Disclaimer: Zatch Bell is copyrighted to Makoto Raiku (characters, series, and concepts). The only things I own that are currently revealed in the story are E, Nylon, Shine, Angelica Tsukoro, Curtis Herrakoro, Gretchen, Harumi Kisamaru, Haruko, Izo Uramori, Myriam Schwazden, Mystrael, Metallix, Professor Linda, Orion, Jade, Shine, Zale Schwazden, Thoria, Cassandra, Vini, Amanda, Phoebe, Samantha, Servor, Jerrod, Phantom, Isaac, Marjorie Barragán, and Talón.
Chapter 20: To Each Their Own Struggle
Angelica absentmindedly leaned against the wall of the lower floors of the terrace she lived in. Her onyx eyes were glazed with worry and uneasiness. Recently, she, Kiyo, Zatch, and E were called out by a mysterious opponent by the name of Mystrael. According to her instructions, if they didn't arrive at the directed time, consequences were sure to follow.
She checked her wristwatch. It was around 6 PM. She only hoped spending time with her friends wouldn't cause her to be late. She didn't want to fail Kiyo and Zatch like that. "Now, if only these goofballs would hurry up." She thought.
Right on cue, a trio of different cars pulled into the parking lot of the terrace and parked in open spots. "What up, businesswoman?" Curtis hollered to her in greeting as he exited his car with Gretchen.
"Don't you look all spick and span?" Harumi commented, walking up with Haruko as she pressed a button on her key in order to lock her vehicle.
"Wonderful you see you again, Ang!" Izo said, he and Nylon together with the others.
Angelica smiled brightly as she replied, "It's so great to see you guys. It seems we never get to spend time with each other anymore."
"The same can be said for us Mamodo," Nylon sentimentalized as he looked at E levitating beside his bookkeeper, "I wasn't able to see my little buddy for weeks!" E sighed, "Nylon. You make it sound like I'm a children and younger than you. We're technically the same age."
"I could do without the biting remark, E." Nylon replied, frowning.
"Yeah, yeah, enough of all that now," Curtis spoke up, "Let's head out 'fore tickets get sold out! Oh, and don't forget to hide E in somethin'. Don't want the government to be on our asses when they find out we're harborin' an extraterrestrial." Everyone—even Gretchen—sparred a laugh at Curtis's joke that E kindly responded with a nasty glare.
Angelica giggled. She certainly cherished what these people had to offer, and she would do anything in her power to make sure it stayed that way. But she could only silently pray nothing bad would happen to them during this little Faudo incident.
"Okay! Who wants to drive?" Harumi spoke aloud and then quickly said, "Not me."
"Not me." Curtis quickly said as well.
"I'll do it then," Izo volunteered with a smile, "I'm sure Ang needs the respite." E then added in humorously, "That, and she cannot drive to save her own life. Or mine." Now, it everyone's turn to laugh at her, not minding the fact that the usually humorless and taciturn E cracked a joke. Angelica only pouted.
Everyone then situated themselves in Izo's car. Curtis took the front seat beside Izo in the driver seat. Angelica and Harumi sat in the subsequent backseats with E and Haruko, respectively, sitting in their laps. Nylon and Gretchen sat in the very back, preferring the extra room and space.
"Alright and off we go!" Izo announced as he put the vehicle in drive and speeded off.
"Alright, let's time debatin'," Curtis said, "What move we gon see? And no, Harumi and Ang, we ain't seein' no chick flick." Said girls whined indignantly, "And why not!"
"Cuz we guys don't wanna see no damn chick flick!" Curtis argued, "Well, we guys and Gretchen."
"Sure don't." The tomboy Mamodo in the back voiced her agreement. "Ugh, fine then," Harumi scoffed, "What do you propose then?" Izo stated, "Well, it has to be wholesome and for any type of crowd. Let's not forget, we have a minor in our midst."
"True that," Curtis responded, crossing his arms as he thought about a suitable movie in which they all could see, "…I got nothin'." His response made Gretchen and Harumi slap their foreheads with a negative nod. "Hush, don't say anything." The ecru-haired male warned.
