hippocarnival | Daybreak Academy

[ Even if it's a ruse, it still hurts to hear it- in that way, it's already too late to promise that Kano wouldn't be hurt, because this does and has ever since he'd caught a glimpse of the creature. He should have found a way to deal with her early, instead of letting her draw nearer and nearer until she's right there in front of his face. Maybe selfishly he wished to see her again, maybe selfishly he wished for her to get close.

Selfishly, he gets his prayers answered, and the monster leaps from the building and crashes into the ground, kicking up a little cloud of ice- that does nothing to deter her, as she blasts out of the snow straight towards Odd-Eyes with inhumane speed.

"Give him back! GIVE HIM BACK!! DON'T YOU DARE TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!!" ]

—never mind baiting, just run! We gotta run!

Right! Let's go, Odd-Eye-eeeeeees! [Yuya doesn't even finish speaking before his familiar also bursts off, powerful legs carrying them at incredible speed in the direction of the mountains. Yuya tightens his grip until his knuckles turn white, looking back as he trusts Odd-Eyes to maneuver them as they leave the school grounds.

What Odd-Eyes lacks in flying, he makes up for in the power and dexterity of running and jumping. They are going clear over the back wall in one leap. He's moving with direction, even if Yuya isn't telling him where to go--honestly because Yuya doesn't know where to go, so he's relying on his familiar's intelligence.]

We need--what, a cliff? A cave?

Won't we get trapped if we head into a cave??!

[ Kano doesn't know either, where to go! There's no way he can direct Odd-Eyes, so he's left their lives up to the dragon's mercy. He can barely hold on, trying to glance over his shoulder to see whether they're gaining distance or losing it, but it's so hard to tell with how much snow Odd-Eyes kicks up with every step. At the very least, he hopes that deters the monster, even a little. ]

You pay attention in class, don't you, Yuya? How do you get rid of these things?! A weakness, a weakness... Never mind that— what are Odd-Eyes' strengths? We'll play to his strengths!

I didn't pay attention in this class! [He doesn't even know if he took this class! And now they're both learning the hard way why education is actually important.]

He's--strong, physically! Smart, he breathes fire?! [God he hopes the weakness is to just pulverize it and not something like silver.

Odd-Eyes rumbles something, steering his direction more towards the left.] What if we knock it off a cliff?

But you go to class!! Maybe you absorbed something through osmosis!

[ That's a thing that happens, right, and under intense stress like this, you suddenly recall miraculous solutions?? Now's the time, Yuya!!!!! ]

It survived jumping down three stories, so I dunno what a cliff's going to do! But maybe we can use fire? If we can find a river and break through it, and have it wash the monster away?

[ It'd have to be a roaring river for that to work, though, and it's going to take a LOT of fire. ]

[Technically humans can survive jumping three stories, it's just gonna hurt.]

Break through--? Wait, the ice! [That's right, it's winter. Yuya straightens up, starting to push the pieces together.] I get it. The water underneath is still running, so if we can knock her into a stream that's stronger than her, she'll get carried away!

[Realistically a river that fast won't actually freeze over to begin with, but Yuya has also not been paying attention in his natural science class. That's not impossible, given their proximity to the rivers that run close to the alps.]

You can find a river like that, right Odd-Eyes? [Another growl, and then Odd-Eyes turns quickly and picks up speed to start to weave through trees in a northwest direction.]

[ But can they jump three stories and get right up and give chase? Whatever that thing is, its pain tolerance is very high to nonexistent, so they'd either have to KO it in a fight, or otherwise get away from it, so he really hopes this works.

Alright alright alright, no looking back and wondering and questioning, they've got to get to a river first and then he can worry about the logistics. ]

You and Odd-Eyes keep an eye out for a river. I'll take care of slowing the monster down.

[ The only power he has on his side is his illusions, and its range is much smaller than he'd like after never practicing enough, never taking any of this as serious as he should, but it'll be enough. Immediately behind them, the trees shift places, standing where gaps should be and the air thickens with fog and ice, hiding their position and if the monster gets too close, it'll—

a tree shakes several meters behind them, something having run right into it. It's a little too close for comfort, but Kano won't make it easy to catch up. ]

[The sound of the tree being hit startles Yuya, too, but he braces himself for the sound again.]

Right! Hang on, Kano! [Kano's not wrong when he says that Yuya gives it his all, but he's just as incensed to do his best when he sees other people making the stand, too. He can't let Kano's plan fail now.

It takes a couple minutes that feel longer than they are. Odd-Eyes is just as fast as the hollow, with long claws that help him keep his footing through the ice and snow, and the sound of the rushing river gets closer and closer. It's too powerful to be iced over, and it's wide. Deep.]

