Title: Welcome to the Family
Rate: T+
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The moon was full on all Halloween night with gray clouds pass through the starless night. Yet the moonlight brought forth light to those who were out and about trick or treating or in her case. On her way home from her friend Halloween party dress up as Faun with deer ears matching her brunette hair as she wore crown of flowers to bring out her emerald green eyes. Her make-up done expertly thanks to some YouTube videos giving her a doe like face. Through everyone kept calling her a Satyr which was a bit disappointing given how much work she had put into the costume.
As much as she would have to remind at Haruka and Michiru party and enjoy all the food and joyful conversations. Her job at Lucky Cat Café need her to be in by nine am sharp on the dot; so when eight clock at rolled around, Makoto bid her friends who were family to her a goodnight as she head on home. Haruka had offered to drive her home but she had turn it down saying it was only a fifteen-minute walk from Haruka house to her home.
The walk home had been delighted moment as she watched little children with their parents walk around the neighborhood stopping from one house to other asking for candy. It made her heart soar hoping one day she would be doing the same with her husband and child. Caught up in her daydream, Makoto almost misses an altercation happening down an alleyway. Stopping her in footsteps, she turns around quickly wanting to see what was happening.
In the alleyway, three large boys stood over a much smaller figure who settled down to the ground holding something close. Cruel laughter and taunting reach her ears letting her know the boy or girl on the ground was being bullied by the larger boys. Clenching her fists as a burning anger came bursting through her at the sight. Makoto intended to show the bullies just what she thought about their actions and insuring this would not happen again. Not so long as she lived in this neighborhood.
“You little bastards better to be able to take the beating I’m about give you if you can dish them out!” Makoto shouted running at them full speed getting them to look up.
“Run!” Shouted one the boys taking off as other reach down and grab to be a trick or treat bag before following his friend. The last one shouted out ‘Monster!’ then chased after his friends leaving the smaller boy on the ground.
Once she had reach the boy, she slowly knees down trying to get a better look at only to discover it was boy. Makoto could see his unruly black hair as his arms cover his face not giving her a chance to see if he had been hit or hurt in some way. As her emerald green eyes took him in, she could see he was wearing a blue hoodie cover in ‘fake’ blood wearing brown pants and red shoes. His red t-shirt was stained in much darker color ‘fake’ blood getting to look at his hands and see it extended to his hands.In his hands was circle black bot with cone shape anthers on top of what appear to be it head with a red angry face. Wondering how long this kid had been laying here with no one helping him made Makoto sick to think people had just ignored what was happening.
“Hey, it’s okay. Those bullies are gone now.” Makoto said reach out slowly with her hand petting the disorderly black hair just to jerk back when dog ear pop out.
Before she could say anything, black hair moved showing her a blood stain face with red eyes looking right at her. Her breath hitches a moment as her eyes blink just to see a moment later it was brown not red eyes staring at her. ‘It must have been a trick of the light or maybe he wearing some kind of new contacts.' Thought Makoto giving him a friendly smile.
“Are you hurt? Or lost? Where your family?” Makoto asked hoping the boy would respond to her questions.
The boy continued to watch her for a second longer before shaking his head no then shrugging. It had her confused for a moment when the boy reaches out and took her hand as his other had reach into his hoodie bring out a pencil. Once her hand was in his, he wrote down on the palm of her hand.
‘Not hurt but I’m lost. I don’t know where my brother is or his friends are.’
“Oh, thank goodness. For a while, I was worried you could have been seriously hurt. My name is Makoto, what yours? Maybe I can help you find your brother and his friends.” Makoto said sincerely getting the boy to look away for moment then responded though she believed him to be mute as she waited.
‘I’m Hiro Hamada. I got separated from my brother at a party down the street. My cell phone dead.’
“Well, Hiro you’re in luck. I got my cell phone with me and…” Makoto started to say reaching in a side pocket she had sewn into her dress pulling out her cell phone just to see it was dead, “Oh come on! I barely even use you!”
Hearing a shift in the gravel dirt had Makoto seeing not just one dog ear now but two on top of Hiro head by that was forgotten at the small smile on his face. That small smile show point teeth hanging over his lips.
“Your costume is quite amazing, if you don’t mind me asking. But what are you?” Makoto asked getting Hiro brown eyes to look into her own.
‘I’m a werewolf club.’
“That make sense with your ears and fangs.” Makoto said placing her cell phone back into her pocket.
‘You’re a faun.’
“How did…? Well, I’m glad somebody got it right for tonight. Everyone been calling me a Satyr.” Makoto said as her fingers wrap around Hiro’s gently pulling him up, “What about that toy of yours?”
