"Rick!" A voice cried out from behind the door.
Rick rose from the couch.
As he opened the door, he was greeted by Sena.
"How is she?" Sena looked over at Maru, who was huddled up in a blanket.
Rick smiled sadly.
"I guess she could be better."
Sena looked around the room.
"How's Chris...?"
Rick frowned.
"I don’t know; why don't you ask him?"
Sena sighed.
"Because he won't answer mine or Abbey's calls."
Rick scratched his head and let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry for such a short stay, but I have to go back downstairs to make sure there aren't any customers stopping by potentially," she said, taking her leave.
As she opened the door, the adults heard a whine.
Sena and Rick quickly turned around.
"Sena..." Maru whimpered.
Sena quickly went over to her.
"What is it, Maru...?" She said, pulling the blanket off the girl’s head, stroking her hair.
"Ple
As the day progressed, Maru remained huddled in her blanket."Maru," Rick gently called out.However, she did not look up."How about we eat something?" He suggested as he began walking over.Maru quickly hid her face in the blanket.Rick sighed as he sat down."Maru, you seriously need to eat something," he paused.The blanket began shaking."Maru..." He whispered."Please tell me you're not..."He quickly pried the blanket off her head.Maru squeaked.Rick touched his lips to her forehead.His eyes widened."You're burning up!" He cried.He quickly rose, rushing to the refrigerator.He went into the freezer, quickly grabbing an ice pack.Damnit! How the hell was I so clueless!? He thought to himself.As Rick got back to the couch, he gently placed the ice pack on the girl’s forehead. She flinched."Maru..." He whispered, caressing her
As night fell, the city was bustling.In the middle of the commotion was a bar.The bar was relatively empty in contrast to the outside bustle. However, business went on.As the door creaked open, leaking a hint of the night into the dim-lit bar, a cloaked man entered."Ah, welcome." The bartender greeted.The man simply waved.Only one other customer was seated at the bar."What can I get for you?" The bartender asked the man."I don't care." The man replied.The bartender looked at him for a second.“Uh,” he began.“D-do you have an ID...?"The man blushed."H-here..." He grumbled, pulling out his ID.The other man seated at the bar turned his head; his eyes widened.The bartender gave a nod.The man sat next to the other bar visitor.The other man kept his gaze steadily on his glass."Nice night," the cloaked man smiled.The man ne
By the time Larkin arrived back home, he had figured everyone would be fast asleep.But as he opened the door, he was greeted by a familiar pink presence."Papa!" She cried, throwing her arms around him.Larkin, completely caught off guard, patted her head awkwardly."Kari..." He began."Shouldn't you...be in bed?"She sniffled, looking up."Mim said we had something to discuss!" She exclaimed as she grabbed his hand."We're in the meeting room, papa!"As she led him to the room, Larkin suddenly thought about those kids. Those kids that he had betrayed so many years ago.It was merely a game of pretending... He reassured himself.As the two came up to the meeting room, the door opened to reveal two other people sitting at a table."Yo," A man with pink hair gave a wave."Any news?"The other person, a lady, stood up."One of our spies found two possible candidates. She s
“Hey,” Keren began, placing her hands on her hips.Norio looked up from the newspaper.“Hah?”Keren frowned.“You’ve been even more irritatingly quiet lately.”Norio looked back down at the paper.“Oi! Don’t go ignoring me, you jerk!” Keren cried.Norio groaned.“It’s too early for your crap!” He grumbled as he stood up.Keren folded her arms and sighed.*As he got breakfast ready, Norio turned to Emersyn and Vera.“Do you two want to help put the blueberries in?”The two quickly looked up.“Really!?” Emersyn cried.“Mm!” Vera nodded eagerly.It’s not that big a deal... Norio thought to himself.Keren leaning against the wall, smiled softly.“He’s really at his best when it comes to these kids...” She whispered.
As Keren walked up to the steps, she was shocked to see Norio standing on the porch.As he lifted his head, utter despair filled his eye."What the hell happened!?" She exclaimed, running up to him."Somebody took her," Norio replied."What do you mean!?" Keren cried."Come," he said, grabbing her by the wrist.As they walked to the back, the garage door was left open."No..." Keren covered her mouth."I just went on a walk," he paused."By the time I got back..." He looked down."She wasn't happy with me but,"Keren shot him a look."What do you mean...?"Norio sighed."She told me she...loved me."Keren looked at him."Are you sure this is a case of kidnapping and not,"Norio shot her a look."I'm damn sure, Emersyn wouldn't get so upset she'd leave because of three words."Keren let out a sigh."Where is Vera?"Norio pointed to his sis
As the following day came, everyone arrived outside of Sena's shop."Where's Rick?" Tammy asked."He's still getting ready," Chris replied.“How'd you guys sleep?" Chris asked as he looked around."Not too well..." Sena replied as Abbey let out a yawn.They then heard the creaking of the porch steps.“What the hell took you so long?" Chris asked."Sorry, sorry," Rick said, scratching his head."Maru," Tammy began."How are you?"Maru, who was half asleep, rubbed her eyes."I'm really sleepy..."Tammy giggled.*As they began walking toward the dojo, Abbey momentarily stopped."So, what's the game plan, leader?" Abbey asked."We go in with our guards up, is all," Rick said."What the hell kind of vague plan is," before she could finish, Rick, carrying a sleepy Maru, looked over his shoulder at her."One of you will stand outside with Maru, in case.
"Nori..." Keren whispered."Hah?" He responded, looking down at his phone."Are we almost there yet?"Norio frowned."Do you want Emersyn back or not?"Keren shot him a look."Don't be silly!" She cried."Shh!" Rick put a finger to his mouth."We could have driven, but then they'd definitely see us coming," Chris said, sighing.*"Boss," Mim began, walking into the room."Hm?" Larkin turned around."One of our spies claimed to have sent out threats."Larkin nodded his head."This just got very interesting," he said with a grin.*"Hold on!" Tammy cried out.Everyone turned to look at her."My phone lost its signal..." She whispered."What do you expect? We're in the middle of a forest." Norio huffed."Looks like we're," before he could finish, Chris suddenly pointed."Behind those trees..." He whispered."Is that it...?" Sena quest
"Now!" Rick cried out.More enemies came pouring out of the entrance.The rest of the group came charging out from behind the bushes.Rick cut through a few of the enemies with ease."Sena!" Abbey cried as she drew her sword, running in front of her.“I knew you'd be reluctant!" She cried."But!" Sena exclaimed."I need to be of use somehow!" She shouted."If you want to be of use," Keren began."Shut that pretty mouth of yours and start throwing some punches!" She cried.Sena gave a determined nod."Chris!" Rick shouted."Yo!" He replied."How are you holding up with Maru!?" He cried out.Maru, who was clinging to Chris's shoulder, whimpered."Fine!" He responded as he kicked an enemy.The enemy quickly got back up."Tch!" Chris grumbled, kicking him again."Stay down, you damn cockroach!" He shouted.One of the enemies coming from behind him be