Fur-al High

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Veronica saw Shinzuu running up the street but didn't really "see" him. She knew he was there on the street but it was like she was seeing right through him. As she heard him running up the stairs and to her room, she didn't move from her seat in the window. When he entered the room and spoke to her, she continued to flip the lighter open and closed. "Yeah, I'm here. What's it to you?" She said in a tone like it wasn't a matter he should be concerned with, without looking at him and continuing what she was doing with the lighter.

[Srgntcuddles]

      As Reno ran he became exhausted quickly, mostly due to the hit he took from Shinzuu. He sat down on a bench along the sidewalk to take a breather. He had been been able to barely catch sight of Shinzuu as he ran, but he lost sight of him before he stopped. "Ugh...Oh well...I...Know where he's goin' at least." He said catching his breath. "I can't afford to sit here though..." he said pushing himself up. He walked off instead of running, he wasn't too far off now but since he wasn't running it would take more time. Reno came upon an alleyway, it flashed back to him and he remembered that it was a shortcut to his house. He decided to head through it, not knowing there were a couple people following him. About half way down the dimly lit alley he heard his name get called out. He turned to see Jackson with his three goons. "Heeeey, Reno! Long time no see." Reno walked backwards a bit and stopped, staying on edge a bit. "Yeah...Long time no see. Been ditching school?" Jackson chuckled a bit, he didn't have the happiest expression on his face. "Nah...I dropped out. It's thanks to your girlfriend. How's the (Censored) been doing by the way?" Reno's fist clenched when he said that. "Don't talk about her like that...!" This time even Jackson's goons laughed with him. "I heard she died. Did she die, Reno? Did that (Censored) die? That must be why she isn't here to protect ya! Hahaha!" "Shut yer damn mouth!" "Gonna cry, Reno?! Where're your shoes? Did you cry so much you forget to put'em on?" "I can't deal with these guys right now...I have to get to Shinzuu and explain what really happened." "What do you want, Jackson...I ain't got any money on me this time." "Money?! You think I want your money, Reno?! Just came to see how you were doing, we're friends. Pals. Buuuddies...Aren't we?"

