Author's Note: I've had a little help writing this chapter from a couple of musical geniuses who got me in the best mood for what you're about to read; their names are "Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This" (both the Marilyn Mason cover and the Emily Browning rendition, the latter of which is my favorite) and "Animal I Have Become" (by Three Days Grace, which, in my opinion, is the theme song for this fanfic).

Adrenaline and fury compelled Arthur to continue pedaling at full speed. Though he didn't have a lot of energy, considering a banana was all he ate before embarking on his journey, he wasn't in any position to stop. From what those officers were talking about, the chances that D.W. had been abducted by Sharkbite were immensely high. But it still raised a good question: how did Sharkbite know Arthur was going to quit boxing? Because of the events that transpired the previous night, the question was dubbed mediocre; and yet, it raised another good question: did someone else inform the police about his boxing lessons?

His parents were most likely the culprits, considering what the rabbit did to scare them off, but then Arthur remembered the bet he and Sharkbite made with Derek. Had the bear's conscience gotten the better of him, forcing him to rat them out? If so, did Austin and Kyle have their part in explaining everything to the police? These thoughts caused the rage within the aardvark to swell to major proportions, and as a direct result, he pedaled his bike faster than ever.

Though the likability of the presumption was logical, and there were so many people in his life who did terrible things to him that completely enraged him, whether or not they were reasonable and would provide a life lesson later on, Arthur's thirst for vengeance craved Sharkbite and only Sharkbite. The moment they met, he never perceived anything off about the stranger he befriended. Now, about fourteen days later, the rabbit was finally revealed as a person many would call an "anti-villain", a character who acts considerately and selflessly to achieve an iniquitous goal.

Whatever Sharkbite's goal was, it was clear that he would stop at nothing until it was wholly achieved, and he was now in the process of intimidating Arthur and his family, all in a bid to retain his position as Arthur's boxing instructor and to keep everyone who knew about the whole thing quiet. The aardvark also deduced that he had become a source of income for the rabbit, a fact that injected him with another dose of fury.

"That double crossing son of a bitch!" the aardvark growled through grit teeth. "He was so nice to me, and he encouraged me to trust him as the only friend I need! He thinks I'll forever serve him as a pet?! We'll see about that when I'm through with him!"

Once more, the sense of perfidy compelled Arthur to pedal his bike faster than before. Down the streets of Elwood City he rode, keeping his eyes open for D.W. and Sharkbite. Because there were little to no hints to give him any places of interest, the aardvark was seemingly going nowhere. Stress and rage soon gave way to anxiety, and terrible thoughts raced through his mind. His mentor had a switchblade and a strong motivation to use it. Was he planning to do the worst to D.W.? Did he already do the deed? If so, how would his parents react? How long would he be able to carry the guilt? And would he eventually end the misery by means of suicide?

Arthur shook his head. Those thoughts were nothing more than products of his apprehension and penitence- he was old enough to understand that. Even so, he couldn't stop fearing for his sister's life. Surely, he would get to wherever D.W. was being held hostage, but then he started to fear for his own life. Would he die saving his sister? This produced an unwanted auditory hallucination. It was of his mother's voice, strained by utter misery. "Why did it have to end this way? I thought we had things under control. How could we have been so foolish?"

From this hallucination, Arthur pictured his woeful parents standing close together in front of two gravestones, both decorated with angels carved in the stone and flowers resting on the smooth dirt that covered the coffins beneath. On each gravestone, under the name of the deceased and their dates of birth and death, was a small quote to honor their lives. The first read: "Dora Winifred Read – March 1, 1995-October 4, 1999 – A little angel taken away too soon". The second read: "Arthur Timothy Read – May 25, 1991-October 4, 1999 – A fallen soul who sacrificed himself to atone for his sins".

Because of the dreadful hallucinations, the aardvark was forced to squeeze the brake lever on the right handlebar. The tires slowed immediately as the lever activated the drum brakes, the force of which caused Arthur to lean forward into the handlebars. Though he barely reacted to the discomfort, he stood where he stopped with his hands on the sides of his head. It looked as if he was moments away from a nervous breakdown. In reality, Arthur was calming himself down, telling himself that the hallucinations were his guilt and anxiety messing with his mentality. Even so, the sentiments were exceedingly powerful, just like his anger back when the entire episode began; when he failed to hold it back, when he allowed himself to unleash his bad side upon his sister, and when that God damned rabbit appeared by his side, craftily coaxing him to irrationally trade everything and everyone he loved to enter the grim world of boxing.

