Wholehearted Half-Souls

Chapter 10: TLC (Part 3)

A dark cloud of gray covers the expanse as time moves backward slowly. The world spins mightily yet eerily for the person lying on the ground. "Stupid human!" A pair of monsters with cat-like features look down at a skinny human child, who is covered in bruises. As he curls up into the fetal position, the two cat monsters kick him in the ribcage and back at the same time. He growls and tries to punch at their legs, but he misses every shot.

The human looks up at the two monsters, who smirk down at him. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue?"

They laugh, and the human growls. "You two aren't funny."

The pair shrug, and the first kicks him in the stomach, causing him to spit up blood mixed with saliva. The human chokes and grips the ground tightly.

"That's what you get for whining all the time," the first cat monster spats. "You're not special; you're just like us, yet you act like the world is against you. Face it, kid: life is unfair."

The human tries to get up but stops moving halfway up from the ground. He shoots daggers at the cat monsters again and growls. "We all attend the same orphanage, and yet you treat me like this. Why?"

The second monster smirks down at him and folds his arms. "We just got tired of your whining. You always act more important than everyone else."

The human skyrockets from the ground and hurls himself at the second cat monster. He punches him square in the nose, and a loud pop fills the alleyway. As the cat monster backs away, holding his nose, he waves his paw in front of his face, and his face twists with panic. "W-w-wait, hold on!" 

The human lands a second punch, then a third. His fists fly like wind in a storm. With one last punch, he lands a hit under the monster's chin, and the monster flies backward and lands unconscious on the ground, mind going cold and body being beaten down.

The first cat monster gasps, pulls up his sleeve, and charges forward. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!"

The human child readies another punch, but from the light across the way, a muscular purple monster appears, arms folded. She's sporting tattered jeans and a white undershirt with a black jacket on top. "Why don't you punks pick on someone your own size, huh," she says as her cool demeanor wafts over the alleyway. She shrugs and chuckles. "Would make for a more fair fight."

The cat monster stops moving as he moves to stand beside his friend again. He tilts his head and lowers his tone. "Fair fight...what do you mean?" He stops talking and grimaces. "Oh right, you're Susie. You've always gotta flaunt yourself whenever a fight comes up!"

Susie folds her arms, and her yellow eyes appear again from behind her hair, glowing like a pair of twin suns. "Unless you don't want a fair fight because I can easily stomp you into the ground. Or eat your face." She shrugs and smirks. "Whatever you prefer." The cat monster gasps, grabs his friend, throws him over his shoulders, and fireman-carries him away from Susie. He dashes into the night screaming; she shakes her head and snorts proudly. "Heh, typical."

Susie turns around. She sees the human holding his ribcage painfully and walks up to him calmly. "Looks like they beat you up pretty bad." The human stares up at her, with red fire emitting from his eyes. Susie grimaces and holds up her hands peacefully. "Hold on, bud. We're friends, right? I get that we just met for real a couple of days ago, but we gotta stick together. Let's partner up."

"Why would I want to do that?" the human asks.

"I can tell you're lonely, and I'm lonely, too. Why not be lonely together?" Susie responds with a smirk. 

The human teen raises his head and spats at the ground, gritting his teeth. "How can I know that I can trust you?"

Susie smiles, pulling out an axe from behind her. The blade shines in the moonlight, and her eyes proudly stare at the weapon. "What kind of woman doesn't have an axe? Me showing off my favorite toy should be proof enough that you can trust me."