To Be Human

Parade

  Rocky was cracking eggs into a bowl for Rita to turn into omelettes, and the delicious smell of it attracted people to our stall.

  "Today's special is vegetable omelette, zombie-style!" Nina grinned. "A delicious zombie omelette just as good as yesterday's spicy chicken wings!"

  "Zombie?" One guy questioned. "Is it rotten or something?"

  "It's not rotten! It's a legendary flavor over 200 years old." Nina explained, and I snorted since she was referring to how old Rita was. "Just try a bite!"

  "I'll take one then."

  "Me, too."

  "I'll have one, please."

  "Could I get one, too?" People began to ask for the omelettes, and the two of us began to serve them out faster than Rita could make them.

  "Thank you!" Nina took the money from the people as they took the food.

  "Thank you." I put on a smile while nodding at the person handing me some coins.

~

  Looking around, I made my way through the city while eating an omelette. I had made a promise yesterday to meet Azazel at a tower, but with it no longer being dark, it was harder to find the tower he had pointed out. Nina was watching the parade with Mugaro, which I wanted to as well, but whatever it was that Azazel needed seemed rather important.

  Sighing as I looked up at the buildings, I tried to find some sort of familiarity.

  "They all look the same to me." I grumbled. Turning down another street, I gasped as my feet were now no longer on the ground, and I made a face of utter shock as I dropped my omelette. "No! My omelette!" I cried out, not really bothered by the fact that I was now flying through the air since the delicious breakfast Rita had made now laid on the dirty cobblestone. "What's your deal?!" I shouted after I was tossed up against a wall and my feet were finally back on the ground. Azazel slammed his foot against the wall next to my shoulder, cracking it as little bits fell to the ground.

  "Why did you not show up where we were supposed to meet?" He growled while his wings folded against his back.

  "Because I was looking for it!" I answered. "And you made me drop my breakfast!" His lip twitched up as he snarled.

  "Just come! We're out of time!"

  "What are you talking about?" I was answered by the sound of explosions in the distance.

  "Damn it." Azazel dropped his foot while looking toward the noise.

  "That didn't sound like fireworks." Glancing up at the demon, I furrowed my brows. "What was that?" The demon was frowning as he looked at me, and I tensed up when he suddenly pulled me into a hug. My ears and face began to burn while Azazel just kept his arms around me. "Wh-What are you doing?"

  He then held me at arm's length and looked a bit confused and frustrated at the same time. His eyebrow was twitching, and I raised my hand.

  "Uh-" But Azazel was hugging me again. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I was utterly confused. Not but last night he was arguing about simply enjoying the festival and dancing with me, but now he was hugging me out of the blue. "S-Seriously, Azazel, what are you doing?"

  Once more he held me at arm's length while clicking his tongue.

  "I forgot it takes more for you." He took his right hand off of my shoulder and gently grabbed my chin to tilt my face up. Azazel began to lean down while bringing his face closer to mine, and I panicked when he got too close and pushed him back a little too hard. He crashed into the opposite wall, making a dent in it, and I covered my mouth while looking at him.

  'Was he....Was he trying to kiss me?!'

  "Why won't you transform?!" Azazel shouted at me.

  "Why do you want me to transform?! There's a bunch of people out there!"

  "Just let me kiss you, damn it!" He growled while pushing himself out of the wall and onto his feet.

  "No!"

  "Why not?"

  "Because there's a festival going on!" I yelled. "I can't just go rampaging because you want me to when there's all those people out there!"

  "If the people are gone, would you transform then?"

  "But why would I have to?" The demon growled at me before spreading his dark wings and flying off. "Hey! Answer me!" Running out to one of the main streets, I saw people running and screaming. What the Hell had happened? "Nina!" I gasped before running while hoping to the gods that the explosions hadn't been her transforming.