A True Friend [2]

"Let me go," Encender declares as she jumps up from Tsuyoi's back.

She looks at her bloodied friend with a worried look, "Sorry. You all got beat up because of me."

"Tsuyoi is fine."

"Oh, okay."

The dark hallway became silent again. Tsuyoi didn't want to talk to Encender; she wanted her to read the room for once.

No one talked to each other on the way to the cell. Encender was busy thinking of a way to counter Meron's resonate lightning ability.

She couldn't believe that Meron was using their bodies as a catalyst to use her ability. It was something she didn't know about, as all the resonate ability types she knew about liked to use weapons.

Tsuyoi just let her friend ponder without helping her. She was angry at Encender and wanted a firm apology that really came from the heart.

The two reached their cell, and Encender quickly yells, "Tito, I am hungry! Prepare something to eat now!"

However, no reply came. Both Tito and Rajah were gone.

It didn't matter much, as there are six more minutes for the cell bars to close. Using this chance, Encender rushed over to Tito's bed.

Tsuyoi sat cross-legged on her bunk bed and commented roughly, "There is nothing there."

"Tsk." Encender clicked her tongue as she continued to explore Tito's bed.

Bam—!

The cell bars closed. Encender had turned both Rajah and Tito's beds upside down. Even so, she couldn't find a single grain of sugar.

'I'm sure they're good. I mean, they're Tito and Rajah, right?' Encender thought with a carefree expression on her face. 

Seeing the red panda lying down on the floor, Tsuyoi asks, "Aren't you going to clean that up?"

A lazy reply came, "Tito will clean that up, after all, he is a clean freak."

She was right in her own way. Tito liked to clean the cell at least three times a day. Not only that, but he even does Rajah and Encender's beds.

In Encender's eyes, Tito is someone who once lived with a troublesome little sister before.

Seeing the smile on the other girl, Tsuyoi decided to address the truth, "Stop confusing your dead brother with Tito. For your own information, he used to be married, and his wife died while pregnant."

Encender chuckled a bit, "Stop joking. There is no way that guy will ever get married to someone. My brother is not that kind of person."

The sky blue-haired girl sighed in a disdainful manner. When would this girl stop seeing Tito as her dead brother?

Indeed, it may prove challenging for her to come to terms with the situation. Considering that Tito showed up on the day of her brother's passing, one cannot dismiss such a fateful event as a mere coincidence.

Nevertheless, Tsuyoi found it unnecessary to be cautious with her words and chose to be honest with Encender. It was imperative for someone to inform her, and Tito was more gentle in his approach.

"Tito is not your brother. They might look the same and act the same, but Tito doesn't love you as your brother did.

Tito doesn't like people getting close to him because the people he cared about are no longer in this world. Tito was married, so why would he show off a wedding ring without being so? 

Ida and Ursula; one of those two girls is his dead wife. He is already in pain, so stop bothering him while acting like a spoiled brat."

Ida and Ursula. Tsuyoi had heard those names come from Tito's mouth this past week. She is sure it has something to do with his recent change in behavior.

Tito is generally the type to use his brain more than his body, but he is working out more often. Not only that, but he did ask Tsuyoi about ways to punch people enough to kill them.

He has been feeling down after the incident with Star. Sometimes, he even pokes himself with a needle.

However, someone was still oblivious to this, "Tsuyoi is mad. You should stop depending on your brother that much."

Encender's brows knit into a frown as she leaped up, "Do you want me to depend on myself, then? Do you think there is someone out there willing to help me?"

The girl walked up from her bed and reached the position of the cell bars.

Slap—!

"Why did you hit me?!" Encender yelled as she held her sore left cheek.

Tsuyoi coldly stated, "Encender deserves it. Meron was right, you are a selfish bitch who doesn't care about what other people feel."

"You l—!"

Slap—!

Being hit again on the other cheek, Encender ground her teeth and pulled Tsuyoi's hair, "Who do you think you are to call me that?!"

The youngest pulled her light brown hair and yelled, "Because you are Tsuyoi's friend! Unlike a certain somebody."

She increased the grip power in her hand, "Do you know what Tsuyoi's happiest day is?! It was when you asked her to be friends! However, Tsuyoi should have never thought of Encender as a friend at all!" 

Encender lets go of Tsuyoi's hair. She knew that the little girl was telling the truth.

As a person who grew up in a place where the only children around were her siblings, Encender never made any friends who were not part of her family.

This is why she needed Tito by her side. He was like the photocopy of her older brother. However, reality finally hit her on the soft spot.

Max. One of the people she spent most of her life with, is gone.

Just like that. He is never going to come again with sweets in his pocket asking for an apology.

His smile, his shout and even his snoring sounds. Encender would never experience them ever again.

Encender's eyes became lifeless, as she muttered, "I am all alone now..."

Slap—!

The youngest hits the teary girl, and shouts, "You are not alone! You have Tsuyoi, don't you?!

"...why would you waste your time with me..?"

The blue-haired girl wipes the tears on Encender with her thumb, "Because Encender and Tsuyoi like each other. Encender knows this, doesn't she?"

"Encender knows. She likes Tsuyoi too." The young girl nods her small head. 

Finally, Tsuyoi let go of Encender's hair. She was sure a change would take place soon. However, she didn't expect much from her friend. 

"What should we make from the food in the fridge? There is nothing we can eat here."

At the end of her words, Tsuyoi realized how much Tito is needed. She can cook, but that guy can cook raw food into something delicious. 

Growl—! 

Hearing their stomachs complain in unison, the two girls chuckled. It was clear what was on their minds. 

We are going to cook. 

Whatever happens after that is a result of their hard work, so it's not that much of a problem.

"Tsuyoi remembers!" The youngest inmate exclaims with a smile on her face.

'Tito always leaves recipes on the back of the fridge.'

Tsuyoi had only seen him do it once, and was positive that the note was pasted there.

"Wait for me!" Encender shouts. The little girl was walking fast towards the kitchen.

The moment she reached the end of the bedroom, she found Tsuyoi looking at a sheet of paper with lifeless eyes.

"What's wrong?" Encender asked as she took the sheet of paper.

___

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry—

Ingredients:

- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

- 2 tablespoons soy sauce

- 1 tablespoon honey

- 1 tablespoon sesame oil

--

--

___

Encender's face contorted as she exchanged near-dead glances with her friend.

'We are going to die... There is no chicken in this cell.'