The morning sun crept over the forest, its pale rays threading through a canopy of gnarled branches, casting faint, shifting patterns on the mossy ground. The scent of damp earth clung to the air, mixing with the faint rustle of unseen creatures scurrying through the underbrush. Kibo strode forward, his boots crunching over fallen leaves, his katana sheathed at his hip, clean and untouched by blood.
Yet, there was a weight in his steps. A quiet, gnawing unease sat in his gut, one he tried to ignore but couldn't quite shake.
Syl.
She was tough—no doubt about that. But even the toughest could break if pushed far enough. And after what they'd just been through…
His jaw tightened.
"You're moving like a stray mutt, brat," Ignis's voice growled in his head, sharp and venomous. "That girl is out there, and you're just wandering around with no damn clue! Pick up your feet, you lazy fool!"
Kibo exhaled through his nose, kicking a twig aside. "I'm walking, aren't I? Finding Syl's not a damn scavenger hunt—forest's huge, and I've got no leads."
"Oh, brilliant deduction, you thick-skulled mule!" Ignis snapped, his tone dripping with savage contempt. "She's lost because you let that sadistic bitch scatter you all like dust in a gale! No plan, no guts—just strolling along like a brain-dead oaf! Where's your spine, huh? Where's your fire?"
Kibo tilted his head slightly, rolling his shoulders. "Spine's keeping me upright. Fire's on simmer." His voice was steady, but that uneasy weight hadn't left. "Plan's simple—keep moving 'til I spot her." He hesitated, the thought creeping in before he could stop it.
But what if I don't?
His fingers twitched. "She's tough… She'll turn up."
His own words felt thinner than he wanted them to.
Ignis's silence stretched for half a second too long before his voice slashed through Kibo's mind like a jagged blade.
"Tough?!" Ignis's laugh was a dark, jagged roar. "That girl's probably half-dead in a ditch while you saunter through the trees like a useless lump! You're wasting time, you sniveling coward—use that empty skull of yours for once! What's your next move, genius?"
Kibo sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. "Next move's the same—walk 'til I find her. She got blasted same as me. She's out here somewhere."
"Somewhere?!" Ignis's voice turned vicious, slicing through Kibo's mind like a jagged blade. "You're guessing like a blind beggar, you sentimental idiot! She could be bleeding out, starving, or worse, and you're just hoping she'll pop up like a damn flower?!"
The words hit hard, but Kibo only exhaled sharply, shaking his head. He didn't stop walking, boots crunching steadily over the forest floor. "She's not dead," he muttered. "I'd know if she was."
"Know it?!" Ignis's tone twisted into something mocking, dripping with brutal contempt. "Oh, listen to the mystic now! You'd know it—ha! You wouldn't know a dagger in your back 'til it twisted, you soft-headed fool!"
Kibo rolled his shoulders, irritation creeping into his voice. "You're just mad I'm not sprinting around like a headless chicken for you."
Silence. Just for a moment. Then—
"She's out there, and you're fumbling like a drunk—pathetic doesn't even cover it!"
Kibo's jaw tightened. He forced his eyes ahead, scanning the endless stretch of trees.
No matter how much Ignis spat, no matter how deep the words cut—he couldn't stop.
Kibo opened his mouth to retort, but movement caught his eye. Two rabbits sat atop a fallen log, their small bodies unnervingly still. Their heads weren't twitching, their noses didn't wiggle—just unblinking stares locked onto him.
His steps slowed.
They weren't running. Weren't startled. Just… watching.
A strange prickle crawled down his spine.
"Tch." He exhaled through his nose, forcing himself to look away. Weird animals. That's all.
He shook his head and kept walking.
"What in the hell was that?!" Ignis's voice exploded, savage and incredulous. "You just ignored those rabbits, you blind, bumbling jackass! They're sitting there, staring right at you, and you shrug it off like a drooling simpleton!"
Kibo snorted, brushing past a low branch. "They're rabbits, Ignis. Just rabbits. What, you think they've got Syl's coordinates scratched on their fur?"
"Rabbits, huh?!" Ignis's tone was a brutal lash, dripping with venom. "You're so damn thick you'd miss a blazing signal if it burned your face off! You ignore everything—rabbits, instincts, me! No wonder you're a stumbling wreck, you gutless, brainless moron! They're watching you, and you're too stupid to question it!"
Kibo's jaw tightened, but he didn't stop. "They're animals, not a puzzle. You're seeing things that aren't there."
