Chapter 10 A Rough Rumble
Author's Note: Sorry this one took a little while longer than the others. I wasn't sure what to put in this one, seeing as the other one was so informative. But I hope it turned out good and all that jazz, it's mostly just setting up for the next chapter, but I kinda wanted to do something to set Brago off in this one! I hadn't done a lot with Brago, yet, and I really like him. Any reviews are welcome, and certainly appreciated! Also, if anyone has suggestions, that's certainly welcome too! Thanks! =D
Disclaimer: I don't own Zatch Bell, but I did create Sorella, Lance, and Rita. They're mine, please don't take them.
Sherry and I were walking down the sidewalk, yapping animatedly. We had left the ice cream parlor a few moments ago, just as it was closing. We hadn't noticed how late it was becoming until we ate our chicken salad and had a desert of fantastic ice cream. I reflected back to the first taste… it was SOOOOOO good! Cold and creamy, sweet and luscious! Yum! Chocolate ice cream was fantastic and just about the most amazing invention of all time.
I had my new leather bag strapped from my left shoulder to my right hip and Sherry was holding two bags of shopping items she had quickly snagged before all the stores started to close at around nine forty five, which seemed to me a ridiculous closing time. Why not just stay open all the way until ten? What was the point of closing fifteen minutes early? Regardless, we were swinging the paper bags lightly in our hands, smiley happily. I was extremely happy, especially as we passed a store just about to close and something in its window caught my eye.
"Sherry!" I cried out, pressing the tips of my fingers to the glass. "Please, let's go in here!"
Sherry strode over, asking, "Why? Something you want in there?"
I nodded fervently. "Yes please! Please, Sherry! Look!" I pointed to the box in the window eagerly, blushing when a slight crack appeared in the glass.
Oops. I quickly moved into the store so the owner wouldn't see me in front of the window, hence, the crack in the glass. Sherry laughed lightly behind me as we entered the store, a bell ringing over our heads as the door opened. The clerk looked aggravated at us as he was finishing counting his register money.
Sherry leaned over to hiss into my ear, "Sorry. I didn't mean to want to give him my money."
I barked a laughed and skipped over the window display, lifting the box from it, holding it out in front of me like some treasure.
"Monopoly!" I laughed, extremely excited. "Could we play when we get back home?"
Sherry froze and her mouth opened into a little "o" of surprise. Then a soft smile adorned her face and nodded, taking the box from my hands. I didn't know what she was surprised about, be knowing what Monopoly was, or saying her house was my home. Either way, I made her smile! Victory!
"Of course, just don't be surprised when I floor you!"
"Yes, but if you give me a few private lessons, then I can challenge Brago, and floor him."
Sherry laughed as she placed the game on the counter, pulling out the cash needed as the clerk rang it up. "You really want to beat him at things, Sorella."
I raised my chin. "Of course!"
How could I not want to be that guy at his own game? I will show him for being a cheater! I smiled wickedly at the thought of beating Brago at Monopoly, already forming tactics to get him to play in the first place. Sherry took the monopoly box from the clerk, not bothering to have him bag it, and instead stuffed it into a bag already swinging on her arm. The clerk came from behind the counter, waving at us.
"Okay, okay, you bought what you wanted. It's closing time."
He even pushed on Sherry's shoulder to get her to move! I turned towards him, golden eyes glaring. He gulped upon seeing my blazing eyes and furious expression.
"I think you will find that it's not wise to push my friend," I snarled.
Sherry twisted to glare at the man also, blue eyes like fire. "And I think you will also be surprised to discover that I am Sherry Belmont, a frequent customer in this area, not to mention a billionaire."
The man paled and it seemed as if all the color was sucked out of him. He smiled greasily and slid over to where we were, eyeing Sherry with a new found false respect.
"So sorry, ma'am! Allow me to apologize deeply from the bottom of my heart and…"
"Save it!" I snapped, scooping Sherry's arm within mine. "Your trash talk is annoying. I doubt you'll see us in your store again."
Sherry deliberately upturned her nose from him as if she smelled something nasty. An obnoxious gesture associated with the rich, one Sherry hadn't used much. We left the store leaving the man completely sick looking and frantic. The minute we were out of eye sight from him, we broke out laughing.
"Did you see his face?" I laughed, wrapping my arms around my stomach. "He's probably throwing up right now; scared to death you will ruin his business on purpose!"
Sherry nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. "Yeah, what did you think of that nose upturn?"
I winked and gave her the "OK" sign with my hand. "Perfect, it had just the right touch. Stunning!"
A cat call came to our ears, loud and raucous sounding. "Whoo hoo! I could say the same thing, hun!"
Sherry and I exchanged annoyed looks and immediately began walking in the direction of Flo's. What a nuisance… I was frequently surprised by how rude some humans could be. Did men have no respect around here?
