Quest of the Nine Saviour
A fanfiction from the hands of Gunbazca & Wing Descendant
Disclaimer: All the characters' names, places, and other related indicia used in this fan fiction are all owned by their respective copyright owners. This fan fiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not for gathering profit. So, in other words, don't sue us. We're not rich enough to pay fines.
Chapter 3: Similar Trauma
Harriet… prepare lunch, please…
"OK, mom!"
Suddenly, there was thundering sounds everywhere. A man went flying across the open door. The poor man landed just before the stove. It was Chuck, one of the employees working in the farm. His body was severely slashed. Harriet shrieked loudly, while Cecile came to him.
What is it, Chuck?
A-… A mon-… ster…Urgh.
Chuck? CHUCK! Wake up!
AAAAAAAAA…
Harriet ran to the open door, hoping to see her father alive. But what she saw has exceeded even her imagination. Elrond is being devoured by the 40-foot long monster.
"FATHEEEER!"
The monster turned to her, after swallowing the mauled body of her father.
Harriet, run! We'll hold the monster here!
Fira…AAAARGH!
YUNAAAA! BASTAAAruuuurgh! UAAAAAARGH!
"UNCLE TIDUS! AUNTIE YUNA! NOOOOOOO!"
The monster devoured the bodies of Tidus and Yuna in front of Harriet's terror-stricken, blank stare. Then it turned to Harriet again, before belching a stream of fire to her. But, instead of hitting the intended target, the fire hit Cecile.
R-… Run, Ha-… Harriet… live…
"Mom… no… mom! Mom, wake up… wake up, mom… mom… NOOOOOOOOOOOO! MOOOOOOOOM!"
…
"Still no progress yet?" Hanjiro asked Hokuto, who's standing near the hospital bed where Harriet laid.
"Well, I can't say that for sure. Her wounds are completely healed inside-out, but she's still in comatose… my best guess is that she had something inside her mind… maybe a mental wound or some kind of those," Hokuto responded, scratching her head.
"Yeah… watching all of your family got eaten by some beast isn't a pleasant thing to do," the beastmaster, Hua Zhe Lei, added in.
"Right, Lei. Glad you didn't took the same wound after you woke up that goddess having a beauty nap," Hanjiro said with a smile, joking.
"Ha ha. But you better watch your back, Hanjiro," Lei uttered flatly.
Hanjiro, hearing a growl, looked behind. He saw sixteen wolves and ten Thylacines (striped wolf-like marsupial creature formerly found in Australia- in case readers don't know) packed in the small hospital aisle, all baring their fangs at him.
"Aw, great. Another speed sparring in this time of the day," Hanjiro cursed, before starting to run in full speed through the window. The wolves chased him.
"Gee, I'm so lucky I didn't pissed you off, Lei. Otherwise I'll be off recreating 'Dances with Wolves' too like what Hanjiro is doing now," Hokuto remarked while smiling.
"He needed it, anyway. His speed, stamina and agility is below par," Lei snorted.
…
"Sure you're up to this, Lei? I mean… are you sure you want to stay here and look after Harriet?" Hokuto asked as she dons her coat.
"Yeah, no problem. Where are you going, anyway, Hokuto?" Lei replied.
"I'm going to shop on my supplies. You know, elixirs, ethers, potions, and things like those. I'm also going to send a wire to the Shinsengumi HQ and buy take-outs for us. Anything you need?"
"Well, nothing's running out in my pouch. Just buy us something a bit decent for dinner… don't buy us some cheap sushi like the last time."
"giggles OK, I'll remember that then. Catch you later Lei!"
Lei turned to the still body of Harriet after Hokuto closed the door. This kid resembles San Chai very much…only her hair differs, he thought as he looked to the comatose Harriet.
Darn… San Chai… haven't you let me go?
His blue-green eyes looked through the window, to some place maybe only he can reach.
