Hello! This is chapter 4! There are no real warnings or anything special I want to say, so... enjoy!
Chapter Four
Kidd couldn't believe that he was currently on Tobias' back, flying through the air, listening to Hawkins as he was told of "other options".
"What do you mean, there's more ways than one to get into the Human World?"
"Pay attention," the blonde sighed, shaking his head, as the wind batted at his hair like a cat playing with a feathered toy. "As I was saying! The only reason that the portal from our world to the Human World even exists is thanks to witches, wizards, and other such magical beings."
"So? How's that gonna help us?" The redhead asked, frowning, pulling his goggles over his eyes to block out the wind. Tobi was flying really fast, thanks to the Warlock's orders. "And where are we going?!"
"Any competent being practiced in certain magical arts can summon a portal!"
Kidd nodded and hummed softly, but it was lost in the wind. He was starting to understand what the other was telling him. "So, where are we going? Can't you make a portal for me?"
"Unfortunately, no. I cannot. However, I know a few who can!" The magician called over the wind, a small smile painted on his face.
"Who then?" The vampire called back, his throat starting to grow sore. He gave a gentle tug on Tobias' hair, silently telling the dragon to land. After a few moments of circling in the air, the scaly beast thumped down onto the ground, and waited for orders on which direction to head. Kidd turned towards his friend, nodding. "Where are we going, Hawkins?"
"There are only two groups of people whom I know of that can actually create and sustain a portal – the Lamia Tribe, and Bele-mere's girls."
Kidd groaned loudly, burying his face in his own calloused hands. Neither of those options were particularly wonderful. The Lamia tribe were beautiful and strong women, whose lower bodies were that of snakes. They slithered around, testing their strength on whichever male was foolish enough to enter their 'women-only' village. Their leader was the famed Snake Princess, Boa Hancock – she was the one that ruled that no man should be allowed to enter their village, since she hated all men, and wished them dead.
On the other hand, Nami and Nojiko were sisters trained in the magical arts. They were more open to helping people, but it was for a hefty price, normally. Their mother, Bele-mere, was also a witch, and she also ran a tangerine orchard, which her daughters kept running. They were the best option, but Nami absolutely hated both Kidd and Tobias. It was due to an incident when the beast was just a small little dragon and had a severe case of the hiccups. He had almost burnt down half of their precious tangerine trees. No matter how many times the redhead had apologized, nor how much money he paid, Nami still held ill will against both of them.
"Neither of these options are exactly favorable, if I am honest, but Nami and Nojiko is your best option," Hawkins replied, patting his friend on the back in a comforting way.
"She's going to charge me a fortune!" the vampire groaned, tugging on his hair. He knew that he would be indebted to her for the rest of eternity, if he did choose to visit and ask for this favour.
"Yes, but it is your only choice. Unless you wish to fight and defeat an entire village of Lamias," the blonde reminded him. With another groan, and a few more moments of contemplation, the redhead reluctantly nodded, and directed Tobias towards the tangerine orchard.
Bele-mere's Tangerine Orchard was set in the middle of a quaint little valley, deep within the woods on the west side of Sabaody. A thin path that snaked through the trees was the only indication that perhaps someone lived within the dense forest. The trio were currently traveling that path, snaking in between trees.
"She's going to put me in so much debt, I'm going to have to be her slave for the rest of forever," Kidd grumbled, as they rode on top of the Frost Dragon.
"Nami is not as mean as you make her out to be," Hawkins tutted, shaking his head.
"Well, maybe not to you! But, your dragon never burned half of her tangerine trees!" The vampire protested. He was about to suggest that they turn back and find a different way to the Human World, but a shout interrupted them.
"Hawkins!" A beautiful woman called, waving at them. She had light blue hair that was held back with a red ribbon. Equally blue tattoos adorned her arm and chest slightly. She smiled at them, a burlap sack thrown over her shoulder, with work gloves on her hands.
"Hello, Miss Nojiko," the blonde male smiled, as he slipped off of Tobias' back to walk over to his fellow magic-caster. They both clasped hands and then patted each other's shoulders in a friendly manner.
"It's good to see you again," the bluenette smiled warmly. "What brings you out our way?"
"I have a favour to ask of you and your sister."
"Oh? Well, alright then. Our home is right through that tree line," she smiled, before she began walking, leading the way on the path. All four of them broke out of the dark forest into the warm sunshine, coming to the end of the path.
Four rows of tangerine trees stood next to the modest home, ruffling themselves with the wind. A woman with hair as orange as the tangerines stood next to one of the trees, plucking a few off of the tree that were ripe enough, setting them in a bushel basket. She wiped her brow, before tuning to look at the group, a smile on her face until she spotted Kidd.
"Hello, Miss Nami," Hawkins greeted, following the blue-haired woman into the valley, leading both Tobias and his father with him. "I have come to ask a favour of you and Nojiko."
"I refuse," Nami growled, glaring at the dragon and vampire. "I know it's for them, and I refuse to help them!"
The icy beast made a whimpering-like sound, stopping in his tracks, and hung his head. The redhead slid off of his back, and gently patted his scaly neck. "You're still mad at us? It was Tobi's fault – he had the hiccups! And I paid you for all the damages and your outrageous interest fees!"
"I don't care!" The ginger witch shouted, her face getting red from her anger. "That beast burned Bele-mere's tangerine trees! I'll never forgive him!"
"Nami, that's enough!" Nojiko reprimanded, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder. "His debt has been paid, and you know it was an accident!"