"Ridiculous," Sherry mumbled, clearly sharing my thoughts.
Our eyes narrowed simultaneously as we heard loud footsteps rushing towards us, a man spinning around us to stop us. He was a reasonably dressed man, not grungy, but he had an air of arrogance about him, as if we were blessed that he was making such an effort to talk to us. His hair was a disheveled brown and his face was covered in short stubble, apparently trying for the punk kind of look. His eyes were a hazel, muddy brown. Not at all pleasing to the eye in general was this man. He looked maybe a few years older than Sherry, adding on to our displeasure of him.
"Hey, hun, haven't seen you around before!" He purred, smiling at me. His demeanor was smooth and calm, happy, even if it was in a creepy, staring kind of way.
I stole a sideways glance at Sherry and we both smirked. We scoffed and made our way around the man, walking on either side, laughing mockingly. I heard a disgruntled sound and hurried around us again, now looking aggravated. Sherry rolled her eyes while I sighed. Really? Really? How annoying…
"What's the problem, ladies? Don't you both want to hang out with me?"
"No, not at all," Sherry and I replied simultaneously.
The man's flirtatious and charming act fell instantly to the floor like a mask having the strap holding it in place snipped. He glared at me in particular. I couldn't understand why this was; Sherry and I had both said the same thing.
"So you don't want me, eh?" He asked me.
I was confused yet again by his meaning. "How can I own a person?"
Sherry smirked as the man's face flushed. He curled his hand into a fist. He made a small step slowly towards me and stopped to glare at me in what he must have thought was a menacing stare. This made me laugh because he was far from intimidating in the slightest.
"Something funny about my brother?" A booming voice asked.
I turned behind me to see a fairly large, older buff man behind me in a super tight t-shirt ready to burst at the seams. He had on greasy pants with smears on the as if he had just wiped his fingers off after eating fried chicken. He had short cut dirty blonde hair and black eyes that were just plain creepy.
Okay, this guy was a little intimidating. A little. Nothing compared to Brago of course.
"I asked you a question."
I straightened myself and glared up at him defiantly. "I do, actually."
"Yeah?"
I smirked at him haughtily. "That's what I said, wasn't it?"
The older man clenched his fists and his muscles bulged under his shirt, threatening to rip it to shreds. The younger man sneered at us, clearly used to his brother helping him out on more than one occasion. It seemed to me that these two needed a lesson on strength.
"No one talks to me like that! The name's Benny and this is my little brother Jane."
I looked at Sherry and she was smiling. "Jane…" I said sweetly, teasing him on his name. I remembered how I had teased Sherry and Brago similarly upon meeting them the first time. "How… sweet. Sherry? What do you think?"
"About them needing a scolding? Most definitely."
I turned towards Benny with a swift upper cut, punching him straight into the jaw, lifting him into the air. Jane called out his name in a terrified squeal as Benny fell to the floor with a heavy boom.
"That was no fun at all," I sneered, looking over my shoulder at Sherry.
A strong hand was suddenly around my throat the moment I turned away, closing my wind pipe almost completely. He lifted me off of my feet, and I was punching him in his arm with fierce jabs, leaving obvious red marks. He winced but refused to drop me. Sherry called out my name and Benny responded by squeezing my neck all the tighter. I choked and silently berated myself for taking my eyes off of the enemy.
"You wanted this one, right?" Benny growled, shoving my face near Jane.
Jane's smug smirk was infuriated as he eyed me appreciatively.
"Yep. This one, pretty ain't she?" He smiled crookedly over at Sherry. "Although, that one's not all that bad either. Perhaps we could split them up between us?"
Sherry snarled, kicking Jane in the leg. He tumbled to the ground with a cry of pain and Sherry flipped around to kick Benny in the eye but froze upon seeing my face turning blue due to the lack of air.
"I don't think you want to be doin' that, miss fancy," Benny growled. "See, Jane here wants your little friend, and he always gets what he wants. I can't have you getting in my way, so I think you should be moving along." He squeezed my neck even tighter and my eyes widened in slight fear. "Or, I could always snap her neck; my brother would still enjoy her."
Sherry clenched her teeth and spun away, sprinting speedily down the sidewalk, bags swinging from her arms dangerously.
Shock overwhelmed me along with hurt that Sherry had left, and I felt furious towards her, that is, until I saw her pulling a black book out of her hand as she went. I realized then, she must be going to get Brago. I hoped for a moment he wasn't waiting with Jii to pick us up because I wouldn't want him to see me in such a ridiculous situation.
I decided that the moment this guy released his hold on my neck I would show them what it meant to attack a mamodo.
***
Sherry's feet pounded against the concrete fiercely, heels clacking loudly. She was so irritated with herself for letting something so simple get so out of hand. Sorella and herself were more than capable in handling those two morons, but the moment that guy cut off Sorella's ability to call her spells it was done. Sherry needed to get him to let go of her throat and besides…
Sherry wanted Brago to annihilate them.
