Of all the insufferable...arrogant...egotistical...sadistic creatures she had ever met! Not that she had the pleasure of meeting very many creatures, having lived in Wendy's BED-room for as long as she could remember, but after reading the plethora of books that managed to find their way under the BED, Levy was certain that the Monster in the Closet was at the top of the list of the most ill-mannered creatures ever born.
She sat unmoving on the MC's back, appendages crossed and forcing her rising static to dissipate. Levy tisked at the back of his shadowy head and thought of new words to describe her necessary, yet regrettable, partner. She bounced on his back as his long legs broke into another job. Lifting an appendage, she counted down silently to herself.
"5...4...3...2...1…"
The bouncing eased as the MC began to walk once more. She forced back the smug grin that threatened to form. Just who did he think he was, complaining and calling her weak when he himself could not even run after a single transportation vehicle? With a pout she settled more comfortably on his back, thinking back to how his words made her positively irate. Furious. Incensed even.
Oh! That was splendid!
Smirking to herself, she thought back to the thesaurus she found within the bowels of the BED's underbelly and helped pass the time by recalling the numerous words for ANGRY that she could remember. Each jolt from the MC fueled yet another round of words. Her body jerked when the MC stopped in his tracks.
She rubbed her sore rear-fuzz and squinted at the darkened buildings surrounding them. "What is it, MC? Why are we stopping?"
The shadows beneath her lifted in a heavy sigh. "The vehicle is long gone by now. We need to get some information to know where it went."
"Do you know of any monsters who could give us such information?" She eyed the dark street warily, hoping they would not have to venture far from the moonlight.
The MC peered back at her with the same, infuriating red-eyed look he had been using since they left Wendy's BED-room. "Yer such a MUB. Didn't I just tell ya i wasn't always an MC? 'Course I know some monsters. Hold tight."
Her appendage barely managed to grab hold of his shadows before the MC bolted into the shadows. He followed the strange, narrow roadway the persons used, darting between shadows and slinking away from the lights, and moved them into a narrow passageway between two, tumbling down buildings.
Fuzz quivering, Levy held an appendage to her face, eyeing the decrepit area they had entered. Moonlight illuminated wet puddles on the ground and the walls shimmered with a thick sheen. Small, chittering animals darted between crates and barrels, hissing at them with their sharp teeth.
"MC," she whispered, trying not to breathe through her nose, "what is this place?"
"Keep yer head down and let me do the talkin', got it?"
She huffed at his superior tone, but lowered herself onto his back, eyeing the looming walls closing in on them. The MC's footsteps slowed and she watched his head swivel back and forth.
Not wanting to risk his ire by asking what in the midnight he was doing, Levy began her own search. She swiveled her head to study the opposite wall, eyeing the crates carefully. She blinked into the darkness and the darkness blinked back, two startling red eyes peering back at her.
Barely managing to hold back a squeal, she tapped the MC's shoulder shadow. "Um...MC?"
"Didn't I tell ya to keep quiet?"
The red eyes began to grow larger. "But MC," she tried again, tugging at his shadow.
"What!?"
With a loud bark the red eyes lunged toward them. Levy squealed, covering her head with her appendages as she felt a solid form knock into them. She tumbled off of the MC's back, narrowly missing a goopy puddle on the ground. Her ears filled with the sounds of barks and snarls. With another cry, she curled into her fuzz, waiting to feel teeth rip into her soft body.
After a moment of silently quivering, and no teeth ripping her to shredded pieces of fluff, Levy swore she heard bouts of laughter among the barking. Gathering what little courage she had, she cautiously removed her appendages and opened her eyes. The strange sight of the MC and the strange, dark creature wrestling on the ground greeted her astounded mind. She studied them for a moment, confirming her suspicion that the MC was actually laughing with the terrifying, yet playful monster.
"Oi, Lily! You big oaf, stop licking me! Did ya miss me boy, huh, did ya?"
