Resistance

Days Once Forgotten

The hallway was dark upon entering the home, and for a moment, Syrus felt a wave of relief...But that moment was short lived as soon as he let out that slight sigh, the lights immediately flicking on in an instant.

Caught in the act, Syrus had nothing to say for himself as he slowly glanced up, seeing Taharo just in front of him, arms crossed, foot tapping against the hardwood floor, and looking downright furious.

For a moment, Syrus considered heading right back out the door.

"...I'm home??" He spoke up, giving Taharo a cheeky grin and hoping it was enough to save his hide. However, he flinched as Taharo unfolded his arms, expecting the biggest ass whooping of his lifetime...Only to be surprised as he felt Taharo wrap his arms around him, holding him almost desperately, as though Syrus might disappear any moment now.

"You foolish kid...!! I was certain you'd..." Taharo began, but his words faltered, holding onto Syrus tighter. "...Don't you ever make me worry like this again!!" He said, looking as though he might break down any moment. "...Please...Just stop all of this. All of this nonsense. My heart can't take this anymore...Isn't everything enough?? Even if things might not be the greatest, I can keep supporting you, you don't have to worry, so...So please."

Syrus felt a pang in his heart, not knowing what he could say in response....What could he even say in such a situation? If he could only provide the words he was certain Taharo had wanted to hear...But he couldn't do that. He'd be lying in every which way possible, and there was no way he could blatantly lie to him like that...Not when he was so torn up about all of this.

"...I...I'm sorry." Was the best he could manage, though he wished he could say more than a simple apology. "I wish...I could tell you I'll stop, but...Well, I'd be lying to you, because I can't...I won't." He answered honestly, albeit hesitantly. He found himself wanting to say more, wanting to explain himself. He wondered, if he did, would Taharo...? The thought of acceptance pushed Syrus to speak. "...I won't ask you to try and not stop me, that'd be selfish of me to do, but...I can't stop. I'm tired of seeing things like this. Tired of the way people are treated. People who don't deserve to live this way....Aren't you tired of it too?" He questioned, knowing Taharo wouldn't approve, but...At the very least... "...That's why I want to change things. I may not be able to in the end...But at least I'll have tried. Someone has to." He smiled a bit. "When there's a will, there's a way, right?? It's not about whether I can or can't, it's about whether or not I try."

Even with this...He knew Taharo wouldn't approve or understand, but...He said what he could, and that was enough.

And Syrus was right. Taharo simply couldn't understand this. He couldn't accept Syrus' reasoning...How could he? He'd already lost his son and daughter in law to this ridiculous 'war.' He surely wouldn't be able to recover if he lost Syrus too. He was all Taharo had left.

To make matters worse, for Syrus specifically...

"...I won't allow it, no matter what." He finally responded sternly, but...He knew he had no real power in stopping Syrus, regardless of how he felt. Even if he were to try and confine Syrus to his room, Taharo was certain Syrus would still manage to give him the slip.

After all, Syrus was the type that followed through once his mind was set, no matter what.

"...I won't allow it..." He repeated in vain.

"...I'm sorry." Syrus apologized again, still not knowing what else he could say...In truth, some part of him wanted Taharo's support, even if deep down, he knew that was impossible.

...Even though he knew, he really wished he could have had it.

The conversation died there, Syrus eventually heading up to his room and flopping face first onto his bed with a heavy sigh.

His thoughts wandered, but...Rather than overthinking everything and succumbing to doubts, he decided to try and sleep.

If he was asleep, he just didn't have to think about it, and that was better.

The next, several days after that went by about as normally as they could, surprisingly enough.

Nothing happened, absolutely nothing at all. Not even another run in with the Diao, as though they simply disregarded the events that took place several days prior...Truthfully, Syrus had been expecting *some kind of repercussions, but...Such things simply just never came about.

He really just couldn't wrap his mind around it.

The escape seemed strangely easy too...Could even that itself have been staged??