As his psychological episode began to fade away, the aardvark immediately noticed he was not more than two blocks away from his school. Even if he traveled at the speed of a cheetah, someone close to the window would surely see him and automatically assume he was playing hooky. Arthur knew that the accusation wouldn't be held against him. After all, he agreed to explain everything to the police, so there was no doubt his mother made Mr. Haney aware of his absence. Still though, Sharkbite kidnapped D.W. and Arthur did not want to hit any obstacles. After straightening himself back up and pedaling his bike once more, the aardvark swiftly turned a corner and starting traveling around and far from the building.

The alternate route took Arthur through the residential area he and Sharkbite once walked through as oppose to their usual route to the boxing gym. Just the mere sight of a house in this part of Elwood City reminded him of the reason why they went this way. The aardvark winced slightly as the appalling sounds returned to him; the cries of his father and the thuds of his fists as he attacked him with incredible force and velocity. Arthur remembered every punch he threw at the man who cared for him since he was small, and he could still picture the moment Sharkbite delivered the final blow, sending his damaged father onto the pavement. They had sprinted away to escape a quarrel with the neighbors, and one glance over the shoulder saw the older aardvark limp to his car and drive off.

Back then, Arthur treasured his triumph over a character he labeled an oppressor. Now that he was finally aware of the imminent perils and costs of partaking in the violent sport and trusting a deceptive, callous young adult as a friend, he cursed himself for being so stupid to accept Sharkbite and his idea of what the superb career and lifestyle was, so uncaring to ignore his friends and family when they tried to communicate with him, and so brutal to his father, and to Binky, and to Austin.

Austin. What will he say when I accuse him? Arthur thought. Will I even find him or Kyle or Derek? Nevermind, I need to find Sharkbite and D.W.! No one else matters!

Sooner than he expected, Arthur found himself on the recognizable route to the boxing gym. Grinning with gratification, the aardvark once again sped down the street, his speed nearly matching that of a racecar. The duration of the ride was shorter than usual of course, but it wasn't as easy as he hoped. Vehicles screeched to a stop when he raced between buildings, their drivers expressing their surprise and frustration by honking their horns at him. Pedestrians popped up at random intervals and, upon seeing or hearing him coming, they would either jump out of the way or stop dead in their tracks and the aardvark would maneuver around them. Every single person he passed yelled at him; their shouts ranged from "Kid, watch where you're going!" to "Slow down, roadrunner!". Arthur ignored it all, letting their words blow away in the wind. His determination remained unaffected, but his rage continued to grow with every passing second. The sooner he would reach downtown, save his sister, and give Sharkbite his just deserts, the sooner he would begin the process of mending his shattered life.

Another minute passed and Arthur was still furiously pedaling his bike, much to the displeasure of his overworking heart. Because he was putting all his energy into a fraction of his mission, it would be almost impossible for the aardvark to defend himself or his sister if the altercation with the rabbit was to get physical. It crossed his mind, but did nothing to convince him to slow down. Then, a figure in the distance compelled Arthur to stop pedaling. It was not one of a police officer, or of his parents or the parents of his friends. It was Austin. A moment later, the shapes of Kyle and Derek appeared. Might as well see what they know, Arthur thought.

Derek was the first to notice Arthur riding up to them. Austin and Kyle turned their heads just as the aardvark's bike slowed to a stop. The second Arthur slammed his foot on the sidewalk, Derek piled him with questions. "What are you doing here, Arthur? Aren't you supposed to be in school? You don't want us to…"

"Where's Sharkbite?!" Arthur demanded. "Where is that bastard hiding?!"

"Hey, take it easy," said Kyle. "Sharkbite isn't here, he's somewhere else."

"You're lying!" Arthur growled. "You know where he is! Tell me now!"

"We don't know where Sharkbite is!" Austin snapped. "We haven't seen him since the tournament! Why do you want to see him this early?!"

"Two police officers showed up at my house," Arthur explained. "They said a little girl was abducted, and I have a feeling that Sharkbite kidnapped my sister! So, again, where is he?!"

Austin, Kyle, and Derek stared at Arthur in shock. Before any of them could say something, the aardvark added more detail to his story. "In case you're wondering why the police were at my house, well, apparently, they got a lot of calls about me in the boxing tournament. Yeah, quite a coincidence, huh? But somehow, I have this strange feeling that you three had something to do with it. Don't ask me how, but I just know it!"

