Guldrin’s Gluttony: Family Bound by Speed & Food

(Bonus Chapter Due to Power Stones, Thank You to all who support my work! Special Thanks to all who have given me reviews. Thank you, your support keeps me going.)

The tense atmosphere inside the bus was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. The unmistakable clack of heels on the pavement sent a wave of relief through the group. Shizuka Marikawa finally arrived, her medical bag in hand and an uncharacteristic look of grim determination on her face. For once, the usual air-headed demeanor was gone, replaced by the calm focus of a professional under pressure.

She wasted no time, kneeling beside Guldrin with swift precision, scowling at his cigar, she ripped it from his mouth and outed it. Her sharp gaze assessed his battered form, her delicate fingers brushing lightly over his wounds. "The injured doesn't need to smoke, stay still," she commanded softly, her voice steady but firm. Guldrin wanted to argue but kept his mouth shut, you don't anger the doctor or nurse; he learned that the hard way in the past.

Shizuka set to work, pulling supplies from her bag with practiced efficiency. Alcohol and swabs, gauze, sutures, it appeared as if she had everything she needed as she moved with the practiced ease of someone who had seen more than her fair share of chaos. Her fingers worked like a dexterous pianist, swift and sure, yet gentle enough not to aggravate his injuries further.

"He's lost a lot of blood," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "But the major arteries are intact. He's lucky... incredibly lucky." Her hands paused momentarily as she looked at his face, her expression softening. "You've done something beyond reckless, young man. Try not to make it a habit."

Guldrin chuckled weakly, wincing as the motion jarred his ribs. "No promises, doc. Reckless is... kind of my thing."

Shizuka sighed but didn't reply, focusing instead on cleaning the deep gash across his side. Each touch of antiseptic made him hiss through clenched teeth, but he refused to cry out. Shizuka's steady hands stitched the wound closed with painstaking care, her movements as precise as a seamstress working on fine silk, her skill was evident with each stitch.

Shiro sat nearby, her sharp eyes never leaving Guldrin. She hadn't said a word since Shizuka arrived, but her presence was a constant anchor. Every so often, her gaze flickered to the medical supplies, as though mentally cataloging everything Shizuka was doing, perhaps preparing herself to learn the art if needed. She even pulled out a notebook from her inventory and began taking notes.

"Hold him steady," Shizuka ordered, her voice cutting through the silence. Shiro dropped her notebook and moved immediately, her hands gently pressing Guldrin's shoulders down to keep him from squirming.

Kohta watched from the corner, his usual bravado muted. "Will he...?" he started, his voice uncertain for the first time that night.

"He'll live," Shizuka replied without looking up. "But he needs rest and proper care. No more heroics for at least a week."

Rei scoffed, crossing her arms as she leaned against the bus wall. "Good luck convincing him of that."

Guldrin smirked weakly. "Rei... if you're so worried, you could carry me... everywhere." Shiro seemed a little jealous but knew he was just teasing the stoic girl so she let it go.

Rei's face turned a shade of red that could have rivaled a fire truck, and she sputtered, "Like hell, I would!"

Kohta snorted and pushed up his glasses, while Shizuka shook her head, muttering something about boys and their egos.

Shizuka ignored the banter and returned her full focus to her work. She retrieved a sterile syringe, filling it with a clear liquid. "This will help with the pain," she explained, glancing briefly at Guldrin, who managed a weak grin.

"Finally... something good," he muttered, earning a faint smile from Shizuka. Even though he had yet to open his eyes, he knew this song and dance, treatment and assessment first, and then medicine to dull the pain.

The moment the needle pierced his arm, Guldrin felt the tension in his body ease slightly, though the pain still lingered at the edges of his consciousness. Shizuka continued methodically, wrapping the stitched wounds with clean gauze. Her hands moved with the precision of an artist, each motion deliberate and practiced.

Shiro, still holding him steady, quietly asked, "Will he need anything else? Medicine? Antibiotics?"