"-rus...SYRUS!!" A voice suddenly shouted his name, snapping Syrus out of his thoughts to the point where he was startled, the fur along his ears and tail puffing out in response. Rather, he nearly jumped right out of his fur in shock.

"W-What? What?!!?" He glanced around frantically, having been totally out of tune with his surroundings.

It was then that he noticed the small cafe full of people, and all of their eyes were now on him.

He had been so lost in thought that Kiara, currently working, had to yell his name to snap him out of it.

"A-Ah Kiara! When did you get here??" He smiled innocently, wondering just how long he had been out of it.

To which, Kiara rose an eyebrow in concern, checkbook and pen at hand as he looked down at him.

"...Syrus, I work here, remember??" She frowned, that concern only rising. "Are you alright? You were practically like a zombie when you walked in here."

"...Oh." Syrus sat back down, flicking his ears back and feeling a bit...Well, foolish and embarrassed by this point.

Without even really realizing it, he had caused just a bit of a scene, hadn't he??

"...Sorry, I suppose I was a little lost in thought earlier."

"...If you say so..." Kiara frowned, looking as though she wanted to speak up on something, but she was soon flagged down by another customer across the dining room. "I'll be right back, think about what you want to order, alright??"

And with that, she was hustling off, her checkered skirt swaying in time with her frantic movements, trying to keep up with everything.

Having recollected himself, Syrus glanced around the small cafe.

At first, people had still been staring at him because of the commotion, but soon enough, they all gravitated back to their own conversations amongst themselves.

As for the cafe itself...It wasn't very large at all, but it didn't feel cramped either. Rather, it was pretty cozy, having a home-y feel to it. There were probably only five, maybe six tables lining the long paned windows across the box like building. They were open, a warm, gentle breeze blowing in, a few flower boxes lining the sills, gently swaying in tune with that breeze.

Along the farthest, right hand corner of the building, was a long, rectangle shaped counter that lead to the kitchen, along with the apartment upstairs, and there were a few extra chairs lining it.

As for the interior colors, they were a comforting, monochromatic cream color.

The air was fairly relaxed, contrary to how things were just outside at times.

"So did you think about what you wanted??" Kiara questioned, having just returned from what she was tending to a moment ago.

"Mmm...I'm not really that hungry, to be honest." He answered, propping his head up with his hand as he rested his elbow along the table.

Kiara didn't reply for a moment or two, locking Syrus down with her gaze before she plucked off her apron and turned her head to the side.

"Auntie. could you grab Syrus one of the specials??" She shouted just a bit across the cafe, receiving a little 'okay!' in return from behind the counter.

About middle aged, but still looking quite young, Kiara's aunt, Sara, was a gentle faced, hard working woman. Both herself and Kiara were the only two keeping their little business running, and it was enough to get them by.

They provided a sort of haven for people who just wanted to converse and get their minds off of things.

Ironically, Kiara looked a lot more like Sara than her own parents, or so Syrus had often heard.

"I-Is that okay??" Syrus blinked, a little surprised.

"It's fine, she said I could take a break for now. The rush is over anyhow." Kiara reassured him with a smile, yet there was still a sense of concern in those hazel eyes of hers. Perhaps it was because of his still somewhat disarrayed sense of mind, that was why Syrus didn't pick up on it right away.

"Then maybe I should go help her out a bit-" Syrus began, pushing himself up to walk off, but he was quickly stopped by the unusually stern look Kiara gave him, who gestured for him to sit back down.

"...Haven't you done and been through enough already? At least let me do this for you."

It was only then, that Syrus finally picked up on it. That downcast expression and tone of voice...It didn't take much for him to connect the dots, and Syrus realized he had been somewhat insensitive. Oblivious even.

"...Sorry." He cast her an apologetic glance.

