Dawn was something every creature was looking forward to. Well, except for poor Zhou Yu... he could feel the morning dew drip from the laves above him, slide down his cheek and onto his nose. That gentle touch was enough to wake him from his slumber, and he sat up. "What a night..."
He had not forgotten a single event, and he winced, rising shakily to his feet, "Every night... will this happen to me?"
Again, no one was there to answer him, and as he rose, he was thankful to feel his own skin again. However, he felt a bit too much, and he gave a gasp as he looked down. "Goodness..."
Apparently becoming a werewolf meant ripping apart all of your clothes, as he stood completely naked. "Oh dear..."
He swore that he could hear that cackling from a distance, but he refused to respond to it. For now, he had to find a way to sneak back to Jian Ye, WITHOUT being caught streaking.
He knew it would not be an easy task with so many extra guards, "And just how do I explain THIS?!"
Simple... he could tell them the truth and be forced back out, or he could lie and proclaimed he was raped by that creature... neither choices he liked.
"That's it, I don't care WHAT happens to me now... but I am NEVER meeting with that beast again! Let him howl away all he wants... I can hide this from the others, I know I can..."
So, with that being said, he began his trek make to Jian Ye, hoping to find some low branches to cover himself with by the time he got there. 'Well... at least Sun Ce would be pleased...'
The thought made him blush, and he chided himself, "Who am I kidding? Sun Ce would run in fear..."
Yes, the guy so childish... 'They'll suspect me... best come up with a good lie... still, if I were to have escaped from the beast, then they'll never believe that I was unharmed...'
He ran a hand through his long hair, sighing deeply, "Great... maybe it WOULD be better just to tell them the truth. Surely... surely they can find some way of helping me cope with it..."
But what were the odds of that? He remembered how the soldiers reacted to him, and what if he received the same treatment upon his arrival. Lu Xun knew, he HAD to have known this. 'But he would never turn on me... if I know him, he's already finding some kind of cure...'
Perhaps they could simply set him loose in the woods at night, and then he would come back every morning... 'Of course, I'd bring some clothes with me...'
Still, would that help the situation at all? No, he knew it wouldn't. He was a monster, even now. 'Oh, what a predicament..."
He finally saw the walls, and he took a deep breath, preparing to dash towards them, 'It's now or never...'
Luckily, he had found a few bushes, putting them to good use as he made his way towards the gate. His heart raced with slight fear, but he fought it down, prepared to speak with the guards, to bribe them if necessary. However, there were no guards there...
He blinked, 'Well... THAT'S odd... there should be someone there!'
"Well, if me eyes aren't playing tricks with me," He heard a voice say, and he froze, jumping when he felt someone grab him. "Pardon me, lady, but are you... ZHOU YU?!"
Oh great, of all the people, it had to be, "GAN NING! LET ME GO!" Zhou Yu demanded, struggling to get free.
The pirate quickly released him, his eyes wide with surprise, though not as wide as his mouth. "You're alive?! We were about to go looking for you!"
"Well, now that you've found me, would you stop gawking at me and GET ME SOME CLOTHES?!" Zhou Yu hated to shout, but he could feel his face turning redder by the moment.
"Right away, sir!" Gan Ning smirked, turning to shout as he left, "Though I have GOT to tell you, it's a shame you don't run around this way more often! You hide so much beneath your robes!"
"Gan Ning, I'm in NO mood for your talk..." Zhou Yu growled, but he sighed. "At least it wasn't Sun Ce..."
"Zhou Yu!" And matters just got worse...
What was the poor strategist to do? He immediately dived deeper into the bushes, exposing only his head to the coming Sun Ce, "Good morning, my lord..."
He could see the relief on his friends face, but he avoided his touch. "My God, you're alive! Thank them with countless prayers... you're... naked..."
Oh how he BLUSHED, "Why yes sir. Thank you for noticing..."
~*~*~*~
It had taken longer than anyone expected for Zhou Yu to be brought back into the city's walls and clothed, and though he was confined to his quarters for rest, he felt no safer then before. No one had visited him, came to check on him, or accuse him of his crimes yet. He was almost worried for himself... did they or did they not know?
How could they not know? He buried his head into his hands, "I'm doomed..."
He jumped when he heard the rapping at his door, and, making sure he was presentable, rose from the bed. "Come in..."
He was not very surprised to see a pair of golden eyes met his own, and Lu Xun spoke rather good-naturedly, "Hello Zhou Yu..."
'Charming...' Zhou Yu smiled, quickly offering his fellow strategist a seat. "Hello... I assume you're here on business?"
"I wish I was not, my friend... but I know the truth." Lu Xun sighed, "But I have told no one else, not even Gan Ning..."
His eyes widened slightly, and Zhou Yu found that statement rather blunt, even for Lu Xun. But, he did not argue, falling onto the bed again with a desperate sigh. "I somehow knew you would... that's just like you to know these things. But why?"
"I'm seeking a cure for you..."
"I'm thankful, my friend... the sooner the curse is lifted without others knowing, the better... I'm a danger to everyone here..."
Lu Xun nodded, "But only at night. I can help you sneak out until we can fix this..."
