Third Year at Hogwarts
Title: Third Year at Hogwarts
By: arashiforyou
Genre: Friendship/ Fantasy/ Drama
Rating: PG13
Summary: Matsujun is a third year at Hogwarts. Ohno and Sho spilled the beans that the Wind Talisman lays inside the belly of a dragon. Soon only when they realized this, they suspect Naruse already informed the enemy of the talisman's whereabouts. The boys hatch a plan to investigate, only when they did, Sho took off with Ohno behind him! What did Sho found? What will Jun do?
A/N: the adventure begins!! XDD
Chapter 9 - Taking Flight
"What do you mean Sho took off?!" Jun yelled into the bunny's ear, running down the stairs.
"We found a document!" Aiba's voice came through the bunny's mouth. "It's filled with all kinds of maps, but never mind that! Is Ohno with you?"
"He left right before you called in," Jun panted. "I think Sho and Ohno were communicating. He's going after Sho!"
"Where are you now?"
"I'm on still on the fifth floor-"
"Meet us at the main entrance," and Aiba cut off.
'Damn!' Jun cursed. 'What's going on?'
Jun ran so fast, his side began burning. But he continued to thunder down the stairs until he bumped into somone, nearly knocking him over.
"Sorry," he grunted, but then he gasped. "Mao-chan!"
"Jun!" He immediately helped her up. "Where have you been? I've was looking for you?"
"I-I'm so sorry," he panted, trying to explain himself. "I...uh, look I...well, ah you see...I'm-"
"What is that?" Mao asked, staring at the bunny wiggling in his fist.
"It's Aiba's inventions," he mumbled, tucking it away. "Listen, Mao-chan. I promise I'll explain later, but right now...."
She stared up at him with her huge shining eyes. She looked confused and lost at words, so Jun had to take a deep breath to steady his voice. He gently held her shoulders and never left her eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't show up tonight," Jun said, his voice soft and quiet. "There is something I have to do first. But I'll be back."
"You're going somewhere?" She asked, sounding worried already. Jun sighed.
"Most likely," Jun nodded. "Funny...somehow I knew this was going to happen."
"You look scared," she said. "Are you going somewhere dangerous?"
Jun bit his lip.
'Probably...'
"Don't worry," he smiled kindly. "I'll come back for you. Trust me."
She didn't reply immediately. Jun knew the others were waiting for him, but he couldn't leave her like this until he had an answer. Finally, she nodded her head.
"I'll be waiting," she said.
Jun leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss. For a moment, he wished everything would disappear except them. They pulled apart, gazing into each other's eyes until Jun turned around and continued dashing down the stairs. His heart was light as a feather after that kiss; it was just the fuel he need to run the extra corridors until he spotted Aiba and Nino.
"Finally," Nino had his hands on his hips, looking frantic.
"What happened?" Jun asked, nearly out of breath. "Where is Sho and Ohno?"
"They left. And we found this in Naruse's office," Aiba said, handing Jun a thick file of parchment. He opened it and his eyes widen at the sight.
It was all maps itched with so many dots, notes, lines, and scratches that Jun had a hard time making out the entire picture. He flipped through the files and realized they were maps of Japan in varies regions. They all had dates marked next to each markings of X signs and lines. The final page had a huge circle in Tohoku, and the date marked next to it was only a week ago.
"Here..." Jun stared at the map.
"The beast is there," Nino nodded. "Sho found it in Naruse's locked drawer, and he took off."
"How can he get there?" Jun said. "According to this map...it's at least 100 miles away!"
Nino and Aiba exchanged a glance before explaining in detail.
"When he found the file," Aiba started, "he made this huge fuss."
"He was 'Angry Sho' again," Nino rolled his eyes.
"He kept going on about how could Naruse betrayed them. And how could Naruse not report this sooner," Aiba said. "Then, he ran out the office. After I called you, I ran after him and saw him charged out the door." He pointed the main entrance. "And...well, he was like a raging rhino. He sorta blasted off."
"What?!" Jun's voice echoed loudly. "You're saying...he can fly?!"
"His power is fire," Nino said, crossing his arms. "He produced enough flame power to use as a thruster. Just when I saw him taking off, Ohno appeared and grabbed Sho's hand. And together, they left."
Jun's mouth was still hanging.
"They're going after the dragon?!" Jun concluded. "We gotta get help!"
"Let's find Tsukumo," Aiba nodded, and the three of them headed for the infirmary.
It didn't took them long to get there, and they practically charged inside the peaceful hospital wing. Tsukumo was minding his own business, eating a banana, when Jun and Aiba kicked his office door open.
