Hello everybody! I'm so, so sorry that I have updated this chapter late. I was kind of busy because I just ended my monthly exams. So hard! Anyway, thank you for those reviews. I didn't actually mean to make you guys headache or leave any potholes, but I just can't leave behind any details. See, now I'm wasting your time, ha, ha, ha…; Okay, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter Nine
Thick dark clouds in the sky hindered the sun's light from entering the earth's gravel. The cities and small towns in the north, south, east and west gates were empty and desolated. Everywhere was silent, except for howling from the wolves that came out from the forest to feast on leftovers.
Kougaiji circled the town square again. This was the fifth time. The youkai prince stayed close to his dragon as he entered every locked and unlocked building, but unfortunately, he just couldn't find any sign of human or demon. Exhausted, he found a small fountain by the churchyard and decided to take a rest.
After a while, he spotted Dokugakuji from the other side from the town and signaled him. "Found anything?" He asked.
Dokugakuji shook his head. "I can't even see any living soul. I wonder what's going on," He frowned but then smiled. "Maybe they have all gone to a party on the other side of the world."
The red-haired demon grinned and folded the East gate's map neatly and placed it inside his pocket. He rubbed Hiryu's forehead gently when a smelled something. There's something wrong with the air scent, he told himself. He sniffed and followed the scent trail. The scent led them to a large tulip field.
"What is it?" The Dokugakuji asked.
"I'm not sure, but there's someone or something hiding among this flowers," Kougaiji said as he pulled his scarf, and sneezed non-stop for a few seconds.
Dokugakuji laughed from among the flowers. "You sure are allergic to beautiful things."
"I hate flowers," The youkai prince confirmed.
Suddenly, they heard a soft rustle among the bushes not far from where they stood. Without any hesitation, Kougaiji sprang forward towards the bushes. "Get that kid!" He shouted over to his friend as the child ran passed him.
The small girl ran through the field and fence and jumped from rooftop to rooftop. She looked back and increased her speed when she realized the prince was catching up. Suddenly, she accidentally stepped on a few loose tiles and tripped. Apparently, Dokugakuji managed to catch her just before she crashed down to the ground.
The girl struggled to release herself from the man's grip but failed. She had drained out all her remaining energy during the chase. "Let me go…!" She whined.
Dokugakuji loosen his grip a little.
"You, young girl have some explaining to do," Kougaiji said, walking towards them. But then, Kougaiji noticed a that her pale silver eyes were gleaming with terror. "What the…" He spun around but it was too late. A strong force sent him flying through air and smashed him into one of the dark gray walls. Blood trickled down his cheek.
"Kou!" The swordsman shouted. He wanted to save his prince but unfortunately he was surrounded by a group of weird looking creatures. The girl shrieked and hid herself behind him. Dokugakuji drew out his sword. He dashed towards them and began slashing and punching. Blood spilled everywhere, as if this was a battleground for the eighteenth century war.
"Don't kill them…" She pleaded just as he was about to cut the creature underneath his foot into half.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't. They're the townspeople…" She cried.
He looked at her, at the creature, back at her again and smiled. He released the creature and grabbed the girl by her elbow. "Well, if we can't kill them, might as well we get the hell out of this place first,' He told her, as they made their way passed the increasing numbers of what looks like deformed wolves and hyenas, which stood tall on two feet.
"So," Goku said, his hands never stop pushing nachos into his mouth," What's your plan?"
Lirin glared at him and snatched the bag. "Stop eating already. You're supposed to be helping me with the plan." She threw the bag into the wastepaper basket and walk right towards the small bed where Gojyo was lying.
She looked at him. "Sleeping like a baby," she murmured. The three of them had reached the room just in time to tell Sanzo the coming critical situation on the first floor. Hoping for a great answer, the three of them received an order from Yaone to watch over Gojyo as the others run down to solve the problem. Lirin kneeled beside the bed. "Come on," She prayed. "Please get up. I don't want to stay in here babysitting while the others are fighting downstairs."
David backed away from the window and sighed. The guilt in him was increasing by seconds. It's my fault, his head screamed. I shouldn't have trusted her in the first place. He turned his attention to the red-haired girl behind him. Right, there's no time for regrets. Maybe, maybe we could all shape-shift into someone else. "Hey…" He called out softly.
Lirin wiped her tears and stared at him. "What is it?"
Goku pulled another bag of chips from the refrigerator and sat down on the bed beside Gojyo. "Tasty!"
David walked towards them and took Lirin and Goku's hands. " I have a plan, but you two have to trust me on this."
"What about you plan?" Goku asked.
"We have to get out of here unrecognized. So, I want to try to arrange the molecules in your body, so that you can be someone else," He told them. "In short, shape-shift."
"GaK?!" Goku choked hearing the plan.
"What are saying?" Lirin asked surprised.
"Look," He showed them the window. "Out there, is a bunch of kids but, their mind have already been controlled. Plus, I am supposed to kill you right? Which means, you're supposed to be dead." He took a deep breath and continued," You have to change into someone else."
Lirin crossed her hands. "Easier said than done. Are you really sure about your idea? Because, I don't want to end up as a dead kid in someone else's body."
