Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Mario or its franchise; it belongs to
Nintendo and their affiliates. I just am really grateful to its creators for giving
me such a wonderful game and media series to write about!
I also don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all that belongs to J.K. Rowling,
but thanks go to her as well because, using her wonderful work, I can expand this
story to make it more interesting.
I also don't own anything related to Naruto if you see me throw a little of that, too.
Chapter Twenty
Whether it was a wide sash or a really long scarf before didn't matter; that silk black fabric would serve as a headband tonight. Or something of that sort. Roy had to stand in the vanity mirror to make sure he tied it in just a way that every one of his tell-tale pink locks were hidden. Yes, he could use a henge, but keeping up a henge took an amount of pervasive concentration that he just wasn't willing to sacrifice tonight, not to mention he wanted to conserve all his physical and magical energy for his main task.
Meeting his own green eyes in the mirror, Roy maintained that hardened expression of determination as he tied the last knot and let the rest of the makeshift headband trail down his back. His features only softened for a moment when he happened to look down towards the corner of the mirror and saw Eriana's reflection as she lay on the bed. He turned and felt the anger well up in him all over again. In three good strides he was near her. She'd turned on her side and had her knees up to her chest in his absence. Her tawny skin, like the satin sheets, was covered in sweat and there were a few wrinkles by her mouth and between her brows that hadn't faded yet: evidence of her previous distress. It was a wonder she'd even gotten back to sleep so soon.
Roy scowled and used his thumb to rub those worry lines away from her naturally smooth features, then stroked her limp dark curls from her forehead. Her skin was hot under his hand and he worried for her. He thought about calling someone to sit with her while he was gone, but didn't want to draw attention to himself.
Besides, he thought resolutely, after tonight, she shouldn't have any more nightmares.
He fixed the sheets and comforter over Eriana's body and settled her head correctly on a pillow before heading to his closet. He needed to change into something inconspicuous. Something black seemed to be the most obvious choice, as it was the color of the night and wouldn't stand out like his other stately garments. He pulled on some pants and a sleeveless shirt and heavy jacket that would ward off the cold. Tugging his headband down over his magenta eyebrows, Roy was prepared to leave his room.
"Rex…"
He'd heard his pseudo-name fall from the girl's lips just as he was passing the bed, and warily he turned to throw her some excuse about why he was leaving in the dead of the night. But when he saw her, his mouth shut and he was relieved to see Eriana was just talking in her sleep. He went over to her and laid a kiss on her forehead and then left.
Getting out of his room was easy, but then came the task of sneaking out of the palace. Roy didn't want to, but he used his magic to shroud himself from the naked eye so as not to encounter any complications on his way out of the castle. He left through the doors that led to the royal gardens because he had to give himself a way to sneak back in, and those doors were the only ones that weren't manned by guards. Only when he was away from the palace entirely and heading into the city did he feel confident enough to smirk brazenly up at the pale white crescent moon above.
Now at first, he didn't want to do this. He wanted to go ahead and talk to the king about things like Eriana suggested. But tonight she'd woken him up with her crying and flailing and it'd pierced his heart to hear her begging for someone to get off of her, to please just stop touching her. He'd tried to console her but he had faint scratches on his arms and face for that, not to mention she almost busted his eardrums when she'd started screaming 'no' over and over again when he'd laid his hands on her. He'd gotten her to wake up eventually and once she saw it was him she clung to him. This was probably her worst 'episode' yet and it was the last straw for Roy. He knew that whatever happened to Eriana had to be hellish for her to have lasting trauma and he had to do something about the situation now. He didn't want to wait anymore.
Not that he had a plan beyond getting to the warehouse. He didn't know what he'd do once he was there.
I can't burn it down, he calculated, and I can't really which one was the one to hurt Eriana. Not that it matters, they're all a bunch of rat scum anyway.
With a deeper scowl Roy picked up the pace towards his destination. But after a while it occurred to him that his black boots thudding against the sandy ground wasn't the only sound he could hear. No, someone was following him and they were being really obvious about it. He picked up on their hurried, pattering footfalls right away and the thought of someone preying on him just filled him with aggravation.
Might be a thief or something, he thought irritably, making a plan to expose them as quickly as possible.
He continued on as if he were unaware of their presence but as soon as he saw a building coming up, he ducked to the side of it and pressed himself against the wall. Predictably, his stalker was not too far behind and, when they were about to pass him, he snatched them and slammed them against the wall. A very feminine shriek of protest met his ears and he felt regret pool in his heart at the thought of hurting a girl or young woman, thief or not. And then the feeling only multiplied when he saw who it was he had pinned.
"What are you—that was you following me?" He asked, releasing the girl in front of him.
Eriana's feet hit the ground and she brushed herself off more out of nervousness than anything. She fidgeted with the sleeves of her own cloak-like jacket as she spoke.
"I saw you leaving." She said, "I thought I was dreaming at first but when you shut the door I knew it was you."
"I thought you were asleep." Roy admitted quietly.
Eriana shook her head; it was his kiss that woke her up, but she didn't mention that.
She told him, "I followed you because I know where you're going and I wanted to stop you."
"No." Roy spoke firmly. "Eri, I gotta' do this but you should get back to the palace, it's late and it's dangerous-"
"I'm not going without you." Eriana spoke just as stalwartly, gazing up at him without her earlier unease.