"Honestly, does it hurt to knock?" Tsukumo asked rhetorically.
"Sho and Ohno went after the ShenLong!" Aiba blurted out. Tsukumo's face zeroed in to attention. He slowly stood up.
"When? Just now?" He demanded, not bothering to ask how they knew about the ShenLong.
"We found this," Aiba handed the file. "Naruse has known the whereabouts of the dragon."
Tsukumo took a look at the maps and easily understood the meaning of it. His mouth opened in shocked, and his eyes glared with hatred.
"Naruse did this?" He asked, still unable to believe it.
"Yes!" Jun yelled. "Sho and Ohno went on their way now to stop SIN."
"SIN?" Tsukumo looked at them.
"Naruse is a spy for SIN!" Nino explained. "We heard him talking with Fujiwara. He works for SIN!"
Tsukumo only nodded. He opened a jar of powder and threw a pitch of it into his fireplace. He placed his foot in but quickly turned to face them.
"You three stay here. I'm going to get help from the Elites," he ordered and entered his entire body into the green flames. "Sakurai Mansion."
And he disappeared.
"What should we do?" Nino spoke.
Aiba walked back and forth while tapping his temple. Jun tried to recollect his thoughts on what just happened. Naruse has been chasing the dragon since September. Jun saw Naruse looking for information on Wide-Range Magic, which suited the nature of a Wind Talisman. Jun could only guess that Naruse found out that the talisman was inside a dragon of wind at the time.
Using that knowledge and the Elites reports of abnormal wind storms, Naruse kept track of the dragon until he finally knew where its position resided. He found where the ShenLong is only a week ago. Only a week for SIN to organize an ambush on the dragon and take it away...
"That's it!" Aiba spoke. "I have the solution. Masaki Dot Com!"
"What?" Nino frowned.
"We have to follow them!" Aiba concluded.
"Eh?!"
"Come on, follow me," Aiba said and left the office.
"Aiba, wait!"
Jun and Nino followed Aiba to the school grounds. Jun realized that Aiba was heading for Shimura's animal pen. As they got closer, Jun could make out Taiyo and Tsuki's silhouettes in the dark. Nino grabbed Aiba's shoulder before he could go any farther.
"What is the meaning of this?" Nino demanded.
"Sho and Ohno may be powerful Vocal Wizards," Aiba said, "but while they take care of the dragon, we should help them keep the SIN off their backs."
"Are you crazy, Aiba?!" Nino yelled. "I mean, sure you make crazy inventions, but how will three third years face against a dark cult like SIN?"
"I don't know," Aiba mumbled. "But Sho and Ohno need all the help they can get. Didn't you say you want to help them no matter what?"
"Well-"
"Then come on!" Aiba said, jumping over the fence.
"Wait, Aiba. What are you doing?" Jun asked.
"We can't fly like Sho. And broomsticks aren't fast enough to cover 100 miles in short time," Aiba said, pulling out his green whistle. "And we can't steal Floo Powder without the school's security spell detecting us, and there is no Portkey around. On top of that, we can't Apparate yet. We need a new transportation."
"Taiyo and TsukI?!" Jun gawked. Aiba smiled in response.
Nino looked unsure as well, but he leaped over the fence and followed Aiba anyways. Jun followed them as well, and Aiba slowly approached the horses.
"What if Shimura spots us?" Jun whispered as they got closer to the creatures.
"He's probably inside his cabin playing Patty Cake with Pan-kun or something," Aiba said, waving his hand. "Taiyo. Tsk! Tsk! Here girl."
Taiyo lifted her beautiful white head and happily trotted towards Aiba. She nudged his chest and snorted with pleasure. Aiba smiled and lightly stroke her elegant nose. He turned and encouraged Jun and Nino to come closer.
Jun caught Taiyo's eye and he bowed low. He saw Nino also bowing from the corner of his eye, and they both waited for her approval. He heard her hooves come closer and she lightly bumped his head. He stood up and patted her cheek. She also nudged Nino's shoulder and he also patted her nose.
Far away, a horse neighed with rage and Jun knew it was Tsuki. Jun saw the eight-legged horse charging towards them, but Aiba stood between them and blew hard on his green whistle. Jun watched in amazement as Tsuki stopped charging and stood where he was. His ebony coat shined in the moonlight as Aiba approached him.
"It's okay," Aiba reassured them. "He's calm now."
Jun and Nino carefully walked up to Tsuki and took turns petting his head. Jun stared into the Sleipnir's eyes and became mesmerized by its dark and yet passionate eyes. Taiyo was gently from the start, but Tsuki is fierce and truely wild.
"Wild and sexy," Aiba patted Tsuki. "Okay. Let's ride them."