Austin was quick to defend his innocence. "Just because we openly disapprove of you in the boxing gym doesn't mean we officially ratted you and Sharkbite out," he said. "What else did the cops say? Did the calls come from parents of kids you know?"

"I heard them say several parents called, but they didn't name any names," Arthur responded. "However, I still believe one of the calls came from one of you! So who was it?! Fess up!"

"You think you'll get somewhere by accusing us of a thing we didn't do?! You better think differently!"

"You dumbasses can lie all you want, but it's no use! I can see right through your deceptive appearances!"

Austin grit his teeth. Arthur's fury ruthlessly belted his claims into paste. His body vibrated a little, his own anger rising and threatening to boil over. Beating the hell out of a kid was deplorable, he knew that when he was challenged by the rabbit, and if the provocation wasn't as compelling as a child's urge to wolf down a week's worth of cookies, the dog would've been conquered and controlled by his rage.

Because Austin was fixated on getting Arthur to stop hurling allegations at them, he failed to notice how uneasy Kyle had become. The moment the aardvark commenced denunciating them, the rat remembered the encounter he and Austin had hours before the boxing tournament, with the young bear too smart for his age who, as he had stated, was heavily concerned about one of his friends, who had been detached from everyone after he punched his sister and got someone else thrown in prison. The bear extracted every detail regarding Arthur's boxing training out of the duo before leaving with his parents.

Up until now, Kyle thought he and Austin broke the ice under Sharkbite's feet and hindered Arthur's brutal future. The instant Arthur informed them his sister had been abducted, it took the rat a second to recall the private discussion he had with Austin at the arena; and with the memory came the apprehension that Sharkbite had eavesdropped and discerned their treachery before the tournament started.

Austin had concocted the next best claim of innocence. At the same time however, Kyle's uneasiness was too much for one person to restrain. The rat pointed at the dog and cried, "AUSTIN RATTED YOU OUT!"

"ME?!" Austin spun around, giving Kyle a glare comprising equal quantities of shock and incense. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CRACKED TO THAT KID AT THE MALL! I WANTED TO KEEP QUIET BUT NO; YOU JUST HAD TO DRAG ME INTO IT!"

Kyle's anxiety was instantly replaced by anger and the duo swiftly engaged in verbal combat. Derek did all he could to break it up. When he finally succeeded though, Arthur had already resumed pedaling his bike down the road. "Hey!" the bear shouted. "Get back here!"

Arthur turned his head and yelled, "I'm not going to be stalled by a bunch of lying bozos! My sister's in danger, I have to help her!"

Derek called out to Arthur a second time, then a third; then Austin and Kyle started shouting and running after him, pleading with him to turn around and come back, but it was all fruitless. The aardvark on the bicycle vanished behind a street corner, leaving the trio alone with the approaching storm creeping up from behind.

"He's a goner," Austin sighed as he and Kyle ambled back to Derek; "for real this time."

"Like hell he is," said Derek. "If the police are searching for his sister and Sharkbite knows we broke our promise, then there's still hope for Arthur."

Derek motioned for Austin and Kyle to follow him. They looked at one another, evidently hesitating, but complied and hurried down the block to the boxing gym. None of them knew where Arthur would end up or where Sharkbite had taken his sister or if he really abducted her; what they did know was Derek had the police's number and one call was all they could do to help the young aardvark.

The instant the door of the boxing gym closed, rain started to fall, announcing the start of the storm. Streaks of lightning could be seen miles away, and several seconds after each streak, booms of thunder resonated throughout Elwood City. Everyone in town was caught off guard and rushed for cover, excluding those who were wearing jackets and coats and the few who actually carried umbrellas with them. Drivers switched on their windshield wipers and proceeded down roads at a safe speed.

The minute after the storm began, Elwood City managed to retain its rhythm of life and everyone carried on with their personal matters while carefully striving through the weather. Everyone that is except for a livid aardvark on a bicycle now racing throughout the downtown area.

With no jacket on, Arthur's clothes were getting soaked very quickly. He wanted to keep going, to find D.W. and Sharkbite and to put an end to the rabbit's plot, but he couldn't control the elements. Letting out an aggravated sigh, the aardvark turned his bike in the direction of what appeared to be a warehouse. It looked like it was still being used by some company, even when all the lights were out and garbage littered the parking lot. Some place is better than no place, Arthur thought as he slowed down.

