“You don’t exactly look human,” Drake pointed out, eyeing Kohaku, “Listen, I’m just trying to look out for you, and these cops don’t mess around. You need to disappear, soon. One minute, they’re going to want to question you and you won’t be able to hide yourself.” He turned, walking back up the stairs.
Peter was forced out of the doors, and into a cop car. Rigel was helped out a moment later, a stretcher being brought to him.
Although he wanted to stick around to see if Rigel was going to be okay, Youichi realized Drake was right. “Come on, Kohaku— we need to leave.”
“Youichi’s right,” Mamoru came out from behind the building, almost out of nowhere. “We need to get back to their place before they begin to worry too much about us.”
“But—“ Kohaku stammered, being covered up even more and lightly escorted away from the police. “I— How will— what if I never get to see him again??”
Mamoru and Youichi lightly ignored her and went along, trying to keep themselves as hidden as possible.
Rigel….
Rigel and the employee had been sent off the hospital, Peter had been taken to the jail to await trial, and teams of cops covered the scene of the building and tied up lose ends.
(Want to do a time skip to the next day?]
(Yes pls)
Back at Naoki's house…
Kohaku lied awake in her bed, constantly rethinking about what happened. Ryuu…. Watch over Rigel and tell me he's going to recover well…. It was unfortunate she wasn't transformative like Mamoru or Youichi, but she could get some news that way.
Rigel was laying in the hospital bed, staring towards the opened window. He’d refused to answer any questions- refused to talk, even. He was very broken, more broken than his body. They said that it was too broken to be fixed, but they hadn’t known that his other knee had been as broken as it before that girl healed it. He didn’t feel like trying to explain it.
Youichi touched at Kohaku's door, slipping inside. "Kohaku…" He called gently. "You need to go to bed. I understand you're upset–"
"Do you understand?" She snapped, her voice wavering. "Do you understand what Rigel means to me? To us??? He's the first bridge between Doku Ningen and humanity in centuries!" She barked. And I love him…
Rigel stared and stared for what felt like an eternity, before the door creaked open. He didn’t bother to turn his head, probably just another nurse. But this time… the person approached, and came into Rigel’s vision. It was that employee. She wordlessly put her hand over Rigel’s broken knee, quietly saying, “It was unfair what he did to you,” Her voice was hoarse, like a wraith’s. Rigel wondered if she had said anything since she left the building, either. “His other victims… he would maybe punish for a few hours, but he would always kill them afterwards. But you… you were the only one he raped like that. You were the only one he didn’t let die.” Rigel felt a hot tingling in his knee, “Sometimes me or one of my sisters would try to keep you unconscious for as long as possible, so you wouldn’t have to keep going through that pain.” She withdrew her hand then walked to the window. “That girl -the fox girl- was worried for you. I saw her when they were taking me out of the building.”
Youichi realized she was right– It was hundreds of years since any human acted as benevolent as Rigel, and the people around with the police and such didn't seem all to violent or excessive in the use of force. "Well, perhaps…." He was about to go on, but realized that he had no method in seeking out where Rigel went after the incident.
Kohaku just glared at him. "Who knows when I'll see him again, if I ever do!" She began to sob uncontrollably.
“Do you know where she is?” Rigel asked, the first word she had spoken in a while. His voice was wrecked from how much he had screamed.
“I don’t, but…” She glanced at his face before returning her hollow gaze out the window, “The nurses are preoccupied because certain recovering victim has gone missing, so if you want to go find her now would be the time to do so.” Rigel’s eyes widened a fraction, and a few moments later he had collected himself and was sneaking out the back door of the hospital and making a run for it, on newly recovered knees. His body still ached immensely, but he made it into the woods without being seen. That was all he wanted, to get out. The first step to finding Kohaku again.