"Uhhh," Nino said, looking uncomfortable. "M-maybe I'll wait here."
"You can ride with Jun," Aiba said. "I'll ride on Taiyo and guide her."
"You know where it is?" Jun asked. "Tsukumo took the file."
"It's only 100 miles dead on north," Aiba said, already striding Taiyo as if he's done it hundreds of times. "Don't worry. Taiyo understands me for some reason. And Tsuki will just follow Taiyo."
Jun nodded, trusting Aiba's incredible animal skills. Jun patted Tsuki's back and the great horse knelt down on his front four legs. Jun and Nino easily stride the Sleipnir since it has a huge back that could carry five riders.
"Okay, let's go Taiyo!" Aiba shouted.
Taiyo spread her large silver wings and took off on the spot. The ebony Sleipnir needs to begin a running start. Jun wrapped his arms around Tsuki's neck while Nino whimpered and wrapped his arms tightly around Jun. Tsuki charged until he started to take off like an airplane.
They flew higher and higher until Hogwarts was like a toy castle. Taiyo and Tsuki easily flew in the night sky and they soared north. Tsuki was galloping so fast in the sky, small wisp of clouds formed around his hooves. It was like he was running on clouds. Taiyo flapped her great wings, and Aiba directed them without a problem.
'Sho...' Jun thought. 'Ohno...we're on our way."
* * *
Fifty minutes passed and Jun spotted nothing. The vast hills and mountains below him were covered with trees. It was almost impossible to spot two youngs boys from this height. Jun assumed that Aiba was keeping a eye out for the dragon instead...
To make the situation even more bothersome, it was way too dark to see anything. Even with Jun's and Nino's wand light, they still couldn't see much. In the end, Jun thought it was a dead giveaway to have their wand lights out, so they continued to fly in the dark, trusting Aiba's directions.
"What if we passed them?" Nino said in Jun's ear.
"We should have seen a dragon by then," Jun yelled back in the wind.
"But what if the dragon is sleeping inside a cavern or something?" Nino retorted back.
Jun didn't reply.
"Maybe we should have waited like Tsukumo said," Nino mumbled, but Jun still heard him.
'Damn,' Jun thought. 'How much farther?'
Suddenly, Tsuki reared in midair. Nino immediately held onto Jun as he tried to keep Tsuki under control. But Tsuki acted up like a mad horse, and Jun felt like he was hanging on for dear life. In the midst of Tsuki spinning and throwing his head back, Jun spotted Taiyo's silver wings also spinning and rearing like a rodeo horse. Aiba tried his best to stay on as well.
"What's going on?!" Nino yelled.
"Like I know!"
Jun started getting dizzy and the temptation to let go was too strong, but he must be hundreds of feet off the ground. Jun stared down and realized that they were actually descending. In between the large mountains, a vast valley laid out before them. The closer they got, Jun spotted a large ghastly hole in the center of the field like a giant gaping mouth.
'Could that be...'
"JUN!" Nino shouted.
Jun saw Taiyo charging towards them. Jun held his breath as the two horses crashed into each other. Jun was thrown off Tsuki's back and fell head first. Jun held onto his wand as tightly as he could. He was falling fast, and with the wind hitting his face, he couldn't think of a decent spell to save himself.
He could hear Aiba and Nino screaming, and the two horses were neighing like crazy as if they were falling too. Then, Jun felt a tremendous heat searing on his face. He kept his eyes closed out of pure fear, but he heard someone calling his name and felt a strong hand grabbing his arm.
"JUN!"
He opened his eyes.
"Sho!" Jun cried.
Sho was flying, or at least, his artificial thruster made him fly. A great ball of fire burst from his feet, and Sho smoothly glided through the air and caught hold of Aiba and Nino.
"Hold on!" He yelled.
He swooped down so fast, Jun thought his face was going to melt. Then, everything stopped, and Jun landed on soft grass with a heavy thud. It took awhile for Jun to breathe properly again, but he managed to stand up. Sho and Ohno stood before them, looking serious and irritated.
"Sho..." Jun gasped. "Ohno...you're okay-"
"What are you doing here?!" Sho yelled, breathing heavily with anger. "We've told you a hundred times, this has nothing to do with you! It's too dangerous!"
Ohno didn't say anything, but Jun saw the disappointment in his eyes.
"And," Nino stood up, his legs still shaking, "how many times do we have to tell you...we are your friends."
"And we want to help," Aiba finished.
Sho clicked his tongue in annoyance and rubbed his face. Ohno sighed heavily and stared up at the sky.
"You rode on those things to get here?" Ohno spoke. "You've got some nerve."
