tranquility - Fushiguro M. x Gender Neutral! Reader

27| what i had to

warning: brief description of gore     

      THE sound of rushing water rose in my ears as we neared the river. The waters rushed over the roots that seeped from the hillside, rippling past the rocks and guiding the fish and crawdads that resided inside of it. As we traveled down the mountain, the snow had turned into greenery, and the chill of the air had disappeared. I'd shed my coat long ago, allowing the sun that seeped through the canopy of leaves to warm my skin.

Upon the forest floor lie trees of the past, fallen in storms long forgotten. The seasons have been harsh, stripping away the bark and outer layers, yet rendering them all the more beautiful. They have the appearance of driftwood, twisting in patterns that reminded me of the way the greenery spread under the water. Even the color of the moss is kelp-like. It was soft and damp, yet my fingers came away dry when I touched it as I passed. I tilted my head upward, feeling my hair fall away from my eyes; the pines were several meters tall, reaching toward the golden rays of spring. Birdsong came in lulls and bursts, the silence and the singing working together as well as any improvised melody.

This is the forest I go to for rest, for the serenity that flows as cool river waters. There was something about the sparkle upon the blue, a melody without a rhythm, music without sound. Above wave the great arms, clothed in the greens of every palate and none, the verdant hues of nature's free dreams. In that place, I become a part of that art, of that three-dimensional creation of time and space, of a greater evolutionary span than my brain can fathom. It's when I stop knowing and begin feeling, it's when I hear with my heart the voices of these mighty trees.

Boone always told me that the forest was alive and that everything I saw belonged to the body of mother-nature herself. When I was younger, I hated to be in the forest. It scared me. But now, I wanted to be nowhere but here. This was my home; this was my peace.

"Scout," Taro said, bringing us to a halt at the bank of the river. "Climb one of those trees and look out on the path. I need to know of anything obstructing it."

I slid off my horse before handing him the reins, allowing him to lead them both toward the water. I glanced around me before picking an oak tree, testing its sturdiness by jumping up and hanging off a branch. When it didn't snap under my weight, I pulled myself up and began to climb. My boots scraped against the bark as I jumped up, grabbed hold of a branch, and swiftly pulled myself up. I stood up, carefully balancing on the branch as I looked over the path. I could see it winding down the mountain, and I stopped for a moment to admire the waves of green.

"Be careful," Taro called. "Last thing you need is a broken leg."

"I ain't gonna break my leg," I yelled back. "And the path's clear."

"Good, now get down here and get something to eat. We can't be stopped for long," He said.

I began to climb back down but stopped when I heard voices. I paused, glancing down at Taro as he glanced up at me. I returned to the previous branch, sinking into a crouch to conceal myself within the leaves. I walked to the end of the branch, my gaze shifting around me until I found the source of the voices.

"Both cabins were abandoned, so they have to be heading down this way,"

My heart sank at the familiar voice. I closed my eyes, my jaw tightening as I exhaled quietly.

"Be sure to check the trees. Scout can climb to the top of any tree they can get in and they'll shoot you down with an arrow."

I quickly began to descend down the tree. Taro jumped onto his horse, grabbing the reins of my mare as he pulled her beside him. He let go of the reins as I dropped from the last branch, landing on the saddle. I grabbed the reins and kicked my mare into a gallop, following Taro away from the river.

I slid my bow from the pouch beside me when I heard shouting. I drew an arrow, lining it up with the string before I turned. As soon as one of the men came into view, I released the arrow, watching it drill into his shoulder.

"Let's go!" Taro yelled. I turned back and snapped the reins to catch up with him.

"It's Jett," I said, looking over at him.

Taro's lips pulled into a frown. "So Fushiguro was right."

I turned my head forward. "We need to get down to the southern path. Boone said it was the easiest—"

A loud bang echoed in the air, making me jump as my ears began to ring. The birds that had been sitting idly in the trees shot out at the loud noise, their startled chirps filling the air. All the animals in the area began to run in the opposite direction, knowing exactly what the sound had been. My ears continued to ring as I turned my head back to the man beside me.

It took a moment to register the hot liquid splattering across my face. My eyes widened when I watched the crimson soaked bullet tear through Taro's skull, blood shooting from the wound. My lips parted in shock when I watched his body slump forward, slowly slipping from the saddle as he crumbled to the ground, his horse neighing loudly before taking off.

I turned my head over my shoulder, watching Jett lower the pistol in his hand. Smoke was still pouring from the barrel, and his gaze was set on me, his eyes slanting ever so slightly.

I jerked the reins to the side, making my mare rear up, my hands tightening around the ropes to keep myself mounted. Jett's eyes widened as he and the other two men shot past me. I turned around and took off in the opposite direction. My heart was slamming against my chest, my mind racing with thousands of thoughts.

I slung my bow over my shoulder, along with my quiver, and slid my feet from the stirrups. I brought my legs under me and stood up on the saddle, struggling to steady myself as I set my gaze on the branch quickly approaching. Once it was within my reach, I jumped up and pulled myself into the tree. I rushed to climb up, not caring about how the bark was cutting and scratching me.

My entire body was shaking. I only stopped when I'd reached the very top of the tree, and I had nowhere else to climb. I sunk down into a crouch, bringing my hand to my mouth as I fought the urge to vomit, the image of Taro's body reappearing in my mind. I screwed my eyes shut, my breathing rapid and unsteady.

"I know you're hiding up here somewhere,"

My eyes flew open at the sound of Jett's voice. I shakily pulled my bow into my hands, readying an arrow.

"Come on, Scout. Don't make this harder than it has to be. I don't want to kill you too."

I watched him walk under the tree I hid in. His crown of blonde hair shifted as he looked around, lime green eyes searching through the canopy of trees, trying to find me. He was trying to lure me out because he knew he'd never find me within in the leaves.

"Is it true?" I called, my arrow aimed in the center of his chest.

He looked around at the sound of my voice, unable to pinpoint my location. "Is what true?"

My voice shook as bad as my hands. "You killed Boone, didn't you, Jett?"

"I did what I had to do."

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Fact: Scout only learned to love the forest because of Boone's stories.