4 Sunset Getaway: The high-speed chase for love

Chapter 4

Sunset Getaway:

The high-speed chase for love

"Oh my, can you really afford that?" Yuka gasped.

Maigashi and Yuka look over at a large bulletin by a dealership, his eyes fixed on a new car.

"The DeLorean is what we need for this perfect night."

He heads right to the doors of the dealership.

"You wait here. I'll be out in a minute."

In a matter of moments, the sound of an engine ignites. Maigashi steps on the gas and drives off, cruising through the morning breeze. Yuka sits on the passenger seat, gazing at the view from the window.

"Oh wow… it's beautiful."

They drive through the coast, catching a glimpse of a pair of seagulls flying by. Mt. Korola quickly catches his attention in the background as he lowered his eyes.

"Is something bothering you, Maigashi?"

"There was this one, babe. I left her back at that crater. I just hope she made it out alright."

Yuka's eyes rolled to the side for the moment. But then, she slowly catches interest in the subject.

"Oh…well, what was she like?" She quietly spoke.

"Let's see…That babe is cold, thick-headed, rash, and clumsy. She has some loose screws in her head or something. A complete klutz who tried to get me killed twice."

He continues to brag on as she felt a rush of anger fueling inside. Yet, Yuka maintained a vigilant smile as he kept his eyes on the road.

"I even saved her during both those times. Do I get any thanks? NO! I take back the nice things I ever said about her. She smelled bad after that battle anyway."

Yuka slowly reaches to grab his neck as he focuses on the road, with an angry smile on her face. The sound of a siren suddenly interrupts them.

"Damn! A cop..."

Maigashi pulls over to the side of the road as a peace officer gets off from a motorcycle. Then, approaching their door, he remained calm.

"Morning…license and registration."

Maigashi pulls out his wallet, handing over his license for the officer to look over while they kept quiet.

"Ding Academy? Is that even a certified place?"

"You bet."

The officer hands back the license.

"You were driving a little above the legal speed limit. You kids take it easy."

The officer leaves as they drive off quietly. Yuka remained silent for the remainder of the trip before arriving at the reef side. Finally, he parks to the side of the curb.

"We're here!"

Maigashi makes his way to the edge as Yuka kept behind with a cold stare. The thought of strangling crossed her mind, but he suddenly looked back.

"Come on! Get closer! You need to take a look at this."

His charm slowly got the best of her.

"Why are you so nice to me? Flowering me with gifts and spending all that money on that new car?"

"Well…to be honest, you're the first girl to last with me for more than a day. As for the car, it is just a rental. I am just living it up. Life is short anyway, so you have to make the most of it."

Maigashi stares off at the horizon intensely as she joined his side.

"The girl from before. Was she really that bad?" Yuka softly asked.

"Nah, maybe I overreacted. But, deep inside, maybe that babe is just afraid to let her feelings show. To be loved."

"To be….loved…."

The tides slowly begin to sweep in.

"But what are you worried about? You are the most kindhearted girl I know. Get over here."

"Wait? What are you doing?"

Maigashi slowly lifts Yuka from her waistline. She gets a view of the ocean's horizon as the waves splash past them. He slowly lets her down as they embraced for the moment. Yuka's heart slowly felt a rush as her mood swings up.

"Come on, let's get some lunch or something."

As they drive off to their next destination, Steffbird discusses the following plan with Murasuma on the ship.

"Where could Yuka have gone early at this hour?"

"Argh! How I suppose to know."

Steffbird looks over at the monitor, spotting Maigashi cruising with Yuka in the middle of the road.

"Seems she be fooling aye! Around with that thar hornswaggling sweepstake winner."

"What is she up to? Hmm, no matter, we need to follow up with a new plan."

Steffbird begins brainstorming for some options. They soon spot an unlucky person receiving a parking ticket on another screen.

"Guzumo's attempt for diplomacy failed to drive the people away. What we need is a pure force to pressure the population." Murasuma stated.

"We have the monster to do this?" Questioned the captain.

He makes the call with one press of a button.

"Mura Cop! Get in here!"

A demon officer makes an entrance from the other side of the door. He makes a salute to his superiors.

"Enforcing the law! At your service!"

"You are to infiltrate the station, obtain the public's trust, and corrupt the law."

