Sword of the Gods

SWORD OF THE GODS
WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH RAPP

TRANSLATIONS:
SAN, CHAN, SAMA, KUN, AND OJOUSAMA ARE ALL JAPANESE. SAN MEANS 'MR.', 'MRS.', ETC. CHAN MEANS 'LITTLE', 'DEAR', 'SWEET', ETC. SAMA MEANS 'LORD', 'LADY', ETC. KUN IS USED MAINLY FOR MALES. IT MEANS BASICALLY 'FRIEND'. OJOUSAMA IS A LADY OF A WELL-OFF (RICH) FAMILIY.

CHAPTER I
KI, MIKARU, AND AINJU
"GET BACK, KI-SAMA." MIKARU ORDERED.
"RIGHT." KI SAID.
KI DUCKED BEHIND MIKARU AND HUDDLED CLOSELY TO HIM. EVER SINSE MIKARU KIDNAPPED KI, SHE HAS HAD TO GET BEHIND HIM WHENEVER HE SENSED DANGER.
MIKARU IS AN EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD DEMON-ELF. HE STANDS ABOUT SIX INCHES SHORTER THAN AN AVERAGE PERSON DOES. HE HAS RED HAIR WITH A BLACK STREAK IN THE MIDDLE. HE HAS RED EYES AND POINTED EARS. HE WEARS A RED TUNIC, SHIRT AND PANTS. HIS SKIN IS COMPLETELY BLACK. HE CARRIES NO WEAPON BECAUSE HIS CLAWS, FANGS, AND DEMONIC TAIL ARE PLENTY OF PROTECTION.
KI IS SIXTEEN. SHE HAS BLUE HAIR AND YELLOW EYES. SHE WEARS A RED SHIRT AND A BLACK SKIRT. SHE USUALLY HAS A GOLD AND SILVER SEPTOR WITH A BLUE CRYSTAL ON IT IN HER HAND; WHEN IT'S NOT THERE, IT HANGS AT HER WAIST.
"WHAT'S OUT THERE?" KI ASKED.
"I DON'T KNOW." WAS THE REPLY.
THE BUSHES IN FRONT OF THEM MOVED AND KI RECEGNIZED WHO IT WAS IMMEDIATLY.
"AINJU!" KI CRIED HAPPILY.
SHE RAN OUT FROM BEHIND MIKARU AND HUGGED THE MAN WHO HAD JUST ARRIVED. HE WAS RATHER TALL AND THIN. HE HAD GREEN HAIR AND BLUE EYES. HE WORE A BLACK TUNIC, SHIRT AND PANTS. AT HIS WAIST WAS A SWORD WHICH WAS LONGER AND SKINNIER THAN AVERAGE. IT ALSO WEIGHED MORE.
"KI, ITS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN." HE SAID AS HE HUGGED HER BACK, THEN ADDED WITH A GLARE AT MIKARU, "IS HE THE ONE THAT KIDNAPPED YOU?"
"YES, HE IS. HIS NAME IS MIKARU. HE'S REALLY VERY NICE." KI SAID WITH A SMILE.
"SO YOU'RE THE BOYFRIEND SHE KEEPS YAPPIN' ABOUT." MIKARU SAID.
"YES, I'M THE BOYFRIEND." GROWLED AINJU WARNINGLY.
"YOU CAN HAVE HER."
"GOOD. KI, WHY DIDN'T YOU TRY TO ESCAPE?" AINJU ASKED, TURNING HIS ATTENTION BACK TO KI.
"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO."
"WHY?!"
"HE NEEDS A GUIDE TO THE SWORD OF THE GODS. AND WHY I WISH TO GO TOO."
"BUT WHY'D HE CHOOSE YOU FOR HIS GUIDE? AND WHY DIDN'T HE JUST ASK?"
"BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN THERE BEFORE." MIKARU STATED. "AND WHO'D WILLINGLY HELP SOME ONE WHO WANTS TO REMOVE THE ONE AND ONLY THING THAT HOLDS UP THE UNIVERSE?"
"YOU WANT TO WHAT?!" AINJU CRIED.
"I'M WILLINGLY HELPING YOU MIKARU-KUN." KI SAID IN A KIND VOICE, THEN SAID TO AINJU, "YOU CAN LET GO OF ME NOW."
"OF COURSE." HE SAID AS HE LET HER GO. "I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, WHY WERE YOU HANGING ONTO THIS PIECE OF FILTH?"
"HE'S NOT A PIECE OF FILTH!" INSISTED KI. "AND I DO THAT SO HE CAN PROTECT ME."
