Ch. 27 Princess Dead Sprint
The sun came blazing through the bedroom curtains. Light reflected off the mirror from the cabinet onto the scythe that rested on the cushioned chair. The bright ray shined into Rai's eyes, causing him to rustle underneath the sheets. His head popped out with hair completely fanning to his right. He turned over to his left side facing towards the window. As he slowly opened his eyes, he started seeing a blurry image of someone coming into focus. Rai realized it was Kurumu sleeping close enough so that he could feel her breath on his face.
"Holy-!" Rai became startled and fell back on the floor. Jolt perked his ears up from behind the couch. Kurumu started waking up from her slumber. Her pajamas were nothing but a white shirt and panties. She drew back the sheets and viewed over the edge of the bed.
"Good Morning Rai~," Kurumu smiled. Rai was sitting on his back while his legs hanged in front of his face. He didn't look amused.
"Morning..." He pulled himself up and stretched out his back.
Crack!
Rai's spine snapped its joints into place. His only apparel was his jeans and white socks. His shirt rested atop the cabinet underneath Kurumu's school vest and skirt. He walked over to the window and saw the view of the front yard. "It's time to start getting ready." Kurumu rubbed her eyes.
"…Right now?" Kurumu yawned.
"Well, we do work here starting today, so it's kind of our job to keep the place running." Rai looked at his bandaged arm. The scar left from Riza the night before had been patched. He turned over to Kurumu as she was looking inside the cabinet for her maid uniform. The bandages wrapped around both her arms were fresh and new. "So, how you feeling?" Kurumu turned to him. "Kind of pulled off some serious lifting yesterday, right?"
"Oh yeah…" she grinned. "I'm already feeling better; Thanks." Kurumu began unbuttoning her shirt and revealed her pink bra. Rai started blushing.
"Hey!" Rai flustered. "Don't change while I'm still here!"
"Don't worry," Kurumu continued changing, "I know you're the chivalrous type you won't pull anything." Rai turned his attention toward the door. Kurumu's grin grew wider. "Or…maybe you were thinking of getting a sneak peek for tonight~."
"Ha-ha, cute," Rai grabbed his uniform and belt as he walked out of the room. "I'll see you downstairs." He closed the door behind him.
"Pika?" Jolt raised his head over the sofa to witness Kurumu's exposed body. He fell back with his nose bleeding.
The group met at the bottom of the steps. Rai prepared his dashing uniform with his white long sleeve shirt, dark dress pants, a black vest, black bow tie, and black shoes. He pulled on his collar to loosen the tight hold around his neck.
"Damn, this thing itches," Rai mumbled. Jolt came hopping down the steps in a black vest and small red tie. He stood over by Rai and gnawed on the top. "You hate it too, huh?" From the upper stairway, Kurumu dragged her feet in distaste of her new outfit. Her dress was not as pleasing as she had hoped. The apron covered her front and her maid costume matched Sawawa's.
"Man, this sucks," Kurumu moaned.
"What are you talking about?" Rai asked. "You wore one back at Yokai Academy? How is this any different?"
"For one thing, I like to show off my appeal to draw Tsukune to me," she replied with hearts in her eyes. "Instead, I look like an old hag hired to clean the toilets."
"Just be glad hardly anyone uses it." The three looked over to the grandfather clock leaning against the west wall. "Everybody ready to work?" Kurumu and Jolt nodded with grief. The three separated for their chores.
"My orders are very straight forward," Hime explained as everyone gathered around the dining table. "Simply do as I ask and everything else will run smoothly and efficiently. I have no interest what you do on your own time, but you will be here when I ask you to."
"So, we're pretty much your bodyguards," Kurumu concluded.
"As well as the repairman, housemaid, and pet rabbit." The three sighed from their new professions.
"Hey, make sure you have breakfast ready when I wake up," Riza requested as she leaned back in her chair.
"You'll get breakfast when it's good and ready!" Kurumu shouted back.
"What'd you say?" Riza growled.
"You heard me!" Kurumu hissed.
"You wanna start something?" Riza drew out her claws.
"You wanna finish it?" Kurumu summoned her wings. Rai held back Kurumu while Hiro jumped in front of Riza.
"Whoa, time out!" Rai shouted.
"You two shouldn't be fighting," Hiro recommended. "Can't we all just get along?" Kurumu and Riza looked at Hiro.
"NO!" they shouted at him. Rai patted him on the back.
"Nice try, kid," Rai comforted him. Jolt and Flandre looked at the bickering girls.
"Pika," Jolt sweat dropped.
"Fuga," Flandre agreed.
The day went by with each member of the team performing their duties. Kurumu aided Sawawa in the kitchen as they prepared the meals for later. Jolt and Flandre were outside watering the plants near the gate. Flandre held the watering can while Jolt was watching from the walkway. They looked to be making good conversation with each other as they bonded. As for Rai, he was repairing the final touches to the roof after tearing it apart the night before. Rai pulled out his hammer and started beating the panels into the ceiling.
