Chapter 18

Yuko paused oddly.

Peering about she didn't see Yuuji anywhere! "Where did he go?" she muttered.

Papa was doing his rounds of course, but there were some people earlier that gave her some strange looks. She didn't know what to make of them, but with Yuuji no longer in sight, it worried her.

"Miss Ozawa?"

She turned to see a rather older looking gentleman. He smiled politely and lowered his head. "Gege speaks of you ALL the time."

"Oh… are you.." she began to ask and yet tried to hit towards the obvious.

He laughed aloud and nodded. "Indeed, I am… in truth I came to keep an eye on you as some of my… shall I say brothers are interested in the likes of you?"

She got the hint.

Ever since Gege appeared to her in his true form. Yuko has started to understand the subtle usage of words. He has many connections to those of the divine and many are her business partners now too. The gentlemen before her was part of a company they recently required. They specialize in mass construction as well as landscaping. "I see… I am a little concerned, I don't see my husband anywhere…" she said offhandedly.

"Husband?" he asked.

But then, he froze.

The look of terror came over his face… well… not just his face. In fact, a good quarter of the party guests suddenly looked pale and peered about in horror.

She didn't understand why, but within half an hour… Yuuji returned.

He was licking his fingers clean oddly enough, savoring the flavor trapped on the tips of his fingers. Yet, as he walked back, he appeared to notice the stares aimed at him.

He just finished licking clean his thumb and stopped himself. "Did… I come at the wrong time or something…"

His clothing was a mess now, there were splatters on it…

Oh God…

That blood isn't it?

Yuko was quick to rush up to him. "Change now!" she whispered to him in a stern tone.

He finally took notice of his clothing. "Oh shit…" he left quickly. Yuko turned and forced a smile. "Men, go figure huh?" she said nervously.

"Papa is a mess…" chimed Kiyoshi. "And he smells like a pig."

If she could die of embarrassment here and now, that would be great! She thought to herself. Kiyoshi has no filter.

#

The rest of the event was… lackluster to say.

No one wanted to say anything, do anything or even touch the food that remained. The gentlemen she spoke to earlier had vanished with all who came with him. Those who are associated with Gege left in a hurry as well. She didn't understand what was wrong.

Yuuji on the other hand was trying not to make any more commotion. "Uh… good food," he said innocently enough.

"Yuuji… what did you do?" she whispered to him.

He was silent on the matter. But more strangely is this, he hasn't complained about being hungry.

"Yuko, I think it's time to end the celebration… something has put a scare into these people…" Papa said gently, she noticed him look over at Yuuji. "But to be honest, I think this was the best way to end it."

"Papa?"

"Grandpa?"

Yuuji even paused to his decree. "I knew about them." He whispered. "Those damn Orcs, sometimes, they pull tricks like this… it's not the first time either and they have gotten away with it."

Yuko turned to Yuuji.

He peered away before stating. "They were eying you the most, wanting you for themselves… I refuse to let them even look at you like that!" He settled himself when he realized he was scaring everyone. "I'm sorry… I also got hungry… I needed to eat and…"

"Young man, quite apologizing" Papa said gently. "Now, I suggest you take your family home. I am certain you have all had a long day…"

He nodded humbly. "Thank you sir," Yuuji took everyone home, but that's when he acted strange again. He was scratching at his forehead and scalp oddly. "GAH! Again!" he protested. "Excuse me…" he ran off shortly after.

"Is Papa okay?" Kiyoshi asked.

"I don't know anymore…" Yuko was worried, perhaps she needs to speak with Yua on the matter.

"Itadori?"

She jumped, not realizing the very person she thought of, appeared before her. "Oh, Yua… Yuuji ran off shortly after we got back…"

A moment of pause came over her, Yua looked concerned. "Anything strange happen today? Suiryu got back a few hours ago, he's just had enough to eat before running off. He has four large lumps on his head, I didn't know if Itadori did too…"

"I… wasn't really paying attention to his head." She said offhandedly. "Yua… what's wrong with him?"

She sighed aloud. "It's not exactly wrong… it's just that… Yuuji and Suiryu are developing rather quickly for dragons. Even though they are young… technically new borns, the fact remains that their bodies are trying to play catch up to their dragon side. They were born looking like their old selves right? Sixteen years old or so. The problem is, for a dragon, sixteen years is how long they need to wait before their horns grow in."

"Papa is going to have horns?!" Kiyoshi asked with great excitement. "He will be like a deer!"

"Dragon, sweetheart, he will be a dragon. That's a lot more powerful than a deer." Yua said and snickered. "But you know what. I got a secret… I happen to know your Uncle Eso has been making sweets for Uncle Gojo. Today… I am certain your uncle Gojo won't notice one or two that go missing right?"

His eyes widened, he rushed off in search of Eso shortly after.

Yua then became serious. "At the moment I am greatly concerned for them. Suiryu and Yuuji are growing quickly, their hunger is also a sign of that too. But, I was just told by an informant of D'angelo. One of his familiars stated with the way the two of them eat… there isn't enough to satisfy them."

She froze. "What… what do we do?"

Yua sighed aloud once more. "I've been trying to see if there is a way to contact lady Tiamat. At the same time, she has enough to deal with since dragons have invaded her territory." She said offhandedly. "Still, this is worrying me."

If she is worried, Yuko is now worried…

What's going to happen to them?

#

BASH!

"GAAAAAHHHH! JUST STOP ALREADY!"

Yuuji barely made it through the forest, and yet, there was a place he was drawn to. The trees here are rock hard. Fushiguro mentioned it a while ago when he was training. Only to learn it's called an iron wood tree. "It takes special metal to even knick this stuff." Yuuji remembered Suiryu say.

When he arrived, he found his brother smashing his head into a tree and then, slowly, sliding his forehead down the side. "Suiryu?"

He paused from his action before glaring at Yuuji. "Get your own tree!"

Yuuji froze, Suiryu was upset, no doubt frustrated with this. But, he doesn't hold it against him. After all, he feels the same way.

Giving Suiryu some space, he found a nice thick tree and began to follow his lead. One firm head-butt against it, and he felt it. The lumps on his head growing, itching under his scalp, shifting and trying to break free in a sense. "Why does this itch so much!" Yuuji shouted in frustration.

He only heard another loud smash. Suiryu however went silent, but then, started to laugh. "Hehehe…. Hahahah…. HAHAHAAH!"

"Suiryu?"

"Relief! I finally have relief!" he shouted.

Curiosity got the better of him, Yuuji peered over but found Suiryu's face covered in blood. "Suiryu!"

"It's fine… it's fine…" he insisted and waved off his concern. "Ah… I feel so much better now…" with the wave of his hand, he instantly cleared the blood from his face. But Yuuji froze. On his forehead was two small nubs. And peering through his hair were another two nubs!

Suiryu's hand reached up and felt them, but a smirk came over him. "I got my horns before you… guess I am hornier than you are."

Yuuji snickered until the itch became too much. He turned and smashed his head into the tree, but… he too felt relief! The skin broke on his forehead he felt the blood trickle down his face but at the same time, it was refreshing. "Yeah… that's the stuff…" he said in a very content tone. He turned and slowly slid down the side of the tree. "I feel better… but I still feel hungry."

Suiryu nodded. "I can't stay full, I hardly feel satisfied anymore… I'm hungry all the time. I just… I just want to eat until I can't!"

"Me too!" Yuuji protested. "Ugh, why is this happening?!"

"Dunno… don't care at this point either… we better go talk to Yua about this…"