Unwanted Elements

Chapter Seventeen

We all scattered as the man reeled back. I took a tumbling dash into the mouth of darkness, my back sliding into place into a groove in the tarnished wall. Choromatsu rolled against the wall beside me, and we huddled together. My heart was beating faster than a heart should probably be able to, and I felt my blood roaring in my ears.

Osomatsu looked proud of himself, a smile sliding onto his lips. I understood why he'd struck first and went against his self written rules, for a very brief moment. My train of thought was quickly derailed as Choromatsu shouted something, and shoved me to the side. I went rolling, and quickly stopped myself and stood.

The man was duking it out with Osomatsu, whose face was lathered in a mask of rage. My brother was ruthless, his punches and kicks flaring out in pure rage, and the man's slick movements to dodge served for a very one way battle. I heard footsteps approach me from behind, and I whirled around like a tornado, my eyes meeting my brother's.

Choromatsu looked back over his shoulder, and I was just about to ask him why the hell he shoved me when something hit the wall in the exact spot where my head had only been two minutes before. Something resembling a spear was in shattered pieces on the floor, and I put two and two together. Could we all sneak out while Osomatsu distracted the man with punches that only hit air?

I looked around, and didn't see Todomatsu anywhere. Where could have he gone? Had he snuck out of here when our backs were turned? Wouldn't I have spotted it? In the midst of the disband after Osomatsu's punch, he could have escaped. But, wouldn't he have to wait for Osomatsu to attempt to liquefy the cell bars? 

"Niisan! Get down!" a loud, echoing voice screeched, and Osomatsu immediately flipped and rolled away, pressing his back into the corner of the room. Large flashes of lightning danced through the air, crackling as each bolt whirled on ahead. Jyushimatsu emerged from the darkness, like curtains parting to let him pass. The man dodged each bolt with slithering ease, the sparks collapsing on the stone ground and dying out.

"Pathetic. You think I can't predict what you're going to do? Besides, I know your brother is going to come and blow the lightning towards me," the man simply observed in that slick voice of his, coating my stomach with an unfiltered emotion I could not taste. As he said this, Karamatsu emerged from the shadows, a veil of anger seeping throughout his face. His palm was outstretched, and a very gusty breath of air swept through, pushing Jyushimatsu's crackling lightning forwards.

The man stepped aside as the bolts crashed into the stone, some travelling down the staircase we'd emerged from. He'd been right. If he was so sure of our movements, the moves we had yet to concoct within our heads, how had he been stunned by Osomatsu's blow? Or had he faked it? This guy was starting to get on my nerves! 

A splash of water rained upon this guy and I looked up to follow the source. Todomatsu was up on a platform awkwardly jutting outwards from the wall, looking down with a fierce determination in his eyes. The man glanced up, and his face contorted into a mask of rage, and he flicked a hand upwards, but before he could do anything, Todomatsu hopped off his perch, stumbling slightly, his eyes burning in pure anger.

The man chuckled, and snapped his fingers. Instead of his body morphing into the dragon we'd come across, a small fire jumped to life at the tip of his index finger, and he smirked. "You really thought you were outnumbering me, huh? Well, Matsunos, I'm afraid you're dreadfully outnum-" he began, but Osomatsu slugged him right across the face once more, causing the mystery man to nearly topple over. 

"You make me sick," my brother hissed, and his usually gentle green eyes were shining with pure rage. I'd only seen this look once, and my stomach clenched thinking about it. Jyushimatsu was next, barreling into the man and trying to land a fist to the face, the man's hands wrapped around my brother's concealed wrist. He planted a foot to my brother's stomach and landed a rather harsh blow, causing Jyushimatsu to roll off in pain.

He covered his face with his flopping sleeves, howling in pain. Blood seeped into the yellow fabric, and I noticed my brother's mile fade behind his barrier of fingers. The man swiftly stood up, whispering "annoying grub," under his breath. Within Osomatsu and Karamatsu's eyes were shards of horror. I knew why, as well. Years ago, Osomatsu had basically kicked Jyushimatsu across the room, and had punched him behind closed doors. We never talked about it, a mutual distaste towards the events. Osomatsu especially, as he'd always say it was like watching through his eyes, but his actions weren't his own.

My brain was beginning to fog, attempting to cover up everything I thought. My thoughts weren't in a clear order as I leapt onto the man, rolling across the sandy rock with my hands wrapped around his throat. He shoved me off him, but I was prepared. I blasted ice at his feet, causing him to stumble and fall forwards as I took off running. I wasn't sure what I was doing, it was like I was on autopilot.

A large growl caused me to slide to a halt and almost crash face-first into the sandy stone. The man was crouched on all fours, wings like large sails fanning out fro his back. "What's happening?!" Todomatsu shrieked, sliding beside me. We all backed away, giving the man undeserved space. He reached his head upwards and roared, his fangs beginning to increase and change color, his body being consumed by ash-black scales.

Within minutes, the dragon was back, hissing at us. 

"You six are frankly so annoying, you'd do so much better inside my stomach, where you wouldn't be so bothersome," he snarled, glancing down to his stomach. I felt nauseated at this. Did he really want to eat us and turn us into snacks? Frankly, I'd rather not be turned into a morsel for a maniacal bastard, so I did the only logical thing that came to mind: I frosted his mouth shut, and almost immediately, Choromatsu released vines that whipped around his legs. 

"Go, go, go!" Osomatsu called out, and we all turned to run.

I felt a tug on my hoodie as I was approaching the doorway, and I was soon staring into the pepper-red eyes of the dragon, hanging from between his claws. He grinned a wicked, fang-ridden grin, and for a moment, I worried he'd fling me into his mouth and I'd wind up digesting inside his stomach for lunch. Believe me, I did not want to end up a tasty snack for a dragon.

"Finally, we meet at last, Ichimatsu," he tilted his head back to cackle, and I wriggled in his talons. "What do you... want from... me?" I grumbled, my heart racing faster than a horse on the tracks. He smirked, leaning his snout into my face, and I could feel warm breath overwhelm my face. "I want your ice, my dear Ichimatsu," he sang in this weirdly sweet voice, as if he were nothing more than a friend, but everything told me not to trust this guy. 

"Why? What did I do to you?!" I snapped, my tongue running over my sharpened fangs, almost cutting it on my canine teeth. His eyes took the form of an arrogant sneer. "It's not what you did, it's what I need you for," he grinned. "No fucking way, sicko," I hissed, taking a glance to ensure my brothers made it out alright. A long, hot hiss resonated from this guy's throat.

"You don't get it, do you?" he said, his eyes blinking into orbs of mock pity. I narrowed my eyes. "Don't get WHAT?" I snapped, worried about what his answer would be. Would he fling me into his maw and swallow me into the depths of his belly? He chuckled, his expression twisting into a look of mocking.

"Ichimatsu, I need your ice to restore the balance that shattered when this place was altered, centuries ago," he said, his eyes widening. I struggled, and stared back up at him. "What the fuck do you mean?" I grumbled, and his eyes met mine, the blazing red eyes melding into my body.

"You're only one of a thousand ice elementals left, Ichimatsu."