"But then I'll be putting YOU in danger..." Zhou Yu shook his head, "And I will not risk that..."
Seeing him like this made Lu Xun sigh, shaking his head and speaking lowly. "I'm already in danger..."
Zhou Yu stiffened, "What do you mean?"
"He wished to strike me last night, and I've been studying the guards that have gone missing. They all have something in common, something that I and several others have in common as well..." Lu Xun was precise and to the point, though he did not take any feelings into consideration. "Though how he got you, I'm not so sure..."
"He got me by mistake; he was really after Sun Ce," Zhou Yu spoke confusedly. "But what do you, he, and all those soldiers share in common?"
Now he could see a small blush arise, but Lu Xun spoke as if it did not bother him. "They're all presuming gay, and, as I can kindly put it, they're the more softer side..."
THIS made Zhou Yu's eyes widen, "YOU?!"
"He's an alpha male, and he wishes to have more power over the others..."
Zhou Yu half-growled, "The sick bastard... no wonder he wanted me more... 'obedient'..."
Sighing, Lu Xun tried to calm him down, "I did not get too much of a good look at him last night, but I know you did... who is he?"
"Xiahou Dun..."
That brought definite recognition to Lu Xun's face, placing his hands behind his back in his most obvious position. He was scheming something. "The question of how he became one is beyond me, but I assume he's grown used to it by now... I shall ask Lord Sun Ce to send a message to Lord Cao Cao, asking of his cousin's where-abouts..."
"It will not matter... he will not be found if he does not wish to..."
"True, but my question is if Cao Cao knows... or if he meant for this to happen."
Zhou Yu sighed, "I doubt it immensely, but if he did..."
Now Lu Xun was a bit worried, leaning against the foot of the bed. "Well, we know what he's after now, and the means of protecting our men is the important question here."
Those chocolate brown eyes met his own, and his fellow strategist spoke softly, "Come on Lu Xun. How are we going to ask those men, not only if they like other men, but if they participate on the bottom? Who is going to admit that?"
"No one..." Lu Xun said almost sadly, looking away. "Then how do we protect them..."
"There is only one way I know; kill the beast..."
Shaking his head, Lu Xun replied, "Then how do we explain this to Lord Cao Cao? He will not accept the truth, nor will he forgive us for killing his own blood."
Zhou Yu sighed deeply, "Either way we choose, we cannot win..."
"Unless we can cure all of the ones that were cursed..."
"Have you any idea how?"
The younger strategist shook his head sadly, but had a look of determination in his golden eyes. "No, but I will dedicate my time in finding out... until then, I'm afraid you're going to have to bare with the fact that you're what he is... and he may very well return tonight, to claim more of our men."
Zhou Yu made a decision then, "No; he won't. I will keep him occupied..."
"Then what of the ones he claimed already... don't you think that they will do his work for him?"
"He hasn't claimed them... he killed them..." Zhou Yu stated firmly, despite the skeptical look Lu Xun gave him. "I found no others there, and he openly admitted to tasting human flesh."
Lu Xun paled slightly, but nodded, "I see..."
Zhou Yu saw his face, and he asked, "You think he'll try to devour you instead?"
"S-somehow I doubt that..." Lu Xun smiled to cover his true feelings, still remembering Xiahou Dun's words. "Either way, he will try to turn you against us... even try to get you to change me. You know this, right?"
"I can resist him, never fear..."
Somehow, that gave Lu Xun a little bit of relief, and he was able to smile without feeling the need to cover his emotions. "I shall get to work then... I will come back at around seven, before night falls..."
Zhou Yu nodded, "I will be ready. And you'll umm... have to hide some clothes for me somewhere..."
A rich laugh came from Lu Xun, one that was rare and genuine. "Don't worry about the clothes... I have everything taken care of, my lord..."
"Thank you Lu Xun... thank you so much...."
All Lu Xun did was nod in return, but that was enough. Now Zhou Yu felt secure, knowing that there was someone who knew of his situation and was on his side. He feared for him, but that was only natural. "At least I know someone understands..."
Then, knowing he was to get no sleep the coming night, he settled down and tried to rest. 'Sleep...'
~*~*~*~*~
Perhaps the person most relieved throughout all of this was Sun Ce, and the Little Conqueror probably had a few shots before finally bringing himself out of his chambers. He was grateful that Zhou Yu had returned, alive and fairly untouched, though he wished to remove the thought of him being naked from his head... it was a crime to enjoy such a sight, right?
He just couldn't help it though! His hair had shown so brightly in the morning sun, his body so perfect. He had looked like some sort of angel...
"Nahhhhhhhh, get that thought out of your head, you sick pervert!" Sun Ce shouted to himself, rubbing his temples as a headache began to rise. "As good as it was, it should NOT be in there!"
But the image tormented him, refusing to go away. At least it was a nice little image...
Sighing, Sun Ce did not bother to fight it anymore, as his head had begun to hurt.
"Headache, my lord?"
Sun Ce stiffened, whirling about to see Lu Meng, "Oh... its you..."
Lu Meng gave him a slightly suggestible look, but he quickly wiped it away. "Sorry if I'm disturbing you... did I catch you at a bad time?"