It sounded that the two were all too familiar with targeting women for their own lecherous reasons. The way the younger one had come out before them first so sweetly, and then after Sherry and Sorella had insulted him, his brother was right there. The whole statement about how Jane always got what he wanted…
Bile rose in Sherry's throat as she thought about it. Her legs pumped harder and harder still when her eyes noticed the nickering horses in front of Flo's shop.
"Jii!" Sherry called, tossing the bags at his feet. "Is Brago with you?!"
Jii seemed startled for a moment at Sherry's frantic behavior and the furious, murderous glint in her eye, but he made no note of it. He pointed to Flo's building behind me and I turned, hoping upon hope he wasn't caught by Flo as she was leaving the store.
But the store was black; there was nothing inside but merchandise, no employees. Instinctively Sherry twitched her head upward and there he was, sitting on the roof, one leg dangling off the side, the other raised with an elbow resting on it casually. His red eyes pierced through the darkness of the night and his black fur cloak flared around him menacingly.
"Brago!" Sherry called… actually, more like barked. His eyes narrowed at Sherry's expression and the book in her hand.
Brago jumped down nimbly from the roof and landed in front of Sherry, his back erect, eyes gleaming.
"A mamodo? Where is Sorella?" he rasped. He peered around the area for signs of a battle.
Sherry shook her head. "No, not a mamodo."
"Human trouble? Then why do you need me?" Brago was agitated.
"I want to destroy them, let's go!" and off Sherry went.
Brago actually followed, intrigued by the glint in her eyes, one that he was used to seeing within his own behavior, but Sherry was always the reasonable one, never wanting blood for the sake of it.
They must be absolutely despicable.
***
I was really irritated now. I didn't grab my book; I wouldn't until this guy's hand was off of my throat, which it was not. I didn't want him to believe I had a weapon in my bag, and then take it away from me. Well, okay, technically, my book was a weapon, but either way…
"Jane, how do you wanna do this?" Benny asked, shaking me slightly at Jane.
Jane looked me over quickly and pointed to the wall in the ally. Benny carried me into the alley and I smirked inside. Perfect, less chance for someone seeing me use my spells. Benny slammed me into a wall opposite him, still holding me by the neck. I would probably have bruises there, but oh well; they would heal during the night and be gone the next day. I would pay them back with interest the moment I was released. I already knew what spell I would use and I looked forward to seeing their stunned faces when I used it. My palm tingled in anticipation.
Jane was in front of me, peering at me with his head tilted slightly, almost like a child.
He smiled, "So, what's your name, hun?"
Benny released some of the hold on my throat, just barely enough to allow me to gasp out a breath.
"None of your business," I breathed, inching my hand into my new bag slowly in preparation.
Jane pouted. "Well, that's no fun. I want to at least know who you are."
His hand gently tugged a strand of my hair, a disgusting smile on his face.
"Oh well, you'll be fun regardless, won't you?" he leered.
His foot shifted slightly in my direction and I waited for Benny to release his hold on my throat, yet he did not. I glanced up at him, worried and confused. Jane's mocking laugh went through the air delicately. My eyes narrowed and my scowl deepened. Okay, plan b. Kicking this guy between the legs the minute he comes within range.
"Oh, Benny keeps the difficult ones quiet while I have my fun. That's why we're a team! It's much more efficient."
Panic flared within me for a moment as his hand stretched out to caress my face. It was gross, his skin was greasy.
"I know you would be difficult, yeah? This will be fun!" He laughed, taking a step. I watched his feet carefully. About two more steps and he would have it… but I still shuddered at the touch of his fingers stroking my face. Okay, extra power in the kick.
A black clawed hand was suddenly around the wrist of the arm Jane was touching my face with. My eyes flashed towards the body that the tattooed arm belonged to. Brago's eyes were a blazing red, absolutely furious. His filed teeth were clenched and a snarl burst from behind them. Sherry was behind him, black book open and glowing.
Jane gaped in shock and fear went through him as Brago's grip tightened dangerously.
"This will be fun!" Brago growled, smirking. He squeezed and Jane's wrist snapped with a sickening crack. He screamed in pain and tried to pull away from Brago, but Brago had another idea. He pulled Jane up by the arm and threw Jane hard from him.
"Jane!" Benny bellowed absolutely furious.
He released his hold on me and I fell to the ground gently to my feet, pulling out my book like a sword from a sheath. Benny charged Brago who remained still, eyeing him as if wondering that he was seriously attacking him.
"Jiusenuga!" I cried, my white book glowing profusely with white light. I stretched out my right hand and the solid beam of light erupted from my palm, directly hitting Benny in the small of his back.
He howled and collapsed to the floor, cringing, gasping in pain before falling unconscious. How disappointing, he wasn't even a warm up, despite his buffness.
