Hydranomaly

Chapter 4: Into Society

Within the comforting, warm interior of the car, a strange, never-before-seen transport that Ryujin found himself tucked into the back seat of, he couldn't help but marvel at the speed they traveled. Peering out the insulated windows, he watched as trees blurred past, their shapes vanishing into the distance.

"Woah..." he breathed in wonder, a childlike giggle escaping his lips as he absorbed the sights with wide-eyed innocence. "Vivi, Vivi, look! We're going so fast!"

"We certainly are, Ryujin. And this is just the surface of how fast cars can go," Venus replied with a gentle smile, her tone filled with warmth as she indulged his fascination with everyday technology. "We can go even faster, y'know?"

"We can go even faster?" He repeated, excitement bubbled over, eyes sparkling with newfound enthusiasm. "Oh, fuck yeah, let's go faster then!"

"Unfortunately, kiddo, we can't do that. It wouldn't be safe," Max interjected from the driver's seat in front of him, his tone paternal yet firm. "We don't want any accidents before we even reach the city, right?"

"Aww, but she said-" Ryujin's expression fell into a pout, disappointment evident in his demeanor as he reluctantly settled back into his seat, sinking into the plush cushioning with a sigh.

As his stomach emitted a symphony of growls, a relentless reminder of his enduring hunger that had accompanied him throughout the journey, Ryujin couldn't help but feel the pang of its insistence. "Hey... when are we getting to your... home, huh? I'm starving..." he queried, his impatience palpable as he slouched against the window, weariness settling in.

"Any cravings, buddy? Sweet treats? Spicy delights, maybe? Once we're home, consider it yours," Max proposed with a gentle grin.

"He might not know what that means..." Venus interjected with a knowing smile.

"Yeah, I'm kinda lost... but I'm up for anything!" Ryujin replied cheerfully, gratitude evident in his tone as he lifted his head from the car's vibrating window. "Besides, anything beats not eating, that's for sure..."

"Looks like I'm on kitchen duty tonight," Max suggested with a warm smile. "Might as well pamper the little guy and make a good first impression, right?"

"Whoa... that's a mouthful... but uh, can you dumb it down? What's in-pesta-something?" Ryujin confessed with a sheepish grin, his struggle to grasp the concept written all over his clueless face.

"Don't sweat it, champ, it's nothing to worry about. Just take it easy, alright?" Max reassured with a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with fondness. Observing Ryujin's excitement and childlike curiosity, Max couldn't help but marvel at how such an apparently innocent soul managed to triumph over such a formidable anomaly. He appeared as ordinary as any regular human, after all.

"I gotta know..." he started, curiosity bubbling as he posed the question delicately. "How on earth did you take down that Anomaly, though?"

"Huh? Honestly... I dunno... felt like I just fell asleep, barely remember a thing..." he shrugged, trying to piece together the fragments of his memory. "And then when I woke up, I was standing over that fucker's body... not after swallowing whatever I did." He grimaced, sticking out his tongue in disgust, the taste still lingering. "Not a picky eater, but I'd pass on whatever that was..."

"Barely remember anything, huh?" Venus sighed softly, "Must be linked to your Dragon Hybrid thing..."

"Dragon Hybrid?" Ryujin perked up, his curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar, yet cool-sounding terms, finding them oddly intriguing, much like Max.

"A Hybrid, you say?" Max chimed in, his eyes widening with interest, his focus shifting between Ryujin and Venus. "Care to elaborate?"

"From what I can tell, seems like he can switch between a human form to another mixing elements of both human and anomaly... Into that humanoid dragon he transformed into, in his case." She explained, unconsciously reaching out to draw Ryujin closer, causing a faint blush to bloom on the boy's cheeks, earning a slight smile from her despite her otherwise serious, composed demeanor. "There might be some folks out there keen on getting their hands on him if they catch wind. Best keep his profile low..."