"No, though you are right; my head is pounding..." Sun Ce shrugged, taking a seat once again and rubbing his forehead in a feeble attempt to stop the growing pain. "What do you want?"
"We are ready to hunt down the beast, sir."
Now that was good news to hear. "It's about time... did Lu Xun give you enough information about the bastard?"
"Not much, but more than we had..." Lu Meng held papers in his hand, handing them to Sun Ce before remembering the simple fact that the man cared not for details. "The werefox fears fire, so our best bet is to have torches stationed at each party."
"Then do so immediately!" Sun Ce snapped, getting back to his feet. "How do we kill the damn thing?"
"Still no information on that, my lord..."
That news sent Sun Ce storming out the door, with Lu Meng in hot pursuit. He asked, as he stormed down the hallways, ready to throw the soldiers and maids aside. "Is Lu Xun looking into that?!"
"Yes sir; he is researching now..." Lu Meng could hardly keep up with him. "He's been in the library ever since he woke up... well, he DID talk to Zhou Yu earlier, but he's spent most of the day looking for that, sir..."
"Then by now he should have found something, right?"
Trapped in a corner, he answered. "I suppose, sir..."
"Good, because I am DYING to know!"
With that last note, he kicked open the doors to the library, taking the only man in there by complete surprise. Lu Xun nearly feel from the ladder, but luckily, he caught himself as Sun Ce demanded some answers. "Anything on destroying that beast, Lu Xun?"
Lu Xun spoke calmly, "I am still researching, sir."
He did not need to be an empath to see how much this affected his lord, and he flipped through the pages, to divert his gaze from him. He hated being so pressured, and he was horribly pressed for time as it was. "The thing is, sir, that no one is for certain on how to kill the beast, because it was never truly recorded before..."
"Well, Lu Xun, you had BETTER find something!" The lord shouted, smashing his hand along the bookshelf and nearly making the young strategist fall again. "If I find another soldiers missing, it's entirely on YOUR lack of preparation... perhaps you should have been looking that up instead of nearly KILLING yourself last night!"
"Please calm down sir. I will eventually find something..."
But that was simply not good enough, and Sun Ce turned to leave, nearly knocking Lu Meng aside. "Be quick about it... only a few more hours until the sun sets again!"
"I shall do my best, my lord..." Lu Xun was more than thankful that he left, and he nearly hide his head within the book, sighing deeply. He had almost forgotten Lu Meng was still there, as he spoke aloud. "He should try this... it's NOT as easy as it seems..."
"Have a little patience with him; he is quite worried about both his people and Zhou Yu..."
Picking his head up, Lu Xun rubbed his tired eyes, continuing his reading from where he left off. "I know..."
Still, he sighed, showing Lu Meng the book, "But these aren't very helpful! They go on and on about the powers of a werefox, but say nothing about how to defeat or cure one! It seems that no one ever had to do either...."
"But why would you want to cure one?"
Lu Xun almost cursed for nearly letting Zhou Yu's secret slip, but he quickly covered it, "In case one of our people get bitten of course..."
Luckily for him, the thought never crossed Lu Meng's mind, and the general sighed, "That's right... even though he's a beast by night, he's still human... finding a cure WOULD be useful..."
"I'm so glad we both agree."
There were countless books, but none helpful, and it took all the patience he had from throwing it out the window in a fit of rage. He didn't hear Lu Meng calling to him until the third sound of his name, and he finally looked up. "You want me to get you anything, like food or tea?"
"Are you insane? I have no time for refreshment; I must find this information!"
"Just offering..." Lu Meng sighed, setting the tray down. "You're going to work yourself to death..."
He was simply ignored, per usual, and he decided to stay, just to keep the guy company if he wanted someone to talk to. And, if he should fall asleep from the top of the ladder, he would be there to catch him. And what was worse was he could hear footsteps coming towards them. 'Tell me it's not Sun Ce again...'
No, whomever it was at least had the decency to KNOCK on the door, and Lu Xun called back, "Come in; the door is open..."
No one entered, and as Lu Meng was going to open the door, he was stopped by Zhou Yu's voice. "Lu Xun... are you in there?!"
"Yes. What do you need, Zhou Yu?"
He could tell that there was something wrong, hearing the urgency in his voice, and he wondered if it was safe for Lu Meng to open the door or not. Zhou Yu replied quickly, "Can I see you for a second... are you alone?"
"No... Lu Meng is here as well..."
The reply was harsh, almost a growl, "Then tell him to jump out of the window! I have no TIME for this!"
Seeing Lu Xun pale, Lu Meng asked, "What's going on?"
"He wishes to help me in the research I presume... however, Sun Ce forbid him to leave his quarters and fears you ratting on him." Lu Xun lied, he was a horrible liar, but he did it well enough. He slid down the ladder, quickly looking for another exit for the general. "Don't take any offense to this, but it's strictly our business to find how to destroy this beast..."
"So... why can't I go out the door?"
He was silenced by the loud banging, swearing they heard wood crack. "Lu Xun, this is VERY important! Just throw him out the window!"
"I am SO sorry, Lu Meng... but surely you understand?" Lu Xun asked, ushering him to the window.
Of course, Lu Meng struggled a bit, "Are you serious?!"