"They're really making a racket," Sho complained, staring up at the two horses.
Jun looked up and saw Taiyo and Tsuki still rearing and kicking like mad in the air. But they didn't look like they'll be coming down any time soon.
"Ah!" Aiba yelped and reached into his deep pockets. "I can use my whistle. That'll calm them down."
Aiba pulled out his trusty green whistle and blew on it. Jun couldn't hear a thing, but he knew Taiyo and Tsuki could. He watched them stop rampaging and steadied themselves in midair. Slowly, they glided down towards them like loyal horses. Taiyo neatly tucked her wings while Tsuki proudly shook his head.
"Whoa," Sho commented. "Well, that takes care of-"
The ground trembled. Not a regular tremor, but aggressively vibrating. An earthquake? A land slide? Jun was down on one knee, trying to stay steady. Taiyo and Tsuk reared and neighed again, but not as crazy as before, but someone else was...
"Aiba!" Sho cried, wrapping his arms around him. "Aiba! What's wrong?!"
"It's that cry again," Aiba panted, clutching his head. "It's here! The ShenLong! It's inside that giant hole!"
Jun turned to look at the dark hole. It was a lot bigger seeing it on ground level; it was as if a huge meteor struck the earth and continued to tunnel downward into darkness. The shaking wouldn't stop, and Aiba wouldn't stop holding his head.
"It's in pain!" Aiba whimpered. "It needs our help. We've gotta stop it!"
Then, Jun heard it. A terrible cry that could shatter the world if it wants to. Jun covered his ears, but it was pointless. It was a screech so loud and a thunderous roar so deep, it shook Jun's body violently. Jun wanted to cry too.
"AAAAHH!"
A gust of wind blew them over, and Jun couldn't tell what was up or down. All he knew was that he was twirling in the air until he finally crashed to the ground on his back. He heard Taiyo and Tsuki neighing madly, and the heartbreaking scream of the beast echoed into the sky.
Finally, Jun opened his eyes. A large blue dragon hovered before them, soaring higher in the sky and circling over them. It was huge, at least ten times the size of the mountains. It could probably wrap its entire body around Hogwarts castle four times. But what really sent shivers down Jun's spine was that this wasn't the first time he'd seen this image.
Its body was snake-like, continuously making a complex figure-eight form. Its long whiskers waved in the wind, and its huge nostrils flared. Its dangerous red eyes glared down at them. Jun had seen this same image inside his crystal ball way back in Divination class.
"No way," Jun whispered, staring at the all-mighty beast.
"Aiba!" Sho yelled. "Aiba! Talk to me! Aiba!"
Aiba still had his hands covering his ears, and he withered into a small ball, shaking uncontrollably. Sho and Ohno knelt next to him as Jun and Nino tried to regain themselves from the sudden wind blow.
"Aiba," Ohno said, his voice crystal clear. "Are you okay? The ShenLong stopped crying now. Aiba!"
"I heard it..." Aiba voice was hoarse. "I heard it."
Aiba looked up with his eyes watery, red, and scared. Sho and Ohno exchanged glances. Aiba held onto Sho's arms and stared deeply into his eyes.
"It called me," Aiba whispered.
"What did it say?" Sho asked, holding Aiba to support him. A single tear slid down Aiba's cheek.
" 'Find me in the belly of the beast,' " Aiba recited.
Jun felt cold. Sho's mouth gaped open. Ohno frowned, and Nino shook his head. It was just like how Sho and Ohno first heard voices before becoming Vocal Wizards.
"No," Nino shook his head, on the verge of crying. "No. Not you...not you too!"
Suddenly, a glow of red and blue flashed before them. Jun squinted his eyes until the light faded. Jun felt his heart sink once again as two familiar figures knelt next to Aiba. Their white hairs moved in the wind, and their eyes glowed in their color.
Ohno, or the Water Vocal Wizard, placed his hand on Aiba'a back.
"We will take you there, brother."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT! XD
it's short because i want to save the good stuff for next chapter!
hoooo! how was it? just a bit of a sampling ><
i was going to make another multi part chapter like i did with sho's story, but that'll take forever! hahaha. so i made a cliffhanger, and we'll take it one bit at a time. ^^
so you'll probably wonder, "gee, chapter 9 and we're already into the adventure part!" HA! that's because this story still has more to go! the action part may be coming sooner than the previous stories, but don't think that this story is almost over. not yet!
in the next chapter! the battle with the dragon! the arrival of SIN and the Elites! all action next chapter! WOOOO! ^^
(off topic here) *sigh*, i want to make a fanvid T___T
to Chapter 10 - arashiforyou.livejournal.com/15232.html
By: arashiforyou
Genre: Friendship/ Fantasy/ Drama
Rating: PG13
Summary: Matsujun is a third year at Hogwarts. Ohno and Sho spilled the beans that the Wind Talisman lays inside the belly of a dragon. Soon only when they realized this, they suspect Naruse already informed the enemy of the talisman's whereabouts. The boys hatch a plan to investigate, only when they did, Sho took off with Ohno behind him! What did Sho found? What will Jun do?