The similarities between the two monsters was startlingly familiar; both possessed dark, shadowy bodies with blazing red eyes, but where the MC's shadows wisped along the edges as if on fire, the other creature's remained solid along the edges, creating a clear image of some sort of large, dog-like animal.
Levy rose from the ground and watched the pair play. The MC's eyes sparked with mischief and she could hear the laughter in his voice. She giggled softly, a smile tugging on the corners of her lips.
Huh, maybe he is not as cantankerous as I originally thought?
"Well, well, well...what do we have here?"
Levy yelped and spun on her fluff, choking on a scream. She hardly dared to move as all manners of vile creatures emerged from the crates and barrels and surrounded her. Night Terrors and baubas, cuca and nalusa falaya. All covered in fangs and claws, smouldering eyes filled with vile contempt.
Hissing laughter came from her side and a kludde slithered out of a barred hole in the ground. It moved across the cold ground, dripping, sepid water on her bottom fuzz. A shiver crawled up her spine and she clamped her lips against the shrieks asking to be released. She stared at each repulsive creature, recalling each of Boogeyman Makarov's warnings about the creatures of the night.
"Now then...what is a little Dust Bunny doing so far from home, Juvia wonders?"
Even her fluff began to quake. A tall baubas stepped away from the group of monsters and slowly moved toward Levy. The creature's long, tangled hair dripped thick, black globules onto the ground. Thin, spindly arms swung casually at her side and Levy flinched when she caught the sight of knobby, wrinkly fingers tipped with razor sharp nails.
"Juvia has never played with a Dust Bunny before. Juvia is very excited," the baubas purred and pushed a finger into the top of Levy's fuzz.
Levy flinched, quivering helplessly and chest tight with an unshed scream. Her hair was pulled and tugged through her fuzz and into the open air. Emotion filled her eyes and her heart pounded in her chest. She forced her eyes shut, her body growing cold.
Please...please do not...do not take away my fuzz. I cannot show...if the MC saw he would…
"That's enough, Juvia." A deep voice penetrated the haze surrounding Levy's mind. "Don't ya know how picky MUB's are about showing their true forms?"
The sinister presence left her side, replaced by the MC's strong, familiar warmth next to her. Levy cracked her eyes open. She startled at the sight of the large, dog-creature sitting at her side. Lily looked up at her, a pink tongue flicking out of his mouth, and lazily placed his head on her side. Swallowing past her dry throat, she turned to look at the MC. She blinked, then blinked again rapidly as she tilted her chin to look up up up.
Dark shadows still surrounded the MC, but he changed his animalistic form into something closely resembling a persons-form. Two strong legs stood proudly on the ground while two thick arms were crossed in front of a wide torso. Thick, writhing shadows formed at the top of his head and fell down to his waist in smooth waves . Levy gulped, wondering if he had copied his form to look almost identical in size to Wendy's Gym-going father.
The baubas snickered and tilted her head, slimy strands of hair slipping over her bony shoulder. "Kurogane is defending the fluffball?"
"She's with me," the MC growled, "so I won't take it kindly if anyone mistreats her. Now where's Jose?"
Levy startled when the MC gently tucked her hair back under her fuzz and brushed the fluffy surface back to its usual smooth shape. The monsters writhed and wiggled between the buildings and Levy tucked herself out of sight behind the MC, holding onto his hair shadows tightly.
"So, the prodigal son finally returns to his nest."
Levy jumped at the deep, booming voice, almost ripping off a piece of the MC's shadows. She heard him hiss and begin to scold her, but the sound of her hammering heart filled her ears. She pressed her shivering body tightly against the MC's back, unable to tear her gaze away from the monstrous creatures stalking around them. They moved in a single wave to the end of the narrow space and with some silent signal they parted as one, revealing a large, lumbering form lounging on a stack of crates.