"Oh! Oh!" Haruko said exuberantly, waving her arm, "Let's go see Beauty and the Beast 3D!"
"If I wanted to watch that, I could just borrow that from Izo's younger sister Yuko." Nylon compromised. "And she's already force me to watch it with her…" Izo admitted demurely.
"Then let's watch The Grey." Gretchen proposed with a tinge of hope that it would be what they would watch. "Ugh, hell no. That'll give me nightmares," Curtis objected, cringing, "I frickin' hate wolves!" Angelica added in shyly, "Uh, I-I feel uncomfortable watching it, too…" Gretchen sighed, mumbling inaudibly under her breath, "Wusses…"
"I got one!" Haurmi announced excitedly, "Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game!"
"There ya go! That mess is the word, ya heard!" Curtis voiced his agreement with great enthusiasm with Gretchen giving an approving nod.
"That'll do nicely." Izo said, smiling. "Hmm, I always did want to know why he's so famous…" Nylon said contemplatively. "Eh, I'm willing to give it a shot." Angelica stated. She spoke for both herself and E.
"Then it's decided!" Harumi and Haruko proclaimed in unison, "We're watching a detective movie!"
With that settled, they changed the subject with Curtis asking, "Hey, yo, Ang, how was the trip? You brain-dead yet?" Angelica laughed his joke and replied, "Not yet, Curtis. As you guys keep saying, I'm a nerd. We don't get brain dead from studying."
Harumi smiled widely, seeing this as the chance to coerce Angelica into playing tennis like Curtis was coerced into running track. "That reminds me of something," she said, "Ang, what type of stuff do you do besides studying and hanging out with us?"
"Nothing." E said bluntly, eliciting snickers from Nylon, Gretchen, and Curtis. Angelica sent a glare at him but nonetheless said nothing. "Maybe you should consider something else. Perhaps an extracurricular activity." Harumi articulated, and the others knew exactly where this was heading.
"Oh, no, no." Angelica objected hurriedly, "I have enough on my slate already. Studying is a chore in itself! I couldn't possibly balance something else with that."
"We can." Harumi, Izo, and Curtis all said in unison. And that response came from, respectively, an archer, a fencer, and a track runner who had, respectively again, a 3.4, a 3.7, and a 3.2 GPA. To top it all off, they were all participants in the Mamodo Fights like she was, and participating in practically the same leisure activities like she was.
"Come on, Ang," Izo persuaded, "I mean, weren't you the one that told me to not overdo things? To not always think about school?" That made Curtis remember something, "Oh yeah! Ya'll two met each other before any of us. Back in Hiroshima, right?" Izo nodded, smiling, "That's right."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you guys keeping secrets from us?" Nylon stepped in, genuinely curious to hear about this. "It's not a secret anymore now that they've said it to us." E stated matter-of-factly. "He has a point, Nylon." Gretchen agreed, grinning slightly. "Be quiet." Nylon huffed.
But before the storytelling could begin courtesy of Izo, Harumi still had a mission to accomplish, "Anyway. Izo's right, Ang! I mean, you don't wanna end like those bookworms that just commit suicide, do you?"
Angelica's onyx eyes dilated in paranoia as her skin turned pale, "W-Wait. WHAT?" She exclaimed frenziedly. This was her chance, Harumi thought, as her lips curved into a wicked smile. What was initially just a harmless, extemporaneous joke became her ticket to finally persuading Angelica into being a tennis player.
"Yeah, Ang!" Harumi said with mock shock, "I mean, you wanna be a psychologist! You all of people should know about this! People who study too much are basically prisoners of indoctrination. One tidbit of failure, and they slice their own throats from hysteria."
Angelica released a horrified scream that made everyone in the car jump from surprise. Izo temporarily lost control of his car since his sudden movement caused the wheel to turn counterclockwise. Once things were relatively calm again, speaking resumed.
"Damn, girl, it ain't that big a' damn deal!" Curtis berated his highly intelligent friend.
"Yes it is!" Angelica argued, "I do not wanna be like that! I have too much to live for! Okay, okay, I'll play tennis! I concede!"