Upon stopping and parking his bike, the aardvark noticed a peculiar pattern of marks on the wide doors. He bent down and studied them. The marks looked like they were made by a person with small feet, he guessed, and he or she must've been kicking pretty hard to leave the door damaged a bit. Then, Arthur glanced to the side and there on the wet pebbles lay a couple of bobby pins crudely stretched out. Turning back to the doors, he reached out and pulled the handle down. It was open.

A devilish grin appeared on Arthur's face. "So, this is where you're hiding?" he asked as if the person he was searching for was right behind the door. "If so, it's not such a bright idea to leave evidence lying around, am I right?"

Arthur pushed the door open and skulked inside.

The interior of the warehouse was enormous in both width and height. The four-shelf pallet racks didn't go all the way to the ceiling as a young child thought they would, but they were loaded with boxes sitting on wooden and galvanized steel pallets. Without the masked light of day and the occasional flash of lightning, the aardvark would've been stumbling cluelessly through the warehouse, unaware of potential dangers like objects left on the floor or a random machine that could hurt him, or maybe, possibly, an older rabbit holding a four-year old aardvark hostage.

"Sharkbite!" Arthur eventually yelled. "I know you're in here! Come out, you coward!"

Arthur listened intently for any sounds that could follow his shout. Nothing but silence filled the warehouse. This didn't fool him. Sharkbite had to be here- there were bobby pins near the unlocked door after all. If he was hiding, Arthur would be the seeker. And if I don't find Sharkbite in here, the aardvark thought; hopefully, he would've left D.W. in here, safe and sound…hopefully.

Another moment passed and still no sign of his target. Arthur, finishing his check of the last aisle, turned a corner to find a forklift standing next to a stack of boxes on a pallet. Nearby stood more machines the boy was not familiar with, and not so far off was the control panel of the conveyor belt. Like before, the aardvark carefully walked around the machines, making as little sound as possible in case Sharkbite was watching him from the shadows, ready to sneak up on him and savagely pummel him until he agreed to continue boxing. With that notion came the question of what alibi the rabbit would force down everyone's throats once the police caught up with him. One could guess that it would be predictable and pathetic; an alibi that could be debunked in a snap because of the televised tournament the previous night. One way or another, Sharkbite was going down, and Arthur would see to it that, when that liar would fall, he would fall hard.

The area around the forklifts and the conveyor belt eventually proved vacant. With apprehension climbing and patience declining, Arthur's pace quickened and his head would snap in a new direction every five seconds. Being alone in the near-dark with a storm brewing outside brought a horror movie vibe upon him. It didn't stop him from pressing on, but the ambiance asked the aardvark a question. Should he arm himself with a tool or hard object in case Sharkbite tries to attack him? His weapon of choice was his knowledge of boxing. Should Sharkbite have his switchblade on him, not only would the rabbit appear more intimidating, but the likelihood of death or injury would crush Arthur's hope of saving D.W.

The aardvark came across a pipe wrench and immediately snatched it. Better safe than sorry, he thought.

After inspecting the loading dock, Arthur directed himself to the nearby staircase. It was connected to a suspended walkway which stretched from one end of the warehouse to the other, and it acted as a bridge over the pallet racks. There seemed to be an open corridor on the other side, most likely leading to the manager's office, the break room, and the restrooms, seeing as the only doors on the ground level were the exits and the doors of the loading dock. It would be the last place the aardvark would search before leaving.

"Keep hiding, you chicken!" Arthur said under his breath. "It's only a matter of time before I find you!"

As he ascended up the steps, the aardvark kept his guard. What if Sharkbite was waiting for him in a pitch black room, giving him the perfect opportunity to strike? Was he now stalking him? Was he moments away from getting whacked over the head by a heavy object? Arthur was not sure, he was scared, but he was also brave. D.W. was in peril, and he, the oppressed ascetic cheated by a manipulative degenerate, felt the urge to repent for all his wrongdoings. Battling his former instructor by himself sounded a little precipitous, yet the recollection of his violent acts persisted him to avenge the deterioration of his social image and mindset.

Into the darkness Arthur ambled with a tight grip on the wrench. When he entered a new room, his hand patted the walls for the light switch. Every time the lights came on, the aardvark inspected every nook and cranny of the room, all the while holding the wrench up high, ready to bring it down on the head of his ex-instructor. Arthur ended up lowering his arm after a complete search lasting three minutes at the most. Out of all the unlocked rooms, Sharkbite nor D.W. were in any of them. Excluding the pins and the marks outside, there wasn't any evidence to indicate they were inside the warehouse.