‘This Megabot. He destroys things or people at my will.’
‘That a bit creepy but this is Halloween so.’ “Is that why it faces is red and angry?”
‘No and yes. Megabot reflects my mood at times. If I’m happy he’ll have a yellow happy face when I’m mad…’ Hiro shrugged, then letting her figure out the rest then. Suddenly the hair on the back of her neck and arms rose up getting Makoto to tense up. Snapping her head up, Makoto look down and up the alleyway somehow expecting something to be there only to find both ends empty.
“Hiro, why don’t you follow me home? I have a hardline you can use to call your brother. I’m sure he worried sick about you.” Makoto said abruptly wanting to Hiro out of the lane not noticing how Hiro glance down the alley then at her giving her pleased smile.
‘Sure! Then after my brother and his friends come, we can get a bite to eat.’ Hiro wrote down on her hand.
“If you’re hungry, I can whip you something up at my home.” Makoto said hoping the promise of food would get Hiro moving faster.
‘Really? Do you have meat? I craving some red meat right now.’ Hiro wrote down as they walk out of the alley and onto the sidewalk.
Makoto nodded, “I think so. Anything else you want to add? It been no trouble.”
At this Hiro quickly began to write down what he wanted to eat which in turn made Makoto happy as they went down the sidewalk. But even after they left the alley the feeling of being watch was now mixing with a dread feeling of being followed. Even when she would glance over her shoulder at random time. Nothing like back in the alleyway was there yet the feeling didn’t even disappear when they reach her house or enter it even.
Once inside, Hiro rush through the living room and into the dining room where he laid down Megabot as he places both of his hands on the table. His brown eyes looking over at all the plotted plants around. His eyes went over to Makoto who followed just to cross over to the kitchen turning the faucet. Missing how Hiro ears twitch at the sound, she turned off the faucet coming into the dining room with a wet rag. She came to a stop before Hiro as she once again kneels down as she took his face into her hand.
“Before you eat. Let’s take that fake blood off your face.” Makoto said gently using the wet rag to wipe away the fake blood on Hiro face and hands who gave her a big smile, “Okay done. Now the phone over in the hallway, you can call your brother from there while I start on making you dinner.”
Hiro nodded running out of the room and into the hallway getting Makoto to laugh a little. Turning her back, Makoto felt a chill go up her spine. Slowly looking over her shoulder once again her emerald green eyes could see nothing but her dining room and living room with nothing out of place. The curtains were drawn over the window giving no one a chance to look into her home but for some reason if felt as someone was looking in.
Pushing the feeling away, Makoto remind herself that she and Hiro were safe in her home. The front door was lock and so was the back door. All the windows were seal and shut when she had left for the party earlier tonight. Now reassured, she went back into the kitchen where she took a moment to charge up her phone hearing the familiar beep then began to pull out the food ingredients and pans she would need in order to make the meal Hiro had asked for. A couple of minutes had just pass by when Hiro reentered the room taking a seat at the table.
“Dinner is almost ready.” Makoto called out to him getting a plate out then placing a hamburger steak and chicken nuggets on it then grabbing a jar of mustard.
She brought it over to the table placing it in front of him watching as Hiro took hold of the jar of mustard first spreading it all over the nuggets. A ringing tone drew her attention away causing her to walk back into the kitchen. Seeing it was her cell phone only partly charge up, Makoto unplugged it answering it seeing it was Rei.
“Hey, Rei, the party still going?” Makoto asked leaning against the counter.
“Mako-chan, are you okay?!” Rei asked her voice sounding worried and slightly panic this got Makoto full attention.
“Yeah, I’m okay. I just got home and fixing up dinner for Hiro.” Makoto said then adding, “What wrong? Did something happen?”
“Who the heck is Hiro? Never mind, I got some really terrible news from Yuichiro. There was a multiple murders down your street just some hours ago! Apparently there was a big Halloween party going on till some of the guests started screaming. The neighbors end up calling the police but when they got to the house, everyone in there was completely butchered!
Makoto felt herself becoming sick at Rei news, “Are you serious? This really happen?”
“Yes! Haruka said she was going to drive down to your home if you didn’t answer my call. Shit, Mako-chan, there could be mental killer on the loose!”
Makoto could tell she was getting sicker and sicker at the thought of some crazed killer somehow being in her home just wanting for her. Even though she wouldn’t have gone down easily as she was a fighter just the thought of having to face a person like that it lift a bitter sour tasted in her mouth. A clang noise startled her out of her thoughts getting her to look up at the dinner table to see Hiro had drop his fork.
