Chapter 3: Catalyst
Dr Kaito looked at the caged moth with sorrow, "Well, I'm happy that you brought this poor thing to me, Ankoku." He stood up, walking over to the cage, and knelt down to examine Ombre. "He's dehydrated, malnourished, and has some nasty wounds. But he's alive, and that's what matters."
Ankoku nodded, relief washing over him. "Can you help him, Kaito? Can you make him better?"
Kaito looked up at Ankoku, his eyes serious. "I'll do my best, Ankoku. But I need to warn you, this won't be easy or quick. He's been through a lot, and his body needs time to heal.
I'll need to run some tests, clean his wounds, and get some nutrients into him. But first, let's get him out of that cage. It can't be comfortable for him."
Ankoku nodded, crouching down to unlock the cage. Merak watched anxiously as Ankoku carefully lifted Ombre out, cradling him gently in his arms. Ombre stirred slightly, his wings twitching as he was moved, but he didn't wake up.
Kaito led them to an exam room, gesturing for Ankoku to lay Ombre down on the table.
But when Ombre woke up...
Ombre shrieked as Kaito tried to check his heartbeat. Ankoku and Merak panicked, they tried to calm Ombre down, but Ombre only stratched at them.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Ombre yelled, tears streaming from his face, "I DON'T WANNA DO THIS ANYMORE!" He thrashed in Ankoku's arms, his wings beating against Ankoku's chest, his claws digging into Ankoku's skin. Merak winced at the sight, his heart aching for the terrified creature in Ankoku's arms.
Ankoku, despite the pain, held on tight, murmuring soothing words into Ombre's ear. "It's okay, Ombre. You're safe now. We're not going to hurt you. We're here to help." But Ombre was beyond listening, his terror overwhelming, his body shaking with sobs.
"I don't.... Why.... I don't understand.... please... I just wanna go home...." Ombre muttered weakly, his breathing grew unstable as he cried.
It was clear that he was reliving his past trauma, his body reacting to the fear and pain he had experienced. Ankoku and Merak exchanged a worried glance, both of them at a loss for what to do. They couldn't force Ombre to calm down, not when he was clearly terrified and in pain.
Kaito, standing nearby, watched the scene unfold with a mixture of concern and understanding. He had seen similar reactions before, in patients who had experienced severe trauma. He stepped forward, his voice calm and steady as he addressed Ombre.
"Ombre," he said, his voice firm yet gentle.
"I'm Dr. Kaito. I'm here to help you. You're safe now."
Ombre's sobs slowed, his body still trembling, but his eyes flickered open, meeting Kaito's gaze. There was a moment of silence, a moment of connection, before Ombre's eyes widened in recognition.
"You... you're the one who bought me," he whispered, his voice hoarse and broken. "You're the one who saved me."
Ankoku and Merak exchanged a confused glance, but Kaito simply nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.
"M-merak.. A-ankoku...?" Ombre looked shocked, "You're... is it really...?" Ombre's voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes darting between Ankoku and Merak, disbelief and hope warring in his gaze. Ankoku nodded, smiling softly at the small creature in his arms. "Yes, it's really us, Ombre. We're here to help you," he said, his voice gentle yet firm. Merak, standing nearby, offered Ombre a small, reassuring smile. "We're not going to hurt you, Ombre. We promise," he added, his voice soft and soothing.
Ombre hiccuped, nearly bursting into tears, "I'm sorry... I just... we couldn't pay the bills so I... I just thought it would be better..." Soft tears fell from Ombre's eyes, his body trembling, "I'm sorry... I just thought I could do better..." Ombre's voice was a broken whisper, his eyes pleading with Ankoku and Merak to understand.
Ankoku's expression softened, his heart aching for the creature in his arms. "It's okay, Ombre," he said, his voice gentle yet firm. "You don't have to apologize. We understand why you did what you did. But you don't have to do that anymore. You don't have to fight."
Merak nodded, his own heart hurting for Ombre. He stroked Ombre's hair in a comforting manner, "It'll be okay, sweet pea." He couldn't help but be reminded of his own past traumas, of the times he had been forced into fights and performances, but he pushed those thoughts aside. He focused on Ombre, on calming him down.
"Do you think... do you think it would help if I sing?" Ombre asked, his voice cracking with emotion. Ankoku smiled, remembering how Ombre had once sung to him, a soft, beautiful melody that had soothed his nerves.
"It might help," Ankoku said gently, pulling out his phone and starting to search for music.