Chapter 3: The Hunt Begins
"Boss! Boss!" a man yelled running up to Gerard.
"What is it now?" Gerard asked.
He was slumped lazily in a chair, on of his feet hanging over the arm rest, and his head resting against his fist. Three beautifully dressed women surrounded him, smirking up at the man.
"Something got a hold of one of our Reapers and scattered its bones all over the forest!" the man said.
Gerard lifted his head and looked up at the man. He dropped to one of his knees in a bow, and dropped his head.
"What did it?" Gerard asked.
"We don't know, Boss." the man said.
"Well, did you find a scent?!" Gerard snapped.
"Yes Boss! Two. Jareth's and an unknown male." the man said looking up.
"Well, get some fighters and follow those damn scents!" Gerard yelled.
"Yes Boss!" the man said, bowing again then jumping to his feet and racing off.
"Sara. Paige. Hannah. I want you to hunt for the one called Dalila. I want her back here, and alive. And if you find Jareth, feel free to bring him back as well. But I want them both alive." Gerard said.
"As you wish, Master." the three said standing.
They walked down the three stairs before Gerard's chair, and down the hall to the door. Gerard dropped his head back down on his fist and closed his eyes, sighing deeply.
"Do a good job girls." he said, as they left the room.
XxXxXxXxXxX
Jareth awoke the next morning to yelling and screaming outside his window. Thinking something awful was happening, by the sound of the commotion, he jumped out of bed and raced to the window to see what was going on. Just outside, Madende was chasing Shi and Abi, while the others sat back, laughing. He realized the yelling was coming from a tree, where leaves randomly fell from it's branches, and raised an eyebrow.
"Now, the wolf was one thing, but a talking tree?" he muttered to himself.
Shi screamed as Madende pounced her then started to laugh as he began tickling her. Abi raced back around and attacked him, knocking him off of Shi, who sat up, and looked at them.
"Run Abi! Run Shi!" the voice from the tree yelled, and more leaves fell to the ground.
Jareth noticed that a white haired man was sneaking up from behind the tree, then pounced, and fell to the ground with a younger man underneath him.
"Ah!" the younger one yelled, then looked up. "Oh…hey Keegen…when did you wake up? Eh heh…" he said, smiling innocently.
"Eh, about ten minutes ago. But I heard all the yelling and everything out here, so I figured I'd come check it out." Keegen said, smiling back.
"Oh, I see." Adam said smiling.
Keegen quickly kissed him then got to his feet pulling Adam up with him. Jareth's jaw dropped and his eyes widened as he stared at the two.
"Move it!" Abi cried, racing passed, Madende close behind.
"I like to move it, move it!" Adam sang, dancing.
Keegen burst out laughing, as did the others who where relaxing in the shade of a big oak tree, watching the entertainment. Madende chased Abi around a few trees, then as she jumped into the trees, he chased her through the trees, and finally managed to pounce her. Just as he pinned her, however, Shi raced up and tackled him, both of them rolling around, Madende ending up on top of Shi.
"Eh heh…I love you big brother!" Shi said innocently, grabbing Madende's wrists.
"I bet you do. And I love you too little sister." Madende said, smirking. "But you know I'm much stronger than you." he added.
"I know…and tis not fair." Shi said, pushing against her brother's strength.
"Sure it is." Madende said, smiling.
"Bullshit!" Shi cried, before she started laughing.
Suddenly, Shade raced up and attacked Madende, rolling him off Shi. When they stopped, Shade was perched on top of Madende looking down at him and smiling.
"Hello Madende!" he said.
"Uh…Hi Shade." Madende said, some what confused. "Where'd you come from?" he asked.
"From that way." Shade said, pointing off to his left, where Shi was getting to her feet.
"Ah I get it…well, now you get to go…THAT WAY!" Madende said, playfully kicking Shade off and jumping to his feet.
Shade laughed and rolled backwards, landing on his feet and jumping up. He gave Madende a quick challenging look, which Madende took instantly, and raced forward. A play fight broke out between the two, as gentle punches where thrown, and light kicks received. The two raced out into the clearing of the yard, where Shade ran at Madende, trying to get a spear in. Madende, however, sidestepped, and wrapped his arm across Shade's back, and grabbed his leg, flipping him over on his back on the ground.
