Hello everyone. Time for a new chapter. I'm not going to do a recap this time because last chapter was just a filler. Excellent guess Kasuchi, Koichi! Ok, a little explaination for you, in my story (was inspired by a lycanthrope book series) Lycanthropy is a disease that causes someone to transform into an animal, the wolf being the most common form. This is so exciting. Why am I so excited? Because you get to find out "Sharo's Wild Secret"! That's right, you get to see the reason why Raika was so nervous about bringing Lan and the gang home with him. You get to see what the "Underground" is and why animals keep going there. The story all comes together in this chapter! So don't be surprised if I don't come out with another chapter after this for this chapter is going to be super long. Get your snacks, your drinks, and take your potty breaks now, cuz this chapter is going to bring us home, and you don't want to miss ANY of it!
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Everyone was eating dinner while Raika told everyone about Sharo and it's laws.
(Time for a bilogue, that's my word for when two people talk to their audience back and forth, finishing each others paragraphs. It's like a monologue but without the "mono").
"Well, I know you all have heard of werewolves. Becoming a werewolf is caused by a disease called Lycanthropy. Lycanthropy does not cause strict werewolfism. Lycanthropy makes other kinds of animals as well. Rodents, birds, cats, and many other kinds." Raika started.
"The different kinds of Lycanthropy are sorted into five categories. Lunatics, creatures that transform by moonlight, Solarists, creatures that transform by eclipses, Avaiators, creatures that transform by wind-weather, Hydroquins, creatures that transform by tides, and Centauris, creatures that transform by mating seasons of their normal counterparts. Lycanthropes are normally feared by others, executed upon discovery and capture." Chaula added.
"But Sharo has pro-lycanthrope policies, they are treated the same as a non-lycanthrope. The only condition is that they must remain in captivity when they are forced to transform, such as when a werewolf transforms at the full moon or a weresnake transforms during an eclipse."
"This is where the Underground came from. The Underground is an underground city in which the Lycanthropes spend most of their time and transformations, although they are allowed to be in their true form above ground, they have to stay in the Underground when they are forced to transform. The only way to get into the Underground is through special switches located in trees throughout Sharo, which is why you keep seeing them go in and out from under the trees."
"Most of the people who know me here are Lycanthropes, and some of the planning crew are Solarists. They originally wanted the party to be tomorrow, but with the eclipse coming tomorrow they won't be able to make it, plus, we will have our hands full if we can't figure out what to do with Lan and Chaud before the eclipse comes." Raika explained. Chaud sighed and looked down guiltily as everyone stared at him and Lan.
"You are a Lycanthrope Chaud? Why didn't you tell us?" Maylu asked him.
"Right, guess what everyone, I am really a giant snake. Every time there is an eclipse, I change into my snake form and get very dangerous." Chaud snapped sarcastically. Maylu looked at him with an expression of "oh" as she understood how stupid and crazy that sounded. Chaud sat up straight and looked at everyone as Chaula came over to him and hugged him.
"It isn't his fault he was born this way, nor is it mine that I was born a werewolf." She explained. Dingo and Jasmine spit out their drinks and looked at them with shocked faces.
"Wait, he's a snake and you're a wolf, and you were both born that way? How did that happen?" They asked simultaneously. Raika, Searchman, and Protias were trying to hold back their laughs when they asked her that question and a muscle twitched in Chaula's head.
"Why does everyone always ask that? I am getting real sick of hearing that question. Ok, well, when our mothers, who were sisters, were young, they were attacked by two different Lycanthropes. My mother got infected with the wolf version and Chaud's mother got infected with the snake version. Then they met our dads, who are also brothers, and they had us. Lycanthropy is passed through internal contact with a Lycanthrope's bodily fluids. This can mean sex, pregnancy, lactation, or anything that connects your blood with a Lycanthropes DNA."
"Does that mean that Chaud's dad is a snake too?" Dex asked, nervous.