Roy looked down at her and itched to run a hand through his hair. He couldn't keep the frown off his face as he thought of what to do about the complicated situation.
If I could get her to go back, he thought, because taking her with him was most definitely out of the question. At the same time, he didn't want to have to escort her back because that would cost him a lot of time and he didn't want to put this off any longer.
Eriana stared up at him quietly as he deliberated, wishing he would just come back with her.
If something happens to him because of me…well, the girl feared she would never forgive herself. She shifted from foot to foot and then stilled when the young man seemed to come to a decision.
"You go on ahead to the palace." He told her in a low, even tone. "I'll catch up."
Eriana gazed at him skeptically.
He added, "I just um, need to get my head straight."
"Then you'll come?" She asked, "You promise you'll come?"
"…Yes."
You fuckin' liar, he almost instantly spat at himself in his head.
Eriana seemed to find an ounce of truth that wasn't really there in his downcast face or features because she nodded a little and then took a few steps backwards, then turned and headed around the building and back towards the palace. Roy waited until she was a good distance away before he rounded the building as well and bolted in the other direction. He did feel horrible for breaking his word and knew there was a chance he'd lost the girl's trust, but he decided he'd deal with his guilt later. Right now he had something to do.
People in the town had speculated on the issue, but none of them really saw it coming. No one knew the strange, redheaded menace would just come barreling into the city, knocking out anyone who dared come close to him, be it the newly-instated guards or the law enforcement officials or the random men and women who wanted to stand up and help their fellow villagers who'd been assaulted by the tall being who seemed oddly single-minded in his desire to get…somewhere. He wasn't attacking anyone in particular, just whoever tried to get in his way.
It became obvious where he was going when he kicked in the door to the blacksmith's shop.
To get that far, the smith had to assume the redhead had incapacitated the two guards who stood at the door, and with that inference came his sudden fear. The man stood from where he sat sharpening a blade behind the counter and held himself straight as the violent stranger approached. His heart was beating wildly and his free hand gripped the sharp weapon's hilt tightly.
"I don't sell to wanted men." He announced with an edge of distaste.
Still Bowser sauntered in and snorted before he said, "Then I suppose it's a good thing I wasn't planning on buying anything in the first place."
"If you're looking to steal from me you won't get far!" The smith threatened.
Bowser shot him a cheeky smile and pulled a slim dagger from his side, waving it pointedly.
"I have a knife, see?" he smirked, then threw it and added, "I just need a better one."
The knife would have lodged itself in the man's throat if he didn't have the reflexes to throw up his hand and catch it before it did. This small victory was no more than a necessary distraction, for when the old king reached the counter the smith was wholly unprepared for another, more sudden attack. Bowser grabbed the man's arm and drove another blade he'd previously concealed straight through the blacksmith's hand, veritably nailing the appendage to the wooden counter beneath it. And now those quick reflexes were matched with those of the Dark King's, for when the smith's other hand that gripped the sharpened blade snapped over to cut off the redhead's offending appendage, Bowser snatched his hand away and the smith severed his own instead.
Before, when he'd had his hand stabbed, the blacksmith had only gritted his teeth and hissed, but now, with his hand cleanly dislodged from his wrist and lying in a widening pool of his own blood, he screamed terribly.
"You won't be needing this anymore," Bowser surmised, plucking the sharpened blade from the smith's pliant fingers.
The man was still in shock as the redhead used his very own thumb and index fingers to slide the mess of blood off the blade's edge. Like the blood from the counter, it dripped onto the floor but the sound was lost for the shop owner's screaming.
"Good luck with that hand," Bowser smirked on his way out. "You're a blacksmith, maybe you can fashion yourself a nice new hook, eh?"
His smirk dropped once he was out the door and gave way to a disgusted scowl.
Stupid human, he groused, swinging the blade by his side as he walked. Should have just given me the damn knife.
He looked down at it and saw it was a leather-hilted, curved dagger with a dozen rubies inlaid along the handle. It was nice, but he'd seen better.
"Stop, thief!"
Them again, Bowser sneered, looking from the blood-crusted blade to the guards in front of him. They were all the same, just obstacles that stood in his way. He went through them at a disturbing rate, aided by the knife and his will to get to his destination.
He indiscriminately gutted and stabbed the burly men and left three bodies in his wake, though even more guards and law enforcement official came to thwart him. Their cries reverberated through the town and people came out of their houses and poured into the streets to see what was going on.
Encouraged by this audience, Bowser made a show of ripping through his opponents without care or mercy and their numbers began to dwindle. Once they'd seen what he'd done to the others, they fell back and merely stood in front of the crowds so as to shield the innocent people from the redhead's wrath. Bowser noticed this and glanced behind him where bodies lay, some still alive and groaning in pain from multiple puncture wounds and physical injuries, and others dead with their throats cut open. The crowd, who'd been worked up a moment about, crying shouting screaming, now grew bitterly silent, as if even a noise would set off the killing machine that stood in the middle of the empty road. They gave him a wide berth, not even challenging the man-made barrier of officers and guards that held them back on either side of the street.
"Why are you doing this?" Someone shouted.
Bowser, breathing heavily and coated in blood that wasn't his own, turned and sought out the speaker. He couldn't pinpoint who it was, so he addressed the crowd at large.
"You poisoned him."