"Alright! There we go!" Harumi said happily with a triumphant grin on her face. Nylon, Curtis, and Izo only sighed and thought simultaneously in their minds, "Women are so strange…"
"Kiyo…I have a bad feeling about this…"
Zatch spoke to Kiyo more demurely than usually as they made their way to the Mochinoki Town River Bed, the site where their 'test' would be held, with only a few minutes left until the appointed time given by Mystrael.
"You and I both, Zatch…" Kiyo stated, clutching the red spellbook tightly in his right arm, "She suddenly came out of nowhere…but she knows something, and we need to find out." He looked at the blonde child with a reassuring smile as he added, "And let's not forget. We have Ang and E on our side."
Zatch let a smile of his own appear on his face as he nodded, "Yeah, you're right!"
They descended down the concrete steps until they reached the actual river itself, stopping in the middle of the plain before the long body of water. They looked around and saw that no one was there. "I don't see Ang and E." Zatch said warily. "Or that Mamodo…" Kiyo said softly, equally pensive. He pulled back the sleeve of his shirt and checked the time on his wristwatch. "Two minutes left…" He announced.
"Sorry! We're really sorry we're late!"
Zatch and Kiyo turned and sighed in relief when they saw Angelica and E were making their way toward them. "Are we in time?" E asked carefully. "Yeah. Just in time." Kiyo announced with a slight nod. Angelica exhaled in relief, "Thank goodness…I swear, Curtis, Izo, and Harumi will be the death of me one day."
"Hanging out, huh?" Kiyo said.
"Yeah," Angelica replied, "Harumi—one of my friends and classmates, and she has a partner named Haruko—decided to arrange a get-together with the others. I couldn't say no to them, but I almost was late because of them!"
"Then you shouldn't have gone," Zatch said innocently, causing E to laugh, Angelica to frown, and Kiyo to abruptly hit him on the head.
"Ah, so you did advocate punctuality. I'm impressed!"
The time for pleasantry was over as Kiyo, Zatch, Angelica, and E faced seriously the source of the proud voice: Mystrael. She was walking up with who they presumed to be her bookkeeper. She was wearing a lavish, straw sunhat that was decorated with an assortment of mint green and sky blue flowers and buds. The wide brim slightly shadowed her face. Her outfit consisted of a long, sleeveless, grayish-black dress that reminded them of the dresses Sherry would wear. A white bodice and sash embraced the upper part of the apparel.
"First off, mind telling me yours names?" Kiyo inquired.
"Since it was you that issued this challenge." Angelica pointed out as she withdrew the puce spellbook from her bag.
"Forgive me for my terrible manners then," Mystrael said with slight embarrassment and a chipper smile, "My name is Mystrael Cordiere." The young women beside her introduced herself, "And mine is Myriam Schwazden. Good evening, lady and gentlemen."
Zatch scratched the back of his head as he said contemplatively, "Uhh…Schwazden…Schwazden…Kiyo, that sounds familiar."
"It sound familiar because it happens to be the surname of a person you already know about," Myriam said, "His name is Zale."
"Wh-What?"! Angelica sputtered in shock, "A-Are you related to him or something?" Myriam smiled cryptically as she answered her, "Why yes, I happen to be his older sister."
Kiyo gritted his teeth as beads of sweat traveled down his head. He remembered fully well just how strong Zale and his partner, Shine, were. Now, he was apprehensive to think about the strength of these two—two ladies who were older and wiser than them. "Who are you? I wanna know." He finally asked, "Tell me everything you know."
"Ah-ah-ah!" Mystrael said mellifluously, wagging her finger like a metronome, "Until you pass your test, you don't get to know that information. Besides, the answers sound better for denouement rather than exposition."
"Gee. I didn't know a poet was in our midst." E said sarcastically as he and Zatch stationed themselves in front of their partners, who both opened their respective spellbooks. "Focus, E," Angelica said sternly, "The real thing starts now."
