Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
Izzy's feet kept running and running. Not caring where she was going, just as long it was far away from him.
Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
That image… her head being severed from her body. The sound of bones breaking and the blood… so much blood. Tears pricked at the corner of her eye but she kept running.
Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
Muzan was a fool but he would never admit that to himself. He didn't realize that the chief's daughter would have the guts to confront him, let alone hit his beloved. He planned to make her into a demon, make good use of her. If only she didn't insult him then everything would've been perfect. Now he has to catch a little rabbit that hopped away. "How troublesome." He sighed. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his hand clean of blood while the body of the poor chief's daughter laid limp on the once white sand.
Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
Izzy grasped her chest as she felt the same sharp pain before. 'No! Not now!' But her chest wasn't the only thing that hurt. She felt her entire body begin to throb. Like some surge of pain was swimming around in her body. 'What is happening?!' How did enjoying a birthday party turn into a living nightmare!?
Turns out that all her running led her right into the heart of the village. Izzy stopped and gasped for breath, feeling instant relief. 'Someone for sure will help me.' She thought.
Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
But something was… off. After catching her breath she looked around and saw no one. Not even a dog barking but all the lights from the houses and restaurants were on. Izzy felt a cold shiver go down her spin which made the throbbing in her body even worse. She hunched over from the pain. "Is… Is anyone here?" She called out. Silence greeted her.
She walked slowly ahead, the pain making her drag her feet. "Hello?" Nothing. Another wave of pain came crashing down, veins popping out from her arms and legs from the stress and pain. "Argh!" Izzy leaned her body against the store owner's door but the door fell open since it was left unlocked. "Ah!" She fell flat on her back and closed her eyes from the pain that came with the fall.
"Ow, this is not my night." She tried sitting up but her hands slipped and fell again. She cursed and lifted her hand to see what she slipped on to find that her hand was covered in red. Izzy's eyes widened in terror, her hand trembling.
Slowly she sat up now feeling something wet and sticky clinging to the back, staining her clothes. "Ah… Ah…" she slowly turned her head and saw a trail of blood coming from behind the counter. Izzy got up, her whole body trembling. "H-Hello? Is anyone injured?" That was a stupid question but she was scared. Scratch that she was terrified.
Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat she took tentative steps towards the blood trail. "I'm here to help." Her voice shook with fear which was not what she was aiming for. The further she got with the trail the more the blood in her body began to grow cold or was it that stuff that man put in her mouth she couldn't tell.
Soon coming close enough to the counter Izzy saw an arm poking out of the corner. "Hey!" She shuffled quickly up and looked over the counter but when she did…
"AHHHHHH!"
The store owner was staring at her with dull, cold eyes. His chest was torn open where his heart and lungs should be. His mouth was open in a silent scream with blood pouring from his mouth. Izzy can remember this kind old man giving her discounts on items whenever she came in since she was a 'pretty lady' as he would call her. Now he was nothing more than a mutilated corpse. She pushed herself away from the counter and ran towards the exit, slipping and sliding from the blood on the floor.
Finally getting outside she hunched over and threw up the contents of her stomach. 'Cruel… just cruel!' After wrenching for a good minute she straightened up and wiped her mouth. "You poor thing." Izzy froze when she heard him whisper in her ear. Muzan lifted a handkerchief up to her face in a peaceful offering but Izzy didn't even make an attempt at grabbing that piece of cloth.
Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
Muzan could feel her trembling body vibrating against his chest so violently that he wanted to laugh at how cute she was. 'How… How did he?' Izzy couldn't understand how he caught up to her. She was sure she left him at a good far distance. No… she knew how. She just didn't want to admit. "Come my dear, you don't want that pretty face to be dirty." She snapped out of it when he attempted to turn her. She got out of his grasp and began to run. "Stay away from me you monster!" Muzan only hummed while he watched her run away again.
"It's no use my dear. No matter where you run I will find you."
"Shut up!"
As quick as lightning he instantly stood in front of her. Izzy stopped abruptly, looking around desperately for someone to help her. 'Adorable.' Muzan just couldn't help enjoying the game of chase. Seeing her terrified expression is a treat, a thrill. He couldn't wait to spend the rest of his days doing this to her over and over again. "You can try to call out for help. Go on I won't stop you." he spreads his arms out in invitation. Izzy took the bait, fear clouding her senses. "Someone please help me! Please! He's a killer!" she screamed. Silence was all that greeted her, except Muzan's loud laugh. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. 'He killed them all didn't he?' Another wave of pain hit her. She fell down in agony, curling her body into a little ball. "Oh dear! It seems my blood is not agreeing with you. But I must admit." He walked over and crouched down to her level, looking down at her quivering body.
