"Wakey wakey! Ice cream and bakey!" Kaito's eyes sprang open. There was an elephant screeching at the top of its voice, and it was on him.
"AAARg—" He yelped.
His arms windmilled and almost slipped off his bed, covers and all. There was an "Oof!" from the elephant, still on top of him. Kaito groaned. "You…"
He took a good look at the elephant and sighed gustily. "Gee. Its you, Kaiko."
The petite blue-haired tween laughed. "Good moooorning! You sound ridiculous in your sleep! Mumbling about 'ice cream', then 'Miku', then 'Miku covered in ice cream'! Aha! Aha! Ahahahaha!" She slapped her knee in hysterics.
Kaito groaned. "What are you doing in my room so early in the morning?"
Suddenly, an octopus attacked Kaito. It jumped onto him, and latched onto him, and pulled him down, dragging him to the floor. "Kaito-otoutou!"
"Gyaah!" Kaito yelled, as a flame-haired man, a few inches taller than him and a mischievous, good-natured glint in his eyes, tickled him. "Akaito-aniki! Stop that! Eeeeee-"
Akaito laughed gleefully. "Did I hear someone mention a certain 'Miku-tan'?" He made quotation marks with his fingers and waggled his eyebrows purposefully at Kaito. Kaito snorted and tossed his head. "Yeah, right." Akaito grinned wickedly and dealt his trump card.
"Hey!" Kaito's eyes went wide. "Akaito-aniki! Don't grab that! Don't grab my-" His face went red and he spluttered.
He swiped at his older brother, who laughed and went for the chance. He tackled Kaito in the waist, and they collapsed onto the floor again.
Kaiko clucked her tongue at them. "Hey! Are you going to read 'Our Beginning' to Mekaito and I?"
As if on cue, Mekaito charged into the room. "Ha! Shion's in the house, bay-beeeeee!"
He jumped at Akaito who chuckled and caught him, spinning him round and round in his arms.
And ultimately landed onto Kaito.
"Ack!-"
Akaito staggered up and swiped the eagle-spread book, lying on Kaito's bedside table. "I'll read it this time. No hard feelings, otoutou." He winked and waggled his finger at Kaito, who glowered a deep shade of umber at him.
"Settle down, guys!" Akaito hollered. He leant back on Kaito's bed and waited until all his siblings turned to stare at him, quiet and expectant. Even Kaito had to admit that he looked forward to be read to. Just… a little.
"Okay! Ahem…
' "Two hooded and cloaked figures trekked along the dark, gravelly road. Their feet encased in simple leather shoes made scuffling noises as they walked. The taller of the two donned a long and thick wooden staff. It was gnarled and knobby at some parts, and smooth and thin at others. Each step the figure took, the stick would be raised, and it would fall back to the floor with a 'thud'. It echoed through the forest. And it was loud.
Around them, the entire forest was alive. The trees shook their branches, and their leaves shivered, like waggling tongues. Birds cooed nervously, and fluttered away to their nests. Wild beasts growled and ran, straining their muscles for speed. Dew drops rained down from leaves, hitting the ground with a certain forcefulness. Fallen, dead and dry leaves that had turned a rough, scratchy consistency and was a crusty as sandpaper flew up into the air, clearing the well-trodden path. They shot to the sides of the path, in neat piles. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves and fell gently, in slanting rays, onto the forest floor. Bright, exotic and colourful blooms in the colour of rainbows burst to life, on the forest floor.
Meanwhile, the 'thud's of the stick continued. A rhythm beat within the heart of the forest itself.
The path gleamed, in a newly washed sort of way.
The two figures walked on, and soon stopped at a clearing, one with little weeds and grass shining with dew drops upon them. The one with the staff surveyed the surroundings. "Very good." She murmured in a lilting voice.
All the creatures of the forest were gathered at the clearing, their heads bowed respectfully, and their hoofs or paws, claws or wings tucked in. Huge, massive trees, to small, skinny trees were all bent towards the two figures, as if they were paying homage to them. Silence fell like a shadow over the entire forest. The entire forest was motionless.
The figure with the staff smiled, pleasantly, yet humourlessly. "They know me, eh."
In one sweeping motion, she pulled off her hood. Pink- yes, pink- long, flowing tresses tumbled down her back, like a cascading waterfall. It shone with a lustrous glow. Her aquiline features shifted into a look of satisfaction. "Thank you, my dear friends," she smiled. "Please, rise."
