246 51 Familiar

Rick's eyes widened as Larkin quickly lunged at him, ducking. Larkin began to throw punches, Rick dodging as if his life depended on it. "Why are you doing this!?" Mikael cried. Rick quickly turned his head, just as Larkin threw a punch, hitting Rick in his abdomen. Rick let out a wheeze, as he fell to the ground. Larkin smirked, grabbing Rick by his face. He tossed Rick up in the air, as if he were a rag doll, then pinned him by his head against the wall. "Rick!" Norio screamed. Mikael began running, suddenly, Janine grabbed his cloak. "Do you see how dangerous he is!?" She cried. Mim sat up, groaning. "She's right...the boss is incredibly dangerous, at this point..." He looked up at Rick, and Larkin. "Forget it...he's dead." All anyone could do was simply watch. Rick's eyes darted towards the tubes containing Maru, and Emersyn. Larkin then squeezed his head. Rick grunted in pain. "Oi," Larkin spoke. "Look at me." Larkin took his fingers to manually open Rick's eye. Larkin gave a unique grin, all too familiar to Rick.

"Rick," Larkin said, rising up from the kitchen table. Rick turned to look at him. "Meet me outside." As Rick stepped outside, he ran over to Larkin. "What's up?" He asked. "I want to entrust you with something." He said, fis.h.i.+ng in his pants pocket. "Really!?" Rick asked, eagerly. "Ah, got it." Larkin said. "Hold out your hands, and close your eyes." Rick happily cooperated. "Open." Larkin said. As Rick opened his eyes, he looked down to see a pocket knife. "Oh." He said. "You don't like it?" Larkin asked, kneeling down. "N-no...!" Rick smiled sheepishly. "I just don't know what it is..." he admitted. "Ah." Larkin smiled. "Well, it's a pocket knife." He said, ruffling Rick's hair. Rick stared at the knife. "Does it cut food...?" He asked. Larkin closed his eyes, smiling. "Not quite..." He said. "Why don't I demonstrate to you just what it does?" He said, rising up. Rick looked up at him. "Ok!" He said, running over to him. Larkin flipped out another pocket knife. "Go stand back over there." Larkin said. Rick hurriedly ran back. "Flip the knife out." Rick looked at the knife in confusion. "H-how...?" Larkin clicked his tongue. "Hold on..." he said, walking over. "Like this." He said, showing him. "Oh!" Rick nodded. "Are you just saying you know, or do you actually know?" Rick puffed his cheeks in annoyance. "I know!" He protested. "Fine, prove it to me." Rick, with ease flipped the knife open. "Ah..." Larkin smiled. "Now, I'll go over there." He said, walking away. "Now," Larkin began. "Straighten up." Rick quickly straightened up. "That's...too straight." Larkin chuckled. "Relax more." Rick stuck his tongue out, and tried to relax. "Perfect..." Larkin smiled. "Now get ready..." Rick, looking down at the knife, quickly picked his head up. Just as he did, Larkin came charging at him. A sinister grin, Rick would never be able to get out of his head. Rick's eyes widened, as Larkin raised his knife. Rick barely dodged, as the knife cut through his sleeve, and sliced a tiny bit of his arm. Rick fell to the ground. He grabbed his now bleeding arm, tears began to well in his eyes. Rick began hysterically crying. "Oi..." Larkin said, waving his hands to get him to quiet down. "C-come on..." He said, picking Rick up. "It barely touched you..." Rick sobbed into Larkin's shoulder. Larkin sighed, as he began to walk back toward the house. "Mikael is gonna kill me..." He sighed, rubbing Rick's back.

Rick gasped for air, but Larkin's grip was suffocating. Larkin squeezed even harder. "W-why are you..." he whispered, as everything faded to black.