     As he spoke his goons encircled Reno. Reno took notice of it and began to quickly scan his surroundings, he was likely going to get into a fight. He stopped scanning when Jackson stepped towards him. It made Reno take a few steps back, only to be pushed forward by a goon behind him. "Bollocks..." "...What do you want...Pal." "There we go...See? We can be friends." he said stepping closer. "It's okay, Reno. That (Censored) was pretty scary looking. But I'm glad she's dead." Reno couldn't help but throw a punch at Jackson, who dodged it and countered with a jab to the stomach. Normally that might not have dropped Reno to his knees but he still hadn't recovered from Shinzuu's hit. He was also tired from the run, he wasn't in any shape to fight. "Hit a nerve? You didn't really love her did you?" Reno sprung to his feet only to be thrown at a dumpster. He slid his back down it and sat on the ground. He mustered the strength to roll out of the way of a boot coming towards his face. The kick made a very loud thump against the metal dumpster. "Holy (Censored)...That would have...Killed me! Is he trying to kill me?!" "What's wrong Reno? Tired out? We saw ya running up here. Or are you just so sad cause Schaden-What-Ever-The-(Censored)-Her-Name-Was is dead?" Jackson crept up on him and loomed over Reno. "Well?" Reno rolled backwards kicking Jackson in the jaw and landing on his feet. It sent Jackson Reeling backwards, it also took a lot out of Reno again. "That's it..." Jackson ran at Reno after rubbing his jaw. Reno was too tired to dodge this one, or any other that were sure to follow.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Shinzuu looked out the corner of his eyes, shifting a bit uncomfortably, "Well, you see, I..." He couldn't find the words, but then heard the loud sound of a dumpster being hit not too far in the distance. "That sounds like trouble. I'll be back to apologize later.", he spewed as he ran out the door, not really thinking about what he just said. Outside, he saw some kids down the block surrounding what looked like Reno. (Long string of foul swearing and cursing). Does that kid know how to keep himself from trouble? Shinzuu ran full sprint towards them, "Hey! Leave him alone! If anyone's gonna kick that kid's ass, it's gonna be me and only me." Jackson turned towards him with a smirk, "Or else what? You gonna ask that (censored) of a cat to help you? She ain't Batman, you know." Shinzuu didn't even bother to wait for the others to laugh, he went straight for Jackson and gripped his throat tight, choking the boy. "Now listen and listen good. That kid's life is mine. You want to (censored) with it, you have to go through me, first. And mind you, if you pay attention in class, a person's neck takes less pressure to break than a basketball, and you can ask your little buddy with the cast about that." The kid standing in the back who was only in a brace shook a little, "He ain't lying, man. He was he one that crushed even my cast back a few weeks ago!" Jackson tried to swallow, but had trouble with Shinzuu hand around his neck, so he merely choked out, "Ok.... ok... I'm sorry. Now let me go, I can't breathe." Shinzuu eyed him and then the others, particularly the ones who had walked up behind him. "(censored) off or else I'll snap his neck and yours to boot." When they walked over to the side and grouped back together, Shinzuu finally released Jackson and kicked him square in the face. "NOW GET OUT OF HERE! YOU'RE POLLUTING THIS GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD!" They all ran off in quite a hurry, carrying the kid with the brace, and dragging Jackson along. Shinzuu watched as they all left and turned his back to Reno, walking back to the house, wanting to get back and explain himself to Veronica.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Veronica didn't move other than her thumb flipping the lighter open and closed. She was listening to Shinzuu but didn't expect much from him so when he said he had to go, it didn't surprise her any. Him saying that he was going to apologize didn't mean much to her. It probably wasn't even the truth, just something to make her stay where she was even though she wasn't planning on moving from where she was anyway. "Whatever." She muttered in response. From the window, she watched him run down the street until he disappeared out of the window's view that she could see without leaning forward. It was a minute or two before he was walking back into view, but she just sat still as she watched him and continued to occupy her hand with the lighter.

[Srgntcuddles]

Reno didn't expect Shinzuu of all people to show up out of the blue to save him. As he did though he fell to his knees tired. "Shinzuu..." Before he could say anything he left again. He staggered after him however, he made it to his house and collapsed on his porch. He saw Shinzuu head towards Veronica's house, he also saw someone flicking a lighter open and closed in the window. "What is she doing' up there...?" He just laid against his house and watched, he wasn't going anywhere for a minute.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Shinzuu panted a little as he went up the stairs, but he calmed himself before he got within sight of the door. He walked up to Veronica and sat on the window sill, not really looking at her. "I know how you must feel. I lost both my parents, too, not just my dad. My birth mother died when I was just 6 years old. Coincidentally enough, in the parking lot outside of the Sakuraba Department Store in Tokyo. She had just taken me to the mall to pick out whatever I wanted for my birthday, and told me to wait next to the stairs so she could pull the car up from the parking garage. As she exited the garage, some dumbass with a truck thought it'd be cool to run 100kp/h to beat his friend out of the lot. He hit her right in the driver's side, not even 10 feet in front of me. My mother died instantly. And my dad was all I had left until he was killed not too long after that. I know everyone keeps saying it was an accident, but I know it was a hit and run. My dad used to be the police chief for Feral City. He was my hero." Shinzuu looked around the room and sighed, nostalgia kicking in and tears in his eyes from the memories, "I'm very sorry for your loss..."

