Zephyr pt.14

"oh, rick, thank god!  you need to come see this!"  he whispered so Zephyr couldn't hear  "what is it, Nanaki?  i was looking for you!"  "no time!  c'mon!"  the scarlet serpent circled around and picked rick up.  "i really must apollogize for not being able to do this on a better day, however we haven't much time!" it was too hard to talk back, so rick just smiled.  the altitude wasn't super high, but rick got a little light-headed anyway.

they arrived shortly afterwards, he was fast!  Nanaki guided rick into the building and led him to naomi's parents.  "whew!  i'm tired..." he stumbled and fell over.  rick went to help, but the dragon was already sleeping like a baby.  he shrugged it off.  "what happened?  what's wrong?" rick questioned the couple.  "what happened to him?  why is he asleep... on our floor?" the father pointed to the limp mass of scales and claws.  "didn't he tell you?  we told him to tell you.  oh, well.  so here's the story, we go to bed and wake up.  something's missing... guess what."  rick thought for a while, nothing important came to mind.  "i don't know... what?"  dad looks to mom "not too bright, now is he?  i'll tell you what.  our daughter!"

"where is she?!"  rick demanded "calm down, we thought she was with you or your dragons.  when she didn't come back for a week, we got worried.  will you help us?"  "of course rick'll help!  far as i know, they're good friends.  really good..." Nanaki had woken and winked to the father as he said this.  he got the messege.  "i thought you were asleep!  traitor.  can you show me where naomi slept on the night of her disappearance?"  the father assumed the 'suspicious look' and pointed upstairs "her room is the one on the left.  we haven't gone there yet.  don't want to disturb 'evidence', ya know?" rick nodded, trekked the steps, and entered the left room with the dragon following curiousally.

rick opened the door slowly, as if something were to jump out at him.  Nanaki peered over his shoulder with a ragged breath.  the room was too perfect.  rick stepped onto the pristine carpet, pink as flower petals.  the rest of her room matched the carpet.  everything was wrong, naomi didn't like pink.  in fact she was disgusted by it because it was extremely steryotypical.

"are you seeing this, Nanaki?"  the boy pointed to the room.  "of course.  it's magic.  somebody doesn't want the truth to be known, however it is simple to counteract; watch!"  he raised hie scaly arms and his hands were engulfed by white fire.  the dragon spoke, "Elea i'dolen..."  the room disappeared.  what now lay there was scorched hardwood floors, a mangled mass of bed, and torched walls.  

"who could have..?"  Nanaki put a hand on his shoulder.  "rick. you know full well who has done this.  come,  we really must get home before the darkness truely sets in."  home... rick thought, yes... he would know...