"I really should find a new hobby," Rai rubbed the sweat from his face. It was an hour before nightfall when he finished fixing the hole and replaced the tiles. As he looked down at the ground, the two were no longer there and have gone into the mansion for supper. Rai picked up his hammer and made his way to the ladder on the side of the house. Once on the ground, he retracted the ladder and started taking it to the back. "My work here is done." From the corner of his eye, he noticed a tire resting behind the front gate. He placed the ladder by the tree and went to take a closer look at the entire motorbike. The front frame around the engine was blue while the rear seat and front wheel guard was white. "Now that's a nice bike." Rai walked closer to grip the handles.
"Hey!" Riza marched out the front door. "What do you think you're doing to my bike?"
"Huh?" Rai looked at her, then back over at the bike. "…This is yours?"
"Yeah it is, and I'm gonna be taking it out tonight." Riza held a white helmet under her arm. She went over to her ride and strapped the helmet on. She sat on the seat and started doing a tune-up check.
"You own a dirt bike?" Rai began checking it himself. "Let me see: an off road model with probably more than 100cc engine…and a fast one at that." Riza was surprised.
"Okay, first you knew I'm a werewolf and now you know about bikes?" Riza asked. "Who are you, anyway?"
"Raimundo Ortega, Ms. Wildman," Rai bowed. "Where I'm from, I have a Moped I use to drive to work. It's slow, but it gets the job done until I can afford a car…or college tuition…or my rent."
"Not bad," Riza complimented. "You're alright for a…whatever the heck you are."
"Celestial Reaper. Or in this case, the butler." The two talked casually until Hiro came up to them.
"I'm back!" Hiro greeted the two.
"Oh, Hiro," Riza responded.
"Hey Shorty," Rai waved to him. Hiro also noticed the motorbike.
"Are you going to the Sasanaki Pass again today?" Hiro asked.
"Yup, today's the day I draw him out!" Riza declared.
"What's at the Sasanaki Pass?" Rai asked.
"…A knight," Riza described, "He was a real fighter in battle, but he died in a riding mishap. The knight never got over his death and starts racing across the mountain pass until he finds someone faster than he is."
"And that's where you come in…?" Rai concluded.
"That's right," Riza stared up into the twilight as the sky darkened. "Plus, tonight's a full moon, so the odds are in my favor!" She started the engine and raced past Hiro. "I'll see ya later!" She drove down the street.
"Be careful, Riza!" Hiro shouted out. Suddenly, Rai caught a fresh scent piercing through his nostrils.
"Hmm…smells like…dinner..." Rai confirmed. Hiro started smelling it as well.
"It smells great!" Hiro smiled. "Looks like we're having curry tonight!" Rai wasn't too thrilled.
The girls were busy with tonight's feast; Kurumu was chopping the last of the vegetables while Sawawa mixed the curry in a large silver pot. As they cooked, the radio sat on the counter making live broadcasts.
Radio: In tomorrow's forecast, expect plenty of sun into the day and clear skies throughout the week.
"Geez, isn't there anything else on?" Kurumu asked as she poured the remaining vegetables into the pot.
"Let me adjust the station," Sawawa offered. She turned the knob on top of the boom box. Once the frequency adjusted, a loud man started screaming through the speakers.
Radio: Cheney waves off another sign for the catcher. Looks like they can't decide on a pitch. Okay, bases are loaded with two outs. They're down three runs.
"Oh!" Sawawa jumped in excitement. "It's a Baseball game!"
"Really?" Kurumu asked. "Who's winning?"
Radio: Maeda's at the plate. Cheney takes a huge wind-up and hurls the pitch!
The two girls were inching closer to the stereo; hoping to hear the results.
Radio: He got a whole lot of wood on that one! It could go all the way! (Audience Cheers) A home run! A Grand Slam!
"Ya-hoo-hoo!" Kurumu cheered in excitement. "They won!"
"Wow, A home run!" Sawawa shouted alongside her. "A home run! She imitated swinging the ladle as a bat. "He hit it out of the park!" Sawawa lost her grip and threw the spoon at high-speed. Hiro opened the door.
"Sis!"
Bonk!
The ladle bashed him in the head and knocked Hiro to the floor. Rai caught the ladle in mid-air.
"Were you girls making dinner or playing Dodgeball?" Rai asked. The girls both sweat dropped at their antics.
"Oops, sorry Hiro" Sawawa apologized. Rai handed back the ladle and went to check on their meal.
"Tonight, we'll be having my personal favorite, curry and rice!" said Kurumu. Rai observed the inside of the pot.
"Though I would have preferred some huevos con carne," he muttered. Kurumu grabbed a rolling-pin.
Whack!
