Astral Bunny

When I woke up, my eardrum didn't bother me anymore, it's not fully healed yet, that should take more time, but unless I have to deal with a beast with some kind of sound attack it will be fine.

I left my room went to see G to train, Rose came a little later too. I got an unexpected notification from the system after the spars, so it was a good sign to start the day.

[Ding!]

[Congrats, thanks to the continued training Str and Dex went up by 1 point].

After training and changing clothes, we ate all together.

"I will go out to hunt…I'm planning on going back to our old neighborhood to check the situation".

"Wh-Wh-What, noup!! rejected!!" it was Hope reaction. I could see that Isabella and Hayley showed worried faces too but don't say anything.

"Sorry Hope, but this is not up for discussion". Hope looked around for support.

G looked at seriously at my eyes, looking for an explanation.

"I have to stop Jamie, he is planning something G, If it wasn't because our survival is on the stakes I wouldn't even bother to go". I let slip that this was a mission. I haven't told Isabella and Dana of the system and I don't plan to do it either.

"Why alone? I can go and help too you know".

"I'm not planning to go fight Jamie now, I want to survey the situation, found where he is and then I'll make a plan. With a big group would be more difficult to move, also with my abilities, I can move around fast and undetected".

G looked at my eyes and a held his gaze.

"Fine". He sighed he understood that this was something that I had to do, and he couldn't help me with it.

I went to prepare, I had just 1 bullet left for the handgun so I put a new magazine leaving it with 7 bullets plus one in the chamber. I decided to take with me the shotgun too, a point-blank shot should be able to deal with some of the hard-skinned beasts and it's not as big as the crossbow or the rifle.

My clothes were like the ones I used in the days before for hunting and Isabella's rescue. I added some food and a bottle of water in a little bag.

I said goodbye to Isabella Dana and Hayley and went downstairs, G and Hope came with me to send me off.

"Don't do anything stupid, please". Said Hope.

"I going to be ok don't worry". I patted her head and disheveled her hair for her to relax.

She tried to resist but couldn't

"Noo stop! Don't You know how difficult it is to keep it this nice without washing it?!?! Stop or I will tell THAT secret!!".

I knew she was referring to the hickey, so I had to stop right away and comb her hair a little with my fingers while smiling to calm her anger.

"What secret?". G got curious.

"Nothing important". I cut it before Hope even hints something.

"Bye G take care of everyone".

"Sure, you too try to avoid fighting head on, don't take unnecessary risks".

I knew Hope was worried so I gave her a big hug before leaving.

"If you want to talk with me, you can ask Dante I think he can reach me almost anywhere in the city right now". I whispered in her ear.

She nodded and tightened the hug for a second before letting me go.

"See you in a couple of days".

___________________________________________________________

I moved fast through the streets while stopping once in a while to take cover.

'You are planning to finish the mission right?'.

I wasn't surprised the Rose noticed my real goal, so I answered her in my mind.

'If I told them what I really wanted to do it would be more difficult to leave them behind'.

We were hiding on the street corner while waiting for a group of beasts to pass by.

'I'm worried too'. She was looking at me with some concern in her eyes.

'Everything is going to be fine'. I gave her a reassuring smile and put my hand on hers. She smiled lightly and closed her eyes to focus on the warmth of my hand. Outside the flock was far away so I had to move.

'We have to go'. she nodded and left the building through a wall and I went through a window.

My plan was simple, I planned to use the same path from when we came to the city. Going through the wasteland was the fastest way to go back. After I get to my old neighborhood, I must look for a safe place to hide and rest. Once I settled myself there I would go out to see the situation and look for clues of Jamie whereabouts.

I found that the amount of roaming beasts was higher than before. Also, I haven't seen a single person since I left the house.

It took me a lot of time to move from the apartment to the wasteland. Most of the beasts were in large groups so I couldn't fight them and had to wait for them to just pass by before heading out of my hiding places. In some parts, I had to use the roofs to get here.

The sun was on top of the sky by the time I arrived at the border of the wasteland. The place was different than the last time I was here, there where more beasts roaming around. But what surprised me the most was the growth of the plants, the visibility was hindered by the number of trees and plants, so I had to be more careful than when I came here.

'Spence, can you see a little bunny there?'

I followed Rose's finger but nothing was there.

'No, is it still there?'.

'Yeah it's eating from that plant'

'Why did you ask me? Does it had something weird?'.

'It's shining a little'.

'Let's avoid it since I can't see it it's probably a bunny in astral form and I can't interact with it'.

'It's coming here, he is so little, I don't think he has any ill intention'.

'Rose be careful you don't know what it's capable of'. Since Rose wasn't moving I got near her so in case something goes wrong she can escape with Astral Portal.

She extended her hand I wasn't sure what was happening, but Dante's childish voice calmed me down.

'It's fine~'. How does he even know what is happening here? I need to talk to Dante about his powers when I come back.

I noticed that a plant from the place the rabbit was eating had one leaf withered.

Even with Dante's words, I was a little concerned, but Rose was happily playing with the bunny… I think.

'It's licking my hand!' she changed the movement to one like she was patting something. 'So soft!'.

'Rose I know it must be amazing but we have to keep moving'. She seemed a little reluctant to leave the bunny there, but she knew that I was right.

'Can you let me try something first?'.

'Will it take too much time?'

'No I just want to see if I can feed it'.

I was dumbfounded but nodded my head slowly. I was curious about what she was trying to do.

She went to the same plant that the bunny was eating and she made the movement like she took a leaf, and came back. Another leaf withered in just a second.

I could just wonder how many secrets about Rose's power are left to be discovered. The last days she seemed to be progressing faster, she can fly up in the air and keep my speed without any effort, now she was interacting with an astral lifeform and even could interact with a plant.

After she fed the bunny we continued our way through the wasteland, I had to fight with a worm that ambushed me from the underground. It was the size of my cat, it wasn't that difficult to defeat it but it was annoying, it was tiny enough to be difficult to hit but big enough to damage me if he got to bite me.

[Congratulations the user on killing an F-Ranked Beast, 5 points rewarded].

Without too many problems, we were able to pass the wasteland and get to the neighborhood. I went inside a two-story house to rest before looking for a better hideout.

'The bunny is following me'. she said patting the air again with her eyes completely focus.

I just rolled my eyes but the next second, I could see a shine, and the silhouette of a little bunny appeared under Rose's hand.

A shinning Pure white bunny was looking at Rose. She left the trance and breathed heavily for a few seconds.

On the center of the little bunny's forehead was a little red rose imprinted.