~Chapter Twenty Eight : Unwanted Memory~
~Start~
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With a bit of the remaining little strength he has left, Chikage was about to close his eyes if it weren't for the unfamiliar sounds of hurried footsteps heading towards them. His eyes were close, but he was still somehow concsious. All he could do left was to watch the scene using his hearing.
The certain figure rushed towards the scene, adrenaline flowing through their veins as they got a large weapon. It was a metal pipe that was lying around the corner, they quickly went behind the two men that was behind their leader and struck one of them as fast and hard as they can. Before the other guy could realize what just happened to the guy at his side, he, too, was hit in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.
The leader, stopped moving towards Chikage as he sensed something was lurking behind him. He quickly turned around to defend himself. However, the person crouched down before he could lay a finger on them and gripped the metal pile tighter. They, then, lay the final blow and possibly the hardest that they could hit right in the groin area of the man.
The man yelped as he felt the excruciating pain in his lower region and fell on his knees. Chikage's savior panted and turned to Chikage, himself. They pulled Chikage's arm and lay them around their neck, helping him to stand up. Then, slowly, they limped away from the three brute men who were crouching in pain.
As they made their escape, Chikage sniffed and was suprised. "This smell..." Chikage thought, as he slowly opened his eyes. "Could it be..."
Chikage slowly turned to his side and saw a familiar face. "Master...!" Chikage managed to croak out. (Y/N) continued making their escape with a serious look as sweat were coming out of her pores. She turned to Chikage and gave him a twitchy smile.
"T-This is quite a situation you got yourself into here, h-huh?" (Y/N) said, as she panted and looked forward, supporting the black haired cat boy's weight. Chikage could feel her body, visibly shivering, clearly not used in confronting people like that by violence. "Guess I'll help you out~"
Chikage widened his eyes, horrified at the fact that her Master had literally risked it all just to save him earlier. This thought caused him great frustration and looked down, guilty. "I-I'm s-sor..ry..." He stuttered out as he tried to help himself by supporting most of his weight but ending up tripping in the process. Luckily, (Y/N) was holding him enough for him not to dive head first in the ground.
"Whoa, there!" (Y/N) said as she adjusted his hold of him. "Chikage, just take it ea-"
Before she could finish her sentence, (Y/N) widened her eyes as Chikage bit his bottom lip in clear frustration. He was gripping his fist tightly that his knuckles were turning white. (Y/N) stopped moving and her face looked serious. She then took hold of his face with one hand and stared straight in her eyes. "Chikage, listen to me." She said. "You didn't do anything wrong. So you shouldn't feel responsible for anything."
"What I did earlier was my own will. I did it because I want to." (Y/N) said as Chikage stared back at her. "So you don't have to worry. It's my problem now, you don't have to feel guilty or apologize for it."
"M-Master...I..." Chikage said as he widened his eyes at her and opened his mouth to retort back. However, the familiar voice of one of the brutes were heard at the distance, obviously out to hunt for them.
(Y/N) clicked her tounge and turned to look forward. It was still the same old streets were any other human are not present. She breathed in and out, trying to keep herself calm as she think of a way out of the situation. She turned to the side and saw an alleyway. "There, Chikage, Let's hide! We don't have enough time to run away...!" She said as they both limped towards the alleyway. They turned to the corner and looked around for a hiding spot. "There, hurry...!"
(Y/N) limped towards a giant garbage dump with Chikage in her arms and hid behind it. It wasn't long before the brutes may have knew were they went and began to turn to the alleyway that they were in. The leader, in fit of frustration, yelled at his subordinates to go explore the alleyway.
They both panted, making as little noise as they can to not blow their cover. They were searching thoroughly, (Y/N) noticed and turned to Chikage whose face were red and panting heavily. She narrowed her look and placed his head to lean on her shoulder. She placed her hand in his bloodied forehead and feel his temperature, she bit her bottom lip. "He's hurt and he has a fever too..." (Y/N) thought as she took out a handkerchief that was luckily in her pocket and placed them in his wound. "Just how long has he been like this...?"
At a sound of a footstep, (Y/N) was instantly alerted and hugged Chikage close to her. She gulped and looked at Chikage as she paid attention to the sound of footsteps, they were near. (Y/N) gritted her teeth in frustration, however, when she looked at Chikage, who was struggling to be in concsious.
After a while of thinking, she took a deep breath and smiled at Chikage. "Hey, Chikage...I'm gonna tell you something..." She said as she stroked his hair. "You gonna cooperate, alright? I'm gonna distract them."
Chikage's ear twitched as his breath hitched. "N-No! I-" He opened one of his eyes and his mouth to protest, however, (Y/N) cut him off.
"I know, I know...I know it's reckless but Chikage, this is the only way I can save you right now...!" She said as she gave him a twitchy smile. "I'm scared too but...I need to do it..."
