A Glimpse Of The Alpha Within

"Caw. Hmph! You Psychos are savages, as usual. So be it. Scabs!" Crawson raised his hand and voice, the air vibrating with tension. His words echoed through the sunlit streets, and as if it were a war cry, Alex saw figures emerge from the rooftops where Crawson had appeared. Shadows shifted against the bright midday sky, revealing dark-clad figures, their attire suited for stealth and light combat. The air grew heavy with anticipation, the quiet before the storm.

"Argh! Why does it always come to this?! Fine! Shifters, get out here!" Aoi's voice rang out in frustration and resolve. In response, as if they'd been lying in wait, figures emerged from their hiding spots. They seemed to blend seamlessly with the surroundings before revealing themselves, each displaying unique features reminiscent of Aoi's own: wolf ears twitching with alertness, cat tails flicking in agitation, long bunny ears perking up, and curvy lizard tails swaying. Some even appeared as humanoid versions of animals, their eyes glinting with readiness.

Seeing more potential opponents show up, Scarface cackled maniacally, his laughter slicing through the tension. His eyes gleamed with excitement, a predator relishing the thrill of the hunt. Having thrown his axe earlier, he moved purposefully towards it, the wickedly curved blade shimmering in the sunlight. As he retrieved his weapon, more figures clad in chaotic, mismatched armour and wielding improvised weapons rushed out from alleyways and side streets.

As the tension rose, Alex could only sit in bewilderment at how the situation had escalated so quickly. Just moments ago, he had barely walked out of the house, enjoying a heartwarming conversation with Lydia and her family, and had barely begun the tour. Now, it seemed they were caught right in the middle of a battlefield, on the brink of an all-out war, with Alex at the centre of it all.

"Alex! Are you okay?" Lydia rushed up to Alex, kneeling beside him and frantically checking for injuries. Her hands trembled slightly as she patted him down, eyes wide with concern.

"Eh? Ah. Yeah, I'm fine. More importantly, doesn't this look bad? What is even happening right now?" Alex asked urgently, his mind racing to make sense of the chaos. He could feel his pulse quickening, the adrenaline surging through his veins.

"It's always like this in the district, but not usually this intense." Lydia looked around, fear flickering in her eyes as she clung to Alex's sleeve, her grip tightening with each passing second.

Seeing the situation getting out of control, Jeb stepped forward, his posture rigid and authoritative. He raised his hand, trying to command attention amidst the rising clamour. "Hey! Guys! Hold up a second there! Don't you dare start a damn war in my section, you hear me? Stand down, all of you!"

Crawson leaned forward with a mocking grin. He spread his arms wide, his feather cloak billowing in the breeze. "Caw! Master Jeb! Please, you must be pulling our legs. You should have figured this would happen when you told everyone about Alex!" His voice was slightly taunting, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light as he seemed to blame the unfolding conflict on Jeb.

Jeb's face twisted in frustration as he clenched his fists. "I told you guys to check if there was a missing person in your communities, not come to my section and start a war over him!" He shot a furious glance at Crawson. "Besides, you all wouldn't be starting this right now if you crazy people didn't know about his ability!"

Now brandishing his axe, Scarface let out a wild laugh that echoed through the streets. He swung the weapon in a wide arc, the blade catching the sunlight. "HAHAHAHA! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! IT'S ABOUT TO BE A FESTIVAL IN HERE!" He moved with a predatory grace, eyes scanning the crowd for his first target.

The air grew thicker with tension, the imminent clash seeming inevitable as the factions faced off, each ready to defend their unreasonable claim. Figures on all sides shifted into combat stances, weapons at the ready, some already making taunting gestures and hurling insults at each other. The situation seemed ready to explode upon any sudden movement.

"My ability? Is invisibility that valuable to them?" Alex's voice was laced with curiosity, but his question was met with silence. "Hmm? Lydia?" Turning to Lydia, he noticed her hands trembling slightly as they clung to his sleeve. Her eyes, filled with concern, were fixed on the tense scene unfolding before them. Tears glistened in the corners, betraying her fear of the violence that threatened to erupt at any moment. Alex's chest twinged with guilt at the thought that he might have inadvertently caused Lydia's distress.

Feeling a surge of urgency, Alex turned his attention back to the escalating situation. His mind raced, searching for a way to diffuse the mounting tensions and prevent bloodshed. Amidst the chaos, he spotted Jeb, still attempting to assert control over the unruly crowd.

"Jeb!" Alex called out, his voice cutting through the clamour. "Let me talk to them. Maybe I can help."

Jeb glanced in Alex's direction, his expression a mix of apprehension and resignation. "I don't know, Alex. They won't even listen to me."

"I can try," Alex insisted, his gaze unwavering. "I can't just stand by and watch this happen."

