Chasing Dreams (Dropped)

Chapter 91: Your Name Is?

"You know a guy?" Ren repeated Olivia's words, to him they were far too vague.

"Yeah I know a guy. He can be a bit difficult to deal with, but he makes the best costumes in town." Olivia repeated it again acting as if Ren didn't understand her the first time.

"He's difficult?" Ren repeated Olivia's words once more "How so?"

A thin frown crossed Olivia's face as if the thought of the Costume Maker brought forth a wave of annoyance. "It's hard to explain..." She sighed before raising her head to face Ren "You'll understand what I mean once you met him though."

Ren also sighed. He already considered Olivia fairly difficult, he couldn't imagine someone being more difficult than her. "Why do I always get stuck with people like this..." Ren mumbled beneath his breath.

"Hm?" Olivia raised a brow "Get stuck with people like what?" she then questioned. Ren's nervous smile reformed, he didn't expect her hearing to be that good "Oh uh nothing..."

Olivia lightly rolled her eyes "If you are gonna be a dick then I can just go patrolling on my own." Olivia's blunt attitude returned "It's not like I need your help or anything, unlike you I am not inexperienced at patrolling."

Olivia's words were harsh, just hearing them made Ren feel like he just got punched in the chest. "Inexperienced? I am not..." Ren's words dragged when he met Olivia's piercing gaze. She saw right through him, it was clear as day that he was greener than grass.

Ren scratched the side of his face awkwardly "...Okay maybe I am." It was a bit irritating to admit, but in truth Ren had little experience in going on patrols let alone saving people. He always liked the idea of being able to save someone, but rarely got the chance to do it.

Each time he tried...ended miserably.

Ren took a moment and thought about all the times he tried to save anyone. With Suzume he failed twice, first time Sayuri nearly killed him but Suzume took the blow in his place and Erica was forced to take Sayuri out. The second time went down similarly, Ren wanted to protect Suzume but in the end Suzume only ended up protecting him.

A light frown emerged.

Ren tried to save Nyssa, but Bill ended up stopping him from accomplishing that, and similar to Suzume Nyssa ended up saving him in the end at the expense of her own freedom.

The same frown deepened.

Everything about this was frustrating. As a hero Ren hated the idea of being saved over and over again. Especially by those that he swore to protect.

"I am a failure." Ren knew this, he was used to beating himself over it every single day. Always posing the same questions only to come up with the same answer.

What if I was a little stronger?

What if I was a bit more experienced?

Would have things turned out differently?

But we don't live in a world of what ifs. No matter how long Ren sulked about what happened to Nyssa. No matter how much Ren worried about Suzume, nothing would change if he continued to stay the way he is now.

He has to grow.

He has to get stronger.

And he has to get more experience.

By doing those things that is the only way Ren will be able to move forward from the past. To one day become the Hero that Vermillion City needs, and the Hero that wished to become.

With a deep breath Ren's frown faded. Of course he will always have those dark thoughts, but there was no need to allow them to cloud his mind any further.