The screen shifts to an academy classroom training recruits. Mura Cop's eyes beamed with interest.

"I won't fail!"

The monster teleports out from the ship. Meanwhile, back below, the party meets for lunch. Then, finally, Maigashi and Yuka arrive downtown.

"You lovebirds finally showed up." Nephena pestered.

"Let's grab something already. I'm starving." Alistor said.

The team suddenly hears the sound of loud rock music playing a block down from the street.

"Sounds like a live venue. Let's check it out."

Maigashi dragged Yuka towards the music as the others followed along. Cameras and lights focused on a stage in the middle of a downtown street. A guitar solo plays off as the sound of the crowd cheers.

"Speak of the devil! Is that Axe?"

The party breaks through the crowd as the song ends.

"Duuuuudes! Long time man!"

Axe waved towards Alistor and Maigashi. Then, finally, the band waved towards the crowd one last time.

"STEEL SPECTERS!"

"Not you guys again…" Nephena muttered."

Axe and his bandmates take a break to sign some autographs.

"So the band's still together?" Maigashi asked.

"Yeah! Lance, Bow, and Blade! The gang is still together and going strong. We got a new single that will hit the charts!"

Axe took a moment to catch up with Maigashi while Nephena approached the other bandmates. Bow and Blade were busy signing off autographs. Finally, lance turned towards her attention.

"Sis? Didn't expect to see you here?"

"Lance! You didn't say you'll be back so soon." She grumbled.

The others stumbled for a brief second.

"Wait? You guys are related?" Alistor stumbled.

"You bet! However, their music totally blows. Cheesy lyrics just to pick up chicks. No offense!" Nephena snapped.

Lance and Axe had a quick laugh for a moment.

"Oh, you're just jealous big sis. Your girl band just didn't pick up back then." Lance reminded back.

The two continue to argue for another minute until Axe broke them both up. The band makes their way back to the stage. Axe took hold of the mic.

"And now! The moment you have all been waiting for! Our new single."

He took a moment to announce the name.

"Heroes of Love."

The crowd cheers as the band prepare to play. Then, as the first chord struck, police sirens rained on the scene, cutting the song off. Officers broke up the crowd within moments surrounding the stage.

"Dude? Not cool, man."

Some of Axe's camera crew approached the officers.

"What is the meaning of this? We have the right to be here."

An unknown officer in sharp shades emerged from behind the others.

"Officer Mura at your service! You are in direct violation of upholding traffic. You all have five seconds to comply."

The camera crew refused to back down as they presented the papers.

"Hold on a minute! We have the permits to be here!"

The officer slapped the papers off their hands.

"Don't care! Clear now or face prosecution."

One of the crew decides to raise a finger.

"Now, look here!"

Officer Mura brings the man down to the floor without hesitation. The crew stumbled back as the other officers started cuffing them.

"Disturbing and upholding the peace. Resisting arrest and threat of assault. You have the right to remain silent."

Some crowd from the corner begins booing the officers.

"Fire the gas!"

The people quickly dispersed away from the scene.

"Dude! This is getting bad. Let's bail for now."

Maigashi grabs hold of Yuka by the hand. Axe and the others quickly bolted from the scene with the party. The group eventually winds up at some fast food joint for lunch.

"Man, what was that all about?" Alistor wondered.

"Yeah, I know. We totally had that venue booked for the day." Axe claimed.

The party continues to discuss the situation with the band.

"You work for the queen, don't you, Sis?" Lance asked. "Maybe you can sort the situation with her."

"Maybe you guys should stop playing so loudly." Nephena pestered back.

She chomps down her burger with an uncaring look.

The rest helps themselves with the burgers and fries. Yuka sits quietly at the corner, not touching her food.

"Something the matter, Yuka? Your food is getting cold." Maigashi said.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just not hungry." She quietly spoke.

She gives a false smile as the rest finished lunch. Outside, Maigashi and Axe's group parts ways for the meantime.

"Well, in that case, we got a backup gig at this club tonight. So we can probably perform our new song there."

Axe hands the paper to Maigashi by his window door.

"Club Negjiro? We'll be there!"

"Later, dudes!"

Yuka remained quiet as Alistor and Nephena took the backseat. Maigashi quickly dropped the two off before returning to the hotel.

"Can I stay for tonight?" Yuka abruptly asked.

Her words lost him for a brief moment.