"Ow!" Rai rubbed his sore. "What did I do?"
Sasanaki Pass
The headlight focused on the passing street below Riza's bike. She drove around the pass in search of the knight.
"Come on out," Riza requested. "Today's the day you rest in peace." She leaned over to the incoming left curve.
"Neeeigh!" A horse echoed behind Riza. The sound of hoofs galloping increased as it grew closer.
"There you are," Riza grew eager to race. "I hope you're finally ready to move on!" However, she became shocked by the knight's sudden appearance. A dark, red aura surrounded the black horse as well as its rider. It wore a yellow and grew cloak on its back along with a helmet running up its face. The knight wore a massive suit of metal armory and a shredded red cloak encircling its neck. But, the one thing that stood out was its massive ax swinging over its head…which was missing. "Wh-what!?" Riza swerved to the left and dodged its mighty chop forward. She swerved now to the right and avoided the second swing. Her right hand shifted on the accelerator and started speeding up. The headless knight began catching up to her. Riza shifted her attention to her right and saw the dark horse running along. In one swing, the knight swung its ax and hacked off Riza's headlight. The impact threw her off into the street as her bike slid near the railing. "What was that?" She kneeled up from the ground and looked at the knight running down the pass. "He's missing his head!"
[Bottom of the sixth and the count's at two-and-two]
Sawawa, Hime, and Kurumu were watching the live game on the widescreen television. Hime was drinking her tea on a red chair while Kurumu sat on the edge of the green sofa. Sawawa stood in front of the television with two yellow paper cones in each hand.
"Swing for the fences!" Sawawa chanted. "Swing for the fences!"
[The batter steps out…]
"Is baseball really that exciting?" Hime asked.
[Now he's back in…]
"Yes, the one who hits the ball really far wins," she explained.
"I didn't think baseball would be that simple," Kurumu responded.
[The pitcher checks the sign…Here's the wind-up…and the pitch…
Smack!
He smacked it! This one's going past the warning track! A home run! A home run!]
"Wow!" Sawawa jumped for joy. "Another home run!"
"Awesome!" Kurumu bounced in her seat. As Sawawa continued her exciting cheer, Flandre walked in the room with Jolt riding on her head. Rai followed after while carrying a bag of ice on his head.
"Fuga?" she asked.
"Pi?" added Jolt. Hime and Kurumu looked as though they were holding something long in their hands.
"…This isn't what it looks like," Kurumu inserted.
"Yeah…whatever you say," Rai stepped forward and took the green couch on the other side. He sat as Flandre took out the first-aid kit and patched his head with bandages.
"So, what's with the recovery?" Kurumu asked.
"It's for the headache I have now thanks to the pin shot earlier," Rai responded.
"You shouldn't forget the first rule of women; never insult their cooking," she huffed. Flandre finished putting the last roll on him.
"I'll be sure to remember that from now on," Rai shifted his pose and laid back on the couch long ways. "Much better."
"So, where's the dog girl at?" Kurumu asked.
"Fuga," Flandre answered.
"Probably still looking for that knight on the Pass," Rai answered.
"Wait, what knight?" Kurumu asked.
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure Riza's already won by now…" Riza walked in the room with bruises over her body. "…Although, I have been wrong before." Riza walked over and fell on the couch. Rai shifted in a sitting up position. Flandre went back and grabbed the first-aid kit…again.
"Oh my, I should get something for her to eat," Sawawa quickly left the room. Hiro walked in as she was heading out.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"It looks as though Riza had set a new speed record," Hime joked.
"Real funny, your highness," Riza replied with sarcasm. Jolt handed Flandre the necessities for her arm. "Try telling that to the guy without a head." Everyone paused at Riza's remark. There was medical tape tied around her arm and a strap clip to keep it in place. Sawawa returned with a small cart and a plate of curry and rice. Riza grabbed the plate and chowed down.
"Riza, safety while driving is the most important thing," Sawawa enforced.
"I know that!" Riza finished her plate and handed it to her. "Now gimme seconds!" Sawawa took the plate and went off into the kitchen.
"Riza, you said it was headless, right?" Hime asked.
"Yeah…" Riza nodded. "He looked pretty strange without a head."
"No head?" Rai asked. "It sounds like that one story…Sleepy Hollow, right?" The group turned to him.
"S-sleepy Hollow?" Hiro trembled.
"Yeah, the one where this guy went and cut off people's heads because he wanted a replacement. Legend says he used a pumpkin and started chucking it at his victims."
"I don't know about fruit, but this one started swinging his ax at me," Riza stated.
"Maybe he's going psycho because he wants his head," Kurumu assumed.
"Pikachu," Jolt nodded in agreement. This peaked Riza's interest.
"Do you think he'll go back to how he was before if he got his head back?" she asked.
"Who knows," Hime added.
"Fuga," said Flandre. Riza pondered the details and came up with a solution.
