As soon as sensei heard about a potential walker being on his property, he went to work. He put on his hunter boots and trekked along the forest, at first, alone, until I insisted I joined him. Felix did, too, which left Gun and the girls back at the dojo. We searched high and low for the monster until midnight, and we couldn’t catch a whiff of the bastard. Whoever ripped that buck apart was gone, but of course, that wasn’t what Hayashi wanted to hear.

The man was adamant about his dojo being a safe haven, free of any flesh eaters or supernatural threats. Despite not finding any trace of the monster, Hayashi refused to give up the search.

“It’s out there somewhere,” he insisted, lighting a lantern as we prepared to head back into the deep reaches of the woods.

Felix tried reasoning with him. “Sensei, we’ve combed these woods for hours. Whatever did this is long gone.”

But Hayashi would not be deterred. “You two can go back if you want. Go rest. You have a big event in a couple of hours.”

Felix was skeptical about leaving him, but I planned on heading back. Hayashi was right. We did have a big day, and I wouldn’t let a jackass flesh eater ruin it by eating away at my sleep time.

“You go on, Nero,” Felix whispered to me. “I’ll stay behind and help Hayashi.”

“All right, but don’t stay up too late, now! You need all the rest you can get for the games.”

I was a foolish man to say that….

As soon as I went back inside and hit the sack, I couldn’t sleep. I was too damn anxious, my adrenaline already pumping for the tournament. I was nervous, excited, and worried all at once. Nervous about competing, excited for the chance to test my skills, and worried that we wouldn’t score as well as I wanted to.

After all, we were going against year two’s and year three’s.

My mind raced as I lay in bed, thoughts bouncing around about my opponents, my preparedness, my strengths and weaknesses. When Gun mentioned getting items, I felt like I was short on supplies. I only had one item, nothing else. Not to discredit a respawn token, of course. That was like the mother-load of items. But a Scope or a Barricade would have been helpful also.

Sleep dodged me for hours as I mentally strategized and visualized the matches ahead. Sometime past three in the morning, I heard Felix and sensei return. Their hushed voices in the hall let me know the search was still unsuccessful. Okay, maybe now I could sleep?

All right, I confirmed they were okay, so quit daydreaming about the games and catch some Z’s already…

“You sure are shuffling around a lot,” Naomi said from with the balcony, with her back turned toward me. “You’re making it hard for me to stay asleep.”

I sighed and sat up on my bed. “Sorry, I can’t help it. I’m too damn anxious…”

“You have a round to win today. Go to sleep, Nero.”

I smiled. “I wish I could.”

“Tried counting sheep?”

“That never worked.”

“How about listening to the crickets?”

“Is that what you do?” I said, getting up and walking to her.

“Sometimes.”

I opened the sliding door and took a seat next to her on the floor mat. The moon was full tonight and the stars were out. Even with this peaceful ambiance around us, I couldn’t find myself relaxed enough to knock out.

“How are you not nervous, Naomi?”

“Why should I be? Being nervous isn’t going to change the outcome. If it’s fate, it will happen either way.”

“So, you’re saying this is fate?”

“What is this?”

“This. Being here, at this very moment….”

“It is.”

I considered Naomi’s words carefully. She seemed so calm and assured about everything being destined.

“Do you really believe that?” I asked. “That all of this was meant to be?”

Naomi hugged her legs against her chest. “I do,” she said softly. “Each step that brought us here, from the moment we were born to this very night, was laid out for us by destiny.”

“I don’t know if I can accept that,” I said. “Don’t we have a say in shaping our fates through the choices we make?”

“Of course we make choices. But I believe those choices are part of a larger pattern that was meant to unfold.”

“That’s a scary thought.”

“Why?”

“Because that means regardless of what we do, the end result will remain the same.”

“This is true. But what’s so scary about it?”

“The lack of control….”

“I see it as a peace of mind. You cannot alter your path, so why worry about it?”

“You make it sound so carefree, Naomi.”

“That’s because it is. I learned that… a long time ago…” Naomi’s voice trailed off, her eyes becoming distant as she seemed to fall into some deep memory. I studied her face, curious about what past experience had shaped her views on fate and destiny.

“What happened a long time ago?” I asked gently.

“Nothing I feel like sharing.”

“Naomi,” I said seriously, “do you trust me?”

“I do.”

“Then why do you keep pushing me away?”

Naomi blinked, my question snapping her back into the moment. She turned her head to look at me, and admitted, “Just like everything else, it’s… complicated….”

“And intentional, I can tell,” I said flatly. “Someone used to say that I was a good reader of people. I think that super power faded away as I grew older but, for the most part, it’s still there. I can tell that you’re forcing yourself to shut those doors when you’re around me. Maybe afraid of what I might say or feel. I get it. You don’t really know me. Not as well as, let’s say, some of your close friends….”

