Chapter 2
"WHAT?!" Gwendal roared.
It echoed painfully in the infirmary. Yuuri wanted to cover his ears, but Wolfram's grip had him good and tight around the waist and throat.
Gisela, a bit startled, took a step back and accidentally bumped into Murata, who enjoyed her brushing up against him—a little too much. His glasses gleamed. The green haired healer didn't notice what she'd just done because the angry administrator had her full attention with his menacing looks and proximity to the spirit who had Yuuri held captive in his lap. Without thinking, Gisela did it again—eyes transfixed on Gwendal. The Mazoku snarled and she brushed up against Murata. Watching her out of the corner of his eye, the sage wondered if he could snuggle her and get away with it. Wrapping one arm around small shoulders protectively, Murata held her close. It almost worked, too. Then he felt Gisela pinch his side to get him to let go. She waved a "you're a naughty boy" finger and he shrugged.
"I said 'LEAVE!" Gwendal shouted again.
"And I said 'make me'," the spirit in the hospital bed taunted back in a very Wolframish voice. Blood red eyes were dancing as he thumbed his nose over Yuuri's shoulder.
Yuuri stammered, "I-I don't think…"
"We told you to leave! Get out of Wolfram!" Gwendal yelled, even closer to the hospital bed now. Yuuri cringed and Wolfram's body sat up like a cobra ready to spit venom.
"No," the spirit said, tilting his head up in defiance. The trademark "Wolfram pout" was there. It was cute. It was very cute. The administrator's eye twitched.
It almost worked, but the throaty growl that quickly followed broke the spell. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs. "You'll do it, or I'll…!" Gwendal leaned forward, the veins in his neck sticking out like tree roots.
"Kiss my ass," the voice hissed. Red eyes danced.
Yuuri felt his face getting hot with embarrassment. To his knowledge, no one, but no one, ever said such a thing to Lord Gwendal von Voltaire—and lived.
Yuuri said cautiously, "W-Well, technically, you're telling him to kiss Wolfram's…"
The ground started to shake. The first thing that flashed through Yuuri's mind was him being a little child with a bright yellow Hanshin Tigers baseball cap on while going to the baseball field to pretend that he was a major league player when a small earthquake hit and he fell on his butt hard. Only, he wasn't a child now. There was no yellow hat. And he had a very angry, very possessed fiancé using him as a human shield while the castle shook itself apart.
Murata, Conrad, and Gisela all fought hard to stay on their feet. But, it wasn't easy. They were being tossed about, bumping and sliding. Redfaced, Yuuri tried to fight down the new feelings that were coming to him. And one feeling in particular that he was getting from bouncing up and down in the bed in Wolfram's lap. Their bodies were warm, close, pressing. His heart was suddenly beating hard for a reason that, Yuuri acknowledged, vaguely involved the quake. Another shockwave hit. Dust and grime rained down in sandy little streams with a shushing sound. His back was bumping against Wolfram's chest all over again. He decided it was all Gwendal's fault.
The metal framed beds rattled as did the medical instruments in the cabinets. The deep rumble made it hard to hear.
"I don't think any of this is necessary," Murata Ken said over the din, holding onto the foot of the bed for dear life while trying his best to add a friendly shrug to his words. He flashed Gwendal a serious glare and the man, thankfully, backed off.
The shaking stopped almost immediately.
"Let's start this all over, shall we?" the sage began in a tone that was reasonable, almost too reasonable for Yuuri's tastes. "Let's begin with names. You seem to know all of ours. So, what's your name?"
Wolfram's head tossed. His tarnished gold bangs fell away from his eyes. There was something there, Murata noticed. A look.
Wolfram's voice dropped in pitch and tone—seeming alien to the ears that heard it. "My name is TRA'VA."
"Tra…va?" Yuuri said, trying the name on for size.
"You mean 'Trouble.' That's its name," Gwendal grumbled out loud.
There was a soft, warbled chuckle from behind Yuuri's left ear. Both arms now tightened themselves around Yuuri's waist. The double black took in a sharp breath at the contact.
"I'll accept the name 'Trouble.'"
"Tra'va," Murata continued, rolling his eyes inwardly, "can you at least tell us why you've…done this…to Lord von Bielefeld?
Another suspicious look. But, this one was solely directed at Murata, as though challenging him, questioning his veracity. "If I do, I want your word that I can leave this castle and continue on my way."
"What?" came the double black. "You can't take Wolfram with you!" Yuuri objected. He tried to flash an incredulous look over his shoulder only to feel Wolfram's arms clinching him tighter.