"Come on Shade, you know better than to do that." he laughed as Shade flipped himself up on his feet.
"Heh, had to try it you know? We haven't fought in so long." Shade smirked.
"Well, that's one I won't forget, and neither should you." Madende said, side stepping again, as Shade ran by.
Shade stopped and turned quickly, landing a light punch on Madende's side. Madende grabbed his wrist and turned, flipping Shade over himself again, and dropping him on the ground.
"Getting better, I'll admit that." he said, breathing heavy.
Shade play glared up at him, before jumping to his feet again, running and kicking at Madende. Madende jumped back and ducked a few times, then dropped to the ground and kicked Shade's feet out from under him.
"Come on Shade, is that all you got?" Madende asked, smirking and getting to his feet.
Shade growled and got to his feet again. Jeric sat with the others under the tree, smirking and watching them. Shi and Abi walked over and sat down next to him, stretching out on the ground on their stomachs. Keegen and Adam watched from the safe distance of a tree branch, sitting together, Keegen with his back against the tree and Adam leaned back against Keegen's chest.
"Come on Madende!" Jeric called out, and Madende smiled.
"Madende? Psh! Go Shade!" Shadow called from beside Dalila.
"What the hell now?! I'm your brother!" Madende called, looking at her.
"And I'm her boyfriend!" Shade yelled, jumping forward.
Madende jumped back, and ducked as Shade swung at him again, then jumped forward, spearing Shade in the stomach, and fell to the ground on top of him.
"You may be her boyfriend, but I think I'm a bit stronger. Either that or you're just not fighting me." Madende said, and Shade kicked him off.
"Have some ice!" he growled, and a snow pile fell on top of Madende.
Jumping out of the pile, Madende shivered and shook off bits of snow.
"That's not fair, my friend." Madende said, smiling. "Fire burns you, so I can't use it against you." he said, jumping back as Shade dropped another snow pile.
"I'll heal." Shade said.
"Alright. Here we go then." Madende said, shaking his hand and a fire whip snaked its way to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, Madende cracked the fire whip around Shade's wrist, and pulled him to himself. Shade tried to resist going, but only left skid marks on the ground. However, when he got to Madende, he blew ice breath in his face, chilling Madende's face and making him let him go and back away, hands over his face.
"That's a handy trick, but mines better." he said, looking up at Shade, and taking a breath.
Instead of ice, a small stream of fire appeared, coming inches from Shade's face. Shade jumped back quickly and looked at Madende.
"Hey now! I'd like to keep my eyebrows if you don't mind!" he yelled, jumping up and down.
"Sorry." Madende smirked. "They'll grow back." he laughed.
"I'll show you they'll grow back you ass hole!" Shade yelled, racing forward.
Suddenly something shot up from the ground, and wrapped around Shade's leg, stopping him dead in his tracks.
"What the fuck?!" he cried, trying to jump back.
He realized it was a leafy vine, and it held tight to his leg. Felling something on his leg, Madende looked down, to see a vine coiled around his leg as well.
"Holy shit!" he cried, falling back on the ground and pulling on the vine.
Jeric and Shadow jumped up and ran over to Madende and Shade and looked down at their legs.
"What the fuck?! Plants aren't supposed to do this shit!" Jeric cried, pulling on the vine with Madende.
"That won't help…" Jareth said suddenly from the door way.
Madende and Shade looked up at him, and Shi got to her feet.
"Jareth! You're awake!" she called, walking towards him.
"Yay! Jareth!" Abi cried, racing forward, passed Shi and hugging Jareth.
Jareth was shocked and barely hugged her back, as she stepped away.
"That's…never happened to me before…" he muttered, looking at Abi.
"Hehe sorry." Abi said, smiling.
"Na, its all good." Jareth said smiling.
"How's your back?" Shi asked.
"Much better, thanks to you guys." Jareth said, smiling at her.
"Yay!" Abi cried, jumping up and down.
Jareth laughed lightly and looked over at Madende and Shade, who were still fighting with the vine. Laughing again, Jareth held out his hand, and the vine released the boys and disappeared back into the ground. Shi, Abi, Shadow, Shade, Madende, and Jeric all stared wide eyed and jaw dropped at the ground, where the vine left too.
"Whoa…" Shi said.