“I don’t have any friends,” she admitted quickly. The comment wasn’t meant to be funny, but I couldn’t help but chuckle after she said that.

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“For some reason, I find that surprising. But that’s beside the point. You want to be open with me. I saw how you were making progress, stepping just along the corners of your comfort zone, and then just like that, you closed right up again. So to help, I talked to Reina about that night….”

“What night?”

“In the hot springs. Whatever she had over you, it’s gone. So you can talk to me again, Naomi.”

She looked back at me conflicted with her shoulders slumping slightly, her body language changing. “I don’t know what you mean…” she said quietly.

“Naomi, it’s just us here.”

“It’s not easy for me to let people in. I’ve been on my own for a long time, relying only on myself. Letting someone in, trusting them with my thoughts and feelings... it makes me feel vulnerable.”

“Do you think I’d take advantage of you?”

“No.” She paused. “But I learned a long time ago that getting too close to people only leads to heartache. It’s dangerous for all parties involved.”

“Dangerous?”

“I haven’t always been nice, Nero….”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly how it sounds. I haven’t always been nice. And I’m living through the consequences for what I’ve done in my past.”

My eyes went soft on her. Naomi fell silent with her eyes downcast as she continued to muse. I could tell there was more she wanted to say, but the words seemed lodged in her throat.

“You can tell me anything, Naomi,” I said supportively. “I promise I won’t judge you for your past mistakes. We’ve all done things we regret.”

She looked up at me, hesitation lingering in her lavender eyes. “Even if I’ve... hurt people?”

I nodded. “Especially then. The past is done, but we can still redeem ourselves in the here and now.”

“Do you really believe in redemption, Nero?”

I smiled. “I sure do. Second chances, they are a real thing. I believe that people can always change for the better, no matter how bad things are.”

Naomi took a deep breath, as if mentally preparing herself to share her story as she turned her eyes toward the outlook. “When I was younger, I fell in with a rough crowd. I was angry, reckless, and stupid, and I let that anger control me. Things were bad at home, and I didn’t have anywhere to vent. So I made everyone else’s life a living hell. I was jealous that they got to live in paradise, while I rotted in hell. Each and every waking day of my life was a trial, a new opportunity for torture. It was no way to live, and just… seeing all of those happy faces was boiling me up inside,” she continued softly. “I took my anger out on anyone I could. I picked fights, destroyed property, even mugged a few people. I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t care—I just wanted others to hurt like I did. I thrived off of humiliation and bullying, and got high from the thrill of power. And then, the catalyst to everything….”

Her voice wavered, and she paused to collect herself before continuing.

“One time, a prank went too far. Someone was badly hurt, and it was my fault. I’ve regretted it every day since, but I couldn’t take it back. My friends were impressed with what I did, and wanted me to do more of it.” She looked away. “It was then I learned that I was really good at this craft, and that I could do terrible things with it. I tried running away from my mistake, but… no matter where I went, my past always found me. They threatened me to continue hurting people, even after I told them that I’d changed. To them, and their master, it didn’t matter. I was their weapon, their tool, and I had to do everything they said,” she muttered. “I couldn’t escape it no matter how hard I tried… I wish I’d never found that kind of power….”

I jumped right in to try and lift her up. “But you eventually did escape it, didn’t you? You put it all in the past, where it belongs, and you were given a chance to move forward.” I smiled. “What was that you said about our fates?” I continued, trying to cheer her up. “We can’t change what happens at the end of the book. We’re in it for the ride, right? And yet, here you are, with me, with Reina, Felix, Ash, Gun, and Hayashi. Fighting monsters, defending people. Doing what’s right. Your second chance.”

She turned to me guilt-faced.

“Do you really think that fate planned a 180 for you and that being here was destined? Our trials and our heartache are all tests. What we take from it shapes our future. The turning point was the catalyst to the new you. There are two sides to every coin. If you’d continued down that path, I doubt you would have ended up here. That’s what I mean when I say that we are masters of our own destinies. Our choices make up our future. Take me for example. If I didn’t get those powers that day, I wouldn’t have been here. No matter how badly I wanted to be a hunter, it wouldn’t have happened. There’s no path I could have taken that would have placed me here in this very moment with you, unless that event happened. And I’d like to think that if something was meant to be, it will be. Which is different than saying that fate has predetermined aspects of our lives that we absolutely have no control over.”

She continued to stare at me in shocked silence.