"Don't you have your own room? Well, ok, you can stay, I guess."

She happily followed him to his room. Maigashi was busy fixing up his hair by the mirror for tonight. Yuka took her purse into the bathroom.

"You must be excited about tonight, right?"

"Yeah… I'll just go and use the shower." She sarcastically muttered.

Yuka slowly undresses, turning on the faucet until the heat fogged the glass; she leaves the door slightly open. As she stepped inside the hot shower, her body reverts to her naturally pale skin. Washing away the magic from the human disguise she took. Maigashi quickly notices the steam escaping from the door as he approached.

"Sigh…forgot to close it."

"No! Please don't close the door."

"Whatever…" He shrugged.

He begins to walk off, but Yuka's voice halts him for a brief moment.

"Wait….I need to tell you something."

"Alright, then spit it out."

Maigashi waited behind the wall as Yuka took a moment behind the shower panels.

The waters continue to spray gently down her back.

"Do you think there's a chance for me?" She asked. "To start a new leaf?"

He was lost for a second but soon added everything together.

"I'm guessing this is the moment of truce?" He sarcastically remarked. "The secret you've been hiding."

"Um, well….sort of. I am sort of on the run. A troubled girl against the law."

Her words quickly amused him.

"Was that really it? Boy! You won't believe this, but now we have much more in common."

"Huh? Really…"

Yuka placed her hand against her chest.

"I got a criminal past as well." He admits. "So don't worry about it. Cause no matter what you have to hide; I won't think differently about you."

Her mood begins to lighten up as she let off a laugh.

"Now, finish washing up."

Maigashi walks off as Yuka continues in the shower. He goes to his bedside, pulling out a bag from down under. He pulls out a new dress laying it out on the bed. The phone then rings in the room.

"Yeah, what is it?"

It was none other than Lance on the phone.

"A new lead? Yeah, I'll be down in a sec."

He leaves the room, heading down to the floor lobby. He encounters Lance and Alistor by the café as the scene cuts to the back of a police station.

"So why's Nephena not around for this again?" Maigashi wondered.

Lance leads the way around the corners. The back door opens with an officer leaving the scene as the three snuck in.

"She gave us a tip on an instructor we suspect might be behind the officer's aggression."

He turned towards Alistor.

"The officers have been troubling countless tourists for days, but Nephena was willing to look into some names at the castle. There is one that I think rings a bell, but that's from the extent of it."

Lance continues to lead them.

"I can see the classroom just up ahead."

The sound of a bell rings as they took cover behind the walls. Students in training leave as the class session ended. Lance signals them to move as they checked through the glass window. Alistor was the first to look through the glass.

"I knew it! Mr. Ding!"

The three barged inside, taking the instructor by surprise.

"Waaaaah! Not you guys again!"

The professor attempts to run for the door, but Maigashi trips him over as Lance locks the doors.

"Thought we had you last time, but you're still up to your old parlor tricks?"

The three interrogate him at the desk.

"Wah! No! No! You got it all wrong. I have nothing to do with this. I have gone legit, I swear!"

"Tell it to the judge! You're coming with us!"

The scene cuts back to the castle with the professor tied and gagged to a chair. Nephena entered the room with Enra as they assert the situation.

"We got our suspect," Lance said.

"I'm sorry, but I think we got the wrong person." Enra nodded.

A disappointed look was in their eyes as Ding spat the gag out of his mouth.

"Ha! Told ya so!" Ding laughed.

"It's true. We hired Ding as a provisional driving instructor for the officers a year back." The queen assured.

Mr. Ding continues to snicker at them as Maigashi knocks him over.

"Sigh…so much for our efforts. What a waste!"

Back at the hotel, Yuka finishes her shower. She steps out, drying her hair as she noticed the dress on the bed. She peeps slightly from the door; Maigashi was not around.

"He must have gone somewhere."

She walks out with a towel covering herself. Picking up the new dress, Yuka quickly puts it on and checks herself in the mirror.

"I love it…."

Her eyes closed for the moment to daydream. Picturing herself as a bride in a veil. Maigashi sweeping her off her feet as they leave a church with the bells ringing. Yuka suddenly felt something deep within her heart.

"What's going on?"

Her chest begins to glow, forcing a dark crystal right out. She held it in her hand as the darkness quickly changed to a heartwarming color.