"Is anyone talking to you?" the spirit mouthed off, giving Yuuri another hard shake. His willowy body moved back and forth like a child's rag doll. The spirit briefly considered putting the maou in a headlock.
"Umm…well, he has a point," Murata said diplomatically. "We really need to keep our maou's fiancé."
"Fiancé?" It was followed by a "humph."
"Seriously," Murata said back.
There was an uncomfortable moment of silence followed by a firm shake of the head "no." Yuuri felt sick inside. This was getting them nowhere. They might have to use force, somehow, to get rid of this "person" inside Wolfram. Maybe Günter would know.
"I must continue…" Then, the blond's expression slowly changed followed by a sound that spoke of amusement to Yuuri. Onyx eyes widened a little. This could be a problem. He braced himself.
With the delicate tip of a pink tongue, Trouble licked his upper lip slowly, following the silky skin, and considered the possibilities. "Care to join me?" Trouble asked, "…seriously…" The almost feminine tone was deep, throaty, and oh so terribly—Wolfram's. No traces of the otherworldly sounds that the spirit had been making earlier.
Gisela hid a grin behind her hand. Conrad held his breath. And Gwendal about had a coronary.
"Do not," Gwendal bellowed, "ever…speak with my brother's voice in that tone again!"
Ignoring it, Wolfram's chin rested on Yuuri's shoulder with the words, "Feel free to follow me, Murata, if you can keep up." The tone dripped with innuendo.
Murata laughed a little nervously and felt the eyes of everyone in the room. He found Yuuri's look particularly uncomfortable—a mixture of annoyance, anger, and something else that maybe even Yuuri himself didn't understand. The sage took a quick breath and decided to push on. "Then, where are we going?"
"Out."
"What will we be doing?"
"This and that." The sexy tone returned. The sage noticed that the eyes had lost their hard edge and were becoming almost…a bit seductive. Appealing, even…now that they were fading to a sweet, pinkish color that complemented blond hair. Murata tugged at his collar.
"H-How long will we be gone?"
The spirit thought about it. "With horses, maybe…three days to make it to the von Christ lands. At least, that's what I know the territory to be called. But, names change so quickly and memories are so short."
Murata blinked at the words. You're not exactly what you appear to be, are you Trouble? He nodded. "I understand." Then, he thought a little. "Why do you need to be there?"
"If I don't make it, I'll die and take Wolfram with me."
Everyone froze.
Instantly, the spirit felt Yuuri shift in his arms, roughly turning around. Now, chest to chest and legs tangled, he grabbed Wolfram's shoulders and held on—not caring how compromising their bodies looked in the bed to everyone in the room. "You had no business doing this to him! You're risking his life…for what? You're…what? Dead? You've lived your life. Now, go peacefully and leave Wolfram alone."
An unnatural growl came back at him. It was close, too close, but Yuuri didn't care. He was angry, teeth clenched.
"…Leave Wolfram alone?" They were almost nose to nose now. "I don't need to. You're the one who is good at that." With the sarcastic remark came deepening red eyes that gave Yuuri a cruel glare. Possibly, if the words had come from Murata or Conrad, Tra'va would have listened and been more patient. Then, Trouble leaned forward and whispered in Yuuri's ear "And watch what you're doing with your foot. I could grow to like it."
The double black blushed and pulled away.
Wolfram's head turned back in Murata's direction. "I need to find The Hermit's Shrine of the Holy Sepulcher. As part of the relics, my temporary resting place will be there for the next twenty years."
The light began to dawn on the sage. Murata nodded again, very slowly—thoughtfully. And then he asked, "Do your travels always coincide with the movement of the star Alnilam in the constellation Orion?"
A true smile came to pink lips. "Yes…I have to count the number of times it passes by. Then, I must move on to the next holy site."
"So, you're a traveler?" Murata asked, looking more intrigued.
"In a way…"
An hour later, a group of young men approached the horses that were waiting for them out front of the castle. The one following up the rear had shining orange hair and sky blue eyes. Yozak had returned early from a mission only to find that Conrad needed him for another. Never one to turn down an adventure with his captain, Yozak packed a few things and made himself ready. Murata came, too, since he was invited by the spirit that Gwendal had named "Trouble." And Trouble was more than pleased. What was not pleasing to the spirit was the other person who insisted upon coming along.
He was annoying. He was clumsy. And he was holding them back.
