Chapter Twenty Eight


Wyrmling

A Naruto Fanfiction


Chapter Twenty Eight


Disclaimer: Ohm Nohms!


The wyrmling woke in another place. It was totally and completely unfamiliar. The place was white. There were white wals, white pillars, white ceiling, and a white tile floor. The only things in the room that were not white were the wyrmling and an altar. The altar was wooden,a cherry, but the décor was serpentine. There were dragons for legs of the table. The table itself was the visage of a dragon. On it was a bowl of fire.

Where am I?

Yukio turned her head, no one was in the strange place with her.

Which of these things do not belong?

Yukio wandered to the table. Each step gave a loud echo in the grand white room. She leaned on the table and nothing happened.

She sighed to herself. A flame in a bowl…There's no clear source, no gasoline or oil…It's probably a good idea to NOT touch it.

She leaned towards the flame, just as the tips of her head came above the steady flame, the red of the fire melted into black.

Yukio's eyes widened.

Gotta go!

The wyrmling turned to run. Something, a curiosity, made her turn her head for a second and she was upset that she did. She saw that the fire changed once more. It did not return to red, but instead, the black flame lengthened…and grew hands. Those fire hands reached for Yukio's bracelet. She picked up her feet and pushed herself forward, but she was no match for the flames. They reached her. They seared her arm and an unmistakable scream errupted from her lips. It was as if someone had taken several stakes and stabbed her down into her bone. Water immediately clouded her vision.

"It seems you stuck your nose into a place where it does not belong," came a calm, male voice.

The wyrmling forced the water down her face to clear her eyes. "Who are you?" she craoked. Her vision cleared to reveal a reedy man with a long white beard. He wore a red cloak that was tied with a rope at his hip.

"I have been awaiting your arrival, wyrmling, but it seems that you have not been awaiting this moment." His bushy white brows furrowed.

The wyrmling's eyes darted around. The fire no longer attached itself to her arm. It was back in the bowl. "What was that?"

The man smiled, "The dragon flame. It was given to us as a gift from the Dragon Council long ago. As long as we keep the fire lit, the dragons will lend us assistance."

"Why? Why did it do that?" She clutched her arm close to her chest. It was her good arm.

The man smiled as he walked down to the wyrmling, walking on the air. "Because you are a wyrmling, but not quite."

How did I get here…Wait. Mei.

"Where's Mei?"

A piece of the wall raised to reveal the translator.

Yukio moistened her lips, "Mei, Mei. Tell him I didn't even know about this dragon thing until a couple weeks ago."

Mei translated solemly.

The man's red robes barely wrinkled as he stood face to face with the wyrmling. "So I hear and so I understand. However, your arribal means that the dragons will return to this earth. We must prepare for their arrival. You have two ways to elect to do this: the hard way or the easy way."

"She elested for the hard way," smirked Mei.

Yukio's lips parted.

You…traitor…I'll…KILL YOU!

"No! All I want is to take this bracelet off! That's all I'm here fore. None of your dragon return thing. That's never been a part of my plan!"

The man chuckled knowingly, "No, but it's a part of mine."

Maybe I can work this…

Yukio closed her eyes, thinking up a strategy. "Wait…if I'm a drgon…don't you hafta listen to me?"

The man sighed as he slipped an arm around the wyrmling's shoulder. "You are not yet a dragon. When you become a draon, I will ovey you, but until that day, it is my duty to bring you to your true state."

Yukio bit her lip.

He's gunna change me?

"You're gunna change me?" she couldn't fight the slight quiver in her voice.

"Yes," he moved to place both his hands on her shoulders, as if he was imparting great wisdom to an heir. "You will be changed to your true self. You will no longer be confined by that riddiculous human form of yours." He turned to Me. "The bonds!"

Immediately blue glowing ropes tied the wyrmling to the ground. Her limbs were tied in different places. What she feared came to pass. She was vulnerable.

"All traces of humanity must be eradicated, starting with the flesh. There are dragon scales beneath the meat. Find her scale, Mei." The wall-door opened once more. The reedy man made his way to it and exited the white room.

Wait. Why isn't Mei doing anything? Maybe I have a chance. I just hafta reach her!

"It would be my honor," murmured Mei.

"Mei, don't do thia. We just met. I was hoping we could be friends." Yukio forced her eyes to sparkle.

If this doesn't work, I don't know what will.

Mei said nothing as she pulled a ninja scroll from one of her many pouches. She knelt down on the ground where she opened the scroll. She hand-signed to summon a mace and a whip.

Oh shit! No!

"Mei!"

No answer.

"Mei!"

The translator finally looked at the wyrmling. The translator's eyes looked dead.

Just one more try.

"Mei, you don't have to do this."

Mei closed her eyes and chose her words carefully. "If only you could understand who I am and why I must do this."

"I could try if you just let me."

Mei moistened her lips. She reached for the instruments of pain and rose to her feet. "I'll be as gentle as possible. Just…be obedient and learn fast…Good luck."

Mei cracked the whip once in warning. The second time the whip cracked, it was on the wyrmling's flesh. Within minutes, the white room had red.


Ariel Ceylan: Here's another chapter for you guys! It's much longer than the previous one. This is just something to tie us both over the Thanksgiving turkey coma (for you fellow Americans). I have papers to write...still...can't wait for them to finally leave my life this semester. Also have been working on shorts lately (my nemesis!) so Yukio has been on the back burner lately. Don't worry. I'll continue to update. Just giving you guys a heads up...This is sooo much longer than I anticipated. Until next time! ~Ariel Ceylan