Arthur released his anger in a low, lengthy growl as he stomped towards the walkway. "If he's playing tricks to throw me off," he growled; "this one will be the only one that worked! One way or another, I'll find that son of a bitch, even if I have to travel far beyond Elwood City!"

The storm raged on as the aardvark marched across the walkway. Blinding flashes lit up the ground level of the warehouse while the sonorous rumble of rain pounding the roof diminished the ferocity his footsteps signified. His ire remained in spite of the weather. How could a thirst of this magnitude simply drop because of a thunderstorm? Perhaps if he was five years younger, the thunder and lightning would have driven him into hiding.

Arthur paid no mind to the thought, just like the intense storm. He continued to cross the walkway unfazed by the clamor of the elements; his eyes occasionally shifted to the ground level, eager to catch sight of another person in the warehouse. Yes, the aardvark believed the rabbit had misled him here, yet something in his brain ordered him to leave the building slowly, and to keep his eyes and ears open for any visuals and sounds foreign to his surroundings.

The stairs leading down drew near. Everything in the warehouse stayed where it was when the aardvark first came in. No new shadow shifted into view, no new sound rang out. The silence, repeatedly crushed by the storm, exposed nothing to excite or horrify the sole occupant, whose disappointment swelled and expectancy of evading a ghastly future declined. Again, he theorized that it was the acute penitence; even if he chose to overlook the idea, the sentiment would still linger in his intellect and plague him for years should he fail to locate his sister and his instructor, the true villain of this tale of mental manipulation.

CLINK.

Arthur's eyes widen and he stopped dead in his tracks. Over by the pallet racks, something had dropped. With great eagerness, the aardvark rushed swiftly but quietly down the steps. Once he was on the ground level, he tried to make little noise as possible as he scurried towards the aisles of pallet racks. The elongating grin on his face symbolized the intensifying anticipation of getting revenge.

"Going somewhere, Sharkbite?" Arthur chuckled aloud in a sarcastic manner, peering over a stack of galvanized pallet racks and hammering the wrench on top of it.

The crash of thunder was the only response. The preceding flash of lightning didn't reveal the shape of Sharkbite or D.W. anywhere among the pallet racks. Arthur entered the next aisle and instantaneously discovered the item that made the clinking noise: a cord of roller chain. Dissatisfying as the find was, it did give the aardvark clarity. There was no way the chain could've ended up on the floor by sliding off the shelf on its own. Someone had to have picked it up and dropped it, and to Arthur, only one person could have done so.

He resisted the urge to bang the wrench on the pallet racks again. If Sharkbite was aiming to sneak away unseen, he would've taken advantage of the din the aardvark was making and quicken his escape. The notion caused Arthur to growl like a rabid canine. He was not going to let that bastard vanish from Elwood City; he would resurface in some other city, eager to coax another susceptible soul into his scheme.

Repeating the sentence 'Arthur had never felt so angry before' would not properly illustrate just how vehement his rage was. The route his train of thought was traveling down relied heavily on ire. Should it be confirmed that the monster of a rabbit was nowhere in the city, it would fly off the tracks and crash. Where the aardvark would go after that, literally and mentally, only God knew.

Perhaps He or another force recognized the boy's penitence because, several steps away, something went bump. The aardvark's heart skipped a beat at the sudden noise. Then he warily traced the noise before doing a double take at a set of double doors labeled "Cleaning Supplies". I've been in this area earlier, he thought. How could I have missed this? Maybe it's how dark this place is. Oh, D.W., please let it be you.

Arthur brought the wrench close to his chest before slowly and soundlessly advancing towards the doors. His chest tightened as he reached for one of the door handles. Halfway there, he paused. What if D.W. wasn't in there? The aardvark shrugged the apprehension off his shoulders. Should it be Sharkbite behind those doors, the search for his sister would be much easier; and should Sharkbite put up a fight, as long as the wrench was in his hand, the battle wouldn't last long.

Thunder crashed and panic reemerged. Arthur's arms and legs acted on the same impulse; it spun him around, driving the wrench up and swinging it sharply to the left. The tool could have struck the wall. Instead, when the aardvark had spun to the degree his back was facing the doors, a large figure lashed out and snatched his arms. Arthur gasped in shock and his knees buckled. This granted the attacker the opportunity to pick him up with ease.

Pain and horror thrashed about in the boy's body as he tried to free himself. The assailant ruthlessly pinned the aardvark against the wall, the force of which caused his hand to release the wrench. "What the hell were you trying to do; kill me?!" his attacker hissed.

