1Sorry it took so long, but here's chapter two!
Disclaimer: I don't own Konjiki no Gash Bell, Makoto Raiku does.
Unwritten Stories
Chapter Two
As if seeing people throwing off ice and fire from their mouth and hand hadn't already inflicted heavy blows to her, now Tateishi Meida had to suffer another blow to her remaining sanity as she witnessed a person, or more likely a creature disappeared right before her very nose. All logic seemed to have leaked out of her and her brain had stopped working momentarily as if it was frozen by the cold. She had no control over her body now that she couldn't even bring her gaping mouth shut and just let herself being dragged around by Hori.
When she'd finally come to her senses, she found out that Hori had dragged her into a clearing where a small house stood alone, a tall antenna and a small chimney on its snow-capped roof. At the front of the house, there was a sign that read, "Property of Billy Hudson". A pair of car tires track etched on the snow just outside a smaller building, which Meida sure was a garage, and went along the clearing path that led to the highway. She was so desperate for warmth that she wasn't complaining when Hori kicked the door open as soon as they reach it. But she figured, as she entered the now doorless building, that wouldn't be a problem because no one had come out and scold them for breaking their door.
They were greeted by small and cozy living room with comfortable lounge chairs in one side. Stood against the wall was supposed to be a book shelf but no longer look like one for it was collapsed from colliding with the door Hori had kicked earlier. There was a fireplace on the other side of the room, though no fire was lit. Hori propped her on a chair beside it, in which she began to curl herself in. It didn't help much for the chair had also become wet from her wet clothes. Without saying anything, Hori went to explore the house and came back with a thick blanket in his hand. He threw it to his bookkeeper who caught it and immediately covered her body with it. The cold lessened but she was still trembling. Hori himself sat down on a chair by the window across the room, frowning and said, "You're pathetic."
Normally she would have exploded being called pathetic by a stranger but she was so terrified and cold that she forgot to feel angry. "Who—who are you?" she said between clattering teeth.
Hori grumbled. "I thought I already told you that. Do I have to repeat all of it now?"
Meida didn't answer. She remembered Hori once told her about it. It was nonsense and she was in a quite shocked state to give it another thought. But given the proof of several crazy things that had just happened, at least she was quite sure about one thing. "You're… not an ordinary boy." she whispered.
Hori rolled his eyes.
"Well, of course! I'm a mamono. You should have known that." he said as he pulled a curtain that covered the window off the holders and ripped it in two. He then used it as a bandage to cover his bleeding shoulder.
"Mamono?" she asked, wondering what kind of species that is.
"In other word, demon. I'm a demon from another world."
Meida would have laughed if not for the seriousness in his voice. She blinked as she pondered that statement. Whatever he said, he was just looked like ordinary brat to her. Well, except for those strange linear markings on his face. If what he had said was true, his appearance didn't really support the fact. Weren't demons supposed to be scary-looking with horns, wings, and fangs?
"Uh…kay?" she responded with a slight doubt on her face. "So was the ice guy from before also a demon?"
"Yeah. We are just some of the many mamono children sent here to compete against each other."
Meida gaped.
"Whoa! Hold it! There are many of your lot here? And what is this competition all about?"
"A hundred mamono children to be exact. And about the competition," Hori paused. He then turned to Meida and stared at her observantly, making sure that this time she was really paying him attention before he give another explanation; he didn't feel like to explain everything to her for the third time in the future.
He decided that she was seriously listening.
"In our world," he began. "we have a king to rule and manage everything. And every one thousand years, one hundred mamono children are chosen and sent to the human world to compete for the throne. Unfortunately, we can't use our powers freely here; this world is human's so we need their power to help us to win the competition—their heart power in this case. That's why each one of us was given a book like this." he showed her the indigo book with strange symbols from earlier. "Aside from its function as a guide book, the book also contains our spells. All we need to do is search for our destined human partner who can read it, thus he or she will be able to assist us in battle. They release our power by reading the spell from the book, fueled by their heart energy. The rule of this competition is simple. We eliminate our enemies by burning their books so that they will be forcibly taken back to the mamono world and thus lost their rights to become king."
