• CHAPTER 75 - LONG TIME NO...MORPH?

    It's dangerous, it hasn't happened in months. The last time it did, it nearly took his life...

    I was surprised to find myself actually waking up again. I wasn't even aware that I had fallen asleep until I tried to flip over and was stopped by a couple of iron bars coiling around me and holding me against a sheet of ice. I opened my eyes only to realize that Kai was holding me against his torso once again. I must have really been knocked out if I didn't even notice him come back in. I panicked for a short time before I fell asleep, fearing I would have "nightglares" again. What a freaky name and a freaky thing to happen. So pretty much, those nightglares are telling me that I'm going to die...by Kai's doing.

    "Kai?" I whispered and looked up at his angelic sleeping face. There was slight frustration and subtle anger etched into his complexion too.

    "Kai," I shook his shoulder lightly, "come on, get up."

    Kai sighed deeply and cracked his eyes open and looked down at me, his eyes a deep depressing gold, "Did you sleep well?"

    I nodded, "Yeah. No dreams."

    He ran his slender fingers through my hair and never took his eyes off of my face, "You'll be okay,"

    I nodded once more, "I know,"

    It's hard to take in, knowing my life could end soon. Sure, I knew I was going to die after Kai first told me about the contract, but now that there are signs kind of freak me out. I've only had one nightglare so far...I wonder how often they happen the day before death?

    Kai frowned at me, "Please keep your reveries to yourself for now," he begged.

    "Okay," I sighed.

    I slid out of Kai's arm and sat up and stretched. I was feeling much better since I slept so much and cooled my fever by pressing my forehead against Kai's torso. I continued to stretch my stiff limbs and I dropped my arms to my sides. I reached over and scratched the underside of Momo's chin once more. He was awfully cuddly today, despite the somber atmosphere in the room. I could feel Kai's eyes burning into the back of my head and I turned to face him.

    "Is there anything I can do to distract you?" I offered.

    "I'll find something," Kai sighed and sat up. "We should be distressed about Takeuchi tonight."

    "What?" I burrowed my eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

    Kai sighed again, "It's a full moon tonight. He's strong enough to morph again."

    I gasped loudly and jumped off of the bed, "No!" I panicked. "He can't morph again! He was almost killed last time!"

    "He'll be staying within the premises," Kai climbed off of the bed. "He'll be okay."

    I shook my head, still panicking, "No, Kai, I don't want him to!"

    "It's not something we can stop," Kai frowned. "If he's strong enough, there's no stopping it. And keep notice that he's improved dramatically over the past three and a half months."

    I looked down at the floor, my hands shaking. What if more Werewolves came over and they actually kill Takeuchi this time? The last time he morphed, his skull had been severely damaged and he was in a coma for weeks. I never wanted him to morph again...he's like a little brother to me.

    I snapped out of my daydream as I felt Kai's cold touch on my cheek. I looked up at him with sorrowful eyes and he stared back at me, "He'll be okay. He will be staying at the house when it's time."

    I nodded and swallowed hard, "Okay, I trust you,"

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    For a few hours after that, I kept nagging Kai and Matsuda to see if they could smell or hear any Werewolves around and it always came out as a "no". I started feeling less and less paranoid, but was still skeptical. I couldn't take Takeuchi or Toshihiro off of my mind all day; what will it be like when Toshihiro morphs for the first time? Won't it hurt? Kai would snap me out of my paranoia every few minutes with a light tap on my cheek with his knuckles.

    Kai and I kept silent about the nightglare I had. I'm sure Kai was thinking the same thing I was; if Matsuda would hear about that right away, he'd probably make Kai take me back to the orphanage in order to set things straight. I knew that Kai and I were inseparable more than ever now. We could hardly keep our eyes off of each other. But it still made me curious as to whether or not I would truly be safer at the orphanage.

    I slipped into Takeuchi's room because I felt the need to talk to Miku. I hadn't talked to her since I fell sick the other day and I haven't seen Toshihiro in a while either. When I walked into the bedroom, the lights were on and Miku was halfway propped upwards against the headboard and was reading a book that Takeuchi most likely grabbed for her from his bookshelf. Toshihiro was lying in a little mobile cradle--as I called it--on the bed next to Miku. Miku peeked up at me and smiled widely, shutting her book.

    "Arisa, you're back from the dead!"

    I sighed, "Yeah, I guess I am,"

    "Toshihiro has missed you," she continued to smile and she lightly rocked the cradle Toshihiro was in.

    Toshihiro was about ten days old now and still looked as though he were first born. He was still so adorable. Toshihiro glanced over at me and his eyes shifted to a lighter green. I inched closer to the bed and smiled at Miku.

    "So, you look like you're feeling better,"

    Miku nodded, "Yes, definitely. I'm able to sit up straight halfway now so I can actually read." she giggled. "But I hate being locked in this room." she frowned and complained.

    "What will you do about school?" I became curious.

    "Hm," Miku pondered. "I think that since I missed the exams, I will go back to finish the school year during the second semester next year."

    "Sounds fair enough," I agreed.

    "Hey, you're graduating this year, right?"

    I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Hardly,"

    "Isn't there a graduation prom near the end of the month?"

    My face fell and I slightly panicked, "Y-yeah, there is. Why?"

    Miku laughed, "Stupid, I'm saying you should go with Kai!"

    I froze, "I-I'm not much for dancing. And I'm sure Kai wouldn't like it either." I relaxed a little. "Besides, proms seem kind of pointless to me. It's fine enough that I'm going to graduation."

    "Whatever," Miku shrugged.

