Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

      Rest now, Daisy.

    Snow was a symbol of purity in biblical themes; a sense of uniqueness and innocence given to Malino kind as another piece to their ‘humanity’, something the deity watching over their kind gifted them.

In her eyes, purity was a jewel, something so special though fragile, to be protected, cherished. It meant a part of them as Malinos.

    History and religion never meant anything to Elma, though what she had in her hands as a child was ripped from her by force and crushed past repair that the mere thought of being able to grasp that innocence was simply scoffed at. Currently, that was one of the only thoughts that managed to stay intact as she dragged her weakened body across the pure white snow, the tainted crimson on her fur leaving small fair patches of red as she tried to move along, to do something, to make her survival’s worth. There are other thoughts, ringing by and making the pounding migraine unbearable for seconds before they vanish, but the same ones remain.

    She never liked thinking about her childhood, preferring to keep it forgotten and buried. After all, they only made her feel horrible, but in this moment, she couldn't shove any of them blooming in her head, lamenting the memories before coming of age, resenting how everyone had suddenly started viewing her as an adult instead of an teenager. She didn't know if any other child had lived like this, but she didn't like it. The second part of her simply cried out multiple apologies, her vocal chords too exhausted to do so properly. Despite the lack of energy, guilt ruled over her, and she compelled by repeating the same whines and cries inside her head with every passing drag of her paws across the snow that made her skin and fur ache and itch more. This felt like a faithful punishment, proper of someone like her; everyone was together at last, though she'll perish in solitude with no one to hold the memory of her, not even a proper burial.

    …Truly, a punishment, although cruel… Everything was cruel in her life though, she had lived through hell and she wouldn't go past the last gate to heaven; she had lived a cruel life. The bat malino had long forgotten the third thought, whatever it was, it simply vanished into a thin fog of clouds, in the white bliss of nothingness, where everyone and everything came to rest at last.

    Her legs had finally given up on her, and she harshly met the ground, the cold contact against her skin making the blisters that had appeared due to frostbite worsen, and she could feel her temperature drop even lower, possibly to a lethal degree. She couldn't save herself here, she didn't have the strength or the materials, simply her coat and hood, a machete, and the blanket that would add at least a weak layer of warmth, but even that didn't help. She couldn't think, nor move, she could barely feel or hear, her ears were one of her strongest points. As her hearing senses were significantly heightened to favor her poor eyesight, losing either of her ears would make it harder to live, but that wouldn’t be worth thinking about, why would it matter? It's devalued by the brink of death looming over her.

      Looming…

    … Crunch, crunch, crunch … With an unnecessary amount of effort she processes the sound.

      Looming…

    She manages to take a glimpse, it's a white bear, possibly of the Polar race… A polar bear, Elma had only known of one malino like that, only one, the sole reason why she's down here in the first place.

        Looming…

    Why would she come back here? She didn't have a fair reason to. Had she healed and recovered that quickly or had time gone faster than she wanted it to? Was she finally putting her out of her misery?

    The idea awakened a knowing rage inside her, she wasn't going to let her get the satisfaction of doing so, the claws on the edge of her paws gripping on the snow as she let her poor vision rest, laying her head on the snow. Her ears perked up slightly, letting them locate properly where her enemy stood by as the crunches on the snow became louder, louder, louder, and louder.

    Until they stopped.

    She was right in front of her.

      .. Or so she had assumed it was her, though she only ended up proving herself wrong. With a swift hop back onto her feet, despite the roaring pain across her body she stood in front of a new face, stopping the sudden lunge of her claws towards them as she stared at them, someone who was not the person she wanted to confront. A long pause started as the two stared at each other, their brains registering what was happening as if time had simply stopped. It was almost peaceful for a moment… Elma could have sworn this kind of calm felt similar to the mornings in fall, back in town when she was just as naive as a child was supposed to be.

      This wasn’t peaceful, though. This was her body giving up, had she not wasted her energy on a panic-induced move, now ended up losing control as she simply fell down on the pure white snow again, limp, cold, and weak, her grip on her own life loose, now knocked out too in front of a stranger with intentions that she doesn’t know, though wishes to. 

      She felt herself be picked up and carried, feeling the slight struggle to do so while Elma finally gave up on her stubbornness to remain awake, feeling herself be picked up weakly before her vision went black, as did all of her senses along with it.

          On the day the LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you,

Chapter Text

        Elma had subconsciously shifted on the spot she rested, groaning as she felt the soreness on her body, every nerve and muscle responding at the movement with pain, and she had momentarily forgotten about the events that happened, and simply relished the blissful warmth, though she couldn't remain oblivious a minute longer as her working eye fluttered open, and she turned, looking at the source of warmth. Confusion was her first emotion, then a prick of fear as she looked around, taking in her surroundings with more clarity.

    It's dark, very dark.

    It seemed to be way deeper into the snow forest than she was hoping for, though she could see she was in some sort of village with how there were… homes made of ice? Ice house? No, that definitely wasn't the correct word… Though she only knew so much English, as it wasn't exactly her first language, and her studies were cut short.

    The trees around her had their leaves coated with a thick layer of snow, some falling off the sides due to the amount on top that tested the strength of the leaves. They stood tall, and shadow engulfed the rest behind them until she couldn't see past the dark purplish of the night. I must have slept all day if it's night… Elma thought, slipping past the raggedy fabric that is her blanket, and stood up. I should really leave.

    Looking around, she couldn't find her machete, something she required for defense. Really, it was logical, wasn't it? She has no real idea who or what could be outside, and she'd rather have something than nothing.

    Ignoring the protests of pain from her body, Elma started walking around, a frown kept in her face with every step she took, as shocks of pain emitted through her body. She couldn't let herself rest, not when she's somewhere she doesn't know, with people she also doesn't know, with intentions she doesnt kn-

      Why couldn't I have just made that a simpler thought? A heavy sigh escapes her lips, scanning the area for any sight of her weapon, though her vision is blurry, almost useless as she keeps her brow furrowed. Annoying. 

    There was nobody in sight, hence why she remained surprisingly calm, though all her senses felt so dull, exhausted and spent. She felt empty.

    And.. it felt so peaceful too, she couldn't pass the moment, even with the fear of an encounter risking her chances of survival.

    She halted everything once she saw an polar bear malino resting by a tree, eyes closed as they cushioned their head with their arms. A spike of worry stabbed through her, but she barely felt it as she took in a breath, then exhaled, walking by as the snow crunched below her feet, They look a lot like.. Her own thought is interrupted as she winces, The resemblance is uncanny.

    As she passes past, she hears a yawn behind her, and stops her movement as she freezes up. The stranger, with a stretch, hums discontentedly due to their awakening, opening an eye, “Oh, you're awake!” They sit up properly once they get a good look at Elma, cringing a bit at the copper smell and her current.. appearance.