A/N: the adventure begins!! XDD
Chapter 9 - Taking Flight
"What do you mean Sho took off?!" Jun yelled into the bunny's ear, running down the stairs.
"We found a document!" Aiba's voice came through the bunny's mouth. "It's filled with all kinds of maps, but never mind that! Is Ohno with you?"
"He left right before you called in," Jun panted. "I think Sho and Ohno were communicating. He's going after Sho!"
"Where are you now?"
"I'm on still on the fifth floor-"
"Meet us at the main entrance," and Aiba cut off.
'Damn!' Jun cursed. 'What's going on?'
Jun ran so fast, his side began burning. But he continued to thunder down the stairs until he bumped into somone, nearly knocking him over.
"Sorry," he grunted, but then he gasped. "Mao-chan!"
"Jun!" He immediately helped her up. "Where have you been? I've was looking for you?"
"I-I'm so sorry," he panted, trying to explain himself. "I...uh, look I...well, ah you see...I'm-"
"What is that?" Mao asked, staring at the bunny wiggling in his fist.
"It's Aiba's inventions," he mumbled, tucking it away. "Listen, Mao-chan. I promise I'll explain later, but right now...."
She stared up at him with her huge shining eyes. She looked confused and lost at words, so Jun had to take a deep breath to steady his voice. He gently held her shoulders and never left her eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't show up tonight," Jun said, his voice soft and quiet. "There is something I have to do first. But I'll be back."
"You're going somewhere?" She asked, sounding worried already. Jun sighed.
"Most likely," Jun nodded. "Funny...somehow I knew this was going to happen."
"You look scared," she said. "Are you going somewhere dangerous?"
Jun bit his lip.
'Probably...'
"Don't worry," he smiled kindly. "I'll come back for you. Trust me."
She didn't reply immediately. Jun knew the others were waiting for him, but he couldn't leave her like this until he had an answer. Finally, she nodded her head.
"I'll be waiting," she said.
Jun leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss. For a moment, he wished everything would disappear except them. They pulled apart, gazing into each other's eyes until Jun turned around and continued dashing down the stairs. His heart was light as a feather after that kiss; it was just the fuel he need to run the extra corridors until he spotted Aiba and Nino.
"Finally," Nino had his hands on his hips, looking frantic.
"What happened?" Jun asked, nearly out of breath. "Where is Sho and Ohno?"
"They left. And we found this in Naruse's office," Aiba said, handing Jun a thick file of parchment. He opened it and his eyes widen at the sight.
It was all maps itched with so many dots, notes, lines, and scratches that Jun had a hard time making out the entire picture. He flipped through the files and realized they were maps of Japan in varies regions. They all had dates marked next to each markings of X signs and lines. The final page had a huge circle in Tohoku, and the date marked next to it was only a week ago.
"Here..." Jun stared at the map.
"The beast is there," Nino nodded. "Sho found it in Naruse's locked drawer, and he took off."
"How can he get there?" Jun said. "According to this map...it's at least 100 miles away!"
Nino and Aiba exchanged a glance before explaining in detail.
"When he found the file," Aiba started, "he made this huge fuss."
"He was 'Angry Sho' again," Nino rolled his eyes.
"He kept going on about how could Naruse betrayed them. And how could Naruse not report this sooner," Aiba said. "Then, he ran out the office. After I called you, I ran after him and saw him charged out the door." He pointed the main entrance. "And...well, he was like a raging rhino. He sorta blasted off."
"What?!" Jun's voice echoed loudly. "You're saying...he can fly?!"
"His power is fire," Nino said, crossing his arms. "He produced enough flame power to use as a thruster. Just when I saw him taking off, Ohno appeared and grabbed Sho's hand. And together, they left."
Jun's mouth was still hanging.
"They're going after the dragon?!" Jun concluded. "We gotta get help!"
"Let's find Tsukumo," Aiba nodded, and the three of them headed for the infirmary.
It didn't took them long to get there, and they practically charged inside the peaceful hospital wing. Tsukumo was minding his own business, eating a banana, when Jun and Aiba kicked his office door open.
"Honestly, does it hurt to knock?" Tsukumo asked rhetorically.
