Chichiri woke with a huge headache, "Un, what happened, no da?" He tries to rub his head but finds that his hands are tied behind his back. Chichiri tries to sit up but also finds that his feet are tied. 'this is just great' He looks around, to his surprise he is at the camp sight. He also realizes that he is lying on the ground. 'What am I doing here? The last I remember I was gathering wood when……Anzai? oh'
Chichiri at least tries to get up into a sitting position. But he could not, he is too weak. 'What did he do to me?' He can barely move his head around. 'At least my back isn't hurting, anymore. Huh. It's the small things to be thankful for.'
"How long was I out?" Chichiri asks to no one in particular. He wasn't expecting anyone to answer, either.
"You weren't out for that long, but long enough for me to get bored."
Chichiri does not like the sound of that, he cursed himself for not noticing he is right there with him. He looks up to find that Anzai is walking around from behind him to stand right in front of him. Anzai is towering over him, causing Chichiri to have to strain his neck to look up at him.
"What do you want?" Chichiri says in a voice trying to hide his fear. Though, he doubts he is even close to successful, considering the amount of strength it's taking him just to hold his head up.
"Didn't you already ask me that question?" Anzai says, putting his hand to his chin and looking up to the sky, as if it is a hard question to answer. "Yes, I think you did. I have told you that it is not your concern."
This just ticked off Chichiri a little bit "you have me tied down, and you're standing in front of me. And you tell me it is not my concern?! Wha…"
Chichiri was cut off, though, as Anzai kneels down and roughly grabs Chichiri's shirt by his neck, and lifts Chichiri's face up to look at him in the eyes.
"Chichiri. I read your thoughts, Tasuki, Tamahome. You needn't worry about them. I'll take care of them."
This really worried Chchiri 'come to think of it, where are they? It's too late into the night, they should have been back by now. Is Anzai lying? Had he already "taken care" of them?'
"Now, now Chichiri, don't get so dramatic."
"How do you…"
"I can read minds, I can manipulate minds, and most of all…" with that, leaving Chichiri to wonder what he was going to say. Anzai drops him to the ground. He begins to glow a misty green and the mist slowly comes out of his body and makes its way into Chichiri.
'What is this?!' Chichiri starts struggling in his bonds, trying to free himself. But the struggling only caused Chichiri's wrist to bleed. Anzai only smiles as he sees and reads the fear in Chichiri.
"Do not worry, this will not hurt, much." With that last comment, Anzai looks down at Chichiri and gives him a satisfying smile.
Chichiri tries his hardest to get away from him, but while he is tied down he couldn't do anything. He also couldn't do anything in his weakened state. This sensation, he never felt it before. It starts like a peaceful place, and then becomes a torturing nightmare. Chichiri wants him to stop whatever it is he is doing to him. He couldn't take it anymore; he tries to cry out, only to find out that he has no control over his body. He hurt too much; he wants that peaceful place again. Pain wracked his body, his muscles starts to spasm, and he starts to shake uncontrollably. He couldn't calm himself to breath properly. He starts to gasp for air. His breathing is like that of a person who has just ran for his life.
Some kind of power broke him free of his bonds. 'This is my chance, to escape' But he couldn't, he is slowly drifting into the unconscious world, but instead it felt more like he needs to sleep, 'but I'm not tired' he couldn't help it, though. 'At least the pain stopped. No, I must fight it!' The sleep overcame him and he is no longer in control of his own body, his own mind.
Chichiri got up, or rather Anzai in Chichiri's body and mind.
"Hmmm. Ha, ha, haaa."
Anzai is rather pleased with himself. He looks at the body he is in, "not as good as mine, but it will definitely do." He bawls his hands into fists, and flattens them out a couple of times, seeming to try and get used to his new body. "I will get what I want." He looks at his hands, then turns and looks at the river. He has an evil smile on his face. The sight of him makes him look really scary. It's like an unnatural shadow lingering over him, even on him, making him dark and ready to attack at any moment.
Anzai/Chichiri walks and looks around the camp. He seems like he could not find what he is looking for. He starts heading for the river, he looks down and stops to look at the footprints. He kneels down to look more closely at them. He has a smirk on his face, "now, to get what I want." He gets back up and starts walking to where the footprints are going.
*******************
Tasuki has had enough, he's been walking up the riverbank for what seemed like years. The water wasn't getting any shallower and he is getting hungry.
"Ah, this sucks!! Damn it! Why did Tama suggest fish? I could've toasted a deer or something?!" With that in mind "well, why not the forest is right there." As he says looking towards the forest.
Tasuki stops walking up the riverbank and turns toward the forest. He's been walking around for at least an hour, and ended up getting further away from civilization. He is looking around for any signs of life. "Deer, rabbit, mouse, bird, give me a bear for all I care, something have to be in this forest!!" It is like the forest is dead to the world, not even a breeze to rustle the leaves off the branch of a tree. This sorta gave Tasuki the creeps. He's never seen or heard of such a forest being this quite. "Maybe this forest just doesn't have as many animals? Yea right! This forest is way too big to not have very many animals." That's about all the thought Tasuki gave, and continues walking around.
*******************
Tamahome heard Tasuki's complaining "he has to be close, his mouth is loud enough." 'Or he could be miles away, and he'll still be heard.' He is still following Tasuki's footprint, when he sees it turning into the forest. 'A mountain bandit, go figures he would be in the forest. He doesn't know how to go fishing, but he should really learn. Huh, it's just the water, that's why he won't learn. Maybe I should teach him how to swim?' Tamahome now has an evil grin on his face. "Ohhhh, the day I do that."