--
Three kids, two boys and a girl, were chasing each other in a forest glenn.
San Chai… Hey! Don't run so fast! We can't catch up!
Bah! You two are soooo weak! Can't keep up with a girl like me! Weaklings!
Are you starting a fight, San Chai? HUH?! COME HERE AND I'LL BEAT YOU UP!
No-you-can't! You-must-catch-me-first-Ming She-weakling!
You're asking it! SUMMON MANTICO-…WHA?! ZHE LEI, LET GO OF ME!
Cut it out, Ming She! If master Wu Fei finds out that you used your summons to fight anyone but me you'll, be dead chunks!
Let go of me, Zhe Lei! That no-good father's girl is pissing me off!
Weakling! Weakling! Weakling!
--
SUMMON MANTICORE!
SUMMON MANTIS!
The two beasts clashed, battling each other. In a few moments the manticore (a Greek legendary beast in the shape of a lion-headed lobster- in case readers don't know) were pushed aback by the large mantis.
Enough, you two!
UNSUMMON MANTICORE!
UNSUMMON MANTIS!
Great, my disciples! Your summons are almost at the same strength. Though I had to admit that Zhe Lei's mantis is a bit stronger than your manticore, Ming She. Maybe you have to train more…
WHAT?! But master Wu Fei! I –already- trained harder than him!
Sometimes training alone is not the only key of power, Ming She. Your heart must also be strong to wi-…
Weakling! Weakling!
Silence, San Chai!
WHAT! YOU…YOU!
Cool off, Ming She… I'll spar with you some more. C'mon, let's go-
LET GO OF ME! GO OFF WITH YOUR MANTIS!
--
There were fire everywhere. The huge Oriental-styled house was on fire by the time Lei came. Afraid of master Wu Fei and San Chai's safety, he charged inside.
Master! San Chai! Mas- MASTER! H-how cruel… who did this, Master?!
Zh-… Zhe Lei… thank good-… ness… Dao… Ming… Shunfff…
Master! MASTEEEER!
A shriek in the midst of the crackling sound of fire made Zhe Lei forgot his grief for a while. He ran to the source of the voice quickly.
San Chai! San… oh my goodness… San Chai… DAO MING SHE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!
Easy, Zhe Lei… she's just a celebration of my newfound power… or perhaps you want a piece of the cake too? Hnn?
Zzh-…Zhe Lei…
Aww… how cute… she wants to make love to you, Zhe Lei… Aren't you going to fulfill her wish?
NO, MING SHE! UNTIL THE HELL FREEZES OVER I'LL NEVER DO THAT!
Aww… I'll just have to make you then. Psy-tho-ma-ta-jaygoku-KEIN-ZHAI-LIE-KEAN!
NO, MING SHE! I WON'T DO THAT! ERGGGH! WHA-… what the… my hands! What are my feets doing?! My body… MING SHE! WHAT IS THIS DAMNED SPELL? MING SHEEE!
Just enjoy it, fellow… although you'll only get my leftovers…
MING SHE! YOU DAMNED MAN! Sa- San Chai, No- Don't do that- ergh… San Chai! DAO MING SHE! FROM THIS MOMENT ON YOU ARE FOREVER MY ENEMY! No- SAN CHAAAAAAI! DON'T DO IT! SAN CHAAAAAAAAAAAAI! NOOOOOOOOOO!
--
"Wh… what's this… water…? …Sand? A… Beach?" Harriet mumbled, feeling water and sand on her feet.
"Oh, it's you Harriet. What are you doing here?" Lei turned to her.
"How do you know my name? Where are we?" Harriet asked.
"We're in a place where the dreams of the people meet, the Dreamscape. About your name, I knew because Hanjiro told me. He's your friend?"
"No… he's just a mercenary working on a contract with my uncle. Is he your friend then?"
"Nope. We've just met two weeks ago when this town was attacked by two monsters… one of them slaughtered your family, right?"