Shedding his outer cloak despite the obvious cold, Bowser flexed his bare arms and shoulders. His body adjusted to the temperature minutes ago, assisted by his fiery anger. He was getting angrier the more he gazed out at the fearful and indignant and shocked people.
"Don't act so surprised," He sneered at them, turning as he spoke. "You filthy creatures."
Bowser's voice rose until he was roaring when he said, "You're lucky I don't slaughter the lot of you for what you did to my son and heir! Do you even know who I am?!"
There was a tapping sound, the noise of a cane hitting the ground, as a crotchety old man stepped towards the front of the crowd. Bowser recognized him as the old tailor and smirked.
"You're not looking so hot, old man." He jeered.
"No thanks to you!" The tailor Ollivander shot back boldly. "And we know who you are, alright; a murderer! A villain!"
Bowser's features morphed from scathing mirth to loathing as he stalked towards the crippled old man who was now turning white as a ghost. But the old king hadn't taken more than five steps in his direction before he was forced to stop and glance sharply to the side. There, stuck in his shoulder was a well-aimed meat cleaver and he could only guess at where it'd come from. Bowser ignored the shooting pain in his bleeding shoulder as he dislodged the utensil and let it fall to the ground. His face betrayed his murderous intentions as he took slow, measured steps towards the butcher who was standing in the doorway of his shop. There were no guards around him, just his solid, six-foot, hairy self against the infamous Dark King.
"You impudent beast," Bowser snarled in quiet fury as he got closer to the butcher. "You dare attack me?!"
The butcher swallowed but stood his ground in his soiled apron and work clothes. No one came to his defense. After all, no one wanted their throat cut out or worse by challenging the red-haired maniac.
Bowser's eyes narrowed and he hissed accusingly, "I bet you were the one, weren't you? You're the one who did it!"
The butcher glanced back at the counter and wondered if he had time to retrieve another weapon, but in the next second he couldn't even spare the oxygen to fuel his brain with any more thoughts on the matter for his supply was abruptly cut off when Bowser closed his fingers around the man's throat. Blood had seeped from the injured king's shoulder down to his hand and stained the butcher's white garments as the king lifted him about a foot off the ground. Gazing up at him almost casually, Bowser narrowed his eyes even further.
"Did you get me, too, while you were at it? Or did you just go for my heir? Hm?" He probed.
Even if he wanted to plead his case, the butcher could do no more than claw at Bowser's hands and gasp for breath.
Delusional at this point that he took the man's struggle as a slight against him, Bowser tightened his grip and barked, "ANSWER ME YOU HAIRY SWINE!"
The redhead's ear almost visibly twitched at the sound of incoming assailants, and in the span of the next few seconds the situation rapidly escalated.
I'll teach these patchetic worms to sneak up on me
That thought was the first thing that transpired and, simultaneously, he dropped the butcher onto the ground where he curled on his side and choked in greedy breaths of air. Bowser bending down was the second thing that happened and he reached into his boot and pulled out something, having his second and last thought of the moment.
Didn't want to have to use this until after Nikky came, but now's as good a time as any
And as soon as he had the golden item around his neck, he grinned and felt a familiar swell of power and raw energy fill his body at once, starting in his chest and spreading to the tips of his fingers, five of which were extended towards the oncoming guards. That was when the last, most noteworthy thing happened.
It was over almost as soon as it began, for the flames burned so hot and so white that the men trapped within the path of them stood no chance of survival. They went screaming but even those sounds didn't last under the duress of the fiery attack. Flesh bubbled and blistered, meat and muscle roasted, bones snapped and became as brittle as dead leaves and there was absolutely nothing left of the guards save for a pile of smoldering black ashes and a patch of black, charred ground where they so bravely stepped up to defend the butcher moments ago.
The stunned silence of the crowd, who knew not what to make of the brutality they'd just witnessed, only lasted until they heard the wholly unrepentant, indubitably mad laughter of the insane red-haired menace. Now, knowing there was nothing that bore any resemblance of hope remaining for them, they broke out into a panicked, terrified uproar. Many ran but to where? The fallen royal was burning buildings, carts, animals, people; it was chaos.
"Enough!"
Why can't I move?
Bowser stood rooted to the spot, his hands cast towards his next target. His jade eyes darted furiously between the people. He wanted to know who would dare apprehend him in such a way, but it occurred to him that there was just one person who even could. Thus, it was no surprise when the person in question came walking over to him. Her presence calmed the people for they grew silent once more, as if in anticipation of her hopefully lethal actions towards the menace. They seemed to overlook how she was walking very slowly and hesitantly, but Bowser didn't.
He smirked maliciously and said as she approached, "It's a bit too late for caution, witch. You're finished."
"You can't hurt me." She told him, though she flinched when he made to lunge for her.
Her magic held him at bay but Tamaryn would be a fool if she believed her own words. She hated him, but she couldn't underestimate him or the fact that he was mysteriously a lot more powerful than when she'd last seen him.
His power…it's coming from that medallion, she deduced, glaring at the thing. It made her job a whole lot harder.
She honestly didn't want to see him any more than was necessary, but when one of the villagers came yanking on her flower like there was no tomorrow, babbling hysterically about a crazed lunatic burning down the town, she knew she had no choice but to intervene. She had a contract with the villagers; in exchange for providing her sanctuary during another century, long ago, when the world was much more prejudiced against her kind, she offered them herself as a source of protection, among other things. She didn't know how much even she could do against this unholy excuse of a man.