"Sho and Ohno went after the ShenLong!" Aiba blurted out. Tsukumo's face zeroed in to attention. He slowly stood up.
"When? Just now?" He demanded, not bothering to ask how they knew about the ShenLong.
"We found this," Aiba handed the file. "Naruse has known the whereabouts of the dragon."
Tsukumo took a look at the maps and easily understood the meaning of it. His mouth opened in shocked, and his eyes glared with hatred.
"Naruse did this?" He asked, still unable to believe it.
"Yes!" Jun yelled. "Sho and Ohno went on their way now to stop SIN."
"SIN?" Tsukumo looked at them.
"Naruse is a spy for SIN!" Nino explained. "We heard him talking with Fujiwara. He works for SIN!"
Tsukumo only nodded. He opened a jar of powder and threw a pitch of it into his fireplace. He placed his foot in but quickly turned to face them.
"You three stay here. I'm going to get help from the Elites," he ordered and entered his entire body into the green flames. "Sakurai Mansion."
And he disappeared.
"What should we do?" Nino spoke.
Aiba walked back and forth while tapping his temple. Jun tried to recollect his thoughts on what just happened. Naruse has been chasing the dragon since September. Jun saw Naruse looking for information on Wide-Range Magic, which suited the nature of a Wind Talisman. Jun could only guess that Naruse found out that the talisman was inside a dragon of wind at the time.
Using that knowledge and the Elites reports of abnormal wind storms, Naruse kept track of the dragon until he finally knew where its position resided. He found where the ShenLong is only a week ago. Only a week for SIN to organize an ambush on the dragon and take it away...
"That's it!" Aiba spoke. "I have the solution. Masaki Dot Com!"
"What?" Nino frowned.
"We have to follow them!" Aiba concluded.
"Eh?!"
"Come on, follow me," Aiba said and left the office.
"Aiba, wait!"
Jun and Nino followed Aiba to the school grounds. Jun realized that Aiba was heading for Shimura's animal pen. As they got closer, Jun could make out Taiyo and Tsuki's silhouettes in the dark. Nino grabbed Aiba's shoulder before he could go any farther.
"What is the meaning of this?" Nino demanded.
"Sho and Ohno may be powerful Vocal Wizards," Aiba said, "but while they take care of the dragon, we should help them keep the SIN off their backs."
"Are you crazy, Aiba?!" Nino yelled. "I mean, sure you make crazy inventions, but how will three third years face against a dark cult like SIN?"
"I don't know," Aiba mumbled. "But Sho and Ohno need all the help they can get. Didn't you say you want to help them no matter what?"
"Well-"
"Then come on!" Aiba said, jumping over the fence.
"Wait, Aiba. What are you doing?" Jun asked.
"We can't fly like Sho. And broomsticks aren't fast enough to cover 100 miles in short time," Aiba said, pulling out his green whistle. "And we can't steal Floo Powder without the school's security spell detecting us, and there is no Portkey around. On top of that, we can't Apparate yet. We need a new transportation."
"Taiyo and TsukI?!" Jun gawked. Aiba smiled in response.
Nino looked unsure as well, but he leaped over the fence and followed Aiba anyways. Jun followed them as well, and Aiba slowly approached the horses.
"What if Shimura spots us?" Jun whispered as they got closer to the creatures.
"He's probably inside his cabin playing Patty Cake with Pan-kun or something," Aiba said, waving his hand. "Taiyo. Tsk! Tsk! Here girl."
Taiyo lifted her beautiful white head and happily trotted towards Aiba. She nudged his chest and snorted with pleasure. Aiba smiled and lightly stroke her elegant nose. He turned and encouraged Jun and Nino to come closer.
Jun caught Taiyo's eye and he bowed low. He saw Nino also bowing from the corner of his eye, and they both waited for her approval. He heard her hooves come closer and she lightly bumped his head. He stood up and patted her cheek. She also nudged Nino's shoulder and he also patted her nose.
Far away, a horse neighed with rage and Jun knew it was Tsuki. Jun saw the eight-legged horse charging towards them, but Aiba stood between them and blew hard on his green whistle. Jun watched in amazement as Tsuki stopped charging and stood where he was. His ebony coat shined in the moonlight as Aiba approached him.
"It's okay," Aiba reassured them. "He's calm now."
Jun and Nino carefully walked up to Tsuki and took turns petting his head. Jun stared into the Sleipnir's eyes and became mesmerized by its dark and yet passionate eyes. Taiyo was gently from the start, but Tsuki is fierce and truely wild.
"Wild and sexy," Aiba patted Tsuki. "Okay. Let's ride them."