"You have a fighting spirit." Muzan wasn't pleased about that. Normally when he gives blood to a human they instantly turn into demons but this woman… is not turning as quickly as he had hoped.
Muzan brushes his fingers against her hair. She flinched against his touch. "Don't touch me." she growled. "Hmm. You're not in any position to demand orders." He grasped clumps of her hair and hoisted her up. "Ow! Ow! Let go of me!"
"And I don't tolerate disobedience." Soon both of them heard groans and growls from all around them. "Ah, I see they finally woke up." Opening one of her eyes Izzy saw a bunch of dark shadows emerge from the buildings and homes like reapers. 'What the hell?' Soon the shadow's became clearer and more recognizable. Besides the pain from her scalp she shook her head in despair. It was the local villagers, even the children. Though they no longer look human. Oh no, their skin turned in different colors under the sun; their teeth that were once normal and straight turned wide and sharp; their eyes bloodshot red with cat-like pupils; their nails as sharp and long as claws; some even have extra limbs grown out of their backs.
Muzan threw her harshly towards these village creatures. "As punishment… I'll let them play with you for a bit." All the color in her face drained in an instant. He dusted off his pants and gave her a small smile. "But don't worry I won't let them kill you."
"How considerate of you." she hissed. Muzan loved how Izzy still had a sharp tongue no matter how much pain she was in. "So what do you say?" All the demons growled in agreement. Izzy got up slowly and stood before her enemy. "What say you?" She glared at him. She only had one thing to say.
"Ka mate Ka mate
It is death It is death
Ka ora Ka ora
It is life It is life
Ka mate Ka mate
It is death It is death
Ka ora Ka ora
It is life It is life
Tenei Te Tangata Puhuruhuru
This is the hairy man
Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra
Who caused the sun to shine again for me
Upane Upane
Up the ladder Up the ladder
Upane Kaupane
Up to the top
Whiti te ra
The sun shines!"
Izzy performed the Haka War dance with such ferocity that it made all the demons and Muzan stunned. If this wasn't a serious situation she would've laughed.
Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
Muzan composed himself, having no clue what she said but assumed that she accepted. He snapped his fingers and disappeared entirely, leaving her alone with them. "Flesh.. Flesh…" She heard them hissed around her like a chant of her own. She didn't know if she would survive but Izzy knew for a fact that she would not go without a fight. She looked around the mob of demons and tried to find an opening. Sweat fell down her face and her heartbeat like a thousand beats per minute. 'Calm down. It won't help if you pass out now. You'll be easy dinner by then.' She closed her eyes. 'Right now your body is pumping with adrenaline. Use it till sunrise or find a place to hide. At that point your body will crash and… you will probably die.' She scoffed. 'What a way to die.' All was silent. Everyone waited for the first person to strike. Then she heard the sound of a crashing wave of the waters hitting the beach and all hell broke loose.
Muzan had to admit that he was impressed. Floating above the village gave him the best view of his beloved running for her life. Watching her dodge the attacks made a big smile spread on his face. "You're going to be a wonderful demon, my beloved." Izzy didn't know how long she could do this. Not only the demons are downright terrifying but they were fast as hell. Though she had to give herself some credit, now that she knew what she was dealing with or…. accepted what was happening.
She still can't believe it. I mean she read about it in fanfics but she didn't think it would happen to her! That the demon king Muzan would be here in real life! 'I know I wish that something like that would happen to me but not like this!'
Anyway ever since she read and watched Demon Slayer she secretly practiced Total Concentration Breathing. And let me tell you it is hell for a girl with a poor health condition. But after a lot of practice and many trips to the hospital she finally got the hang of it. At this very moment it's her saving grace.
She didn't realize that she left the village and was in the middle of a jungle. Izzy stopped and looked around. Coconut trees surrounded her along with wild hibiscus flowers. 'I've never been in the jungle before.' she thought. Actually the chief told her never to come here, especially at night. "The chief!" How could she forget about him!? She thought of going back to get him but she was lost and had no idea how to get out. She cursed.
Muzan cursed as well for he too could not find her but he wasn't too worried. Sad he will miss the show but he knows at least one of the demons who knew the jungle very well had followed her in.
Izzy began to mindlessly walk around without any sense of direction. "The fun begins when you're lost as my Luna would always say." she mumbled to herself. Her heart ached at the thought of her ex best friend. She would like nothing more then to make up with her and talk about stupid Disney movies. She shook her head at that thought. 'Now is not the time to think about that.'