"That, I'm not sure," He confessed quietly. "But then, I've learned this subject in Miss Yaone's class…"
"What? Shape-shifting?" Goku cut through.
"Nope. DNA molecules, I've learned them already. She said that there are time limits for shape-shifting operation. More that that, you'll definitely get stuck in that body." He sniffed. "Human DNA's are so… weak."
"So?" Goku said. "What are you waiting for?" He hoped away from the bed and stood beside David. Shape-shifting. That was the first time he heard that word and for him, that sounds exciting. Plus, he can't wait to try to be in Hakkai, or better still, in Sanzo's body. Maybe he could even try smoking and act like the monk. Hey, it's once in a lifetime opportunity.
David smiled. Well, he sure showed a little interest. Slowly, he placed both his hands on Goku's forehead as he began concentrating.
Lirin watched in amazement as gray clouds began forming around Goku and David. "Yo, what are you planning to change him into?"
"I have no idea!"
"Will he be alright?"
Dokugakuji backed away from the injured prince in front of him. Kougaiji has been unconscious for the past two hours. The impact on his head was really hard and it will be a miracle if he wakes up within the next three hours. The swordsman has done a great job in finding a good hiding spot as the city was amazingly beginning to be filled with the cursed humans. He kept the bandage into the small pouch hanged on Hiryu's back.
"He's hurt badly, isn't he?" The small girl asked again.
Dokugakuji shook his head. "Not really. All he needs is some rest, that's all." He told her.
She doubted but kept silence. She walked slowly to the cave entrance and studied the surroundings. Her stomach was growling with hunger but she forced herself to stay quiet. She didn't want to create anymore problem. Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched the man observing his friend's condition. Suddenly, she felt her fangs slid down. She panicked. Hunger! She couldn't control any longer. She has to find something to eat or else…
"Hey!" A hand gripped her shoulder hard.
Surprised, she backed off a little and accidentally tripped over a rock and fell butt first on the gravel. Dokugakuji chuckled and pulled her up. "Hey, would you mind looking after him for a while? I'm going out to get some dinner."
"B…but…" Before she could finish her sentences, the man was already half way into the woods. She sighed and slumped herself by the cave entrance. I hope he returns fast, she grumbled. Her eyes never stopped roaming the cave. Somehow, this place seemed familiar, in a way.
She watched Kougaiji sleeping restlessly, tossing and turning on the hard floor of the cave. Her heart ached to taste the raw meat in front of her. Out of the silence, she could hear his heart beating. The girl forced herself to stay calm and tried not to move a muscle or even move closer to him. She moved back a little, trying to keep a distance.
Suddenly she spotted small rats scampering at the corner of the cave. Gross, but desperate, the silvered-hair girl reached out her hands and scooped up the rat. She held it close. Kougaiji's heartbeat was forgotten and in its place was the small frantic heartbeats of a rodent. Its heartbeat felt her with such hunger.
All she felt was hunger.
All she saw was food.
She bared her teeth.
She lowered her lips and delicately pierced a small hole through the rodent's neck. The warm flow of the blood, which entered down her throat, seemed to soothe her hunger.
"Having a little dinner on your own, ne?"
She gasped and threw the lifeless rat behind her. When did he enter, she wondered. She rubbed the blood off her face and turned around, seeing the tall swordsman leaning on one of the cave pillars. On his left hand was a large lifeless wolf with its neck slit opened. "Sorry. I was starving," She explained as she walked towards him.
Dokugakuji smiled and handed her a bundle of firewood. " Make us some fire, while I get this creature done," He said.
"Okay," She said reluctantly.
"I really salute you," A voice came from behind her.
"Mister, you're up already?" She asked surprised.
Kougaiji snickered and chanted out fire to the stack of woods. "You're a good eater."
Her eyes widened. How did he know? He was supposed to be unconscious.
"I'm not really sleeping, you know," He told her as if reading her thoughts. "Tell me your name and where do you come from. You look like someone I know. Anyway, I'm not in a mood to start a conversation without knowing their name."
She sat cross-legged on the gravel. "My name is Melynlas and…"
"Hold it!" He snapped. "What did you say your name was?"
"Melynlas," She repeated.
Kougaiji sprang up to his feet. His eyes never left hers. The girl in front of him seemed to stir up his memories. Her name, there was something about her name. "Tell me, do you have a brother or sister?" He asked her.
The girl became even more bewildered. "I…" Her voice choked. She sensed a defensive and angry aura from the tall tanned man in front of her and somehow, in case she said something wrong, she was afraid that he would explode.
"Hey, I'm asking you a question," Kougaiji sighed and continued, "If you don't have any brother, you could have just said no. That's probably better that making me wait." He got up and walked out of the cave slowly. I need some air. Maybe I'm just imagining things, he thought and smiled to himself. Well Lirin, after I find the perfect treasure for you, I'll get a vacation. Get a dragon to the east. Maybe to a five class hotel….
"Wait!" Melynlas blurted. Her voice shattered his thoughts. "I have…"
Kougaiji turned his back to her. "What?"
Silence.
"Don't keep me waiting."
"I have a brother and his name is…his name is Melyngar."
End of chapter…