"I'm afraid so..." Lu Xun couldn't think of anything else to get him out of the library, and the door was nearly broken by the time they reached the window. He refused to let Lu Meng look back, knowing he wasn't helping the situation. "The fall is not too long... and I'm sure that you will land in the bathing balcony if I'm not mistaken..."
"Just so you know... I want a FULL explanation of this later!"
Now the door was open, and Lu Xun said a quick prayer and gave the man a push, quickly closing the window and turning to Zhou Yu, "I hope there is a good... well shit..."
"Now... do you see... why he had to go?"
Zhou Yu was only half transformed, but it was enough to cause suspicion. Lu Xun was appalled but his fangs and claws, almost terrified. Zhou Yu saw that, and he almost fell to his knees to beg. "Please... I... I can't let them find me... not like this..."
"Oh Zhou Yu... of course I'll help..." Lu Xun wasted no time, and he quickly grabbed the curtains from the window and tore them down. "What a waste of beautiful fabric... Lord Sun Ce will kill me..."
"No... I'm sure he won't..."
Without a second thought, Lu Xun draped the curtains over him, trying his best to form it into a cape and hood. He was almost done with his task, but he barely dodged the claws that struck out at him, losing his balance and falling to the floor. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"
"But I have to complete my task!' The younger strategist protested.
He could see the raising panic in those pained chocolate brown eyes, and he could see how much he held back. "I'm sorry... I... I just can't have you touching me! Don't you UNDERSTAND that?!"
"There, there," Lu Xun spoke soothingly. "Of course I won't touch you..."
Lu Xun rose to his feet, letting Zhou Yu tie the knot for himself. He walked towards the door, to see if there was anyone roaming the hallways. What luck to see it completely empty, and he motioned for Zhou Yu to follow. "Be quick... we'll make it out of the castle before it finishes if we're fast enough."
"You... need... to leave me..."
Nevertheless, Zhou Yu began to follow, though even that seemed painful. He only wished for Lu Xun's, and everyone else's safety at this point; he simply could not control himself. But Lu Xun refused, "Not until you're outside the walls..."
"Please... I-I can't..."
"We're almost there... just a little bit longer..." It was easy for Lu Xun to sneak about the hallways, as many officers would not take care to notice him. But seeing someone hunched over, draped in curtains, and panting was hard to get by unnoticed.
"There... ISN'T... any... little bit longer!"
And what was worse. "So, who's the masquerading person behind you, Lu Xun?"
Lu Xun whirled around, not only seeing Gan Ning, who had spoken, but Sun Ce as well, 'Oh dear... this is bad...'
The angry lord had a face of a beast himself, as he quickly grabbed Lu Xun's wrist and squeezed it harshly until Lu Xun gasped. "What are you doing out of the library! I TOLD you not to come out until you find out how to KILL that damned beast!"
"Hey, leave him alone, Sun Ce!" Gan Ning could barely contain himself as he reached for the other man's arm, "I'm sure he has a good reason!"
"Well, he best explain now, before I tear his arm off!"
"Sun Ce... don't..." That was a mistake, and Zhou Yu quickly realized it, seeing Lu Xun's expression of pain not change at all as his angered friend seemed not to hear him at all.
"Well Lu Xun? What IS your excuse?!"
Again, Lu Xun lied. "This old lady... she got lost and wishes to be brought back to her home! I was only helping her out, my lord!"
Gan Ning nodded, "See? He's only doing something nice for one of the subjects. Surely you cannot be angry at him for THAT, Lord Sun Ce!"
"You want to bet..." Sun Ce gave the arm a twist, nearly snapping it. "Gan Ning will direct this hag home; you march back to the library, or I WILL kill you..."
Hearing Lu Xun's cries of pain were almost impossible for Gan Ning to bear, "P-please my lord! I meant no harm..."
"Good, now go... I'll have a maid bring you food in the morning." With a growl, he was basically thrown to the wall, and Sun Ce, not caring for the 'old woman', nor anyone else, turned and stormed away. "Be quick about it, Gan Ning... we have that demon hound to catch!"
Zhou Yu did not dare to help the younger strategist, but Gan Ning was immediately at his side, "Did he hurt you?! Because if he did, so help me, Lord or no Lord, I will KILL him!"
The poor boy held his wrist, but that did no justice for his damage pride. "I'm fine... just go about your business sir, and take care of this kind lady... once she leaves the castle she knows where to go."
The pirate was worried, but he only nodded, "Okay... if it matter so much to you. But I'll come by later and... uh... help bind your wrist..."
"Thanks..." Then, sending Zhou Yu a rather worried look, Lu Xun began his walk back to the library. "Good day, madam..."
Gan Ning gallantly offered the 'lady' his arm, "Shall we go?"
Instantly, he was refused, and the 'old lady' gave a vicious snarl, taking him by surprise as she began down the hallways on her own. "Don't TOUCH me! Leave... me alone!"
"What a strange person," Gan Ning blinked, running until he could see that she had run straight out of the building and into the night. "Gee... I sure hope she DOES know her way home..."
That was truly an odd and unlikely experience for him, as he was worried about three things now. The well being of Lu Xun, the well being of his lord, and the well being about Zhou Yu. Somehow, he felt truly justified to be worried about all three of them. Hopefully, things would begin to make sense soon... damn, he hated being so dense!
