Of Love and Hate
Chapter I: Accident
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, shape, or form, own the Zatch Bell franchise or any of its subsidiaries.
Sherry was walking through a grass plain, Brago at her side. Dr. Riddles had told them of Zofis' whereabouts and they were off to meet with Zatch and the gang. That's when things went horribly wrong.
Brago noticed it before Sherry. "We're being followed." Sherry looked behind her. A man in red tails with one of those fluffy collars and red dresspants was riding on the back of a mamodo brandishing very large bat-like wings. They landed behind Sherry and Brago. The human spoke. "You following ze directions of Monsieur Riddles too, or just passing by?" Sherry fought down the urge to beat the man with the skuzzy French accent and said, "We are sent by Dr. Riddles. What is it to you?" The man walked up to Sherry and offered his hand. "Mah name iz Albert. May I ask yours, mademoiselle?" At this point, Sherry wanted to smack him across the head with a sledgehammer. But she simply replied (with her teeth all clenchy) "Sherry."
"Ahhh… Sherry. Ees like de wine, mais non? Ees also like the French word for a beloved one, such as yourself to moi. May I ask that we attempt ze courtship?"
Sherry was about to kill him when Brago spoke up. "She isn't interested in the weak. If you want her love, you're going to have to prove your strength." Albert thought about it for a couple of seconds. Then he answered. "Fine. We shall have a mamodo sparring match, non? That shall prove mah worth! Come, Jean-Luc, let us send them to hell before we send to heaven!" At this, the mamodo folded his wings and took his place beside his partner. He was about 6 ft. tall, and his attire was just as formal as Albert's. Black dress pants and a tuxedo undershirt was all he wore, and his gelled-back black hair contrasted greatly with Albert's white powdered wig. His eyes were a serene blue, denoting a simple calmness which severely conflicted with the darting green eyes of his human counterpart. Jean-Luc then spoke. "As you wish it, good sir. If this is what courtship has come to in this era, I suppose I must aid its fortune. There is nothing more lovely than love, and I wish to partake in the ecstasy in any way I can." Brago's thoughts: Oh, brother. We're fighting a couple of poets. They shouldn't have trifled with us.
Then the battle began. As Brago's thoughts were reaching their conclusion, Jean-Luc was running towards them at incredible speed. Albert opened his spellbook, which is a pine-green for some reason, and shouted "Ren zarouken!" At that moment, Jean-Luc's wings folded up, reversed direction, and lanced out towards Brago. Brago barely had time to raise his arm in defense. He winced, experiencing the sharp pangs of puncture wounds, but the knowledge that it could have been his head helped him to ignore the pain. As Jean-Luc flipped backward to prepare for another attack, Sherry called out "Reis!" and Brago shot a high-gravity burst towards his opponent. As Jean-Luc landed, Albert in turn called out "Ren zashield!" Jean-Luc's wings folded over him, And the oncoming Reis was deflected skyward. Another spell from Albert: "Ren zankenn!" Jean-Luc's wings then split into 3 pairs, swirling rapidly to create a windstorm. Sherry and Brago were sucked into the vortex, nearly blinded by the air rushing across their eyes. Brago shouted out to Sherry: "We need to be heavier! Use Dioga gravidon! It'll bring us down and the shockwave should eliminate that pest!" Sherry barely heard it. It sounded absurd, but it was their only option. Being careful not to let the book fly away in the jetstream, she opened the pages of the spellbook.
"DIOGA GRAVIDON!!!"
"REN ZASHIELD!!!"
The dust soon cleared. Brago and Sherry were back on the ground. But what became of Albert and Jean-Luc? As if to answer their question, a small blast of gravitational energy came hurtling toward them. Both of them jumped out of the way. The smoke settled. The three sets of wings on Jean-Luc's back had formed a three-part shield, and apparently the grooves caught a portion of the blast and redirected it along the ground. The wings folded back into Jean-Luc's back, and both mamodo and human were revealed, just as bruised and scuffed as their opponents. Albert dusted some dirt off his shoulders, and said, "Ah, mon cheri, you fight as strong as you are magnificent. But, alas, we still have plenty of energy left. Zarusen!" A blast of sonic energy shot from Jean-Luc's slightly-fanged mouth, sending Brago tumbling head over heels. "Ren zarusen!" A bass vibration rumbled through the ground, making Sherry and Brago lose balance. "Now, while they're down! Dioga zarusen!" All of Jean-Luc's wings thrust themselves into the ground, channeling a bass vibration so strong it actually created an earthquake in their vicinity. Sherry and Brago were just barely hanging on to a clump of soil halfway down the resulting gorge. It crumbled in a matter of seconds. They were falling, both calm and ready to face their doom if necessary. However, Jean-Luc flew down and caught them, and they were returned to a rather annoying Albert.
"Ah, mon cheri, my Sherry, you are safe! And I am worthy for your love! We shall make wif ze hugs and ze keeses and…"
"Enough! You are worthy, but I never said I would instantly fall in love with you after I was defeated! Look, you can tag along if you want, but make any moves and I'll tear you limb from limb!"
Albert was reduced to a scared, nodding chibi. Satisfied, Sherry continued walking along her previous path. After a few seconds, Albert followed. The two mamodo were left behind for a few minutes. Brago spoke. "Thatta girl, Sherry. (snif) I'm so proud!" Jean-Luc looked at him as if he were the psychotic bastard he was.
"Are you kidding? That was completely un-ladylike, and most frightening!"
"Yeah! I know! It's beautiful!"
"No, it is not becoming of Lady Sherry. If you insist on living in barbarian ideals, be my guest. However, it is most shameful to confer such teaching to someone of the female gender, and you should keep such things to yourself."
"I get the feeling we're not going to get along."
"My sentiments exactly."
Brago felt like messing around with him just then.
"Watch your back. I'll be chewing on it."
As Brago caught up with Sherry, Jean-Luc was very near to… ahem… soiling his pants. "My word! I must warn Lord Albert at once!" And he ran to catch up with the rest of the gang.
A/N: Tempers will flare in Chapter II: United We Stand, Divided We're Dumb! Stay tuned! R&R! And all that jazz.