Craynt would change routes going home often, mostly to prevent scaring people and getting humiliated, but he's also curious about other places.
Today, he walked past the convenience store, and turned left to near the garden. Craynt loves the garden, he thought it was beautiful, though not perfect, he liked it that way.
He slowed down his pace and stopped to watch the beautiful scenery of the garden. Flowers flourished, a light breeze carried the scent across the garden. It was delightful for him.
He recalled his awkward moment with Rinky at school and whispered to himself, "You awkward idiot, was asking to be friends that hard?"
Suddenly, he heard cawing. "It's from the trees…" he thought to himself and looked up at the tree to see crows, "There are crows on the tree…wait, crows?"
"Wait, aren't you…?" a voice echoed from a distance. He recognised that voice. He turned to the direction of the voice and saw Rinky eyes widened in surprise.
"Wha-?!" he jumped, not knowing Rinky would be here.
"You're…Craynt, right? What a coincidence! We walk the same path home!" Rinky walked closer and said.
Craynt looked away and scratched his head, "Yeah, and you're…Rinky…right?"
"Yup, that's me!" Rinky turned to see the garden, "You like this scenery too? Me too, it's got that imperfect beauty feeling to it."
Craynt stared at Rinky silently, feeling a breeze of wind in his heart.
"Hm? Is something wrong?" Rinky noticed and asked.
Craynt snapped back to reality and stuttered, "Wha-no, it's nothing…I glad you get it the way I do." His tail said otherwise by wagging greatly.
"Really?" she noticed and chuckled, "Man, I actually thought I was the only one!"
"She's talking to me…" he thought, "The first time she gave me the notebook, I thought she was just being nice, but she's actually…talking to me."
"Hey, Rinky…"
"Yeah?"
"Ask her why she isn't bothered by my scar, you can do it, it's just a simple question, I won't feel weird!" He thought to himself.
"…I wanna ask…are you…"
"You can do it, Craynt!"
"…okay with walking home together?"
"THAT'S WORSE!! I'm dead, she'll definitely think I'm a weirdo…"
"Yeah sure!" she replied with zero hesitation.
Craynt widened his eyes, "Really?"
"Of course! Why not?" she smiled.
Craynt blanked out for a few seconds, then he covered his face with his palm and looked down.
"Craynt, you son of a gun."
"You good?" Rinky bent down and asked.
"…yeah, let's go." Craynt smiled reluctantly.
They walked together at the side of the road.
"By the way, I don't know if anyone has ever said this to you but that scar on your face is badass as hell." Rinky said, "How'd you get it?"
Craynt stared in surprise, then he knelt down, processing his brain as he stared blankly at the brick floor.
Seeing this, Rinky quickly tried to help him up, "Wha-was it something I said? I'm so sorry!"
"She's too nice to me, I can't take it…"
Craynt stood up and laughed it off, "No, my bad. I didn't have to suddenly scare you. I can tell you about it, my scar I mean."
"Oh no I'm sorry you don't have to-"
"Barely met and are already talking like an old couple, love that." suddenly, they saw a wolf leaning against the wall and casually spoke like he was there all along.
Rinky and Craynt jumped internally in shock and stared at the wolf uncomfortably.
"Um, sorry but who are you?" Rinky asked.
"Hm? Oh, corporate tells us not to show our identity. So my ideal respond should be 'fuck you, respect my privacy bitch.'" he smirked.
"You know this guy, Craynt?" Rinky whispered.
"Not at all."
"Anyways, I have to do my job real quick so if you excuse me, half-burnt puss, I'll have to… 'exterminate' your girl here." the wolf pushed Craynt away and walked towards Rinky.
Rinky stepped back in unsettlement, "H-hey! This counts as harassment! Stay away!"
"And? Fuck around with enough people and you won't feel nothin'. Kinda like rich people." the wolf shrugged.
As the wolf was about to reach his hands at Rinky, he felt a tug on his jacket collar, and he turned around to see Craynt clenching his fist.
"…I don't know what you mean by 'exterminate', in fact I don't think I want to know…but don't you dare get near her." Craynt warned, anxiously.
The wolf looked at Craynt unseriously, then he burst out laughing and said, "You just said something straight out of a 90s TV show, I don't even know if I should laugh or cringe!"
Hearing this, Craynt's face turned red in embarrassment.
"Eat this!" Rinky kicked the wolf by the leg, making him jump and shout in pain.
"Ow, dude! Oh the fuck?!"
"That's what happens when you call out my friend! And making me lowkey uncomfortable which is where I lean more as a reason of why I kicked you." Rinky said sarcastically-apologetically.
The wolf continued to exclaim loudly and dramatically, "Oh the pain! So excruciating! I think I see the light! Lord have mercy!"
"Woah, this dude used to be a theatre kid or something?" Rinky thought.
"Is he serious right now? Whatever, at least he doesn't seem like actual danger. He's probably one of those online prankers that do things for views." Craynt thought.
"Alright haha, okay that's enough. Tell the cameraman to come out." Craynt said bluntly.
Then, the wolf suddenly stopped his act and glanced at him, "Cameraman? Oh, I get it."
Suddenly, the atmosphere felt warmer, and his hand glowed with orange light, which glowed so bright until scorching hot flame lit on his palm.
"Wait wha-"
The wolf threw the flame on his hand towards Craynt's arm, burning it and making him recoil in panic.
"Cray-" before Rinky could call him, she was kicked in the stomach in the blink of an eye, sending her flying way further than a normal Zoologian could do.
Rinky groaned in pain as the wolf stood between them and proudly announced, "I think you braindead idiots got confused so let's start again. I am here to kill Rinky, try to stop me and I won't hesitate to have you cremated."
He stepped on Rinky's body and pushed her like a toy, "But I'll be honest, when I sensed the emission from you I didn't expect you to be this weak." he said boringly as flames emerged from his palm again, "Well, like I'd give a damn."
He heard footsteps getting louder, and then Craynt came in and punched him in the face.
"I told you! Not to touch her!" Craynt said, his voice filled with both fear and rage.
The wolf stepped back to hold his balance, felt his face where he was punched, then glanced at Craynt disappointedly.
"Craynt…I don't think that punch work…" Rinky whispered.
"Yeah I know, we're doomed." Craynt replied.
The wolf snorted, "You're really are full of shit, pussycat. You want me to beat your ass too? Then eat this, bitch!"
The flame immediately flew close to Craynt's face, at that speed, it seemed impossible to dodge it. Craynt knew that and close his eyes to brace for impact.
That's when a masked man jumped down from a roof of a line of houses nearby.
"[CREATION:WATER BUCKET]"
A golden glow shone from his palm, then out came a filled water bucket. He grabbed it by the bottom and with a great push, he threw the bucket towards the flame in less than a second, extinguishing it.
Then before anyone could react, he sprinted towards the wolf and smashed his head on the ground.
"N-not you…again…" the wolf fainted.
"I-I'm not dead?!" Craynt said in shock.
The masked man swept his hands and got up to look at Rinky and Craynt.
Rinky reluctantly got up and looked at the masked man, a 7 foot figure with messy hair and long jacket that's flowing with the wind.
"Who…are you?"