    She turns around, finally facing them, “I'm sorry I took your machete away from you.” With that apology, they stood up, and Elma tensed.

    They approached, adding to her discomfort as they continued, “You kind of passed out on me, even if you tried to.. y'know,” With a shrug they stopped, still keeping distance, “I got worried, you were so cold when I checked your temperature!”

    They felt as this was fit for an introduction, she didn't seem hysteric, actually, she looked calm enough to have a conversation with. “You seem to be better now, I'm Yooloo, nice to-”

    “Give me back my machete.”

    The polar bear flinches, wincing slightly as he had raised his hand to shake hands. It was a respectful greeting, wasn't it? Though he let his hand fall to his side awkwardly as he muttered, “meet youuh…” He glances to the side, “I-I’m sorry, I didn't catch that, what did you-”

    She extended her hand, opening her palm as she waited, “Give. me. my. machete.”

    “.. Uh- I mean, sure, but why do you need it?” He inquires, and she at least responds to him with something less blunt, “I’m leaving.”

    “Huhw- Wait- Already?!” He sputters, watching as Elma walks past him again, giving him a nod of confirmation as he's quick to follow after her, “But- I don't think you can, you look pretty injured, y'know?”

    “I can handle myself.” She continues walking, continuing to look around while ignoring what she considered the annoying worries of this guy she just met.

    She didn't understand the necessity. While she's in incredible pain, it's manageable to a point, or maybe her nerves haven't fully awakened, but she's not doubling in pain yet.

    She sighs, sparing him a look, although it felt and was forced as she continued walking, “I'm fine, I promise.”

    Yooloo didn't seem to be sure, she was still drenched in what he could assume was dry blood, and her eye looked injured, well- she didn't look fine in general, she had a few cuts around her body too.

    Elma paid him no mind, and so he felt like he should give her the liberty, after all she was stubborn about it, “.. uh.. A-alright, but- It's not safe out there,”

    “I know.”

      Yooloo coughed, ignoring her and continuing “SO! I best believe that I should go with you.. as a companion!”

      The bat flinches, and she turns to look at him as he continues walking, past her and towards one of the houses, “-What?” Now she's following after him! “I’ll be your sidekick!”

      “Hold on- You can't just barge into- ‘plans’, we just met!” Her voice quivered slightly, though he didn't pay her no mind at all, continuing before he kneeled in front of the ice thing. There was a hole. He’s not trying to slip inside, is he? That looks too tiny for him.

      She stares in disbelief as he manages to squeeze himself inside, disappearing out of sight for a moment before he slips out her machete, clean, though the blade is slightly dulled, then he squeezes himself out as well, with slight struggle, “Taa-daa!” He raised his paws, doing jazz hands as Elma simply stared at him blankly.

      “What.”

      “Igloo!” He exclaims, replying to her confusion, though she just squints her eyes, “... What is an.. iglouh.” He snickers, before lowering his hands, “No, no, Silly! Igloo!”

      “Igluu?” He shook his head, “Igloo.” She hums, acting like she understands as she looks at the ice house behind her, inspecting it, that must be the… iglooh? Whatever it was called. Yooloo picked up the slight confusion on the language, as he started walking away, “You're not from around here, are you?” She blinks, picking her weapon up as she follows him, “Yeah- uh.. I'm from another country.”

      “Are you from a tribe?” He curiously asks as he picks his backpack up, “No.” She says bluntly, though now she attempts at behaving a little nicer, “My village was uh.. called a tribe before, but things changed… uhm.” He hums, before smiling warmly at her, “Ohh, I get it! You lived in one of those tribes that got converted into villages! Yeah, that happens.” She hums, nodding as she picks some loose snow at her ear awkwardly, “How do you know that?” He tilts his head, “Know what?”

      “Y'know- The whole.. tribes converting into villages.” She fidgets with her hands, clawing slightly at her skin though stops once she feels the prick of pain jolting through her nerves, “My dad explained it to me, basically since they have better materials and resources, they upgrade into villages! That's how neighborhoods are made, my village is also sort of trying to turn into a neighborhood but we don't have enough people to be considered one.”

      She shifts on her feet, before speaking up, “Resources and materials are same thing.”

      “.. What?” Elma sighs, before yanking the map out of the open backpack “They're synonyms of each other, at least in a way.” He stares, though shrugs, “Not- really, but you can think that way.” He watches her start walking, soon following after her as they descend deeper into the woods, the temperature dropping harshly rather quickly, though not unbearable, just annoying.

      Yooloo whistles as he walks step after step, though blinks as the curiosity gets to him, “.. what exactly are we, y'know.. looking for?”

      “I need to get revenge for some people.” She kept it vague, not interested in roping in some random person into her business, “I see, I see… Uh, what type of revenge are we talking about?”

      “Murder.” She simply blurts out.

      Yooloo stumbles, choking on his own spit as he almost falls over, quickly regaining balance, “WHAT?!” He yells out, “WH- MURDER?? WHY?!” The way she had phrased it made it seem as if she was just getting a small stupid grudge, he wasn't expecting it to be a serious deal to have murder of all things as the goal!

      “It’s revenge for reason.” She frowns, not stopping for Yooloo as the other sped up to keep up with her, “I know it seems horrible, but if I don't do anything about her… She'll hurt others again with zero consequences to her actions.” The mere mention of her existence was an irk that made her head hurt and her stomach twist, or was she just getting sick from the low temperatures?

      “I, uhm.. I see.”

      The polar bear continued walking the same path as hers, practically walking behind her as he pondered about what she said. Were there really Malinos capable of doing such stuff? He doesn't exactly have the answer to that, as much as he wished, after all… He's only lived in a small village, everyone knows everyone there that crime is practically not even a thing for them.

      Sometimes ignorance is bliss, a bliss easy to ravage with a misstep.

      There was a trail of footsteps in the snow, it wasn't hard to notice as Elma stole glances behind them, every step in the snow was a sign of progress, they were getting somewhere, she doesn't know exactly where, but somewhere.

      Her companion wasn't actually that terrible, although a bit chatty, it was nice.

      She liked listening to people talk, it reminded her of sitting by the living room, listening to her Nanna tell tales, her voice soothing and comforting… Yooloo was a guy of adventures, maybe not very exciting ones, but they were still great adventures, and he was in one piece, so did it matter?

      He hadn't urged or forced her to speak, sometimes asking curious questions about herself, he wasn't a man of prying into other people's lives it seemed, he simply nodded respectfully when she denied answering him, and changed the topic.

      He wasn't that bad.

      With a light hum, she looked over, straying close as she thought of her question, “Yooloo, how old you are?” she asks, her voice softening slightly to hide her accent a bit, and he simply beams her a warm smile, “I'm 19!”