"WOW! How you do that?!" Abi cried.
"I'm an elemental demon. I can control plants, air, fire, and water." Jareth explained.
"AWESOME!" Abi and Shi cried together.
Jareth laughed again and held out his hands. In one hand, a vine grew and blossomed into a rose, while in the other hand, a fire ball appeared and formed into another rose.
"One for each." he said, handing both Shi and Abi a rose.
"Aww!! Yay!" they both said together, smelling the rose at the same time.
"That's kinda freaky how you two do that." Jareth said, raising an eyebrow.
"They do it all the time." Jake said, appearing next to Abi.
"Oh? I guess I'll have to get used to it huh?" Jareth asked, smiling.
"You never really get used to anything around here. Everything is so random and shit happens a lot." Jake replied. "I'm Jake by the way." he added holding out his hand.
"Jareth." Jareth replied, taking Jake's hand and shaking it.
"I'm Abi!" Abi cried, raising her hands.
"I knew who you were." Jareth said smiling. "And you're Shi. And that's Madende. The other's I'm lost on though."
"Well, the green haired guy beside Madende is Jeric. That's Shade, and his girlfriend Shadow. And over here we have Kale, the one who saved you. Dalila, Shi's, Shadow's, and Madende's mother. And Bryn is the one sitting alone." Jake explained. "And over there in the tree we have Keegen and Adam." he added, pointing up to the two boys.
"Are…they…together?" Jareth asked, in a hushed voice.
Keegen suddenly appeared beside them, hanging upside down from the branch, Adam squatted down next to him on the same branch.
"Of course." he said smiling.
A jade stone on a thin black leather strap hung down and glinted in the light. Jareth held out a hand and gently lifted it, looking the stone over. Keegen got an odd look on his face, like a you try taking it, and I'll kick you're ass look, but didn't move.
"That's pretty. Where'd you get it?" Jareth asked, releasing the stone.
"My baby sister gave it to me." Keegen replied.
"Nice." Jareth said, smiling and released the stone.
"Thanks." Keegen replied.
Adam was lost in thought, starring down at Keegen's bare chest and stomach, then shook his head, falling off the branch, but catching himself and hanging by his arms beside Keegen. Keegen looked over at him an odd look on his face.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked.
"Nothing." Adam said innocently.
"Bullshit. I can see that lustful look in your eyes." Keegen said, smirking.
"Eh!" Jareth said, his eyes widening, and his jaw dropping.
Laughing, Adam started to swing his legs back and forth, like a trapeze artist. He finally managed to hook his legs up on the branch and started to pull himself up, but Keegen smacked his ass, stunning him. Loosing grip, Adam slipped from the branch and fell to the ground with a thud and laid there stunned for a minute. Keegen laughed and dropped from the branch, managing to land on his feet and laid down on top of Adam.
"What's the matter Adam?" he asked, smiling and laughing still.
"Ehh…" Adam replied.
"How'd you manage to land on your feet when you were hanging upside down?!" Abi cried looking down at them .
"It's my cat like reflexes, reer." Keegen said, making a clawing motion with his hand.
Abi stared at him with a holy shit what the fuck look. Keegen, Adam, and Shi burst out laughing, doubling over and holding their sides. Jareth looked over just in time to see Jeric kiss Madende before pulling him to his feet.
"And them?" he asked, pointing over to them.
"They're together too." Jake said nodding.
"I'll have to get used to this…I've never lived with gay people before." Jareth said, shaking his head.
"We're not necessarily gay." Adam said, looking up at him.
Jareth looked down at him and raised an eyebrow.
"Looks it to me." he said.
"Nope. Just bi." Keegen said, smiling.
"Ah…I see." Jareth said, nodding, then looking out at Madende and Jeric again.
Suddenly, four black hooded figures appeared at the end of the yard, looking at them. Jareth's breath caught in his throat, as he stared at them.
"What the fuck are those things?" Bryn growled, getting to his feet.
Kale stood as well and stared down at the figures.
"…Reapers…" Jareth replied, as the others turned to look.
A/n: well...i tink i gots all the errors...i not kno...oh wellz...eh heh, don't hate me for the drop off there heh theres more to come! review for me! LaterZ!
SHOUT OUT
To Abi...dont hate me!! :)