Peter brought Rigel to the raging river and body surfed across and finally set him down -more like dropped him. Peter looked down at him greedily, making Rigel duck his head under his arms. Peter laughed at that, but didn’t make a move to stop Rigel. Instead, he heard Peter make a phone call.
(BODY SURFING!!! AAAAAA!)
Kohaku and Mamoru headed out, making sure to tell Naoki and the others so they wouldn't worry too much.
They went down and around to the woody patch where Kohaku saw Rigel last– under the tree, soaked and somber. "He was here when I last saw him…." She said, circling a finger around the area.
"Well, he couldn't have gotten far, I don't think…" Mamoru smelled the air, but only got a faint, very faint tinge of cigarette smoke. "Follow me."
Peter finished the phone call, then crouched beside Rigel and grabbed his hands. Rigel whimpered, tears still staining his face. “Why are you afraid, my little songbird?” He wiped Rigel’s face with the pad of his thumb, only making Rigel shake even more. “I’ve called in my personal chopper, just for us. I’ll take you home.” Rigel let out a sob, and Peter -faster than Rigel could even process- slapped him. Rigel stayed quiet after that.
They wandered around the village, but they had absolutely no luck. "I told Rigel to stay in the village… But…. Where could he have gone?" She put her hands together, which still held the lightly shaking dagger and the rest of her bread.
"I'm not sure…" Mamoru tried smelling the air again, but got no sign. "Maybe it'd be better if we went more outward…"
"But in this kind of weather, how could he go that far???" Her ears flattened out of sadness. Rigel, where are you?…
“You know Rigel… I’ve been very lonely without you,” Peter purred, and Rigel shook even more. Peter grabbed Rigel’s shirt collar, and pulled him closer to start kissing up his neck. Rigel shuddered, and almost cried out but he bit his tongue in fear of Peter punishing him again. I want to go home, I want to be with Kohaku and Mamoru and everyone else…
(Aaaaaaaaaa!)
Kohaku didn't want to give up, but what else was she going to do? Get lost trying to find him? "I have no idea where he went…" She felt like she was going to cry, helplessly on the ground right beneath her feet.
"Well, if we think hard enou–" Mamoru stopped at the sight of Kohaku's dancing dagger. "Where on earth did you get that?"
"Naoki gave it to me," She said quickly, thinking of a lie far beforehand.
"Do you know why it's moving like that?"
She thought about it, but she truly had no idea.
Mamoru took it out of her hand and allowed himself to hold it. "I know exactly where Rigel is…"
Rigel had been smothered by Peter by the time the sound of a distant helicopter carried in with the wind. Peter withdrew, Rigel curling in on himself when he had the chance. He had tears running down his face, and everything was shaking. He felt hollow and numb, but fear burst inside him as the chopper came closer. Don’t make me go back…
(Ooh how was dat movie you watched last night?)
Keeping Rigel's metal-bending power (still somewhat) secret, Mamoru wandered a bit further and further outside the village. The dagger moved more and more as they got away from the mountain.
Kohaku had her hands together, praying for Rigel's safety wherever he was. I just hope he stays alright….
Strangely and oddly enough, the loud roar of an aerial machine coming from high in the sky. They both stopped and glanced up in awe.
What would a helicopter be doing all the way out here?? Mamoru told Kohaku to get down in the shrubs to help conceal their location.
(It was mediocre, it was a little bit… er… excessive and scattered in some parts.)
The chopper went to hover over Peter and Rigel’s location, and Peter grabbed Rigel and hefted him over his shoulder again, moving to give space for the chopper to land. Rigel quivered, wanting to be anywhere else right now- anywhere.
The helicopter was landing not too far away, and it frightened Kohaku. "What are they doing??" She whispered frantically.
"Just keep close and follow me…" Mamoru ducked around the bushes and had Kohaku follow him closely.
As they approached, the dagger moved more and more to the point where he couldn't keep it still.
They got really close, but remained unnoticed. Kohaku watched, and gasped. That man….!
The helicopter blades slowed and a door opened to reveal a man in a tux with dark glasses. He bowed at the waist for Peter, offering a hand to help them in. Peter took Rigel over his shoulder and made it into the helicopter, but as Peter forced Rigel into a seat, the metal groaned around them. Peter slapped Rigel, rage written on his face. That alone was enough to silence Rigel’s powers.
Mamoru growled, the dagger waving crazily. Rigel's up there…. But….???
Kohaku wanted to scream, shout, do anything to get them away from Rigel, but she tried to contain her tears as he disappeared inside the helicopter. Rigel…
She took the dagger back in her hand carefully and lit it on fire with her hot breath. Please tell me you'll catch this, Rigel!!! And with aim but without looking, she chucked it at the helicopter door.
Just as the door was closing, something thumped in the chopper. Peter’s eyes flashed for it, and rage sparked within them, “Rigel.” He snarled, then pinned him against the seat and hit his neck. Rigel choked, and even though he knew how he’d be punished, he levitated that burning metal and faster than Peter could see, changed it into a band that wrapped around Peter’s neck. It was enough to prolong the moments before the helicopter took off and brought Rigel back. Peter screeched in anger, eyes filled with something more terrible than rage. Something worse than what Rigel had experienced before.
"Good work, Kohaku," Mamoru said lowly. "But maybe we should get the others?"
Kohaku shook her head. "I want to stay here to make sure Rigel doesn't get taken away." That man…. What does he want from him?? Kohaku wanted to melt the blades, but she remembered loosely what he told her when they were running from him the first time, Don't let him see that you have powers… However, there was such thing as unseeable magic…. "I guess I can go get the others." Kohaku got up and as she moved back to Naoki's house, she glanced back. Don't let them take off, Mamoru….
