Finding You Can Change: Chapter 08
Chikorita-Trainer1
T
Disclaimer: I don't own Zatch Bell!
Author's Note: I think it should be glaringly obvious what this chapter was inspired by, if not completely ripped off from. But I just couldn't stop imagining it, so I wrote it. Enjoy.
Zofis was dead. Brago and Sherry's combined strength had finally flattened him into dust. But the spell had also taken out some of the castle, which was crumbling brick by brick, so Brago carried Sherry's limp body inside.
Once in the room, he laid her down on the floor. Sherry was in bad shape. Her inner strength had been sapped and she had a huge gaping wound in her chest.
"What have you done, Sherry?" asked Brago.
"I had to," Sherry breathed out weakly. "He wanted to kill you."
"He wanted to kill YOU, to hurt me!" Brago insisted. "Damn it, Sherry, why did you even try to fight back? You should have just run!"
"He wasn't going to stop coming after me. And even so, what difference does it make?" Sherry asked, but then began coughing up blood.
"Shh. Shh. Don't talk. I'll get help," Brago said, trying his damnedest to keep his voice steady.
"Brago, don't. I'm…" Sherry couldn't even finish.
"Sherry, Sherry, no! NO! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!" Brago began to panic. "Please! Sherry, please! Don't! Don't go! SHERRY!"
By now, Penny had put out the fire, and Zatch and the rest of his subjects were all coming back into the castle.
"Does anyone know if Sherry got out?" Zatch asked as he ran through the unburned halls of his palace.
"I didn't see her outside!" said Tia as she ran after her king.
"Sherry, please. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Brago whimpered. He finally let the tears in his eyes spill forth.
"It's OK, Brago. It's OK…to cry…" Sherry croaked out. "If you can cry…then I know...I didn't waste…my time."
"Sherry, please," Brago's voice strained through his throat.
Sherry was still.
God damn it, it's too late! thought Brago. He clenched his fist and tried to hold it steady, but it shook with rage. He wanted to punch a hole in the wall, or claw through the floor—anything. But he knew; he couldn't rage and threaten Sherry back to life. He could only cry.
He cradled his human close, her blood staining his black shirt and purple fur cloak.
"Sherry, I love you," he cried softly, running his fingers through her singed hair. He expected her body to go cold any moment.
But it didn't.
Her body got warmer.
It got hotter.
Soon, Sherry's body was almost too hot to hold. Brago slowly, confusedly, loosened his grip on the human girl, and was shocked as her body seemed to levitate and rise up from the floor where he was holding her.
What the hell…?
Sherry's body seemed to rise, her center of gravity at her chest, so that her head was still conked backwards as if she were dead. A ball of light sparked from the wound in her chest, and grew bigger and bigger, until it burst out and nearly blinded Brago. He held up his arm to shield his eyes from the light.
Then, beams of light shot out of Sherry's fingers, all ten of them, and her fingernails each grew an inch until they resembled the long claws of the mamodo species.
Brago raised an eyebrow. What was happening to his human?
With her head craned back, pointing at the ceiling, Sherry's mouth seemed to open of its own accord as a long beam of light shot out of it, and her flat, omnivorous teeth changed into the sharp pointed teeth that mamodo required for tearing through flesh.
Brago backed away from this sight. Both out of fear, and also to get a better view of the spectacle before him.
Sherry's hair flew up wildly around her head, as if there was wind blowing towards her face. Unbeknownst to Brago, she was sprouting tiny horns not unlike Zatch's. But they were so small they didn't even protrude from beneath her thick hair.
Suddenly, her eyes shot open, but there were no pupils. Her eyes glowed white with light just as mamodo eyes do when launching a spell. The light shone so bright that Brago, once again, had to shield his eyes.
Finally, whatever magical force that had been holding Sherry afloat in the air, laid her down gently on the floor.
Brago crept closer to her. What had happened? Slowly, Sherry began to stir and stand up. She looked at her hands. She felt her teeth in her mouth. She touched her chest that had been miraculously healed of its injury.
"Sherry?" Brago asked gently. Sherry turned around and Brago gasped.
Each of her beautiful blue eyes now had a vertical line extending from their lower eyelid to her chin.
Sherry had become a mamodo.
"Brago," Sherry said softly. Brago dashed into her arms and put his hands on her waist.