The red spellbook in Kiyo's hand glowed radiantly as he inputted heart energy into it, "Yeah. Now let's go! Zaker!" The puce spellbook glowed a bright purplish light as Angelica recited, "Ieruga!" Zatch's eyes rolled in the back of his head as his agape mouth released a spray of lightning. E's lenses glowed before releasing a beam of psychic energy in tandem with the electrical spell.
"Ready?" Myriam asked her partner, the lavender grey spellbook in her hands behind her back glowing. "Oh yes. That I am." Mystrael replied as she got into a battle stance. "Le Maboruk!" Myriam said without looking at the book, having memorized their current array of spells perfectly.
Mystrael's legs were suddenly covered in darkness. Kicking off her feet, the dark powers allowed to "skate" fluidly and rapidly across the surface as she elegantly dodged both Zaker and Ieruga—performing a sort of pirouette to dodge Ieruga and skating low to the ground to narrowly avoid Zaker.
"Great. She's a figure skater, too." E snarled in frustration, keeping his eyes on her intently. Suddenly, her speed increased as she closed the distance between herself, Zatch, and E. "Watch out!" Kiyo and Angelica exclaimed and prepared to cast some spells; however, Mystrael quickly spin kicked E, afterwards doing a regular kick unto Zatch that sent into the steps.
"Man, she's agile!" Kiyo thought in surprise. Once again, he was too slow to react before the mysterious women. "Rior Maboro." As Le Maboruk was canceled, Mystrael held out both hands to the opposing Mamodo and fired spear-like spirals of darkness toward them.
"Watch out, Zatch! Rashield!" Kiyo shouted.
"Ieshun!" Angelica followed suit with a spell of her own.
Just in time, Zatch erected a rectangular lightning shield to block the attack as a field of psychic energy too protected E. "Adequate reactivity." Mystrael remarked, like a teacher evaluating a new student.
"Zakeruga!"
"Ieruga!"
The two Mamodo recomposed themselves in time as their respective bookkeeper shouted those spells. A beam of concentrated electricity and a beam of whitish psychic energy flew toward Mystrael. However, she was prepared as Myriam said, "Buru Maboruk."
Darkness coated Mystrael's cloak, endowing them with a dark purplish outline. It split apart and took the form of two bat-like wings. Quickly, she thrust herself into the air with her new set of wings as both spells inadvertently struck each other, nullifying one another into oblivion.
"Oh, great…" Kiyo groaned as he watched Mystrael hover in the air. "I got this," Angelica said, "Aruk! Soru Iera!" In a quick flash of pink, E teleported behind the airborne Mystrael. His arms glowed as blades of psychic energy formed, and he swiped them. However, Mystrael sensed it and performed an aerial back-flip to dodge the attack. "Darn it!" Angelica exclaimed in frustration.
"Zagurzem!"
Out of nowhere, a sphere of red and yellow light was discharged and struck Mystrael's right wing as she was distracted with E at the moment. "What?" She said in shock with Myriam narrowing her eyes. Her wing gained a light yellow shade was electricity crackled in it.
"Got her!" Zatch announced from his position, atop the slope. "That's one." Kiyo said cautiously. Angelica gawked at the phenomenon and asked, "Kiyo. What did you do?" He looked at her and explained, "Zagurzem is a sort chain spell. Whatever it touches is stored with electricity that powers up any of our electrical spells. Right now, I'm saving it for later and see if I store anymore."
"Ok," Angelica, directing her attention back to the battle, "I'll let you know if I can spot any chances myself."
Mystrael examined her right wing, laden with electricity, with a curious look on her face as she stated, "Zagurzem, huh…? I will admit, you caught me by surprise with this spell." Myriam then spoke up, "Mystrael, I believe that's enough playing around. Let's get things started already."
"Not yet, Myriam," Mystrael responded to her bookkeeper, "One more attack spell and then we can start."
"Fine then." The adult woman said as the lavender grey spellbook glowed once more, "Mabro Chansen!" From Mystrael's fingertips, a group of chains of darkness capped by metal barbs resembling the beak of a raven were shot toward them, the ones from the right hand going to E and the ones from left targeting Zatch.
