Forget me not.
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"What?" Eiji was entering full blown panic mode, expecting the worst, "Whats wrong?"

A mean snarl behind him answered Eiji before Ash could. The raccoon was grossly fat, or maybe just extremely fluffy- either way Eiji could see the wicked glint in its barely visible eyes only when he squinted. Clumps of the creature's fur were missing, perhaps torn out in some epic struggle to squeeze inside the house, the rest had been stained a multitude of browns and sticky looking reds. This thing was evil.

"Ash..." Eiji looked to his friend- his voice barely a whisper, "Ash what do I do? It's gonna eat me."

Clearly not much help, Ash also seemed at a loss for what to do. This house, this dump- it was the racoon's domain and the boys were the trespassers here. "Uhh, shit.." Ash looked around for something, anything that could help. Then he saw it... the perfect anti-raccoon murder machine.... an old broom.

"Stay right there Eiji, I'll save you."

Making no sudden movements, Ash covered the short distance to a boom that had clearly seen better days. The raccoon simply made itself comfortable, keeping one eye on its hostage and the other on the stalking lynx. It gave off an intimidating aura that an evil, fat fluff ball should not be allowed to have.

"A-Ash.." Eiji started to catch on with the Lynx's plan, "Ash no, you are not attacking Ash Jr with a broom."

The real Ash perked up, stopping dead in his tracts, "You did not name that thing after me."

Eiji turned up his nose with a cheeky smile, "I might have."

"Well," there was an odd sort spark when man and raccoon locked eyes, "There's only room for one Ash in this house."

Ash Jr hissed in response.

With a mighty roar, Ash charged- broom held above his head like a spear. Surprisingly quick, Ash Jr scrambled to his stubby feet and challenged Ash's voice with a mighty rawr of his own. Deciding to be a hostage no more, Eiji took cover behind the lounge- peeking over the top with great interest.

Only just missing, Ash slammed the boom down right next to Ash Jr's head, showering the floor with straw and suspicious stuff that had previously been stuck to the bottom of the broom. The raccoon reared up, somehow even more puffy than before- it screeched angrily and lunged for Ash's leg.

Eiji gasped. Someone had been hiding some mean golf skills. Ash Jr was sent flailing and skidding across the floor by a mighty swing before he had even managed to get close. Clearly seeing he was out matched, the raccoon spat Ash one last pissed off snarl, retreating somewhere out of sight.

"That's right!" Ash raised a victorious fist, "There's only room for one Ash in this house, and that's me!"

Eiji wasn't ready to share in Ash's victory just yet. He was up in seconds, rushing to the Lynx's side, "It didn't get you, did it? You aren't hurt, right?"

"N-no," Ash felt his cheeks flush red at Eiji's close proximity. The young boy was on his knees, getting a good look at the leg Ash Jr had lunged for. "I'm fine, Eiji-"

"You're bruised..." While it seemed that Ash Jr had indeed missed his mark, something else almost completely hidden by Ash's sock now bothered Eiji. He gently ghosted one finger over Ash's purplish skin, pulling down the sock. Ash winced.

"O-oh, I'm sorry- did I hurt you?" Eiji looked up at the lynx with big, round eyes. Ash gulped.

"It's not that I just..." I don't like seeing his marks. Ash shuddered at his own dark thoughts, not completely sure of what they meant. Someplace, somewhere in the back of his mind- his memories had been locked behind an iron door that the lynx felt he had thrown away the key to. Frustrated with himself, Ash squatted so that he was eye level with Eiji, "It's nothing to worry about. Now why don't we take a look outside, like we were going to?"

Eiji sort of just nodded awkwardly, "Y-yeah..."

Outside, much like inside- was not pretty. Sometime ago, the weeds had overtaken and replaced the grass- leaving a minefield of tiny spiked plants lurking for bare feet, much in the same way a Venus Fly Trap hunts a fly. It was bad news in terms of the 'deck' too, which consisted of rotten and splintering wood that sunk in certain places.

The boys managed to uncover two abandoned deck chairs in the yard- despite the rust and their perpetual dampness, Eiji and Ash sat comfortably side by side. In silence, they watched the clouds roam the sky. Peace.

Eiji nodded off. Ash did too after a while.

Somewhere, someplace in Ash's mind, an iron door loomed. On one side stood a curious dread, on the other, old memories wept. In between, a boy with black hair and round eyes laid, caged by both sides of the iron door. A key, he had not- and yet,

Hope still lived on.

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Hello everyone! 🎄 Merry Christmas 🎄

I hope the holiday season has treated you well. Consider this update to be a gift from me :)

So I've been thinking that earlier updates with slightly shorter chapters is the way to go. I hope no one minds that.

A drastic change in the plot is coming... so well- we shall see how you guys take it...
Until next time

~Hollow-Heart

(Don't know why I signed off this time, I guess I just felt like it.)
Here, have...
this irrelevant picture of Tom Hiddleston photo shopped to look like a dinosaur is giving him a hug

*Whispers* also t h a n k y o u for 10k views