"But, Heika!" warbled a very unhappy and melodramatic Günter von Christ. "You will be journeying to my lands. I simply must accompany you." He followed his king out the castle door—hands clasped together, tears drizzling own white cheeks. His nose had turned pinkish red. He blew into his lace-edged hankie.
"No, that's okay," Yuuri said distractedly, walking faster than normal down the stone steps while returning Morgif to his sheath. The double black was rushing to catch up with the little group that was now on horseback. "You stay here. Once we help out Trouble, we'll be coming home soon." He hopped on Ao's back and gave what he thought to be a cheery "No hard feelings, huh?" kind of wave.
Günter moaned, "Oh, Heika!" and blew his nose again with a razzing sound.
The white caped advisor refused to move from his spot until he saw the little group tromp out of sight. He sniffled again.
As the horses passed through the gate at a leisurely pace, Murata commented idly, "Maybe, we should have allowed him to come after all, Shibuya. He could have helped us find the shrine faster."
Yuuri put his hand behind his head and said vaguely, "Think so?" It was followed by a nervous laugh.
Conrad and Yozak exchanged amused looks.
"He couldn't," Trouble said urging Wolfram's white horse to walk a little faster. "Do you know how big that territory is? Anyway, only I can find it because it's something that my people built long ago…before your great-great grandfathers wore diapers." Wolfram's nose was suddenly stuck up in the air. It sniffed the breeze. "I can find it, but it's mostly through my senses."
"Your people, huh?" Yuuri said, making yet another attempt, in his personal opinion, to sound polite. "So, what are they like? Are they anything like Mazoku?" Or humans?
"Well, they're not near here anymore," Trouble grumped, throwing Wolfram's blond hair back with one hand to get it out of the way. "Since you're running off at the mouth, I have a few questions of my own." He glared at Yuuri. "In all of my travels…in all of these journeys that I've been forced to endure… I've never had a king come along for the ride." He frowned at Yuuri. "Go home!" He pointed back in the direction they'd come.
"What?!" Yuuri squeaked at him.
"Look, Mr. King-with-a-ridiculously-silly name," Trouble grumbled, "And what idiot is named ' Yuuri' anyway? Isn't that just another word for 'July' or something?"
Conrad looked down awkwardly and Yozak held back a laugh.
In response, a black eyebrow cocked at him. "Thanks for pointing that out…Trouble."
"You named me!" Wolfram's voice bit out. The lower lip stuck out, too.
"Well, he named me," Yuuri said, pointing at Conrad.
Not being one to give in, the spirit continued with "I've got more than enough company on this trip. I really don't see the need for you to come along." Wolfram's hands were on his hips, red eyes burning. "Just go back and sit on your manly throne. Make some kind of proclamation, polish your scepter or something, and chase skirts in the castle."
Yuuri's jaw dropped. "I don't do any of that!"
Trouble threw blond hair to one side and glared back with red eyes. "Wolfram's memories say you do."
"Wolfram is wrong!"
A sneaky smile came to the blond. "So, you're loyal to him?"
Yuuri blinked at that question.
"Always loyal…? No dirty thoughts?"
Yuuri's face flushed.
"It seems to me," Yozak said cheerfully, "that Trouble can see Wolfram's heart and…some memories."
The orange haired man got a nod followed by a red-eyed wink—which annoyed Yuuri. He frowned.
"But, sometimes the heart and the mind don't speak the same language," Murata chimed in. "Maybe, just maybe, things aren't always what they seem."
Trouble considered it. But, then he glanced at Yuuri with a mouth that turned down. "Still, it doesn't answer my question. Why are you following me around?"
"Because I want to," Yuuri shot back, frustrated again.
"It's pointless." Trouble complained and tried to wave Yuuri off with a swat of his hand. "I've got Wolfram's brother, Conrad. He's the best swordsman there is. One wrong move from me and I'm dead. Of course, Wolfram would be, too. But that's neither here nor there. Then, we have The Great Sage, Murata Ken, who…intrigues me. A devilishly handsome orange haired man named…" Trouble searched Wolfram's memories. "Named…Yo...zak…." Followed by a weak shrug when looking back at Yuuri. He said flatly, "Then, I've got you."
Yuuri stared, his mouth quenched together into a prune-pucker. "Wolfram's a friend. I have to come."
There was a deep, otherworldly growl emitted from Wolfram's body at that. "Is that all?"
"All?" Onyx eyes blinked back in confusion.