He had not forgotten a single event, and he winced, rising shakily to his feet, "Every night... will this happen to me?"
Again, no one was there to answer him, and as he rose, he was thankful to feel his own skin again. However, he felt a bit too much, and he gave a gasp as he looked down. "Goodness..."
Apparently becoming a werewolf meant ripping apart all of your clothes, as he stood completely naked. "Oh dear..."
He swore that he could hear that cackling from a distance, but he refused to respond to it. For now, he had to find a way to sneak back to Jian Ye, WITHOUT being caught streaking.
He knew it would not be an easy task with so many extra guards, "And just how do I explain THIS?!"
Simple... he could tell them the truth and be forced back out, or he could lie and proclaimed he was raped by that creature... neither choices he liked.
"That's it, I don't care WHAT happens to me now... but I am NEVER meeting with that beast again! Let him howl away all he wants... I can hide this from the others, I know I can..."
So, with that being said, he began his trek make to Jian Ye, hoping to find some low branches to cover himself with by the time he got there. 'Well... at least Sun Ce would be pleased...'
The thought made him blush, and he chided himself, "Who am I kidding? Sun Ce would run in fear..."
Yes, the guy so childish... 'They'll suspect me... best come up with a good lie... still, if I were to have escaped from the beast, then they'll never believe that I was unharmed...'
He ran a hand through his long hair, sighing deeply, "Great... maybe it WOULD be better just to tell them the truth. Surely... surely they can find some way of helping me cope with it..."
But what were the odds of that? He remembered how the soldiers reacted to him, and what if he received the same treatment upon his arrival. Lu Xun knew, he HAD to have known this. 'But he would never turn on me... if I know him, he's already finding some kind of cure...'
Perhaps they could simply set him loose in the woods at night, and then he would come back every morning... 'Of course, I'd bring some clothes with me...'
Still, would that help the situation at all? No, he knew it wouldn't. He was a monster, even now. 'Oh, what a predicament..."
He finally saw the walls, and he took a deep breath, preparing to dash towards them, 'It's now or never...'
Luckily, he had found a few bushes, putting them to good use as he made his way towards the gate. His heart raced with slight fear, but he fought it down, prepared to speak with the guards, to bribe them if necessary. However, there were no guards there...
He blinked, 'Well... THAT'S odd... there should be someone there!'
"Well, if me eyes aren't playing tricks with me," He heard a voice say, and he froze, jumping when he felt someone grab him. "Pardon me, lady, but are you... ZHOU YU?!"
Oh great, of all the people, it had to be, "GAN NING! LET ME GO!" Zhou Yu demanded, struggling to get free.
The pirate quickly released him, his eyes wide with surprise, though not as wide as his mouth. "You're alive?! We were about to go looking for you!"
"Well, now that you've found me, would you stop gawking at me and GET ME SOME CLOTHES?!" Zhou Yu hated to shout, but he could feel his face turning redder by the moment.
"Right away, sir!" Gan Ning smirked, turning to shout as he left, "Though I have GOT to tell you, it's a shame you don't run around this way more often! You hide so much beneath your robes!"
"Gan Ning, I'm in NO mood for your talk..." Zhou Yu growled, but he sighed. "At least it wasn't Sun Ce..."
"Zhou Yu!" And matters just got worse...
What was the poor strategist to do? He immediately dived deeper into the bushes, exposing only his head to the coming Sun Ce, "Good morning, my lord..."
He could see the relief on his friends face, but he avoided his touch. "My God, you're alive! Thank them with countless prayers... you're... naked..."
Oh how he BLUSHED, "Why yes sir. Thank you for noticing..."
~*~*~*~
It had taken longer than anyone expected for Zhou Yu to be brought back into the city's walls and clothed, and though he was confined to his quarters for rest, he felt no safer then before. No one had visited him, came to check on him, or accuse him of his crimes yet. He was almost worried for himself... did they or did they not know?
How could they not know? He buried his head into his hands, "I'm doomed..."
He jumped when he heard the rapping at his door, and, making sure he was presentable, rose from the bed. "Come in..."
He was not very surprised to see a pair of golden eyes met his own, and Lu Xun spoke rather good-naturedly, "Hello Zhou Yu..."
'Charming...' Zhou Yu smiled, quickly offering his fellow strategist a seat. "Hello... I assume you're here on business?"
"I wish I was not, my friend... but I know the truth." Lu Xun sighed, "But I have told no one else, not even Gan Ning..."
His eyes widened slightly, and Zhou Yu found that statement rather blunt, even for Lu Xun. But, he did not argue, falling onto the bed again with a desperate sigh. "I somehow knew you would... that's just like you to know these things. But why?"
"I'm seeking a cure for you..."
"I'm thankful, my friend... the sooner the curse is lifted without others knowing, the better... I'm a danger to everyone here..."
Lu Xun nodded, "But only at night. I can help you sneak out until we can fix this..."
"But then I'll be putting YOU in danger..." Zhou Yu shook his head, "And I will not risk that..."
Seeing him like this made Lu Xun sigh, shaking his head and speaking lowly. "I'm already in danger..."