"YOU DON'T NEED PROTECTION FROM ME."
"YOU COULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE." MIKARU SAID CALMLY.
"I'M ME! SHE'S MINE! SO SHUT UP!" AINJU SNAPPED.
"I'M NOT YOUR SLAVE, I'M NOT YOUR BODYGUARD, SO I SUGGEST YOU SHUT UP BEFORE THESE CLAWS GET SHARPENED ON YOUR NECK." MIKARU SAID CALMLY.
"YOU SOUND AS THOUGH YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH THE GIRL." AINJU SAID.
"SHE'S NO GIRL. AND I ASSURE YOU THAT I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH HER."
"SO THEN, WHAT IS SHE TO YOU?"
"A TEENAGED HUMAN FEMALE WHO IS LEADING ME TO THE SWORD OF THE GODS."
"WHY ARE YOU GOING THERE?! TO GET THE GODS BLESSING FOR A MARRIAGE FOR YOU AND KI?!"
"LIKE HELL. I'M GOING TO REMOVE IT."
"DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'LL DO?!"
"OF COURSE." MIKARU STATED CALMLY. "IT'LL DESTROY OUR WORLD AS WE KNOW IT."
AINJU TURNED TO KI AND ASKED, "AND YOU'RE HELPING HIM?!"
"I AM." KI SHRUGGED.
"YOU BOTH ARE INSANE! IF THAT IS WHAT YOUR INTENTION IS," AINJU STATED AS HE DREW HIS SWORD, "THEN I'LL KILL YOU BOTH HERE AND NOW."
"AINJU," KI SAID IN A DEMANDING VOICE AND LOOKING HIM STRAIGHT IN THE EYES, "THIS IS AN ORDER: YOU WILL WAIT TO KILL US UNTIL WE HAVE REACHED OUR DESTINATION."
"AS YOU SAY, OJOUSAMA." HE SAID IN A SLIGHTLY HURT VOICE AS HE SHEATHED HIS SWORD ONCE MORE.
"SO THE LADY OF RAINBOWDIA FINALLY SHUTS UP THE BIG, BAD SWORSMAN. CAN WE PLEASE GET ON WITH OUR LIVES NOW?" MIKARU ASKED BOREDLY.
SO THE PARTY CONTINUED ALONG THE PATH IN SILENCE. KI STOOD BETWEEN THE TWO MEN SO THEY WOULD NOT FIGHT, THOUGH SHE STAYED CLOSEST TO AINJU. WHEN THEY CAME TO A CLEARING IN THE FOREST, THEY SPLIT UP THE TASKS OF GETTING A CAMP SET UP. KI CLEANED THE AREA, AINJU WENT FISHING AND MIKARU WAS SUPPOSED TO GET A FIRE STARTED, BUT AINJU WOULD NOT LET HIM BE ALONE WITH KI. SO AINJU TOOK MIKARU WITH HIM AND LEFT KI TO BUILD THE FIRE ALSO.
WHILE AINJU FISHED, MIKARU PICKED OFF A FEW RACOONS THAT WERE NEARBY. ALL THROUGH THIS TIME THE TWO 'TALKED'.
"I NOTICED NEITHER OF YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF SLEEPING BAG. THE NIGHTS OUT HERE GET QUITE COLD." AINJU SAID DISAPPROVINGLY.
"I NEVER TOUCHED HER." MIKARU STATED CALMLY.
"SHE GETS COLD EASIELY."
"SO ONCE IN A WHILE SHE'D LEAN ON ME. SO WHAT."
"I DON'T BELIEVE DEMONS WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE THIS."
"I'M ONLY HALF-DEMON. THE ELF IN ME WILL NOT ALLOW SUCH DISGUSTING THINGS AS YOU SPEAK OF."
"THAT IS TRUE, ELVES ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR PURE MINDS AND THOUGHTS. BUT I STILL DO NOT TRUST YOU."
"DO WHAT YOU LIKE."
"I'M WARNING YOU NOW: THOUCH HER AND YOU'RE DEAD." AINJU SAID AS HE GATHERED UP THE FISH HE CAUGHT.
"I ONLY WANT HER SO I CAN GET THE SWORD REMOVED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE." REPLIED MIKARU AS HE PICKED UP THE RACOONS.