The younger witch frowned, before she looked away and stormed into the small house, leaving her basket of tangerines by the trees. The door slammed behind her, rattling the windows in the house. The blue-haired woman merely sighed, and shook her head. She rolled her equally blue eyes, and followed her sister into the house, shutting the door far more gently than Nami had.
"Told you this was a bad idea," Kidd grumbled, gently patting the dragon in a vain attempt to make him feel better. Tobi leaned into the pale man's touch, but did nothing more.
"Wait here," Hawkins ordered, before he followed after Nojiko, heading into the house, shutting the door behind him softly, shutting the duo out of the conversation. Kidd had no idea what was going to happen, but he knew that it wouldn't be good.
Some hour or so later, the door of the witches' home creaked open, and the three magic-casters emerged from the shadows within. The vampire had been lying against Tobias, both of them enjoying the warmth of the sun and the cooling breeze that circulate the valley – probably the witches doing, so that their tangerines were always rather happy.
Nami walked over to the redhead, her arms crossed over her chest, her mouth drawn into a hard line. She spoke with a no-nonsense tone, her chocolate eyes hard. "500,000 Berri, and you will be my delivery boy for 6 months. Deal?"
Kidd blinked up at her owlishly for a few moments, and then nodded, a grin spreading across his painted lips, showing off pearly fangs. "Got it."
"Good. Now, come inside, and do exactly as I say," the ginger-haired woman ordered, before retreating back into her home, her sister following after her. The vampire scrambled to his feet and dusted off his jeans, before he smiled at Hawkins.
The magician patted his friend's strong shoulder, nodding. "I shall go and tell the Preserve and your housemates that you have gone."
"Thanks," Kidd smiled, patting the blonde's shoulder as well. He then turned towards the Frost Dragon, gently wrapping his arms around the beast's muzzle. "Will you be good while I'm gone?"
"I'll be good," Tobi nodded, whining a little bit. "Will you be back soon?"
"You bet, buddy. And when I come back, I'll have a new friend for you."
"Yay!" Tobias grinned, his tail beating against the ground happily. "I'll be good! I'll help everyone while you're gone!"
After a few moments filled with warm words and comforting promises, the duo parted and the vampire watched as both Hawkins and the scaly beast took flight. Once they were out of sight, heading off towards the Preserve, did the pale man turn and enter the small house, where Nojiko and Nami were both waiting.
"Shut the door," Nami ordered. He nodded, and then kicked the door shut with the heel of his boot, causing the younger woman to make a face.
"Kidd, there's something that you need to understand," the bluenette witch began, grabbing his attention. Rouge eyes stared at her, silently telling her to go on. "You can only be in the Human World for a month."
"What?" Kidd snorted. "But the council lets you stay until you find your mate!"
"We're not the council," Nami frowned, rolling her eyes. "And unlike the council, when you're in the human world, you won't be able to contact us, and we can't contact you. You will be completely alone."
The vampire nodded and gulped a little – he had no idea what to do in the Human World, and he had hoped that someone would have been able to guide him, and tell him what to do.
"Also, if you don't make it back in time…," Nami trailed off, biting her lip between rows of perfectly straight, white teeth. "You won't be coming back at all."
Before Kidd could even respond, Nojiko grabbed his wrist and drug him next to a cupboard. It looked more like a wardrobe, but since one of the doors was open, he saw dishes inside. She shut the cupboard door, before standing in front of him.
"One month," she repeated, before pulling out a thin leather chord that had a quartz-like crystal attached to the end out of her pocket. It seemed to grow with a red aura that confused the pale man.
"What's that?" He asked, poking the crystal, watching as the red hue shone brighter for a moment, then died back down.
"You must keep this on your person at all times. It will help you find the portal at the end of your 30 days," she explained, giving him the crystal. He took it and wrapped the cord around his wrist a few times, looping the crystal through the end, making sure that it would stay. He turned back to the witches, and took a deep breath. This was it. He nodded, and the witches began.
Nami and Nojiko stood before him, clasping their hands together, their eyes fluttering shut. Under their breath, they muttered words that seemed like jibber-jabber to Kidd. It almost sounded like they were speaking backwards, but he could never hope to understand whatever they were mumbling about. The air surrounding the trio became thick with something that tingled with it touched his bare skin. Faster than Kidd would have ever though, both witched put an open palm on each side of his chest, and gave a forceful push. With a shout, the vampire stumbled and fell backwards, letting out a gasp as he fell past the cupboard behind him, and watched as the fell farther and farther away from the witches, before he was swallowed up the darkness, free falling into nothing.
Hello, everyone! I am very sorry that my updates are few and far between... but, this story is really kicking my ass. Especially since I've decided to become irritated with everything and everyone in my house, and I constantly want to go out. But, I really am sorry that it takes me so long to put out chapters that aren't very good... Forgive me! Welp, anyways, in the next chapter, we'll be in the human world! YAY! .I really hope that I can write those fairly quickly, seeing as how that's where a lot of the story is going to take place, but it's a not so interesting setting. I'll try my best! Please, tell me what you thought! It makes me feel better about myself.
SHOUT OUTS~!
To Choco- Praising me doesn't make me happy or anything! You're just trying to get me to blush~! It's working, too, haha! And of course Kidd is going to do illegal things. Why wouldn't he? After all, it is Kidd. And I really didn't know that they can deny a visa if you're too young... I just sorta made that part up! XD
To darkimpulse- Thanks! I like Hawkins as a character, and I ship him with Kidd a lot... and Apoo, and Drake, haha! And I wish I could tell you if Killer dies or not, but I don't want to spoil the story for you or anyone else! :D That would make me a bad person. Just wait and see~! :D