"...No, it's fine really." Kiara shook her head with a crestfallen smile. "...It's not your fault." She added in quietly. "I should have gone with you three the other day." She fell silent, filled with self loathing, and putting her hand up to stop Syrus from interjecting so she could continue. "I heard about what happened the other day...Sure, things ended up alright, but what if they hadn't?? When I think about that...I wonder if me being there might have changed things. If I had gone with you..." Her words trailed off as she bit her lip in frustration.

It was just like her to guilt over something like this, even if she had no control over the way things went, or even any knowledge of them happening.

Rather...Syrus was certain he'd probably feel the same way, if their roles had been reversed. As such, he couldn't really bring himself to tell her not to fret about it, but at the very least...

"...Like you said, everything turned out alright, didn't it?" He replied with a smile, hoping to reassure her. "We're all safe, so let's just be thankful for that and move along. Everything is bound to keep being just fine." He nodded, giving his tail a small flick.

"..." Kiara finally rose her face, looking up at Syrus...It was strange, really. She wondered why things always felt like they would end up fine somehow, merely because Syrus would say so.

The world could be ending, and yet, if Syrus said things would be fine, Kiara felt as though she could believe in his words alone wholeheartedly...Even though they were just that, words.

"...That positivity of yours is strangely contagious." She laughed, looking out the window with a content expression. "As long as you say so, I'm sure everything will end up fine somehow." She nodded, seemingly more so to herself, as though convincing herself of something. "If only there were more people like you in this city, Syrus. Sometimes, it feels like you're the only beacon of Hope that we have left in this world."

It was...A surprisingly serious statement, coming from Kiara, being the usually, cheery, bubbly person that she was. Syrus wasn't really sure how to respond to such a statement.

...Come to think of it, he recalled Aaron stating something similar not too long ago.

He supposed...More than anything, what he truly wanted was to help everyone smile again. To create a free world, where anyone could smile without a single care. Where they could live without the fear of wondering if they would make it into tomorrow.

That's the kind of world Syrus wanted to create.

Such things lingered on his mind as silence passed between them, but it wasn't necessarily a bad silence.

It was calm.

...But that calmness would only last for a few more moments before that moment would be cruelly interrupted.

There seemed to be a steadily growing commotion outside, a group of people slowly gravitating towards the door to the cafe, looking on at something outside and further down the street.

Naturally, Syrus wondered what could have been going on, making his way towards the door as the people looked on in growing concern.

"What's going on??" He questioned, glancing between them to see if anyone knew what that something might have been.

"Apparently a fire started in one of the apartments further down the residential district..." someone replied.

...A fire??

Now that it was mentioned, Syrus could pick up on the pungent scent of fire and smoke the more the moments ticked by. He could even see the rising smoke in the distance, but...

He felt his heart sink in his chest immediately.

...It looked to be in the direction of where Aaron and his brother lived.

On that thought alone, Syrus ran off, going as fast as his legs would take him.

Closer...Closer...The closer he got, the more that worry rose in his chest.

...Until he finally arrived at the building in question, his worries transitioning into a sense of fear that stuck in the back of his throat.

It was Aaron's. the entire building already set ablaze in flames.

Somehow, the image seared itself into Syrus' mind. He could barely hear the voices from the people muttering frantically around him.

"How awful!! Was everyone able to get out safely??"

One voice called out.

"I'm not sure..."

Another replied.

"I heard there were still some people trapped inside!!"

Those last words alone rung out particularly loudly in Syrus' ears, that nameless fear growing until it was a lump in his throat. He felt almost suffocated by it.

He glanced around the gathering crowd frantically.

...But he couldn't seem to spot neither Aaron, nor his brother anywhere amongst them.

"All it takes is a single word from me, and everything you hold dear and precious to you can be stripped away in an instant."

Those words echoed eerily in Syrus' mind, instilling an almost suffocating sense of that fear within his heart.

The fear of losing those precious things...

Before he was even aware of it, Syrus' legs had already been sprung into motion as he dashed through the intense flames and into the building.