      She nodded, and he stared for a moment, “How about you, Elma? How old are you? You seem pretty young so I had an assumption you were like, 15, but you act more maturely, so i just thought you were 22.” He rambled off, a habit she had learned now he had, extremely social as the words piled up in his mouth, “I'm also 19.”

      “O-oh wow, really?!” She nods, “That's actually- pretty cool! Hey, since we're both 19 and going on this totally cool revenge adventure, maybe we could call ourselves the 19duo! Pretty epic name, huh?” he smirks pridefully, and Elma simply gives him a judgemental look, much disapproval as he simply looked in front of her without replying to him much, “It's not cool revenge adventure.”

      “Still cool tho! Imagine all the places we could go to!” He chirps in, making Elma simply side eye him before continuing to walk, smiling softly as she shrugged. Listening to the snow crunch beneath them, she frowns, before clearing her throat, ".. I'm Elma, by the way.. Nice to meet you, Yooluuh." Turning his head to look at her, he lets out a light chuckle, "It's Yooloo, but it's nice to meet you too, Elma." She simply let out a short hum as she nodded, and simply remained quiet as they traversed through the snowy forest.

      She wasn't very reactive, Yooloo could only think of her as one of those introverted people that aren't very social, or maybe she's just shy, but… He likes her, even with how bitter she can be at times, and- hey, he could get used to it if her personality is this!

      Elma is a real mystery to Yooloo’s eyes, no idea of where she came from, what happened to her and her goal for revenge towards someone he has yet to meet, but that's the fun of it, the thrill of adventure and learning…

      Elma is a real mystery, Yooloo likes that.

                So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Chapter Text

      Elma actually didn't have a complex plan of how she wanted to do stuff. There wasn't an order or anything like that, it was all just a blur. Well, not like she’d have a plan, at least when she thought she was doing this alone.

      It's less dreadful this way though, Yooloo's chatter and rambling picks away at her thoughts like dry glue, her thoughts are barely non existent, she could get used to this.

      Despite that, everything and everyone needs a break, at least for a moment. Their feet were getting sore, and the numbness of Elma's body was vanishing, every move was a wave of pain through her flesh and veins that made her flinch and tremble. It wasn't a good feeling, shouldn't be, Yooloo could tell the poor girl wasn't feeling well.

      Truth be told, he had used his own medicine, the last painkillers he had packed, were used on Elma, so he couldn't exactly help. He’s not a doctor either, but it doesn't take a genius to know that a woman covered in blood with a gaping wound on her eye is injured, for God’s sake, she's drenched in blood!

      He's not sure how to help though. Their resources aren't enough, maybe assuming she had a game plan in action wasn't a good choice, but she seems too determined in her plan to try to convince her to go to the nearest village. He spared a glance, though completely turned his attention to her as he watched her stumble, reaching out without hesitation and catching her from falling.

      ... They should have definitely stayed back; she's not in good condition at all. He sighs, looking at her face before carefully settling her on his back. A grumble of denial emanated from Elma, and a weak shove, but Yooloo was stern as he picks her up, piggyback ride. Elma falls limp, though he's sure she isn't dead, feeling the rise and fall of her chest with every breath against his back as he sighs, continuing on their way.

      ".. maybe we got too ahead of ourselves." He murmurs, huffing as he struggles maintaining balance, he doesn't wanna say she's heavy, but- well, she is kind of heavy. Any adult malino feels heavy, but he hasn't worked out in a while so that might be it. "Fuck..." He was sure that they would have to go back, if he doesn’t give up halfway, that is, though decides against the idea. He didn’t want to disappoint Elma, this is what she wanted, right?

      After a few more miles of tedious walking through layers of snow and the cold nipping away at his skin, he spotted a relatively safe spot for them, as safe as it can get out in the snowy desert, “.. This should be a good spot, let’s rest.” The polar bear speaks to nobody, as Elma had passed out, “Honestly, if we ever get somewhere we can stay in, you should let yourself heal.” He murmured under his breath, carefully setting her against one of the trees. Wood wasn’t exactly a comfortable thing to lean on while you’re unconscious, but it’s the least he could do in a place like this. 

      He sits next to her, gazing up at the sky, in all its marbled glory with its mesmerizing purples and blues that felt soothing, and its glittery stars that sparkled, dancing a silent rhythm in the vast space. The moon was nowhere to be seen, possibly hidden behind one of the trees, but even if he couldn’t see it, he knew it was just as beautiful.

      There should be concern about some things, maybe worried about where they should go or what they would need, but he lets himself step back and enjoy the moment, the scenery, the company, even if she’s not exactly awake.

       How peaceful…

      Yooloo blinks, hearing the rustle of trees nearing closer as he chokes on his saliva in an attempt to gasp out of surprise, standing up and stumbling on his feet like an idiot before balancing himself, looking around. Bad timing, really bad timing. How does he defend someone else when all he knows is duck, jump and hide? He’s sure as hell that they didn’t teach Elma to do the same thing if something that potentially endangered them approached. Is he supposed to punch? What does he punch? What if he ends up breaking his fist?

      He ends up wrapping his arms around Elma in a panic, closing his eyes tightly as he shielded her with his body. It wasn’t a good tactic, felt like he was committing suicide while he failed to protect someone. Was suicide the correct word? He can’t think properly.

      “.. Howdy, sir!” He remains frozen for a moment, before blinking them wide open as he looks UP, watching the stranger in a cloak dangle from the tree branch, he can’t tell their appearance at all, face shadowed by the hood on their head, but their ears stand out from holes, bat-like. “...Uh. Hey?”

      “How it’s hangin’?” They chirped out, before eyeing the two and their odd… closeness, cooing, “Oohh~ Think I interrupted somethin’.” They snicker, making Yooloo’s eyes widen, looking like plates now as his face flushed, “Wh–wHATT? NONO- We JUST met like a few hourss AGO!” He pulls away from Elma, who jolted awake.

      The stranger, although surprised by his reaction, simply shrugged, letting out a chuckle as they smoothly flipped themselves around, feet landing on the snow in front of the two, “Chill! Was just teasin’!” Elma blinks, groaning as her arms instinctively wrap around her tummy, “sshiit- sorry, i didn’t mean to wake you up-” He turns to her, watching as she tensed up and hugged herself, obviously in pain. As they stand by, they hum, watching the two, “You two lost?”

      “.. ah, uhm.. Yeah.” He murmurs, and he can see the gears turning in their mind, “Er- Dunno where you two ‘re headed, but I know somebody who could take y'all in.” They tried to sound friendly enough, just to not weird them out. It's an odd thing to say, but it’s better to offer and let them decide rather than just leaving them behind.