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

"I know, your mom told me...in less detail." Veronica said in an empty tone, still looking out the window. She saw Reno sitting on the steps of his old house but didn't pay him any mind even when she saw him look up at the window as she continued what she was doing with the lighter. "Oh yes, we're so alike, you and I. At least, that's what it seems everyone wants me to believe. There's only one problem." Her eyes quickly transferred from looking out the window to looking at Shinzuu. They looked dull like the life had gone from them even though the gaze she was holding on him looked like a glare. "You still have a parent. Biological or not, it doesn't matter. You still have somebody. I have nobody and will have nobody forever. We're different. We'll always be different." She flipped the lighter open and kept it open, staring at the flame.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Shinzuu grabbed the lighter from her and slapped her, "And she's seeking to help you, as she helped me! Open your damned eyes!" Right then and there, he hugged her and held her tight, not knowing what the hell he was doing, but merely following his own instincts and just went with it, tears shedding from his own eyes, knowing what he's had, and finally letting go of what was in his own past.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Veronica couldn't act like the slap didn't catch her off-guard but the hug was what caught her off-guard the most. She couldn't say she didn't like the feeling of his arms around her and she might have given in to him if she didn't remember what he had done. "Get off me!" She said, pushing against his chest to get him to let her go. "You just hit me and now you're trying to hug me, and you expect me to just let you!" She pulled away from him and snatched the lighter from his hand, still holding the bear with her other arm. "I've had enough crying. I'm done with it. Crying isn't going to change anything and neither is your mother. She may be taking care of me, but that's all she's doing. Nothing she can do will help me." She said as she left her room and headed down the stairs.

[Srgntcuddles]

After a few minutes of rest Reno got back up and made his way towards Veronica's house. He looked away from Veronica and by the time he looked to where she was, she was gone. Instead of heading into the house he remained on the walk way outside. "Should probably give them time...Veronica probably doesn't want to see me anyhow...Maybe she can talk some sense into Shinzuu. I hope he doesn't hit me again...I'm goin' to be sore in the mornin'." Reno scratched the back of his head and idly cracked his knuckles.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Shinzuu sighed in frustration after she left, yelling out to her, his tears still flowing on his cheeks, "Oh, wake the (censored) up! You think you acting like a badass is going to bring your parents back!? I may have only met them once, but I know they wouldn't want you acting like this!" Shinzuu opened up the window just behind him and turned around, jumping out and grabbing the tree just outside the window, sliding down in front of the door of the house before Veronica made it to the first floor. "No one as beautiful as you should become as big of a bitch as Tabby. Not you, of all people."

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

"I'm not trying to be a badass! I'm just done wasting tears and emotions on a lost cause! I know nothing will bring them back so why bother with any of it! It's pointless!" Veronica reacted to him yelling at her as she went down the stairs. She shoved the lighter into her pajama pants pocket as she headed toward the open door, staring at the floor as she walked until she heard Shinzuu land on the porch before she stepped off the last stair. When she heard him land, she looked up but continued toward the door nonetheless. After what he said she paused mid-step for a second before continuing to walk toward him. At that moment, the compliment was overshadowed by the insult that followed it. "Don't." She snapped, glaring at him. "Don't you dare compare me to that [word that rhymes with 'mut']!" She emphasized on the word 'dare' as she spoke it, like she had already taken the insult anyway, and also spat out the last word like it had tasted foul in her mouth. "Now get out of my way..." She said as she stood in front of him and tried to go around him.

[Srgntcuddles]

Reno watched as Shinzuu jumped from the window and made his way to the front door. "I hope she didn't throw him out..." He listened as Shinzuu shouted and face-pawed afterwards. "Oh man...Idiot..." he thought shaking his head. He looked up when he heard Veronica's voice inside, she sounded very angry. "Hit'em once for me!" he cheered sarcastically in his head. He took a step forward but stopped, mostly due to fear. As if he were stepping towards the den of a hungry dragoness.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Shinzuu didn't budge and shook his head, putting both hands on the door frame to block her passage past her, "No. I won't. Not until you snap out of this stupid attitude of yours! I don't enjoy seeing you like this because... because..." His eyes diverted as he struggled to say the words that have been plaguing his mind for so many months to say. Say it, dammit. Just tell her.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Veronica looked at the arm in front of her face for a moment then took a step back as she listened to Shinzuu. When he couldn't finish his sentence, she looked up at his face with impatience but also some curiosity. "Because what? Because it annoys you? Because you think I should cry my eyes out instead of doing nothing? What?" She questioned, looking directly at his eyes even though they were diverted away from her. "It's not like you really care..."