"Um… yeah… what's your name then?"
"I'm Hua Zhe Lei, a beastmaster from the eastern mountains. People call me Lei."
"What are you doing here, then, … Lei?
"Looking for a similar monster… a monster that took me from everything dear in my life…"
"So… were your family slaughtered too, Lei?"
"Worse than that… it also took my loved one away."
"We share the same grief then, Lei."
"No. Your monster had been killed by Hanjiro, while my monster still prowled the land…"
"How terrible…"
"Well,… it's because it also hunts for me too. So if we meet, it is certain that one of us must die."
"… Lei, was this beast your friend?"
"Yeah… sorta like that."
POOF!
"There you two are! Where were you? Oh, I just love it when romance is in the air…" Hokuto suddenly popped out behind them.
"Er… who is this, Lei?" Harriet asked, puzzled.
"Allow me to introduce myself then! I'm Hokuto Sumeragi, a member of Shinsengumi guild! Nice too meet you, Harriet!" Hokuto introduced herself cheerfully before shaking Harriet's hand.
"Er… nice to meet you too, Hokuto…" Harried replied, still dumb-struck by Hokuto's sudden appearance.
"It's time to wake up then, guys! Hanjiro must be grumpy seeing us all snooze like this. C'mon…, I even bought you dinner, Harriet! C'mon, c'mon, up you go!"
"B- but how? I'm lost here…"
"Ah well, I have to use the hard way then," Hokuto said while whacking Harriet hard with a huge baseball bat. Harriet flew to the horizon's direction, while Lei sweatdropped in disbelief.
"Do you –always- have to use that way, Hokuto?" Lei asked.
"Well, It's definitely not the best, but it's one of the fastest! Or do you wanna try the frying pan?" Hokuto replied, readying a door-size frying pan for Lei.
"One question before going. What did you buy us for dinner?"
"Um… some cheap instant curry rice, as far as I can recall…"
"Oh brother…"
The pan was swung hard.
…
"Unff…"
Harriet slowly opened her eyes.
"Harriet! You're awake!" Hanjiro exclaimed loudly, relieved.
"Ha… Hanjiro?" Harriet weakly said.
"Oh thank goodness you still recognize me! I was very afraid that you'll get amnesia!"
"Thanks… thanks for worrying me…"
"No sweat. By the way, what are they doing here, sleeping? And… ACK! Who's saliva is this?! Hokuto?"
Hokuto slowly woke up, leaving the trail of saliva from where she slept… over the blanket on Harriet's legs. Harriet finally realized what made her feet feel wet.
"Hey… you're back from the steeplechase, eh?" she commented sleepily.
"Well, yeah… and it turned to be a all-around training indeed. About halfway to the town square, Lei's wolves and thylacines turned to gorillas and sasquatches, then they beat me up, before I –finally- can escape after an hour… in the town square, they suddenly turned to grendels…" Hanjiro told his story. Harriet went a bit pale.
"Oh, you mean those man-sized lizards. So?" Hokuto took a seat on a chair near the table. Lei seemed to be still sleeping.
"… All 28 of them! They made a real mess of me. It was thank to these two swords that I can –finally- get rid of them… after three hours of fights. Thank goodness that no one other than me is hurt!"
Lei couldn't held still no more. He burst into laughter in front of everyone in the room.
"Now that's my idea of a good joke!" he exclaimed. Hanjiro grinned widely.
"So that's why… Then I'll teach you a good lesson of speed and stamina! COME HERE, YOU SICK BEASTMASTER!" Hanjiro bellowed, before chasing the maniacally-laughing Lei around the room. Hokuto clapped her hand and yelled some encouragement to the two. Harriet smiled.
A few minutes later, a nurse entered the room, wanting to check the noise. She was a bit surprised to see everyone in the room, including Harriet, having a mock fight.
"Well, I think everyone has finally recovered," she remarked while smiling.