Animal Adventure

Chapter 2: Going Over the Rainbow

Bad idea. Very, very bad idea. The girl thinks as she waits for the boy to answer her. What that hell are you thinking, Teresa?

The girl, now known as Teresa, watches the boy to see his reaction. Surprise is the top one, but it quickly turns into suspicion. Teresa did not blame him as she is a total stranger. To be offer a place to stay out of nowhere is something that the girl would also be suspicious of too. However, it is already too late to take back what she just said.

"Why?" The boy asked.

Your guess is as good as mine's. is what she wanted to say out loud but didn't.

"I can't leave you out here all by yourself." Is what she said instead.

"Why?"

"Do I need a reason to help someone?"

The boy didn't answer. Teresa and the boy are having a staring contest instead. They study, trying to see if they can read what the other thinks. Teresa didn't know how long he has been out here alone but judging from how the boy tried to hide his emotions but failed, it is probably recent.

"You no bad?" the boy finally asked.

"I'm not." Teresa answered confidently. "I won't hurt you, and I won't do anything that will make you uncomfortable."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The boy still looks unconvinced, so Teresa holds out her hand. Her hand curls into a loose fist with only her pinky sticking out. The boy looks at Teresa in confusion.

"Pinky promise. We grab each other's pinkies and promise something." the girl explained.

Teresa holds out her hand waiting for the boy to get closer. She is about to give up after a while and can feel her arm getting tired until the boy finally moves. It is slow, but the boy closes the distance between them. Once he is about two feet away, the boy holds his own arm out, copying the girl. Teresa wraps her pinky around his and shakes their hands up and down. The boy smiles shyly. Teresa returns one to the little hybrid.

"Now, if I break this pinky promise, I'll get punish." Teresa explains further.

The boy flinches when he hears this. Teresa frowns, not liking what she sees. He flinches again when he sees her darken face.

"Punish?" the boy asked.

Teresa relaxes her face, giving the boy a reassuring smile. And to make sure he calms down, she raises her hand and rest it on top of the boy's head. She ruffles his hair a bit. He seems to like as he leans into her hand more.

"Don't worry. As long as I don't break it, I'll be fine. Plus, I never break a promise."

Teresa drops her arm that was petting the boy to her sides. The boy looks into Teresa's eyes. The happiness and hope in his eyes make Teresa think that she did something right. This made Teresa's own eyes light up in happiness and hope that this little hybrid will be okay. The two smiles at each other, letting the silent wrap itself around them. Unfortunately, the silent is broke by a sound of growling. Teresa tenses as she prepares to defend the boy. The growls come back. The sound is coming from the boy. The two looks at each other in confusion. When the growls come back, the boy wraps his arms around his stomach. Teresa stares at his stomach for a heartbeat before bursting into laughter. The boy's faces turn as red as his hair, but he starts to giggle around with Teresa.

"It seems like someone is hungry." Teresa said as she calms down.

She slowly stands up from her crouch position. She brushes some of the dirt that got on her jeans and shakes her legs to get the feeling back into them. The boy waits for Teresa to be done before going close to her. Teresa smiles as he holds his arms out to her, asking to pick him up. She did just that. She grabs him under his armpits and let him wrap his arms around her neck and his legs around her waist. Teresa then supports him by having one of her arms around his back and the other under his thighs.

"Let's go and get something to eat, okay? Um-"

Teresa stops talking. She is inviting this little hybrid to come with her, and she still doesn't know his name. He doesn't know hers. Teresa would have facepalms for her stupidity. So instead, she groans. The boy jumps as he did not expect her to do that.

"How stupid of me. You don't know my name, do you?"

The boy shakes his head no, making his ears flop back and forth.

"I'm Kokoro Teresa. What's yours?"

"Otoya." The boy quietly answered.

"Otoya? That's a nice name."

Otoya's face lights up when he hears that. Teresa giggles as she watches Otoya's tail wags in happiness. Teresa giggles even more as the little hybrid's stomach growls in protest.

"Come on. Let's go home."

Otoya nods vigorously as Teresa walks the two of them out of the dark alleyway. Teresa mentally commands the ball of light to decrease its brightness and lead them out. Otoya looks in awe as the ball of light disperse into the air, making it look like fireflies flying into the air.

"Pretty." Otoya commented.

"Thank you."

Since it is nighttime, most people are already gone home and probably in bed. There are cars on the street beside the ones that are parked. It is a fairly quiet trip to Teresa's house. It was so quiet that Otoya nods on and off. Teresa feels sadness in her heart as he must be exhausted. To be outside alone, hungry, and tired is hard for any person, especially a child. Teresa can feel the sadness turn into anger as she wants to know who would even think of letting a child out on their own for so long. This feeling leads into determination to protect Otoya and make him happy no matter what.

I will not let anything or anyone harm to this boy. No matter what. And I will not let what happen six years ago to happen again. Never again. I swear on my life. Teresa thought as she carries on walking to her home.