking over. "YOU want to help the one who hurt you and Nana? Have you knocked a few screws loose in your head?"
Kairas crossed his arms. "I agree, information is important, but she's too dangerous."
"We'll lock her up in the Bunker. Can't do much in there," He replied, moving towards his car.
Nana jogged over, tugging his sleeve. "Takabi, really think about what you're doing right now. Are you sure this is a good call?"
"Well, I trusted you when I lost my memories," He said, opening the door and placing the Huntress on the seat in the back, sitting her upright. "And I, against my better judgement, am trusting my twin who I'm convinced is still evil. My point is there is too much going on right now and nothing is adding up. Carlos disappearing, his parents dying and this one suddenly showing up after nearly murdering us not too long ago?" He looked back, locking eyes with Nana. "Sorry, I just need some answers and I think she can give us some."
Her eyes still had doubts, but she bit her tongue and got in the front passenger seat.
Takabi walked to the driver's side, opening the door and getting in. Kairas crawled into the car and sat next to the Huntress, eyes glued to her.
"Coming, Jewel," He asked when she approached Nana's window.
She shook her head, pointing back to Ariel. "I'm heading to her place. For the record, this is a dumb idea. But if this works out, I'll take you to the buffet and pay for the whole thing."
Takabi's face held a wide grin, and he winked at her. "Don't make promises you don't want to keep." She stepped back, and watched as the SUV quickly pulled out of the school parking lot.
Shaking her head, she made her way back to Ariel and pushed the Huntress from her mind.