"You know you can't hold me forever."
Tamaryn looked up at this reminder and knew he was right. She shifted on her feet so that there was more space in between them in the event that he did break free without her volition and met his infuriated eyes.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked him, then couldn't resist a tight frown when she added, "I thought you were waiting for the snake."
"This has nothing to do with you." Bowser replied and demanded, "Let go of me!"
"Why are you so angry?" She asked him, and as an after-thought tacked on, "I mean you're always angry, but currently that is. What's your problem?"
He surprised her when he chuckled derisively and said, "They know what they did."
She rolled her amber eyes and almost wanted to tap her foot impatiently; couldn't he just answer a simple question?
Dark King? More like daft king of all assholes, she mused, smiling privately to herself.
She asked with a tinge of coyness, "Enlighten me, Majesty. What could these poor people have done to warrant you unleashing the…" she glanced around and lifted a brow, "…fires of hell on them?"
Bowser snorted and said, "These poor people had the fucking gall to poison my heir. And here you stand, keeping me from giving them what they deserve!"
Tamaryn waved her hand saying, "Calm down, Koopa, they didn't touch your heir."
"How would you know?!" He roared. "You're calling me a liar?"
"A liar and a-" Tamaryn muttered but cut herself off when he jerked at his invisible restraints and released an animalistic growl.
"I know what they did to him!"
"Mm-hm." She spoke sweetly. "I mean I'm sure you probably think you know what happened, but let me tell you, your cute little heir wasn't poisoned." She then tilted her head and said thoughtfully, "Unless you count food poisoning, which he did to himself."
The king stared at her, perplexed out of his anger for a second.
She said, "I stopped by your uh, cave before coming here. Cozy little place there, Your Highness. Anyway, you weren't there—obviously—but your adorable little boy was, and he was sick-"
"I know that!" Bowser bellowed, "They poisoned him!"
"Let me finish!" She snapped, losing her cool at his insistent attitude.
He doesn't even know what he's talking about, she thought scornfully. He's such an idiot, although a highly dangerous one.
She pushed a burgundy curl behind her ear and explained, "Your baby boy went wandering the town unattended the other day—very irresponsible parenting Your Highness—and he went around eating as much candy and sweets as he could get his hands on. So cute." She smiled fondly, then remarked as if confused, "But he stole it all, told people it already belonged to him, in fact. Wonder where he got that from, mm?"
Bowser's temper was tempered in light of this bit of news but, as always when confronted with the possibility that he may be in the wrong, he scoffed and called her a liar.
"Oh, now I'm the liar?" Tamaryn challenged, dropping her civil façade. "You've got some nerve!"
"How would you know what happened?" Bowser retorted.
"Who do you think healed him, genius?"
She didn't know a spell or incantation that could take back the last few words she'd spoken or reorder time so as to prevent them from being uttered, so she was forced to watch the emotions play over Bowser's face as he interpreted exactly what they entailed. Unbridled ire reigned the longest.
"You TOUCHED him, didn't you?!"
She tried to play it off by replying flippantly, "Of course I did, how could I heal him without touching him?"
"You sneaky little bitch!"
"This is the thanks I get for healing your-"
"How dare you put your hands on him?! I should kill you right along with your precious humans!"
And he certainly was about to make good on that because his own magic trumped that of the witch's and he broke free from her hold. But rather than try and bind him again, she threw up a shield over herself so that his hands stopped short from closing around her neck. He wrestled with her invisible force-field for a moment and then backed down.
He said, "No matter. The humans will suffice."
"Wait!"
He faced her and said viciously, "You're just as low and conniving as I am, aren't you witch? Using my heir to sate your unnatural curiosity."
If anyone's unnatural here, it's you, you big freak, she thought but held that in. She needed to placate him and that definitely would do the opposite. She rolled her shoulders and considered an alternative means of getting him under control.
"I can help you-"
"I don't want your help, Tamaryn." Bowser frowned, realizing the witch was holding him with her magic again. "And if you don't cut this shit out-"
"You didn't let me finish again." Tamaryn spoke quickly, scolding him with a meaningful glance. "Rude. I was going to say I could help you see her. The girl. Your Empress."
Bowser stilled in spite of himself because if there was anything that could get his attention, it was that. He instantly became suspicious and leveled the witch with a glare that conveyed as much. She smirked.
I've got you now, she thought, recalling in her mind the usurped memories little Bowser Junior had of the interesting young brunette woman. She had conflicting emotions regarding the woman she'd specifically not named so as not to further arouse the redhead king's anger. On the one hand Tamaryn found herself rooting for this girl, whoever she was, for she clearly wasn't dead and that meant her hatred for the king was probably wasn't either and thus, she would work to end the old slimeball for good. And on the other hand, she felt terrible for what she was about to do concerning the girl, but it had to be done.
Sorry babe. It's either me or you, She thought, and it sure won't be me. Not yet. Though, with your tenacity, I'm sure you can take care of yourself.
That thought eased her conscience and she faced the king yet again. He'd been wrapped up in his own thoughts and met her eyes around the same time.
"How?" He wanted to know.
"You'll have to come with me to find out." Tamaryn shrugged.