"Just like that ice guy…" Meida muttered, remembering how the creature from before had suddenly disappeared along with its book.
"Right. The last one standing with the book still intact will be the next king of our world."
Meida's head was spinning. This whole mamono battle was really something. She was scared. She wanted to deny it. She wanted to think that Hori was just messing with her but then thinking why he would do that. Now that she thought about it, why would they even meet and talk about the battle here in the first place? He wouldn't have just told that story to everyone, would he? Then understanding filled her mind and her heart sank. Don't tell me…
"Um, sorry but why are you telling me all that?" she asked shakily at her suspicion. The house was so quiet that she could hear her heart pounding hard against her chest.
Hori huffed, now standing on his feet and looked outside through the window. His brows furrowed as if he was concentrating hard. "I guess because you were asking me about that." he said, sarcasm in his voice.
Oh yeah, that's right. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, trying to find the right words.
"I mean, why are you involving me? It has nothing to do with me at all."
"Tch, are you an idiot? You're my book keeper. You're my destined human partner." said Hori now looking at her.
Meida seemed to have forgotten how to breathe momentarily. Although she knew that was about to come, it was still hard to believe. And now that Hori had confirmed it himself, vivid pictures of the next crazy battles started to pop inside her head. And she was dead in it.
"No way." she blurted, hastily catching a breath.
"Yes way. There is no doubt about that. You can read my spellbook, and only you can. That's why you will have to help me win this competition." Hori grunted. To think that he was actually asking for the help of human annoyed him. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave his book keeper a cold look. "Isn't that a very ridiculous rule? To have us partnered up with weak humans in this very important competition. I'm personally against it but I can do nothing about it. I have no choice. You will make me king no matter what!"
After calling her pathetic, now he called her weak? She couldn't help growing a small pulsing vein on her forehead. "Look now. Don't you think it would have been better not to insult if you are asking for someone's help?" Meida said between gritted teeth, now glaring at him.
"What?" Hori returned the glare. "I said the truth. You humans are weak."
He's so annoying! She groaned mentally while she turned away from him in reality. What's with this kid keep mocking me while I hardly know him? He brought me here all of a sudden and told me such ridiculous story about demon battles, and now he expects me to assist him in the battle where I'd almost lost my life! God, what did I do to deserve this? She thought miserably. She then remembered how she'd met with him in the first place. He was chased by two people—whose now she was sure was a mamono team. They blasted him next to her with a strange laser. And when the mamono team blasted another laser to him, she didn't know what had gotten into her and intercepted the laser with her back, protecting him. Now that she thought about it, it was her own fault that she got stuck with him. What was I thinking? She cursed herself mentally.
While she was musing with her mind, Hori had walked out of the house and came back a few minutes later. His expression was serious. "Enough rest. I'm sensing a mamono presence. It's faint but I'm sure of it." he said. This caused Meida to look at him, tensing at the mention of the word mamono. "There's a city not far from here and if we are lucky, we will probably find them there. Come on, we should get moving!"
Lucky? It's disaster! Meida thought in disbelief.
"I'm sorry but I don't need anymore fighting! I need help!" she yelled hysterically at him. And then it struck her. Yeah right, all she needed was help. Why didn't she think about that before? She could call one of her servant to take her away from this demon before she could fall even deeper into his troublesome matters. And she was cursing herself once more for failing to notice it sooner as she quickly grabbed the telephone on the table beside her chair and made a phone call.
A few hours later, Meida was already sitting comfortably in a hotel room after taking a hot shower. She was dressed in a new thick winter coat and jeans, sipping pleasantly on a mug of hot chocolate. God, it feels so good, she thought, mentally thanking her servant for bringing her someone to fetch her. The servant was very surprised when she told him that she was in Australia. For a moment of silence in the phone, Meida thought he had passed out of shock –as it nearly did to her when she found out the first time. But then she heard him muttered comforting words to her and that he would send her help immediately. She was wondering what to give him as a returning-the-favor gift when her eyes caught sight of Hori.
