Chapter 22: The decision.
"How are you feeing now? Zuri?" "Refreshed. I'm coming out now." Then I got down from the steps and jumped from the last one. Then I said, "Hey Vince. I just thought of something. Do you have a spell that temporarily help me from keeping me from drying out?" "You know that is a good idea. I might have a book. I'll look later when I have time. Now that you are rested and fine, I need you to go through some tests to see if you can handle the spell. Now Hazel. I'll need you to go out to the living room and wait for her to finish." "Yes sir." Then he did as he said.
"OK Zuri lay here on the chair. Its made for demons like you." I did and he said. Then I said, "Hey Vince? Do you get these tests ready for different kinds of demons?" "Yes. Although its mostly water demons that come here for help." "That's understandable." "Ok now I will have to tie your arms and legs down ok?" "Is the spell this bad?" "Yes it is." "Hey wait. Does dad have a chance to turn back?" "I wouldn't know. He doesn't have pure demon in him. I doubt it. If he wants to try these tests he can." "OK I'll talk to him later. Now will this hurt?" "Well if you can take pain then no. If you can't then yes. If your asking how I know if you are ready for the spell, is if you are still ok after the test. This is the worst one. The others aren't so bad." I nodded. "Ok. Then I'm going to put this in your mouth so you don't bite your tongue." I was nervous and he noticed. "Well I can say relax, but this not a relaxing test. Also what I told others is to close their eyes and think of something a memory or person that makes them happy or calm. That usually helps." "Ok thanks. I'll try that." Then I closed my eyes and he started the test.
It was a very painful test, but I thought about my family. Kade, Haze, Rio, Father. They are the one's that calm me." It helped with the pain, before I knew it the test was done. Then I heard Vince's voice and snapped out of it. "Very good. It seems you can handle the worst part. Now lets do the other tests. The other tests were nothing compared to the other test. "OK that was the last test. How do you feel?" "Just a little tired. Other than that I feel fine." "That is to expected. Almost everyone is." "So did I pass?" "Surprisingly yes." I was excited. "OK now. Calm down. Are you sure you want to do this?" "Is there something I should worry about?" "Yes and no. Depending on how you put it. Yes you will turn back. But there will be side effects. There is almost always side affects to spells. Some are permanent. Others not so much. Since this is the first time I put this spell on you, It could only be temporary. Then I will have to redo it. Now as for the main side effect, it could turn you human permanently. Now I have to ask. Are you sure you want to do this?" "Um now that I know this, can I think on it?" "Yes I would encourage it." "Ok thanks." Then I went to where Hazel is. "Lets go Hazel." "Bye Vince." "Bye Hazel and Zuri." Then our walk home was quiet.
When we got halfway home Hazel was tired of the silence. "Are you ok Zuri?" Zuri was in a Zone. "Zuri are you Ok? Zuri!" That snapped her out. "Huh what? Sorry." "Are you ok?" "Oh I'm fine. I was just zoning right now. I just have things to think about." "We're home." "Oh ok." Then she went in and straight to her room without greeting her father or Kade. She sat on her bed under her covers.
Kade looked at Hazel. "Is she ok?" Rio started crying. "Hey Rio its ok. Its ok little guy." "I guess he can sense something wrong with his mom." "I'll go see if she's ok." Said Hazel. Then he went to her room.
'Knock knock.' No answer. Then he heard the baby cry even more. Then he knocked again. Still nothing. Then he went in. "Zuri! Hey Zuri. Zuri are you ok?!" He held her head in his lap. "Hazel. I don't know what happened? Its like my body was not its own. I just got up and was going to go out but my body collapsed. Then I felt weak. I don't understand what's happening to me Hazel. I'm scared." I said in a weak tone. "Hang on. I'll get you in your bed, then I will get your father. Maybe he can get a view on what's happening to you." He laid her on the bed, then went to get Droll.
"Hey everyone. Something is wrong with Zuri. I need you Droll. See if you can make out what is happening to her." "Yes of course." Then he followed Hazel in.
