------- Carla's Point of View
"POP!"
"CRACK!"
Astrad slammed his shoulder against the doorframe before I could even say anything.
["Tsk…"]
"CRACK!"
"CRACK!"
A shiver runs down my spine along with the sound of bones grinding and popping back into place, as Astrad rolls his head and shoulders as if just shaking off a simple neck cramp.
[[[ASTRAD!]]]
We scream unconsciously as the stupid boy staggers, as if he's about to faint again.
["The rat kid is fine…"] —he said, barely managing to stay on his feet.
My body moved faster than my mind, and before I knew it, I was already holding him up. I could feel his overwhelming weight on me. This moron is definitely not okay.
["Don't be stubborn, go back to bed,"] —I insist.
["Only if you suck it,"] —he refused, carefully pushing himself away from me.
["Why do you have to be so stubborn? You need to rest."]
["What the rat kid needs is a weapon that can disintegrate giant monsters and shitty fantasy planets floating in the sky."]
I need one of those too… No, focus. Don't let him drag you into his nonsense.
["Where are my things?"]
["Huh? Oh, in the living room…"]
["There's a jar with an ointment there, help me put it on."]
["Y-yes."]
In the end, we ended up taking him to the living room with his things and helped him sit on a small stool.
["This one?"] —Ana asks, holding up a transparent jar with a suspicious red liquid.
["Yeah, apply it to the rat kid."]
["This… if it hurts, there's still the ointment we were applying…"] —Sophie suggested, raising an eyebrow. I can't blame her.
["No, this one is better. It's radioactive."]
[[[HUH?]]]
["Everyone knows that anything with the word 'radioactive' is more effective."]
[[[OBVIOUSLY NOT!]]]
Here we go again. This guy doesn't know what tension is.
["Oh, it smells like cherry,"] —Jennifer said after opening the jar.
["You can apply it to the rat kid now. The rat kid allows it."]
["Your mouth is still full of shit. HUMPH."]
Jennifer follows Astrad's request and takes some of the ointment, before slamming her hand onto the boy's back with excessive force.
["GYAAA! Bitch, you did that on purpose."]
["So what if I did? Are you supposed to be going anywhere in this pathetic state?"]
["Blah blah blah, I don't give a crap."]
["Pfft, hahaha."]
[[[…Hahahaha.]]]
Ahh, in the end, we get caught up in his rhythm.
["Are you still hungry?"]
["Obviously."]
["Alright, alright,"] —Sophie says as she goes to the kitchen for more snacks.
["I did what I could, but…"] —Ana brings the harpoon gun and the air rifle to Astrad.
["Tsk, I figured they wouldn't be unscathed."] —Astrad's face turns sour as he looks at his patched-up weapons.
["They look fine to me, though…"] —I couldn't help but comment.
Ana had been quite interested in them from the start and spent the whole time repairing them. Despite the scarce materials, she did a very good job, but she insists they won't last long and is quite dejected.
["How long will they hold up?"]
["If it were normal use, they'd last a long time, but the problem is the extreme modifications. I don't understand most of them, and that's not normal metal, is it? I had to replace several parts with steel and weld others."]
I don't understand any of it, but in contrast, Astrad listens to Ana's explanation with unusual patience, nodding along…. It annoys me for some reason.
["For the rifle, it's still acceptable; the pressure difference isn't that exaggerated. But your harpoon gun… You can't even leave it pre-loaded, and after you load it, you have a short period of time before the pressure makes it explode. How can you even shoot that without dislocating your arm? I always wondered why it had such abnormal power. Do you know an engineer? A craftsman? Can I meet him?"]
["How do you know you're not looking at him?"]
["Yeah, impossible."]
["You daughter of a… Whatever, the rat kid always knew you were the only useful one on your team. Good job."]
["Hehehe, thanks."]
["WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"]
["GYAAAAAAAAAAA!"]
Contrary to the happy Ana, Jennifer presses her hands into Astrad's back in anger, making him scream.
["Ah… My hands are falling asleep…"]
Seriously? What's with that effective ointment?
["Kekeke, you deserve it, bitch. GYAAAAA!"]
["They're not completely asleep yet, heh."]
["Damn you, you'll see."]
I can only sigh in resignation.
["Astrad, I know this is a lot to ask, but let's be rational. What can you do in that state?"] —I finally say, as Sophie returns with snacks.
["Nom, nom… The same thing I could do when I went to get Louise from the school or when I fought with the gang members. Nom, nom. In theory, nothing at all."]
And, of course, the first thing he does is block my argument with facts. Yes, from the beginning, just leaving his house was already irrational behavior. But here we are.
["Can't you at least wait a little? What's one day?"]
["The rat kid wants to go now,"] —he said, tossing another snack into his mouth before starting to organize his things.
["Your instinct again?"] —Jennifer asked.
["Kekeke, you know me well."]
I can only sigh in resignation. That thing he calls "instinct" was one of the recurring reasons for his visits to the principal's office. But, as much as I hate to admit it, he's usually right. And he's particularly good at judging people.
["By the way, where are you going?"] —Sophie asked.
Then I remembered that, in fact, we don't know why Astrad was going to the city.
["To the Main Police Station."]
[[[[WHAT?]]]]
We instinctively let out a scream.
........................
-------- Astrad's Point of View -------------
["This is the last chance. The rat kid is not responsible for your lives."]
At the apartment door, I confirm it one last time with Carla and the rest of the disciplinary committee girls.
["No one will be even if we stay."]
["That… Whatever."]
I want to complain to Carla, but she has a point.
According to their story, the "safe zone" in our town was abandoned, which is why they were going to the "safe zone" in the city.
They also found the news about the besieged police station. But, even though Carla's grandfather and Sophie's father should be there, they weren't stupid enough to want to go there from the start.
The only one stupid enough to go on a suicide mission is me…. I just depressed myself.
["Let's go then,"] - I say and move forward.
If I think about it too much, I'll regret it.
As for why I don't just ditch them with pretty words like "I'll bring your families back," even when I technically owe them a favor and have to pay up, it's precisely because I owe them a favor.
The food in the apartment was almost gone, which means they would need to go out and look for more, something that can be dangerous even if they're just searching within the building itself.
The other option is to separate, have them go to the "safe zone" while I go to the police station. Even more dangerous.
["One, two, three, four… Someone's missing,"] —I say at the building's door after turning to count them.
[[[Huh?]]]
The four of them make stupid faces. Even Ana takes a second look at the fainted cat in her arms.
["Last time, the rat kid got five vixens in a single trip. I need at least one more to keep up the farming pace."]
Only the best for the rat kid.
[[[…]]]]
The girls looked at me without understanding for a few seconds, but soon their faces change color.
[[[[LET'S GO ALREADY!]]]]
["GYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"]
Back to hell.