The Descendants of Ardwall

8. The Shape Changer

Hajime didn't expect to find Raiden Larter knocking at his door. And especially the day after he'd caused the poor boy to remember his dead parents. Yet here he was now, straight-faced and looking intently at him with his Raiden Larter cat-eyed gaze.

"Raiden." There was no hiding the surprise in Hajime's voice just then. "Hi."

For a moment, he feared that Raiden was here because he wanted to give him a good mouthful of what had happened to him the night before, after Hajime brought up his parents. However, good sense overcame him, and he recalled that Raiden had never seemed the confrontational type to ever do such a thing, even when he was upset.

"Do you have a minute to talk?" Raiden asked.

Straight to the point, Hajime mused. Typical Raiden.

"Yeah, of course." Hajime checked over his shoulder at the empty house behind him before closing the door. Judging by Raiden's distance and posture, he didn't look too eager to get inside. He did mention a minute, after all. What could he possibly want?

Raiden stared down at his feet for a few moments, as if to collect himself. Dark eyes met Hajime's just then. "Do you want to find your parents?"

Hajime thought his jaw must have dropped. "Do I want to – what?" He must have heard wrong. He could have sworn Raiden asked if he wanted to find his parents.

"You heard me." It certainly didn't seem as if he'd heard wrong. Raiden folded his arms across his chest, frowning slightly as if he didn't want to repeat himself. "Do you want to find your parents or not?"

Crazy request, Hajime found himself thinking. Definitely not typical Raiden.

What had gotten into him? Sure, Hajime had always wondered how it would feel to actually look for his mother and father, but he never quite found the will to actually do it or consider actual options. There were countless possibilities on where to start; it seemed impossible for one thirteen-year-old boy to actually do it. And in the Median realm too... Hajime didn't know the first thing about getting around in that other world. The impossibility of it all always had his heart sinking.

Suddenly remembering that Raiden stood there waiting for a reply, Hajime began to stammer, "Uh, I'm not sure if that's – Raiden, why – I mean, you can't be...serious" – the look on Raiden's face told him he was very much serious – "you're actually serious?"

The face Raiden made at Hajime just then was chilling.

"Okay," Hajime slowly drawled.

Perhaps he ought to humor Raiden, even if just for a moment. A part of him feared this had all been caused by his mentioning of Raiden's parents last night. What if it had driven his friend to madness and he was the one to blame?

"Let's say I do want to go, uh, find my parents, as you say – and I'm not saying yes, I'm just saying what if" – he quickly had to add when Raiden opened his mouth, almost looking pleased with himself – "how do you intend we even do it? And why would you want to help me look for my parents?"

It was the strangest thing anyone had ever asked him. Many people knew Hajime had been orphaned, but no one actually cared enough to do more than give them a sorry pat on the back and congratulating him for having a great stepfather in their place. To suddenly have Raiden – so suddenly, so abruptly – want to help him look for them? There had to be an ulterior motive here.

When his friend didn't reply, Hajime folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not answering until you tell me." He knew he had Raiden this time; whatever was going on in the back of that Larter's mind, he'd have to tell him if he wanted Hajime to tag along.