Slowly, life seemed to be injected into the veins of the forest. The animals slowly stirred from their trance, and rose, all turning for the forest. The trees shook and shivered, their leaves trembling, as if they were talking. They were, in fact.
Elluka, Elluka, they called.
The second figure pulled off its hood as well. It was a young girl, with dark, green locks, curling up softly in quirks. Her eyes were impressive as well. Lurid, ominous emerald-greens that shone with a certain intelligence, framed with soft, and thick lashes comparative to mink fur. She smiled fondly at her mistress.
She coughed politely, but it was a signal, nonetheless for Elluka, the pink-haired, and magnificently buxom lady, to hear what she had to say. "Mistress… Don't you think you should stop your antics? You sure do like to mess around with the animals."
Elluka grinned, showing off pearly-whites, honed by regular brushing everyday. "I'll have fun when Father Time allows me to."
"So… Is that why we're early? We're a few years too early, aren't we, Mistress?" The dark-green-haired girl interjected. "Maybe we should have headed back to Eldoh before coming back to Elphegort again. There shouldn't be any more travellers from outside allowed in, right after Margarita Blankenheim killed the entire city of Toragay, and committed suicide-"
"No, Gumilia." Elluka's eyes gleamed darkly, with a sense of foreboding in melancholy, mournful tones. The smile had slipped off her face. "This time is perfect. I came here for a reason. To Elphegort. You may not understand now. But I'm sure you will, in the future."
"Oh well then, Mistress." Gumilia spread her hands in a 'I'm-innocent-but-because-you're-the-Sorceress-I'm-listening-to-you' way. "Let's go. But-"
Without any warning, Elluka yanked her into the depths of the trees, the brambles and leaves, branches, thickets, thorns. They enclosed Gumilia and her, wrapping them tight, and they heaved forward, like being catapulted away. The branches waved erratically, pushing them forward, carrying them away from the clearing.
Gumilia didn't mind most of Elluka's methods of transportation. This one could be even considered ingenious. But. But. The speed.
Gumilia felt as if she was being hurtled through a black hole, and she dared not looked down. Her face felt like it was peeling off. Her ears smarted terribly. Ow. Ow.
"M-M-Miss-t-ter-re-re-resssss!" Gumilia babbled. "Help- AAh-Arggh!" Her head whipped back and forth, back and forth, her hair flying wildly in her face. She would have been fine if she didn't feel like a Molotov cocktail, ready to be fired at the faces of the enemy. Bile rose in her throat. She heard a sickening, disgusting, wet crunch… and made the near-fatal mistake of looking down. A crusty, scum-encrusted, slimy and spotty toad looked up at her innocently, as it clung on to the sole of her slipper. "Ribbit."
Because he was a toad, that could've meant Save me! to What am I doing here? to Hey, baaaabe.
"Gyaaaaah!" She slapped her face in horror and desperation. She swung her leg violently, with the ferociousness of hens shoving and squealing to mate with the only cockerel in the farm she had seen in the farms before. "GNO MY GOD GETS OFFA ME!" Wails. More screams. Cries.
Elluka looked at her apprentice. My God, she thought.
She snapped her finger, and the toad promptly detached itself from Gumilia's shoe, falling back to the depths of the forest, mid-headshake.
Gumilia relaxed. "Oh… Thanks… Mistress…" Her dress billowed into her face. "OOF!"
They came to a sudden stop, and the duo was thrown off their branches, with a sickening, speed-of-light consistency. If it was in slow motion… They would be flitting through the air, twirling in dance… Bright spots of light flashed in Gumilia's eyes
And Gumilia's world went pitch black.
She heard it. The first moment they landed.
ELD the tree spirit knew it was her lucky day.
She watched them from afar, scrutinising their every movement, every detail of their faces etched crystal-clear into her old, wise mind. She had been waiting for this moment, ever since she heard about Elluka Clockworker and her loyal apprentice, Gumilia, and the miracles that they worked together. Elluka and Gumilia had already captured a few of the Seven Deadly Sins, an awe-inspiring feat to many. And not only that, the rumours passed from the rustle of the leaves of trees across the Evillious region.
