Author's Note: Two mid-terms last week, sorry for the delay. The contest concerning who/what Zork is, is now officially closed.

The Story So Far: Doburoku, the ex-Mage and ex-Elder, is now guiding the 'rescue Hiruma from the Elders of Northern Europe' team. Zork has revealed his existence, but no one knows who or what he is. Yukimitsu and Monta are completely out of the loop because they spent the majority of the last chapter unconscious.

Hidden

By: Bar-Ohki

Chapter 20: Revealed by Conversation

Zork wound up going home with Musashi that evening, having apparently nowhere else to go. This meant that Musashi had some good one on one time with the young boy.

"What does 'Lotem' mean to you?" Musashi asked Zork as they began their walk to Musashi's home.

"…Bush of golden flowers." Zork answered cryptically.

Musashi's response was to raise an eyebrow.

"Lotem means 'bush of golden flowers'." Zork clarified. "Why did you want to know?"

"I thought it might mean something different." Musashi answered honestly. "I met a lady named 'Lotem' the other day, that's all."

"You've met Mom!?" Zork stopped in his tracks, stunned.

"So Youichi is your older brother then?" Musashi asked, looking pretty satisfied.

"Eh!? I didn't say that!" Zork protested.

"Lotem is Youichi's real mother and she's also your mother, does that not make you both brothers then?" Musashi pointed out. "Besides you call Youichi by his given name, not by his surname, as I do."

"…Fine you're right, so what?" Zork was pouting.

"…Are you an Incubus?" Musashi couldn't help but to ask.

"…Yeah." Zork admitted after a minute. "…Grandpa's gonna kill me for this."

"Your grandfather?"

"Yeah, Grandpa!" Zork gave Musashi an annoyed look.

"…I won't tell anyone." Musashi assured the annoyed boy. "I mean I don't really want you to get into trouble because I can't keep myself out of your business."

"I guess its okay then." Zork wasn't completely convinced.

"We turn right here." Musashi pointed out when Zork kept on going straight when he should have been turning right.

"Ack!" Zork turned on his heel and dashed back next to Musashi.

"If it's not too impolite to ask, why aren't you living with your parents?" Musashi couldn't help but to wonder.

"It is." Zork answered with a large frown.

"Is asking what your dad's name is rude?" Musashi tried again.

"Dad? His name was Dalboz." Zork answered.

'His dad's dead, huh?' Musashi noted wordlessly.

"What's Dalboz mean?" Musashi asked; they were almost at his house.

"Dalboz? That means 'the dungeon's great master'." Zork answered. "Zork means 'child of the house of white'."

"Ah, thanks, I was going to ask that." Musashi chuckled. "We're here."

"So this is a human cave…." Zork stared at Musashi's home in awe.

"We call it a 'house'." Musashi was a little stunned by Zork's comment.

"Oo! You have a dinglebon!" Zork pointed at the doorbell.

"That's a 'doorbell'." Musashi corrected Zork.

"No, it's a dinglebon!" Zork pressed the doorbell and it dinged. "See? It dings!"

"...We call it 'doorbell' because it makes the bell chime when you're standing by the door wanting to be let in." Musashi explained.

"'Doorbell' is a funny word." Zork observed. "I'm going to keep calling it dinglebon because that's what it is!"

Musashi sighed and unlocked the door.

"Wow! A footguard-gruaf!" Zork was staring at the shoe rack in awe.

For Musashi, it was a long, long night.

-the next morning, at the football clubhouse-

Most of the Devil Bats arrived at the same time that morning. Doburoku and Shin had yet to arrive, and Musashi and Zork had just arrived. Their arrival went mostly unnoticed because the others had been discussing what had happened to their captain. Yukimitsu had glanced to the side in thought and by having done so noticed Musashi and Zork's arrival.

Yukimitsu got his first good look at Zork that morning in the clubhouse. In the light it was easy to see that Zork was related to Hiruma, their bodies were built similarly and their facial features were almost the same; Zork's features were not as pointed as Hiruma's. Zork's hair was midnight black and his skin was a rosy pink. His eyes were large and true blue. Zork's choice of clothes were odd, he was wearing a dark purple skirt and a large, white sweatshirt. He was barefoot which allowed Yukimitsu a good look at Zork's be-clawed feet.

"He looks like a mini-demon…." Togano commented, having noticed Zork's presence. The other huh brothers nodded their heads in agreement.

"Did you not have any clothes to lend him?" Mamori couldn't help but to ask Musashi while she ignored the huh brothers' antics.

"These are mine," Zork glared at Mamori with his startling blue eyes, "you got a problem with that?"

"He wouldn't dress in anything else." Musashi told her, looking tired.