“I don’t think any less of you , Naomi. You’re a gem as far as I’m concerned. I cherish you, with all of your imperfections, your darkness, and your struggles. I’m sorry about your past, but clearly, it didn’t define who you are. Besides, despite what you may think of yourself, the shit you went through turned you into a better person. So I care about you for everything that you are, and everything that you aren’t. And I’m here to support you through everything you’re going through, just like you promised to support me.” I paused, giving her a moment to answer back, but I’d rendered her speechless. “So how about it? We quit telling ourselves that we should be punished for our past, and start giving ourselves room to grow in the here and now? I promise, you’ll feel a lot better when you allow yourself to heal and vent, and you know, have friends. It’s better than anything meditation can fix. I can guarantee you that!”

“Nero…” she paused. “Why are you so nice to me?”

I chuckled. “I hope that’s not a serious question.”

“It is….”

“Because you deserve kindness, Naomi. Everyone does.”

“But what if I’m not worthy of it?” Naomi said with a brittle voice. “What if I can’t be the person you think I am?”

“Your past is telling you that you’re not worthy. You’ve been conditioned to think that you’re worthless, and that you shouldn’t be loved. Instead, to be used, treated like shit, and abandoned emotionally. But I’m here telling you that’s BS. Take a first step and open up, even if it leaves you feeling vulnerable. Even if it feels awkward. If you don’t, you’ll never change the perspective you have about yourself. I never said it’d be easy, but you’ve faced bigger challenges before. The proof is right here. You being here, with us.”

“The idea… it’s daunting.”

“I know. Change often is. But you can do it, Naomi.”

She looked over at the panoramic view of the horizon, her eyes softening underneath the full moon. For a moment, she mused. “The world can be so ugly sometimes…” she said with a gentle voice. “And yet, you find beauty in it, every way you can. The faith you have in humanity is… limitless. You’re forgiving, so unapologetically forgiving. I saw it every day in Acadia. It doesn’t matter that you have your own problems, you always handle people with an air of equality. Like those jock heads, those meta pricks, and even Reina. She did you wrong in every way, and yet, you didn’t get revenge. You countered her hostility with lightheartedness, jokes, and even understanding. I could never… he could never....” She stopped her sentence short to look at me deeply. “You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”

“And you’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met, too,” I said with a genuine smile. “I guess… we’re both a little weird.”

“There’s this unbreakable positive energy to you, Nero. Not everyone has it. It’s unique, and it’s warm… comforting….”

I scratched my chin. “So what you’re saying is that I’m some type of human blanket?”

“It makes me feel like, despite how grim things are, that in the end, everything will be okay.” She gave me an inviting look, and boldly asserted, “Can I sleep with you tonight?”

Holy shit, that was forward!

“It’d make me feel better if I did….”

I wasn’t expecting her to ask me that. Naomi certainly turned the tables tonight, our conversation showing me a different side of her. I guess that’s what she meant when she talked about feeling vulnerable. The dam got hit with a bulldozer ball, letting all of the water gush out. And I was drowning!

To avoid looking like a jackass, I kept my mouth shut and allowed her to elaborate. But when she didn’t, I took initiative, breaking the awkward silence and said, “Yes.”

This could only end up one of two ways, and naturally, I was good with either option. Though, if I understood correctly, Naomi was the subtle type, not the wild type.

So I watched her make the first move. She got up and slowly walked back into our bedroom, the confused expression on my face turning. She dropped down and knelt on the bed between ours, the one that was supposed to be for Reina. After she dragged it closer to my mat, I understood what she wanted to do.

“Maybe now, you can sleep…” she said, and then turned to me.

I got up and closed the balcony door behind me, then asked her, “You want to sleep in the bed next to me?”

“I do.”

“Heh. Okay, good. Because for a second there, I thought you were asking to have sex with me!” I immediately got punished for opening my big mouth, Naomi telekinetically flinging my phone right at my forehead.

Yeah, I deserved that!

“No, you idiot,” she hissed, my comment making her face hot red as she turned her eyes away from me.

“Haha, you’re going to learn to get embarrassed sometimes with me. I like to joke around a lot.”

She hesitated for a moment, and then admitted, “You’re the nicest person I know, Nero.”

“Yeah… I get that a lot.”

“It can be sickening at times…” she said, giving me a pouty but playful look.

“Heh, that’s a good thing though, right?”

“A very good thing….” She smiled, laying her head on the pillow and curling up under the covers. I did the same in my own bed, watching as Naomi stared at me passionately.

“I don’t see you smile often. You should do that more. It looks great on you.”

“I need a reason to smile.”

“You’re looking at one right now, aren’t you?”

“You’re right,” she said, her eyelids getting droopy.

“Let’s kick it in the ass at the games, Naomi,” I whispered. “Sleep tight.”

She didn’t respond, Naomi falling fast asleep already.

And soon, I did, too.