"He's your friend? That's your excuse?" Wolfram's hands gripped the reins until they were white and Conrad was beginning to worry at that. "I think you should have said," the spirit almost spat out, "that he was your fiancé and you cared about him…loved him…needed him to be by your side always."
Yuuri's gaze floated around to his traveling companions. They were amused and Morgif gave a brief "ho-ho-ho." The double black put a hand behind his head in embarrassment. "It's…um…well…"
"A mistake…I know. I can see the memory of you slapping him." Disgusted with Yuuri, Trouble nudged the horse to a trot.
Conrad flashed Yozak a look. He got a casual nod in return and his horse quickened the pace to keep behind Wolfram's. They would take turns during the trip to stay close to the blond. And while one guarded him, other would guard Yuuri. Luckily for the egos involved, only the sage noticed. And he wasn't telling anyone.
The midday sun beat down on them.
"How long until lunch?" Murata asked the group conversationally. They had been riding in silence for far too long, and it was starting to get to him.
"We should reach another large town in less than two hours," Yozak said. "I know a great place to eat." He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.
Yuuri knew that he was going to regret it, but he wanted to chat with Trouble again—just to get his point across that he wasn't embarrassed or intimidated by him. "What do you eat, Trouble?" Yuuri said in the same tone that he often used with his older brother.
"Blood." Wolfram's face whipped in Yuuri's direction, making him pull back on the reins and Conrad put his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Oh, please," Trouble said with a sigh. "You people are really amazing…not! If I had wanted to put the bite on your king, I could have done it back at the castle." Red eyes looked sincerely, and more than a little tiredly, into Conrad's soft brown ones. "My diet is fruit. Just that. So," he continued in a bossy tone, turning to Yozak, "I hope that restaurant you mentioned has something like bananas, peaches, dates, and jackfruit. I'll eat purple apples, too, but I hate veggies." He glared at Conrad. "And you can't make me eat 'em.'"
Conrad listened to Trouble's complaints about the evils of veggies and smiled to himself. It reminded him of Wolfram as a toddler—throwing his spinach mash against the nearest wall. A faint, green stain could still be seen there even to this day.
"It's a deal," Yozak said. He pulled out a red handkerchief and wiped his brow.
Wolfram's horse, still leading the way, slowed down a bit. The road forked and the young man's head turned left and right. He closed his eyes, allowing his senses to show him the way. He could smell it…almost taste it… on the wind. Then, he turned down a shady, tree covered road.
Wolfram's words, which seemed annoyed and almost tired, began to float on the wind. ""Da mihi quaeso virtutem ad diutius durandum."
Murata looked at Trouble, impressed that he understood the words after all this time--"Give me the strength to last longer."
"And the road stretches on…Now, I'm tied to this ground…" Wolfram's voice sang softly, but Murata heard it.
Trouble hummed the rest of the tune, louder this time. Everyone could hear it. It was a strange melody, but perfect for Wolfram's voice. It was slow and sad with a refrain that had a lonely feel to it. The lithe body swayed, keeping in time with the clomping of horse hooves.
The blond's body stretched, and he wiped his face absentmindedly.
"You know," Wolfram's voice said over his shoulder, "it's getting pretty hot." He grabbed the neck to his white dress shirt and stretched it out a little. He poked his nose in and sniffed. "Ew! This body perspires."
Yuuri had to hold his breath to keep from snickering, but it was a struggle. After living with his blond fiancé for three years, he was very well aware what Wolfram could smell like after a good day of training. But, Wolfram was also fanatical about bathing and smelling good.
Trouble took off the blue jacket, draped it across his legs, just to put it somewhere, and started unbuttoning the white shirt.
"Ummm…Trouble?" Yuuri began with a panicked edge. This wasn't funny anymore. He blinked hard at the sight when he saw the white shirt being stripped off, too, and being placed on top of the jacket.
Wolfram now looked like something of a wild child, sweat glistening on the body with blond hair blowing back in the breeze. He was naked from the waist up—something that Yuuri knew quite well that his Wolfram would never approve of. The double black recalled the one time he tried to get Wolfram to sumo wrestle with him, he'd refused and insisted upon keeping his clothes on—all of them.
"Oh, this feels so much better," Wolfram's voice said, with only a tinge of the animalistic growl accompanying it. "Ummmm…I love it." Eyes closed, he tilted his chin up with almost a euphoric look on his face. His body rocked with the motion of riding the horse.
Yuuri cast worried eyes at his godfather. Conrad smiled back apologetically.