The extreme fear which overwhelmed Arthur immediately died down and anger started to grow. "Where were you hiding?" he asked quietly.

"That doesn't matter!" Sharkbite barked as he shook the boy viciously. "I don't care who couldn't keep his mouth shut, but thanks to whoever let it slip, we're both in deep shit!"

"How am I in trouble?!" Arthur snapped, fighting against the rabbit's grip. "You're the one who got the idea of entering me in the tournament! You're the one who's in big trouble, perhaps bigger trouble if my hunch is correct!"

"How dare you, Arthur!" Sharkbite roared. "I poured my soul into forging an all-star boxer out of you, and when we get stabbed in the back by those asshats, you decide to bail out?! You were like a little brother to me! Didn't you ever think the same about me?!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes and asked, "Where is D.W.?"

A muffled whine came from the closet, accompanied by several bumps (maybe they were kicks) on the doors. No doubt about it, D.W. was in there, possibly tied up and gagged in the worst imaginable way.

Returning his gaze to the rabbit, Arthur asked in a low voice: "Care to explain why you kidnapped my sister?"

Sharkbite pulled his pupil away from the wall and brought him close to his face. "Let's just say I've got a little proposition for you," he answered; "and she's gonna help you make a good choice."

"I don't want to hear your proposition," Arthur said emphatically. "I'm done with boxing, I will never box for the rest of my life, and there's nothing that will change my mind. Now let me and D.W. go."

"Not until you make a choice!" Sharkbite yelled. "There's no way I'm letting you off so easily, not with all the trouble we're in! We could've been the next big thing in the world of boxing if someone hadn't spilt the beans!"

"I'm not so sure it was entirely Austin and Kyle breaking the rules of our bet," said Arthur. "I think-"

Arthur couldn't finish. An enraged Sharkbite drove him back into the wall. "Don't tell me you're listening to them!" the rabbit roared. "They ridiculed you because of what you look like, Arthur! That kid who tried to kill you had to as well! None of them refused to believe you had potential until they had to experience it!"

"And that's why we're both in trouble then, isn't it?!" Arthur retorted. "The whole tournament was broadcasted live for all to see! Why do you think my parents showed up when we were leaving?! Why do you think the police are after us?! It's because of your 'brilliant' idea to have me fight in the tournament!"

"Of course it was a brilliant idea! How else were people going to see how fierce you've become?! You gotta do these things so your enemies know not to stand in your way! You should be happy that runt got laughed out of the arena!"

"He was someone like me- someone forced to do something others believe is right and then come to realize it was wrong!"

"Let me guess: you saw your mommy and daddy cry like babies and you said, 'you know what, screw Sharkbite; I want to go back to being a pushover again'. Is that it?"

"Not exactly. I had a dream where I killed my family and you said they deserved to die. That's when I realized you weren't the mentor I thought you were! You're a madman!"

"Yeah, sure, call me names! Give in to the lies everyone forced on you!"

"You tricked me!"

"Do you really think the wisest way of life is to fall in the routine of common principles?! No freedom of thought, only to follow in the footsteps of the bland and uninspired?!"

"You used me!"

"We agreed to split the money you won, and that would go on until retirement! Don't you dare make me look like a greedy ass-wipe!"

In spite of the rabbit's hold on him, the aardvark inched as close as he could to his instructor's face and whispered, "You turned me into a monster."

Sharkbite oddly went silent. Arthur was still locked in his grip but did not attempt to break free again. Instead, he stared daggers at his foe and watched his expression shift from piercing eyes and clenched teeth to a grimace.

After what felt like an hour, Sharkbite said, "You know, to some extent, you're right. I tricked you into becoming a boxer, I used you to get money in my pocket, and I turned you into a violent person- I admit it. Note how I said, 'to some extent', because, in hindsight, you were a monster before I came along. There was actually a time where I could see how much crap life would give you, and then I thought I could help you by teaching you how to box. Sure, all the things I said about everyone in your life were made up since I hardly even met them, except your parents, but what you did is what got you in this mess. So, am I really the madman?"

What was once a look of rebellion and indignation had now been degraded to one of profound apprehension. As much as a liar Sharkbite was, he did have a point. The whole world (or the whole country) had watched an eight-year old boy named Arthur Read savagely pummel another boy without remorse or reluctance, and everyone at school knew the story of the same boy who punched his little sister for breaking his model airplane. The side story of him pounding his father had not surfaced, as far as he was aware of, but still, what possible image would pop up in the world's head when Arthur Read would come walking down the street?