Bowser glanced at the people and eyed them as he said, "What's it gonna' cost me?"
"In this case, I don't believe I'm quite at liberty to demand a cost." Tamaryn replied carefully.
"Wise answer." Bowser nodded, looking back at her.
She released him from the chains of her magic and he immediately grabbed a fistful of her hair, jerking from the root so that her head tilted backwards and her face was turned up towards his. She held back her magic and bit her tongue, seeing if he would attack again.
He just said in a low voice, "Don't think I'll forget what you've done to me."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Tamaryn responded with a false, strained smile that prevented nastier remarks from spilling out.
Bowser also warned, "Touch me and you die."
"...Wouldn't dream of it," She said again, though this time her smile was a little more self-satisfied.
I don't need to touch you anymore, I've gotten more than enough information from your little boy, and to think he so willingly gave it to me, she thought with a full grin.
Bowser saw her grin and let her hair go with a rough shove. He gave one last disgusted look at the cowering people before following behind the witch who'd begun to lead the way up to the mountains.
She didn't want to believe he'd lied, but what other explanation was there? She'd waited and waited not too far from the spot she'd last seen the younger teenager and he'd yet to come back.
But he promised, Eriana frowned, wanting so badly to trust him, to believe he wasn't lying when he'd told her he'd come back. Suddenly a thought popped into her mind that both relieved and worried her: perhaps he'd gotten held up. Perhaps something had happened to him that was preventing him from coming back. The worry overtook the relief and Eriana started stressing.
What if he's in trouble? What if he needs help?
Eriana considered going back to the palace to get assistance but then she'd have to explain why they were both out there at this hour and she didn't want to get him in trouble because if he had been lying and was doing something highly illegal and she showed up with palace authorities...the end of that scenario would be anything but pretty.
I'll just go and see if he's alright, She decided, rubbing her arms under her jacket sleeves. It was cold out tonight and that was all the more reason she wanted to hurry back to the palace. Ever since she was at the 'Academy', the palace was a symbol of safety and that hadn't changed.
"Rex?" She called out as she walked.
Each step was one in the direction of her old hell and she wished desperately for the boy to show himself before she was forced to go all the way back there to find him. She didn't even know if she could do that without having a panic attack.
"Rex?" She called again, "Rex, where are you?"
She walked briskly, her heart pounding and her arms down rigidly by her sides with her hands closed into fists and her fingernails digging into her palms. Swallowing was as difficult as rounding corner after corner, hoping a thief or criminal wouldn't just jump out at her-
Stricken, Eriana stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide and her face a few shades lighter for fear.
Oh man, I forgot, oh how could I forget?
She doubled her pace now in search of the boy who'd become her only light in life because there was no way she was going all the way back to the palace by herself, not when there could be-
"Well I don't believe my fucking eyes!"
A gasp was torn from her lungs when she heard that voice, that smooth and deceptively pleasant baritone voice that had spoken so many vile, evil things in ear. She didn't dare turn around lest she confirm what she already knew; she'd done it, she'd accidentally encountered a slaver, and not just any one, but the worst one of all.
She felt tears spring behind her closed eyelids at the sound of boots against the dirt and sand below. He was getting closer. Why couldn't she run? Why had fear turned her body to stone on the spot? She stood there like a dummy, waiting in abject terror for the inevitable touch of his hand on her body. His hands, his deceivingly soft, warm hands. They'd caused her so much pain and suffering and she could swear her body was just aching as if the memory was enough to reenact that horror all its own. Even more tightly she shut her eyes. He was behind her now.
"Leave her alone."
A voice, a beautiful, angelic voice, so soft and unsure of itself but welcome nonetheless. It seemed to break the spell that had her stuck to the spot and Eriana broke out in a run. She could feel more than hear someone following her because all she could hear was her heart sprinting faster than her feet and the blood rushing in her ears. She ran straight ahead and only thought to stop somewhere when she felt she could run no more.
There! She espied, An alley: perfect!
The spot ahead was a gap between two big buildings with a narrow, empty space in between. She was almost there and could feel her lungs burning in anticipation of being able to rest. She was just rounding the corner when she felt someone yank at her jacket. With a wild scream Eriana darted into the alley, all the while struggling to get out of the clutches of her assailant. She swung her arms like a crazy woman and shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Shh! Shh!" Came the much softer-than-expected voice of the person who now held onto her jacket.
Eriana had fought so hard she'd come out of the thing and stood in the dark alley in just a pair of light pants and a sleeveless top. She shivered and watched the person untangled her jacket from where it'd covered their head.
"...Ariadne?" She breathed, not quite sure of what she was seeing.
Breathing just as heavily as her was the blonde aristocrat. Her cheeks were flushed and her hands were trembling around her grip on Eriana's jacket. She had one of her own, a white one that stood out plainly, not unlike the white clothes she wore underneath.
Why is she always wearing white? Eriana thought abstractly.
Ariadne said, panting, "I saw you following Rex and I...thought I might...see where you two were...going."
And I might have not wanted to get left out of whatever you were planning, she thought to herself. She just didn't realize that she'd surely gotten her wish, for now she was in the thick of whatever was going on between the two tonight.
"Who was that man?" Ariadne asked, "I think I've seen him before."
"Y-you probably have." Eriana shivered. "He works down at the Justice Hall, he's a law enforcement agent."