"Well, it's clear what we have to do." Riza stood at attention. "Alright, let's go, Hiro!"
"Huh?" Hiro wasn't thrilled. "Go where?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Riza clarified. "To look for the head in Sasanaki Pass. We'll find it and then I'll race him again. I'll make sure he rests in peace this time!"
"Hold on," Rai interrupted. "You're in no shape to go chasing after body parts."
"I'm fine now!" Riza grabbed Hiro by the back of his shirt. "Let's go!" She turned to Kurumu and took her arm. "Make yourself useful and help us out!"
"Huh?" Kurumu stood confused. Riza dragged Kurumu and Hiro out of the room. Sawawa had just entered with a plate of rice and curry.
"Riza, what about your food?" Sawawa asked.
"I'll eat it when I get back," she answered back. "Leave it out for me!" Hime drank her tea. The four gathered around the table.
"Jolt, you should probably go with them," Rai suggested. "I'll hold down the fort until you guys get back." Jolt agreed and went running out after them. Kurumu stood by her motorbike as Hiro and Riza adjusted their helmets for the ride. Jolt quickly ran to Kurumu and jumped to her shoulder.
"You're coming too?" Kurumu asked.
"Nice; more help, right?" Riza approved. She started the motor and drove off toward the pass with Kurumu flying after her. From the balcony, Hime, Flandre, and Rai watched them leave the manor.
"A headless horseman, huh?" Hime wondered.
"Nothing left to do except wait," Rai added.
"Fuga," said Flandre.
Sasanaki Pass
On the side of the road, Hiro, Kurumu, Jolt and Riza grouped on deciding where to begin their search. Riza remained seated as Jolt leapt on the repaired front headlight.
"Hiro, Succubus," Riza yelled out. "You two look around here. We'll search up ahead."
"Pika!" Jolt waved as they left.
"If they're checking from below, then I'll try checking above." Kurumu shot out her wings and took off over the forest. Hiro gave a sigh as he clicked his flashlight on. He shined his light into the forest. "Come on out, Head!" There was no answer. "A head won't respond back to me, I guess."
From the other side of Sasanaki Pass, Riza lifted the plates on the side of the road. Jolt perked his small head inside the opening.
"Pika?" Jolt only saw darkness in the crawl space.
"Not here, huh?" said Riza. "Try going deeper." Jolt went searching inside the small tunnel leading into a dark passageway.
Kurumu flew near the forest and surveyed the ground closely.
"It's not over here," Kurumu pointed out. "How the hell am I supposed to know what it looks like?" She decided to turn back, so she flew up and reversed her direction to the highway.
"AAAAAAAAAHHH!" A voice yelled out.
"Huh?" Kurumu heard a scream coming from the street below. Hiro was lying on the ground unconscious with an ambulance parked by. She slowly descended to his position, until she saw the driver stepping out of the vehicle. She quickly flew by the edge of the street and peeked over at his actions. He had a lab coat over his pink shirt and a blue tie as well as rounded glasses. His devilish grin and drawn back hair told Kurumu that he was a creep or some mad man.
"Seems we've got an injured patient here," the man presumed. "Better hurry and get you to the hospital to be treated." From the back of the van, three men jumped out and proceeded toward Hiro. They were dressed as though they were ready for surgery. "Okay, move Hiro Hiroyimi into the ambulance!" They tied Hiro to the stretcher and wheeled him inside. "Nice and easy, now!"
"Something's definitely not right with him," Kurumu whispered. The ambulance drove off down the pass. Kurumu released her grip from the cliff and chased after them. The sirens were going off as they continued their return to the hospital. From inside, Hiro was waking from the accident. He noticed his body restrained to the stretcher.
"Hey!" he shouted. "What's the big…?"
Punch!
The surgeon sitting beside him gave a hard blow to his gut. Hiro knocked out.
"Oh, that's no good," the doctor smiled defiantly. "Our patient's injuries have worsened. We'd better hurry." He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "We'll have him there in a jiffy, Master."
Riza came to a complete stop. Jolt jumped off and started looking for Hiro and Kurumu.
"Pika?" Jolt noticed something was wrong. Riza came walking behind him.
"We didn't find anything up ahead," Riza confirmed. "How did you do here, Hiro? Any luck?" It dawned on her that Hiro was nowhere to be seen, let alone Kurumu for that matter. Jolt pointed to the flashlight lying on the floor.
"Pika!" Jolt ran over and picked it up. Riza saw this and grew worried.
Kurumu made her stop in front of the Sasanaki General Hospital and noticed the ambulance parked at the front. She entered the building and slowly moved through the hallway. The sound of footsteps approached to her left. Kurumu hid behind the wall as a group of men passed by.
"Damn, they'll know something's wrong if they see me in this," Kurumu whispered. She hurried in the opposite direction to the next passageway and found a utility closet. She peered inside to see hangers of uniforms and face masks stacked on a small table. "Oh yeah, this will work."