"No, I said it can only be transmitted when the disease hits your bloodstream. It is very rare for a male human to contract Lycanthropy through sex, though it is possible if the Lycanthrope he is intimate with makes him bleed at any time during intercourse. Now then, as we were saying---"
"But what about Lan? How did you get it?" Jasmine asked him, moving closer. Lan was just about to say something when Chaud interrupted.
"That would be my fault. Sometime during the N1-Grand Prix, there was an eclipse, and I thought I was far enough away from everyone. Lan was just too curious for his own good, it's a miracle that Lycanthropy was all he got away with. I still haven't forgiven myself for it either." Chaud said, looking down. Lan looked at him carefully.
"It wasn't your fault I followed you. If I had left you alone that wouldn't have happened. Don't blame yourself for my mistake Chaud." Lan said, smiling. Chaud nodded at him before turning back to Raika and Chaula.
"So why do you hang out with a bunch of Lycanthropes Raika?" Chaud asked him. Raika took a deep breath and looked at Chaud carefully.
"Remember when I said a lot of people don't agree with our friendship?" He asked.
"He's a Centauri! Raika is a weredeer, which makes our friendship ironic because technically he is food to me. I know so many old-school Lycanthropes who want me to eat him. Too bad for them, every Lycanthrope in my family has swore to never eat anything that can talk, and that includes Raika." Chaula piped up. Raika nodded as everyone, including Lan and Chaud, looked shocked. They never would have guessed that their friend was a Lycanthrope. Dingo and Jasmine quickly got out of their shock and applauded Raika.
"Great job, I never would've guessed that you were a Lycanthrope Raika, you don't act like a Centauri." Jasmine said.
"Yeah, I know a lot of Centauries, most of them deer, and you don't act like a deer Centauri at all." Dingo added. Everyone turned to look at Dingo and Jasmine.
"How do you know all that?" Chaula asked them.
"Because Choina and the Jawaii islands also have pro-Lycanthrope policies, and we help take care of them and watch over them." Jasmine explained. They all continued through the night, talking about Lycanthropes and what to do with Chaud and Lan during the eclipse that was coming quickly.
"Well, we could get them into the Underground before the eclipse comes." Chaula suggested.
"But who is going to protect them until it comes? Remember, there are a lot of people who would be more than happy to use them to get to us." Raika shot back.
"Why? What do they want with you?" Chaud asked.
"Our position. You see, Lycanthropes operate the same way as their counterparts, wolves being in packs, lions being in prides, deer being in herds, etc, and those groups here are always fighting for dominance. Raika and I are apart of the most powerful pack in Sharo, the Blazers, and yes, I know, it sounds narcissistic, but the requirement when joining a pack is that it has to have the surname of the strongest member in its name. We have a lot of Rogues, Lycanthropes who enjoy being raging beasts that'll rip you to shreds, who would kill for the power and influence we have on the human government." Chaula said.
"You'll meet the rest of the pack later, right now, we need to figure out how we are going to protect you in the Underground until the eclipse comes." Raika said.
"Well, I could go there with them and guard them until the time comes." Chaula said.
"Not alone you won't, even with Protias, you will need a lot of help fending off the Rogue Solarists. Searchman and I will go with you." Raika said.
"No Raika. You are not a predator-class Lycanthrope, you are not equipped to handle anything bigger than me. Besides, someone has to keep an eye on your friends." Chaula told him.
"I won't have you going there alone! It's too dangerous." Raika raised his voice as he said this. Chaula was about to engage him in an argument when the voice from earlier called out.
"Well then she won't. I will go with her and Protias." A caped navi appeared on Chaula's shoulder and everyone's eyes widened.
"BASS!" They all called out at once. Bass looked to everyone and waved once, then turned back to Raika.
"Why are you here? I thought you were going to sleep in the Underground tonight?" Chaula asked him.
"I figured you would tell them everything tonight, so I wanted to come and help explain. Anyway, between me, Chaula, and Protias, they will be safe until the transformation." He said.