"ou shouldn't turn your back on anyone," Brago scolded the inanimate form.
I looked behind me at Jane who was rising to his feet, glaring at Brago with anger. He must not have seen me attack Benny with a spell, because he was eyeing Brago with fury. I couldn't believe he was stupid enough not to notice the bright books Sherry and I held in our hands. I mean, they were so obvious, how can anyone not notice something so abnormal?
"Who said you could interrupt?" He screamed shrilly, rushing at Brago. "You've ruined everything!"
"Ruined what, you forcing yourself upon an unwilling girl?" Sherry snarled, absolutely livid. "Men like you make me sick! I bet you've done this many times before!"
Jane's answer was only a smirk. That was good enough for Sherry.
"Gigano Reis!" Sherry screamed, the energy of her book flaring higher than the top of her blonde head.
`The massive ball of purple energy burst from Brago's hand and soared past me, ruffling my dress and hair. I closed my eyes a moment, reveling in the energy I felt as it passed me. Yes, Brago was certainly powerful. It was a good feeling to experience; I loved it because I knew I would have power like that soon. Jane shrieked in terror and turned to flee.
"Too late," I whispered, opening my eyes to watch. This is what he gets for ruining women.
His scream pierced the night air, no doubt alarming someone to the struggle that was fought here. The broken dumpster Brago's spell had collided with along with Jane was an obvious indicator. I decided to do some quick explanation and wrote a word in extremely large letters on the brick wall across from me with my Jiusenuga spell. It explained the two mean accurately and simply. I turned towards Brago and Sherry.
"Good teamwork, eh?" I asked with a smile.
Sherry glowered, still furious at the men. I decided to let her fume a moment. It was probably a stupid idea, but I decided to irk Brago a little.
"You know, I was about to kick that guy in a very sensitive spot before you arrived. He just needed to take two more steps and I would have had him."
Brago glared at me. "What are you implying?" His tone was that of death.
I smirked. "I guess I didn't need you…" but I was cut off by a punch to the face.
It wasn't hard enough to knock me down but it still hurt. My hand flew to my cheek and I stared wide eyed at Brago's enraged face.
"What was that for?!" I snapped, over my shock already.
"For being foolish! This is what happens when you let your guard down!" Brago growled. A clawed finger pointed to Jane's unconscious, slightly smoking form.
"What's your problem? I had it under control. I had a plan in case Sherry didn't come back quickly enough."
I didn't understand why he was so worked up. I put my book back into my bag and adjusted it on my shoulder. I brushed some dust off of my dress, trying to avoid looking at him. He was glaring at the finger bruises on my neck and his red eyes vanished into the white depths on his face. Wow, he was super mad!
"Well, wearing something like that, it would be a wonder how you didn't attract disgusting excuses for humans!" Brago was quickly resuming his cold indifferent attitude, yet his eyes were far narrower than normal, almost slits of pure white.
I giggled, "What? My outfit?"
"It's ostentatious," Brago grumbled while looking at me sideways, red eyes already visable.
I eyed him skeptically. "Really, Brago? Really? My outfit is ostentatious?"
Brago turned away moodily while I smirked at him. "I attract attention regardless. You attract too much attention from males."
I snickered again. I found it immensely that Brago was some sort of a defender of women, and men that irritated him beyond reckoning were ones that mistreated women… all this coming from a guy who lacks chivalry and manners, who's rude and pushy and forces a girl like Sherry to climb mountainsides and whatnot.
"Well, it's over and done with so we can just forget about it."
"You are taking it far too calmly, Sorella!" Sherry snapped, catching me off guard.
I was beginning to feel confused… again. Why were they getting so worked up? It's not like anything happened, it was prevented, these guys will get locked up, hopefully, and everything turned out fine. Why were they so upset?
"Why are you both so upset?" I asked, walking in step with them as we turned a corner, spotting Jii and the horses up ahead.
Brago growled and Sherry turned towards me, blonde bangs falling into her still fiery blue eyes, ringlets bouncing with each step she took.
"Sorella, this was very serious. You have to understand that things won't always turn out that well in this world. You may be a mamodo, but you are a female mamodo that's looks extremely human! What if you were alone and caught off guard and were separated from your book, tied up, or anything like that?! AND you don't have a Book Master to look out for you! You need to stop joking and take this seriously!"
"I agree. Your naïve attitude is aggravating," Brago chimed in with his gravelly voice.
I huffed, despite that what they were saying was making sense. I lowered my gaze to assume the position of demure sincerity. "I apologize. I will be careful."
Sherry seemed to accept this and helped me up into the carriage already filled up with our bags. But Brago was not nearly as accepting. He eyed me skeptically for a moment before turning away, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Aggravation and anger was still etched on his face as he glared at everything we passed with a heat to rival the flames of hell itself.