Great story.

It's interesting how Reno slowly adapts to life as a hunter/scavenger deep underground, and how his anger and rage towards the boy who took him turns into concern, friendship and possibly love. He manages to maintain enough humanity to protect Elena and try to care for and educate the boy, help him adjust after being alone his whole life, but he still has that horrible hunger that threatens outsiders like his old friends. He's becoming a feral child while helping a feral child become more, I hate to say 'human', but it's the best term I can think of.

The ending was great, we truly see the change in Reno, but he has some of his old self left. He's sarcastic and a bit of a brat around the kid, and he can't bring himself to hurt Elena, he only warns them not to come looking for him. He might not have any control if they find him again. It was probably the best ending for the boy, as he'd never be able to adapt to life among 'regular' people and would probably spend the rest of his sad, lonely life in an institution, or worse, a laboratory. Now he has a friend/family who cares for him and gives him the things a child needs, like hugs, praise, gentle attention and love. The only sad thing, besides the fact that a child ended up in such a situation, is that he'll never see the sun, the one thing he knows of. Of course, he thought a bright light from his lair was the sun...

When Reno threw 'Fridge Boy' into the water to try to drown him I was horrified, and I'm glad you decided to have him change his mind and save him. He's not evil or intentionally malicious, he literally doesn't understand empathy or any emotions beyond fear and contentment. I'm glad Reno helped unlock more emotions for him. They way they grew from prey and predator to equals, to family, was touching. Reno telling him decidedly twisted stories at bedtime was cute. Teaching him to curse, that's so Reno.

The Lotus Eater sounds interesting, wasn't that the name of a book or movie?

Awesome story.

Eleven months in that place, one lost and the others searching... You did an amazing job with your detail in this story. I was eating supper at the part where Reno was first trying his own meal and was amazed with myself that I could continue eating with the care and detail you put into that part! Gosh I wish we could have found out what happened with Elena once she got back to Rude and Tseng... How the other two would have reacted to what she would tell them, if she told them that is. I would definitely be interested if a sequel was to be made or even a small one shot as to how they all are after the events that took place. Amazing job on this story!

Holy crap. Wow. Okay.

I first found this story several months ago, back when it was still on the pool chapter. For whatever reason I forgot to follow it and I forgot to review, something I sincerely regret. Ah well, here's a chance to make up for it.

This was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. I loved the psychology you used and Reno's character arc throughout, especially the ending with Elena. I think his leaving would have just been too strange - or at least, strange without having built it up more. I'd love to see a sequel and where you could take this, especially if you wanted to follow a "Tarzan" arc and look at Yazoo (I'm assuming it's Yazoo)'s transition into society. But ultimately, this ending, in its own weird twisted way, is the happiest that they could have come across - and it's a great writer that makes her readers fall into the character's mindsets so much that they think being trapped underground, eating rats and living in squalor is a happy ending! Haha.

Beautifully written and a masterpiece of characterisation.

AHHHH It's over!

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I'm happy with this! Part of me did want them to swing in and get Reno and Fridgeboy and everyone living happily every after, buuuut... ;-; I like this better.

I missed this story! It's been a while. A sequel would be magnificent. Or an epilogue at least. I have to know how Elena told the rest of the Turks about Reno and how he didn't want to leave... I imagine she might just come out and tearfully say that yes, Reno was dead. o:

Thank you so much for this story, really! I feel like I've been reading it for years (I think I have, actually) and I loved it all!

I like how you ended it, I didn't want Reno to go back to the real world either. Sometimes it's good to be a beast & live in comforting darkness without the outside world invading your peaceful existence. Sometimes I wish I could live like that -sigh-.

*crying* OMG that was awesome and heartbreaking in equal measures. My soul was tortured and I coudn't stop reading. I would love a sequel! Maybe something a bit less sad, where Reno and Beast don't suffer so many hardships? Maybe they get out of the hole but still live free in wilderness? Beast could finally see the sun, and Reno could teach him about fire, and they would still fight over baths. I just have this scene in my head where Reno is lying on the grass and Beast is hanging upside down on a tree over him, and them he falls and then Reno laughs and the Beast laughs for the first time... *despairs over own headcanon* PLEASE JUST STOP HURTING THE POOR BABIES! *keeps crying*

This dark ending was appropriate for this story! Can you call it a happy ending? Hmm...

I love the idea of a sequel! There are numerous possibilities, I like the idea of sending criminals down to Reno and the beast for 24 hours. If they survive, they are free to walk away without further punishment!