Hearing his determination and reluctantly nodding, Jeb stepped aside, ready to allow Alex to approach the opposing factions.

Lydia's grip tightened on his sleeve, her eyes widening with concern. "Wait, Alex, are you sure about this? It's dangerous," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the din of the crowd. Knowing the volatile nature of the situation, she feared for his safety.

"I-I know, Lydia. But I think this is because of me, so I should be the one to stop it. Besides," Alex reassured her, his tone shaky yet infused with determination. He squeezed her hand gently before softly whispering, "I-I can't bear to see you looking scared because of me, indirectly or not".

Lydia's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden shift in Alex's demeanour. In the short day or two that she'd been taking care of him, she had seen him as a timid, kind-hearted soul who had faced horrifying dangers and desperately needed protection. Now, she witnessed a different side of Alex—a braver and more resolute look, willing to confront the looming dangers head-on to help remove her fear.

Looking back to the crowd, he could feel the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders, the fear of failure threatening to overwhelm him. But he refused to let it hold him back. With a deep breath to steady his nerves, he stood up quickly and stepped forward towards the crowd, his every movement infused with determination.

As he approached the opposing factions, Alex could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating. Every step brought him closer to the unknown, to the possibility of violence erupting at any moment. But as the crowd's attention turned towards him, the commotion seemed to fade into a hushed silence. All eyes were fixed on Alex, their expressions a mix of curiosity, scepticism, and perhaps a glimmer of expectation.

Despite the weight of their gazes bearing down on him, Alex pushed aside his fear, focusing instead on the task at hand. He knew he had to try and couldn't turn away and leave the district to descend into chaos. With each determined step, he drew nearer to the heart of the conflict, drawing the leaders' attention.

"HAHAHA! Is the fresh meat joining the fight, too?" Scarface, the first to notice Alex approaching, cackled with interest, his eyes gleaming with a predatory glint.

"Hi, uh, Scarface, was it? I-I, uh, don't really know what you guys are fighting over, but um, maybe we could not get violent here? I think there are still people around that don't want to get involved in a conflict," Alex stammered, trying to keep his voice steady. His heart pounded as he stepped forward, raising his hands in a pacifying gesture.

"Caw. Mr. Alex, please, do stay out of this. There's no talking these people out of violence. I suggest getting away to safety," Crawson said respectfully, though a flicker of annoyance crossed his face as Alex cut into the situation. Crawson adjusted his mask, his eyes never leaving the scene before him.

"Pssh, eww, don't act like a civilised person. You're more violent than all my people combined. Besides, you just don't want one of your potential credit farms harmed," Aoi scoffed, her tail flicking with irritation. She crossed her arms, glaring at Crawson.

"Caw. Oh, please, Lady Kurokami, you just want him for your selfish collection of shapeshifters so you can show off," Crawson retorted, folding his arms and leaning forward slightly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

This exchange continued, their insults growing strangely childish and their focus drifting further from the original conflict. Alex tried to interject, stepping closer and raising his voice, but their bickering drowned out his attempts.

Suddenly, Scarface snapped. "THAT'S ENOUGH OUTTA YA BOTH! LET'S GET FIGHTING!" he screamed, leaping into the air with surprising agility.

His axe arced through the air, gleaming menacingly as it descended towards Aoi, still distracted by her argument with Crawson. She noticed the attack too late, her eyes widening in horror. Her hands went up instinctively, a futile attempt to shield herself as the axe bore down on her.

As the axe landed with a thunderous impact, a rising dust cloud enveloped the scene, obscuring the view and eliciting worried gasps from the Shifters. Meanwhile, the Psychos erupted in cheers, confident that Scarface's strike had found its mark and dealt a devastating blow.

As the dust began to settle, anticipation hung heavy in the air. Everyone expected to witness a gruesome scene, but what they saw instead left them stunned, a moment forever etched in their memories.

There stood Alex, positioned between Scarface and Aoi. His entire arm had grown to an imposing size, and he gripped the axe's blade with his bare hand. Blood flowed from his palm, tracing intricate, vein-like patterns down his arm. Droplets of blood dripped from the edges of his giantised hand onto his head, cascading down his face and giving him the appearance of a battle-hardened warrior. His face was contorted in pain, yet this only made him look fiercer and angrier. His eyes blazed with an intensity, fiery trails extending to the sides, rendering his appearance incredibly intimidating.

This unexpected display of strength and resolve sent shockwaves through the crowd, silencing the cheers and gasps. In that moment, Alex transformed from a timid bystander into a formidable force, his bravery and determination impossible to ignore.

Scarface's eyes gleamed with manic excitement, his grin widening to reveal his sharp, yellowed teeth. "HAHAHA! Fresh meat's got some guts! Let's see how long that lasts!"