There! [Odd-Eyes skids to a stop at the bank, whirling around and letting out a shrill, loud roar in challenge.]

[ Wide and deep and Kano makes a mental note of its width, all its twists and turns as far as the eye can see, trees falling off the closer they get to the river bank but the thick fog remains, and the river... The next time Yuya looks, the river is gone, covered with a thick blanket of snow just like the rest of the clearing all around them, complete with footsteps across where the water should be to hide the fact that there's any water at all. Visual illusions are his specialty, but auditory ones take a bit more, the rush of the water dampened but not completely obscured, so he's glad Odd-Eyes had taken the initiative to mask the noise with his roar.

"Shuuya..." The monster steps out of the fog, calm as can be, as if she'd just opened the door to his bedroom and came to wake him up. "Shuuya, what's gotten into you today? You're so worked up... Come home with me, Shuuya..."

Kano lets go of Yuya- finally- and makes to slide off Odd-Eyes. ]

I'll have her come to me. Stay back for a bit, alright?

... Okay. [Yuya watches Kano slide down, but he keeps his place on Odd-Eyes. A firm tug on his horns is enough indication not to move yet, and Odd-Eyes' noise comes down to a little quieter of a rumble--enough for Kano to speak over--as the dragon keeps his gaze between both Kano and his mother.]

[ With that confirmation, Kano steps away from the two of them, keeping alongside the river so that the rushing water is just to the side of him, but pulling enough space between Yuya and Odd-Eyes behind him, and the monster in front of him, to make it seem as if he's in neutral territory. ]

Ahaha~ I guess I'm a bit tired today. You too, Mom? [ He rubs a hand over the back of his head, sheepish, letting the monster walk over towards where he is, arms outstretched to receive him. Close. Very close. He could reach over just like this and shove her over and be done with it, but

in his hesitation, something strikes him across the face, and he's thrown down to the ground- the illusion breaks, river appearing suddenly by his side and so does the bright red across his face, a bloody, flowing nose, and a darker red across his arm and shoulder that he'd been hiding this entire time.

"—stupid! Gave me such a scare, Shuuya! Don't you dare to ever again—"

It's too late, he realizes, he'd failed his part of the plan, but he can still salvage it. By launching himself forward, wrapping his arms around the monster— a hug, the fleeting thought comes and goes— and throwing them both into the rushing, freezing water. ]

[Yuya just about holds his breath as he watches, waits, and trusts Kano to do it. They got this far, didn't they?

He doesn't expect the monster of his mother to lash out that quickly, either, and he flinches at the strike and bites hard on his tongue to keep from speaking out. The illusion shatters everywhere, and Yuya can just barely make out the wound on his shoulder--something Odd-Eyes had already picked up on from the stench of blood--and they both watch Kano put his arms around the hollow, teeter over...

and then they're both lost to the water. There's a second where Yuya hopes that's just an illusion, except there's no reason for Kano to fake throwing himself into the river with her.]

... Ka--KANO!

[Odd-Eyes follows quickly, diving under the water seconds after they've disappeared and swimming along the current. Yuya barely catches his breath before they're submerged, and he squints to keep an eye out for the both of them as he latches on tightly.

[ The water is numbing. He can feel his mind go blank and chest squeeze- but it means he can think clearly and calmly and remember not to breathe, letting go of the monster the moment he his the water but he can't tell whether it's gotten a hold of him or not, he can't really feel anything.

It's just numbness, darkness, nothing but his thoughts, and his first thought is that it's a comfort. The second is that he thinks he might have heard a sound, but whether that's the hollow or Yuya or Odd-Eyes, he can't distinguish the difference. But he can hope, and be glad that he hadn't come out here alone, he can kick towards the light and reach his arms out and hope. ]

[Odd-Eyes barrels towards Kano's form, and as he comes into view Yuya releases one of his horns and holds his arm out wide to catch him. Odd-Eyes dives under and up, so that Yuya can scoop Kano close, his fingers twisting into his shirt to keep his grip firm.

He tugs against the horn, and Odd-Eyes twists and starts to swim up at a diagonal. The rapids are hard for him to swim through, too, when he had nothing to brace on, and it takes a little longer to get to shore. But once Odd-Eyes gets close enough to dig his claws into the bank of the river, he hauls them back up the side that they came from.

Yuya gasps for air, his hold on both Odd-Eyes and Kano releasing as he tumbles onto his back in the snow, breathing deep.]

[ Kano hadn't lost consciousness, but it's very tempting to close his eyes and sleep, and that'd be near the same thing, pulling his soaked jacket more tightly over himself and wondering whether that's helping any or making it worse, it's like wearing a suit of ice. Everything is still numb, but the numbness means no pain and no pain means he can open his eyes and when he does, it's bright. Bright white from the snow, and Odd-Eyes in bold red, and Yuya in his everything and Kano lets out a mirthless laugh. ]

That fire would be pretty handy right about now, Odd-Eyes.

