Author's Notes: Tasuki awakens, but the torture has just begun. For all of you action lovers out there, you'll have to be bear with me for one more chapter. I promise the action will start in chapter 4.
I know that in traditional mythology, werewolves only transform on the night of a full moon. However, for the sake of the story, I've decided that werewolves should transform every night at sundown. I also know that my cure for the werewolf curse isn't the traditional one, (I don't even know if there is an actual cure) but again for the sake of the story, I made one up. It's all in good fun and it helps keep the action flowing.
On a side note, for those of you who are curious as to where the term "emotionally constipated" came from; I originally got it from my friends Avalon and Trinity. Ever since then, it's been popping up in my casual conversations, fics, and a couple of English reports. (My teacher didn't say anything, but I think he found the phrase amusing.)
On yet another side note, this story will not become a yaoi. I strongly believe that two men can have a close friendship without having it turn into love. I don't have anything against yaoi, but I'm absolutely horrible at writing romance. So, for the books, Chichiri and Tasuki will not become a couple in this fic.
Thinking in * *
Chapter 3: Fate of a Lycanthrope
The first thing Tasuki felt when he woke up was the splitting headache that exploded as soon as he opened his eyes. Groaning, he closed his eyes again and buried his head in the pillow.
"Damn, what was I drinking last night?" he grumbled.
"You weren't drinking anything no da," Tasuki's eyes snapped back open at the sound of Chichiri's voice. "You were attacked last night no da. Do you remember anything?"
Tasuki winced as memories of the previous night came back. "Yeah, I remember. That thing jumped me, but I'll be ready next time."
Grief flashed in Chichiri's remaining eye as he removed his mask. "There will not be a next time Tasuki. The damage has already been done."
"Huh?" Tasuki didn't like what he was hearing.
"The creature that attacked you wasn't any ordinary animal. It was a lycanthrope. A lupine lycanthrope to be precise."
"A loopy licathing?"
Chichiri chuckled despite himself. "No Tasuki-kun. A lupine lycanthrope. In other words, it was a werewolf."
"Wait a sec, hold on. You're saying a werewolf attacked me? Chichiri, I think all that magic shit has finally gotten to your head."
Chichiri frowned. "This is no laughing matter, Tasuki. That werewolf bit you," The monk gestured toward the scar on Tasuki's shoulder. "And through that bite, the creature gave you the lycanthrope curse."
Tasuki just sat there with a clueless expression on his face. "Don't follow."
Chichiri sweatdropped. "Tasuki, read my lips. You! Are! A! Were! Wolf! That means when night falls, you are going to become a creature that is half man and half wolf."
Tasuki's face fell. "Define the half man, half wolf part for me."
Chichiri flinched. Of all the questions Tasuki could have asked, this was the one he didn't want to answer. However, the younger seishi had a right to know what was going to happen when the sun set.
"First,
your body will grow to a massive size.
Then, it will become similar to a wolf's. Your head will be that of a wolf and your
entire body will be covered in fur. You
will become ten times stronger than you are now, not to mention faster."
Tasuki could see that Chichiri was holding something back. He knew that the monk was reluctant to tell him something, but he needed to know everything about this curse.
"What aren't you telling me, Chichiri? From what you've told me, this curse doesn't sound as bad as you were implying. What's the catch?"
Chichiri gulped and wished that he was wearing his mask to hide the fear in his eye.
"This new form has a horrible price, Tasuki. What you will gain in physical power, you will lose mentally. Once you transform, you will be as savage, uncontrollable, unthinking, and completely feral as the beast which attacked you last night was."
Tasuki stared hard at the sheet held in his clenched hands.
"Of all the people here, why me?" He mumbled. "Why was I the one to get bitten?"
"In all honesty, I don't know why you were chosen. Werewolves choose their victims several nights before the attack, though no one knows why they choose who they do. Legends say that the only ones who can hear a werewolf's call are those who have been selected as victims. Tasuki, this is why you could hear howling at night that no one else could hear."
"Che, lucky me," Tasuki chuckled half-heartedly.
Chichiri grabbed his young friend's shoulders. "Tasuki, this is serious. When night falls, you will become a mindless killer! Think of what may happen if you attack Miaka or any of the other seishi. In your feral state, you can and will end up killing any of them!"
"Chichiri, you've gotta help me!" Tasuki cried with tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Isn't there a cure or something that'll lift the curse before I hurt someone?"
The monk stood from his seat next to Tasuki's bed and moved to the window. He stared intently at the beautifully rolling landscape of Konan; anything to avoid the heart-wrenching look of fear and hopelessness in Tasuki's amber eyes.
"I spoke to Taittsukun about this earlier today while you were still asleep. Apparently, there is only one cure for the werewolf's curse." His fists clenched the window frame in frustration. "But, it may be impossible."
Tasuki leapt from the bed. "What? Tell me what to do! I'll do whatever it takes to get rid of this curse!"
Chichiri turned to face the younger seishi, his mahogany eye filled with concern.
"You must find and kill the werewolf that bit you. But, werewolves move incredibly fast so we may not be able to find it in time."
"In time?"
"You were bitten under a full moon. If you don't kill the werewolf who spread the curse to you before the next full moon, the curse will become irreversible. You will remain a werewolf forever."
"So, you're saying I've only got only one month to find this damn werewolf?"
"Hai," Chichiri muttered dejectedly.
Tasuki's voice dropped. "Do the others know?"
"Hai," Chichiri replied sadly. "I told them all this morning after speaking with Taittsukun. We must not waste time finding the werewolf that cursed you. We will need to leave and be far away from the city before sundown tonight."
Tasuki looked up sharply and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What'dya mean 'we'?"
The monk averted his gaze from Tasuki and stared down at the floor. "I have more knowledge of creatures like werewolves than any of the other seishi. I may be able to help you cope with this."
Tasuki had seen that look in Chichiri's eyes before. It was the same look he wore when he had first told him about his past; guilt. *He blames himself for what happened.*
"Chichiri," Tasuki's voice was dead serious. "This whole thing ain't your fault!"
Chichiri began to protest but Tasuki cut him off.
"None of us knew the thing you were sensing was a werewolf and there was nothing you could've done to prevent me from getting bitten." He gave the monk his trademark smirk. "And if you start blaming yourself, I'll take you out drinking with me again."
Chichiri flinched as the image of a drunk, SD Tasuki starting a costly bar fight a week ago flashed into his memory. The older seishi shuddered at the thought before visibly relaxing a little and nodding in agreement.
"In that case, we should leave as soon as possible no da."