Haikyuu Creature Collection

Hope (Ittetsu Takeda)

Wizzy: In case you don't get it, Takeda's an angel. Also, he's supposed to be younger in this, about 16-17. Reader-chan is somewhere around the same age.

Hope. It's the only thing that we have. Hope that we won't be treated badly. Hope that we won't be tossed into the Arena with the Dogs. Hope that we'll survive. Hope that maybe, against all the odds, that we might someday escape the horrid place.

"There has to be some way out of here..." I whispered to the young man next to me. One of the Collectors had us all lined up and was counting us as he walked down the line. This was part of the daily routine, a degrading act that we had no choice but to submit to.

Takeda didn't dare risk a glance at me. Step out of line here and you'll be thrown into the Arena like the Dogs. No matter how valuable they think you are, you'll be tossed in the Arena in a heartbeat if you don't do what you are told or if you do something you weren't told to.

Luck had never been on my side though, so the response I got didn't come from the person I'd been speaking to; it came from the Collector that was taking the headcount. He grabbed me roughly by the hair, yanking it and forcing me to face his direction. "Care to repeat that, Dog?" he hissed, his grip tightening painfully.

I wasn't stupid. There was no way that I was about to repeat that, not to this guy. This particular Collector had never been fond of me, though he was certainly fond of trying to break me. In fact, there were a great number of times spent his money on time alone with me, trying everything he could to break my spirit, but I would never let that happen.

"She didn't mean it sir!" a voice piped up, making the Collector's grip loosen slightly. He pushed my head down a bit, preventing me from looking at the one who'd spoken up. I didn't need to see though: I recognized his voice.

Ittetsu Takeda was one of the quieter, well-behaved ones. He did exactly what he was told and had won the favor of a number of the Collectors. Thanks to that, he was treated a bit better than most of us and they were more lenient with him.

The most that I could see of Takeda was his hand at his side. It was clenched into a tight fist, his knuckles turning a bit white. For a moment, I almost thought that he intended to fight the Collector, but that was quickly dismissed when I saw it.

Takeda's hand was trembling. He was scared, yet he still spoke up. Even under the vicious glare of the Collector, he didn't back down. He may have trembled more, but he still stood his ground. Apparently he had a backbone after all.

A few words are exchanged, but I don't get to hear them; I'm more focused on the painful pulling on my hair. The Collector growls in annoyance and gives me a hard shove, releasing his hold on me. I'm roughly forced onto my knees and he walks on, resuming his headcount.

Takeda quickly knelt by my side, helping me back on my feet. I should have expected it; angels are usually said to be pure of heart and kind. It was good to see that the time spent in this place had not destroyed that.

That night, I decided to escape.

Hearing footsteps, I ducked into the shadows, pulling Takeda with me. After the way he'd defended me, he couldn't just be left here. The least I could do was take him with me while I made my escape.

We were almost out of the compound. The exit was nearly in sight: all that stood in our way were the approaching footsteps. Knowing that though, I knew that this was very risky and that it could very easily get really dangerous really quick.

"If it becomes necessary, I'll do any killing," I said in the most reassuring tone I could muster. He was too tenderhearted to do such a thing, while I, having been stronger-willed and spent time in the Arena, was not afraid if it meant protecting our lives. "The blood will be on my hands, not yours."

Takeda didn't say anything to that, but I had an idea of what he was thinking. He's thinking that I didn't need to kill them; that it was little more than an unnecessary thought. But as a looked at Takeda's wings folded neatly at his back, the way they were all tattered and torn up, I felt my temper flare and a strong urge to tear those monsters to bits.

We were all young, strong, beautiful, and happy once. That changed the very second we were brought here. They all deserved to suffer for the things they've done to all of us. The lives of the Collectors meant nothing to me, even if Takeda thought differently. Regardless, we were going to get out of here or I would die trying.

As I heard the footsteps drawing closer, I turned to my partner. All the negative emotions vanished from my face and were replaced those that were tender and sweet, the first time since I'd been brought here. "Whatever happens, Takeda, I couldn't ask for a better friend."