Chapter Text
"Not only a bastard spherite but also a giver?? This one surely gonna get us some good money!"
Shut up.
"Maybe we can even sent him to one of those underground fights in the next town. If he can survive the fall, he surely can survive some punches huh!"
Laughter and clicks of metal bottles echoed inside the trunk. Hitting the walls, echoing and repeating continues lying inside his head while he tried to keep his head upright
Shut up...
"HUH! He sure can, didn't you see the punches he tried to sqing–?!"
The chatter was cut short however. The shriek of breaks slamming down hard made the chains holding his arms at sides shook,. The vehicle cutting to a sharp corner pushed all the other things the men had thrown back of the trunk hit eachothee with such noise he couldn't help but flinch. The impact of the turn causing his head to slam to another object in the dark.
It hurts...
The sudden silence that followed after broke with footsteps. Two, no, three? Another familiar voice came muffled to the Back of the trunk. Yet when he could manage to open his eyes, they slowly followed after the shadow that covered the small light that used to slip under the metal door.
His body tensed, his head hanging low with the screaming ache that was beginning to numb his every other sense. Yet his body still prepared himself for another confrontation. A moment pass. Two. Then three. The men's voices grew far as they left the trunk yet the shadow remained.
Just as the silence was beginning to wear down his already shaking body and blurry brain, sniffles at the corner of the trunk took his attention.
...is that a dog..?
Slowly his head rose again. Watching the sniffling drew closer to the metal door before it stopped for a moment. A whine came from outside, claws scratching the surface of the metal before a bark confirmed his thoughts.
a dog... why is there a dog here-?
maybe cause of the impact against his head, or the fact exhaustion began to crept back to his body, he couldnt even push his arms to pull back when the metal door slowly opened at the side.
He winced once the sun attacking and meeting his eyes again after so long that he couldn't see the weight that hopped inside the trunk.
"RUFF RUFF"
His body involuntarily flinched away when the dog barked right beside his ear. He hissed, his mouth opening to grant the loud intruder a sweet curse before the dog slowly sat infront of him. Like it sensed his discomfort, it stood between him and the sun, allowing his eyes to get used to surroundings in less pain.
"...thank you... I guess.."
He muttered, his voice dry and raspy from the lack of water and usage. Using the brief time to look at the dog, and take in his surroundings.
Although he was still groggy, his attention quickly shifted once he heard the new footsteps that stepped inside the trunk.
And to his horror, he was met with another figure towering over his chained form. His eyes darted, feet scraping his body back for a moment. Yet to his suprise, the dog shifted, nudging his hand and turning towards the figure with a wagging tail. Looking between them like a small interpreter.
The figure stood silent, the cape like clothe they threw over their body ever so slightly wagging with the wind for a second or two.
Then they moved, taking a tentative step before they stopped themselves. Like realising they were in a ground full of mines, the slowly crouched. A small voice campanied by their hand reached for handle the dog was wearing
"...sorry, i didn't mean to alarm you–! I'm... are you still sane, perhaps?"
"Huh..-?"
His eyes twitched. The anger he forgot due to his throbbing head rose up again. The chains rattles as the words came in a rush of anger and spit while his eyes only shot daggers at the figure
"Is this another stupid trick–!? What you bastards see me as?? A fucking monkey?!"
The figure faltered in their place, the dog pulling them close by the handle before they were crouching infornt of him.
"No, of course not. Listen, I'm not with the guys who did this, i promise–... though it wouldn't sound so trustworthy, huh..." they paused, their voice growing quieter once they registered their poor attempt at comfort. A sigh followed their disappointment. Yet they slowly turned towards him again, the hood covering most of their face and head only to leave their smiling lips out.
"Not in the slightest."
"Yeah, I guess it's such a cliché and stupid wording huh."
They chuckled again before shaking their head to each side slowly. They sat silent for a moment longer until they tilted their head to him with a new idea. Their free hand coming to point the dog beside them
"This here is shepherd, okay? Do you like animals? Animals are more trustworthy than humans, but you probably know this already. Now, shepherd trusts me, and he seems to like you too!" They hummed, slowly traveling their hand to give a small nudge to the dog who huffed and shook his furr. They chuckle at its reaction, and while he hates it, the calmness they held began creeping in and soothing his anger. Not like he'd let them see it though.
"Now let's make a deal. You trust shepherd's judgement and stay calm, and i trust him and free you from chains. But no attacking or running off, alright?.. outside... is pretty chaotic I'm guessing."
"Shepherd..?"
He murmured trying the name on his tongue. His eyes followed the dog react to its name. Wagging tail with a small whine before it nudged his side again
"Yes shepherd." The figure hummed, voice coming out slowly like they are walking him through a hard choice.
He paused, his eyes darting between the two before he squinted at the figure again.
"And how'd i know you won't do the same things as those bastards?"
His words caused the one before him to froze. They stood there for a moment before bursting to chuckles. He tensed up more, but as he heard no malice or mockery in them, his caution changed to confusion
"...what..?"
"Oh child..."
The figure chuckled again, the chuckles causing them to cough and end their little laughter session. They shifted, hands reaching and pulling down the hoods and mask. Black hair pushed itself out of the hood, hanging to the floor like announcing it's freedom along side a chuckle.