"Zuri. You look pale." Said dad. "I feel so weak dad." "Can you tell me what happened to make you this way? Tell me everything that happened before you felt this weak." Then I told him what I told Hazel. "Hmm. I see. I think I might know what's going on. My body was the same way when I couldn't turn back to human. It sounds like your demon body is fighting to turn back to human. As of now you can't. So you will be weak until it does." "I have to talk to you all about something. The reason I was in a zone, is because Vince told me the side effects of the spell. One: It could be temporary. Two: I could be human without turning back to demon again. That is why I wanted to wait. I asked him if I could think about it, he said he encouraged me to do so. I wanted to ask you two first. You both have your demons. First I want to tell you my point of view then you two tell me yours. OK. I don't mind if the spell is only temporary. But if I can't turn demon again, I have a feeling I will regret it. It that is the case, I don't want the help. On the other hand, I hate not being able to turn human anymore. Its just so hard to choose. If I lost my ability to turn demon, I don't know who I would be. Its like my identity will be lost. So I need your opinion. What would you two do?" Then hazel spoke first. "Well I agree with you as well. I would regret not being able to turn demon. So if I had a choice I would stay demon. You will get over the fact that you can't turn human anymore. Yes you will miss it, but at least you won't loose your identity." "Dad what about you?" "Well as you can see I had no choice in the matter. This happened protecting your mom. So I would agree with Hazel. I would stay demon. Yes I still miss being human sometimes, but when I am like this, I feel closer to your mother even if she isn't here anymore." "Yeah I do too. Even though I don't remember mom much, I think that is another reason I would want to stay in my demon form. Dad. How long will my body fight my human part?" "Well as long as you accept who you are going to be, it will continue fighting." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "I want to be demon." Then I felt a strong pull that hurt. So I screamed. "Its ok Zuri. It does hurt having your human part get pulled. I'm here. So is Hazel. Hang in there." Then after the pain was over she blacked out. Hazel was worried so he looked at Droll. "She will be fine. She just needs rest now. Have Kade bring Rio in to comfort him and let him know his mom is fine now."
Kade brought Rio in. "See your mommy is ok now. Just sleeping." He put Rio in her arms, and it seemed to put her at ease too. They noticed she was calming down as well. She snuggled up to Rio and they both were asleep. Hazel decided to stay with them while Kade and Droll walked out.
It was 2 days later when she woke up. Rio of course was in his room. "Hmm. Hazel?" "Yeah I'm here." "Come lay with me. I want to snuggle with you." "Haha ok. You sound just like a child. I love this side of you." So he got in and snuggled with her.
They snuggled for awhile and then it was time to get up. "Ok Zuri. Time to take your medicine. Also remember what I said? I have a surprise once we figured everything out." "Oh yeah." Then she got up and took her medicine. She had to take medicine to keep her skin from drying out.
I got up and started taking care of Rio. "Hey little guy. Sorry mommy hasn't been around lately. A lot of stuff is happening. Now mommy should be around more." I changed his butt then got him dressed for the day. "OK. Hazel I'm going to take a walk with Rio after you leave for work. I'm going to Vince's place to tell him what I have decided!" "OK sounds good!" Kade had already left for his lessons.
"Have a good day at work Hazel!" "Yeah I will. See you both later!" Then I waved to him and he continued on. I put him in the stroller and off we went to see Vince.
'Knock Knock' "Just a moment!" Yelled Vince. "Ow. Oh there it is. Coming!" Then he came to the door. "Oh its you. I see you brought Rio with you. Please come in." We went in and sat down. "So have you made a decision?" I know he can sense my human part is gone now and assumed I had chosen to stay a demon. "I know you probably already know this but, I've chosen to stay this way." I told him what father and Hazel talked about. "Hmm. I see. That is a good choice. Now what you were talking about before. You wanted to know if I have a spell to keep your skin from drying out." "Oh yes that." "Well just now the book fell on my head. Now lets see if I can find that spell in here." I took Rio out of his stroller and picked him up. "Lets see if we can help uncle Vince." "Do you need Help?" "Sure if you want. Here you go." Then Rio and I helped him look. Rio pointed to something. "OH Rio found it. Right here Vince." "OH here it is. Thanks a bunch little one." Then Rio let out a little laugh thinking his uncle was the funniest person on earth. "Can I let the little one on the ground for a bit?" "Yeah sure. OK it says here, that it will keep your skin from being dry for only a few hours. It says here the most would be 4 hours. So you would still need those pills." "Oh ok sounds good." Rio was more advanced than some babies. Things babies would do at 5 or 7 months he can already do. Like crawl. "Ok well when do you want me to do the spell?" "Lets wait a bit. Why don't you try experimenting with it, with your weird creatures." "Good idea. Oh you know what? I was thinking of maybe getting myself an assistant. I'm still young, but there is still so much to do." "I have an idea. What about Tyde? Between healing training, he has nothing to do. Hell he can even practice what he learned on injured creatures." "You know. You're right. I think I will ask him."
"OK when he gets home I will come over with him and Rio. Now where did that son of mine go?" I found him in the kitchen. "What are you doing little guy. What do you got there?" "Ew. don't put that in your mouth. Icky. That looks like an experiment of his." I took it from him and threw it on the counter. "OK little guy. Here play with this." I gave him one of his favorite toys and he chewed on it. "Ok I think we will get going." "Ok see you later." Then we were off home to wait for Tyde.