"That's it! I will tell him tonight. The truth!" She nodded.

A surge of courage sparked in her, but the sound of the door quickly made her nervous. Yuka rushed back into the bathroom as Maigashi entered the room. She reached inside her purse for her lip rod to wear her human disguise.

"I must hide this somewhere."

She pulls out the stuffed kitten from her bag. Opening the zipper behind its back, she places the crystal inside. Yuka exits the bathroom with her new dress as Maigashi was at a loss for words.

"You look gorgeous tonight…."

"Come on! Let's go!"

She quickly grabs his hand, rushing to the car. In the middle of their drive, the sound of a siren stops them once again.

"Sigh…not again; what is it this time?"

An annoyed look is on his face as Officer Mura untimely approached their vehicle this time. A light flashed on both of them.

"Hmm, you kids look a little too young to be out this late tonight. A strict curfew is in effect. I.D., please!"

Maigashi and Yuka gave their I.D.s for the officer to look over. He took a moment to inspect their names as he flashed his light over their faces once more. Yuka gave back a cold stare.

"Hmm…"

Officer Mura saw right through Yuka's disguise; he turns away for a brief moment.

"I better keep my business out of this."

The officer casually hands their I.D.'s back.

"Sorry for the misunderstanding. You folks have a nice night."

Mura walks off as Maigashi continues his drive to the club. He places his I.D. back in his pocket as Yuka leaves hers on the side. The two eventually arrived at the front of Club Nejiro for the performance. He opens the door for Yuka.

"After you."

She grabs his hand as they leave off to the club while Yuka left her I.D. behind on the passenger seat. Axe makes his way to the stage with the opening music playing.

"Our new hit single! Heroes of Love!"

The Steel Specters began performing their new song. Loud riffs from the guitars start driving the crowd wild as synthesizers followed from behind. Axe leads with his voice for the song while Lance, Bow, and Blade followed with their instruments.

The sound of the drum thundered with the keyboard following along for minutes. Axe sang on as the crowd cheered in the audience. A rocking guitar solo finishes off the song as the band takes a bow afterward. Axe takes the front stage once again.

"And now for an encore performance. This one's for you ladies out there."

A soft ballad begins to play as couples start to embrace on the dance floor. Maigashi offers his hand to Yuka.

"Are you sure? I'm not good at dancing." She blushed.

"Don't worry, you just follow along."

The two embraced one another as everything else dimmed in place. Yuka closed her eyes, daydreaming as everything else fell in place.

"I wish time stood still for us… I like this feeling." She whispered.

An hour after the dance…

Yuka and Maigashi exit the building. They find Alistor and Nephena staking out on the corner of the building. Professor Ding accompanied them.

"What are you nerds up to?"

"We've been investigating this whole time while you love birds were busy smooching," Nephena told back.

The group directed their attention to some cops across the street.

"Ding is going to spot the black sheep we believe is manipulating our officers."

The professor scans the passing patrol officers through his glasses.

"I'm only here to clear my record on request. This is going too slow! We need to drive them all out."

"Then what do you suggest?" Maigashi pestered.

Ding had a slight smug on his face.

"To drive all the officers out. One of us needs to get arrested."

"I have just the person for the job." Nephena snapped. "Oh, Lance!"

He arrives at the scene from one holler.

"Yes, big sis?"

A handkerchief blows right across the street from her pockets.

"I lost my favorite cloth. Can you get it for me?"

Lance crosses the street to retrieve the napkin without any hesitation. But, unfortunately, a random officer immediately halts him.

"Hey, you! Jaywalking!"

"What? You got the wrong idea. I was just getting this dropped napkin for my big sis over there."

He looks back, but Nephena was nowhere in sight.

"Littering? You're coming with me, bub!"

"Unhand me!"

The officer attempts to grab him, but he backed away. Lance started to make a run from the scene.

"Resisting arrest! Requesting back up! We got a runner!"

Officers from all corners begin a pursuit against Lance. Finally, he makes his way downtown, bumping into some kids.

"That's assault!"

Professor Ding and the others remained on the other side following the trail. Finally, lance arrives back on the same block.

"Damn, I went in a complete circle."

Officer Mura quickly intercepts him. The other officers tackled him to the ground. They promptly take Lance away as Ding pops from behind a garbage can.