"Careful, Zatch! Watch where they last out carefully!" E instructed the younger Mamodo, quickly levitating backwards to dodge the first one. "Okay!" Zatch replied, jumping off the incline in time just as a chain smashed on the ground he previously stood on.
"Keep your eyes peeled, you two!" Kiyo directed the two from his position, watching them warily.
When Zatch and E dodged more the chains, a smirk suddenly appeared on Mystrael's face. "Got them." Flexing her wrists slightly, two chains burst from the ground right below Zatch and E, catching them completely by surprise. The pointed ends jabbed both Mamodo right in their chest with powerful force.
"What? She hid two of them underground!" Kiyo exclaimed in shock.
"Oh, that is so cheap!" Angelica fretted in frustration.
However, their Mamodo was not as easily wavered. Ignoring the pain, they grabbed the chain and gripped it tautly. "You can't run now!" E and Zatch shouted at the same time. Initially, Mystrael was surprised, but her bravado returned when she smiled again and said, "Who said I was going to?" She simply sent the remaining chains toward them, "You guys can't run either!"
"Zatch, aim at the chains!" Kiyo instructed, pointing with two fingers in his signature style. "You too, E!" Angelica said afterwards.
"Zaker!"
"Aagusu Ieshuna!"
Zatch's eyes rolled to the back of his head as his mouth unleashed a spray of lightning. The Zaker spell surged through the chain he was grabbing and approaching Mystrael at an alarmingly fast rate. Likewise, the pink lightning E let loose from his hands did the same.
"Careful, Mystrael!" Myriam exclaimed, "You might want to stop your assault and save yourself!"
"Cancel the spells! Hurry!" Mystrael shouted frantically, unable to move all the chains since Zatch and E had a firm hold on one each. Quickly, Myriam ceased to input heart energy into Buru Maboruk and Mabro Chansen. Consequently, both spells disappeared in wisps of darkness, but that saved Mystrael from possible agony both spells. Her cloak, however, in replacement of her wing, possessed the effects of Zagurzem.
"Aw, darn it. We had her!" Kiyo groused in disdain.
"Our agreement, Mystrael?" Myriam said pointedly, reminding her of what they said before she casted Mabro Chansen.
Mystrael nodded as she said, "Fine, fine." She casted an ominous look toward all four of them in way that made their spines tingle, "It's time we put them to the test…"
"Ahh, what a day…"
"Yeah, it was, wasn't it? Though, what up with everyone havin' to leave early?"
Harumi, Curtis, Haruko, and Gretchen were all in the parking lot of Curtis's terrace. They were sharing one last conversation before they would officially let each other go for the day.
"It was kind of strange," Haruko said, "Ms. Angelica and Mr. E had to leave around nine, and Mr. Izo and Nylon had to leave so suddenly…" Harumi added in, "It was. But, I guess they didn't expect the movie, or the trips, to last that long."
"You don't suppose they still have curfews, do they?" Gretchen suggested, looking at everyone curiously. "They better not," Curtis said brusquely, "They gon get a kick in da ass if they do!" Harumi laughed at his 'threat,' "If you say so, Curtis."
"Well, girls, peace out," Curtis said dismissively, his pale pink eyes glancing a certain vehicle in the parking lot, "…My folks actually beat me home." His voice had notably dropped, almost to the point of a mumble.
Harumi knew why his voice dropped like that, but because of that, she did not press on the matter. So, she said instead, "Don't stay up all night playing video games! That's all I have to say!"
"Weeeeell," Curtis said playfully, "I don't know about that. There was this one game I was just 'bout tah beat." Gretchen shook her head as she responded, "I'll make sure to tuck him in before midnight." Curtis glared at her as he retorted, "Don't play like that! I ain't no lil child!" When Gretchen gave him a look back, he put two and two together, "…Oh wait. You were bein' serious?"
Harumi and Haruko giggled at the interaction. "Let's just go, Curtis." Gretchen sighed. "Fine, fine." With that, those two bid a last farewell before entering their terrace.