The fire inside was intense, even if Syrus hadn't come into direct contact with it.

Almost immediately, his senses were dyed in that red, the smoke and fumes burning at his lungs.

He couldn't see well, but he didn't let that stop him, pressing on in search of either Aaron, or his brother. Both of them, if he could...No, he *had to find them.

"Aaron??!!?" He rose his voice, desperately calling out to them...But he received no answer in return.

Over and over, he called out in vain, traversing throughout the burning building...But he couldn't find them anywhere. Not even a trace of them.

Had they escaped?? Or were they still trapped inside somewhere??? He didn't know.

Suddenly, a creaking noise sounded off from above, echoing in his folded back ears before a massive piece of wood from the ceiling suddenly came crashing down, blocking his path.

The flames from the burning wood flared up immensely, and Syrus felt as though the heat from it alone seared his fur and flesh.

He just...Couldn't see anything but red. Couldn't smell anything past those fumes.

He couldn't breathe, his lungs seizing up as he broke into painful coughs.

There was just...Fire all around him, a strange sensation of terror overtaking him, different from before. Syrus felt trapped, unable to see which way was what, unable to see past that immense red.

The flames continued to mercilessly flare up all around him, threatening to completely engulf him...And Syrus felt as though something was coming loose inside of him.

There was just...Red.

Fire everywhere.

He couldn't escape it. Would he just die like this??

...Was he...Afraid to die??

...Or...?

He reached up to cover his ears, trembling uncontrollably.

Fire.

Fire.

Fire.

He squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to block it all out.

And then...Everything fell silent.

...Was it over? Did he pass out??

Or...Die?

He dared to open his eyes just barely, hearing a voice, a gentle voice.

"It'll be alright Syrus, I promise."

A gentle hand reached out to touch the top of his head, feeling strangely large, and...Oddly warm and nostalgic.

He looked up, seeing a man, achingly familiar, and yet...Syrus wondered why he couldn't seem to make out his face...? It was though it was just blotted out.

He seemed so tall...Or was it that Syrus had somehow gotten smaller??

He didn't know. His thoughts were muddled. Like a murky torrent of water just overshadowed them.

"Take Syrus and run. I'll be right behind you." He said, warm arms wrapping around Syrus and plucking him up...But they weren't the man's. They belonged to someone else.

He turned his head to see a woman, her face also strangely blotted out...But somehow, Syrus just knew in his heart, and it ached.

"...I..." The woman spoke, her voice sounding so terribly fragile. She looked as though she would break into tears...Syrus wondered how he knew that, despite not being able to see her face.

Somehow...He just knew.

"...I love you." The woman said softly, her free hand touching the man's face one last time before she turned around and ran, Syrus still in her arms.

No.

He thought.

No...Turn back.

He heard a voice, wondering if it was his own.

Turn back!

It sounded...So desperate.

He wondered what had happened after that, the images seeming to black out until he was aware that they were just...Running.

...No, it wasn't him. The woman was carrying him, holding him close as though he were the most precious bundle in the world to her.

Someone was chasing them.

One...Two...No, there were definitely more than that, and they were getting closer.

Why?

All around them, everything was set ablaze...Just where was he?

He just didn't understand, closing his eyes...And in that moment, he heard a violent, tearing sound echo throughout the area.

A strange scent reached his nose, his eyes opening in response.

A vibrant spray of red.

The warmth suddenly left from around his body, the woman now lying in front of him, her hand still reached out, still clinging to him, as though to try and protect him, even as the life had long since left her body.

He just...Didn't understand, and yet...

It felt as though something was still coming loose from inside him, drawn thin into a taut line.

He could feel people all around him...Were they the people who had killed her??

Somehow, he brought himself to look up...And in that moment, everything around him seemed to come to a grinding halt.

Not too far away from him, looking down at him...Was a man.

A man steeped in a black so deep, painted in such an endless black, that it threatened to swallow him whole.

A man with cold, piercing, silver eyes.