... and that's about it for my imagination ;)
Thanks for a great story, see you next time!

Im so so happy that this story ended well and Beastie, my dear dear Beastie wont be left alone or injured :) Why are people ranting about a sad ending ? its a great ending ! :D And as usual, I had to coo and laugh at Beastie purring, hissing, etc.. He just cracks me up ! 3 And Elena escaped, well, anyway, she looks quite bony, Im not sure she would have made a satisfying meal :)))

I got 2 things to say: "Yay!" and "Aww." Yay, because I'm so glad to see this story back! I missed it. And aww, because it's now over :( I loved how you ended it and didn't forsee that Reno would respond this way. But it totally suits the plot and the environment and you're right, Reno could never go back to 'normal' society again, not after having shed all (most) of his human traits and reverted back to animal form. I'm kinda sad that he wasn't saved but I take comfort in knowing that at least he has company down there and probably the only true, real relationship he's ever had in his life. And hey, who knows - with all the freaky stuff in the water down there he could possibly live an unnaturally long life with his fridge boy and be completely happy for many, many years to come! (and maybe if they're lucky, some other workers will venture down there and give them some more fresh meat, haha XD) Awesome story, really different and unique, and thank you so much for finishing it! If you decide to do a sequel, I'm totally reading it too :)

hello! i really do enjoy this story a lot! and i'm glad no one died in the ending. i actually really like this story the way it ends. and i don't want to seem ungrateful or rude for wanting more from what's supposed to be your story. you should end it however you want. i'm thankful you even shared this story with us. but if i'm being honest it just felt too morbid and sad for me. reno was a life loving guy wasn't he? he'd tried to escape once! he's a fighter! maybe he grew to love fridge boy and the life he now has down there. but i just hope one day he regains his fighting spirit and tries to go back to the life he used to have and live it differently since he said he didn't understand how people wore masks to fit in and stuff. and i'm sure neither rude nor tseng would leave him alone knowing he's down there - if elena decides to tell them reno's alive that is. it would also be interesting to see how reno would slowly teach fridge boy the ways of the other world while protecting him from them and vice versa. reno would come out a changed man and how that would affect his relationship with the people he once knew and also see how his relationship with fridge boy changes in regards to everything going on. if you really start a sequel, it's what i would want to see. just some ideas i guess. i'd be pretty happy with whatever you wrote honestly. as long as the story goes on. you're one of my favoite authors and this is one of my favorite fanfics so i'm just happy if you continue it. haha!

HOLY SHIT! What a good ending!

So glad to have made it to the end :) It was a sad ending, but at the same time, perfect. I think they could have possibly adapted to the 'outside' world - but Elena's reaction would have likely been the standard one. Confusion, pity, etc. And neither fridge boy or Reno would have reacted well to that (obviously!)

I loved this chapter with the outside view - up till now we've seen Reno's view of himself, and seeing him from someone else's (someone 'civilized') point of view was really interesting. It's obvious he changed much more than it seemed (and it made him realize how much he had changed as well, what with seeing Elena as food, and not knowing why that's wrong!)

Elena's last thought that Reno was dead was spot on - perhaps not physically, but the person who Reno was is most definitely dead - leaving just fridge boy's rEnO.

And I would love to read a sequel!

Wow.
Didn't expect such ending. So Reno embraced the wilderness in the end. Elena was just a reminder of humanity long gone and forgotten in Reno, so he considered her a threat. Her human self didn't belong in Reno and beasty's pack.
It's interresting that Reno seems to be more dominant of the two. I mean, beasty lived in that lab all his life, and knew his sorroundings well, so one would think that he would lead and not Reno. But Reno came from the world that knows what means to lead and to be led, so maybe that is more logical.

Sequel, hell yeah! I noticed that Reno never gave a name to our little thingy. He allways called him fridge boy XD. But again, giving names is such 'human' thing to do. And Reno doesn't consider himself human anymore (or at least human enough) if I got that right.

If you're gonna write a sequel, it would be awesome if you gave more background to the laboratory. What it was for, which experiments were led there, and WHY was fridge boy created, and WHO is he!? Maybe Reno and beasty could take a long stroll in the darkness only to discover some super-secret files about illegal experimenting and stuff. (If Reno could recall letters and reading in the first place). But that is just me and my curiosity about the beasty whom I seem to like more then is considred normal...

Hugs and kisses

Viriam

Please write a sequel that was one of the best stories I've read!

please update this is such an amazing story!