6. Bonds

Wandering through the cold seemed like the easiest thing that Yamamura and Mochizuki had done since Yamamura's arrival into the current present. Mochizuki, while far ahead of Yamamura, still radiated an aura of intense perseverance and sadness. Mochizuki was willing to do anything he could to get Yamamura back to the past so that he can stop Grim Industries. Even though Mochizuki's perseverance was strong- he was still saddened knowing he wouldn't be able the see the world that he was trying so hard to save and Yamamura could sense this.

Yamamura shook his head to steady his thoughts to focus on reaching the resistance, he rushed to Mochizuki's side not focusing on the piercing cold air effecting his breathing. "Hey Mochizuki do you have any family? Or friends?" Yamamura asked as he tried to catch his breath. Mochizuki took a deep breath to calm his nerves and answered "I have a little sister. She was 4 when this all started and was aura-less. She was innocent and never shied away from trying to improve my mood, it always worked.." Mochizuki smiled remembering what seemed like a distant memory of his younger sister and this smile brought a smile to Yamamura's face as well. He began to think to himself "I guess Mochizuki wasn't always so high strung, I mean I know he has moments where he shows empathy and sincerity behind his strong approach of yelling but he's really just alone...". "What was her name?" Yamamura asked, Mochizuki turned away as if he was trying to hold back the emotional pain of missing his sister. "Her name was Akina.." Mochizuki shared stories of his beloved younger sister about how she loved without ever wanting anything in return and with each story his mood improved.

"So tell me about your mother, Yama" Yamamura was taken off guard by the attempt at a friendly nickname from Mochizuki. His face perked up happily and replied "my mother is a normal mom she cared for me on her own, my father disappeared when I was very young. She worked at a diner down the street from our home and everyone loved her..... " Yamamura grew silent. Mochizuki turned surprised that Yamamura had stopped speaking- and didn't see him. He began to panic turning in circles to look for Yamamura. As he began to let out a yell he felt two hands wrap around his mouth and torso, it was Yamamura. He had a very frightened expression on his face "shhhh" he whispered to silence him. Mochizuki stopped struggling and remained silent as he stared toward the direction that Yamamura was locking eyes in, Mochizuki's eyes widened and his teeth began to clench he was both terrified and angry.

Before the two men, just a mere 3 meters away, was a sleeping basilisk that looked to be 40 feet in length and 6 feet in width, it's scales were nearly the same color as the snow yet shimmered in comparison. Mochizuki began to think to himself "How did I not notice it? Was I too distracted? No! I was naive, I was over confident that this path was safe. Can I keep Yamamura alive? How did he notice it? It's almost completely invisible." Yamamura signaled Mochizuki with a silent tap on the shoulder to begin moving backwards.

Both men began to slowly step back... "Crack!" They both froze in fear as they realize that Yamamura had stepped on a very large rotten branch and cracked it in half. Yamamura locked eyes with Mochizuki and both men turned back to make sure the noise hadn't woken the basilisk. It's eyes pierced theirs like daggers and their hearts began to pound like thunder on a stormy night. "RUNNN!!!..." Mochizuki's belted as he began to take a fighting stance, Yamamura gritted his teeth and began to run in the opposite direction toward where he was told the resistance was. Mochizuki began to use his aura strengthening his body and muscles to give himself inhuman like speed, but would it work in this dense snow? He realized he had no time to consider this. He quickly dodged a vicious strike from the basilisk lunging into a tree. Mochizuki launched himself into the basilisk shoving it a few feet as it launches another strike at Mochizuki. Mochizuki dodged again, but began to clench his side. Mochizuki's body was feeling the strain of using his aura. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last fighting this basilisk.

Yamamura stoped to catch his breath as he could still hear the sounds he began to wonder "If that was a basilisk, how did we not turn to stone from its gaze?" Yamamura had studied history and basilisks were known to turn anyone who locked eyes with them to stone, but this was not the case for them. "Yellow eyes, stone white scales, huge body.. " then it hit Yamamura. Mochizuki was out of breath and covered in scrapes and cuts. The beast was beginning to launch another attack as Mochizuki began to feel his body freeze up. A sense of gloom hovered over him as he watched the creature lunge. Mochizuki was startled by the creature being hit by a stray rock against it's head. "Mochizuki! It's a white fanged Great titanoboa it's poison leaves you unable to move you have to break it's fangs!.." yelled Yamamura. "My body, it won't move!" Mochizuki cried out. Yamamura began to distract the creature by throwing rocks and swinging a large stick at its rough exterior. He was receiving scratches and fighting back the urge to run away "Dammit, I feel so useless. Why couldn't that brat just run away?! He's fighting to keep me alive knowing he's useless against that beast.." Mochizuki began to feel movement in his fingertips, "just get out of here, Yama you idiot!!" Mochizuki screamed with his bloodshot eyes closed and worry on his face. "No!!" Yamamura cries out". "You're not alone anymore! You over used your aura didn't you?! I won't leave you!!!" Mochizuki was surprised and disappointed in himself, "Yama, I'm sorry.." Mochizuki whispered to himself.

Yamamura, while receiving deep wounds, was dodging the beast enough to stop himself from receiving mortal wounds "... the poison.. I can't feel most of my left arm". "Hey you big loser! Look over here!! I'm way more tasty than that brat!!" Mochizuki shouted. Yamamura's face showed anguish and he began to think. The beast began to spring at Mochizuki and in that same moment Mochizuki grabbed the beasts fangs. Yamamura's face showed complete and utter shock even though he knew that Mochizuki had enhanced his body, he didn't know he was capable of stopping the beasts attack.

Mochizuki forced more of his aura through his body and began to yell "ARGHHH, I'll teach you, you oversized reptile!!!..." and just like that Mochizuki broke the beasts fangs. As the beast was writhing in pain, Mochizuki pierced its head with its own fierce fangs. Blood dripped down the side of the face of the beast onto the ground turning the snow a vibrant red and spread like a rose beginning to bloom. The beast fell to the ground and the forest, for the first time, fell silent.