Elluka… It sounded like an uttered charm. A mantra that she chanted every single day, in the hope that said person would come. And now, here she was. In the flesh. ELD's breath came out in short, breathless pants. She had to seize the chance. She watched as Elluka sighed, from a distance away, and yank an unconscious girl jumbled up in a pile of limbs and arms to a standing position. The girl awoke immediately and scowled at Elluka. She said something and Elluka laughed fondly, ruffling her dark-green curls wildly. The scowl on the girl broke into a smile.
And they laughed wildly and without a care in the world, as if nothing had been funnier.
ELD felt a pang of envy. It gnawed unceasingly at her heart. How I wish…
Suddenly, Elluka gestured at the girl and she nodded, and they turned to leave.
ELD's heart thudded. She was losing her chance! "No!" She yelled.
Elluka stopped. She turned, her eyes darting around the surroundings, scanning it. Then her gaze settled on ELD. Something flooded her eyes. What was it..? ELD could not place it at all. And she seemed to be studying ELD like a particularly interesting specimen…no, a prized possession… like a winning card in a game.
The guarded look in her eyes faded, and she looked at ELD in a polite, inquiring sort of way. "Yes… Respectable tree spirit?"
ELD was so nervous, she could have shed all her leaves at once. "I…I…"
Elluka nodded, prompting her on. "Yes..?"
Gumilia cocked her head in curiosity.
"Miss Sorceress Elluka Clockworker…I… Want to be a human." ELD breathed eagerly, the words coming out in a flurried rush. "Please. I'll do anything."
Elluka studied her for a moment. "Sure."
"Wha..?" ELD was taken aback. It was as if all the air had been knocked out of her, and she could hardly breathe. She thought it would take a lot of discussions, some more days before Elluka would agree to anything like that.
I…got what I wanted..?
"Besides, I'm sorry, because I'm busy too. I might as well say yes. Right? I can see that you're pure in mind, heart and intention. It shouldn't be too difficult to maintain that when you're human. I'm sorry again. I can't change you into a human immediately. I'll put a spell on you first. First person to grant it turns you into a human. Here-" Elluka strode forward, finishing her full-speeded babble. She planted a kiss on the bark of ELD's tree, with a soft 'chuu'. "There."
For a moment, ELD didn't feel anything.
"Um."
What just happened?
And suddenly, she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her abdomen. It wracked her nerves and her mind boiled in agony. "AHhhhhhh-" She hissed acidly. Colour spots danced before her eyes, and the world was clouded over with a thick milky fog. Her head pounded madly and she twisted and screamed. Its…killing…me…
"Haa...haaa…" She gasped for air frantically. What the hell is this?
Elluka watched her with great sympathy. "I'm sorry. The pain comes with the transformation. I can't help you with the pain. You will have to grow a heart and brain, and that is what causes the pain!"
ELD cried inside. It hurts!
"Here, Mistress. I just know the thing. Really." Gumilia winked at her Mistress reassuredly.
"Gumilia..? What are you..?" Elluka asked. Her brow crinkled with worry.
But before anyone could stop her, Gumilia was next to ELD's tree. "Hey there," She whispered, and stroked the bark gently and affectionately. It shrank away at her touch.
"I know it hurts," Gumi whispered tenderly to ELD, who was seething inside. The seeds of pain that burst into bloom were attacking her like mindless parasites, leeches. It hurt… So… Much…
"I'll give you a little love to get you on your way. Yeah?" Gumilia smiled at ELD. "It'll be over soon. I promise. It'll stop."
ELD immediately felt a little better, even though the metamorphosis pains had reduced her to her knees. "Nghn…" She managed to grunt.
Gumilia hugged the fleshy tree trunk, her rough bark scratching her cloak, but she didn't care. A leafy tendril snaked its way around Gumilia's arm. "I'll be your friend. Okay?"
ELD cracked a weak smile.
"What's your name then, Tree Spirit?"
"I…I… ELD."
"Do you want a new name for a new life..?"
"Sure!"
I christen thee Michaela!"
Meanwhile, Elluka watched faraway. She felt horrible and guilty for tricking ELD.
She had only turned ELD into a human for one purpose… She would be a major tool in collecting another Deadly Sin…
She bit her lip in regret. And immediately, old memories flickered, sparks of life spiralling them awake. They washed over her…'
I'm so tired… Good night guys!