"Then why were you running?" Ariadne wondered, handing Eriana back her jacket.
Eriana took it and was thinking of an explanation when she heard the pounding footsteps coming outside the alley. Her eyes went wide and her body went into fight-or-flight mode once more.
"Forget about that," Eriana spoke in a rush, "We've got to get out of here! He's coming!"
She tried to put her jacket back on but was trembling much too hard. Ariadne moved over to her and took it from her hands. Eriana didn't protest, just let the blonde step behind her and usher her arm into the right hole.
"I don't understand." Ariadne stated in confusion, "Why are you running from a law enforcement...did you do something wrong?" She asked as if the notion just dawned on her.
She paused in helping Eriana and considered, what if Rex and Eriana did something illegal?
Eriana blurted, "He's a slaver!"
"A slaver?" Ariadne whispered, staring into the girl's frightened eyes. "But I thought..."
"That it was a myth?" Eriana finished knowingly. "Something parents tell their children to keep them from being naughty? 'Watch out or the slavers will come and snatch you away!', right?"
Eriana only knew as much because her own parents had entertained such stories with her when she was little. Then she'd grown up and ran away and found out how very real those stories were. She saw Ariadne become pensive and then the girl paled.
"So you mean...they're real?" Ariadne spoke as if she'd be sick. "And that man, he's one of them?"
Eriana nodded and then looked about ready to cry because the man had reached them and was taking his time coming over towards them. Ariadne looked between the ever-approaching man and the distraught girl and frowned. She turned to the man and held herself with much more confidence than she was used to feeling.
Speaking formally she said, "Stop."
He did, looking amused.
"As the king's niece," Ariadne began, her bravado tapering off, "I order you to...leave us alone."
"Leave you alone?" The man echoed, a smile on his handsome face. "No, I don't think I'll be doing that, Your Majesty."
And he began to come closer. Ariadne stepped so that she was standing right beside the trembling Eriana, whose jacket had slipped right from her arm when her body went slack with fear. She looked like a deer in the headlights with tears brimming her dark eyes. Ariadne wanted to comfort her but she was beginning to feel afraid herself.
He doesn't look so dangerous, the blonde noted of the stranger with the tan skin and dirty-blonde hair that fell in shaggy waves to his shoulders. He was lean and firm and had a nice set of teal-colored eyes, not to mention his clean white smile seemed almost disarming. He was dressed well, too, in his brown pants, black boots, and white shirt with the red sash about his waist; standard law enforcement uniform. However, there was something off about him. Coupled with the fact that Eriana looked fit to faint any second now and Ariadne was put on edge.
The man came closer and drawled, "You see little girl, you're a long ways from the palace, and I'll bet you'd fetch me a pretty penny on the market-"
"No!" Eriana cried angrily, snapping out of her terror-induced trance. "Leave her alone!"
"Leave her alone, leave me alone," The man mimicked playfully, then with hardened features said, "I won't be leaving here alone. Both of you are coming with me."
"We're not going anywhere with you," Ariadne said, her voice reflecting her lack of faith in that statement.
The man looked from her to Eriana and smirked. A shudder wracked her body at that and she tried hard not to whimper. He seemed to be only talking to her when he next spoke.
"Eri, Eri, Eri," He crooned softly, longingly, punctuating each time he said her name with a step towards her. "What good fortune it is for us to cross paths like this. If you knew what was good for you, you'd have stayed in the palace."
He had no idea how badly the girl wished she had. She stood there shaking as he towered over her and brushed his palm against her cheek. He dragged one of her curls through his fingers and that hungry look in his eyes seemed to burn even brighter.
"Don't worry," he whispered, "I won't take you back there. I'll be keeping you for myself."
"Get away from her." Ariadne commanded in an unsteady voice, compelled to say something because Eriana was a wreck beside her.
The slaver's eyes raked over to her and Ariadne felt uncomfortably exposed. He smiled pleasantly at her and tucked his fingers under her chin.
"And you." He said quietly. "Pretty little angel. I'll get rich off of you, no doubt. The foreigners, they like your type."
"No," Eriana said again, almost losing her nerve when teal eyes darted in her direction. She said, "Leave her out of this. Just let her go. This-this is between you and me."
"Oh it is, but why should I-"
"I'll do whatever you want." Eriana interjected strongly, "Just...please. Let her go."
The slaver's breath hitched and he smirked, then gave Ariadne a once-over and a short nod, stepping aside for her to leave.
The blonde blinked, glanced at Eriana, and didn't budge.
"Just go." Eriana told her, the tears rolling down her cheeks.
She must be crazy if she thinks I'll abandon her, Ariadne thought incredulously, still not moving. She made a little noise of surprise when Eriana gave her a gentle shove in the direction of the alley's entrance.
"I'm not leaving you." Ariadne said with conviction.
"You have to." Eriana's voice shook. She then leaned close and hugged Ariadne and whispered, "Go find Rex. He'll know what to do."
Ariadne was shoved again, more insistently this time, by Eriana and a determined light shone in her eyes. She glanced at Eriana and nodded, then left the alleyway, turning the corner to the right, leaving Eriana alone with one of her former tormentors. He spread his lips in an anticipatory grin and pulled some rope from the pocket of his heavy brown jacket. She didn't bother protesting when he tied her wrists behind her back because she knew he was armed and wouldn't hesitate to injure her.