Two surgeons were walking side by side scanning the area. One was a man in his green uniform while the other was a woman in pink.
Step, step, step, step
Footsteps started approaching them. The man turned his attention to the left hallway.
"Who's there?" he yelled out. From the shadows, a girl in a nurse outfit walked up to them. She had a white dress with a hat bearing a red cross. Her stockings with high heels reached to her thighs while wearing a stethoscope around her neck. she held a brown clipboard in her arms.
"Don't mind me," she smiled, "I was just…checking on the patients, hehe." The two looked at one another and nodded. She started walking past the man. "See ya later, big boy~." The man blushed for a few seconds. The female surgeon elbowed him in the gut. "That was easier than I thought." Kurumu sighed and went looking for where Hiro might be. She heard voices coming from a room just ahead. A plaque addressed information about the occupant staying inside.
[205]
[Mr. Hiro Hiroyimi]
She leaned against the wall and listened in on the conversation.
"You're a regular here these days, Hiro Hiroyimi," the doctor adjusted his glasses.
"A regular?" Hiro asked. "You're the one who dragged me here!"
"Drop your guard for just a second and you can end up injured for life! This must be fate." Kurumu wasn't surprised.
"So, they were the ones who brought him here," she analyzed.
"Since you've come all the way here, allow me to introduce you to my master." This brought Kurumu's attention.
"Master?" Hiro asked.
"And not the kind of 'master' you find in a coffee shop," the doctor clarified. "This master is the ruler of this hospital!"
"Ruler? Aren't you the chief of Medicine?" The doctor chuckled at Hiro's assumption.
"He easily surpasses my very existence. HE'S MY MASTER!"
"…This guy is nuts," Kurumu concluded. The two exited the room. Kurumu quickly faced the other direction without being noticed. As they marched on, Kurumu slowly followed after them. They made off down the next corridor leading to a flight of stairs. Flame torches descended along the wall. "They must have done some remodeling in this place." Kurumu examined the arcetect. She followed the guys into the underground tunnel while keeping her distance.
"It's not often my master meets with plain folk like you," The man concurred. "You should be grateful." They came across a right turn leading to large doors with square carvings and marble edgings along the side. "The master is in this room. Come now, Hiro." The child gulped in hesitation.
"Enter," someone spoke from beyond the door. The right entry slowly opened as Hiro stepped inside the room. "I've been waiting for you."
Boom!
The door closed behind him. The doctor turned around and walked back to the hospital. Kurumu dropped from the ceiling and retracted her wings.
"What is he up to?" Kurumu asked. She pressed her ear against the door. The room itself looked filled with antiques and treasures scattered on the walls. There were jars of intestines stacked on some wooden shelves, masks of different cultures with goblins and human faces, and scientific artifacts like telescopes and vases lying around. Next to the marble chimney was a dark, groomed, tall man with a long white buttoned shirt and black cape. His white hair was combed back and had a sharp and cut beard at the tip of his chin. He held a glass of red liquid in his right hand; staring at Hiro's reflection.
"Nice to meet you, Hiro Hiyorimi," he greeted with a sincere grin. Hiro recognized this person before.
"Y-you're…" Hiro stuttered.
There's someone else in there, Kurumu heard the new voice from inside. She kept her ear on the door.
"Please, take a seat." The gentleman offered Hiro a chair by his desk. The table was covered by chemical beakers, some old books, a wax candle holder, and a metallic helmet.
"My name is Zeppeli," he introduced himself.
"Zeppeli…" Hiro asked.
"How can I put this?" He stared back at his red drink. "I'm from the same race as Reiri…Do you catch my drift?"
"A vampire!?" Hiro jumped in his seat. Kurumu's eyes widened.
"…Another vampire," she whispered.
"Precisely." His fangs began to show.
"So, you're after Hime's life as well?" Hiro assumed.
"That's a good question," he sipped his liquid. "Certainly, the princess' blood would be delectable, but I'd also like to become friends with you."
"Yeah, right," Kurumu rolled her eyes.
"We've got a river of sorts separating us, that is, a feud," Zeppeli explained. He sat on top of the table next to Hiro. "I'd like to give you a token of friendship as the first gesture towards burying the hatchet. Will you accept it?"
"A token of friendship?" Hiro didn't understand. They both looked over to the helmet.
"This is said token of friendship."
"Damn it, I can't see!" Kurumu searched the door for any cracks or openings.
"Wh-what is it?" Hiro became more nervous the longer he stared at the helmet. This metallic armor suddenly rustled and turned to him.
"Weren't you searching for something?" Zeppeli replied.
"That's the…knight's head?" Zappeli's grin grew larger. The red eyes from within the helmet glowed vicious and eerie. Kurumu backed away from the door.
