Searching For You

Chapter 12: Love Scars

Kounoa headed out of her house with Taida. She looked at the rabbit woman. "Are you fine with going in with me to work today?"

Taida nodded as they walked down the sidewalk. "Of course I am. I can hold myself together. The hug, encouragement, and breakfast you gave me helped me a lot."

Kounoa's tail wagged enthusiastically. "That's wonderful to know!"

"You're a marvelous leader. You'll lead us to victory, Kounoa."

"I'm happy you think that!" The shiba smiled and wagged her tail.

I'm glad Taida's feeling better now! They kept walking until the factory was in sight. They made it to the front of it. The women headed inside and looked around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Mr. Sky walked up to them with a clipboard. "Kounoa! Who's this cute lady with you?"

"This is one of my bodyguards, Taida! Is it fine if she stays with me today? It's for personal reasons!" Kounoa smiled at her boss.

The bear held out his paw to Taida. "Well, first off, it's nice to meet you, Taida."

Taida shook his paw and smiled. "It's nice to meet you as well. I hope you'll allow me to stay."

"Of course it is!" Mr. Sky chuckled. "I'm surprised Kounoa of all my workers needs a bodyguard, though. She has incredible strength... Everyone here witnessed it themselves."

Kounoa couldn't help but blush at the statement. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, Mr. Sky! Thank you for allowing her to be with me!"

The bear man patted Kounoa's head. "It's no problem, Kounoa. You're on heavy lifting duty as usual. I'll be over by the metal if you need me."

Her tail wagged after the head pat. "Got it, sir!" The shiba responded.

Mr. Sky walked off and Kounoa led Taida to the locker room. When they walked inside, Taida got a shiver down her spine. She gave Kounoa a worried look. "Kounoa. Something doesn't feel right."

Kounoa grabbed the handle of her locker and looked at her bodyguard. "Let's keep watch of each other's backs, then..." She turned to her locker and opened it. She gasped when she saw a letter taped inside.

"I'm here for you."

A deafening explosion rang through the factory. Sirens went off and yelling came from all around. Kounoa looked at Taida. "Take us to where the explosion came from!"

Taida grabbed Kounoa's paw and instantly appeared in front of a cluster of flames and heavy materials. She let go of Kounoa's paw after. "Taida, go help-"

"Kounoa! I've been waiting for this moment!" Someone chuckled behind them.

The women turned around to see someone in a trench coat, combat boots, and a helmet made to fit a canine. Kounoa got into a fighting stance. "Are you the Raiser?"

They laughed in response and blew a kiss to Kounoa. "Who else could it be, my love?"

"You've got some balls to show your face here, Raiser!" Kounoa growled at them. "You're a creep!"

Their deep and robotic-like voice echoed as they chuckled and blew more kisses to Kounoa. Taida stepped in front of Kounoa. "You're a murderer, a monster, and a creepy guy who stalks women. I'm sick and tired of you!"

Raiser shook their head. "I disagree. I only stalk my sweet Kounoa!"

Ugh... I'm so tired of whoever this is! Kounoa growled again. "Shut up, before I take you down and drag your corpse across the floor! You crummy bastard!"

Taida looked at Kounoa. "You need to calm down." Taida stepped back and put her paw on Kounoa's arm out of Raiser's sight. The rabbit's paw glowed yellow.

She's calming me down with her powers. She's right, though. I can't let Raiser upset me. The shiba woman focused on Raiser again.

Raiser smirked. "That's what I want! Keep getting angry like the sexy beast you are, Kounoa! Show me what it's like to be angry!" They laughed.

"Why are you doing this, Raiser? What do you get out of this?" Kounoa interrogated them.

"I'm doing this so I can get what I want the most, you!" They laughed and blew another kiss at Kounoa. "Though there's not much time left for me! I must go-"

The wall behind Raiser shattered. Bou and Suguru stood there, ready to fight. A futuristic canon formed around Suguru's arm and he shot rockets out of it at Raiser. Raiser avoided the rockets and ran in another direction.

Bou stretched her arms out and tried to grab Raiser. "You're not going anywhere!"

Raiser slid under her arms to and disappeared. Bou brought her arms back to herself and only an envelope remained on the ground. Kounoa and her bodyguards stood almost in silence, as they failed to capture Raiser.

Kounoa walked over to the envelope and picked it up. She opened it to find a letter.

"You're making things worse by trying to capture me! Things will get harder from here, unless you unlock what's inside of you!"

-The Raiser

The shiba woman took a deep breath in and then out. She looked at her bodyguards. "Help anyone you can that's injured and get them to the safest place possible!"

Her bodyguards nodded and went around the destroyed factory to look for the injured civilians. "I'll heal as much as I can, Kounoa." Taida said before instantly zooming around the factory.

There's no time to think about Raiser. I have to help whoever I can! This is my fault that things are like this... Kounoa glanced around and discovered someone under a gigantic pile of rubble. Oh god... She dashed over to the rubble and lifted some of it up.

This is more than I've lifted, really... Kounoa broke a sweat while lifting, tossing everything to the side until she revealed the body.

No, no, no!

She stared at the corpse of her boss, Mr. Sky. A pool of blood sat in his gaping maw. His chest had gotten crushed. The surrounding noises faded as she stared at his body. Raiser's voice echoed in her mind.

You're making things worse!

Things will get harder!

Unlock what's inside of you!