“I suppose we don’t have to go home right away, if that is what you truly wish, my pet.” Peter said, voice rough and angry, “Take it off, and I might hold myself back a little bit for you.” Rigel didn’t, he was too petrified to use his powers again to take off the heated metal band around Peter’s neck. “Fine then, I guess I get to hear you scream earlier than planned.” Peter pinned Rigel’s hands over his head, laying him against the seats. Rigel shuddered, trying to struggle but Peter held firm. And slowly, Peter maneuvered and put his knee above his groin, then slammed pressure down. Rigel let out a noise of pain, seeing stars. Peter only purred “That’s just the beginning, my little songbird.”
While Mamoru held his ground, Kokahu bolted through the village and into Naoki's house, panting and sweating. "Youichi!!" She barked, predetermining the issue. "We need you!!"
He came fumbling down the stairs. "What? What???"
"R-Rigel's in trouble!"
Youichi nodded. "Say no more! Help is on the way!!"
As quick as they were in, they were out, ignoring to say hi and bye to everyone else. On the way back, Youichi snagged a good-sized leaf and placed it on his head, transforming into a human being– the same as before when that man first crossed their threshold.
Youichi was nervous going in there, but he had to– for in their family, no one is left behind.
(Gore warning)
Peter had done many unsavory things in the small amount of time that had been passed. Little cuts were scattered all over Rigel’s body, even his tongue, and pain was present throughout. Peter trailed a dagger over the inside of Rigel’s elbow, and he let out a noise of fear. The blade paused, and Rigel hoped -he hoped- that Peter would stop there. He was proved wrong as the dagger plunged through his skin, and he finally let out a scream.
Kohaku's ears flattened at the sound of Rigel screaming. I can't wait any longer!!! She shoved Youichi aside, breathing a heafty amount of blue fire at the helicopter door.
Youichi picked up a rock and tossed it, making a clunk noise.
(….I assume the door's closed???)
(Yeah, it’s not locked or anything tho)
Peter sat up, putting his weight on Rigel. He let out another whimper. “Get the chopper moving, hurry up,” Peter commanded, his voice rough. He had clearly been enjoying Rigel’s pain, especially by the way his eyes gained that desire in the, when he looked at Rigel’s blood dripping off his arm.
Kohaku got sick of this nonsense. She grabbed ahold of the searing door and hauled it open. She grabbed a tennisball-sized rock and lit it on fire, chucking it at the man that was nearly on top of her poor Rigel. "Leave him alone!!!! She barked furiously, the fur on her spine raised.
Peter spun around, a snarl on his face. He threw the dagger right at Kohaku, flying fast and straight, but it stopped just before it could hit her. There was Rigel, groaning and shaking, but he managed to stop it with his powers. The chopper blades started to spin, picking up speed
Kohaku was stunned badly, and she staggered back. By the time she recovered,
Youichi was howling at her to get off as he backed away from the preparing helicopter.
However, as she turned around to jump off, someone had grabbed her and kept her on, closing the door.
She was trapped.
The chopper lifted off the ground, the metallic smell of blood clogging the air craft. Rigel squinted his eyes, and when he saw Kohaku- “N-No…” Rigel got out, and Peter shoved her into a seat and glanced with narrowed eyes at Rigel, holding a dagger above his throat before looking back at Kohaku, watching.
Kohaku never knew exactly what that man wanted, but he was absolutely relentless and truly merciless. Her ears folded back in pure fear, her tail tucking between her legs defenselessly.
She was shook up, stuttering breaths escaping her body uncontrollably. …What does he want??
Peter let out a breathy laugh, flicking the knife away from Rigel neck. He didn’t dare move. “So tell me about your companion, my little songbird,” Peter commanded, keeping his eyes on Kohaku. And Rigel knew that he needed to answer. Because if he didn’t… that would bring them both more pain. Rigel’s eyes shone with the purest of apologies as he looked at Kohaku eyes -just for a quick second- before looking away and stating numbly, “I met her when you found me again. Her name is Kohaku. She helped me a lot when I was trying to r-run, she c-can c-c-control-“ Rigel couldn’t say it, he couldn’t betray her by revealing her powers. Not that it would matter, Peter was already probably going to kill her for her fox features. Not that anything mattered at this point, they were both going to die.
And that was when Rigel’s mind shut down, his eyes glassed over and he distanced himself from the pain. He didn’t want to -couldn’t- take it anymore, so he went into a panic attack.
Kohaku just glared at the man. His eyes were deprived of mercy, with the knife in his hands, he could get either of them to do anything he wanted.
She shrank away, afraid of what was in store for her, but most importantly, what pain Rigel was going to get served. "Don't…." She muttered under her stuttering breaths.
Peter sneered at her, glancing at Rigel before looking back at Kohaku, “What can you control?” Peter tightened his grip on his dagger as if to emphasize the threat if she didn’t answer.
"N-Nothing…" She answered, but blurted a lie. He was clearly up to something, and she couldn't risk giving away her abilities– if he truly wanted to, he could go completely ballistic against her kind and wipe them from the face of the earth.
"D-Don't h-hurt me…." She stuttered, her tail curling in fear.
Peter’s lips seemed to curl further downwards, and he shifted his weight slightly. Rigel knew that look, that look of boredom in Peter’s eyes. Had seen it countless times just before Peter killed a victim he got tired of. And he was shook back to the present, weakly reaching a hand towards Kohaku and making a small noise. No. Peter eyed Rigel, then his lips curled into a smile. “Oh this will be fun.”
Rigel… The way he looked was so beat and absolutely scared to be back with the thing he feared most.
Afraid of what the man would do, she reached her shaking, black-furred hand out to his. She couldn't quite let go of that warm feeling that secretly dwelled inside her for so long. Rigel….