"My beautiful little Eri," He whispered into her neck as he was behind her.
He laid a kiss there and wrapped his hands round her waist and pulled her against his hard body. A choked sob led to another and the slaver hushed her.
"Shh," He said, kissing her ear, "Let's get you out this cold, hm?"
He held her shoulders and led her from the alley and Eriana didn't bother holding back the rest of her sobs.
I can't believe this is happening, she shook from both the cold and her dread.
The slaver turned to the right after leaving the alley and Eriana was forced to turn with him and they passed a building. Two more. Three. Then, out of nowhere, there was a loud clang and the man behind her dropped to the ground like a sack of rice. Eriana spun on her heels and inhaled sharply. There Ariadne stood again, this time with a shovel in her hands.
She and Eriana locked eyes and the latter gave a strangled sort of sobbing laugh, not believing what just happened. Ariadne seemed to be in just as much disbelief as she stared down at the prone body of the slaver and then back at the shovel. She let the thing drop noisily and her hands were shaking but inside she felt sort of...
Exhilarated, she smiled tentatively at the thought of the word. Then she glanced at Eriana and saw that the girl's hands were tied. Bypassing the slaver, she came over to the young woman who matched her in emotion and height. He groaned as she stepped daintily around his head and the girl flinched.
"You have to get out of here," Eriana started to shake again, her worry for the blonde awakening again at the same time as the slaver.
Ariadne shook her head profusely and said, "I'm not leaving you behind, Eriana. I don't know what's going on, but I'm not leaving you in trouble."
Eriana didn't want to protest anymore because, as much as she hated to see Ariadne go down with her if they both got caught, she'd rather at least try and escape. So she stood there and let the blonde untie the slaver's knots and as soon as her hands were free, she wrapped her arms around the other girl. Ariadne jolted at first at the embrace but then hugged Eriana back and relished in the sweeping warmth that accompanied the gesture. They pulled back and smiled at each other, Ariadne shyly and Eriana shakily.
The slaver groaned again.
Another glance of panic was exchanged between the girls before they took off running, hand in hand.
Maybe if they hadn't been yelling so loud and so persistently, he could have ignored them. He was almost there, after all. The warehouse was in sight, just a couple blocks ahead, he'd be there in less than ten minutes, five if he ran. But it just didn't sit right with him to keep going when those girls were screaming for him, literally screaming. And that was another thing, it wasn't just Eriana's voice he heard, it was another, but he didn't really recognize the second seeing as how he'd never heard the girl speak above a conversational tone since he'd met her.
Not tonight, Roy thought with a lingering look in the direction of the warehouse. He promptly turned and started running in the other direction. He stopped when he saw the two girls looking like the minions of satan were on their heels. Eriana's face was tear-stained and Ariadne was especially flushed from exertion and they only slowed down once they were a foot away from him. Perhaps out of sheer relief Eriana crashed right into him and hugged him tightly. She was trembling hard. Roy, thinking it was the cold, shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped her in it. He looked from her to Ariadne and let them catch their breath.
"I thought I told you to go back." He said, then regretted it once a hurt look crossed Eriana's face.
She accused, "You promised to come back with me and look where you are!"
Roy had nothing to say to that. He bowed his head and then gave her a weak apology, which she accepted more out of the fact that there were more pressing issues and she really didn't care anymore. Roy noticed the tension and regarded the girls with a frown.
"Why were you two running?" he asked, "Did something happen?"
A look passed between them and it was Ariadne who spoke.
She said, "We were being chased by a slaver."
She didn't know Roy already knew about them but realized it after he locked eyes with Eriana and a look passed between them, too. He grew serious and squeezed the tawny-skinned girl's shoulders and looked right in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked her, his voice much lower.
She nodded and said, "Yes but he's going to get up soon. We need to get back to the palace."
"Get up soon?" Roy parroted.
Again with the meaningful glance between the girls. This time, Eriana filled in the clueless boy.
She told him, "He tried to take me with him but Ariadne stopped him."
Roy lifted his brows at the blonde, impressed, then his expression grew dark as he took in what Eriana said a moment ago about the slaver getting up soon. She looked scared to death and it only incensed him all the more. He stared between the two girls.
"Where is he?" He demanded shortly.
They pointed in the direction from whence they came and Roy brushed between them, his steps full of purpose. Eriana stopped him with a hand on his arm and he looked down at her pleading dark eyes.
"Eriana, you and Ariadne go back without me." He told them. "I'll take care of him."
"No," Ariadne advised, "We should all just go back and get the palace authorities to help us."
The three began to argue and were only interrupted at the sound of hurried footsteps. They all tensed; Eriana in fear, Ariadne in anxiety, and Roy in anger. He narrowed his eyes and channeled as much of his energy as he could to one of his balled fists. The girls saw this and stepped back. Their hands found each others and brown fingers laced through pale ones tightly. Even though the jacket Roy gave her dwarfed her, Eriana still shivered uncontrollably.
The person rounded the corner.
Roy shot his fist forward.
Dark eyes widened, caught unawares.
Roy's insides filled with regret.
Bright pink energy smashed against the side of a building, obliterating one of its walls and some of the chunks of wreckage flew out and caused small fires elsewhere.
"WHAT THE HECK, ROY? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?"