      Yooloo glances nervously at Elma, the poor girl letting out a pained whimper, and then at the hooded bat malino, who blinked and then grabbed their own backpack, “Er- Here, take this.” They say, kneeling in front of Elma as they take out a tablet of painkillers, taking one out and giving it to her, though Yooloo took it instead to help her swallow it, “There you go..” He murmurs comfortingly, rubbing her back as she gulps, sighing.

      The three sit in awkward silence for a moment, “So, uh-.. ‘Bout that offer.”

      “.. uh, sure.” He replies, and Elma glares at them, “ No funny stuff. ”

      They give them a thumbs up, “Got’cha, no funny stuff.” They turn around, waiting for the two before Elma coughs, “W-wait- Your painkillers…”

      “Ah, Keep ‘em, I got more at my tent anyway.” Waving their hand dismissively, they look up at the sky before turning to the other two, who just glanced at each other with a sense of curiosity before Yooloo helped Elma on her feet, and the three embarked, although rather slow as exhaustion still dawned upon them, at least on the two younger ones.

      The polar bear had struck various conversation topics with the stranger, who they now know as Modest, a retired gunslinger. Their identity is confusing, as they always refer to themselves with gender neutral pronouns, though Elma just assumed they were male due to how deep their voice was.

      .. And maybe also with how strong they are, as they have been carrying her for the past few hours, she had practically fallen asleep halfway through. “.. So.” Modest starts, accommodating Elma slightly so as to not make it uncomfortable for both, “Whatcha you two doin’ out here in the forest late at night?”

      “Er-.. Well, bat over here is out for revenge on someone, I sort of tagged along.” He shrugs, watching the stars, listening to every crunch of snow with every step he took, “Revenge, huh? Guess it’s somethin’ serious considering how… she looks.”

      “Honestly, I thought that was just how her fur looked at first… I didn't know she was drenched in blood.”

      “Doesn't it concern you the reason? Like… Why is she covered in blood? Is it hers, or someone else’s?” They hum as they reach a coast, looking out to the bright city of Hunliny before turning to the side and continuing to walk, making sure they were at a safe distance from the shore. “Never thought about it either, actually… It’s, uh.. A bit alarming now, if you ask me.”

      “There ‘re various scenarios that could have happened, just hope she lets us onto the context if it's not too traumatizin'." Yooloo simply nods, looking out into the sparkly ocean, tinkling with the mix of the city's life and the dancing glitters above in the sky, making it a mesmerizing mirror to its surroundings.

      Modest followed his gaze, blinking as they too watched the water, then to Yooloo, his stance once slightly tense and exhausted, now relaxed, "You'll find that this part of land is actually quite nice to live in, at least when it comes to the scenery." The gunslinger adds as they continue walking, "Quite lonely, least for me, but you two should be fine."

      "Oh, uh-.. Yeah." Going silent for a moment, Yooloo picks up his pace to walk beside Modest, "About that somebody you mentioned a few hours ago, who is he?" Curiosity tints his question.

      Modest glances over, before letting out a snarky chuckle, "Right, right.. His name is Oliver, he's a father, married (though i ain't ever saw his wife in person). He used to work in crime cases as some sort of detective, so I call him sheriff from time to time, but he just works as a criminal profiler now."

      "Not a man of many words, but he ain't mean, just reserved." Modest looks over at Yooloo, their words meant to be taken as reassurance, "He also took in another girl and she's been living in his house for a few months now."

      "Er- That's a bit..."

      Modest blinks, eyes widening a moment later, "N-nothin' scandalous, he just lent her a hand, 'kay?" Yooloo frowned, before nodding, letting his head turn away and back to the ocean, "Right..."

      "Since we're throwin’ questions ‘round... Where 're you two headed? Dunno if I ever got an answer to that question. I mean, surely if she wants revenge she must have a plan."

      They paid attention to the path ahead, seeing the cabin in the distance, though they never got an answer from the bear, looking over, ".. You guys do have a plan, yeah?"

      Yooloo fidgets with his fingers nervously, "Uh, weeeellll..."

      ".. Y'all ain't got no idea of a plan, do you."

      Yooloo hesitates, though eventually confesses ".. urrhh yeah we don't."

      With an audible sigh of disappointment, Modest reaches a hand out, patting the younger man's head softly, "Ight, We'll figure somethin' out when your friend gets better."

      He looks at Modest, eyes widening, sparkling with a sense of security and trust, eager and naive, "Really?!"

      The bat blinked, surprised momentarily before chuckling, "I don't see why not, everyone needs a little bit of help every once in a while, don't we?"

      "Oh, oh thank you!" Yooloo excitedly exclaims, walking ahead of himself, "We promise we'll be on our best behavior! Trust!"

      Yooloo walked ahead, steps hurried in excitement as Modest watched...

      They're both children, aren't they? So full of life and curiosity. "Ey- Don't walk too fast, path's rocky over there!"

      The three stood in front of a cabin, it was placed in a specific part with an bigger amount of trees than usual, most likely to hide it from view. The rooftop was covered in snow from the previous storm, and the windows, although slightly damaged, had the curtains from the inside closed, the slight cracks of the fabric revealing the insides, lights turned off.

     Everyone must be asleep, how late is it?

     Elma had to stand momentarily, watching Modest walk over to the door before she leaned against Yooloo for support, yawning. She hadn't bothered to look at him, too sleepy to do so, but she catches the slight red hue tinting his cheeks from the corner of her eye, not a single thought about it, just wanting to go back to sleep.

     With a slow blink, she started dozing off, the knocking on the door muffled.

     The door opening, muffled...

     Talking, voices... Muffled...

     She lets herself be guided, letting her eyes drift off, a much bigger paw, though gentle and reassuring, grabs her own hand, supporting her body with the other, "Poor girl."

     "It's okay." A male voice hummed out, his tone sweet and caring, "Just sleep now, I got you."

     His touch and voice was gentle, though firm, enough to guide her to a mattress to lie down.

     It felt much like a Father's.

     A dad getting his kid to get into bed and tucking them in.

     She missed her dad.

     "..dad..."

     "... dad ."

      "... Dad?" 

     Elma walked through the long halls of her home, glancing across the rooms. Her steps were quick and hurried. It was dark, with the moonlight seeping through the locked windows as her sole illumination, "Dad?" She calls out again, her voice tiny and high-pitched.

     The little pit-a-pats of her paws as she descended into the darkness, clenching onto the hem of her pajamas before finally reaching the door to her Father's room, reaching her arm up to grab the doorknob, turning it and opening the door. ".. D-dad?" Her voice quivers, her body shaking with fear as she stepped in, hearing the slightly irritated mumble of her Father before he sat up, looking over at her, ".. Little berry... Urh.. What's wrong?"

     Elma hesitated, looking around the dark room, ".. i had a nightmare."

     Her Father blinked, staring for a moments before he relaxed, "Poor baby.." He murmured softly, "Here... you can lay down with me, little berry."