Zhou Yu stiffened, "What do you mean?"
"He wished to strike me last night, and I've been studying the guards that have gone missing. They all have something in common, something that I and several others have in common as well..." Lu Xun was precise and to the point, though he did not take any feelings into consideration. "Though how he got you, I'm not so sure..."
"He got me by mistake; he was really after Sun Ce," Zhou Yu spoke confusedly. "But what do you, he, and all those soldiers share in common?"
Now he could see a small blush arise, but Lu Xun spoke as if it did not bother him. "They're all presuming gay, and, as I can kindly put it, they're the more softer side..."
THIS made Zhou Yu's eyes widen, "YOU?!"
"He's an alpha male, and he wishes to have more power over the others..."
Zhou Yu half-growled, "The sick bastard... no wonder he wanted me more... 'obedient'..."
Sighing, Lu Xun tried to calm him down, "I did not get too much of a good look at him last night, but I know you did... who is he?"
"Xiahou Dun..."
That brought definite recognition to Lu Xun's face, placing his hands behind his back in his most obvious position. He was scheming something. "The question of how he became one is beyond me, but I assume he's grown used to it by now... I shall ask Lord Sun Ce to send a message to Lord Cao Cao, asking of his cousin's where-abouts..."
"It will not matter... he will not be found if he does not wish to..."
"True, but my question is if Cao Cao knows... or if he meant for this to happen."
Zhou Yu sighed, "I doubt it immensely, but if he did..."
Now Lu Xun was a bit worried, leaning against the foot of the bed. "Well, we know what he's after now, and the means of protecting our men is the important question here."
Those chocolate brown eyes met his own, and his fellow strategist spoke softly, "Come on Lu Xun. How are we going to ask those men, not only if they like other men, but if they participate on the bottom? Who is going to admit that?"
"No one..." Lu Xun said almost sadly, looking away. "Then how do we protect them..."
"There is only one way I know; kill the beast..."
Shaking his head, Lu Xun replied, "Then how do we explain this to Lord Cao Cao? He will not accept the truth, nor will he forgive us for killing his own blood."
Zhou Yu sighed deeply, "Either way we choose, we cannot win..."
"Unless we can cure all of the ones that were cursed..."
"Have you any idea how?"
The younger strategist shook his head sadly, but had a look of determination in his golden eyes. "No, but I will dedicate my time in finding out... until then, I'm afraid you're going to have to bare with the fact that you're what he is... and he may very well return tonight, to claim more of our men."
Zhou Yu made a decision then, "No; he won't. I will keep him occupied..."
"Then what of the ones he claimed already... don't you think that they will do his work for him?"
"He hasn't claimed them... he killed them..." Zhou Yu stated firmly, despite the skeptical look Lu Xun gave him. "I found no others there, and he openly admitted to tasting human flesh."
Lu Xun paled slightly, but nodded, "I see..."
Zhou Yu saw his face, and he asked, "You think he'll try to devour you instead?"
"S-somehow I doubt that..." Lu Xun smiled to cover his true feelings, still remembering Xiahou Dun's words. "Either way, he will try to turn you against us... even try to get you to change me. You know this, right?"
"I can resist him, never fear..."
Somehow, that gave Lu Xun a little bit of relief, and he was able to smile without feeling the need to cover his emotions. "I shall get to work then... I will come back at around seven, before night falls..."
Zhou Yu nodded, "I will be ready. And you'll umm... have to hide some clothes for me somewhere..."
A rich laugh came from Lu Xun, one that was rare and genuine. "Don't worry about the clothes... I have everything taken care of, my lord..."
"Thank you Lu Xun... thank you so much...."
All Lu Xun did was nod in return, but that was enough. Now Zhou Yu felt secure, knowing that there was someone who knew of his situation and was on his side. He feared for him, but that was only natural. "At least I know someone understands..."
Then, knowing he was to get no sleep the coming night, he settled down and tried to rest. 'Sleep...'
~*~*~*~*~
Perhaps the person most relieved throughout all of this was Sun Ce, and the Little Conqueror probably had a few shots before finally bringing himself out of his chambers. He was grateful that Zhou Yu had returned, alive and fairly untouched, though he wished to remove the thought of him being naked from his head... it was a crime to enjoy such a sight, right?
He just couldn't help it though! His hair had shown so brightly in the morning sun, his body so perfect. He had looked like some sort of angel...
"Nahhhhhhhh, get that thought out of your head, you sick pervert!" Sun Ce shouted to himself, rubbing his temples as a headache began to rise. "As good as it was, it should NOT be in there!"
But the image tormented him, refusing to go away. At least it was a nice little image...
Sighing, Sun Ce did not bother to fight it anymore, as his head had begun to hurt.
"Headache, my lord?"
Sun Ce stiffened, whirling about to see Lu Meng, "Oh... its you..."
Lu Meng gave him a slightly suggestible look, but he quickly wiped it away. "Sorry if I'm disturbing you... did I catch you at a bad time?"
"No, though you are right; my head is pounding..." Sun Ce shrugged, taking a seat once again and rubbing his forehead in a feeble attempt to stop the growing pain. "What do you want?"
