Original Stories Fan Fiction / Angels Fan Fiction ❯ Angel and Demon Wars ❯ Chapter Eighteen - The Boy ( Chapter 18 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Angel and Demon Wars

Chapter Eighteen

The ocean's waves gently embraced Ami's legs as she awoke on a beach. She opened her eyes, staring up at the sky. It looked like the sun was about to set. Great, she thought to herself, Another day wasted. At this rate we'll never get to that stupid cup.

She heard the others girls stirring around her and sat up, digging her hands into the sand. She stared out into the ocean. Think, she told herself. Where are we, and what are we supposed to be doing? She frowned. The ship sank, a mermaid saved us…no, she enslaved us. We made a deal…

“God damn it!” Ami's thoughts were interrupted by Maeko's cry. She saw the demon kick at the sand angrily. “I am so fucking tired of these stupid side quests!”

“I know, but this will hopefully be the last one,” Ichigo said, putting a hand on her sister's shoulder. “We just have to find the boy that Inari mentioned and…” She frowned. “How, exactly, are we supposed to bring him to her?”

Sadako shrugged. “Maybe we make him swim out and meet her?”

“Never mind that,” Maeko said. “How are we supposed to get off of this island or whatever it is?” She looked at Ami. “It is an island, right?”

Ami pulled the map Keisuke gave her out of her bag. “Yeah,” she said, pointing at the dot that symbolized them. “We're on this island in the middle of the ocean.” She pointed to a red dot. “That's probably the boy we're supposed to find.”

“I feel bad about making him her mate, though,” Ichigo said sadly. “I wish there was another way.”

“I don't think there is,” Ami told her. “But maybe we'll luck out and something will happen so that we don't have to do it.” She pointed to a second red dot in the ocean. “I'm guessing that's Inari.”

“She's not too far off the shore,” Sadako said, looking over Ami's shoulder. “She's probably waiting for us to bring this kid to her. Then she'll probably take us where we need to go.”

“Hopefully,” Maeko grumbled. “Well, we should probably start walking, since we know where he is.”

Ami nodded. She held the map out as the girls walked away from the beach and toward the jungle.

The jungle was filled with the sounds of many wild animals, most of which made the girls tremble with fear, whether or not they would admit it. All of them wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. Finally, they reached a clearing, which held a small village. Nobody seemed to be home.

Ami frowned. “The red dot is right here. Right where we are. Where is he?”

The girls looked around. Finally, Maeko looked up. “Uh, guys?” she said, pointing at the tree they were standing under. The other girls looked up and saw what she was pointing at.

A shirtless boy, approximately eighteen years old, perched in the tree. He glared down at them. “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“Actually, we're looking for you,” Ami said.

“Why?”

“A mermaid wants you,” Sadako said.

“A mermaid,” the boy repeated in disbelief. “How stupid do you think I am?”

“We're completely serious,” Ichigo said. “A mermaid saw you and she wants you. You're supposed to come with us to meet her.”

“No,” the boy said. “And you should leave before the rest of my people come back from hunting. If they see you they might kill you.”

“Maybe we should go,” Sadako mumbled, but Ami shook her head.

“No. We came here to bring you to Inari and we're going to do it.”

The boy's eyes widened and he grew pale. “Inari…?” he asked.

“Yes, why? Do you know her?” Maeko asked.

“I knew her. She was lost at sea long ago. Our ship capsized and almost everyone died. Those of us who survived managed to swim to this island. She was one of those who didn't make it.”

“It must be a different Inari,” Maeko said. “I don't see how she could become a mermaid.”

“Except that Inari said herself that she could make him into a merman if we brought him to her,” Sadako said.

“Wait, she wants you to bring me to her to make me a merman?” The boy frowned.

“Yes. Or she'll put a curse on us.”

The boy smiled. “A curse? Really? She can do that?”

“We're not sure, but we thought it was best not to cross her.”

“That is so awesome if she can do that,” the boy said. He thought for a moment. “Okay,” he said, dropping from the tree.

“Okay?” Ami asked.

“Yeah, I'll go with you.” He brushed off his shorts and looked at her expectantly. “So where are we going?”

“We have a map,” Ami said. “So just…follow us.”

The boy obeyed as the girls led him toward the beach. They approached the spot where they had washed up earlier. The sun had set and the sky was growing dark.

Inari? Ami asked, trying to make her thoughts reach as far as they could.

I'm here, came the response. Swim out here and I'll take care of my part of the deal.

Ami looked at the others. “Come on,” she said. She walked out into the ocean. The others followed. They reached the point where they could no longer stand in the water when they saw Inari swimming toward them.

I honestly can't believe that you kept your end of the bargain. I wasn't really going to curse you,” Inari said. I just wanted to mess with you a little.

The boy stared at Inari. “Wow,” he said. “It really is you.”

Hi, Haruki, Inari said. She smiled. Are you ready to throw away your legs and exchange them for a tail?

“Sure,” Haruki said. “That's why I'm here.”

“These two are weird,” Sadako mumbled. Maeko nodded.

You're all going to feel very sleepy again and you won't remember any of this trip, but I'll get you across the ocean. As she said that, Ami and the other girls found themselves drifting to sleep.