Flight or Fight

Baby Doll held onto Masayuki’s back. The boy stared at him.

“Are we ready to talk?” he asked. He raised his eyebrow.

“Oh?” he asked. “What do you want to talk about?”

Masayuki listened as Baby whispered into his ear. “Let her go.”

“And why would I do that?”

“She does not belong to you.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “She doesn’t belong to me? She doesn’t belong to me?”

“No, she doesn’t Give her back her soul.”

“No.”

Okay, that didn’t work. Baby Doll gritted her teeth.

What do we do now? Masayuki could feel her grip getting tighter on his clothes. Ghostly nails sank into his arms and back. The words began to spill out of his mouth.

“Why do you want the Gates so badly?” he asked. Masayuki couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Their opponent raised an eyebrow.

“Why do I want the Gates so badly?” he asked. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“No.”

He broke into a demon grin. He held out his arms. “I want to get out of here!” He looked the boy in the eye.

“I have been in this hell too long. I want to get out and see other worlds. When I have collected all of the gates, the possibilities are endless.”

Baby and Masayuki stared at him silently. The boy didn’t know how to take this. His right eye started to twitch. He turned and stared at the boy. He started to sniff the air.

“What are you doing?” Masayuki asked. He started to step back. Baby clung to him tighter. Their opponent turned to them, grinning with his sharp fangs.

“What is that sweet smell?” he asked. Baby and Masayuki stayed in place. Sweat ran down the boy’s skin. His face came within inches of his opponent’s face.

“She’s here isn’t she?” he asked. Masayuki stared at him.

“What? What are you talking about?” he asked. He licked his lips.

“I can smell her here,” he said in a hiss. He reached out to the thin air.

Time to go!

She and the boy vanished into thin air.