"We are ready to hunt down the beast, sir."
Now that was good news to hear. "It's about time... did Lu Xun give you enough information about the bastard?"
"Not much, but more than we had..." Lu Meng held papers in his hand, handing them to Sun Ce before remembering the simple fact that the man cared not for details. "The werefox fears fire, so our best bet is to have torches stationed at each party."
"Then do so immediately!" Sun Ce snapped, getting back to his feet. "How do we kill the damn thing?"
"Still no information on that, my lord..."
That news sent Sun Ce storming out the door, with Lu Meng in hot pursuit. He asked, as he stormed down the hallways, ready to throw the soldiers and maids aside. "Is Lu Xun looking into that?!"
"Yes sir; he is researching now..." Lu Meng could hardly keep up with him. "He's been in the library ever since he woke up... well, he DID talk to Zhou Yu earlier, but he's spent most of the day looking for that, sir..."
"Then by now he should have found something, right?"
Trapped in a corner, he answered. "I suppose, sir..."
"Good, because I am DYING to know!"
With that last note, he kicked open the doors to the library, taking the only man in there by complete surprise. Lu Xun nearly feel from the ladder, but luckily, he caught himself as Sun Ce demanded some answers. "Anything on destroying that beast, Lu Xun?"
Lu Xun spoke calmly, "I am still researching, sir."
He did not need to be an empath to see how much this affected his lord, and he flipped through the pages, to divert his gaze from him. He hated being so pressured, and he was horribly pressed for time as it was. "The thing is, sir, that no one is for certain on how to kill the beast, because it was never truly recorded before..."
"Well, Lu Xun, you had BETTER find something!" The lord shouted, smashing his hand along the bookshelf and nearly making the young strategist fall again. "If I find another soldiers missing, it's entirely on YOUR lack of preparation... perhaps you should have been looking that up instead of nearly KILLING yourself last night!"
"Please calm down sir. I will eventually find something..."
But that was simply not good enough, and Sun Ce turned to leave, nearly knocking Lu Meng aside. "Be quick about it... only a few more hours until the sun sets again!"
"I shall do my best, my lord..." Lu Xun was more than thankful that he left, and he nearly hide his head within the book, sighing deeply. He had almost forgotten Lu Meng was still there, as he spoke aloud. "He should try this... it's NOT as easy as it seems..."
"Have a little patience with him; he is quite worried about both his people and Zhou Yu..."
Picking his head up, Lu Xun rubbed his tired eyes, continuing his reading from where he left off. "I know..."
Still, he sighed, showing Lu Meng the book, "But these aren't very helpful! They go on and on about the powers of a werefox, but say nothing about how to defeat or cure one! It seems that no one ever had to do either...."
"But why would you want to cure one?"
Lu Xun almost cursed for nearly letting Zhou Yu's secret slip, but he quickly covered it, "In case one of our people get bitten of course..."
Luckily for him, the thought never crossed Lu Meng's mind, and the general sighed, "That's right... even though he's a beast by night, he's still human... finding a cure WOULD be useful..."
"I'm so glad we both agree."
There were countless books, but none helpful, and it took all the patience he had from throwing it out the window in a fit of rage. He didn't hear Lu Meng calling to him until the third sound of his name, and he finally looked up. "You want me to get you anything, like food or tea?"
"Are you insane? I have no time for refreshment; I must find this information!"
"Just offering..." Lu Meng sighed, setting the tray down. "You're going to work yourself to death..."
He was simply ignored, per usual, and he decided to stay, just to keep the guy company if he wanted someone to talk to. And, if he should fall asleep from the top of the ladder, he would be there to catch him. And what was worse was he could hear footsteps coming towards them. 'Tell me it's not Sun Ce again...'
No, whomever it was at least had the decency to KNOCK on the door, and Lu Xun called back, "Come in; the door is open..."
No one entered, and as Lu Meng was going to open the door, he was stopped by Zhou Yu's voice. "Lu Xun... are you in there?!"
"Yes. What do you need, Zhou Yu?"
He could tell that there was something wrong, hearing the urgency in his voice, and he wondered if it was safe for Lu Meng to open the door or not. Zhou Yu replied quickly, "Can I see you for a second... are you alone?"
"No... Lu Meng is here as well..."
The reply was harsh, almost a growl, "Then tell him to jump out of the window! I have no TIME for this!"
Seeing Lu Xun pale, Lu Meng asked, "What's going on?"
"He wishes to help me in the research I presume... however, Sun Ce forbid him to leave his quarters and fears you ratting on him." Lu Xun lied, he was a horrible liar, but he did it well enough. He slid down the ladder, quickly looking for another exit for the general. "Don't take any offense to this, but it's strictly our business to find how to destroy this beast..."
"So... why can't I go out the door?"
He was silenced by the loud banging, swearing they heard wood crack. "Lu Xun, this is VERY important! Just throw him out the window!"
"I am SO sorry, Lu Meng... but surely you understand?" Lu Xun asked, ushering him to the window.
Of course, Lu Meng struggled a bit, "Are you serious?!"