"He's got the head…" With this information, she quickly flew back up the flight of stairs and out of the hospital. She went in search for the others.
Royal Manor
Hime rested in her chair as she read her book in the den. Rai held a bottle of cleaning mix and started spraying the windows. He wiped off any smudges with the white cloth in his right hand.
"You know, you should really check on these windows once in a while," Rai suggested.
"Perhaps, but that is why you're the one doing it and I'm not," Hime remarked. She turned the page in her novel. He started twisting the rag into a tight squeeze until the mix was completely removed. The wind rustled past the curtains as the air came in. When he looked, Rai saw a girl sitting on the windowsill.
"Whoa!" Rai stepped away and toppled to the floor.
"I don't recall making plans for a tea party tonight," Hime said undisturbed by the intruder.
"Does everybody try to sneak into this house?" Rai asked.
"My, such cold words," Reiri spoke. She noticed Rai sitting before her. "And who might this man be?"
"Uh, Rai…Raimundo Ortega," Rai regained his footing and shook her hand. "Nice to meet ya."
"How polite of you," Reiri smiled.
"Have you come for something?" Hime asked. Reiri moved over to Hime and leaned over on the back of her seat.
"I have something much more fun a tea party planned," Reiri offered. Hime slightly grinned.
"Oh?" she turned the page. "You've got my attention now." The wind rustled as the room filled with silence.
Sasanaki Pass
"Hiro!" Riza yelled out. "Hey! Hiro!"
"Pika Pi!" Jolt shouted. The two were by the forest looking for Hiro and Kurumu on foot. An echo bellowed inside the woods. A man began appearing out from the darkness and charging full-speed like a roaring tank.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHH!" the man yelled. "Give me my body!"
"Who the hell are you?" Riza brought out her wolf arms and retaliated. The man delivered a kick down on her.
"My body!" Riza blocked him with her right arm. With a closer look, she saw the man wearing a grey, metal helmet on his head.
"Pikaaaa…pika!" Jolt went into a Wild Charge right at the opponent. The man pulled away from Riza and spun in the air. As the two made contact, the whirling menace blocked off Jolt's attack and sent him crashing into a tree.
Crash!
"Cha!" Jolt landed on the ground.
"Damn…" Riza ran over to Jolt and carried him in her arms. The man started glowing with an intense red aura and rushed at her. "Damn it!"
Bam!
A white figure zipped passed Riza overhead and rammed the man into a large tree. The trunk began to topple and fall to the ground. Riza shielded her eyes and Jolt from the flying leaves.
"What incredible power…" Riza witnessed. The nurse floated down to Riza's level.
"You guys okay?" Kurumu asked.
"Succubus?" Riza said with surprise. "Where did you come from?"
"I just got here," she turned to the man rising from the decapitated tree. "If you hadn't noticed, the guy inside the helmet…is Hiro."
"Oh, I've noticed," Riza whispered. "Is he being controlled by that helmet?"
"He wasn't wearing that before." Hiro turned to them. "We can't hurt him or Hiro is gonna be the one taking the hit." Riza handed Jolt over to her.
"Then let's get that helmet!" Riza went dashing at him. Hiro raised his foot upward and darted down on Riza. She blocked his strike with her right arm. Riza threw her left arm straight at Hiro's head. She pulled him under her left arm and tugged roughly on his head. "Damn it, it won't come off!"
"Pull harder!" Kurumu shouted.
"What do think I'm doing!?"
"Neigh!" A horse whinnied nearby. As Riza turned, the headless horseman was swinging his ax and running towards them. Riza and Kurumu started running away from the knight while carrying their 'helpless' allies in their arms. Riza looked behind to see the horseman struck his mighty battle-ax down on them. They tripped and hurdled through the dirt causing Riza to drop Hiro and Kurumu to lose Jolt. . The three looked up to see the knight lean in and grab Hiro by the head.
"Damn," Riza complained.
"Wow, you say that a lot," said Kurumu.
"Chu?" Jolt regained consciousness. The knight raised Hiro in the air and released a radiant, white light. The three covered their eyes until the light subsided. Riza opened her eyes and gazed at the rejoined knight in front of them. The knight's stare was dark and empty.
"H-Hiro?" Riza asked.
"He's back to normal," Kurumu noticed the knight in one piece.
"Pikachu?" Jolt tiptoed closer to the horse.
"Neeeeeiiigh!" The horse rose on its hind legs as the rider pulled on the reigns. The intense aura only grew stronger.
"Look out!" Jolt leapt for Riza's head. The knight charged in at the three. Riza and Kurumu quickly stepped aside as he galloped by. "D-Damn! Hiro!" The horse jumped onto the highway in one large leap.
"Come on!" Kurumu shouted. She grabbed Riza by her shoulders and pulled her in the air. "Where's your bike?"