"I DOUBT THAT JUST LEANING ON YOU COULD KEEP KI WARM ENOUGH AT NIGHT." AINJU SAID AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
"DO YOU KNOW JUST HOW HOT MY FLESH IS AT ITS LOWEST TEMPERATURE?" MIKARU ASKED.
"WHAT?" AINJU ASKED MORE CONFUSED THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
IN LESS THAN A SECOND, MIKARU BURNED INTO AINJU'S SLEEVE '110O' WITH HIS FINGERTIP.
"AND AS MY EXAMPLE SHOWS, I CAN RAISE IT WITH EASE." MIKARU SAID TO A VERY STUNNED AINJU. "EVEN LAYING A FINGER ON ME IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE."
"I-I CAN SEE THAT." AINJU STUTTERED.

THAT NIGHT, MIKARU WAS SOUND ASLEEP IN A TREE AND KI SLEPT BENEATH IT. AINJU, ON THE OTHER HAND, REFUSED TO SLEEP. (HE WAS STILL PARANOID ABOUT MIKARU AND KI.) HE STAYED UP AND OVERLY TENDED TO THE FIRE, CHECKING ON HIS LOVE AND THE 'PIECE OF FILTH' EVERY NOW AND THEN.
AS MORNING CAME, AINJU FELL ASLEEP. MIKARU WAS THE FIRST TO AWAKEN. HE LEPT OUT OF THE TREE AND WOKE KI.
"LET'S GET GOING. WE HAVE TO GET TO REDLILY BY NIGHTFALL." HE SAID.
"AINJU'S STILL ASLEEP." KI SAID WITH A YAWN.
"THE IDIOT STAYED UP ALL NIGHT PROBABLY. C'MON, IF HE DOESN'T KEEP OUR HOURS, HE CAN CATCH UP." MIKARU SAID AS HE HELPED KI TO HER FEET.
AT FIRST SHE WAS UNSTABLE AND ALMOST FELL, BUT MANGED TO BALANCE HERSELF WITH THE HELP OF THE TREE.
"THAT SPRAIN'S STILL GIVING YOU TROUBLE?" MIKARU ASKED AND NODDED AT KI'S RIGHT ANKLE.
"YEAH, ITS BETTER THAN IT WAS THOUGH."
"THAT'S GOOD. I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW YOU MANAGED TO DO THAT."
"I GUESS I'M JUST TALENTED."
"I SUPPOSE. HERE, LET ME HELP YOU." MIKARU GESTURED FOR HER TO GET ON HIS BACK AND SHE OBEYED.
"IF AINJU SEES YOU CARRYING ME, HE'LL KILL YOU." KI SAID, SLIGHTLY WORRIED.
"LET HIM. I DESERVE TO DIE." MIKARU HALF-WHISPERED.
"HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. HE JUST WANTS TO REMOVE THE SWORD..." KI THOUGHT.

AINJU AWOKE SUDDENLY AND LOOKED AROUND. IT WAS NEARLY NOON. KI AND MIKARU WERE LONG GONE.
"DAMN IT! WHERE'D THEY GET TO?! I CAN'T LEAVE THEM ALONE!" HE TOLD HIMSELF AS HE SET OFF RUNNING DOWN THE PATH.