"Uhhh," Nino said, looking uncomfortable. "M-maybe I'll wait here."
"You can ride with Jun," Aiba said. "I'll ride on Taiyo and guide her."
"You know where it is?" Jun asked. "Tsukumo took the file."
"It's only 100 miles dead on north," Aiba said, already striding Taiyo as if he's done it hundreds of times. "Don't worry. Taiyo understands me for some reason. And Tsuki will just follow Taiyo."
Jun nodded, trusting Aiba's incredible animal skills. Jun patted Tsuki's back and the great horse knelt down on his front four legs. Jun and Nino easily stride the Sleipnir since it has a huge back that could carry five riders.
"Okay, let's go Taiyo!" Aiba shouted.
Taiyo spread her large silver wings and took off on the spot. The ebony Sleipnir needs to begin a running start. Jun wrapped his arms around Tsuki's neck while Nino whimpered and wrapped his arms tightly around Jun. Tsuki charged until he started to take off like an airplane.
They flew higher and higher until Hogwarts was like a toy castle. Taiyo and Tsuki easily flew in the night sky and they soared north. Tsuki was galloping so fast in the sky, small wisp of clouds formed around his hooves. It was like he was running on clouds. Taiyo flapped her great wings, and Aiba directed them without a problem.
'Sho...' Jun thought. 'Ohno...we're on our way."
* * *
Fifty minutes passed and Jun spotted nothing. The vast hills and mountains below him were covered with trees. It was almost impossible to spot two youngs boys from this height. Jun assumed that Aiba was keeping a eye out for the dragon instead...
To make the situation even more bothersome, it was way too dark to see anything. Even with Jun's and Nino's wand light, they still couldn't see much. In the end, Jun thought it was a dead giveaway to have their wand lights out, so they continued to fly in the dark, trusting Aiba's directions.
"What if we passed them?" Nino said in Jun's ear.
"We should have seen a dragon by then," Jun yelled back in the wind.
"But what if the dragon is sleeping inside a cavern or something?" Nino retorted back.
Jun didn't reply.
"Maybe we should have waited like Tsukumo said," Nino mumbled, but Jun still heard him.
'Damn,' Jun thought. 'How much farther?'
Suddenly, Tsuki reared in midair. Nino immediately held onto Jun as he tried to keep Tsuki under control. But Tsuki acted up like a mad horse, and Jun felt like he was hanging on for dear life. In the midst of Tsuki spinning and throwing his head back, Jun spotted Taiyo's silver wings also spinning and rearing like a rodeo horse. Aiba tried his best to stay on as well.
"What's going on?!" Nino yelled.
"Like I know!"
Jun started getting dizzy and the temptation to let go was too strong, but he must be hundreds of feet off the ground. Jun stared down and realized that they were actually descending. In between the large mountains, a vast valley laid out before them. The closer they got, Jun spotted a large ghastly hole in the center of the field like a giant gaping mouth.
'Could that be...'
"JUN!" Nino shouted.
Jun saw Taiyo charging towards them. Jun held his breath as the two horses crashed into each other. Jun was thrown off Tsuki's back and fell head first. Jun held onto his wand as tightly as he could. He was falling fast, and with the wind hitting his face, he couldn't think of a decent spell to save himself.
He could hear Aiba and Nino screaming, and the two horses were neighing like crazy as if they were falling too. Then, Jun felt a tremendous heat searing on his face. He kept his eyes closed out of pure fear, but he heard someone calling his name and felt a strong hand grabbing his arm.
"JUN!"
He opened his eyes.
"Sho!" Jun cried.
Sho was flying, or at least, his artificial thruster made him fly. A great ball of fire burst from his feet, and Sho smoothly glided through the air and caught hold of Aiba and Nino.
"Hold on!" He yelled.
He swooped down so fast, Jun thought his face was going to melt. Then, everything stopped, and Jun landed on soft grass with a heavy thud. It took awhile for Jun to breathe properly again, but he managed to stand up. Sho and Ohno stood before them, looking serious and irritated.
"Sho..." Jun gasped. "Ohno...you're okay-"
"What are you doing here?!" Sho yelled, breathing heavily with anger. "We've told you a hundred times, this has nothing to do with you! It's too dangerous!"
Ohno didn't say anything, but Jun saw the disappointment in his eyes.
"And," Nino stood up, his legs still shaking, "how many times do we have to tell you...we are your friends."
"And we want to help," Aiba finished.
Sho clicked his tongue in annoyance and rubbed his face. Ohno sighed heavily and stared up at the sky.
"You rode on those things to get here?" Ohno spoke. "You've got some nerve."