"Over there!" Riza pointed over to the railing where she parked it. Kurumu dropped her on the bike. Riza started the motor and quickly took off whereas Kurumu followed her from the sky. The knight was running at a rapid pace on the pass with Riza tailing him.
"He won't get away!" Riza shouted. Jolt made his way around Riza to the handlebars. Sparks started flying from his cheeks.
"Pika…CHU!" The Thunderbolt shot out at the knight. The horse avoided the strike as it hurdled over the railing. "Pika!?"
"He's getting away!" Kurumu yelled.
"No, he's not!" Riza twisted the right handle. The bike hurdled over the railing after the knight. Jolt hanged on for his life as they landed on the ground below. Just ahead was the rampaging horseman cutting his way through the terrain. "Hold your horses!"
"Pika Pika!" Jolt shouted. The knight slid his horse down a dirt slope and continued running through the tall grass. Riza immediately jumped the hill and charged after him. The grass and dirt lashed at them.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow..." Riza closed her eyes against the debris. Jolt held on while taking the hits in front. Kurumu covered her face while flying away from the low branches.
"There's too much obstacles!" she cried.
HONK! HONK!
A loud horn echoed behind the girls (and rabbit). A red commercial vehicle started driving up beside Riza. In the left passenger seat was Flandre while Rai was driving the vehicle on the right.
"It's Rai…and Flandre!" Riza shouted. Kurumu soared over to the driver's side window.
"Breaker, breaker, this is Raimundo Ortega," he jested while driving. "Your requested escort has arrived."
"Fuga!" Flandre added. Rai floored the gas pedal and turned in front of Riza and Jolt.
"Rai, how did find us?" Kurumu asked.
"We got a call from Reiri you guys were horsing around." Kurumu stared with a blank face. "…I'll just clear a path." Rai shifted the gear once more. The truck's tires crushed the earth and grazed a smooth trail for the bike.
"Ah, this will work!" Riza shouted. Her bike smoothly drove over the flattened plains as the group charged after the knight.
"Pipipi!" Jolt cried.
"How do we stop him?" Kurumu asked.
"We don't," Rai shifted another gear. "We're gonna give him a little extra push." The horse leaped up into the air and back onto the highway. It galloped through the street as his rider held the reigns. The knight noticed the princess stepping in front of his path. She raised a wooden bat and pointed straight at her mark.
"A home run, eh?" Hime stared down the bat. The knight showed no sign of stopping. Hime lifted the bat over her right shoulder.
VRRRRMMM!
The truck rode up the hill and landed on the street. The knight turned to see the oncoming headlights plow straight into them. Both he and the horse were being forced forward. Hime twisted her left foot and firmly gripped the bat. In one swing, she slammed the wooden club straight at his head.
Slam!
The helmet flew off the body along with Hiro. Kurumu dived down to grab the boy. As the helmet soared high above, Riza rode her bike over the cargo hold and into the sky.
"Nice batting!" She cried. Jolt jumped out and grabbed the helmet.
"Pika!" Jolt latched the head back on the headless horseman. He leapt back on Riza's bike as she skidded to a halt.
"The knight's back to his senses now, huh?" Hime presumed. Rai and Flandre exited the vehicle and stood by Hime. Kurumu walked over while carrying Hiro by his arms as Jolt went to stand between Rai and Flandre. "Riza's race begins now." The knight's aura subsided; he now stood calm and collected. Riza waited and looked up to him in the moonlight.
"Shall we settle this?" Riza asked. The knight looked to her in silence. "Listen, I'm gonna show you who's the fastest through Sasanaki Pass!" The knight pulled on his horse while Riza revved the motor. In a second, they took off down the street.
"So, any reason why you're ready to play doctor?" Rai asked. Kurumu looked at her outfit.
"Oh this?" she said distressed. "I—uh…well, you see…" Rai turned to Kurumu.
"Any idea who put it on Hiro in the first place?" She quickly settled.
"I know one thing," Kurumu stated. "It was a vampire."
"He's meddling with things again, huh?" Hime asked.
Sasanaki General Hospital
Zeppeli was enjoying his drink while making light conversation.
"I'm just glad the princess is having a good time," he assured. The woman who was sitting rose from her seat.
"The entertainment hasn't even begun yet," Reiri smiled. After her last words, her body morphed into a swarm of grey bats that flew up through the fireplace. Zeppeli only continued to examine his pottery in his bedroom.
"Well, what shall we have them do to entertain us next?"
Sasanaki Pass
Riza and the knight were coming down to the home stretch. As the final turn came up, Riza was following up fast.
"No one can get through Sasanaki Pass faster than me!" Riza declared. The full moon shined past the clouds. In a sudden burst of speed, she accelerated just enough to surpass the horseman in one fell sweep. As Riza crossed ahead of him, the bike screeched until it came to a stop. As she got off her bike, the knight stopped in front of her. The two stared at one another. Riza gave off a warm smile. "…That was a good race. Rest in Peace." Both the knight and the horse began evaporating into trickles of light blue flames. Their bodies disappeared leaving only Riza to stand alone. "…Hahahaha!" she chuckled. "I told you I was the fastest!"