Tamahome looks up at the sky, it is starting to get dark, and it's only been about three hours since they all settled for camp. "That's not good. If I ever want to find him, I better do it before it gets to dark to see. Hey Tasuki!! Where are ya!?" He waits for a response. Getting none, he walks into the forest, still following Tasuki's footprints.
Tamahome tries real hard to keep up with Tasuki's trail, but it's getting harder and harder to stay on his trail, he's really good at keeping his tracks clean. "I wonder if he's doing that on purpose? Yoooooooo Taaaaaaaasukiiiiiiiiiiiii!!"
*******************
"I can't believe that there ain't a single animal in this damn fricken forest!!" Tasuki is literally walking around in circles, until he fell flat on his butt form getting dizzy. He sits there cross legged, head down and his hand playing with the dirt. Geeeeeergal, geeergal, geergal, geergal, geergal 'I'm so hungry' Then suddenly Tasuki perks up his head on hearing his name.
"Tamahome?" He's says to himself. "Hey, Tama, over here!!"
*******************
"Ah man, I give up" Tamahome was just about to walk back the way he came, until he heard his name, "It's about time." he says, as he walks towards Tasuki's voice.
A few minutes later Tamahome finally catches up to where Tasuki is.
Tamahome sees Tasuki sitting, looking miserable than ever. "Aw, Tasuki, are you tired?" He says in a teasing voice.
Tasuki just looks at him and being as hungry as he is, he says in a voice that means death, "don't even mess with me, Tama."
"Whoa Tasuki, sorry." Tamahome says as he puts his hands up in a surrender mode.
"So wadda doing here?" As Tasuki says getting up, accepting the hand that Tamahome offered.
"Well, Chichiri and I really didn't want burnt fish, soooo I came down here to help you catch some."
"Is that so? Well, I didn't feel like having fish, so…"
"So that's why you came into the forest, to see if you can catch something away from the water?" Tamahome says finishing off Tasuki sentence in a whiny voice.
Tasuki is getting ready to take his Tessen from his back, but stops at mid-point when his expression turns into confusion. Tamahome just looks at Tasuki 'maybe he's trying to calm himself down, for once' with that thought Tamahome smiles, and shakes his head.
Tasuki finally got out of his two second confused state, "So you wanted to help me fish too, eh Chichiri?"
Tamahome looks at Tasuki then turns around, "Oh, Hi. I guess it is going to take the both of us to help Tasuki fish." Tamahome walks up to Chichiri and puts his hand on his shoulder and whispers in his ear, "and he's going to need a lot of help ain't he?" Tamahome is chuckling when he realizes how much of a mistake that was to say what he did.
"Rekka Shenen!!"
Tamahome turns super deformed running around bug eyed and butt on fire. 'I can't believe this happened twice in one night!!'
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Tamahome runs towards the river as fast as he can.
"That ought to teach him" Tasuki says with a big smile, and putting his Tessan back.
Tasuki is starting to walk to where Tamahome is when Chichiri just suddenly poofs right in front of him. Tasuki jumps about a mile away.
"Ahhh"
"Jeez Chichiri, you wanna give me a heart attack!!!?" Tasuki says as he has his hand on his chest and kneeling down to get his air back. He doesn't realize the expression on Anzai/Chichiri's face. It is a look of one like a predator that found its prey.
Anzai/Chichiri just walks up to him and looks down at him like he is a pitiful creature that should be put out of its misery. Tasuki looks up at him, he could see that there is something definitely not right with Chichiri. Tasuki is about to say something, when Anzai/Chichiri bends down and with his right hand, grabs a hand full of Tasuki's shirt and forcibly lifts him up to his feet. Tasuki, by reaction struggles with him, but it was a useless effort.
Anzai/Chichiri looks at him up and down, side to side than looks at Tasuki in the eyes. His smile becoming bigger.
"My, my. I can't believe what I want is coming from you." Anzai/Chichiri changes his hand position from Tasuki's shirt to his hand going around Tasuki's neck.
Tasuki couldn't believe what is happening. He is really confused. He's now trying desperately to get Anzai/Chichiri's hand off from around his neck. His body craved air, but he cannot get any into his lungs. 'what's going on, why's he doing this?'
"W-who ar…" Tasuki couldn't speak anymore. He put his hands on Anzai/Chichiri hands to trying to pry his fingers off, but it is no good. 'How'd he get to be so strong? Chichiri, why? NO!! This is not Chichiri!!'
Anzai/Chichiri can see the confused state that Tasuki is in, all Anzai/Chichir did is merely smirk. He decides to answer his unfinished question.
"Who am I? I am Anzai, who has taken total contorl over Chichiri's mind and body. I know everything about you, Tamahome and of course Chichiri. But I am only after one of you, and that is you, my friend." With that Anzai tosses Tasuki to the ground and starts to turn misty green, again.
Tasuki, taking in slow, deep breaths, slowly gets up form his position, he looks towards Anzai. He is lying on his left side on the ground, his right hand around his neck trying to rub the pain away. Tasuki's eyes grew wide. He didn't know what was going on. He wants to yell out but couldn't, all he could do is stare, it hurt too much to run.
The mist is getting closer. It was only inches away from Tasuki's face, when it stops just a few inches from him.
"Run, Tasuki." The voice sounds faint and echo-e and in pain like it just got out of a fight.