"He's the one!"

Ding signaled the rest as they begin following Mura and his crew by car. The party is lead to the front building of a game corner.

"A bowling alley? Why?" Alistor wondered.

Right inside, Captain Steffbird casually makes a strike hitting all the pins with the ball. Murasuma stood quiet in a dark corner, watching.

"Aye! A perfect strike once again! What a good way to spend the weekend at this new hideout."

Officer Mura arrives, presenting Lance to them.

"We got another straggler, Captain."

"Argh! Just put him in the back with the rest."

Back outside, the party quickly follows up with a plan.

"So all we need to do is find and destroy the device Mura has on the officers. Then we can finish him off." Nephena muttered.

"I'll need some time to scan him, though." Ding pestered.

As the rest exits the car, Maigashi quickly parts way with Yuka.

"This could get dangerous. So I want you to stay far back."

"I'll wait for you back at the reef. I have something I want to tell you later." She whispered.

Yuka gives him one last kiss before leaving off. Then, the party enters inside to confront Steffbird in the middle of his game.

"Hold it right there!" Nephena pointed.

"Argh! It is about time ya scallywags figured our plan straight out. You fell right into our trap."

Murasuma emerged from the corner.

"I'll shoot you!"

"Fall back!"

Nephena pulled out her psychic barrier as shots rained across the room. Bowling balls rolled across as the rest got back behind the counter. Murasuma continued his assault, destroying every glass frame within sight.

"This isn't going too well." Alistor nodded.

Professor Ding cowers in a corner as Maigashi attempts to return fire. His lightning hits Murasuma a couple of times, barely fazing him.

"Damn! My attacks do not affect this guy."

Murasuma called the other officers to the stand.

"Get them!"

The party is forced back outside as Murasuma continues his pursuit from behind. Nephena fires a psychic wave blowing the other officers around as Murasuma kept his ground.

"I'll shoot you!"

His gun barrel was empty.

"Hmm?"

Taking a moment to reload, Nephena sends a bowling ball in his gun barrel, forcing an explosion on his left side.

"What?"

"Argh! This isn't going too well."

"My left side is jammed! Have to fall back for repairs. Curses!"

He immediately calls his monster to the front line.

"Mura Cop! Shoot them!"

Murasuma teleports away as Officer Mura steps forward.

"Serve the public, protect the innocent, and uphold the law!"

With one spin, officer Mura reveals his proper form. The demon officer fires his handgun without hesitation as the rest falls back. Then, he quickly calls out the other officers to the line, directing his attention towards the public.

"All right, Doughboys! Fire away!"

The officers fired at the pedestrians across the street.

"Coward!" Nephena screamed."

"Hahaha! What better way to use your own public servants. Stripped of their will only to serve and obey. But, of course, if you wish to get to me, you'll have to kill them first, hahaha!"

The party was at a standstill, waiting for Nephena to make the call. Mr. Ding continues to analyze the monster from a distance. Rounds of fire continue to blast through the street.

"Come on, Ding! Can you scan any faster?" Maigashi pestered.

"Give me time! I can't work under this pressure."

Ding's glasses locked onto the monster's badge.

"Hit the badge on the left chest!" The professor points.

"Got it!"

Maigashi quickly returned fire. The blast directly hits Mura's badge off as it crumbled on the floor.

"My device!"

The officers returned to their senses. Hesitating for the moment, believing what they have done. They directed their guns towards Mura Cop.

"Sigh…this is getting boring."

Mura Cop quickly took them all down in one single spread of fire.

"Monster! I'll make you pay!"

Nephena charged right in without hesitation. Mura Cop fires a couple of shots, but it bounced off her barrier. She got close, ready to make her strike.

"What?"

Mura Cop surprised her with a beam of cuffs. Nephena dropped to the floor with her hands trapped between a pair of cuffs. Alistor and Maigashi jump into the fray as the monster attempts to retaliate.

"Won't work on me!"

Alistor cuts through his beams of cuffs. He quickly cuts the cuff binding Nephena as the two overwhelm Mura with their attacks. Two lines of blasts hit the monster, sending sparks out. Mura quickly backed away towards Steffbird.

"Captain! Request for new backup!"

Steffbird throws out two large rice pots summoning a platoon of Doovers to take the battle.

"Argh! Doovers just uh….do a jaunty jig and distract them or something."