Shizuka nodded. "I'll give him a broad-spectrum antibiotic now, and we'll need to monitor him for signs of infection. The wounds were deep and exposed to too much dirt and... who knows what else." Her voice was tinged with worry, though her hands never faltered. She gently turned Guldrin's arm to inspect a series of smaller cuts, disinfecting and bandaging them in turn.

While Shizuka worked, Rei glanced out the window, trying to distract herself from the scene inside. Her eyes fell on the approaching group of students led by Shido, her most hated teacher. Her lips curled into a frown as she observed their frantic pace. At the back of the group, one of the students, a boy who was limping, clearly struggling to keep up, fell behind.

Rei's eyes narrowed as she saw Shido turn to look back. His expression was cold, and calculated, and without hesitation, he extended his foot, tripping the boy mid-stride. The student stumbled, falling hard to the ground with a cry of pain. Shido didn't pause, didn't even acknowledge the boy as he hit the dirt, beyond the sickening crack of his shoe hitting the boy in the face. Instead, he barked an order to the others to keep moving, leaving the injured student behind as bait.

"Bastard," Rei hissed under her breath, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the seat. She wanted nothing more than to march outside and confront him, but the thought of leaving the bus's protection, kept her rooted in place. Saeko watched this with an impassioned gaze, Saya frowned, and Takashi was too busy being a brat to notice.

Shizuka had finished dressing the wounds and was now carefully examining Guldrin's ribs. Her brow furrowed as she felt along his side, eliciting a grunt of pain from him.

"Cracked ribs," she announced. "Two, maybe three. They'll heal, but you're going to be in a lot of pain for a while."

"Pain's nothing new," Guldrin rasped, his voice laced with exhaustion but still managing a hint of humor. "I'll just... add it to the list."

Shizuka shook her head, her golden caring eyes softening. "You're far too young to have a list like that."

Shiro, still kneeling beside him, spoke softly. "You should rest now. We'll keep watch."

Guldrin gave her a tired smile. "Not going anywhere, Shiro. You know... it hurts to breathe, right?"

"Then stop talking," she replied, her tone sharp, but her eyes filled with concern.

Shizuka stood, wiping her hands on a clean cloth. "He's stable for now, but he needs to be moved somewhere safer. The bus isn't a long-term solution." She glanced around at the group. "We'll need to plan our next steps carefully. Where are we going to go? We could go to mine and Rika's apartment, it would be a safe place to rest and regroup."

The air inside the bus was thick with tension and the heavy scent of antiseptic. Shizuka had finished stabilizing Guldrin, but everyone's nerves were frayed. Rei's eyes remained glued to the window, seething at the image of Shido leaving the injured student behind. Her fists clenched tightly as she replayed the scene in her mind.

Moments later, the bus door creaked open, and Shido entered, dressed in his uptight suit, his oily smile already plastered across his face. His group of followers shuffled in behind him, their expressions ranging from relieved to wary. Shido's gaze swept across the bus, landing momentarily on Guldrin's battered form before settling on Shizuka.

"Well, well," Shido began, his voice oozing fake charm. "It seems we've all managed to survive this chaotic day. Human resilience, it's an amazing thing, don't you think?"

No one answered. The silence was palpable, broken only by the faint groans of Guldrin as he shifted uncomfortably. Shido's smile faltered slightly, but he pressed on, stepping further into the bus with an air of authority.

"As the most experienced adult here," he continued, his tone growing more authoritative, "it's clear that I should take charge. This group needs leadership, real leadership. Someone who can make the tough decisions."

Saeko's eyes narrowed as she stood, her bokken resting easily in her grip. "And you think that someone is you?" she asked, her voice calm but laced with steel.

Shido spread his arms in a mock display of humility. "Who else? I'm a teacher, after all. It's my duty to guide and protect my students."

"Protect?" Rei snapped, finally tearing her gaze from the window. She stood abruptly, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "I just watched you trip a student and leave him to die! Don't you dare talk about protection!"

Shido's expression darkened, but he quickly replaced it with a condescending smile. "Now, now, Rei. You must understand the bigger picture. Sacrifices are sometimes necessary for the greater good. Poor Ida wouldn't have made it, and his sacrifice saved us."