"Come to think of it," the spirit said haughtily, "I never really got a good look at this new body." He stared down at himself. "Hey…I'm not bad." His face was impressed.
Yuuri's jaw dropped. He urged his horse to trot faster to catch up with Trouble.
"I'm really…kind of…cute…"
Murata laughed darkly at that. Yuuri flashed him a frown.
The spirit released the reins for a second, placed both palms on his chest and slid his hands down to his waist. Trouble threw a blond head back at the feel. "Nice muscles…well proportioned… Oh…I am good!"
"W-Wait a second!" Yuuri objected. "Don't start doing that in public. It looks…wrong…really, really…wrong."
Red eyes glared at Yuuri and a fang dropped out of Wolfram's mouth. "I'm just appreciating something you can't…" His eyes cut sideways. "Or won't." Wolfram's fingers ran down his chest again much more slowly this time, taking in the feeling. And Yuuri found himself dying inside as every second ticked. His horse slowed.
"This body is so good." Trouble rode the horse, now, with an intentional, seductive sway. "Then again, I wonder if I'm good…everywhere…?" He placed one hand on his right butt cheek and gave it a firm squeeze.
"Don't!" Yuuri barked. "I said stop it." He forced Ao to trot faster to stay side by side with Trouble.
Blond hair swished at him as an answer. "Not listening to you…" Then, he thought about it. "Wait…gotta check one more thing…" The spirit hooked Wolfram's thumbs on his trouser's waistband and pulled back. He looked down…eyeing everything south of the belt buckle with an owlish look.
Yuuri almost choked on his saliva. "Wha- What are you doing?!" Yuuri squeaked in anger.
"Eh?"
"I mean, I know what you're doing…but …I mean… STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING!"
"Well, I'd have to take a peek sometime," the spirit shot back. "After all, I've got this body for the next few days…and I'm gonna see sometime. Might as well get a preview right now.
"What?! I mean… Look… I…." Yuuri felt himself getting ready to have a stroke.
"Or, were you planning to go for me." There was a vicious chuckle at that.
"Don't be crude."
"You should try it. It's fun."
"Perv," Yuuri muttered under his breath.
"Oh, put on your big boy undies and just deal with it, your majesty." A warbled, deep snicker from Wolfram's body followed. "Oh, look! I jiggle!"
"Shut up!" The double black glared. "You're enjoying this too much, aren't you?"
"Oh, that's not enjoying myself," Trouble said toothily. "This is enjoying myself." Wolfram's body turned to Yuuri. In just seconds, the eyes faded from red to pink. In the next second, he'd copied Yozak's sky blue eyes. The hair brightened to Wolfram's sunny gold and the fingernails turned to a rosy-pinkish color. "Try this," he said in Wolfram's voice—a perfect copy. In almost an excited fangirl fashion, Wolfram's features turned to pure excitement and glee. "I am so smokin' hot!"
"What?" Yuuri jaw dropped. "Don't talk like that in Wolfram's voice."
"Care to stop me?" He leaned over and said seductively. "I don't think you can."
"That's not my point."
A blond head turned up to the heavens and shouted, "Oh, I am so fine! Yes! Yes! Yes!" The shouts were almost orgasmic.
"I don't care," Yuuri, blood red in the face, growled dangerously. Head sinking lower.
Eyes narrowed at the double black. "I know you don't care. Wolfram knows it, too."
The spirit grinned back toothily. Wolfram's new fangs shrunk back while Yuuri watched, which made the double black blanch.
"Still.." Yuuri said, shaking his head to think straight.
"Not only is my face fine," the spirit bragged, "but I've got a great bundle to boot."
"Eh?" Yuuri blinked at that. "Bundle? What's a bundle?" He looked to Conrad for an answer.
Yozak burst out laughing, as did Murata—who almost fell off his horse. He whimpered "bundle" in between laughing fits until his eyes started to water and he was crying.
Conrad opened his mouth to answer and then closed it again, wondering just how to word this to his godson.
"It's ummm…an old-fashioned term, Shibuya," Murata wheezed, still laughing so hard his sides hurt. He gasped for air. "Back when men wore thin, form fitting leggings instead of trousers... In one of my former lives, I wore them, too, and hoped that my 'bundle' impressed my dates. A little, bitty bundle up front would be a bad thing."
"And I've got a great big one!" Trouble crowed.
Somewhere up above, a Bad Omen bird was startled by the scream of revulsion that was projected by the 27th Maou of Shin Makoku, Shibuya Yuri.