At first he tensed up, bracing himself to see something horrific, maybe some scars or threatening eyes. Even he didn't know what made him tense up. But when his eyes landed on the bandaged eyes and patches on their face he involuntarily hold his breath, blinking in a mixture of confusion and slowly rising guilt
"Im blind, even a baby can over throw my senses. I won't hurt you, but as you see, even if it try, you can simply run away much easier."
"..I..."
"Its fine" they rised their hand, slowly pressing their free hand to feel the side of the wall and travelled them up to the chains. "Im opening up ur chaisn okay? Hold onto shepherd once you are free so you wouldn't be kissing the ground"
They hummed trying to crack a joke but as one of the chains opened, the relief was immediate. As well as the effects of being chained upright.
His body quickly slugged to the side, making him groan with fatigue. Though like they said, the dog was quick. Positioning itself under his weight to support him while the second chain dropped to the ground.
"Now let's go.. come come."
They hummed, their calmness giving away the urgency behind for a moment as they quickly moved to the half open metal door.
The dog followed slowly, helping him push his body to the end of the door where they waited with their back turned to them
"Here, climb on my back, there's still abjit water back to a safe place, and I can't just let you walk like this, can I?"
They tried again, chuckling to themselves and trying to soothe the growing tension.
Yet he hesitated, but looking back to the chain marks on his wrists he brushed his worries off at least for a while. The dog trusted this guy right? He couldnt possibly be worse than these bastards.
So he pushed himself, allowing them to secure him on their back before humming
"Now, just for a while, can you keep yourself from sleeping? I know you are tired, heck if I were you I'd be drop dead sleeping right now. But just for a bit longer, can you do that?"
He wanted to huff, he really did. Why was this guy worrying about him out of a sudden?? He didn't even know him and here he was, peppering him like he was some helpless kid.
Although the exhaustion wore his voice down he still tried. But his try at huff, sounded more like a sigh than anything.
"I can.."
"Good! I'll ask you a few questions okay? If you don't want to don't answer it, but if you do, I'll answer a question of yours as well."
The words they uttered hardly registered to his mind, his arms handing limb from their shoulders as he gave all his strength to keeping his eyes open as per their request.
He wanted to forve his body to watch. To see where they were going, where they were bringing him. His fight or flight instict was still active despite the exhaustion.
He just nodded, turning his eyes to follow shepherd's movements after he couldnt move his head to even look up
"What's your name kid?"
"..Rudo.. Rudo Surebrec."
"Oooh, sounds like a fancy name."
fancy my ass..
he huffed to himself, rolling his eyes.
"You are..?"
"Mine is hard to pronounce, just call me Alex right now. Hm? I'll tell you once we patch you up, i promise."
They hummed again their steps growing quicker yet their voice managed to hold the same guiding calmness that kept rudo's mind in a stable moment
"Well, do you like sweets rudo?"
"Sweets..?"
That took his attention. With a last energy, he turned his eyes to watch them. Shepherd's bark of agreement grow more blurry before they huffed with amusement.
"Sweets, yes!"
They chimed, fixing their hold rudo's on their back before they felt him grow limber
"Hey, hey–! No sleeping, remember? Just—.... what if we make bet??"
Alex murmured again, gaining a confused "huh?" From rudo, they chuckled and rised their pace
"We'll, just bet you can't count up to 60 before we are safe."
You think I can't?? I most DEFINITELY can–!
"Pfffp I can obviously."
"then do it! If you count to 60 before we arrive, I'll get you some cake! How's that sound?"
Is he actually stupid..?
"..fine... I think."
Though his uncertain words, he still pushed, counting slowly with each number growing quieter than the last, he coudlnt even make to 30 before he was fast asleep on alex' back
"You can't ignore the obvious! That boy is clearly from sphere! The clothes, the fight from the resellers! We hold no murders in this organisation and you swore up to this oath, East!"
The man spat out. His fist hitting the table and shaking the 4 glasses that were carefully put there on order. The table read "South, East, West, North." From where the north's glass should be, there were dried flowers and a chair left to grow a thick dust coat.
Argument grew colder, the words spoken before now held the venom they were made with Rather than the atmosphere and support they should have carried over.
"I agree with south, We can't keep our of those assholes in here."
The woman at West hummed. Grabbing her drink and swirling the liquid inside with eyes too unfocused to pay attention to the reality.
And there at the East, Alex stood still, not even touching his glass since the meeting started, and took a step closer once South huffed and went silent.
"There more people live in sphere than just those assholes. Most probably doesn't even know ground is still has habitation! And what are we arguing here?! He is a CHILD. Our oath also states child's are exceptions to this rule! And COME ON, are you gonna let them take him cause he happen to born above??? He had no control kver that, WE got no control over that, No one does!"
"THAT DOESNT CHANGE THE FACT ONLY CRIMINALS GET SENT DOEN HERE."
The spat out facts made the room froze, temperatures growing colder as South leaned to the table. His long beard clinging down to the table before he turned on his heels
"Even here sometimes children do crimes, East."
"..."
East remained silent for a moment before he allowed his bandaged head to hand low
"That boy can't be a killer, even as a blind i can see this. Shepherd can see this. He is a child trying to survive. Even us, in brink of survival choose to kill, what makes him so different?"
With that he turned pulling by the dogs handle and allowing it to lead him to the tight and heavy doors. But before existing he paused stopping right before the frame of open door and spoke in a voice devoid of the small and passive voice it held moments before
"That boy is under my care from now on. If you got a shit to say, you'll say it to me."