New Zing

Chapter 33

"You will have to fly ahead," Mavis says. "I will catch up another way."

"Are you sure?" I asked, worryingly.

Mavis nods and grabs my arms. She gently squeezed them in ressurance. 

"Daylight won't affect you," She replied, gently. "Hopefully you'll find Johnny and dad before something else happens or before our worst fears come true."

"When it gets dark I'll wait for you," I stated. "I'll keep you updated with my location and I'll call when I find them."

Mavis nods. She clasps her hands together and holds them against her chest. I could tell she was worried.

"Please find them," she whispered.

I nod before I transformed into my bat form. I stick to the clouds until daylight then I shifted into my wolf form then I travelled tiredly on foot for what felt like hours under the blazing heat. After hours of travelling night came again. I also caught Dracula's and Johnny's scent from a road deep in the forest. I had followed it some before I lost it at a watering hole then I picked it up again. Mavis showed up after a few hours with the help of Frank, Murray, Wayne, Eunice, Wanda and Griffin. They managed to get her here with an off road vehicle. Mavis probably had charmed a human in giving it up to them. I transformed into my human form. I looked at them and smiled softly.

"I got their scent," I explained. "They must be close since it's stronger here."

Mavis nods. I could see relief and happiness on her face but it also had another emotion. Anger? Concern? Worry? She moved forward quickly.

"Let's go get them," she stated.

We move through the forest. Griffin driving the vehicle behind us. I lead the way following their scents until we stopped a camp. Mavis and I shared a look before we broke into the small clearing. Mavis went and embraced Johnny worried it wasn't him. I rushed over to Dracula. He was shocked at the sight of us.

"Moonshine is that you?!" I gasped.

"Sweetfang?" Dracula gasped.

He tried to puff his chest out and I giggled softly. I gently placed a hand on his chest and he relaxes.

"I love you inside and out," I said. "No need to pretend for me."

Dracula smiles softly and embraced me. After a few seconds he pulled back to look at me.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, looking down at me.

I opened my mouth to answer.

"They are not the only ones," Griffin announces.

We turn to see the group come out of the forest and stand before Dracula in front of the vehicle they had just exited.

"Hello buddy," Griffin greets.

"Guys?!" Dracula gasps. "You guys are human too?!"

"Yeah, we noticed," Murray replied, sarcastically.

I giggled softly and glanced at Dracula.

"How did this happen?" Dracula asked.

"That's what we like to know," Mavis replied, firmly. "Johnny?"

We turn to look at Johnny. He sheepishly looks at each of us before clearing his throat.

"Johnny why'd you turn yourself into a monster?" Mavis asked.

Johnny gently takes her hands in his monstrous ones. He looks down at her lovingly. Even as a monster I could see he clearly loved Mavis deeply.

"Because I wanted to keep the hotel in the family," Johnny explained. "Because if I didn't you would lose your family."

Mavis face twisted with many mixed emotions. I glanced at Dracula. He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. I crossed my arms and raised a brow at him. Mavis turned to look at her father. 

"I can explain," he says, sheepishly. "Johnny found out I was giving the hotel to you guys but I had to come clean to Johnny. It was either I give the hotel to Mavis and Johnny for the humans and us monsters disappear including us or let Johnny and Mavis leave to live in the human world so the monsters can remain in the hotel. Johnny was heartbroken by the idea of Mavis losing her home or family.... "

Mavis frowns deeply. She looks at Johnny then at her father.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Mavis asked. "So you let Johnny change himself?!"

"No," Dracula replied, sharply. "He changed himself. I didn't plan on him doing it. I was going to give you both the hotel but I panicked and blurted it all out to him.. I..."

Johnny growing upset and angry by the situation leaves. Mavis attempts to go after him but stops. She turns sharply to face us.

"This is all your fault!" She snaps.

"Do not blame your father Mavis," I stated, firmly.

Dracula grabs my hand and shakes his head at me. I clamped my mouth shut.

"All you care about is your stupid hotel meanwhile he just wanted to be accepted to be apart of our family. And you let that stupid council get between us," Mavis retorted.  "Let me know when you guys find the crystal. I have to find Johnny before it is too late."

Mavis turns into her bat form and flies in search of Johnny. I turned to Dracula. He looks at me. I could see on his features that he was distort and worried.

"I think it's best if we do as she says," He muttered.

I could tell his heart was breaking. I gently rubbed the back of his hand. He pulls out a device from his pocket. A red line blinked on the screen.

"Explain to me how you got that," I said, eyeing the device.

"Abraham," Dracula replied. "Erika had stolen the transformer ray from him and it broke after a struggle when I tried to turn Johnny back. She took off afterwards and Abraham explained that the only way to fix it was to get a new crystal and the only one is here. He set this up as a tracker so me and Johnny could hunt it down so it can be replaced without you guys knowing about it..."

"Abraham did that for you?" I asked, clearly very skeptical.

"He has changed," Dracula explained. "Before the wedding with Erica I had grown to know him and his crazy inventions. Erica had used him too that day. Eunice found him tied up in one of the rooms. Erica attacked that day and he was the one that gave me some medical stuff to help you."

"Maybe his old age has changed him," I offered. "Or because he's practically a monster himself with his robot parts.."

"If this works. I will have to personally thank him," Dracula replied. 

I smiled softly and nodded in agreement.

"Where does it say we should go?" I asked.

I glanced at the little device in his hand. It said right from where we were standing then left. I looked at him.

"Are we all travelling on foot?" Murray asked. "Because I don't feel like walking another 100 miles or more."

I looked at him sharply. 

"We will take the vehicle but I am driving," I replied, gesturing towards the jeep.

Everyone piled themselves into the jeep. Dracula taking front passenger seat while I took the driver's seat. I threw the jeep into drive and sped away from the lil campsite. I followed Dracula's directions as we went.