     She looked at him, her eyes lighting up as she gently closed the door behind her, walking over to the bed and climbing onto the mattress. He looked over at her, smiling gently as he reached over to the blanket and pulled it over her, ".. you wanna talk about your nightmare?"

     Elma stared at the nothing for a moment, pondering, before she looked up at him again, snug and cozy as she nodded her head, "Well, go on."

     ".. w-weell... i was in the middle of nowhere, and my feet were on the snow, but then.. then they dumped me this red thing all over me, and... i was red!!! and everyone thought i was ugly, because my fur wasn't white like the snow anymore..."  Squeaking out, she pleaded, "Dad- If my fur turned red all of a sudden-.. i wouldn't.... You wouldn't treat me like i'm ugly, right??"

     Staring at her, he hummed, "I wouldn't. Nobody should treat others wrongfully just because they got red dumped all over them." He looked over at her, then at the ceiling, "You'd still be my little girl, my princess, and my little berry." He smiled softly, before raising a finger to boop her nose, "You cute little thing."

     ".. thank you, dad..."

     He snickers, before laying down, "Sleep now, Elma... I'll be here if you need me."

     ".. okay, dad..."

      Silence engulfed the room, and she shifted slightly on the bed, though found it incredibly difficult to do so, her limbs feeling exhausted and numb as she groaned. ".. uurgh." Blinking, Elma realized she was somewhere different now, and she had to take a moment to finally process the thought.

      Oddly enough, her body didn't seem to be screaming at her in pain, instead, she was relaxed, and her eye was bandaged, "..mmhr?"

      Looking around the room, she noticed it was the cabin they were in front of a few hours back, she could tell she slept the entire night, as sunlight cracked through the curtains of the window she was resting in. It was a fairly nice room, though it didn't have any decorations, making it feel sort of empty apart from the built-in closet and the heater that gave it a cozy ambience. Elma yawned, stretching her arms before she turned around in bed, her dream vivid, traced on her mind as she stared at the wall now, "... Dad..."

     She heard the door click and creak open, and her ears perked up as she laid down on her head, turning her head to look at the intruder.

     "Oh, good morning." Another bat, though this one was red, and his face was visible, his hair reached to his shoulders and his hands were covered in bandages, "I came to wake you up, but you were already awake..." He murmured, walking over as he kneeled in front of the bed, placing his palm on her forehead, she didn't understand what he was doing before he spoke, "You're not cold anymore, that's good."

     ".. g-.. good morning???"  He pulled his hand back, not letting it linger any longer, "How was your rest? Hope it wasn’t bad. I haven't had this room used for a while now so the mattress might be a bit tough."

     ".. er-.. it was fine, the bed wasn't bad." He stood up, ears tilting slightly as he picked up on her accent.

     "That's nice. Sorry if i'm going too fast, let me introduce myself." He cleared his throat, and she could see him stiffen slightly, "I'm Oliver, nice to meet you, I saw your ID card while I was looking through your stuff, so I already knew your name... I, uh.. Hope that doesn't come off as creepy."

     She sat up, staring at him before shaking her head, "No- it’s fine." Her fur felt weird, like.. dry, she looked down at her paws, seeing the crimson red hue it had become as she stared. She knew why, and her heart ached. It ached with guilt, anger and sadness, and a shaky sigh escaped her lip.

     Her little self would have bawled her eyes out, cried, kicked and screamed, wanting it to go back to how it was, not wanting to be seen as ugly, hated, detested, a monster.

     With a light hum, she clenched her claws, feeling her body shake. Was it the hunger? Was she cold again? Or was she just upset? Upset at the world? At Pretty Blood? At RINNY her? At herself? She had done the same thing, even if she didn't mean to, she had hurt people.

     She was a monster, just like her .

     She hurt people, just like her .

     She was just as bad, if not worse. Even if she didn't find it entertaining...

     ".. Are you okay?" Oliver's voice broke her out of her thoughts, and hesitantly, she looked over, ".. i'm normal."

     He stared, concern etched on his face as he kneeled in front of her, sucking breath through his teeth, ".. You're crying."

     Elma blinks, before looking down at the blanket, raising her hand to wipe at her eye, and she was. She was crying, like a little crybaby. Crying like a pathetic little thing, like a stupid little tiny child. She sighed, her exhales shaky and full of despair, ".. It's nothing."

     The older bat simply stared for a moment, "It clearly isn't if you're crying." He replied, wanting to pry at what's making her upset. He can't just leave her crying, not anymore.

     Maybe it's the fact she's younger than him, she looks and sounds young, yet despite that, she's covered in dry blood, injuries, and scars.

     ... Poor kid.

     ".. Look, if you wanna talk about it, we'll talk about it, but if you don't... then we won't." He said, placing a careful hand on her shoulder, not meant to startle her, but to comfort the shaking girl, "You're under my roof, and while you're here, I’ll make sure you're comfortable and protected, okay?" He pulled his hand back, staring at her, and she simply forced her head to look at him, eye immediately darting away in discomfort, not wanting to meet his gaze at all in fear that he, too, will find her ugly, ".. i.. i don't want to talk about it.."

     He nodded, patient, ".. Okay, we won't." He stood up, "Do you want some space?"

     "... yes."

     "Okay." Replying, he walked to the door, grabbing the doorknob though stopped on his path as he considered something, ".. I'll make sure to get warm water so you can take a bath and get cleaned. If you need me, just yell my name." With that, he walked out, closing the door behind him with a gentle pull, letting her be by herself.

     She watched the door close, her right ear twitching before rising her legs and hugging them for comfort, her chin resting on her knees as she lets herself drown in her thoughts, she ponders, wonders and thinks of the past, the present and the future. Of that dreaded cabin, of the people who suffered there, and of a pink bunny, a woman who she owes an honest, full-hearted apology, though she can't give it to her now, not anymore, and not ever in the time she'll be alive from now on.

     "I'm sorry."

                And, 'I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters', says the Lord Almighty.

Chapter Text

    Elma felt dirty, incredibly dirty. She could feel every patch of fur, dry with the blood of people she had hurt. Whether innocent or guilty, did it really matter if they were good or bad when she had harmed them?

    There's blood on her hands, there's blood everywhere on her body. Looking down at her own paws brings a sting of guilt, shame, and sorrow. She never meant to hurt other malinos, her Father raised her with care, taught her that violence was not the ideal.

    She likes to think that way. 

    Though she doesn't like feeling gross, she eventually gets up, wiping her hand on the side of her hip to no avail, and dragging her feet across the warm floor as she walks to the door; her hands shaky as she grips the knob.

    She doesn't.. exactly know where the bathroom is. She wished she could have asked before he left, but there's no use wishing, she'll just have to find it herself.