Royal Manor
"So? Did you see?" She turned over to everyone. Everyone seemed perplexed by the situation, except for Hime who was drinking her tea.
"I wasn't paying attention," she inserted.
"Hime!" she shouted. "Damn you…Hiro!" Hiro was rubbing the back of his head.
"Sorry, I can't remember a thing," he responded.
"Flandre, I know you saw me!"
"Fuga," Flandre shook her head.
"Did any of you see me!?"
"Hello, I was busy carrying him back here," Kurumu pointed to Hiro.
"Pikachu," Jolt sweated dropped.
"You guys needed to watch! I was the fastest one to cross Sasanaki Pass!"
"Alright, we believe you!" Rai spoke out. "I saw the whole thing; you came out at the last second and drove passed the last turn."
"You really saw it?" Hiro asked.
"Pretty much. I managed to catch a small glimpse from a distance." Riza folded her arms.
"Well, at least someone managed to see who won," Riza said pleased. She pulled up her jeans and started heading inside. "Well then, it's time for the 'winner' to get some shuteye."
"…Really?" Kurumu asked.
"Eh, as long as she feels accomplished," Rai added.
The night went on silently. Rai changed out of his uniform and fitted back into his shirt and pants. He jumped onto the bed and ruffled underneath the covers. He turned over on the bed. Jolt curled up on the edge of the bed. The door slowly creaked as Kurumu walked in from a hot shower. Her shirt covered her upper body as she made her way to the bed.
Should I tell him? Kurumu asked herself.
"Hey, you okay?" Rai asked. She pulled the covers over herself until she was face-to-face with Rai. She opened one eye to him.
"…You're way too nice."
"…Yeah, I guess I am." They both drifted into a deep sleep.
The man awoke from his sleep. He stumbled out of the alleyway into the bright sunlight. He gazed around the area in search of someone who he could communicate with. The people around him looked much different than he anticipated. They were cartoons, but looked almost exactly like people. When he saw a window to a grocery market, he saw himself completely changed as well. His body looked just like a teenage character from an anime with the blue eyes, black spiky hair, and his somewhat light brown skin. He had on his blue T-shirt and light brown cargo pants.
"What the hell's going on?" he asked. He saw a man in a suit walking past him. "Excuse me; do you know where I am?" The man stared strangely at him.
"Watashi wa isoide iru," the man answered. He continued on walking. The boy stood in confusion at his words.
"What did he say?" He turned around and started running in the opposite direction. People stared at him as he ran. He made his way through the crowds of parents holding children, teenagers in their groups, and adult coming out from work. All around him were small shops and tall skyscrapers that let into the city. He made a sharp left turn.
Crash!
"Kyaaa!" the girl cried. The two fell to the ground. The boy rubbed his sore end and saw the girl in front of him. She had long blue hair and a red hair clip to hold her bangs to the left of her face. She wore a school uniform with a red jacket and a white undershirt with a blue tie. She had a brown skirt with white socks and brown shoes. Her book bag fell to the floor with her yellow star-keychain attached to the handle. "Gomen'nasai!"
"Crap, I'm sorry!" The boy panicked. When he looked at the girl, he stopped and took a long pause. His eyes didn't faze as he looked at her stunning appearance and her shimmering green eyes. He rose and walked over to her. She quickly stood from her position and backed away. The boy bent down and picked up her book bag. He offered it to her. "Uh…here you go." The girl inched over and reached for her bag.
"A-Arigatōgozaimashita!" she thanked. Seeing his job done, he decided to turn around and find answers elsewhere.
"You take care," the boy started walking away.
*Grab*
He stopped in his tracks. The boy turned over to the girl who was now grabbing on to his arm sleeve. "Hey…I…"
"…Yume," she said. "Kasamari Yume."
"Yume?" The boy pondered. "Is that your name?" The girl only smiled warmly. He raised his hand in friendship. The girl stared with confusion. "I'm Joseph. Joseph Aaron."
"Yosefu?" Yume blinked. The two shook hands and began to laugh at their sudden meet.
-To Be Continued-
Flandre: Fuga!
Hiro: What do you think, Flandre? Do I look strange to you?
Dude, what's with the formal attire?
Hiro: A classmate invited me to go and play at their house.
You're going over to play dressed like James Bond in a tuxedo?
Hiro: Oh right! What should I take as a gift? I'm not sure what to do!
It's cool, you don't need a gift. All right's reserved and the material used belong to their respective owners. Leave a comment and review on your thoughts and ideas. Stay Classy!
Next Time: Princess Visitation
Seriously, lose the tux.
Flandre: Fuga Fuga.