Regular or Extra Crispy
The First Meal
A cold wind blew when Chiharu told Eriol that Tomoeda was empty. Everyone shivered and Sakura clung tightly unto Syaoran's arm. Tomoyo scooted towards Eriol as Rika and Chiharu grabbed each other in the belief that there was safety in numbers. The only two who seemed unfazed was Yamazaki and Naoko.
"Did you know that in England, during nights like these, vampires roamed the land, eating all the humans they could find?" started Yamazaki as Naoko's eyes glazed with happiness and Eriol smirked. An audible moan came from Sakura as Syaoran was caught in between trying to comfort her and glaring at Yamazaki. A vein popped on Chiharu's head, as she was about to hit her lover. "But of course, I'm not from England and Hiiragizawa could tell you more about it."
Eriol smiled even wider and his face glowed with innocence. "Yamazaki is correct. These vampires were usually dashing young men who swooped down on women, seducing them and drinking out their blood."
"After drinking their blood, the vampire brought her home and started chopping her into pieces," continued Yamazaki.
"He used her chopped parts for decoration in his castle," Eriol agreed. Sakura was already crying on Syaoran as both he and Tomoyo comforted her. Chiharu was clobbering Yamazaki and Naoko bombarded Eriol with vampire facts. This chaotic group was intreruppted by a shrill scream from where Rika was standing. They all checked to see if she was alright, but there was one problem: she was gone.
"RIKA!" Sakura screamed but her voice was simply swallowed by the darkness.
"Quiet, Sakura," whispered Syaoran as he took out his sword. Yamazaki, Chiharu and Naoko gasped in unison and surprise. Tomoyo gave a questioning glance to Eriol who nodded.
"Yes, I believe that under these circumstances, we cannot hide our powers from them," he said, turning his golden key into a tall staff. Sakura turned her pink key into her shorter one as the three's jaws hung wide in shock.
"Are you . . . witches?" Naoko asked, her face completely awed. Sakura shivered at the comment.
"We'd prefer the title magicians or sorcerers, if you please," said Eriol with a smile. Yamazaki and Chiharu remained stunned. "I'd love to explain, but dear Rika might be in trouble if we linger any longer." After hearing such a logical suggestion, Naoko, Chiharu, and Yamazaki decided to ignore whatever questions they would like to ask.
Tomoyo reached into her pocket and produced a flashlight. Turning it on, she cried, "Let's go!"
"A bit enthusiastic aren't we?" the blue eyed sorcerer grinned, holding her back. Tomoyo looked at him sheepishly and blushed.
Syaoran irritation grew and broke the two apart. "Do you two want to flirt or should we find Rika?" he growled. Sakura grabbed his hand and stroked it, trying to calm him down.
The small party of friends walked aimlessly in the darkness, guided only by Tomoyo's flickering light. They couldn't believe that they were getting lost in the village they lived in all their lives but in the dark, nothing looked the same.
"Where are we?" asked Sakura looking around her. "Isn't this the King Penguin Park?"
Syaoran and the others nodded in agreement as they cautiously entered the creepy place. There was light under the slide and a moving shadow.
"Should we go and see?" Yamazaki asked the three magicians, who unanimously agreed.
The sight that met their eyes was not what they had expected. A wild looking girl of three ate from a bowl busily as the cauldron in front of her bubbled in merriment due to the joyful flames beneath it. In one corner of the cave—if cave is the proper term to use for the space beneath the slide. The "cave" itself looked much larger than it normally is. A pile covered by a piece of cloth lay eerily on the side.
The group entered cautiously and all comfortably fit inside despite their size and number. The girl child didn't seem to notice them and continued munching down her meal.
"Konnichiwa," Eriol greeted the girl. The girl looked up at him and stared wordlessly. Eriol decided that he should continue. "What are you doing here?"
The child didn't answer. Instead, it pointed to it's bowl and then to it's mouth. They decided that it meant she was eating.
"Is it good?" Sakura asked in a maternal voice as the child nodded its head vigorously. "Can I have some?" she asked again.
The girl smiled in an almost creepy way and handed Sakura the bowl. The card mistress took a dainty sip from the soup and proclaimed that it was fantastic. She said that she had never tasted such juicy and tender meat before. After hearing such praises, everyone wanted some too. The girl gladly provided them with it.
Having had their fill, everyone sat down content and was about to sleep when Syaoran suddenly remembered the task they had set out to do before they met the girl. "We have to look for Rika," he proclaimed.
Naoko nodded in agreement. "She might be in trouble now. I can't believe we forgot all about her."
The whole group immediately felt guilty and started to leave when the child blocked the exit, armed with a knife.
"Let us leave," Chiharu told the girl but the girl shook her head and motioned them to sit, threatening them with the knife. "Okay, chill, I'll sit," said Chiharu when the knife was pointed at her. The girl did the same with everyone else, forcing them to take their seats.
"Why won't she let us go?" Tomoyo whispered to Eriol, her eyes on the child. "She's watching us like we're prisoners or prey."
Eriol shrugged and resumed thinking. Suddenly, a horrible thought crossed his mind, something so disgusting and sick but might be true. Basing his actions on a hunch, he used a simple spell to raise the cloth that covered the pile. With the same speed as a snail might have, the material raised itself up to reveal a pile of bones topped with a head: Rika's head.
A/N: It took me a long time to upload this didn't it. Is this sick or what? Poor Rika . . . she's been eaten by her friends. Ooh . . . that's golden.