"They're probably after me now rather than you, so..." (Y/N) said as she pat his head and lay him gently on the wall. She prepared to head out and looked at him with a smile. "You don't need to worry."
With that, (Y/N) went out of their hiding spot and purposely made a noise. One of the men saw her and pointed at her. "There! There's the b•tch!" He aggressively said, (Y/N) gulped and ran away, luring them away from where Chikage is.
With one tired eye, Chikage reach out his hands, panting. "M-Master..." He called, silently. "C-Come ba...Back..."
He tried to lift himself up but his body was far too weak to do so and can only manage to sit up. Chikage rests his head on the wall and took a deep breath. He finally opened his eyes, the glow on them coming back and then, with all of the little strength he has, he managed to lift himself up.
He stared off on the distance his Master went to. Chikage bit his bottom lip, remembering what she said.
"You don't need to worry."
Chikage could feel tears beginning to come out of the side of his eyes. Flashbacks began to erupt from his mind, reminding him of his past. "M...Mom...What do I do..."
Chikage widened his eyes and breath in and out, trying to calm down. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at where his Master ran to. "...No, I'm not gonna lose another one...!" He said as he managed to stood up on his feet, though a bit wobbly. He gripped his stomach, which was the most damaged out of all his body parts.
Using the walls as a guide, he quickly moved forward, following where (Y/N) went to. "Wait for me, Master..." He said.
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(Y/N) ran around the alleyway, hoping to God not to ran into a dead end. With three behind her tail, she turns her head in hopes of finding a place to hide or a place to escape to. As she turned towards a corner, she stopped as she searched for somewhere to hide. She felt that if she continued on running away, she'll just end up in a dead end.
Sweat coming out of her head, she looked and looked but the only ever thing that she encountered on her way here was just garbage dumps. It'll be far too obvious now to hide in one. So, with the risk of a dead end, she decided to just keep on running away. Perhaps, she'll just end up on the other side of the town and ask for help?
However, before she could actually start running, a sharp pain went up to her right ankle, causing her to trip. She yelped in pain and looked down and touched her ankle. She shut her eyes tight as pain emitted from it when she gripped it. "Wha...!?" She thought as she widened her eyes. "No, no, no...Not now, not now...!"
She quickly went to the side and leaned on the wall for support. "I need to run...! I need to escape!" She thought as she began to stand up, despite the pain on her right ankle. She continued on limping away, ignoring everything. "It's fine...It's fine...I'm gonna get out, Chikage's gonna be saved...I'll-"
"Where do you think you're going?" A grumpy deep voice was heard behind her, causing her to widen her eyes and turn around. However, a harsh blow was sent to her face, causing her to yelp and fall down. "Enough with your games! You pissed us off way too many times, you piece of sh•t!"
(Y/N) was pulled by the hair but she kept her eyes shut, refusing to look at any of them. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest, as if feeling her impending doom. "Don't think we've forgotten about that stupid sh•t you pulled on us!" One said as he smirked and looked at her face that was contorted in agony. "You thought you could get away, huh!?"
(Y/N) then widened her eyes as she felt hands on her neck. She gasped as her air supply was blocked, causing her to choke. Her hands begins to claw the hands on her neck to somehow get it off her.
With her eyes widened, she felt herself being pulled up by the neck. She coughed as pain began to surge in her neck, however, the man didn't mind her suffering. (Y/N) began to panic as she was now on her toes, desperately trying to stay in her feet. "A-Agh..." She croaked out, her voice struggling.
The men laughed at her current state, probably feeling extreme satisfaction of getting back to her. (Y/N) shut her eyes tight, sweating and opened it back slowly. Then, her eyes trailed behind the men and widened her eyes as she saw a pair of glowing red eyes. "C...Chi..." She struggled to say as she was beginning to ran out of air.
"Master..." An intimidating aura was felt from behind the group and they slowly turned around. Then, they saw the familiar black haired cat boy with his glowing red eyes staring back at them.
The world seemed to stop in Chikage's eyes. Something about seeing her Master on her toes, desperately clawing the hands off her neck for air made Chikage remember a lot of memories that he can go on not remembering. His eyes widened as he clenched his fist, his breaths went out heavily as he slowly stepped forward. "Let...Master...Go..." He mumbled.
The male seemed to look confused as they watched the cat boy walk towards them. However, before they knew it, Chikage's walk slowly became a charge as if every injury he had disappeared. "Let Master go!" He yelled in full rage as his nails sharpened and quickly slashed the guy that was holding (Y/N) in the face.
The guy quickly felt the pain and dropped (Y/N) harshly on the floor. The said girl then coughed, before trying to gasp as much air as she could while putting her hand on her neck, in hopes of trying to ease the pain in her neck. With her weak state, she looked up and widened her eyes as she saw Chikage.