Even sitting, Levy could see that the monster was heads taller than the rest of the creatures of darkness. His massive body was covered in thick, fur-like darkness that rose in small spikes across his body. Six blazing red eyes bore into them and a beaming, sharp-toothed smile bid them false welcome.
Levy gulped, her fuzz prickling with a thousand statics. She had heard stories and warnings from Boogeyman Makarov about the dreaded bauks before, but never did she think herself unlucky enough to meet one in person.
Gajeel tisked and dragged her reluctant body next to him. "Tch, such a drama queen...always makin' people walk up to him like he's some all important monster." He placed his strong arm around her fuzz and gently pushed her forward. "Let's get this over with. Remember, mouth shut."
Levy's head moved in frantic circles; side to side in a silent...and ignored...protest of approaching the terrifying monster, yet up and down in complete and utter agreement to not utter a single word to draw any more attention to herself.
Her fuzz was as heavy as a bucket of Wendy's blocks as she was pushed forward, making their approach seem to take an entire full moon before they made it to the base of the bauk's wooden throne. Her eyes never left the grotesque monster and his grinning, too-many-teeth smile sent shudders down her fuzz. Static collected in clumps, shooting small sparks around her body.
"Now then, what brings you to my neck of the woods, hmmm?" The bauk crossed one bottom claw over the other and laced his claws together. "Finally tired of that pansy job you took on?"
The MC snorted next to her and removed his arm to cross them in front of him. "Just lookin' for some information, that's all. Wanted to know if you saw a dark transportation vehicle pass by. Smaller size, but big enough for a small familiar unit. Male driving, male in the back with a young sleepin' child."
The grin became wider and the six eyes glowed fiendishly. Levy felt her heart puddle somewhere near the stone floor beneath her bottom fuzz. "Ho ho, did you go and lose your child, eh Kurogane?"
The group of monsters and creatures hooted and laughed, inching closer to them. Levy slinked to the MC's side, grasping his shadows tightly in both appendages. Her heart returned to her chest, but seemed as if it would beat completely out of her body.
"A stranger kidnapped her. I just figured that since yer goons run around the city like wild animals they probably have seen somethin'."
"Maybe they have...but maybe they haven't." Levy pressed herself closer to the MC's side. "But you must know just how hard it is to remember small things like that…"
The monster's six eyes glanced around the group and the monsters began to snicker.
"Oh yes, so forgetful!"
"Can't remember a thing, my bad!"
"A shame...really."
Levy flinched at every movement, every hiss that left their lips and beaks. Her eyes darted around the group and her appendages grew numb. She held herself rigidly behind the MC, her static reaching its limit.
The baubas sauntered to the MC's side, her long nail trailing down his arm. "Juvia would just love to help Kurogane, but Juvia has such a hard time remembering details these days…" Her hideous face pulled into what Levy thought was supposed to be a pout.
The leader bauk rose from his chair, walking ever so slowly toward them. "So my question now is: what can you give us in exchange for this information, hmmm? Ah! You know what…"" He clapped his claws, every fiber of Levy's static-filled fuzz turning to ice as each and every red eye focused directly on her. "We haven't had a Dust Bunny visit in soooo long. I'm sure the group would just...love to play!"
The bauk reached out a clawed limb, touched her fuzz, and Levy lost control of her static.
She let loose the scream building within her chest, a blood curdling shriek that echoed against the stone ground and bounced off the buildings surrounding them.
"DO NOT TOUCH ME!"
Static shot from her fuzz and zapped the creature in front of her. The bauk howled in pain and staggered backward, shaking his smoking claws.
Chest heaving and mind blinded with white-hot terror, Levy grabbed a piece of the MC's floating shadows and ripped it from the rest. She brandished it in front of her, swinging it at the bauk.
"I am NOT a playing thing for you nor your goons to use as you please!" Static streaked from her body and swirled around the shadow in her hand. It exploded in a shower of sparks each time it connected with the monster leader.
"My child has been kidnapped!"