"I swear, Curtis and Gretchen are almost custom-made to be partners." Harumi said as she strolled toward her car. "And, yet, at the same time, they are so different." Haruko muttered, walking beside the taller, older girl. "I guess that's what the battle'll do to some people." Harumi said speculatively, hitting the alarm of her keys that unlocked the car it belonged it.
"Curtis and Gretchen. Is that their names?"
As the icy question reached their ears, Haruko and Harumi's bodies froze up. Haruko was one of those Mamodo unable to sense the presence of another, but the deep voice released dangerous, unfriendly, and fiendish vibes. It almost scared them to death.
Slowly, regrettably, both blonds turned their heads, and their sets of eyes dilated and trembled uneasily when they saw a large Mamodo with a faceless, silver mask and a large, tattered cloak facing the direction of the terrace. His cloak billowed in the imaginary wind, adding to the presentiment of danger.
As a result of her uneasiness, small beads of sweat started to fall down Harumi's face. Never before had she, or Haruko, encountered a person—well, Mamodo—such as this one. "…What..is…this aura…?" She though. Her throat was dry which would explain why she hadn't spoken until now. Swallowing, she asked carefully, "Who…are you?"
"Pardon me," the character rasped apologetically, turning to them, "My name is Phantom." From right behind that large cloak of his, a human stepped from behind, carrying a taupe grey spellbook in his arm, "And I am his partner, Isaac Rodriguez. Quite the pleasure, ladies."
Harumi wanted to respond in order to be courteous, but it was difficult. Despite how polite and well-spoken they appeared, their auras hinted something else. Something continued to make her appear on guard. She felt something lightly grip her leg, and she looked down to see it was Haruko. She was equally frightened, unable to comprehend what exactly was going on or what could possibly happen.
Steeling her nerves, she regained her normal tone of voice and questioned them, "Is there a specific as to why you're here?"
Isaac and Phantom looked at each other. Judging by how they looked, they were thinking the same thing: where to start? Isaac was the one to actually speak, "Hmm…Well, mademoiselle, how should we put this to you? My partner and I are gathering allies. And it seems our leader, Lord Leo, has sights on those two." When he said 'those two,' he motioned his conductor's baton toward the terrace.
Now that she knew her friends were involved, Harumi gained bravado, "For what?" She asked pointedly, "Because I'm getting the feeling it's for something they won't like. Or any of us, for that matter."
"They know not what is about to occur," Phantom stated, "Your emotions are justifiable, miss…" He trailed off, not knowing either of their names. "Harumi Kisamaru," the blonde high school student introduced herself, crossing her arms. "H-Haruko…" The younger girl said demurely.
"Lovely names." Isaac commented gentlemanly. Harumi rolled her blue eyes, registering that as a flirtatious advancement, before demanding, "Anyway…mind telling me what this 'Lord Leo' wants with my friends?"
"I'm afraid that is classified," Phantom responded, "Our cult is esoteric. Only those of interest are allowed to know."
"If you are so-called cult is so-called esoteric," Harumi snorted in a sarcastic tone, "You made the mistake of addressing me. I'm afraid you've gotten me involved now." Seeing as Harumi was getting braver, Haruko decided to speak herself, "Yeah! Besides, we know Curtis and Gretchen a lot. If you tell us—"
"Spare us the folderol, ladies." Isaac interrupted sharply, "As Phantom so subtlety implied, you are not important enough to know our intentions. But, because we are gentlemen, we will provide you with choices," He held one finger, "Your first choice is to leave quietly," he held a second one, "your second choice is you can come with us along with them." And he held one final finger, "and your third choice is that you can perish right where you stand should you pester us any longer."
Well, not a single one of those choices were desirable. Neither Harumi nor Haruko were going to let Curtis and Gretchen deal with whatever mysterious cult thing they were randomly enlisted to join. And they weren't going to join in themselves; no way, no how. So, that left them with the final option, but even then, there were complications.
Haruko and Harumi never had been in one, single battle where they were alone.
This would officially be their first battle without help, only themselves. Even then, they had been in very little battles. When they had teamed up with Megumi, Tia, Curtis, and Grechen against Servor and Jerrod, that was their second battle of all-time. Before then, they and Nylon and Izo had went against another opponent at a much earlier date. So, essentially, their battle experience was severely trumped by the seemingly capable team before them.