"They're really making a racket," Sho complained, staring up at the two horses.
Jun looked up and saw Taiyo and Tsuki still rearing and kicking like mad in the air. But they didn't look like they'll be coming down any time soon.
"Ah!" Aiba yelped and reached into his deep pockets. "I can use my whistle. That'll calm them down."
Aiba pulled out his trusty green whistle and blew on it. Jun couldn't hear a thing, but he knew Taiyo and Tsuki could. He watched them stop rampaging and steadied themselves in midair. Slowly, they glided down towards them like loyal horses. Taiyo neatly tucked her wings while Tsuki proudly shook his head.
"Whoa," Sho commented. "Well, that takes care of-"
The ground trembled. Not a regular tremor, but aggressively vibrating. An earthquake? A land slide? Jun was down on one knee, trying to stay steady. Taiyo and Tsuk reared and neighed again, but not as crazy as before, but someone else was...
"Aiba!" Sho cried, wrapping his arms around him. "Aiba! What's wrong?!"
"It's that cry again," Aiba panted, clutching his head. "It's here! The ShenLong! It's inside that giant hole!"
Jun turned to look at the dark hole. It was a lot bigger seeing it on ground level; it was as if a huge meteor struck the earth and continued to tunnel downward into darkness. The shaking wouldn't stop, and Aiba wouldn't stop holding his head.
"It's in pain!" Aiba whimpered. "It needs our help. We've gotta stop it!"
Then, Jun heard it. A terrible cry that could shatter the world if it wants to. Jun covered his ears, but it was pointless. It was a screech so loud and a thunderous roar so deep, it shook Jun's body violently. Jun wanted to cry too.
"AAAAHH!"
A gust of wind blew them over, and Jun couldn't tell what was up or down. All he knew was that he was twirling in the air until he finally crashed to the ground on his back. He heard Taiyo and Tsuki neighing madly, and the heartbreaking scream of the beast echoed into the sky.
Finally, Jun opened his eyes. A large blue dragon hovered before them, soaring higher in the sky and circling over them. It was huge, at least ten times the size of the mountains. It could probably wrap its entire body around Hogwarts castle four times. But what really sent shivers down Jun's spine was that this wasn't the first time he'd seen this image.
Its body was snake-like, continuously making a complex figure-eight form. Its long whiskers waved in the wind, and its huge nostrils flared. Its dangerous red eyes glared down at them. Jun had seen this same image inside his crystal ball way back in Divination class.
"No way," Jun whispered, staring at the all-mighty beast.
"Aiba!" Sho yelled. "Aiba! Talk to me! Aiba!"
Aiba still had his hands covering his ears, and he withered into a small ball, shaking uncontrollably. Sho and Ohno knelt next to him as Jun and Nino tried to regain themselves from the sudden wind blow.
"Aiba," Ohno said, his voice crystal clear. "Are you okay? The ShenLong stopped crying now. Aiba!"
"I heard it..." Aiba voice was hoarse. "I heard it."
Aiba looked up with his eyes watery, red, and scared. Sho and Ohno exchanged glances. Aiba held onto Sho's arms and stared deeply into his eyes.
"It called me," Aiba whispered.
"What did it say?" Sho asked, holding Aiba to support him. A single tear slid down Aiba's cheek.
" 'Find me in the belly of the beast,' " Aiba recited.
Jun felt cold. Sho's mouth gaped open. Ohno frowned, and Nino shook his head. It was just like how Sho and Ohno first heard voices before becoming Vocal Wizards.
"No," Nino shook his head, on the verge of crying. "No. Not you...not you too!"
Suddenly, a glow of red and blue flashed before them. Jun squinted his eyes until the light faded. Jun felt his heart sink once again as two familiar figures knelt next to Aiba. Their white hairs moved in the wind, and their eyes glowed in their color.
Ohno, or the Water Vocal Wizard, placed his hand on Aiba'a back.
"We will take you there, brother."
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THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT! XD
it's short because i want to save the good stuff for next chapter!
hoooo! how was it? just a bit of a sampling ><
i was going to make another multi part chapter like i did with sho's story, but that'll take forever! hahaha. so i made a cliffhanger, and we'll take it one bit at a time. ^^
so you'll probably wonder, "gee, chapter 9 and we're already into the adventure part!" HA! that's because this story still has more to go! the action part may be coming sooner than the previous stories, but don't think that this story is almost over. not yet!
in the next chapter! the battle with the dragon! the arrival of SIN and the Elites! all action next chapter! WOOOO! ^^
(off topic here) *sigh*, i want to make a fanvid T___T
to Chapter 10 - arashiforyou.livejournal.com/15232.html