"Are you sure you want to do this? Fighting with a giant snake that is as thick as a tree is not the same as wrestling with a werewolf." Raika responded. Bass nodded and retreated back to the cyberworld. Upon landing, he was engulfed in a white light and he clawed through the dimensions. A griffin crawled out of the hole that appeared near the window and it stood on its back legs.
"They'll think twice before messing with me, and if they do anyway, I'll rip them apart and feed them to your dog." It said in Bass' voice. Raika nodded and looked to Chaula.
"Ok then, it's settled. You, Protias, and Bass it escort Lan and Chaud to the Underground and guard them until the eclipse arrives. When it does, I want you to high-tail it out of there before you get hurt." Chaula nodded and the three of them turned to the group. "It's getting late." Raika said to everyone. "Lets get to bed, the sooner we go to sleep, the sooner we'll wake up and the sooner you'll be safe from Lan and Chaud when they lose control." Everyone nodded and Raika, Chaula, and Bass walked up the stairs, everyone following them. Chaula, Bass, and Protias went into Chaula's Room and everyone but Raika raised their brows.
"Why is Bass going into her room with her?" Chaud asked.
"Because he is her pet, and pets typically sleep with their masters (1)." Raika explained. "Goodnight." He said, going into his own room. Everyone else said goodnight and went to their own rooms, getting to sleep quickly for the events to come the next day.
(imma rush through the morning routine so we can get to the important stuff ok?)
The next day, everyone had gotten up at around 8:00 and enjoyed a quiet breakfast. They discussed their plans for the day while Lan and Chaud remained underground. Chaula looked out the window and saw the moon in the sky, not too far away from the sun. She looked at Protias and Bass and both nodded. She turned her attention to Lan and Chaud and cleared her throat, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Guys, it's almost time for the eclipse. We should get going, now." She said in a serious tone. Everyone nodded and stood up. Chaula walked to the door and opened it, walking outside and everyone following her. "Protoman, Megaman, I suggest you two stay with Raika, nothing is more dangerous than weresnakes that have no control over themselves. Don't argue with me on this, it has to be done." She said as she started walking. Megaman and Protoman nodded as they and everyone else followed her to a nearby tree.
She stopped in front of the tree and Raika joined her. "We'll teach you how to get into the Underground so that you can find us in the future. First off, you need to either be a Lycanthrope or have a Lycanthrope with you. Then the Lycanthrope does this to open the tunnel underneath the tree." Chaula reached up toward a big hole in the tree, her hand becoming a paw. She stuck it in the hole in the tree and a door moved at the base of the tree, revealing a tunnel. "Ok, guys, Lan, Chaud, Bass, and Protias, you guys go on in." She said, not moving her hand. Lan and Chaud did as they were told and walked down into the tunnel. Bass and Protias followed and Chaula turned her attention to Raika. "I'll see you tonight Rai-Rai." She said to him. Raika put his hand on her shoulder before she had a chance to go down with them. She looked at him curiously, her head tilting.
"Be careful, ok? Don't let them hurt you." He asked her, a hint of begging in his voice. In truth, this was the first time they actually experienced an eclipse, and he was worried about leaving her with all of those Solarists. She smiled at him and gave him a one-armed hug, the other arm holding the door open.
"Don't worry. Bass and Protias will keep me safe, don't worry. Just keep your friends safe and I'll see you later." She said and with that she disappeared under the tree. Raika blushed lightly and walked away from the tree, turning to everyone.
"Ok, well, let's go. While we are waiting for Chaula and the others I can introduce you to most of the pack. Come on." He said, walking towards town.
TBC
Ok, whew, Long chapter. This took me all day to write. So what do you guys think? I have a surprise for you all, I like this story so much, I am turning it into a series! Yep, you'll get to see more of the Blazers in future stories after this is finished. So, read and review, no challenges this time.
(1) OMG! I can't believe I forgot to put Morozov in the story! I feel so bad...T_T Well, I'll bring him into one of the sequels. Lets just say he's at work right now.