Sharkbite finally released Arthur, who sank to the floor shocked and dismayed. More bumps on the doors were heard but the aardvark shut them out. The painful realization of how dire an impact this would leave on his reputation was too great. He wanted to cry but something in his devastated intellect told him to stay strong. He had to complete his mission, no matter the cost.

"Not gonna answer, huh?" the rabbit retorted. "Who's gonna give a damn? Not me, that's for sure. Now, why did I nab your sister again? Oh yeah, my little proposition."

"What would your parents think of you doing this?" Arthur inquired sadly but boldly.

Sharkbite insouciantly gazed down at Arthur and said, "Interesting question. I haven't spoken to my dad in years, not since my mom booted him out after he was released from prison (the bitch), but I'm sure he'd be proud of me. As for my mom, oh, I don't know, I don't frigging care about her anymore, not since I left her about a year ago."

"So you've been out on your own for a year?" Arthur asked, sadness now replaced with surprise. "What do you do for a living?"

"Nothing," Sharkbite responded. "I live with a friend and I'm always at the boxing gym. I was planning to work there but guess who always got in the way."

"That's what I was for, wasn't it?!" Arthur stood up, only to be knocked back down by his instructor.

"Enough!" the rabbit said sharply. "We've been here forever and there are cops looking for us! If the tournament was our undoing, whatever! There's still a way for us to keep going!"

"I told you, Sharkbite," Arthur growled; "I'm done with boxing and I'm done listening to you! Now untie my sister and-!"

"No!" Sharkbite stomped a foot on Arthur's back, followed by a clicking sound. "You're not going anywhere unless it's where I'm going! You and I are going to find a new place to live, far from Elwood City. We'll live under new names and you're gonna continue down the path you created! Or maybe, you'd like my handy dandy switchblade to make the decision for you."

Thunder resounded and lightning flashed, perfectly synched to the fury of the aardvark striving to break its chains. Sure, somewhere inside, Arthur was afraid of getting stabbed or slashed by Sharkbite's switchblade, but it wasn't enough to compel him to scream for mercy; his growing rage would never allow it, weakness and compliance was what Sharkbite wanted. Vengeance demanded the aardvark to act now, his wrath was willing to take hold of his body and do whatever it had to so the rabbit would feel intense suffering.

Deeply breathing through his nose, Arthur grappled with his swelling emotions; for support, his hands clenched together at intervals. Sharkbite noticed this and took his foot off the aardvark's back. Then he grabbed the collar of his shirt and hoisted his prey onto his feet. If he had been paying attention, he would've been able to see one of Arthur's arms drop to the floor. Before he could say anything or hold the switchblade in front of his face, Arthur swung the wrench which smashed into the rabbit's shoulder.

Watching the taller character stumble back and clutching his shoulder while cussing to himself delighted his rage. Remembering every moment of his time with Sharkbite- the boxing lessons, the warnings of the other gym members, the street fight with his father, and the events at the tournament -encouraged him to give the rabbit a taste of his own medicine. Arthur thought more than that. He recollected all that occurred before Sharkbite, the first half of the reason how he got to where he was now: the model airplane, D.W.'s constant pestering, the night of the incident, his family and friends' reaction to the news, and his fight with Binky. Both collections of memories set the stove on high and his anger boiled over. How he believed the conflict would end as he rode his bike here would have to be the way it ended.

Arthur dropped the wrench and menacingly approached Sharkbite. He would be that heartless, uncontrollable monster one final time.

Sharkbite saw Arthur coming, placed the switchblade on the ground, and swiftly got to his feet. He lunged at the boy who drove him back with a quick jab to the chin. Arthur held his fists up and took an upright stance as Sharkbite hopped forward and used an overhand to no avail. The aardvark managed to footwork before delivering the perfect uppercut.

Throughout the storm, the duo fought like lions over a freshly killed gazelle. Because of his height, strength, and lengthier experience in boxing, Sharkbite was at the belief he would batter Arthur, that he would drag his prodigy off to a city in the next state and carry on with their career. His prodigy's display made him think otherwise. Arthur dodged every punch sent his way- bobbing was his go-to defense technique -and every punch he threw at Sharkbite, efficient and vehement, connected with the limb or body area he aimed for.

It was only a matter of time before one of them decided to arm himself and take out the other. Despite the exasperation from Arthur's insubordination, Sharkbite pushed the idea aside as his fists vigorously struck his adversary. That's too easy, he thought. Arthur thinks he can turn a blind eye on me and throw me to the pigs? Well, it's best I discipline him the hard way!

