The Second Task, Part Three
Yuki's vision was all red. He couldn’t see though all the blood. All he could hear was the manic laughter of two psychopaths. Q’s curse was making his eyes bleed. It had already caused hallucinations, leading him to try attacking Juuzo, who was now cutting criss-cross patterns on his arms. Juuzo had already cut and then stitched his legs, all while Yuki cried out enough blood for there to be a puddle around his feet.
Outside the forest, Trelawney sat with the teachers.
“I-I sense a death! “ she cried out. “That boy Yuki! He’ll die in the next five minutes! I sensed The Grimm following him! THE GRIMM!!!!!” as she shouted the last two words, birds screeched, eagles swooped around her, the ground trembling by the force.
“He’ll be fine. Pop a squat and have some sake,” replied Shanks offering her a whole barrel. He glanced up at the night sky, and even in his drunken state, recognised what the stars were telling him. “Oh shit.”
-
By the time Shanks got to Yuki, he was barely clinging to life.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Shanks commanded, his voice ringing with authority that made the deranged duo step back without question.
He had bought Yosano with him who immediately got to work on Yuki, while Shanks retrieved the right envelope for Yuki. The last thing Oxbridge needed was another death on their hands, and this task was obviously too dangerous for this idiot.
Once healed, Yuki took the envelope and stumbled fearfully into the darkness. Shanks looked up at the stars and sighed. He’d be seeing Yuki again many a time in this forest, it was foretold.
-
After an hour walking in the direction instructed by Emperor Lelouch – right – Nekozawa encountered his next task.
It was the binman studies teacher, Victor, dressed poorly as an Egyptian Sphinx. The outfit was clearly from a party shop. Victor had to squat uncomfortably in order to blend in twith the Egyptian surroundings of the Oxbridge forest.
“Professor Victor? Is that you?”
“N-no!” Victor exclaimed. He felt sweat start to bead on his forehead. “I - I am a Sphinx! of myths and legends! You must be an imbecile to mistake me for anything less!”
Nekozawa rolled his eyes. He decided to humour the binman studies teacher who had lost all of his students following the death of Pokkle.
“So Prof; what are you doing here?”
Victor sweeted harder. How could he admit to the student what had happened? He had feared this moment, and was hoping he would have more time to prepare for making up a riddle to replace the last one.
The previous riddle? Shanks had made the mistake of writing it on the back of a Rolex receipt (the Rolex was for Luffy, the child’s first watch. Now the kid just needed to learn how to tell the time). Victor had munched on it on his way to his station. And soon after, he realised that delicious snacc was actually the riddle that Nekozawa would have to solve – and his dignity. Victor had been hoping that playing the role of sphinx successfully would be his key to the Oxbridge group chat. What would he do now?
“I - the Sphinx of Egypt – am (or is?) here to tell you a riddle so you know the direction you must embark in.”
Nekozawa’s eyebrows rose under his hood.
“So what’s the riddle?”
Victor shifted uncomfortably. “Um - uh,” thankfully Victor thought he remembered the direction he was supposed to be sending Nekozawa in, and wondered how badly he would be ridiculed by the other teachers if he sent him the wrong way.
“Who has – who has two thumbs and eats receipts?” Victor made up.
“You do?”
“No! I am the Sphinx of Egypt! I do not eat receipts! I am an animal made of sand!”
Nekozawa wasn’t sure if that was actually correct, but continued nevertheless, “I apologise Sphinx of Egypt ™, I made a mistake. I actually meant Oxbridge tutor Victor Nikiforov.”
“Correct!” And Victor pointed him the direction he was still hoping was correct, and Nekozawa ran in said direction, dust kicking up around his boots.
-
Soma’s phone pinged with a notification. Kaoru had added him to the Oxbridge group chat.