Our Phantom's Shadow

((21)) Save Them

A/N: Aaaand with this chapter, I can officially enter this story into the Wattys2016! =D I want to thank the lovely cranerain for making such an amazing cover! Go check out her amazing works!

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((21)) Save Them

When the group made it safely inside the main building, they had a moment of rest. They all were panting in either exhaustion or exhilaration, or both.

They passed around water bottles and Midorima stationed himself by the window for lookout. It was quiet out, but the area seemed ominous with the thick fog setting in.

Akashi looked around at papers, finding them useless, and turned his sight to the locked door down the hall. The other rooms were open and seemed like labs to treat animals or offices for workers.

"We should check the place out, then check the door at the end of the hall." Akashi said and the teens looked at the hall.

Midorima nodded, fixing his glasses. "There could be medical supplies."

The boys groaned as they packed up once more and stood up. The rooms were barely lit by windows and skylights. They found lighters, medical supplies, and useful tools that could help them later down the road.

When they made it to the last door, Murasakibara used pliers to break open the lock.

The steel door opened with a push, the hinges creaking before the door finally hit the wall. The group was surprised to see a long corridor sloping downwards.

Akashi shone a flashlight as they walked cautiously down it. At the end there was a loose door that was halfway off its hinges.

"What do you suppose happened here?" Aomine asked as they looked at it. It appeared to be beat-up, and the redheaded leader traced the claw marks on the sides of it.

"A struggle most likely, those that knew of this exit probably all rushed here." Midorima suggested.

"What do you think, Kurokocchi?" Kise asked as he turned to the older boy beside him.

"Hm? Oh, it is most likely what Midorima-kun said, but since we were not here, we have no way of knowing the true cause of it." Kuroko told him. He was beginning to feel some inkling of his power returning, the Nexi inside him was probably recovering the more he was non-active.

Just then, there was a vengeful cry that roared out behind them. As they all turned to face the threat, it pounced in and quickly swiped at them. Murasakibara took the brunt force and knocked into Akashi and Midorima, causing the only source of light to fall to the floor with a loud clang.

The tiger AniNervo was revealed as it shoved Aomine into the wall before the blunet could react.

Kise panicked and grabbed his dagger to try to defend himself and Kuroko. The mutated animal growled fiercely at the blond, stalking forward with a threatening bulk in its mighty step.

The youngest member lunged forward as a feint attack, and he quickly pivoted to avoid a deadly swipe from the beast. With Kise now very close beside it, he managed to slice at the AniNervo's eye, rendering its right side blind temporarily.

The bulky tiger shrieked an ear-splitting cry, and knocked Kise away like the others. Before the rest could properly spot and aim for the beast, Kuroko felt a strange feeling as it set its eye on him.

Suddenly, it pounced on him and grabbed him up by the hood of his cloak. Before the others could react, it dragged Kuroko swiftly away from the tunnel entrance and out of the main control center.

*  *  *

Kuroko had to try dodging the bumps in the road as the tiger AniNervo took him away. He was still weaker than it, so he could not remove himself from its jaws.

But the creature made him curious; just where was it taking him to? All beings of Nervola, aside from him, should not be in control of their bodies. The creature carrying him should have already tried to end his life, and the others too.

With this strange curiosity filling him, the NervoHuman decided to not fight back unless the AniNervo actually tried to end him.

The mutated tiger carried him into a distorted building that appeared to be a housing facility of some kind. Perhaps for sickly or newborn animals? Kuroko would never know since the place was abandoned.

The shelter was partially destroyed, with the roof caved in midway and laying on top of several small stations. There were puddles of water built up in sink holes in the corners.

The tiger AniNervo roughly set Kuroko down against the caved in roof and stared at him with a strange perception.

Kuroko felt of the structure and looked around, confused on why the creature would bring him to this location.

Finally, loud cries caught his attention and he turned to the disarming noise. There under broken roof tiles and beams were three adolescent tiger cubs. They were caged inside the cracked flooring underneath the asphalt. One had been impaled by a beam and was permanently stuck in one place, his Nexi keeping him alive. The other two weren't strong enough to remove the debris to get out, so they only kept whining, looking from Kuroko and then to the adult tiger.

Kuroko took the time to observe them; their eyes weren't as glassy as the other AniNervos, and were brighter than the tiger AniNervo that brought him here.

Could they be...? Kuroko's thoughts were interrupted when something flew into the building, and he saw that it was an abnormally large vulture. His teeth clenched together in... in annoyance, at not having any weapons.

For the first time in a long while, he hated feeling so weak. Where are my powers?! He wanted to shout, but no one would be able to help him and he knew this. He just didn't want to feel so helpless.

The tiger AniNervo roared in warning to the other AniNervo trying to find a way in. Had it been drawn in by the cries? Kuroko quickly looked at the slab of the fallen roof and tried to lift it off the beams underneath.

He wasn't sure why the tiger AniNervo brought him here, but he had an inkling it had to do through their ties with Nervola. Other Nervos were able to sense the Nexi within him, so maybe this AniNervo was even more perceptive than the rest. It wanted its cubs free, and needed help doing so.

But for it to care for its children must mean that this one still had a clear conscience of the animal it used to be... And that made Kuroko all the more interested.

"You had just been trying to get our attention. You're still fighting off the Nexi trying to take complete control." Kuroko spoke when the adult tiger came into view, a scar decorated its fully healed eye where Kise stabbed it.

The phantom shadow gave up trying to move the large wall in front of him, the others should get here, or maybe his powers would return... He looked at the antsy tiger AniNervo watching him, and Kuroko cautiously moved to its side and removed Kise's dagger.

Kise-kun will want this back, he thought as he tucked it away.

He then watched as the larger mutated creature reached a long arm into the visible hole of the cubs. The ones within reach made different noises and rubbed against it. The scene made Kuroko's lips lift up, and the still beating heart within him felt significantly warmer in his chest.

He wanted to free them.

More bashing hit the sides of the buildings, and Kuroko realized there were more AniNervos out there. He clenched his fists and looked around for anything that could be used for a weapon.

There was a half-broken pole, but Kuroko wasn't too sure on his strength right now. Still, he would try anything to ensure the safety of these AniNervo tigers. They may very well be the last of their kind.

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A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this! Since the question keeps coming up, Kagami will be in the story along with other KnB characters, but it will be later. ^^ Sooo have some tigers until Kagami is in the story! xD

Question of the chapter: If there was only one kind of animal you could save, what would it be and why?