Chapter 10 

The pungent scent comes from Goofy when he lands on the same branch that I am standing on. I lost my balance and fell on my backside before I managed to look up and see the purple tiger-like creature looming over me. The grin on its face is more disturbing than the fact that Goofy is here with me, ready to attack.

In a more rational state of mind, I might have given in to my fear at this point, but my anger has taken over my emotions, and I have done something I would have never done otherwise. I punched the creature, which paralyzed it more from shock than pain. Even I would feel the same if I weren't overrun by anger.

"You damn disgusting slob!" As if punching it wasn't enough, my current self had to yell at it. "Ever heard of hygiene!? Your breath stinks!"

I'm dead. I just know it.

The moment I see the rage in Goofy's red eyes, I know that I am screwed.

"Livia, jump!" From far below, I can make out Klovis yelling at me.

"Do you want me to die that much!?" I reply without taking my eyes off Goofy, knowing that doing so would significantly diminish my chances of survival.

"I'll catch you. Don't worry!"

With the current Klovis, I don't think that I should be trusting him. Hell, I don't even think that I would trust him with a toothpick! Unfortunately, as Goofy, the purple joker tiger, made a move towards me, I decided that I would gamble my life on Klovis. The thing about having anger as your main emotion is that you are not even the least bit afraid of falling. I did not even blink as I fell from the height I was at. My arms were even crossed when Klovis caught me, as if I was already preparing for the worst outcome.

I raised a brow when our gazes met, a little surprised at the outcome of my fall. "That was a pretty bold suggestion. With your current cursed forehead, I thought that you would be too afraid to do anything."

"But I was scared!" His tone comes out defensively. "I was afraid that the creature would get to you." He mumbles softly before putting me back on my feet.

And that line right there can make any Wattpad story eligible for cliche romances.

I pretended not to hear the last part and decided to look up and see how our purple friend was doing. Goofy is slowly making his way down the tree, giving off that disturbing laugh as he does.

"Heuk heuk heuk!" I don't know if that's how it sounds or if it is its laugh, but it is getting so damn annoying! I was almost tempted to run back to the creature and pull its tongue out. Better yet, I'd get its tonsils so I can check why it's making that sound.

"Alright, Klovis. It's you and me versus Goofy." I roll up my sleeves, preparing myself to fight the creature even though I basically have close to zero experience when it comes to combat. "You take the back and I'll—"

"NO!" Klovis shoves something in my arms, and I turn to see that it's Jade, the brick, and Goliath. Even before I have time to wonder why on earth he would hand me Jade, Goliath, and the brick, Klovis is already picking me up and running away with me like our lives depend on it.

"Just say if you want me to kill you instead, Klovis." I keep my voice as low as I can while giving the fairy prince the evil eye. I even threatened to show him the brick. "Just say the word, your highness."

"We can't fight that thing!"

"Why on fairydom not?!"

"Because it is too creepy and scary! Did you hear the sound that it makes!?"

"I do. That's why I named it Goofy."

"Goofy?"

"Fairies like you wouldn't understand. And besides, why can't we fight Goofy? We have Jade!"

"Check Jade's forehead."

I did as Klovis says and always let out a slew of curses when I see the word 'sloth' written in fairy letters. Of course, that explains why Jade has been sleeping soundlessly throughout this damn journey while we're on the second floor. I should have thought that it was weird in the first place.

Since Klovis doesn't seem like he has plans on letting me go, I decided to look back and check how our purple friend is doing, only to find out that it's on the ground and chasing us. "Hmm..."

"Livia, what is it?" Klovis is looking at me nervously as he continues to run. "Where's the creature?"

"Why don't you look back and find out yourself?" I suggested. I really did not expect that Klovis would do as I said, though I kind of didn't regret suggesting it. As he looks back, he is met with Goofy's grinning face staring directly at him. The scream coming from Klovis is so high pitched that it would probably put every demure princess to shame. Obviously, I would have laughed if Klovis hadn't been stupid enough to trip. I fall and roll on the ground, straight towards Goofy, who immediately looks me between it's paws. It's hot breath flows straight to my face as it breathes.

"How romantic." I deadpan say. "If you're going to eat me, do it quick. Your breath stinks."

As per my request, Goofy opens his disgruntled mouth and prepares to bite my head off. Miraculously, there's a sword that's blocking it's fangs from making contact with my face.

Klovis pushes the creature with impressive, inhumane strength and sends it back and away from me.

"R-Run, Livia." Klovis is standing between me and Goofy, shivering as he holds his sword and points it at the creature. "I-I'll buy you enough time to run." Normally, I would put all my faith in Klovis the moment he holds his sword, but as he is now, I have as much confidence in him as I have in the chances of Jade waking up.

I get up, grabbing the brick, which is impressively still in my hands. "Fat chance, I am leaving you here with Goofy."

Looking at the purple tiger creature, I see that the corners of its mouth are bleeding from the wound that Klovis has inflicted on it. It looks angry and is glaring maliciously at Klovis. Needless to say, Goofy is furious with Klovis. It runs towards him, flexing and pulling out its claws to swipe at Klovis. I don't know what Klovis was thinking at that point; he didn't even bother to try moving out of the way. I have to kick the back of his knees to make Klovis fall and avoid a fatal attack.

I notice this for only a split second, but I see Goofy looking at where I left Jade and Goliath. I thought that he was looking at them out of curiosity, but I realized that he was zeroing in on Goliath, who has apparently woken up from its unconscious state.

The expression on Goofy's face as he stares at Goliath is eerily familiar. It's not a look that a greater creature like Goofy would normally give a smaller creature like Goliath.

I wonder...

"Klovis, cover for me." I ran to where Goliath and Jade were lying down as soon as Goofy landed. Klovis's yell roars louder than the purple tiger's as it makes a sound when it realizes where and what I am reaching out for. With Klovis protecting me and blocking Goofy's path, I managed to reach Goliath long before Goofy could. The annoying bird let out a panicked screech as I grabbed its neck.

Grabbing the brick that's miraculously still with me, I raise it in the air while aiming it towards the bird's neck just as Goofy manages to pin Klovis to the ground. It's sharp claws drawing blood from Klovis's shoulders, making the fairy prince let out a shriek of pain. Wrath envelopes me at the sound of Klovis's yell.

"Stop right there!" I scream, more specifically to catch the attention of the purple creature that's pinning Klovis down. It's ruby red eyes turns to me like it just realized my presence. Upon seeing what I am doing to the bird, it immediately pauses. Its pupils enlarge, and it stops baring its sharp fangs, like it realizes the direness of the situation. "If you kill him, I'll kill this bird thing!" To prove to the creature that I am serious, I tighten my grip on the bird's neck, making it trash under my hold.

"STOP STOP STOP! Human, do not kill me!" Hallucination is what I thought of at first when I hear the words being spoken. I turn to Klovis, checking to see if he's the one who spoke, but the voice obviously didn't belong to him. When compared to Klovis's voice, it sounds more...acute. That's when I realized where the sound was actually coming from.

I glance down and see the strange bird looking at me with one of its side eyes, fearfully. "I beg you, human. Spare me!"

I keep telling myself that the strange occurrences in the fairy world no longer shock me, but every time I say that, I end up having to eat my words.

Again!

*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER~*~*~*