CHAPTER FOUR

                                    

                                          
Y/N sat in a chair next to the bed Pitou was in. Both sitting in a type of solemn silence.
                          
The former Royal Guard couldn't bring themself to speak, and everything was so deafening.
                          
Y/N took a deep breath, sighing as she sat in the chair with her legs spread apart, her elbows resting on her knees, and her fingers intertwined between her thighs.
                          
Closing her eyes, she dipped her head down, unwilling to look at Pitou.
                          
"So yeah, that's what happened..." She gulped. "I'm sorry, Pitou."
                          
The Chimera Ant infront of her let out a shuddered breath.
                          
"So the King, Komugi, Pouf, and Youpi... They're all dead?" Their voice cracked, barley a whisper, but Y/N heard them perfectly.
                          
Y/N nodded. "Personally, I really wish the Hunters Association hadn't bothered with all of the Ants in the first place. Humans were angry that something other than themselves was at the top of the food chain, and it scared them."
                          
Y/N wasn't too sure if Pitou was listening to her, but she continued anyway.
                          
"Humans are selfish creatures when it comes down to it. We can't stand it when something tries to overpower us, when something defies us. We trample all over eachother like insects just to be at the top." She took a deep breath, running a hand over the left side of her face.
                          
"I honestly never blamed you guys at all for hunting us down, even if it was just instinct. Humans have always been terrified of the unknown and strange."
                          
It was silent again after that.
                          
"Are you saying all of this because you mean it, or do you just want something to justify it? Because from what I'm hearing, it could be one or the other."
                          
Pitou's voice rang in her ears.
                          
Y/N shook her head. "I'm not trying to justify anything. What happened in East Gorteau was horrible, and could've been avoided if different things had occured, but what I'm trying to say that there is a reason. Humans are cruel, that's just the way things have been."
                          
"Are you like them? The cruel humans?"
                          
"I wouldn't say I'm perfect, far from it infact. Everyone has flaws, some more than others, but if I were in different circumstances, and had been one of the people at the Hunters Association, I still wouldn't have agreed to attack."
                          
Pitou let out a small hum "good."
                          
Y/N finally looked up at them, noticing how the edge of their sclera was tinged pink, and they had tear tracks down their cheeks.
                          
Pitou looked over at her, a melancholic smile on their face.
                          
"You're one of the few humans besides Komugi that I've ever actually liked"
                          
Y/N felt her cheeks grow warm before she looked away from Pitou, letting out an awkward cough. 
                          
"I guess you're not that bad yourself."
                          
At that, Pitou's smile quicky turned into a frown. They looked down at their lap, feeling the rise of tears once again as they clenched their fists.
                          
"I can't help but disagree with you there. If I was what you say I am, then maybe I wouldn't have done the things I did."
                          
Y/N felt the heat in her cheeks fade away, as she gazed at Pitou with a look of guilt.
                          
"Maybe if I had realized early on that killing people just to see how strong I was is wrong, maybe I wouldn't have killed that man Kite. Maybe Gon wouldn't have come after me, and maybe the other humans wouldn't have gotten involved. If I hadn't done so many terrible things, maybe the King would still be alive. Maybe he'd be living happily, with Komugi as his queen. If I had just been sane, maybe Pouf and Youpi wouldn't be dead..."
                          
Pitou noticed now how quickly the tears were falling, but they couldn't stop them at this point.
                          
They let out a hiccup and wiped at their eyes, but it turned out to be in vain, as the tears just kept coming, faster and faster.
                          
"Why did it have to be me to survive? Why was I brought back? It could have been anyone else, except me! Why did you bring me back?! Why did you decide to save me out of everyone else?!"
                          
The sound of wood clattering against the ground filled their ears, but their brain didn't register it. Everything sounded so muffled, everything was so overwhelming. It hurt, their chest hurt, their heart hurt. Everything hurt-.
                          
The feeling of being engulfed by warmth spread throughout their body. Arms were wrapped around their head and shoulders, and they had been pulled into someone's chest.
                          
"Stop it. Stop saying that stuff. I saved you because I grew to care about you in those weeks we had been together when you took care of me. You remember? I was sick, and you stayed and helped me, when you could've just killed me the moment I had invaded your En. But, you didn't. You saved a human, who you were supposed to kill, supposed to prey upon. At the time, I thought you were downright crazy, but I'm thankful that you did, because in the end, I gained an amazing friend out of it."
                          
Pitou's ears fell flat against their head. "But one good thing doesn't make up for a bunch of other bad things. I don't deserve to have been saved by you-"
                          
Y/N bent down and grabbed them by the shoulders, looking into their glassy, tear-filled, ruby eyes.
                          
"Don't you dare say that. You're right, one good moment doesn't make up for alot of bad ones, but it's a start to something good. I'm never this positive, so take me seriously. I wanted to save you, no one made me. I did it out of my own will because you're my friend now. I saved you because I am sure you're going to be able to make something of yourself, and hopefully move on. I'm not telling you to forget the things you've done, but use them to move forward. The past can't be changed, but you can shape out your own future."
                          
Y/N watched as the tears on Pitou's face kept falling, but this time, a small smile came onto their face.
                          
Y/N smiled back, patting their head.
                          
She sat on the bed opposite of Pitou, picking up the cat who still sat on the floor in a big gray and white fluff ball.
                          
Setting Cloud in Pitou's lap, Y/N sat back on the bed, crossing her legs. She watched as they ran their four fingered hand across Clouds fur, being careful of their claws, and retracting them when need be.
                          
They wiped the tears from their cheeks messily with the cloth of the hospital gown they wore. They sniffed then looked up, meeting Y/N's eyes.
                          
"What do you think will happen to me? I heard about the council, and how they all don't know what to do with me yet.."
                          
The girl in front of them placed her elbow on her knee then held her chin in her palm, then watched as she sighed.
                          
"If I'm being honest, I don't know myself. I've been arguing for days, fighting tooth and nail with them, and trying to convince them to let you live, but they don't like me at all, so it's been kind of a dead end."
                          
Pitou's head and ears dropped "oh, I see."
                          
Y/N gave them a determined look. "Doesn't mean I still won't try my best to help you. If I have to punch the bastards, then I will."
                          
Pitou let out a soft, breathy chuckle through their nose before looking back down at their lap.
                          
They couldn't help the nagging feeling at the back of their mind. Telling them that they shouldn't be here. Shouldn't even be alive.
                          
'You're nothing. You don't deserve to even be breathing. You couldn't even protect your own king in the end, so why do you think you should deserve to live if he's dead?'
                          
They felt a hand place itself on their shoulder, making them look up.
                          
"Hey, I promise you that I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you don't die. Ok?"
                          
Their slitted ruby and gold eyes stared into E/C ones.
                          
Letting out a shallow breath, they nodded.
                          
"Ok."







                          
This one is pretty short, and it's pretty dialogue heavy, but I think that makes up for it.