[ Did the monster wash away? Is it gone?? He doesn't care. He's just cold. ]

[Kano is going to get warm, smokey air blown over him by Odd-Eyes. Close enough, right?

Yuya shivers, only in his school shirt because he hadn't been expecting to take a run through the mountains and then dive into water when he first ran up to see what all the noise was about. His nose is pink.

Yuya props himself up in his arms.] That... wasn't what I thought you meant about knocking her in the water.

[He's staring at the river as he trembles from the cold, waiting and hoping the creature won't resurface.]

[ Warm air is good enough for him, a slow thaw instead of immediate heat that might make things worse in the long run, and even though he'd like nothing better than to sit or lie down and sleep for 2304986 years, he forces himself onto his feet and bounces on his heels so he can keep his blood going and not freeze. ]

Ah, well... That was plan B, you know? I thought you might come for me, so there wasn't a need to discuss it. I'm real glad you pulled through, too!

[Yuya's response is delayed, before he finally pulls his gaze away from the river and moves to stand.] So you were trusting me with your life, huh?

[His expression twists wryly, and then he wraps his arms around himself.] L-let's go back before we freeze to death. And see how many bandages you need.

[His gaze drifts to Kano's shoulder, briefly, before he walks beside Odd-Eyes. The dragon also rises, shaking off water in Yuya's face before crouching low enough for them to be able to climb on. It's a little slippery, but Yuya manages to swing himself over and sit with his legs dangling over Odd-Eyes' shoulders.]

[ As a last resort!!!! Kano doesn't say anything about that, just climbs up after Yuya and blows on his hands for a few seconds before hanging on again. ]

I think I'm going to take a three hour bath after this... I've got enough bandages stockpiled, though, so I can take care of it. You already did a lot!

[ And, for Yuya's sake, the bloodied nose and shirt and everything's carefully hidden away, leaving just wet clothes and wet hands, and it's really too bad his illusions don't extend to heat. ]

[Yuya snickers, wrapping his arms around Odd-Eyes neck as the dragon rises and starts taking them back down the mountain. At a slower pace this time, lest they fall off in their weariness.]

Okay, okay. [He glances over his shoulder.] How's everything else?

[Like, emotionally.]

[ lmao what emotions?

Kano briefly lets go so he can bring a hand to his face and touch his nose where he'd felt the monster strike him across the face. It's running a little, but that's just snot from the cold and no longer any blood, and the nose itself doesn't feel crooked or anything. It'll probably hurt once it defrosts a little, who knows, but cuts and bruises and all of that he's always been hiding, so nobody knows. ]

...It's all good! Nothing to worry about~

[Yuya's not sure he believes that, but Kano says it with a sureness he can't really argue, so he won't. He pauses, shifting his grip on Odd-Eyes as he considers a different question, one he can give a little more attention to now that they're no longer in danger.]

... What was your mom like?

Hm? My mother? Depends on her mood, I guess. Ha, we caught her in a bad mood... How unfortunate for us~

[ But when is she in a good mood? It'd seemed like he could barely go a few days without accidentally upsetting her, back then. And back then, he'd tried his best to be good, to be accommodating and kind and quiet and careful... He did his absolute best, and it was all for naught.

Still, he did his best for her, and if he could go back in time, he'd to it all over again. ]

Mother was a hard worker. She always had to work a lot, but she worked overnight too, so sometimes I would only see Mother for a couple hours a day, or she'd be at work or asleep. She had to raise me, and that's a tough job! So I'm very grateful for Mother!

[Yuya could relate to some of that description, if not for what he'd just seen. He doesn't think of himself as terrible astute, but it was obvious Kano knew how to navigate around the screaming, insults, hitting. He knows it's wasn't his mother, and yet he treated that monster like it was, like--that was normal.

Yuya feels a little sick in a way he can't quite explain, looking back forward. Kano speaks kindly of her, even when he's out of her hurtful hands. He's just not sure why.] I see. Can I... ask what happened to her?

About her dying? You don't have to tip-toe around it.

[ Since he'd already told Yuya that she's dead, got that meaningless "I'm sorry" for it and they'd since moved on because they had more pressing things to worry about back then- it feels like ages ago, that they'd been walking down the halls trying to find a bucket. ]

It was murder. I tried to get in the way, and got stabbed too. How stupid, huh? Mother wasn't as lucky as me. —ah, my room's a mess, isn't it? The window's wide open, and there's water all over the ground, we should hurry back so I can clean it up.

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