But what choice did they have?
Harumi turned around and opened the driver's door to her car. Haruko only looked at her silently as Isaac said, "So you've selected the first option. Wise, milady." However, she had only opened the door to place her purse on the front seat and retrieve a certain item: the dark khaki spellbook. "On the contrary, we pick the third." She announced, glaring at them.
"Hm. That is fine with us. We shall play with you." Phantom stated. "We can't fight here, though," Haruko said, "So follow us!" With that, the two blonds dashed off. Isaac and Phantom shook their heads as they followed at their own pace.
"Here we go, Haruko," Harumi said resolutely, "Now isn't the time to get cold feet. We have to do this." Haruko nodded as she replied, "We'll do our very best."
Meanwhile, as the four approached the next, vacant clearing, another team watched them from above, specifically the roof of the terrace. "What do those two idiots think they're doing?" Marjorie groused in disappointment as Talon eyed them, "Uch. Great…Talón, it seems we may have to get back in the game sooner than we think. Curses don't wait."
"Ko kaw (Understood)."
Curtis gingerly and excessively slowly opened the door to his apartment. "Oh, get in already!" Gretchen shouted irritably as she kicked Curtis in, causing the door to fling wide open. "OW! Damn it, woman, what's wrong with you?" Curtis berated, looking over his shoulder at her from his position on the floor.
"Nothing." Gretchen responded simply as she shut the door, putting the appropriate locks on it. Curtis arose from the floor and looked around the main room. Not a soul was there. "Mm. Guess they ain't awake." He observed.
"Your father's asleep, but I'm in the kitchen, Curtis."
"Damn." Curtis thought disdainfully. "That's cool, ma. I'll be in my room." He said tersely before sprinting to the direction of his room. "Wait!" An adult, African woman appeared around the corner to the kitchen, "How was your…" she trailed off when she heard a little slam from afar, "…day?"
Gretchen sighed and closed her eyes. Like Harumi, she knew the exact reason why Curtis acted so differently around, or even on the subject of, his parents. "When is he going to get over it?" Gretchen thought as she looked at Curtis's mother, "Once again, Mrs. Herrakoro. I apologize."
She sighed, "It's all right, Gretchen…"
"Then why doesn't it seem like that?" The burnt umber-haired Mamodo said in her mind. She excused herself and wished her a good night before following Curtis's trail to his room. Strangely enough, she found Curtis lying on the ground with his Nintendo DS Lite in hand.
"You tripped and bumped your head on the edge of the bedpost didn't you?" Gretchen asked, staring blankly at the scene. Her only response was a pained groan. She shook her head as she walked up and kneeled beside her fallen bookkeeper. "Alright. Let me ascertain the damages." She said as she removed his skull cap and checked his head.
Gretchen then suddenly gasped. But what made her gasp wasn't a giant bump or a gruesome wound. Instead, it was a purple, glowing, key-like symbol on his forehead. Now that she examined him more closely, Curtis was sweating profusely and breathing laboriously.
"W-what the hell?" Gretchen exclaimed, eyes widening, "What is that?"
"Your bookkeeper has been cursed."
Gretchen whipped her head in the direction of the voice, seeing Marjorie and Talon against the entrance to Curtis's room. "Who the hell are you two?" She demanded astringently, "Did you do this to him?"
Marjorie sighed, "Try to calm down. We'll explain as soon as you meet us at Rainbow Bridge immediately. And bring your book, too."
In all three situations, the Mamodo and the human parents all thought the same thing: "What have we gotten into?"
Author Notes
Phew! Finally got this doozy of a chapter done! And, with it, Zatch Bell: Another Story now has 20 chapters! *cues the streamers and celebratory music* Ahem, anyway, I wouldn't expect the next chapter in awhile. And I say that because of the decreasing amount of time I project in the future. February and March seems like the busiest days of school year ;; And I also say that because the next chapter is pretty intricate because it covers three battles happening simultaneously. I always make sure my readers get quality battles from me.
Anyway, adios and adieu for now!