"Seeing things?!" Ignis roared. "You're the one blind as a bat, you pathetic excuse for a fighter! You've got no sense, no edge—just a soft-headed dolt stumbling through life! Those rabbits mean something, and you're too dense to give a damn!"
Kibo exhaled sharply. Damned if I know what they mean.
The thought made him glance back.
The rabbits had hopped down, trailing a few paces behind. Not rushing. Not darting through the underbrush like normal prey animals. Just moving—like they were following.
His steps stopped.
The rabbits did too.
His fingers twitched.
"Okay," he muttered. "That's… weird."
The rabbits tilted their heads in eerie unison. Then—before he could process it—they chittered. A rapid, strange burst of sound that felt wrong. Too deliberate. Too unnatural.
Then they turned and hopped away, vanishing into the brush.
Kibo stared after them, an uneasy scowl tugging at his face. The hell was that?
"The hell was that?!" Ignis's voice erupted, savage and furious. "You absolute cretin! Those rabbits just spoke, and you're standing there like a slack-jawed fool! Follow them, you useless sack of bones, or are you too thick to connect the dots?!"
Kibo sighed, dragging a hand down his face. "You're really stuck on this, huh? Rabbits. Talking rabbits. That's what's got you foaming at the mouth."
"Damn right it does, you blockheaded disgrace! MOVE!"
Kibo exhaled through his nose. Fine—rabbits it is.
He started after them, jogging lightly as the small creatures weaved through the underbrush, slipping between twisted roots and thick bushes. Their movements were eerily smooth—never frantic, never the aimless scurry of normal prey. They led him with purpose, never straying too far ahead.
After a few minutes, they broke into a clearing.
A stream cut through the earth, its waters flowing steady and clear, glinting beneath the sun. The rabbits reached the bank, gave another strange chittering noise—then, without hesitation, darted into the trees and vanished.
Kibo slowed to a stop, frowning. "Great. Now they're gone."
Silence.
He blinked. Huh?
"Hey," he muttered, rolling his shoulders. "What's up? You were all fire a second ago."
Nothing.
Kibo scoffed, clenching his hands. "Wait—seriously? You tear into me for ignoring them, scream at me to follow, and now you're just—what? Pouting? You're pissed about rabbits, Ignis. What the hell's your deal?"
Still nothing.
A prickling unease slid down his spine. He exhaled, shaking his head. "Okay, Ignis, don't tell me you're sulking?"
He crouched by the stream, scooping up a handful of water. The surface rippled—
Then exploded.
Syl burst from the water—naked, bruised, and scratched, amber hair plastered to her face. She gasped, pain flashing across her expression as she clutched her ribs.
Kibo froze. His breath hitched. No way.
"Syl?!"
She blinked, stunned, her wide eyes locking onto his. "Kibo?!"
For a moment, she just stared, as if afraid he wasn't real. Then, with a sharp gasp, she surged toward him, swimming hard despite the pain. The second she reached the bank, she lunged out of the water, arms wrapping around him in a tight, almost desperate embrace.
"You're here!" Her voice trembled, relief crashing over her like a wave. "I—I thought I wouldn't be able to find you."
Kibo caught her easily, his grip firm but careful. She was trembling, her breath uneven, her body still slick with water. He pressed a hand against the gash on her shoulder, his healing glow pulsing to mend the worst of it.
"Easy, Syl. You're banged up bad." His tone was steady, but there was an edge to it—concern he wasn't bothering to hide. "How'd you end up in the river?"
She gritted her teeth, exhaling through the pain. "I came here to take a quick bath… tried to relieve the soreness. Thought maybe… you'd be here."
Kibo smirked faintly, some of the tension in his shoulders easing. "Takes more than that to drop us."
Syl pulled back slightly, wincing as she moved. Her voice was tight. "How'd you even find me?"
Kibo let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "Long story." His smirk twitched. "Rabbits."
Syl blinked, her expression shifting. "Rabbits?" Her tone wasn't just confused—it held something else. Recognition.
Before Kibo could ask, he frowned, his eyes flicking down.
"Syl—"
"Yeah?"
His voice was calm but firm. "You need to put some clothes on first."
Silence. Then—
Her eyes widened. Oh no.
She glanced down.
Screamed.
Splash.
She flailed back into the water, arms scrambling to cover herself. "DON'T LOOK!"
Kibo turned his head, sighing. "Too late," he muttered. Then, louder, "Relax. I'm not staring. Just—find something to cover up."
"I—I will!" she stammered, sinking lower into the water, her face burning. "You jerk! Give me a second!"