Nine Lives

Chapter Three

The road to the mall was clear, but I still put my hood up and hid my tail under my jacket. Yuki didn't understand why I did. She just walked next to me, tail and ears out in the open as if seeing someone with a tail was an everyday occurance. She had said something about how this was her, and everyon should deal with it if they had a problem. She didn't believe in hiding herself. Usually.

We talked as we went, the topic always changing. It first started out with favorite books, then movies, then TV shows, and the list just went on and on. I found myself stuttering less now than I had before, which was a good thing. Yuki had noticed the change, but hadn't said anything about it. I was glad she didn't, because if she did, I probably would have started it all over again.

A chilly breeze blew past, and I started thinking about trying to get full gloves, not the fingerless ones I wore now. While I was thinking, I noticed Yuki shiver, and turn to look at her.

"Something wrong?"

"No, not really," she smiles, "it's just a bit chilly, that's all."

I nod, then take off my jacket and put it on her.

"Oh, no, I couldn't," she starts to take it off, but I shake my head.

"No, go on ahead. You sound like you need it more than I do."

"But won't you get cold?"

I shrug, "I'll be fine. Besides, we're only a few blocks away. You can give it back to me then." I give her a reassuring smile.

She looks like she's going to protest more, but then stops, sensing that I wasn't going to take no for an answer.

I look up at the sky and study the clouds, then start making predictions about what the weather is going to be like in the next half hour. I don't know why I do it, but I've been doing it since I was a kid. I guess it just turned into a hobby of mine.

"Tatsuya, what're you looking at?" Yuki looks at me with an amused look on her face.

I sigh in my head, thinking about how much I hated to be interrupted while in the middle of making a prediction. "Well, just the sky."

"Why? You going to predict the weather?"

I shrug, "If you want me to, I will."

She gives me a look, "You're joking, right?" When I shake my head, she laughs, "Well then, I never thought I'd ever have a day like this."

We turn the corner and the mall appears in front of us. It was rather big for such a small town, and only seemed to get bigger the closer we got to it.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, when I woke up today, I didn't expect to find a dark haired boy sitting in my art class."

"I wasn't even supposed to be there. Mrs. Granger had asked me to stay."

"So, you're saying that she set this all up?"

Before I get the chance to answer, a noise behind us makes me turn around in curiosity. A man with a black ski mask appears out of a nearby alley, and I just barely have enough time to register the flash of metal in his hands.

I act instinctively, putting myself between Yuki and the attacker, and snapping my hands up. Metal claws form around my hand and fingers just in time for me to deflect the knife. The man tries again, but I flick a hand to the side, sending the knife skittering into a trash pile, and leaving a scratch on the man's hand.

He panicks and tries to run, but I quickly pin him down on the ground, one clawed hand holding his neck down. Not hard enough to crush his windpipe, but just strong enough to keep him from getting away.

"I give up, man!" His voice had a Brittish accent, and just a hint of fear, "Please, just don't hurt me!"

"Why should I?" I start growling at him, but then starts calming down as I feel Yuki's hand on my shoulder.

"Look, man, we had to be sure it was you. I wasn't going to kill you, I swear!" He struggles for a bit, but I mannage to keep him down.

" 'wasn't going to kill me'? Says the guy who attacked from behind with a knife!"

"Says the guy being pinned by a freaking warrior with claws!" He looks at Yuki, then back at me.

I laugh, "I am not a warrior. I'm just a high school failure."

Now it was his turn to laugh, "A failure wouldn't have had me disarmed in three seconds, then down on the ground in five."

I open my mouth to argue with him, then stop. He was right. I should be lying on the ground bleeding to death, but here I was, without even a scratch. I don't remember what happened, and I don't even remember ever having these claws, but there they were, glinting in the sunlight.

"Good, now he's starting to use his head," the man said, addressing Yuki.

"I told you that the knife would work," she replies, crossing her arms.

"Hold on," I turn and look at her, "you're in on this too?"

"Tats, I'm sorry," she nods to someone behind me, "but we have no choice."

I turn around and barely have enough time to see the gun pointed at me before the world goes dark.