    There's an odd, anxious feeling grabbing at her, and she doesn't know why it's there. There’s no reason to be anxious at all, so why does she feel like this? Pulling back her hand as she fidgets with her claws, the tip of her fingers traced the edges without cutting any skin. Elma feels terrified for some reason she just can't figure out.

    The room is empty, dreadfully empty. There’s barely any decorations that make it lively. No photos, no posters, no plushies or stickers, or even little knick knacks. It felt… familiar in an odd way.

    It reminded her of when she first moved into her new apartment.

    So many opportunities, so much to see. It was empty, just like this room, but building everything from the ground up always felt more satisfying.

    … Then it all went back down, nothing left, and now she has to find all the materials again. She has lost all of the bricks that made up the walls, and now she has to find them again in a dark, endless forest with nothing but her bare hands.

    She's worried about all her belongings. How long has she been gone? Would there be missing posters around town already? She hopes so.

    She just wants to go home.

    The thoughts linger for too long, and she has to inhale deeply to shove them away for at least a few more minutes. Her hands, although still shaky, grab the doorknob, slowly twisting it as if something was gonna jump at her, then opening the door just wide enough to peek through the crack and outside.

    Nothing. 

    .. Not sure what she was expecting. She opens it all the way, looking around in the hallway as she instinctively covers herself with her cloak. Geez, she looked incredibly paranoid there for a moment. She's grateful she has a roof over her head now, not freezing near death anymore.

    She can't help it, but there's a tiny voice in the back of her head telling her that they're all just acting, they'll all go against her, and they'll all hurt her too. Why should she trust them when she hasn't even seen their faces?

    Well, that's reaching too far, actually. Worse things could have happened to her already, even when she was conscious and vulnerable, but she's… okay.

    Maybe not in the best conditions, but she's alive.

    Maybe they're nice people, but she doesn't deserve it.

    Not after everything she has done.

    She really needs to bathe though, it's getting unbearably uncomfortable, and the stench of blood is starting to make her feel sick.

    Shifting in her spot, she starts looking around once more. The bedroom she slept in was at the farthest spot of the house. The hallway connected to three other rooms, then to what looked like a living room. She could barely see the curtains flowing, assuming the windows were open. There's the distinct sound of sizzling on a pan, and what sounded like some muffled chatter here and there, but it was mostly quiet.

    How… calm. It felt like a mockery of what had happened. 

    One of the doors had a sign with “STORAGE” written in a neat font, but what about the other two doors?

    One of them is probably the bathroom, she'll have to guess. She could ask which room it is, but she really, really doesn't want to talk to other people at the moment.

    … Well, she might as well look.

    Turning to the door closest to her, next to the storage room, she reaches out and grabs the door knob, twisting and opening it as the door creaks.

    Looking inside, it was another bedroom, although more decorated. Specifically, in soft pinks, whites, and even a color that reminds her of caramel. The blankets are fluffy, there are plushies scattered around the bed, and pillows neatly fluffed. Compared to the bedroom she slept in, it’s more lively. Even if there are some empty spots, it's just a matter of time before something fills them.

    She wonders who rests here, she could only assume someone at least a tad bit girly, taking into consideration all the pink stuff, and, well… the open wardrobe revealing the feminine clothing inside.

    This is not the bathroom though, and she doesn't like intruding on the rooms of others just because.

    Leaving, she closes the door behind her, rubbing her arm before walking to the other room in front of storage.

    She hesitates; maybe it's just another bedroom. She doesn't know anything about architecture, but this doesn't seem like good interior design.

    Pushing that thought aside, she opens the door. To her relief, it is the bathroom. There's a soothing scent of something floral. She can't pinpoint which flower to be exact, but it smells nice. Her body feels more at ease.

    The air is warm, and so is the water in the bathtub. It definitely feels nicer than the numbing cold outside. A pang of guilt stings her: is she really going to bathe in a stranger’s bathroom? The other bat Malino did prepare everything so she could clean herself, but she's putting herself in a vulnerable situation where anything could happen..

    Maybe it's just… her, she's thinking too much.

    She flinches, snapping back to her senses as she hears footsteps behind her. 

            “Are you okay?”

    “Huh?”

    Turning around, she made eye contact with said bat Malino, Oliver. He was worried, obviously, “I asked, are you okay?”

    Elma remained silent. She does… feel better, but is ‘okay’ the right word? “.. Yeah, I'm.. normal.” She mutters out, which got a relieved sigh from Oliver, “I'll.. take your word on it. Take a bath and get yourself clean, I'll cook you something.” He turned around, closing the door behind him to give her privacy. Her ear twitches, listening to his footsteps get quieter until silence fills the ambience.

    She turns to the tub, approaching it and taking off the ruined cloak she wore. It was SOMETHING at least, unlike the bandages and rags she wore underneath to maintain whatever was left of her dignity.

            That's awfully depressing. She can't exactly help it at the moment though, as much as she wanted to.

            Shaking her head, she forced those thoughts away, letting herself focus on actually cleaning herself instead of drowning in her thoughts. Maybe the events had made her incredibly traumatized, or she had just grown into an angsty adult, but being engulfed in those intrusive and dark thoughts wasn't fun at all. The sadness that picked at her wasn't much fun either.

            Hesitating for a moment, she slowly moved her feet inside the tub, dipping her right foot in first. She seemed incredibly wary of the water, as if it were scorching hot lava, but she relaxed once she felt the satisfaction of the warm water. It's cozy and nice. Her other foot slipped in, and she simply relished in the comfort the warmth brought along before her body instinctively sat down inside the tub, more warmth seeping in through as the water reached just below her collarbone 

            This was… relaxing. She felt sore knots over her body go loose as she simply let her body relax. Making her body remain tense just to be on high guard was exhausting, but being able to actually unwind was… nice, and she didn't feel as bad anymore. She looked down at the water, a slight hint of red coloring the tub as she sighed.

            She doesn't like that, but at the same time she doesn't wanna remain covered in dried blood. It’s uncomfortable and gross, especially with knowing whose blood it is, which makes it worse!

            “.. Eugh.” She grimaced at the thought, feeling her belly twist in sickness as she submerges her body lower into the water. Her hand grabbed the sponge, its texture soft to the touch. It remained firmly in her paw. The bat Malino wanted nothing more right now but to cleanse her fur, wash away the evidence of her slaughter. She took the soap as well, feeling extremely guilty of having to use somebody else's stuff, gliding it across her arm then pulling it back, lightly coating it and setting it down on the side of the tub afterwards, squeezing the sponge.

            Scrubbing her arm, watching the water turn redder and redder as she continues to wash herself clean, she finally let herself think.

            … How exactly is she supposed to get to Rinny? Maybe it was a long journey when she was by herself, but now someone else is tied up in her own business, and he refused to leave, as much as she feared the harm he'll go through just wanting to be a good person.

