Mizuki's heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted into a nearby forest, clutching Garrett tightly. Her breath ragged, branches whipped at her face, but she didn't slow down.
"Put me down! I can handle them!"
"No! We just need to run!"
Mizuki easily navigated through the forest; the hunters barely caught up. A gunshot echoed as a musket ball struck a tree just inches from her head. The hunters shouted and threatened to kill her if she didn't stop. Mizuki continued to run, but unfortunately, she tripped on a vine and fell. The hunters approached and aimed their musket at Garrett and Mizuki. She panicked, unsure of what to do.
"Give up. You're going to die anyway." The leader sneered, his weapon steady.
Garrett felt annoyed.
"Ugh. If you had put me down sooner, this wouldn't have happened."
Mizuki pushed herself up, and Garrett slithered out of her grip. Tentacles shot out, piercing through five hunters, including the leader. The hunters barely had time to scream before Garrett's tentacles twisted and retracted, hoisting their lifeless bodies into the air. Blood splattered on Mizuki's face and the forest ground.
Her breath was shaky as her gaze met the carnage before her. The hunters' lifeless bodies hung in the air for a moment before Garrett's tentacles flung them aside like garbage. He then turned his gaze to her and slithered toward her.
"Garrett..." she whispered, barely audible.
"Huh? What's wrong?" His voice was filled with concern.
The world around her blurred, her legs trembling, and dark spots crept into her vision.
"Mizuki! Are you okay?"
She swayed unsteadily. Before he could react, Mizuki collapsed unconscious. Garrett lunged forward, his tentacles snapping out to catch her just before she hit the ground. He then pulled up a large tree to create a place where she could rest. shifting into his human form, he set up a campfire for the night, placed his hoodie on her back...
"I hope you wake up soon." He whispered.
As Garrett wandered deeper into the forest, he encountered a group of hunters. They were also there to hunt him and Mizuki.
"Are you lost, kid?" Dorian said.
Garrett responded by leaping up to head level and throwing a punch. Dorian was hurled backward but managed to parry it. The punch left a giant hole in the forest; Dorian's teammates were reduced to nothing but a pile of blood.
"What are you—"
Garrett dashed at Dorian in a blur and delivered an uppercut, sending him soaring into the air. He then leaped upward and sent Dorian hurling downward with an axe kick.
Dorian crashed into the forest floor with a fatal impact, sending dirt and debris flying in all directions. A deep crater formed beneath him as he lay there, lifeless.
Garrett gracefully landed a few feet away. He glanced at the crater for a moment before turning away and plucking some coconuts and mushrooms.
"Tsk. What a waste of time."
---
Mizuki's vision was blurry as she slowly sat up. As her gaze met the dim glow of the campfire, she instinctively grabbed a couple of sticks and threw them into the fire. She then pulled the small black hoodie tighter around her shoulders; she exhaled, steadying herself.
Her ears suddenly perked up. The rustling sounds in the leaves made her tense, but when she turned toward the sound, her gaze landed on Garrett. He was sitting a few feet away, casually peeling coconuts.
She blinked and tilted her head. "Garrett?"
"You're finally awake," he said.
Mizuki furrowed her brows. His voice was the same, but it felt strange, almost unfamiliar. She slowly crawled closer, her tail flicking behind her.
She placed both of her hands on his cheeks; Garrett stopped peeling coconuts and awkwardly made eye contact with her.
She then stretched his cheeks as far as she could; her lips formed a small pout as she studied his face with intense concentration.
Garrett blinked, utterly bewildered. "Mizuki... what are you doing?"
She hummed thoughtfully, tilting her head. "Hmm... just making sure you're the real Garrett. You feel real enough." She then released his cheeks, letting them snap back into place.
He sighs, his face twitching in annoyance. "Next time, just ask me."
Garrett returned his gaze to the coconuts and mushrooms. He then handed her a peeled coconut. "Here. Drink this. You passed out earlier, so you need to rehydrate."
A smile formed on her lips. "Thank you~"
She took it and sipped, the cool liquid easing her dry throat. Garrett placed mushrooms on sticks before setting them near the fire.
For a moment, they comfortably sat there, eating the mushrooms. As they ate in silence, the campfire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on the surrounding trees. Mizuki let out a satisfied sigh, her fluffy tail swaying.
Garrett poked at the fire with a stick, his expression unreadable. "We should rest soon."
Mizuki glanced at him, her ears twitching. "Are we leaving this place?"
He nodded. "It's not safe for us to stay in one spot for too long. There could be others hunting us.
She frowned slightly but didn't argue. Instead, she stretched her arms with a yawn, then lay curled on the grass beside the fire. "Goodnight." She mumbled sleepily.
Garrett leaned back against the fallen tree. "You too." As he glanced at the night sky, he exhaled and closed his eyes.
---
High above, outside the planet, A cloaked goddess watches. "Get ready for what's about to come. Void monster." She then vanished in a flash of light.