One of the rabbit's blows sent the aardvark to the floor. Not too far out of reach was the switchblade. Arthur, pain pulsating through his spine and sweat mixing in his damp clothes, flipped himself over, seized the small knife, and labored to get back up. Sharkbite was upon him in a single step. The struggle that ensued would prove unrewarding for the dauntless aardvark; the rabbit knocked the switchblade out of the boy's hand before flipping him over and punching him square in the face, his glasses falling off with one lens chipped.

Arthur moaned in agony, tears forming in his eyes and blood dripping out of his nose. This prompted Sharkbite to slap him with the back of his hand. "Man up, Arthur!" the rabbit growled. "You didn't whine once in the ring, this should be no different!"

Arthur made no attempt to fight back. He merely laid on the cold floor, eyes locked on Sharkbite as he wheezed. Sharkbite broke the stare by grabbing Arthur's shirt collar and yanking him onto his feet. Despite noting how weak the kid appeared, the rabbit threw him against one of the pallet racks out of frustration as he seemingly refused to react to his gesture.

"That's right, keep acting like a baby, you God damn brat!" Sharkbite said indignantly. "No wonder everybody hates you, you're pathetic when reality comes in. Again, I stepped in and tried to help, and what do I get in return? The same amount of hatred because of your little mistake!"

His former instructor's rant, virtually an extended repetition of all the spiteful derisions the kids at school shot at him, ate up an unknown but vast amount of time. Nonetheless, it caused Arthur to loosen his grip on the pallet rack's frame and he sank to his knees. He breathed quietly, biting his lip while struggling to build and maintain a decent composure. It was peculiar for someone under his circumstances to yield instead of arguing against the accusations, yet a certain noise in the raging storm required him to quail.

Sharkbite believed the aardvark was simply cowering from another fight and he ended the rant by storming over and putting his prey in a chokehold. "Are you gonna answer me, Arthur?!" the rabbit barked. "Are you gonna open your mouth or do you want my fist to render it useless?!"

Arthur murmured something, prompting Sharkbite to hoist him up to his face. "What was that?" he hissed.

"Spare D.W." Arthur whispered. "I'll go."

For a moment, all was silent in the warehouse. Arthur did not look at Sharkbite, but there was no doubt that his words pacified the older character- only briefly. The noise Arthur heard earlier now rose in volume, announcing that the police were closing in. Sharkbite hissed a curse and was about to throw his former pupil on the floor and retreat when the aardvark launched an elbow into his stomach.

The rabbit stumbled to the side, clutching his abdomen, as Arthur wasted no time in retrieving the switchblade. "It's over, Sharkbite!" he shouted, steadily approaching his enemy. "The police will hear us and lock you up! I may have gotten myself into this mess, but you're the one who…"

A swift blow to the face not only cut Arthur off but it drove him back to the pallet rack. Had the back of his head been in the right place and the force more powerful, the aardvark would've went limp. "Not if there's no one here to make a sound!" Sharkbite retorted as he sprang upon Arthur a second time.

Arthur reinforced the grip he had on the switchblade with his other hand as Sharkbite tried to steal it back. Regardless of the hazard the open knife possessed, the two boys fought fiercer than ever. They jabbed and kicked and tumbled, at one point Sharkbite tried to bash Arthur's head in with the wrench, only to receive a severe punch to the chest. The lights of the police cars flickered through the windows not too far away; neither Arthur nor Sharkbite were intimidated, they were too busy killing each other to call a truce and run. As for D.W., she had heard the sirens earlier and the sound of her kicking furiously against the closet doors were drowned out by the clash between her brother and her abductor.

Suddenly, a poor uppercut from Arthur gave Sharkbite the upper hand. He seized the aardvark's wrist and pointed the switchblade dangerously close to his ribs. Arthur used all the strength he had left to steer the silver blade away from his body. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and the rabbit drove the knife into the aardvark's shirt, slicing across the stomach.

The pain was beyond excruciating. Arthur shrieked as Sharkbite's weight seemed to have increased, propelling him into the pallet rack rather rapidly and very callously. The duo fell to the ground and, looking up, to their horror, saw a stack of huge cardboard boxes bundled together topple off the top rack. Sharkbite held up his arms, praying it would save him from injury. Arthur couldn't move his hands away from the wound, blood slowly seeping out onto his shirt, but he closed his eyes and braced himself.

In the last second before they were plunged into darkness, the front door burst open.