"What is that?" Shin asked as he walked up with Doburoku in tow. The linebacker was looking right at Zork. In Shin's eyes, Zork's aura was like a large, purple flame and felt very inhuman.

"He's here to help," Doburoku answered simply, "and he means no harm."

"He's not any more human because of his intentions." Shin pointed out. "I was just wondering what he was."

"I'm not at the liberty to say." Doburoku answered, taking a small swig of his alcohol. "You'll find out when it's the right time, no sooner."

"Who are you?" Zork asked Shin, having not seen the Sensitive before.

"Shin Sejiuro." Shin, like usual, did not provide an elaborate introduction.

"He's an ultra-powerful Sight Sensitive," Doburoku explained, "he can see auras."

"An aura-seer?" Zork cocked his head to the side, an awed expression on his face. "Wow!"

"That's the most sensible noun you've come up with all day." Musashi remarked, somewhat amazed.

"You're the one that's calling dinglebons doorbells!" Zork glared at Musashi, making himself look just like Hiruma, "you're the one that's got noun issues!"

"Dinglebons?" Monta and Sena muttered to themselves. In their opinion Zork was very much the party with the weird nouns.

"Doburoku-sensei, how are we going to get to England?" Yukimitsu asked the trainer. "Mamori can't teleport us all." Mamori nodded her head in agreement.

"We should start by clarifying who is what." Doburoku advised. "I'm Sakaki Doburoku, ex-Elder of the Eastern Ocean Isles, ex-Mage, part-human expert and Chaneller.

"I'll give Hiruma's introduction because he's not here to give it himself." Doburoku announced before someone else had an opportunity to speak. "Hiruma Youichi, part-human, half-Succubus. Abnormal attribute: eats magic to survive and slightly inhuman features."

"Raimon Tarou," Monta simply went next, "I'm a normal guy with good catching skills."

"Takekura Gen, I'm a normal person who works part-time for Elder Genkei." Musashi introduced himself.

"Ah-ha-ha! Taki, the Gentle, Natsuhiko," Taki spun around on one leg, "I'm blessed by the gods!"

"He's an idiot." The huh brothers quickly supplied.

"Impossible!" Taki fell over comically.

"Juumonji Kazuki, I don't have any special powers." Juumonji introduced himself.

"Kuroki Koji, same thing." Kuroki continued.

"Togano Shozo, same as the others." Togano finished.

"Komusubi Daikichi, normal!" Komusubi introduced himself.

"Kurita Ryokan, I'm a minor Sensitive with magic senses." Kurita introduced himself.

"Anezaki Mamori," Mamori found this whole introduction thing a bit silly, "I'm an A-class Mage."

"What!?" It turns out most people didn't know this information.

"A-class?" Doburoku was a little stunned.

"Yukimitsu Manabu, I'm a weak Sensitive and my ability is animal-speaking." Yukimitsu found himself being stared at by the others.

"How weak is 'weak'?" Doburoku asked.

"I have to be touching the animal and even then it's hard…." Yukimitsu admitted with an embarrassed flush.

"Hmm, that's not completely useless." Doburoku nodded in approval.

"Shin Sejiuro, aura-seeing Sensitive." Shin's voice was serious and monotone.

"Ishimaru Tetsuo, I'm a normal guy that no one notices." Ishimaru was ignored by everyone there except Zork.

"You have a really small presence." Zork observed while everyone continued to ignore Ishimaru.

"It's alright." Ishimaru waved it off.

"Taki Suzuna," Suzuna drew all the attention to her, "I'm normal."

"Zork, son of Dalboz, non-human." Zork introduced himself, startling everyone there. "I haven't grown into my powers yet, so I only have one trick."

"You're not human?" Juumonji stared at the boy.

"Didn't the fangs tip you off?" Zork pulled his lip to the side to show his long, pointy fangs.

"What trick?" Doburoku asked before everyone got side-tracked.

Zork held out his right hand and concentrated really hard. After a few seconds a small, purple flame appeared.

"Ya!" Zork exclaimed in glee. The flame was not big, nor was it particularly hot.

"…You're a walking lighter." Kuroki commented.

"Eh?" Zork looked confused. "What's a 'lighter'?"

Wordlessly, Juumonji reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. With practiced ease, he clicked it on and showed Zork the small flame.

"Oh! That's a firspitter!" Zork pointed at the lighter.

"…Were you putting up with this all night?" Mamori couldn't help but wonder. Musashi nodded.

"I guess that leaves Sena." Doburoku looked upon the runningback expectantly.

"Hii!" Sena squeaked. "Umm! I'm Kobayakawa Sena, and I'm a Sensitive with Golden Legs…."

"Golden Legs!?" Doburoku's eyes opened wide in surprise. "…I think we found our say to England."

"Huh!?"

_=_=_=_=_

Can you find all the Zork (the game) references?

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