Youichi joined her on the bed, hugging her close with an arm around her back. "I'm sure you'll get to see him again…" He rubbed her back, interrupted by frequent sobs. "It…. However, I don't know how long it'll be…"
Kohaku wiped her tears from her eyes, but her throat was fairly sore and rough. He has no idea… Youichi doesn't know…..
Rigel trudged through the woods, needing to take break every ten minutes or so because of he spent body. But he kept going, somewhat familiar with the direction to go. It felt like it took too long, but he made it to the raging river once again.
Kohaku sighed. "I– I know…."
Youichi rubbed her back more before standing up. "I think it's time for your hot bath to reconstruct your natural heating system…"
Kohaku shook her head. "But… I… I…." She stood up with him. "I want to see Rigel…. Right now…." I need to see if he's doing okay….
Rigel stared at the rapid waters. His body was wasted, his mind wasn’t in all that great condition either, and he didn’t have any metal to help him. If I could just get across… If I swam diagonally… Rigel needed to get back. And he wasn’t going to get anywhere just waiting in hopes of someone coming over. So he plunged into the icy water, swimming hard to the other side. The water pulled him down the river, and by the time he made it across he was shaking all over and he flopped onto the bank. He couldn’t move, his body too exhausted to function. I should’ve never done this…
(Looks like it'll be a while before he body surfs ever again…. Lol)
Kohaku allowed Youichi to leave, to put everything back in her hands. Now's my chance… She got out of her room, but instead of heading over to take her utmost important bath, she scrambled downstairs and outside. I can't take this any more… Kohaku wandered off.
(xD)
Rigel stayed there, numb at the riverbank. His mind slowly seemed to slowly drift in and out of consciousness, and he was sure he was getting hypothermia with his freezing wet clothes in the chilled air.
Kohaku wandered about, and she hugged herself, wrapping her tail around her hips. Even I'm getting cold out here…. She regretted not taking a bath like the others had told her to, but she was determined to find him– even if it meant going through the city uncensored.
Rigel laid there, numb and unmoving by the side of the water. Was the sky getting darker, or was that his mind playing tricks on him? “Kohaku…” He tried to call out weakly into the woods around him.
She lifted her nose up, in hopes that she could pick up a scent– but like that was going to help. She knew he was somewhere in the city, and she was gonna go there no matter what it took.
Her ears twitched as something came to her– her own name. R…. Rigel?? She let out a moaning howl. "R-i-i-i-gel!!"
He heard her. He heard her beautiful voice again. “Kohaku!” He gasped out, attempting to reach in the direction he heard her howl. But he could barely lift up his head, much less his hand.
Kohaku trotted around frantically, trying to find the focal point of his faint voice. "Rigel!!!" She howled. "Rigel where are you!!?" Where did he go?? I can't loose him now….
Beep
(I’m alive lol)
“The… river…” He got out, eyes feeling heavier and heavier by the second. He was just so weak… but he needed to see that face once more, just once. Rigel wanted to see her again, then he would be okay.
(It’s s miracle! :0)
Kohaku wandered around. “Rigel!” She howled. She couldn’t take it amymore; she was deprived of his presence, and she just wanted to see him again. “Rigel!!”
She finally made it to the river, pushing back shrubs and bushes to reveal her love, soaked and frozen on the bank— barely alive.
She rushed down by his side. “Rigel, speak to me….” He can’t…. not now…. not yet…. it’s too soon….
(Too bad that I have to go finish my homework now oof, but I’ll prolly hopefully be on later)
Rigel smiled, a tiredness like no other pulling at him, “Kohaku… I love you…” He tried to reach and grab her hand, but his hand merely twitched. And the welcoming darkness seemed more and more appealing…
Her heart skipped around upon hearing those words she longed to hear from him. “Oh, Rigel….” She nestled into his side, hugging his arm. Her tail wrapped around his waist and she began to heat him up. He was soaked, but that didn’t stop her from drawing away. “I…. I love you too…..” She lifted her snout up, touching the edge of his cold jaw with her nose lovingly.