Chapter Four - The Confrontation

She flew.

It didn�t matter how long or far she went, she needed to see him. If he was in Zokujin, she wouldn�t have to worry or feel isolated anymore. She�d become her old self again. Worrying seemed to be a huge part of her ever since she became a wolf, but when she found him again, she could stay with him and be safe from harm. At least, she hoped that�s what would happen.

The feeling in the pit of her stomach from the shooting star led her to Hish� on Second Earth. Once a reasonable place built to home the poor, the city was now a meeting place for criminals. Mobs and gangs run the streets, which stain the beauty of living there.

Hikaru landed on a rooftop of a building, the safe way to roam the city, like in Senpaku. �What would Cloud be doing here?� the wolf thought. The reaction in her stomach was getting stronger, and she flew down to the sidewalk.

This feeling, that is too complex to describe in words, led her to the dirtiest, smelliest, biggest collection of scum and villainy on Second Earth: Futsukayoi Tavern.

As she looked at the tavern from outside she could not believe this would be the meeting place. Upset, she started to walk towards the door.

�Hold it right there, wolf,� a voice said. Hikaru stopped and looked to her right. A fat greasy man stood near the door and crossed his arms. �We don�t allow magical creatures in here,� he grunted disgustedly, and pointed Hikaru down the street.

�I�m sorry, sir, but I�ve been here before. I�m a Spliced,� Hikaru told him quickly and nervously, and ran right in the door before he asked her to prove it.

The familiar stench rushed through Hikaru�s nose, and she sat down in a stool and ordered a glass of water. She looked around hoping for some sort of sign, waiting for him to come, for hours and hours, but he never came. �Maybe I�m just imagining this�� she thought. At midnight, Hikaru was about to leave.

The door to the tavern suddenly swung open, and in walked a tall, cloaked man. Hikaru stared at him. His heavy boots clunked under his cloak, as he walked deeper and deeper into the tavern. His hood was up, and he had a large buster sword strapped to his back. Most of the people in the tavern were suffering from fear upon seeing the sword. For it was the trademark sword of the most heartless and proficient mercenary on Second Earth.

As he walked closer to Hikaru, everyone in the tavern diffused to the other side of the room, or left. He sat down next to the wolf. The bartender, hands shaking, gave the mercenary a beer before he even ordered.

�Why didn�t you run?� The man spoke in a deep voice, not even looking at Hikaru.

Her stomach lurched, but stood her ground. She didn�t look at him either. �I�m not afraid of people like you.�

�What is a young Spliced like you doing in a place like this? The only people who come here are people looking to forget,� he said, and paused for a moment. �And people looking to die.�

�Die�? This is a tavern. Surely people pass out from alcohol induction, but that can�t be what he means�� Hikaru blinked. �I�m looking for someone,� she said firmly and confidently. Her stomach continued to churn, but she was confused as to why around him. �Unless he killed�no, no. He is alive. I know he is.�

�If I were you, I would leave right now. It�s not going to stay peaceful for long,� the man talked as if he didn�t care that people would die.

�Since when do you care about my safety?� Hikaru asked matter-of-factly.

�I only like to see people die that are going to make me a lot of money in the future.�

Hikaru did not know what had come over her. Angered by his last statement, before she realized what she was doing, she hacked her claws against the man�s hooded face, who barely flinched. Everyone in the tavern was watching; everyone saw the innocent little wolf slash at the mighty mercenary and gasped.

The hood flew off his head, as did the entire cloak, with the force of the blow. He stood up and turned his head to look at her. He wasn�t a man, but was an eighteen-year-old boy with spiky blonde hair, and icy blue eyes. His face shown no expression at all, but his sapphire-like eyes looked almost sad as Hikaru stared into them. His outfit was entirely black, except for his navy blue sweater. He had a shoulder pad on his left shoulder, with a black sleeve covering his arm. He clenched his hands, and his gloves squeaked.

Hikaru looked at his face in shock, and almost fell off her stool. �It can�t be��

The wolf felt so many different feelings at once. The feelings of love and comfort overwhelmed her the most though, and she wanted to fall into his arms and stay there forever.

Her face lit up as their eyes met, and relief washed over her. �It�s you! I can�t believe it�s you!�

However, his face still showed no emotion, and he silently sat back down. �He doesn�t recognize me�not in this stupid body!�

�Cloud, it�s me, Hikaru Tosam.� By his facial expression, she could tell he still didn�t understand. �Remember, Cloud? Surely you were trying to find me too.�

Cloud grabbed his beer and took a swig. His glass was empty now. The bartender swiftly grabbed his glass and gave him another.

Cloud leaned back in his chair. �Sorry, I don�t know anybody by that name�� he closed his eyes. �I have no friends, Miss Tosam.�

Although her smile faded, Hikaru didn�t give up hope. She knew it was him, and she was going to prove that he knew who she was. �Cloud, it�s me, Hikki! My body is different, but it�s still the same me!�

Cloud finished his drink and pushed his chair back. He got up, picked up the shredded cloak, inspected it, and then tossed it against the wall. Before leaving, he turned to Hikaru and pointed to his cheek. �Thank you so much for the scratch, but if you don�t shut up I may have to shut it myself.� His words punctured Hikaru�s heart. �I have no childhood, and I have no friends. I just do what it takes to stay alive. I don�t need other people�s lives getting in my way and complicating my own.� He turned around, and walked out of the tavern.

Hikaru was still taken aback and waited a moment before following him. Everyone in the tavern was still staring at her. She could hear some whisper to go after him, and others screaming for her to run away before he killed her.

But Cloud wouldn�t kill his own best friend.

She ran out of the tavern, the door slamming shut. It was pouring rain. She ran as fast as she could through the surrounding woods, tears dripping down her cheeks. She found him running away too, and so she let her wings take her a good distance ahead of him. After she landed, she ran to him and knocked him down to the ground.

A loud rumble from thunder made Hikaru flinch. �Get off of me!� Cloud yelled and shoved the wolf off of his stomach. He got up and grabbed his head in pain. His senses were overloading, his skin was getting warmer, and everything got brighter and brighter. Soon, all he could hear was a loud screeching noise, as he fell to his knees. Then, he fell onto his back, just as Hikaru pinned him down before. She ran to his side and grabbed his hand with her paw.

�Cloud, what�s wrong?!� she screamed as she sobbed hard. He had to remember, he just had to.

The noise in Cloud�s ears suddenly faded. A bright light shot out of Hikaru�s paw and Cloud�s hand, wiggling it�s way out like a snake. Then another shot out, and then another. Hikaru let go of Cloud�s hand, and they wrapped around her arms, then her head and chest, and then her legs, until they surrounded her body completely.

She was repositioned from being on four legs to being on two. Her paws turned into hands and fingers, and feet and toes. The thick fur that had covered her body sunk into her, and became skin. A light pink tanktop draped her upper body, and light blue jeans enveloped her legs. The large violet wings that protruded from her back shined with magic and then evaporated. Out of her head grew silky dark brown hair that flowed down to her elbows. The lights disappeared, and she stood in the middle of the woods with her eyes closed.

��Hikaru?�

Her eyes flashed open.

�No, that�s impossible. I can�t change back�not unless he��