“Oh my god.” Makoto said suddenly getting Rei to react to her.
“What wrong?! Is someone in the house beside you?!”
“It’s Hiro!”
“Who is Hiro?” Rei asked sounding on the verge having a heart attack.
“Hiro, he a little boy I found just some way from my house! Rei, he told me about how his brother and friends and himself were at a party just down the road!” Makoto said her voice starting to fill with panic and worry at the thought of what Hiro could have seen.
“You don’t think he was there, do you?!” Rei asked voicing the very thing Makoto was thinking.
Makoto turn away bring up a hand to cover her mouth and the phone, “I do! Rei, when I found him, he was cover in blood! I thought at first it was fake and all to go with his costume but what if it’s not?!”
Rei was silent for a moment, “Okay, here is what we are going to do. I’m going to hang up and call the police so that they can come over to your place and get him into police custody. Till then, you got to kept him busy.”
Makoto nodded even if Rei couldn’t see it, “Yeah, I got it.”
A moment later Rei end the call causing Makoto to bring her phone down and start at it for a moment when movement at the corner of her eye had her looking up. Hiro was standing right in the kitchen doorway holding an empty plate giving her a sheepish smile. Trying to give him a pleased smile, Makoto place the phone into her pocket.
“Still hungry?” Makoto asked taking the plate from him. Hiro nodded still not saying a word ‘What if he not mute? What if the reason he not talking is because of what he saw at the party?’ thought Makoto going over to the stove with Hiro following her heart breaking at the thought of what he could have seen. The fear and terror he must have felt.
Hiro pointed at the chicken nuggets which Makoto chuckle at given how easy and quick it was to make. A good thing in her opinion right now seeing how Hiro had just went through a dramatic event and if eating nearly a whole bag of chicken nuggets would make Hiro feel safe then he was welcome to eat all of them. Once the plate was filled, Hiro hurried back to the table and once again spread mustard all over the nuggets with her at his side. Without thinking, Makoto raise her hand letting her fingers comb through his hair as her fingers gently petted his custom dog ears seeing Hiro beginning to relax under patting. Except as she continued to do this, the dog ears felt warm and real to her fingers getting a confused expression as how this could be when a scratch noise came into dining room causing her to stop her caressing.
The stopping of her petting made Hiro let out a whine having emerald green eyes look down at him in a startled look just to glance away as the scratching noise come through again. Fear began to fill her chest as she tried gently placing a hand on young boy shoulder as she listen to where it was coming from.
“Hiro, I want you to stay right here, okay? I don’t want you to move till I say so, can you do that?” Makoto asked listening as the scratching noise grew stronger having pinpointed the sound was coming from the back door.
Hiro nodded his brown eyes looking to where the noise was coming from then back to her. He gave her a look that ask her if she was going to see what it was. Putting all her courage into her smile as a show that everything would be alright. She gave one last path on the head then walking away from him heading towards the back door.
As she come closer to the small window door, she didn’t see Hiro leaving his seat at the dining table. For all her focus was on listening to the sounds of scratching this time her ears could hear faint growling mixing in. Her eyes going over the door to see if it was lock as she carefully walk to the door. Her body freezing at seeing that the door handle was unlock just as clawed pressed against the door once more this time she could see a large nail-claw hand pressing the slight window.
A screeching came into the air as the nails scrape the window as the clawed hand moved down. It was when it growled again did Makoto forced herself to react knowing she had to kept Hiro and herself safe and way from whatever was happening behind the back door. Rushing towards it, she slammed against the door as the door knob began to turn with a faint click letting it and herself know the door was unlock and open now. An angry growl reached her ears as she used all her body weight and strength to keep the door close. Her hands shaking but working quickly to lock the door even as it struggled and push the door against her. Makoto was able to shut the door and lock it slowly backing way as more angry glows and scratches came out. A part of her hoping, no prying this was so kind of very sick twisted Halloween joke but the thumping, growls and now howling sounds had her mind screaming that what was happening right now was real and she need to get Hiro and herself way.
Shaking hands reach into her pocket now bring out her cell phone once again, fingers moving unsteadily as she press her call log hoping to get connected to one of her friends. Maybe Haruka could get her and Hiro seeing how it was taking the police quite some time to get her house even when Rei promised to call the police. A part of her wondering where they could be or what could be keeping them. Holding the phone against her ear now Makoto turn away from the door heading for the dining room just someone on the other side answer.
“Makoto, are the police there? We been waiting for you to call back! They should have been there by now!” This time it was Ami voice that sounded in her ear.