It was as if Chikage turned into a real wild animal. Eyes widened in pure rage and without hesitation, slashing each guy that tries to fight him. He kicked one in the stomach as he proceeded to grab the other guy's collar and punched him in the face. It got so bad that the three males that was so intimidating a while ago had now beginning to have some serious injuries from various parts of their body. Yet, Chikage felt no need to stop.
Seeing him right now, somehow made (Y/N) really sad and guilty. She can't help but to think that Chikage acted this way because of her. She has to stop him or else he'll end up doing something he'll regret.
Shaking her head to clear up her mind, (Y/N) forced herself to stand up. "Chikage...!" She called as she went towards the out of control cat boy, enduring the pain on her right ankle. She grabbed his shirt in order to stop him. "You can stop now! They're already...!"
Chikage didn't seem to hear her orders even if she was just there. His eyes were still burning with rage as he slammed a guy on a ground. (Y/N) widened her eyes as Chikage placed his hands on his neck, slowly squeezing the life out of him, similar to how he did on (Y/N). (Y/N) quickly gripped his arms to try and stop him from doing so, only to no avail. "Chikage! Stop! Listen to me!" (Y/N) yelled. "Stop it! You're gonna kill him! Please..."
Not knowing what to do, tears began to come out of (Y/N)'s eyes as her hands trembled. "Please...Chikage...You need to come back...! This isn't like you..." (Y/N) said in tears and not knowing what else to do, she hugged him. "Please, I need the old Chikage back...Don't make this mistake...!"
For some reason, those words resonated within Chikage and finally, he snapped out of his rage. His grip loosened and his eyes widened, bringing back the shine his eyes once had. He turned to the person hugging him. "...M-Master..." He uttered out and slowly turned to look at his hands.
His eyes widened in horror as blood was visible in his hands, probably not his. He began to panic as he looked up and saw the three brute men, laying on the ground, unconcsious. "I-I..." Chikage stuttered, feeling disgusted of himself in thought of making such a violent act.
Chikage turned back to (Y/N) who looked back at him. Tears began to come out of his own eyes as his lips quivered. "I-I...Master...I...I'm s-sorry..." He stuttered out, obviously scared. "I-I didn't mean it...! I...I just...! When I saw you that they...! Everything went black and before I knew it, t-this...this happened! I don't know!"
(Y/N) watched as Chikage tries to reason with himself and felt bad. She scooted closer to him and pat his head. "It's fine...I know you didn't mean it..." (Y/N) said as she gave out a tearful smile. "I know that Chikage is really a good cat boy...You were only trying to protect me, right? Thank you, Chikage..."
Chikage blinked away some tears only for big fat ones to come out more as he tackled (Y/N) in a hug. He began to cry out loud. "Master...!" He cried, hugging her tight. "I'm sorry...!"
(Y/N) hugged back, letting the cat boy cry out that he was probably holding back for a long time. She stroked his hair, listening as he sobbed in her shoulders. (Y/N) smiled slightly as a final tear fell down from her cheek.
After a while, Chikage began to calm down and pull apart from his hug to stare at (Y/N). With his swollen cheeks and a bit of tears, (Y/N) reached out and wiped the remaining bit of tears on the sides of his eyes. Chikage sniffed and slowly begin to gave a smile.
However, he widened his eyes as a sharp pain went crashing down his body. He lost control of his body as he laid his head on (Y/N)'s shoulder. "Chikage...!?" She exclaimed in panic. Chikage coughed up violently and began to breath heavily. That's where (Y/N) realised the amount of work he gave in his own body that his body is bound to give up in any minute.
(Y/N) looked around, finding away to somehow get Chikage to safety only to remember her possibly sprain ankle. She wouldn't be able to carry the black haired cat boy. However...
"Master!"
A familiar voice was heard that gave (Y/N) hope once again. She quickly turned around and almost cried in joy when she saw her the other cat boys and her friends finding them. "Master, are you okay!?" Natsuki asked as he ran towards the two of them. "And Chikage! What happened to him!? He looks so beat up!"
"Don't mind me right now! Chikage's in a bad condition!" (Y/N) said as she gripped Chikage desperately, hoping for the black haired to still be okay.
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~End~
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A/N :
Eyy! Long time no see! I'm suprised people are still reading this story when it has such a pathetic author ヽ(￣д￣;)ノhuh, I wonder who that author is... ('⊙ω⊙') How irresponsible
Anyway, I just finished making a portfolio and I thought that if I could finish a portfolio in a short amount of time, maybe I could finish chapter 28 that I started literally TWO MONTHS AGO (c" ತ,_ತ) LIKE HOLY SHI- I need to bring this story to justice (._.)
But maaan, calculus is just taking over my life. (c" ತ,_ತ) I'm sorry, people (；ω；) I hope I can update this story as fast as possible.
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**Please Wait Patiently For The Next Chapter, Nya~**