Chapter 4: The bird thing and the knockers
"You go talk to it, I'm in the mood to ring something's neck." Yumie said, her voice rough and she was paying more attention to the three other travellers rather than the wise man and his annoying hat. Rip Van smiled and gave her a telepathic you got it, before abruptly turning and pointing the barrel of her gun at the birds face. "Ahem... well... excuse me Herr Birdman, we are visiting Monarchs from the eh.... Millennium und Iscariot Kingdoms. We would be most grateful if you could point us to the Direction of the Goblin City. And I won't blow your heads off…both of them." She smiled down at the old man who was pretending to be asleep as she saw his eye open then quickly close. The bird looked a little scared before gulping and turning its beak in the direction of Yumie.
"You're friend is going the right way senorita." He proclaimed knowledgably, wanting the scary lady with the gun to go away.
"Ah! Danke Bitte!" She turned and waved over her back before skipping merrily to where Yumie was arguing with herself…again. As she turned around, she placed on her glasses and showed it was Yumiko now in control. As Rip Van came closer, she lost her smirk and looked about, before staring at Yumiko in horror.
"Where are Didymus and Ambrosias?" She said in a worried tone, causing Yumiko to immediately go into nervous meltdown.
"Oh no ...WE LOST DIDYMUS!" She began looking around frantically, but to no avail, so began to cry, "This is all my fault, I should have paid more attention!" And she fell onto her knees; wailing and wishing the ground would swallow her up. Rip van trudged towards Hoggle and began shouting obscenities at him for losing Didymus, before joining Yumiko on the ground and hugging her close.
"Vas are we going to do? Didymus knew all the good ways! And if only he was here, I wish he was-" But before she could finish her sentence she was cut off by Yumiko giving her a quick, hard kiss to her lips. She froze in fear, not knowing what to do, until Yumiko pulled back and smiled.
"Rippie, you're a genius!" To which Rip's shocked face turned a little confused as Yumiko Jumped up and took a deep breath.
"I wish Sir Didymus and Ambrosias were here right now!" and no sooner had she finished than the little foxed knight appeared in Rip's arms. She smothered the little gentleman in lots of kisses, proclaiming how she missed him or five minutes before she gave into his protests of not being able to breath properly. She placed him on the floor and stretched happily.
"Well now we can continue-WAIT! Where's Ambrosias?" She suddenly remembered the scared little pup and was about to go search when she heard a stifled squeak escape from yumiko's throat. She turned to her companion to see her frozen in place and standing very strangely. She looked into the girl's eyes and saw her shivering in fear.
"The…There's something under my skirt," Yumiko spoke low and softy, almost afraid to startle whatever it was. She slowly raised her skirt and both girls breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Ambrosias curled up between Yumiko's legs. As the girls giggled, Ambrosias came out with Didymus' call and was more than happy when Rip petted him also.
"You know Ambrosias for a noble steed, you're really a scaredy cat," Yumiko giggled at her ironic statement, giggling even more at the sad puppy dog eyes Ambrosias gave her. They rested for five minutes before heading off, soon arriving at two doors, with two knockers that both had their eyes shut. Yumiko leaned towards a knocker with a ring in its ears and giggled again.
"Oh dear Rippie, it seems, everyone is asleep!" She remarked before turning back to the door curiously and stepping a little closer. She threw a glance at Rip who was eyeing her questionably and she giggled at the tall, slim girl.
"I've always wondered what was behind door number 1!" She smiled and knocked carefully, making sure not to wake the knocker on the door and as the door was an inch open, she peaked inside and let out a squeal, before slamming the door shut and turning round, looking rather pale and frightened.
"You…for the love of God don't look!" Yumiko propped her body against the opposite door, wanting to distance herself farthest from where she had never seen such an atrocious sight and sound.
"Vas? Is it bad?" Rip Van wondered over to the door and before Yumiko could stop her; she opened the door and peaked in.
"AHHHHH! AIR SIRENS!" She yelled before shutting the door, running over to Ludo and climbing up him, hugging him tightly for comfort.
"I told you not to look!" Yumiko shut her eyes and flared her arms. "Oh well, looks like door number one's a no go." She stated, calming herself and knocking in the same manner on door number 2. As they walked through the entrance of the door, they hadn't gone a few feet, before the door slammed shut behind them. Hoggle cursed under his breath and ran off in the opposite direction, with Rip Van yelling at him for cowardice. As they approached deeper and deeper into the woods, they heard sounds like twigs being snapped, then drums being banged and Yumiko clung tightly to one arm of Ludo, who gently let Rip slide from his back to huddle in between the two. They all screamed and nearly ran off when a mysterious and crazy looking fluff ball jumped down from a seemingly unknown place. Eight others quickly joined him and they formed a circle, singing and shaking their hips provocatively, following the rhythm of the snapping twigs and drums.
"Oh no! Fieries!" Yumiko yelled and positioned herself ready for attack, not expecting the fiery to come and pounce on her back, messing her hair. She ran around screaming for someone to do something, whilst two others jumped on Rip and tried to wrestle her away from Ludo, who seemed content in grunting and growling like a frightened dog during a house fire. Just as Rip felt a small pop at her neck from having her head pulled on, she saw a flash of one of the red creatures fly across her vision and plummet into a nearby tree before hearing an all to familiar voice yelling, "KNOCK IT OFF!" Every creature froze and turned to the figure of a nun picking herself up from the floor, with a bloodthirsty look in her eye.
Yet again, Yumiko pulled off her habit and glasses and aimed her katana at thin air.
"Which one of you headless idiots wants to fight with me, huh?" She growled and smiled maniacally, watching as the orange balls of fluff began spreading out and hiding. She walked over to Rip van, inspected her before tutting loudly and raising her hand out infront of her.
"Alright, give it back!" Yumie's voice boomed upward and held out her hand as a small shiny object fell from a rustling tree into her hand.
"Oh my Swastika necklace! Thanks tree!" Rip Van smiled and placed her favourite and only jewellery around her neck. Rip Van didn't even need to thank Yumie, who was already halfway across the forest, now at a cliff like mountain, inspecting anyway to get in. As She led over Ludo and Didymus riding Ambrosias she saw Yumie finally find a well-hidden door amongst the rocky surface.
"Hmm, strange, there's a door here…I wonder why Hoggle didn't mention anything about it?" She asked in a suspicious tone of voice before pushing open the door and wishing she hadn't.