A loud snap of a twig made her stop walking entirely. Her body was tense and was on high alert. 'Crap, did one of the demons catch up to me?' She looked around, trying to find a glimpse of that thing that made that sound. 'Maybe it was an animal.' She scoffed. 'Hardly.' Suddenly a bat came flying towards her. "Ah!" She ducked as it glided over her head.
She looked around to find that bat but it seemed to have flown away. "Damn rat." She grumbled. "Oh now is that anyway to talk about my pets?" Izzy looked sharply up the tree and saw a female demon looking down at her with a wide grin. She has long, white wavy hair, pale skin, and huge white bat wings. Her red eyes held pure hunger that made Izzy's body shiver. The demon raised her arm and thousands of bats surrounded them, all staring at Izzy with one thought in mind. 'Kill. Kill. Drink blood. Kill.'
"You gotta be kidding me." The female demon just laughed while the bats hissed. "You're really cute. I can't wait till we get to know each other better."
'What the heck is she talking about?' She petted one of the bats with affection in her eyes, which Izzy didn't miss. 'Wait…' A memory crept into her mind.
*
Izzy was sitting on the dock with her feet in the warm water, watching the clear blue sky as the wind blew across her face with her hair moving in the breeze. "Um… excuse me?" She turned and saw a girl around age sixteen in a striped shirt and white shorts with thick black glasses covering her brown eyes. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail which showed more of her caramel colored, round face. She was fidgeting with a clipboard and a pencil in her hand while looking at Izzy nervously.
Izzy smiled and tilted her head cutely. "Yes?"
"Forgive me for disturbing you but…" The girl pushed her glasses up since they began to slide down. "I was hoping you can have your signature to save the bats in Hawaii." She presented the clipboard with a paper that showed a cute, small bat flying that said 'Bats Endangered! We must save them!' Now don't get Izzy wrong, she loved animals but bats were not her cup of tea. In fact she thought of them as just small rats with wings. But she finds this girl cute and admiring. She gently grabbed the clipboard from the girl's hands and quickly signed her name.
Her eyes widened and sparkled with such happiness that it was blinding. "Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me!" Izzy only giggled and handed her back the clipboard to the enthusiastic girl. "May I ask the name of the person who is doing a worthy cause?" She asked. The girl blushed and hid her face behind the clipboard.
"My name is…"
*
"Scarlet… is that you?" The demon tilted her head at that name. "Who's Scarlet? Never heard of her. Probably a very weak human that I devoured. Izzy took a couple steps back. 'No… it couldn't be. Not someone as sweet as her.' But the more she looked at her the more she recognized her.
"Well enough talk." She gave a very wide grin. "It's time to eat." Licking her lips Scarlet opened her mouth in an oh shape and let out a high pitch screech. Izzy covered her ears quickly from that awful sound. The screeching made her headache even worse but not only that the bats responded even louder. 'I gotta get out of here!' But before she could even take a step the bats swarmed around her like black locusts. "What the hell?!"
"Don't worry. I won't let them kill you! I told them they can have a little taste." Scarlet's voice echoed. One of the bats came down and scratched Izzy's arm. "Ah!" Then another came and did the same thing. Then another, another and another. "Ahhhh!"
"Ah, yes my pretties! Cut her up! The sweet smell of her blood is driving me crazy!"
Ba-thump! Ba-thump!Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
Izzy covered her head and tried to push forward despite the bats attacking her but she knew she was at her limit. Her heart couldn't take much more stress. She was going to have a heart attack but Izzy couldn't give up. Not yet!
She looked at the ground of black to find a weapon but alas it was no use. 'Nothing… Nothing! Damn it!' Her body grew numb, her legs felt like lead. 'No! This can't be it for me!'
Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
Izzy was feeling faint, from blood loss or her heart she couldn't tell. She got down to her knees and let her hands fall to her sides in defeat. The bats scratching and biting made her body tremble but she felt no pain. 'Not good.' Suddenly the bats stopped and the darkness surrounding Izzy disappeared. "Giving up?" Scarlet kneeled in front of her with mischief in her eyes while Izzy only gave her a far away, dull look.
Scarlet sighed with disappointment. "What a shame. I was looking forward to a good fight from you but I see that this is it." She smirked. "Although, your heart is still beating. So how about we go for a little ride?" Without another word she brought Izzy into her arms and spread her wings and flew high into the air. The breeze was warm against Izzy's face as she and Scarlet levitated in the air. Izzy tilted her head back as she looked into the stars in the sky. 'How beautiful.'
"Oh no, no. Keep your eyes on me." Scarlet purred as she brought Izzy's face down by her chin, making sure that she was staring right into her eyes.