"Sacrifices?" Saya interjected, stepping forward. Her sharp intellect was evident in the venomous precision of her words. "You mean sacrificing anyone who's inconvenient to you. That's not leadership, that's cowardice."

"Tell that to Guldrin; didn't he leave everyone else to die because he didn't want to save them?" Takashi spoke, causing Shiro to scowl, "Inaction isn't the same as deliberately killing someone. We can't save everyone, and if you think we can, you are a fool!" Only Shizuka and Rei heard Shiro and Takashi arguing, the rest were more worried about what Saya had said.

The group murmured in agreement, emboldened by Saya's words. Shido, however, was undeterred. He raised his voice, his tone shifting to one of practiced authority.

"Enough!" he barked, silencing the murmurs. "This isn't a debate. If you want to survive, you'll need someone to make the hard calls, and I'm the only one here capable of doing that."

He stepped toward the center of the bus, his gaze challenging anyone to oppose him. Takashi hesitated, glancing at Rei and Saeko as if unsure whether to intervene.

But before anyone else could respond, a metallic click echoed through the bus. All eyes turned to Shiro, who now stood with Guldrin's suppressed H&K M23 in her hands, the barrel aimed squarely at Shido's chest. Her small frame holding the weapon full and unwavering confidence, her expression was cold and unflinching.

"You leave," Shiro said, her voice low and steady, "or you die."

The bus fell into stunned silence. Even Shido seemed momentarily at a loss for words. His eyes flicked to the pistol, then to Shiro's face, searching for any sign of hesitation. There was none.

"Shiro!" Takashi finally exclaimed, stepping forward. "What the hell are you doing? Put that down!"

Shiro didn't move. Her eyes remained locked on Shido, her hands steady on the pistol. "He's a danger to all of us," she said. "He'll get more people killed."

"That's not your call to make!" Takashi argued, his voice rising. "We don't kill people! We're better than that!"

Shiro's gaze flicked to Takashi, her expression unreadable. "Better than him?" she asked quietly. "Maybe. But if we let him stay, more people will die. I won't let that happen. Be glad it is me, if it were Guldrin, knowing what this bastard has done and what we learned about him after our investigation… He would have already killed him."

Takashi took another step forward, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "I get it, okay? He's a bastard. But this isn't the way. We can handle this without violence."

Behind him, Rei and Saya exchanged glances, their expressions conflicted. Saeko remained silent, watching the exchange with a calculating gaze.

"Shiro," Takashi said, his tone softer now, "please. Put the gun down."

For a moment, it seemed as though Shiro might comply. Her grip on the pistol loosened slightly, and her gaze wavered. But then she looked at Guldrin, lying helpless and injured, and her resolve hardened.

"No," she said firmly. "Not until he's gone."

Shido, sensing an opportunity, raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright," he said smoothly. "I can see when I'm not wanted. I'll leave." He took a step back, his smile returning. "But mark my words, you'll regret this."

Shiro didn't lower the pistol until Shido and his followers had exited the bus. The door hissed shut behind them, and the tension in the air finally began to dissipate.

Takashi turned to Shiro, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief. "What were you thinking?" he demanded. "That could have gone so wrong!"

Shiro set the pistol down carefully, her hands trembling slightly now that the adrenaline was wearing off. "I did what I had to," she said quietly.

"No," Takashi shot back. "You did what you wanted to. There's a difference."

The two locked eyes, the weight of their disagreement hanging heavy in the air. Around them, the group remained silent, each person processing what had just happened in their own way.

Finally, Shizuka broke the silence. "We should focus on getting somewhere safe," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "This isn't over yet." With that said, she approached the driver's seat and started the bus, "This isn't anything like my bug… I know I got a bus driver's license, but I haven't driven one in years… Here goes nothing.

Her words served as a reminder of the dangers still lurking outside. As the bus rumbled to life and began to move, the group turned their attention to the road ahead, each person carrying their own thoughts and doubts about what had just transpired. Crashing through the gate, they were off to the unknown; how the city had changed, they would find out soon.

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