            Malinos are… so odd, at least in this side of the world. People weren't horrid back at her hometown, but she certainly can see the differences.

            She doesn’t wanna go back, anyway, that town was awful.

            After a while of scrubbing, Elma stepped out, her fur back to its original snowy white as she wrapped the towel around her, shuddering slightly at the cold washing over her skin and the warmth of the bath disappearing as she stands there for a moment, then starts walking back to the bedroom she woke up in.

            There's another dilemma…

            She doesn't… exactly have any clothes.

            She had put only the necessary things like, bandages, medicine, weapons, but not clothes.

            God dammit.

            Elma hadn't noticed at first, but her ears perked up as she saw the neatly folded clothes on the bed. A pair of sweatpants with a hoodie that seemed.. a few sizes bigger than her, but she'll take what she can.

            She slipped both pieces of clothing on, throwing the towel on the bed as she did so as she felt the fabric with her palms, trying to figure out the texture. It was comfortable, soft in a way that she felt her touch melt away, “.. Huh.”

            Maybe she's just a bit perplexed by the sudden change of scenery: in one moment she's dragging herself through the snow and in the other she's clean and wearing comfortable clothing, but nothing really… changes, her guilt feels less heavy, but it's still there.

            It'll go away as she makes progress eventually.

             “Hello?”

             Knock, knock.

            “... Are you okay?” The hybrid reached again to knock, though halted, instead grabbing the knob, twisting it as he tried to peek inside.

            Instead, he gets shoved to the ground.

            For a moment, she stares, gritting her teeth. Her vision was blurry, worse than before, she could barely see what was in front of her.

            Orange, orange, orange.

            She felt guilty, but at the same time, fear ruled over her, and if she had to fight, she would.

            “-Hey.” The voice snapped her out of whatever memory that had stormed in her brain, and she stared at Oliver, who had opened the door.

            “Hello.” She replied, an awkward silence hanging between the two bats before the older one cleared his throat, “I want to inspect your injuries, so if you don’t mind...” He motioned out of the room and to the hallway, “Let’s go to the living room.”

            She kept staring, her mind suddenly blank, “.. Okay.”

            Letting herself be guided, she sat down in one of the chairs, staring at the wooden table, a vase with flowers standing in the middle of it.

            She glanced at the other habitant, a dog malino with curls. She had a light brown color for most of her fur while the area around her mouth was white.

            Elma glanced again, though the girl remained oblivious, happily drinking the hot chocolate as she chatted with Yooloo. Oliver inched closer, holding a first aid kit and placing it on the table, opening it.

            He examined the bandage on her eye, before turning to the polar bear, “Nice job on the eye patch.” He backed up slightly, rummaging through the stuff, “Thanks!”

            “This might sting a little…” With a small warning, he took the eyepatch off, revealing the crushed eyeball underneath, the sight made Oliver wince quietly “.. ouch .” Elma frowned for a moment, though forced herself to relax as he tended to her eye before patching it back up with clean bandages, “There, it should be better now.”

            Elma shifted slightly on her spot, raising a hand to feel the new eyepatch, “Thanks…”

            Oliver nods, starting to inspect and treat smaller injuries, whether it was bruises or small cuts. Letting her gaze drift, she looked at the various things in the room.

            There were various pictures, most of them had an yellow axolotl and Oliver, some others had another axolotl, this one orange and way younger than the other two, appearing to be a toddler.

            They must be family.

            She misses her own.

            She misses her parents.

            Yooloo followed her gaze for a moment, landing on the pictures as well as his face shifted into one of momentary irritation, before he shook his head, tapping the bat's shoulder “Elma, have you met Inaba?”

            Quietly humming, she looked at Yooloo as she bluntly replied, “No.”

            He cringed at himself, squinting his eyes before he nodded, “Aha- Right.. Uh, This is Inaba.” He moved his hands, presenting the dog malino with jazz hands with a smile. Inaba was quick to extend her hand, offering a handshake as she gave the other girl a friendly smile “Hi! It's nice to meet you!”

            Elma was startled at first, eye widening slightly before she let herself relax, “uh… yeah, nice to meet you too…” She stretched her own hand to accept her handshake, the air awkward between the three.

            She looks around her age, if not at least a year younger than her.

            … So why is it so hard to actually interact normally with other people around her age? She had forgotten most of her conversation starters, and even if she had them, she also didn't feel like talking much as her throat was on fire, aching from the screaming.

            That probably explains much.

            “-I like your hair.” Inaba suddenly commented, her smile genuine and soft, her eyes crinkle ever so slightly in a way that makes Elma's tummy full of swirling butterflies.

            She really can't deny it, she's pretty in a way that she couldn't exactly describe.

            Actually… She could, she looked like a doll based off of Neapolitan Ice cream, “... Thanks, I like your hair too,” she managed to utter out, “... and your clothes.”

            “Thank you!” 

            “No problem.”

            Yooloo's gaze flickered between Elma, then to Inaba, then to Elma again. He looked incredibly expectant of them talking more, but the two just remained silent, with Elma getting her own hot chocolate as Inaba hummed quietly.

            That was just… it?

            “... So, uuuhh..”

            The two girls looked at him, both annoyed on different levels, Yooloo didn’t flinch much, determined to keep the conversation going, he wasn’t a big fan of the silence. He shifted in his seat, leaning towards Elma slightly, “Elma, do you wanna talk about your super cool revenge adventure?”

            “ No. ”

            Inaba seemed to have gotten curious, “Super cool- What?”

            Elma frowned, “-It’s nothing-” she tried to utter before she got interrupted, “She wants to get revenge on this one person.”

            He winced as he was suddenly elbowed by Elma, who glared at him, “What?” The bat malino let out a small sigh, “I don’t-... wanna drag more people into this…” She’d murmur, her claws fidgeted with the porcelain handle of the cup. “.. Don’t you think it would be better that way?” Modest piped in, “I don’t wanna judge, but…”

            Elma saw the way Modest’s eyes, although shadowed by the hood, drifted to her bandaged eye, and she turned her head away, conscious of her appearance, “.. whatever you went through, it’s somethin’ the authorities should probably handle instead.” They’d sigh, “Unless you’re already on it.”

            Oliver’s ears perked up, and he turned to look at Elma for a moment before he caught Modest’s eyes on him instead, “Thankfully we got an ex-cop here, coolio, ain’t it?”

            “-Detective.” He corrected.

            “Same thing.” They replied, holding back a chuckle as they watched Oliver’s face turn into a frown, “It’s not the same thing.”

            The younger bat sighed “.. i feel like it’s my responsibility.” She’d pause, setting her cup down to rub her arm. “I don’t have any evidence about what she’s done, and I refuse to go back to that cabin.”