She whacked the bauk as hard as her small appendages could manage.
"We only want a miniscule amount of information!"
Sparks scattered as the shadow weapon connected again.
"So which one of you will give it to us, huh?"
Levy spun on her heel, breaths short and shallow. Her glow burned and shone through her careful coating of fuzz.
"Did you see the transportation vehicle?" Her static flew as she growled at a nearby Night Terror.
The Terror shook its head rapidly and darted to the side. With a squeal Levy swung at it with her shadow, flinging it into the nearby building. She turned to a group of nalusa falaya.
"Did you see the transportation vehicle?"
They shook their bulbous heads, spindly legs already moving in what seemed to be her direction. Levy screamed and scrunched her eyes shut, swinging the shadow in front of her wildly. It connected with scales and slime, each hit accompanied with grunts and squeals of pain.
"Stay back! All of you!" She screeched at the moving creatures. "Who saw the transportation vehicle? Where is it! NO! DO NOT TOUCH ME AGAIN!"
Movement caught the corner of her eye and Levy spun on her heel, seeing the large form of the bauk rising from the ground. His body jerked and Levy screamed, running to his side and beating the shadow against his back over and over again.
"WHERE IS THE TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE!" She beat the shadow against his prone body, tears streaming down her face.
"You're insane!" the bauk shouted, lowering his claws and turning all six eyes to her.
They glowed like fire and Levy inhaled deeply, belting out the loudest scream she could muster. The bauk flinched. Blood pumping at the sudden movement, Levy closed her eyes and swung the shadow with renewed vigor, screaming and screeching the entire time.
A strong appendage grabbed her by the back of her fuzz. She writhed and kicked, her shadow swishing wildly through the air and mouth opening to release yet another scream.
"I suggest you tell her what she wants to know, Jose. Can't guarantee what a little Dust Bunny will do to you, gihee."
The MC's deep, warm voice rushed over her, stilling her appendages. She froze, her mind growing fuzzy and her throat burning. She inhaled hitching, sobbing breaths. Sparks popped from her fuzz and her glow shone brightly through her coverings.
The bauk held his head in his claws and groaned. "Down the main road out of town! A Night Terror said it saw the vehicle heading toward Crocus! It's the next main city over, but there are a few smaller towns along the highway"
"Now see, that wasn't so hard, was it?"
Levy remained frozen as the MC lifted her up until her head was level with his. Her lower appendages dangled in the air and the MC walked through the mass of monsters, holding her in front of him. The creatures shifted and she shrieked, whipping the shadow back and forth in front of her. She tucked her lower appendages into her fuzz and squirmed away from any monster that came even remotely close to her.
"A pleasure doing business with you all. We should do it again sometime," the MC called out, a strange quiver in his voice.
Levy panted, finally seeing the lights from the road illuminating the darkness. She kept a careful eye on the creatures, waiting for any movement towards her.
"Lily! Come boy!"
She flinched at the loud command and jerked her shadow to the side. The tall female baubas startled and turned to run, but Levy shrieked and a line of sparks hit the baubas. The creature howled and jumped behind a wooden crate.
The MC trembled behind her as they left the alleyway. He continued to carry her down the road and she aimed her shadow at every dark corner they passed, zapping anything that moved. Her body trembled and grew limp. Throat burning, she muttered into the darkness.
"Never again...never ever again. No more alleyways...no, never ever...never…no."
So fun fact: each monster mentioned was inspired by real legends from around the world! For those of you who are curious, here is the basic list for this chapter and the link where I got my information. Just an FYI, the Wikipedia stories for these monsters can be a bit...scary. You have been warned :/
**31-mythical-creatures-used-to-scare-children-from-around-the-world**
Lily: Oude rode ogen (Belguim)
Juvia: Baubas (Lithuania)
Jose: Bauk (Serbia)
Cuca: (Brazil)
Nalusa falaya: (Choctaw mythology)
Kludde: (Belgium)