She would have been happier if he wasn't there. But she couldn't just leave him alone in that forest, and asking him to leave wasn't an option either. Not when he got no home to return to and no one to take care of him. It was bothersome, but she couldn't bear the thought of letting a kid wandering alone in the street. Yeah, even if the kid was a demon from another world. Well actually, she shouldn't have worried about that because Hori would've followed her everywhere even if he wasn't asked to.
The silver-haired was looking out of the window towards the city below, the mug of hot chocolate lay abandoned beside him. It's close, he thought. A moment ago, he had sensed a surge of power that only mamonos could make. It was strong. He clenched his fist and it was started shaking with excitement. He couldn't wait the time when they would confront each other. No matter how strong he or she really is, he will not going to lose.
"Hey." Meida's voice disrupting his thought but he didn't turn around. She frowned. "Why don't you go take a shower? You look horrible." she said. And she was right. He was in a mess; his clothes were ripped in some places and he was covered in dirt and blood. He still had his boots on, which splattered the carpet with dirt. The cleaning service wouldn't be so pleased about that, Meida guessed. "And that wound of yours needs a proper treatment or else it would be worsened." She grimaced at his shoulder, which was bandaged so roughly by a ripped curtain.
If Hori had listened to her, he didn't show any sign of it. He stayed there and kept staring out; only long after that he responded with a faint grunt "I'm fine".
'I'm fine' his ass!
Meida grumbled as she approached him. How could you be fine with a hole on your shoulder and after losing so much blood? She then grabbed his arm and dragged him, ignoring his angry protests, to the bathroom. She pushed him inside and blocked the door with her body.
"What the hell!" he demanded.
"Clean yourself. Unless you want me to scrub those dirt off you myself." she threatened.
Without waiting for his answer, she closed the door and locked it from outside. Hori banged on the door angrily, and for a scary moment Meida thought he was going to kick the door open like earlier. But it didn't happen, which caused her to release a long sigh of relief.
Eh, it really was just for 'a few moments'.
A loud crashing sound could be heard as a flying bathroom door was smashed against a TV across the room. Meida sweatdropped as she saw a pissed Hori standing with one foot lifted in the air where the door had been a moment ago. Behind him, a large quantity of water was streaming freely from a newly broken pipe, flooding the bathroom floor in no time. He did clean himself up, or rather 'wash' for he was dripping wet from head to boots, still with his clothes on.
"Happy now?" he grunted.
Meida face-palmed. What a troublesome kid…
Later that night, Meida had nightmares and awoke in the middle of the night drenched with cold sweat. In her dream, the ice guy had come back to life and froze her into a block of ice. It then took the pleasure of revenge by stomping on her, shattering her arm. She shuddered and quickly checked her arm. It was still there, in one piece and unhurt. She heaved a sigh of relief knowing that it was just a dream but she couldn't sleep the rest of the night.
By morning, her eyelids were so heavy that she decided to walk out for fresh air before heading to the airport where a plane to take her back to Tokyo will be waiting. She didn't want to sleep and risked getting more nightmares, at least not until she left this country. The winter breeze swept her face as she walked in the street. It was half past seven, but the street was already packed with people doing their activities. The shopkeepers started turning the sign 'Open' in their shops. Cars kept zooming in and out in the street, stopping every once in a while at the red sign to let people cross the street safely. Here's not too different with Tokyo. A busy city, Meida thought.
"You know what? You're going the wrong way."
She sighed as she turned to find Hori walking beside her, his indigo book tucked under his arm and he was in a bad mood. Well, he was always in bad mood. "And you forgot to bring this." He said, tossing the book to her. She caught it only to prevent it from smacking her head.
