The Half-Blood Giant

Chapter 12: Journey to the Center of Ray

Chester only had Eren's brief explanation as a warning before Joey and Ray burst into the room. Joey didn't hesitate. He rushed at Chester and tackled him, knocking him to the ground. Chester was too startled to react. Ray wasn't sure that Joey was taking the right approach, since Eren seemed fine and the other giant didn't appear to be hostile, but he followed his lead nevertheless. Joey had good police instincts about this sort of thing, generally, so Ray trusted his best judgement. Plus, he knew how precious Eren was to Joey. There would be no stopping him if he even suspected she was in danger.

Chester didn't fight back. If this giant was the human woman's betrothed, he understood his response and didn't wish to antagonize the situation. He'd do the same thing for Jackie. He grunted in discomfort but stayed on the ground. He was significantly larger than this Joey fellow, and could have easily shrugged him off, but he complied. Ray helped pin Chester down but observed his lack of resistance.

"Who are you and what business do you have breaking into my apartment? What is your intention?" Joey shouted at him. He glanced back at the door, which had been locked, and creased his brow. "How did you get in here, anyways?"

Chester wasn't sure how to respond, since the truth might be too ridiculous to accept, but fortunately Eren intervened. "I don't think he ended up here on purpose, Joey!" she yelled. "I don't know how, but he materialized out of thin air and hit his head on the coffee table!"

"What?" Joey scrutinized the wound on Chester's forehead. "I see." He looked over at Eren. "Did he try to hurt you, Eren? Are you okay?" Joey glossed over the fact that the giant appeared out of nowhere; he was concerned with the more pressing matter of Eren's safety.

"I'm fine. I think... he's friendly."

Joey looked down suspiciously at Chester but released him. Chester winced and sat up. "She's right. I didn't intend to intrude or cause harm. I was searching for somebody named Milton," he explained.

Eren and Joey both gaped and exchanged glances. "Milton? My father?" Eren asked incredulously.

"He's the principal of a boarding school?" Chester inquired, raising an eyebrow. The couple nodded dumbly. "The very same, then."

"What do you need him for?" Joey interrogated.

Chester was about to answer, but his nose picked up a faint scent. He sniffed the air, distracted. "Jackie?" Following the trail of the scent, he approached Ray and gripped his uniform in his hands, sniffing him intently, not caring about anything else. Ray pulled back uneasily, but Chester wouldn't let him retreat, reeling him back by his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Ray asked, disconcerted. He was deeply uncomfortable with having a stranger sniffing him, with no regard for social customs.

"I smell Jackie. Where's Jackie?" Chester answered, raising his voice in an accusatory tone.

"Who?" Ray needed clarification, because he had no idea whom this weirdo giant was talking about.

Chester ignored him. "Jackie!" he bellowed loudly. "Where are you, Jackie?"

To Ray's shock, he heard a barely audible, muffled voice respond, "Chester! Help! Get me outta here!" He looked around with confusion, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. He turned around and noticed Eren and Joey staring at him with shock.

"What?" he asked, even more unsettled. He spun around to look back at Chester, who was glaring at him. "Where is that voice coming from?" His stomach was squirming. He gulped nervously and placed his hand on his midsection, looking down. His stomach had felt queasy earlier, but now it definitely felt as if there was something alive inside, almost as if a tiny creature was punching and kicking his stomach lining.