“NO! There no police! Hiro and I are the only one here and we are in danger! I need Haruka to get her as fast as she can! Hell tell her to break the fucking speed limit!” Makoto said quickly trying to keep panic and fear from taking hold.
“That not possible?! Rei, called the police right after you hang up! They said they were going to set the patrol car to your address. They should be there! Is someone trying to break in?” Ami asked sound completely frightened and judging by the background noise she wasn’t the only one.
“Not someone, something! I don’t know what it is but…” Makoto cut off as she came into the dining room now coming to a complete stop.
Her eyes slowly widen as pure fear coldly spread throughout her body now, her lungs closing off to scared to take another breath as rest of her body became paralyzed and rooted down to one spot. As right before her was Hiro holding his toy, Megabot who face was now yellow with a smile, smiling at her showing off his fang teeth as his brown eyes look at her joy. But it wasn’t him that was causing the fear pure say it was what was behind him that cause her to freeze in terror.
It was large and tall black fur beast creature standing on two legs with a tail nestled between long clawed legs. Upwards toward the top was a torso with strong muscular stomach and chest with fur matted down as equally long arms with thin but powerful looking clawed fingers cover in dripping blood. Seeing the blood Makoto stomach lurch as the answer to were the police could be came to her now causing her eyes to become blurry as tears began to form. But she blinked those away swiftly as the creature bloodily jaws open. It’s red eyes roam over her as its ears moved back and forth then settle forward as the sounds from behind her become large.
She forced herself not to wince as the werewolf in her kitchen toss it head back howling loudly lowering its head once it was done. It’s red eyes now back onto her as the sounds die off leaving just Hiro and the were-creature breath the only sound.
“Makoto! What was that?! Answer me!” Ami shouted into her ear getting her to unfreeze and take a breath in.
“Hey, Ami-chan, tell the others I love them, okay? Tell them, I didn’t go down with a fight because you know, I would never go down easily.” Makoto said trying to keep herself from crying, trying so hard to stop the tears from falling.
“Makoto, no, help…”
Whatever Ami was saying was cut off as the werewolf rush at her making Makoto drop her phone instantly getting into a fighting stance. Just as the told Ami, she wasn’t going down without a fight, she was not going to be an easy victim. She had managed to land a right hook into the werewolf face causing it to stagger a bit just for it to catch her left arm. Using it to toss her to the ground now the full force of it knock the air out of her lungs.
Even as the laid on the kitchen floor, Makoto use her leg to kick into it side making it howl in anger through the howl itself didn’t sound angry but delight till it knee press against her hip making her shout out in pain. Her right arm once against hitting it face forcing it face to turn away showing blood cover teeth. Fear took hold once again when her right arm was caught and twisted into an odd angle it made her cry out in pain as it was force down to the kitchen floor.
But the pain in her arm and hip was soon forgotten as razor sharp canine teeth bit into her shoulder and neck. A burning pain flare through her entire body as a scream rip out of her mouth her mind telling her in the far back blood was now coming out in large amounts staining her costume dress and kitchen floor. The werewolf growling happily as it went on holding her down as a claw hand rip her costume dress leaving blood scratches on her stomach and hips.
A cross from them, Hiro walk over to the drop phone picking it up and saw the caller on the other end was still on. Looking over to were his brother and Makoto where, Hiro give her a happy smile when their eyes lock then brought the phone to his ear. He could hear yelling in the background as caller kept trying to reach Makoto.
“Sorry, but Nii-san is busy with your friend right now.” Hiro said happily it caused Ami that was her name Hiro thought to become quiet.
“Please, I begging you, we are begging you don’t hurt her! Don’t kill her, we…” Ami begged just to hear Hiro speak.
“Don’t worry, we are not going to kill her! I talk with Nii-san about her and he agree with me since he was watching us this whole time. To welcome her into the family.” Hiro said pleased even with the screaming in the back.
“What?” Ami said sounding as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Oh, yes, she part of the pack now, Nii-san is making sure of that. Though I think I will have to call her Nee-san from now on.” Hiro said hearing Ami starting to chat no over and over again, “Have a goodnight now, oh, and Happy Halloween.”
Hiro pulled the phone away just as Ami scream at him not to hang up ending the call then tossing the phone aside. He then turns towards his brother who was now panting as he held Makoto body close to him. Her once faun costume now ripped and torn cover in blood but it didn’t brother Hiro at all. Instead he hurried walk over to his brother and Makoto snuggling against the both of them taking in both of their scents. Listening to Makoto now slow steady breathing making grin happily at the thought of her with him and his pack now.
“Welcome to the family, Nee-san!”