            The older bat turned to look at her, then went back to his own stuff.

            “... Could I ask who’s the person you want to take revenge on?” He asked, and Elma went silent, her eye widening before she frowned. “Ex friend, she’s… hurt people.”

            “I see.”

            He never liked intruding on other’s business, especially when they considered it personal.

            He has his own things to tend.

            Yet, he feels some sense of hope, hope that maybe that responsibility she mentioned correlates to his.

            Is it stupid to hope like that?

            Maybe.

            “Speaking of that cabin…” He spoke without thinking, “Where is it?”

            Elma fidgeted nervously with her claws, there’s a heavy feeling on her stomach.

            The mere mention seemed to make her feel sick, “.. I don’t remember.” She’d mutter, an empty lie.

            She did remember. She remembered the way she came from, the amount of steps she took, how the cabin looked, the abandoned observation tower she saw along the way.

            She remembered very well, she refused to forget, but also refused to speak due to some odd fear she can’t quite figure out.

            She wasn’t a good liar, though. Oliver turned to glance at her, a look of doubt in his eyes “You don’t?”

            Nodding her head, Elma took the cup back in her hands, taking a sip. “If you do remember, then tell me. I’d love to help with whatever you have going on.”

            “... Thanks.” Elma replied, feeling relieved, though at the same time hesitant.

            Trust is something precious, to trust someone you’ve barely met is risking being hurt. It’s edgy to think like that, maybe a bit embarrassing, malinos have never had problems like these.

            The mere idea of hurting others is looked down upon in this kind of society, where everyone keeps the peace, even if they despise each other to the very core.

            Everyone trusts each other.

    So why can’t she?

            It’s a thought that plagued her mind, even as she’s laying in bed

            Should she? Should she not? Is it wrong to ask for help in situations like these? Does it make her seem weak?

            Is it wrong to be weak every once in a while? It’s not a question she could easily answer, she could make decisions, fight for what she wants to do and show that she’s just as capable, but she couldn’t answer what she thinks is a simple question.

            She couldn’t, because she doesn’t know how to be weak.

    How does being weak in front of someone feel? Someone she considers close, someone she feels comfortable and safe with, someone she knows that she could trust?

    Someone she could lay her head on their lap, feel her body relax and her breath slow down?

            She hears the door open, glancing over to see who it was, though goes back to indulge in her thoughts. “Take these and drink some water.” The older bat spoke, his tone fatherly as he placed the cup of water on the nightstand, she did as told, though watched as Oliver took her hand, placing the medication on her palm.

            “... What are these for?” The answer was obvious, but for some reason, she was almost paranoid that she was being drugged, “For your eye.” He replied, though could see the slight suspicion on Elma’s expression, and raised the pill box, Ibuprofen written on the front of some random brand and the blister packs containing the rest of the pills.

            With that confirmation, Elma seemed to relax a tad bit further, looking at the pill in her hand then taking it before drinking some water.

            Oliver watched her for a moment, before leaving the box on her nightstand, “Keep this nearby, just in case you feel any sort of pain through the night.”

            She’d nod, relaxing as she thought of laying back down, maybe resting for a while.

            “By the way,” Sleeping didn’t seem like an option for a bit when she heard Oliver speak, she looked at him, “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

            “... What is it?” She has an idea of what he exactly wanted to talk about, but part of her hopes otherwise. 

            “About what we were speaking about earlier…” He’d sit down on the ground to make himself comfortable.

            “... Which iiis?”

            Oliver raised an eyebrow, looking at her as if she had hit her head and lost brain cells, “The cabin.”

            She’d hold back a sigh, not exactly responding. “I know it might not be something you want to even remember at the moment, but I need to know.” He’d try to meet her eyes, failing as she turned her head, “I don’t know.”

            “Do you really not know? Or are you just… scared?”

            Elma instinctively flinched, sputtering something incoherent “Me?- I’m not- I, well-”

            Oliver waited, resting his arms on the edge of the bed as Elma seemed to deflate, “I am-.. Just a bit scared.”

            “... Mind telling me why?” He knew why, it’s something he watched almost everyone go through. “It just-...” Pausing for a moment, Elma leaned back, grabbing the pillow she was resting her head on a few moments ago, “... Everything that happened, the things I went through back there… I don’t know if I can even go back to how my life was before… that.”

            “I just feel so lost- I could just.. Let others deal with it, but I can't when I know it’s also my… fault.”

            He remained silent for a few more moments, thinking about something. “-I think you should tell the authorities. I don't know what happened to you at all, but seeing the-” He stopped momentarily, unsure how to exactly phrase it as he remembered the various bruises, and her bandaged eye, “... Damages, it looks serious. If you feel obligated to fix it yourself, I won't stop you.”

            “But I believe letting others deal with this kind of stuff is better, they’re trained to do so.”

            Elma was quiet. Oliver seemed to have seen her hesitation, and instead shifted in his spot to appear less intimidating. “Look, I won't tell you what to do, I just wanna know where that cabin is.”

            “... Why?”

            He'd pause, before standing up, “Having evidence gives you more credibility, at least that’s what I believe.”

            She'd stare, then nodded hesitantly, “... okay.”

            “I don't think adventurin’ just for a silly little camera is worth it, Oli.”

            Scanning the cloak he wore, he clicked the shining medal, “I think it's very worth it, maybe not to me, but to others.” He replied, checking the contents of his backpack, then sliding it on. “What ‘bout the kid? You're leaving the kid alone by himself?” Modest nervously questioned, looking back at the staircase, most of the lights were off.

            “I asked Inaba to take care of him for the time being.” He replied, glancing at them and noticing their fidgeting.

            “But-”

            “Inaba is not a bad babysitter, the two get along like siblings anyway.” He sighed, standing by the door as he looked at them, “..Why are you so worried?”

            They looked at the ground, “.. what about the other two? i don't know if we can trust ‘em- Maybe the guy, since he seems a lil’ stupid, but the girl-”

            “.. What about her?”

            Modest went silent before shaking their head, “.. nothin’, just a gut feeling .”

            Oliver raised an eyebrow, somewhat confused, but slowly nodded as he turned. “She’s not a bad person.” He murmured, adjusting the backpack straps. “She’s just lost, like us when we were her age.”

            “It could also help us get a lead on the missing malinos, and-... I don’t wanna do the same thing my parents did to me when I was barely nineteen.”

            Modest didn’t reply, and Oliver shuddered at the cold breeze once he opened the door, “I’ll get going, then.”

            The words fail to leave their mouth, even while they watch him close the door behind him, listening to his footsteps fade, snow crunching below.

            The house is silent. It’s dark outside, yet their feet remain glued to the same spot.

            “... yeah, yeah… be safe, detective.” They managed to utter out as a shaky sigh instead, glancing at the halls leading to where the other three rested.