She closed her eyes and willed herself to remain calm. He had already caused so much trouble for her yesterday. And now she could feel he was going to give her another. She just knew it.
"Why are you following me?" she hissed at him. She was momentarily losing her annoyance only to gape at him in awe. His bruises that he got yesterday were gone and his ripped clothes had somehow mended and were now looking as good as new. She would have said nothing had happened at all except for the occasional pain throbbing on her shoulder. Well, since she was dealing with a demon, anything weird is normal, she decided.
"Of course we're going to confront a mamono. I can feel they're close by." said Hori. "It's a strong one so you need to be careful not to spacing out like before. You have to be serious or else your book will be burned."
On a positive note, her drowsiness has lessened a little as her vein did an exercise on her head. On the negative note, she was now pissed off.
She pulled him beside a book store and gave him her most intimidating look. "Listen, kid," she began, "I've had enough trouble already without you adding another. And I really don't give a damn if this stupid book is burned. So please stop bothering me!"
"But you will give it a damn. You will not let that book got burned. You will fight and read the spell for me. And you will make me king of my world!" Hori retorted stubbornly.
"Oh please! Who do you think you are, ordering me around like that? I don't care about your stupid fight! Go find someone else who is willing to die for you!" she said, her voice rising.
"No one else can assist me other than you! You should be grateful to be able to become my partner!" Hori too was raising his voice. He's not going to lose anything especially with human.
Meida snorted.
"Grateful for signing myself up for guaranteed death? Believe me, I'd rather be frozen in that forest rather than assisting you in your stupid—" she didn't get to finish her sentence as someone was bumping into her from behind. She turned to see a kid about Hori's age with freckles on his nose. He quickly bowed to her, so low that his blue cap nearly fell off his sand-colored head.
"I'm so sorry. I was in a hurry so I wasn't looking where I was going. You're not hurt, are you?" he said apologetically, scanning her for possible damage he might've made with his emerald eyes.
Meida couldn't see how one would get hurt from bumping with that small body. "Eh, no. It's okay. I'm fine." She said, smiling a little.
"Thank goodness." the boy sighed and after apologizing one more time, he left.
What a nice kid, she thought as she watched the boy walked away. "There Hori, you should learn from his example." She said.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" he growled.
Meida sighed. She knew there will be no end if this continued. "It's time. We should go to the airport now."
Hori stared at her like she was crazy. "What! But what about the battle?"
"I don't care." Her tone was clear that she will not to be argued anymore.
Meanwhile, the boy from before was smirking as he watched the two walked away from behind a trash can in a space between two shops. "Today's a great success." He said to himself as he pulled out a small bundle from his pocket, which turned out to be money. "It's just as I thought. She is rich. Now what should I buy with it first…"
"You're going to put that lady into serious trouble, you know that?"
The mysterious voice nearly gave him a heart attack. He jumped so high and dropped the money in response. He quickly turned around to see a figure with cloak standing in the shadow before him. He couldn't see the face clearly as it was half hidden by the shadow and the hoodie of the cloak.
"You shouldn't be stealing other's money. That's not the right thing to do." the voice said again. It was calm yet he could feel power in it, like the suggestion given by hypnotist.
"Who are you? Do you know her?" his voice was brave despite that he was just found outstealing someone's money.
"I don't know her, but I do envy her."
He had no idea what this person was talking about. He took a knife from his pocket and held it up. This person had discovered his little secret, so he was certainly not going out of this without a fight.
"Relax. I'm not going to turn you to the police or whatever." the voice said calmly, not even intimidated by the sight of his knife. "Rather, I have a little favor to ask you."
"What do you want?"
The cloaked person reached inside the cloak and gave him a book with weird symbols and hourglass-like pattern on the cover, which was glowing as soon as he touched it. He nearly dropped the book in surprise but the unknown person remained calm.
"Please read my book."
There, I hope you liked it. Pardon me for any spelling and grammar errors in there. Also, please review 'cause your opinion matters to me.