"Sherry…how?" he asked.
"The spell," Sherry said, placing her hand on Brago's cheek. "There was a spell in that book you got, about human and mamodo relations?"
"A spell that transforms humans into mamodo?"
"No. It only works if both the human and the mamodo wish it," said Sherry. Brago smiled. For the first time in his life, he smiled out of true happiness.
"Sherry," he sighed, leaning up towards the girl, who was still a few inches taller than him.
Sherry smiled warmly, cupped both his cheeks in her hands, leaned down and kissed him.
The feeling was electric. Brago had never experienced such a rush before. Not even when launching his most powerful of spells. The surge of adrenaline that rushed through his veins was unlike anything he could imagine. His heart felt like it was going to burst, and all because his lips were molded with those of the woman he loved.
Brago tightened his grip around Sherry's waist and pulled her close, and Sherry ran her fingers through Brago's messy dark hair.
"I can't believe this," Brago sighed. "I love you, Sherry."
"I love you, too, Brago," Sherry said tearfully. The two embraced happily.
Just then, Zatch and Tia opened the door to the room.
"Sherry! Brago! Are you both OK?" cried Zatch.
"Yes, Zatch. Brago defeated Zofis," said Sherry. "And he saved me again," she added in a whisper.
"Brago, are you actually smiling?" asked Zatch.
"Yes, Zatch," Brago said. His voice was still gruff and serious, but his happiness showed on his face.
"Sherry has been turned into a mamodo. She can stay here in our world now."
"WHAT!?" cried Zatch and Tia. Sherry laughed and told them about the spell she had discovered.
By now, the sun was coming up, and Zatch wasted no time in appointing Brago Captain of the Royal Guard, as Zatch now understood that his kingdom was not perfectly happy, and that there were still evil mamodo who might threaten the peace.
Sherry was appointed the Royal Advisor, though she would be encouraged to dispense advice and education to any and all mamodo who requested it.
Brago was now able to exert his physical aggression in a constructive way, training his mamodo soldiers.
Sherry was now widely valued for her intelligence and diplomacy, as well as her refinement and upbringing. The proper manners that had been beaten into her as a child actually came in handy when speaking with mamodo leaders and royalty.
Since Sherry's guest bedroom had been destroyed, along with that entire wing of the castle, Zatch made room for Sherry and Brago in another wing, and gave them their own royal apartment. The room contained a king-sized bed, a sitting area, a private bathroom and a fireplace. Not unlike the guest room, but now it was big enough for two.
"So, this will be our life now, huh?" said Sherry as she and Brago entered their new living quarters.
"We'll have to redecorate," said Brago. "I'm not too fond of lace and tapestries."
Sherry giggled and looked around the room.
"Anything you want, Brago. I'm just happy to be with you."
"Me, too," said Brago, taking Sherry in his arms and hugging her tight. "You know what I'd really love to do right now?"
"What?"
"Take a bath."
Sherry's eyes widened. "For real?"
"Yes."
"Alright."
The pair of mamodo entered their private bathroom. It was gorgeous; the floor and walls were tiled with marble, and there was an enormous porcelain tub in the center of the room, big enough for two, with its own fountain in the middle. It was like something out of a romantic getaway suite.
The mamodo couple modestly undressed facing away from each other, and averted their gazes until they were both submerged in the water. Brago approached Sherry slowly and placed his hands on her waist, drawing her close. She put her hands on his shoulders and rested her forehead against his. They held each other and gracefully swayed back and forth in the tub, just enjoying each other's presence and touch.
Sherry placed herself under the fountain and let the water wash onto her head, and Brago gracefully combed his fingers through it. When they finished this task, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and held her tight.
"I never thought I could be this happy, Brago," Sherry whispered.
"Neither did I," sighed the dark mamodo. "I never knew I could feel this way."
"It's amazing," Sherry breathed as Brago ran his hands over her torso and abdomen under the water. She relaxed and leaned her head back on his shoulder. He kissed her neck.
"You are everything to me, Sherry," he purred against her flesh.
"Oh, Brago," she sighed, tingling all over.
It's so bizarre that it worked out this way, thought Sherry. But in a way, it almost makes perfect sense. I was miserable in the human world. I didn't fit in anywhere, with anyone. Only by connecting with a monster could I discover who I was truly meant to be.
THE END
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