    "How did you and Takeuchi meet?" I became curious once again.

    Miku paused for a second, absorbing the sudden change of subject, "He transferred to my elementary school in Kyoto after Matsuda and Orihime took him in," she started. "Matsuda and Orihime used to live in Kyoto, but not for long before they moved here.

    "When Takeuchi first arrived at the school you could tell he was having such a difficult time with the loss of his parents, even though it had been a couple of months since their loss.

    "I was the first one to really talk to him. Everybody else would say 'hi' and everything, but I was the one who actually held a conversation with him. He seemed a lot more outgoing--way more outgoing--than he lead on. We became quick friends shortly after that, but unfortunately, he moved away a couple of months later. And luckily, we gave our e-mails to each other. We talked every day after that." Miku smiled.

    "When we were twelve, that's when he finally asked me out," Miku giggled. "He asked in the cheesiest way. He sent a video to me via e-mail and was stuttering and blushing the whole time. I sent a video back to him and couldn't stop laughing, but I accepted. We've been dating since then--obviously--so it's been about four years."

    "When did you first see him morph?"

    Miku paused, "About six months into our relationship. I had invited him over to my house and strangely enough--despite the full moon--he accepted. It was around dusk where he drug me out of the house and into an empty field in the middle of nowhere. He kept telling me to wait until the sun goes down and as soon as it did, he morphed right away.

    "Of course I was petrified, but I knew that it was Takeuchi and something was telling me that he wouldn't hurt me. He looked sad, though, as though I would freak out and leave, but I never did. Well, I did freak out, but I got over it. I stayed with him all night, from dusk to dawn, waiting for him to become human again. He facinated me in his new form, though. He wasn't much bigger than a normal wolf at the time, so it would be hard to distinguish. But now, I'm having second thoughts about him morphing...ever since that accident after Christmas."

    I shuddered when she brought it up, remembering the venom that coursed through my veins, the scar left behind, Takeuchi's helpless self in the hospital, "Yeah,"

    "But if Matsuda promises that Takeuchi will stay around the house, then I totally trust him," Miku smiled.

    I smiled back reassuringly, "Yeah, definitely,"

    "You heard about Takeuchi and mine's plan for the future, right?" Miku asked worriedly.

    I nodded, "Yeah. About you and Takeuchi getting married and then him...infecting you?" I flinched a little at the thought.

    Miku nodded. Her face suddenly fell, "Will you dislike me as a Werewolf?"

    I held my hands out in front of me and shook them violently, "No, no, I won't dislike you!"

    "Oh," Miku sighed out of relief. "That's good."

    "Arisa?" I jumped a little and turned to see Kai at the door of Takeuchi's room. Kai held out his hand a little. "Come with me."

    "O-okay," I bid Miku and Toshihiro good-bye and followed Kai out of the room as soon as he lightly grabbed my hand.

    "I'm going to prove to you that Takeuchi will remain on the premises," Kai smirked down at me.

    "How so?" I cocked an eyebrow.

    "You'll see," Kai stopped me by the front door and helped me into my jacket and I slid my shoes on obediently. "We're going to have fun this time."

    "How? Play fetch?" I asked sarcastically.

    "Yeah, we're playing fetch," Kai answered back just as sarcastic.

    "Then what are we doing?" I pouted as Kai slid his shoes on.

    Kai took my hand again and smiled at me, "I told you. We're having fun."

    Before I could say anything else, Kai opened the front door and drug me outside. I was greeted by a giant Werewolf rolling around on the grass. Sure enough, it was Takeuchi. He kept rolling on his back and letting his tongue hang out. I hadn't realized it had gotten so late already. I took a second to remember how incredibly large Takeuchi was as a Werewolf and that I shouldn't be afraid of him like the first time I saw him. It was the other Werewolves that I was afraid of now.

    "Knock it off, Takeuchi," Kai sighed.

    Takeuchi instantly hopped onto all fours and sat on his butt. His eyes were a lighter green from his enjoyment and as soon as I stepped onto the lawn, he trotted up to me and shoved his large wolf face into my chest, nearly knocking me off of my feet and onto my back.

    "Geez, hi," I wheezed and embraced his large head.

    Takeuchi nuzzled me with his nose a few times, wetting my face a little. I took my time running my fingers through Takeuchi's satiny fur and when I wasn't even halfway done, I felt Kai grab onto my waist from both sides from behind and lift me up with no effort. I started kicking around and trying to pry off Kai's hands as he lifted me two feet into the air.

    "Hey, put me down!" I shouted at Kai.

    Kai ignored me and I continued to kick and freak out until Kai plopped me onto something rough and furry, only to realize Kai placed me on Takeuchi's back. I giggled and pat Kai's head, "Sorry, Kai,"

    "Whatever," Kai rolled his eyes. He walked over to where he could look at Takeuchi's face and he pat Takeuchi's thick neck. "You ready, mutt?"

    Takeuchi nodded and let out a throaty bark. I burrowed my eyebrows together, "What are you talking about?"

    "Just hang on tight," Kai smirked at me.

    Before I could react Takeuchi took off in a full sprint. It took me less than half a second to react and grip Takeuchi's hair with all my might. It freaked me out at first, but I just realized that it was only Takeuchi taking off in a sprint and Kai was right beside him. I felt confident, safe, relieved that Takeuchi would be okay this time. I felt dominant too, as though I were the owner of a horse...only I'm riding a Werewolf. I was having so much fun already, so much time to spend with Takeuchi and Kai this night.

    It's about time my little brother returned to normal.