Steffbird takes a step back, teleporting away. The Doovers quickly surround the team as Axe's band arrives on the scene. Mura Cop and Maigahsi stand off in a tense stare-down.

"I should have given you that ticket when I had the chance."

"Want to settle this with a high-speed chase?"

The DeLorean stood firm in the background.

"We can handle the rest from here," Alistor assured.

Maigashi quickly rushed to his DeLorean as Mura hopped onto his police cycle. The two drive off into the distance. The sound of a siren rings from behind, with Mura trailing him on the road.

"Let's see what you got."

The two begin picking up the speed at 90mph. Maigashi makes some quick turns across some curves. Mura pulls out his gun to fire at the vehicle. The monster blows out one of his side-view mirrors.

"Hey!"

Mura's cycle caught up next to his car. The monster pulls out his baton to begin hitting the back windows.

"Damn you!"

Maigashi quickly rams his vehicle into the cycle. Mura briefly loses balance as the speed picks up.

"You can't run from the law!"

The speed picks up to 100mph as they rush past the mountainside. Maigashi maneuvers around some rocky stones as Mura blasted his way through.

"I can't shake him."

He takes notice of the large slope at the edge and takes the path. Making a massive jump to the other side as the vehicle drifted towards the edge.

"Heh…piece of cake."

Mura's cycle quickly emerges from the other side, nearly cutting him off. Maigashi makes a sharp turn, almost skidding off the road.

"What the hell?"

"Cycle set to autopilot. Engage!"

Mura Cop leaps off from his cycle, landing on the roof of his car. He begins banging on the top as a hole rips through.

"Man, this guy is persistent!"

He applies hard on the brake hoping to knock the monster off, but Mura kept a tight grip on top. The demon attempts to grab hold of him as he struggled to keep on the wheel.

"I had just about enough!"

Maigahsi quickly grabs the officer's gun, firing a shot at his face. Badly damaged, Mura Cop lands back on his cycle. The speed picks up to 120 mph on a narrow road.

"That's life without parole for you!"

An oncoming milk truck approaches its way from a distance. Maigashi kept up the pace as the monster followed from behind. However, the milkman quickly freaks out and loses control.

"Whooaa! Noooooo!"

Maigashi makes a final turn off the edge of the road. The milkman abandons his truck jumping right out. Unfortunately, Mura Cop did not have enough time to react to the oncoming truck.

"Oh wowowo!"

The monster crashes directly into the truck. An explosion sets off, destroying everything in place. Nevertheless, Maigashi emerged out his DeLorean victorious.

"And that's a wrap."

Nephena and the rest arrive on the scene in a matter of time. A cleanup crew comes along with an ambulance to patch everyone's injuries.

The ambulance crew takes the milkman away on the stretcher.

"Your new car is ruined." Alistor pointed.

"It was a rental anyway." He shrugged.

Maigashi casually drives off. Quickly returning the car to the dealership, he briefly checks the vehicle one last time for any possessions. He notices an I.D. left open on the passenger seat.

"She must have forgotten her wallet."

He takes a closer look at her I.D., noticing something off with her name.

"Yuka Yamata?"

His stomach quickly turned as everything came clear. His head bent down. A feeling of betrayal sinks in. He then proceeds to the reef where Yuka awaited. She turned around to confront him.

"Maigashi…I think I really love…."

"When were you going to tell me?" He interrupted.

His words startled her for a brief moment. A slight look of guilt was in her eyes as he hands back her I.D.

"I really wanted to tell you this whole time, but I couldn't find the words till now."

The magic from her rod wears off as Yuka showed her true colors. She stepped forward, but Maigashi quickly turned his back.

"I don't know if I can trust you."

Yuka gripped the stuffed kitten in her hands.

"No, please don't say that. What we had was true! In my heart, I really want to be with you. We can make this work."

"Sorry, but I think we need to stop seeing each other."

A big wave splashed past by as he gives the cold shoulder. Yuka was in for a heartbreak.

"NO! Please don't go!"

Tears poured out as she dropped the stuffed kitten from her hands. She runs off in the other direction as Maigashi takes one last look back. He retrieves the stuffed toy from the ground, unzipping its back.

"Hmm? What's this?"

He pulls a small crystal out, glowing a warm color. It turns pitch black in his hands.