Roy ran to where his brother had dodged the attack in time but his chest heaved rapidly and his dark, bewildered eyes were scrutinizing his older sibling. Roy reached for MJ but the boy swatted his hand away and looked around at the damage.
"I thought you were someone else," Roy explained. "What are you even doing out here?"
MJ reluctantly looked from a burning fruit cart to his brother and said, "I don't know, I was following you. What are you doing out here? I mean besides destroying stuff. Why did you just leave? I was walking from the bathroom and saw you sneaking around. Are you in trouble? Who are these two? What's going on?"
"Easy, Bigmouth," Roy responded, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
He glanced back at the girls and they came over once they were sure Roy wasn't about to do anything rash again. They dropped each other's hand with brief glance and stood on either side of the young man.
"Uh, hello?" MJ said pointedly, lifting his arms with his palms up. "What the heck is going on?"
"Nothing," Roy sighed. "MJ, take-"
"Whoa!" MJ cried upon being shoved to the side by a blur of a person.
The slaver was back and he'd pushed MJ out of the way in his haste to get to Eriana. He snatched her by the arm without breaking pace and kept running, the girl's scream trailing behind him. Roy's blood boiled and he turned to his brother urgently.
"Make sure Ariadne gets to the palace safe, alright?"
"Rex!"
"What the-"
Roy didn't wait for their reactions, he bolted after the slaver. Eriana's shrieks guided him. He could see the man half-pulling half-dragging Eriana beside him and knew they were moving too fast for him to catch up. So he stopped, took aim, and shot a blast of energy from the tip of his two fingers right into the man's back, between his shoulder blades. With a loud cry the man fell face-first and Eriana went tumbling down, skinning her knees against the ground. Roy ran towards them and the slaver tried to get up but Roy tackled him back to the dusty ground.
The slaver bared his teeth and grunted as the teenager used his monstrous strength to wrestle him onto his back. Roy shoved one knee into the man's stomach and closed his left hand over his throat, then shifted his weight so that the slaver couldn't get up.
"What the-" The slaver panted, "How are you so strong? You're just a kid!" Then realization dawned in those teal eyes and the man said, "No, you're him! Arid City's Champion," his tone of surprise turned into a sneer.
Roy asked in a controlled voice, "Are you the one who hurt Eriana?"
"Oh, so that's what this is about?" The slaver chuckled, trying to glance over at the girl who'd slunk back under the awning of a building.
"Answer me!" Roy demanded. "Did you hurt her?"
"I don't know what she told you, but the girl is nothing more than a little whore." The slaver spat. "A trained one, like circus monkeys."
"Shut up!" Roy growled, tightening his hand over the man's throat.
The man gagged but smiled cruelly and said, "Oh you're her master now, aren't you."
Roy winced at the word.
"Is she good to you?" The slaver grinned nastily. "Does she put all her training to good use? She always was a good little student, the best." The man then said, "You ask if I hurt her, oh yeah. I did. Made her fucking scream for me-"
Having heard confirmation of Eriana's abuse, Roy's anger overtook him. He squeezed the man's throat and punched the slaver in the nose, then again in the mouth. He was sloppy and relinquished the leverage he had over the older man when he used both fists to pound away at the bloody, sneering face below and the slaver shifted his weight and pushed the teenager off of him. Before Roy could get up the slaver kicked him in the stomach and knocked the wind out of him, then kicked him in the face with the flat of his boot.
Roy's vision danced before his eyes but he blindly stumbled to his feet. The slaver punched him in the jaw and Roy forced his eyes to focus and swung back at the man.
Off to the side, Eriana was breathing too hard, too fast; she slid down the door of the building she was leaning against and watched the fight play out.
Roy shot two blasts of energy from his fists and missed both times, making the slaver laugh as he dodged them. But he couldn't dodge the third one that clipped his shoulder. The man hissed and gripped the burnt flesh that lay beneath the singed fabric of his jacket. He then pulled something from his pocket and swiped it across Roy's chest.
"Motherfucker!" Roy swore as he tripped backwards, looking down at his bleeding chest.
The slaver waggled his eyebrows and grinned maliciously, holding his knife at the ready. Roy stepped back, his eyes on the man warily as he concentrated on healing himself. The wound vanished in seconds, but it left Roy feeling drained. He was now only fueled by rage.
The slaver lunged for him and Roy used the last of his energy to form two portals. After jumping through the first, he landed on the slaver's back and wrapped his arm around the slaver's neck. He had the man's throat in the crook of his elbow and was clamping his arm with all his waning strength. The man could only remain standing for a few moments before he dropped to his knees, suffocating. Roy's panting breaths and the slaver's strangled ones were the only sounds to be heard and the boy only let go once he saw the man's teal eyes roll to the back of his head. Roy stood shakily as the man's body dropped with a loud thud, then he too collapsed to his knees and doubled over, his muscles shuddering.
"...Rex?" Eriana called out hesitantly.
Roy glanced in her direction and missed the slaver's eyes popping back open. Quick as a whip the man's arm shot out and stabbed the teenager in the side. With twice the speed and half the thought Roy grabbed the blade and stabbed the man back.
In the throat.
A/N: I wish more people would comment, it always makes checking my email worthwhile and inspires me to write more. Oh well.
I will post again soon, so stay tuned folks :)
Until then...
~DymondGold~