(NEW Version Created)Trying To Survive: This Forsaken World Won't Let Me?|Ended|

Chapter 72: Bane Improvises

The thin, crescent shape of the moon hung high in sky by the time we decided to stop at the first village that came into view through the trees.

     We'd run into a lot of AniMons. And  by that I mean a lot. They all attacked in large groups, one right after the other.

     Of course, I stayed on the sidelines as I watched everyone battle them off.

     Unlike the past battles, however, it took some effort. Everyone could carry their own, and fight off the AniMons with ease. But for some reason, working together was another story all together.

     Harry and Silica tried to tell the instructions for taking out the next opponent, but M.K would already be off, punching blindly through everything.

     And of course, that made him wide open in his blind spots. Bane tried to rush over and help, only getting caught in the AniMons' grasp in M.K's place.

     Harry would have to rush to the rescue, leaving Silica and Erika open to attacks as well.

     And sure enough, while he would try to help M.K and Bane, the sisters would be surrounded and closed in too tight for their spear and lance to reach all the attackers.

     Kanto would've tried to help, but of course he still barely walked straight. And Mako stayed behind with us in his wolf form to make sure we weren't targeted next.

     There were a few close calls, but Kanto and I managed to get by with just a few scraps from talons and wings before Mako jumped in to save us.

     Everyone else...

     ... Wasn't as lucky...

     They were all groaning and hunched over in pain by the time we made it to a village.

     Or at least, I guessed this place could be called a village.

     The great wall built to keep AniMons away was only half standing, bits of brick falling and tumbling as we walked up to the gate guarded by a scrawny boy. Who jumped everytime a bit of brick tumbled down near his feet, and swinging his lance around wildly as he screamed.

     He didn't notice us, even when we were just a few yards away, as he swung around his lance.

     Harry held up his hand and we came to a halt. He cleared his throat, but the boy didn't hear.

     He was too busy tripping over his own feet and almost gouging out his eye with his weapon.

     "Uh..." Harry took a step forward but paused when the boy jumped back to his feet.

     That's when he noticed us, his eyes bulging out of his head. He gripped the lance with both of his hands, holding it across his chest.

     "Wh-Who goes there?! I mean---" the boy cleared his throat. "Who would you all be?"

     I couldn't hold back a snicker. His voice was suddenly much lower compared to the squeak he belted out just a second ago.

     "We're from the Gu---"

     Harry started to answer but stopped himself. He glanced at me over his shoulder, the obsidian spheres for eyes glistening in the moonlight.

     My smile faded.

     Even a place like this was sure to know about that, right?

     I felt a pang of sadness as images of the boy running away from us and telling the local Residents to hide from me before I could kill them.

     But strange enough, the sadness didn't feel the same as before.

     Because I'm starting to get used to it.

     Realization struck me like a knife in the heart.

     Out here, it's just like how the students saw me earlier today. Anyone that knows who I am is going to run away in fear.

     "Good Men Like To Fish!"

     Everyone turned to Bane in shock, who was holding up his hand as he grinned.

     M.K leaned over to whisper in the Jengu's ear a little more loudly then he intended. "Bane, what 'r ya doin'?"

     Bane pushed him away. "Just work with me for a second here," he hissed before he walked past Harry and threw his arm around the boy's shoulder.

     The boy's eyes widened more, which I thought couldn't be done without his eyeballs popping out of head.

     Harry placed his head in his hand as he sighed.

     I ground my teeth together as I debated whether or not to start running now, before Bane could say anything else.

     Bane slapped his hand on the boy's chest. "You see, good man, we're from the organization Good Men Like To Fish and after hours of testing the waters of a nearby river for possible unfamiliar species of fish, we would like to lay down and rest our weary fishy souls."

     "That was a lot of fish used in one sentence," Silica said under her breath.

     The boy's eyebrows furrowed. "What river? We're not near any---"

     "Oh! Did I say river?" Bane let out a dramatic laugh as he slapped the boy's chest again. "I meant the lake. About... Er... Say... A hundred miles from here. Wouldn't you say that's about right, my fellow fishing companions?"

     "I don't believe this," M.K groaned under his breath.

     "Uh, that's right!" Erika jumped forward, placing her hand on her hips. "And of course, that's a long distance for us to be walking."

     The boy looked back between Erika and Bane for a moment, his eyebrows lifting and falling.

     "What did you say your organization was called again?"

     "Good Men Eat Fish!" Erika blurted.

     "Good Men Like To Fish!" Bane leaned in and yelled into the boy's ear at the same time.

     Erika winced.

     I held my breath like everyone else.  I looked over at Bane, who gave me a confident grin.

     Maybe he didn't hear Erika...

     Please, don't tell me he heard her...

     I expected the worse, readying myself to be attacked by the boy any second now.

     "Well," the boy said as he dug in his ear, "sounds good to me. You guys can go in then."

     My mouth flew open.

     It actually worked?!

     The boy jumped out of the way just as Bane was about to give him another slap and started fumbling with the key on his belt.

     After a minute the gates opened, their bolts screeching for some oil as we all stepped inside.

     Bane didn't stop smiling as we walked down a flight of steps, broken and falling apart just like the wall.

     Harry took the lead again, scratching his head. "Well, that did not go like I thought it would..."

     I smiled as I glanced at the Jengu behind me, his grin sparkling brighter then the moon itself.