"I'm afraid so..." Lu Xun couldn't think of anything else to get him out of the library, and the door was nearly broken by the time they reached the window. He refused to let Lu Meng look back, knowing he wasn't helping the situation. "The fall is not too long... and I'm sure that you will land in the bathing balcony if I'm not mistaken..."
"Just so you know... I want a FULL explanation of this later!"
Now the door was open, and Lu Xun said a quick prayer and gave the man a push, quickly closing the window and turning to Zhou Yu, "I hope there is a good... well shit..."
"Now... do you see... why he had to go?"
Zhou Yu was only half transformed, but it was enough to cause suspicion. Lu Xun was appalled but his fangs and claws, almost terrified. Zhou Yu saw that, and he almost fell to his knees to beg. "Please... I... I can't let them find me... not like this..."
"Oh Zhou Yu... of course I'll help..." Lu Xun wasted no time, and he quickly grabbed the curtains from the window and tore them down. "What a waste of beautiful fabric... Lord Sun Ce will kill me..."
"No... I'm sure he won't..."
Without a second thought, Lu Xun draped the curtains over him, trying his best to form it into a cape and hood. He was almost done with his task, but he barely dodged the claws that struck out at him, losing his balance and falling to the floor. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"
"But I have to complete my task!' The younger strategist protested.
He could see the raising panic in those pained chocolate brown eyes, and he could see how much he held back. "I'm sorry... I... I just can't have you touching me! Don't you UNDERSTAND that?!"
"There, there," Lu Xun spoke soothingly. "Of course I won't touch you..."
Lu Xun rose to his feet, letting Zhou Yu tie the knot for himself. He walked towards the door, to see if there was anyone roaming the hallways. What luck to see it completely empty, and he motioned for Zhou Yu to follow. "Be quick... we'll make it out of the castle before it finishes if we're fast enough."
"You... need... to leave me..."
Nevertheless, Zhou Yu began to follow, though even that seemed painful. He only wished for Lu Xun's, and everyone else's safety at this point; he simply could not control himself. But Lu Xun refused, "Not until you're outside the walls..."
"Please... I-I can't..."
"We're almost there... just a little bit longer..." It was easy for Lu Xun to sneak about the hallways, as many officers would not take care to notice him. But seeing someone hunched over, draped in curtains, and panting was hard to get by unnoticed.
"There... ISN'T... any... little bit longer!"
And what was worse. "So, who's the masquerading person behind you, Lu Xun?"
Lu Xun whirled around, not only seeing Gan Ning, who had spoken, but Sun Ce as well, 'Oh dear... this is bad...'
The angry lord had a face of a beast himself, as he quickly grabbed Lu Xun's wrist and squeezed it harshly until Lu Xun gasped. "What are you doing out of the library! I TOLD you not to come out until you find out how to KILL that damned beast!"
"Hey, leave him alone, Sun Ce!" Gan Ning could barely contain himself as he reached for the other man's arm, "I'm sure he has a good reason!"
"Well, he best explain now, before I tear his arm off!"
"Sun Ce... don't..." That was a mistake, and Zhou Yu quickly realized it, seeing Lu Xun's expression of pain not change at all as his angered friend seemed not to hear him at all.
"Well Lu Xun? What IS your excuse?!"
Again, Lu Xun lied. "This old lady... she got lost and wishes to be brought back to her home! I was only helping her out, my lord!"
Gan Ning nodded, "See? He's only doing something nice for one of the subjects. Surely you cannot be angry at him for THAT, Lord Sun Ce!"
"You want to bet..." Sun Ce gave the arm a twist, nearly snapping it. "Gan Ning will direct this hag home; you march back to the library, or I WILL kill you..."
Hearing Lu Xun's cries of pain were almost impossible for Gan Ning to bear, "P-please my lord! I meant no harm..."
"Good, now go... I'll have a maid bring you food in the morning." With a growl, he was basically thrown to the wall, and Sun Ce, not caring for the 'old woman', nor anyone else, turned and stormed away. "Be quick about it, Gan Ning... we have that demon hound to catch!"
Zhou Yu did not dare to help the younger strategist, but Gan Ning was immediately at his side, "Did he hurt you?! Because if he did, so help me, Lord or no Lord, I will KILL him!"
The poor boy held his wrist, but that did no justice for his damage pride. "I'm fine... just go about your business sir, and take care of this kind lady... once she leaves the castle she knows where to go."
The pirate was worried, but he only nodded, "Okay... if it matter so much to you. But I'll come by later and... uh... help bind your wrist..."
"Thanks..." Then, sending Zhou Yu a rather worried look, Lu Xun began his walk back to the library. "Good day, madam..."
Gan Ning gallantly offered the 'lady' his arm, "Shall we go?"
Instantly, he was refused, and the 'old lady' gave a vicious snarl, taking him by surprise as she began down the hallways on her own. "Don't TOUCH me! Leave... me alone!"
"What a strange person," Gan Ning blinked, running until he could see that she had run straight out of the building and into the night. "Gee... I sure hope she DOES know her way home..."
That was truly an odd and unlikely experience for him, as he was worried about three things now. The well being of Lu Xun, the well being of his lord, and the well being about Zhou Yu. Somehow, he felt truly justified to be worried about all three of them. Hopefully, things would begin to make sense soon... damn, he hated being so dense!