Chapter 46: Getting Sir Drools-A-Lot off the Scent

“Hey, Teacher Lu Daomeng!”

Lu Daomeng groaned at the voice. “Wang Zen? I thought you said you were going to bed.”

“Yeah, I went the wrong way!” Zen said. Shibi sneezed, causing Zen to pat him on the neck, “Keep it together Shibi.” he whispered to red monkey before he too sneezed.

Lu Daomeng tilted his head at Zen’s seemingly happy behaviour. “Overly happy behaviour, losing your way to a dorm room you always go to. Hmm… have you taken the sip of the hot stuff?”

“Huh?”

“Are you drunk?” Lu Daomeng said. “I’d understand. Some people do lean on alcohol after a traumatic life and death situation.”

“I’m not drunk,” Zen said.

Sir Drools-a-lot put his paws on him where he licked his face.

“I’m not that happy! Get off me, you stupid mutt!” Zen shoved Sir Drools-a-lot away.

“I guess you haven’t taken any happy juice.” Lu Daomeng said in disappointment.

“Alright Shibi,” Zen whispered to the ape on his shoulder, “Do it.”

Shibi leapt down and shook himself vigorously under Sir Drools-a-lot’s nose. The Grey Stalker began sneezing.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Daomeng looked at the dog.

Zen shrugged, “I don’t know?”

The Grey Stalker sneezed a lot, covering its mucus dripping nose with a paw.

“It came in contact with your Scorch Ape and started sneezing,” Lu Daomeng knelt beside the dog before looking up at Zen in suspicion. “Why is that?”

Zen began feeling flustered, “Maybe… he is… allergic to Shibi! Yeah, he’s probably allergic!”

“He was not allergic before… Achew!” Lu Daomeng covered his nose as he sneezed. “Is that pepper? I your monkey covered in pepper?” Lu Daomeng was suddenly overtaken by a fit of sneezing.

“Oh… Oh yeah,” Zen said, trying to hold back a sneeze while talking, “he had spilled some pepper, it must have gotten on him.” as he said this, he remembered how the pepper actually got on Shibi…

-

Zen was pouring two shakers filled with red pepper on Shibi, who had his hands clamed over his mouth and nose to prevent himself from sneezing. Everyone in the cafeteria was looking at hi strangely. Everyones eyes was on him but he ignored them for the most part.

“Excuse me, Young Sir.” A man wearing an apron said. “The seasoning is only for food.”

“Oh?” Zen said, continuing to jiggle the salt shakers onto Shibi. “This is food. Yeah… I’m pre-seasoning it before I cook it.”

“You’re going to eat it with its fur,” the man in the apron said sceptically, “because you’re currently not seasoning the meat but the hide.”

“Y-Yeah, I’ve always enjoyed… meat with the fur on.”

To Zen’s relief, the shakers ran empty and he grabbed Shibi and ran off.

-

Wang Zen, Lu Daomeng, Shibi and Sir Drools-a-lot were all engulfed in an eruption of sneezing. They were doing more sneezing than actualy breathing.

“This… Achew… is a disaster! Achew!” Lu Daomeng said. “I’m calling… Achew… it a night. Achew!”

“Okay. Achew!” Zen said.

“Come dog,” Lu Daomeng said, already walking away, “ Achew… and give your monkey a bath!”

Sir Drools-a-lot tried to take one last lick of Zen but sneezed instead, showering him in enough saliva that his top half looked like it had been through a rain strom.

“Urgh!” Zen said, wiping his face. “You damned dog… Achew… I know you did that purpose! Achew!” he sneezed while shaking his fist to the sneezing hound as it scurried away after a sneezing Lu Daomeng.

-

Zen and Shibi appeared in Jiahai’s hallway, both having twin lines of mucus running down their noses and identical annoyed looks on their faces.

“W-Wang Zen?” Jiahai said in surprise.

“Yeah,” Zen said.

“Ook!” Shibi added.

“You and Shibi have something on your…” Jiahai gestured to the nose.

“We know,” Zen said. “We got tired of using my sleeves,” Zen held up his sleevs which already had dark stains drying on them, “so we decided to come back here and use your sleeves.”

“N-No need!” Jiahai waved his hands before fishing out a piece of cloth from his garments. “Here, use this handkerchief instead.”

“How convenient,” Zen said as he took the handkerchief and blew his nose, “So did you do it?”

Jiahai nodded before calling Rizon out. The little dog walked out from beneath the bed and looked up at them, its eyes having a silver line in it to symbolise the beast contract.

Jiahai looked at Shibi. “Wang Zen, why don’t you initiate a beast contract with Shibi?”

“What?” Zen rubbed Shibi’s head. “Even though I take care of him, I could never think of myself as Shibi’s master.”

“There are other kinds of beast contracts other than master and servant contracts.” Jiahai said. “It may take time but if you want I could rese…”

Zen raised his hand to silence him. “I don’t think I’ll do that. For now, Shibi and I will remain what we’ve always been, companions.”