CHAPTER II
MIKARU, KIKO, SARAH, AND CHI
"DAMN, I REALLY MISS MY BRO." MIKARU SIGHED.
"YOU HAVE A BROTHER?" KI ASKED.
IT WAS SUNSET IN REDLILY. MIKARU AND KI HAD MADE IT. AINJU WAS ON HIS WAY. MIKARU AND KI SAT AT A TABLE IN THE LOBBY AT AN INN. MIKARU LOOKED LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN AT THE MOMENT. (HE HAD TRANSFORMED TO 'REMOVE' HIS FANGS, CLAWS, TAIL, SKIN COLOR AND POINTED EARS.)
"HAD A BROTHER. A WOMAN NAMED SARAH KILLED HIM, THEN KILLED HERSELF. THAT WAS NEARLY FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS AGO. SARAH-CHAN WAS A VERY HIGH RANKING ANGEL PRIESTESS." MIKARU REPLIED.
"REALLY? YOU KNEW SARAH THE ANGEL PRIESTESS? AND SHE KILLED YOUR BROTHER AND KILLED HERSELF FOR IT?" ASKED KI, WHO WAS NOW QUITE CONFUSED.
"YES. I KNOW ITS ODD, BUT IT'S THE TRUTH."
"I SEE. DO GO ON."
"WELL, MY BROTHER AND I WERE AFTER TWO WEAPONS. ONE IS FAMOUS, THE SWORD OF THE GODS. THE SECOND IS CALLED THE MACE OF THE ANGELS. SARAH-CHAN AND HER SISTER, CHI-CHAN, WERE THE GUARDIANS OF THE TWO WEAPONS, THOUGH SARAH WEILDED THE MACE."
"SARAH HAD A SISTER?"
"AN ADOPTED ONE, YES. CHI WAS YOUR ANCESTER. BET YA DIDN'T KNOW THAT."
"REALLY? SO, I'VE GOT ANGEL BLOOD IN ME?"
"YES, A LITTLE. KIKO-KUN, MY BROTHER, WAS TO STEAL THE MACE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE GOLDEN DEMONS' WINGS?"
"YES, AREN'T THEY THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS IN THE DEMON WORLD? LIKE THE GOLDEN ANGELS' WINGS BEING THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS IN THE ANGEL WORLD."
"THAT IS TRUE. YOU SEE, MY BROTHER WAS CURSED WITH THE DEMONS' WINGS. SARAH-CHAN HAD THE GIFT OF THE ANGEL WINGS."
"YOUR BROTHER!? I KNEW SARAH HAD HER RACE'S WINGS, BUT KIKO!"
"YEP, MY BROTHER WAS AFTER THE SWORD, WHICH COULD CURE THE CURSE, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT SAME CURSE, HE COULDN'T TOUCH IT. WHICH IS WHY I WAS AFTER IT. THE MACE WAS MERELY A SMALL BONUS FOR US."
"SO YOU FOUGHT CHI-SAN OVER THE SWORD."
"EXACTLY. IT WAS HARD, AND I FAILED..." MIKARU SIGHED.
"WHY?" KI ASKED, WHO WAS BY NOW QUITE INTERESTED.
"...I FELL IN LOVE...THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO SARAH-CHAN, KIKO-KUN AND CHI-CHAN..." MIKARU STATED SOFTLY.
"REALLY? YOU, IN LOVE? I'D NEVER HAVE THOUGHT IT!" KI CRIED SOFTLY.
"THINGS DO CHANGE IN FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS. EVEN THE MACE HAS TAKEN ON A NEW FORM." MIKARU SAID, NODDING AT KI'S SEPTOR.
"MY SEPTOR?"
"YES, THE REINCARNATION OF THE MACE."
"BUT, MY ANCESTOR WAS CHI-SAN. SARAH-SAN WEILDED THE MACE."
"WHEN SARAH-CHAN DIED, THE MACE WAS INTRUSTED TO CHI-CHAN."
"OH, I GET IT. I SUPPOSE AT LEAST THE GIST OF IT."
A SILENCE FELL OVER THEM. IT WAS A GOOD HOUR BEFORE AINJU BURST THROUGH THE DOORS AND APPROACHED THEM.
"YOU DIDN'T TOUCH HER DID YOU?!" HE SCREAMED.
"ONLY TO CARRY HER HERE." MIKARU REPLIED CALMLY.
"WHAT!?!"
"YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE NOTICED HER LIMP." MIKARU SAID CALMLY AGAIN.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
"NOTHING, SHE SPRAINED IT."
AINJU WAS SILENT FOR A MOMENT. THE SAID, "I'M WARNING YOU, LEAVE KI ALONE. SHE'S MINE."
"WHATEVER. BY THE WAY KI-SAN," KI BLUSHED AT BEING CALLED 'SAN' INSTEAD OF 'SAMA'. "YOU LOOK A LOT LIKE CHI-CHAN DID." MIKARU SMILED.
THIS ONLY MADE KI BLUSH EVEN MORE. AINJU SAW THIS AND DREW HIS SWORD. HE THRUST IT IN FRONT OF MIKARU'S THROAT WARNINGLY AND ANGERLY.
"YOU MORON." MIKARU SAID AS HE TRANSFORMED BACK TO DEMON FORM.
THE PEOPLE IN THE INN SAW THIS AND SCATTERED LIKE ANTS RUNNING FROM A SHOE.
"YOU DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW POWERFUL I AM." MIKARU CONTINUED AS HE ROSE TO HIS FEET.
HIS BODY BEGAN TO RADIATE A BLACK FIRE. HIS TAIL WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE SWORD'S BLADE. WHITE BLOOD OOZED FROM IT AS THE SWORD CUT HIS FLESH. HE PULLED THE SWORD FROM AINJU'S HAND AND HURLED IT TO THE OPPOSITE WALL, WHERE IT STUCK.
BY NOW THE INN WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY. AINJU WAS FRIGHTENED OUT OF HIS MIND. KI WAS MORE SURPRISED BY THE COLOR OF MIKARU'S BLOOD THAN ANYTHING ELSE. MIKARU, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS IN A CALM ANGER. HE NEVER BLINKED OR FIDGETED.
"I'M TIRED OF YOU ALWAYS ATTEMPTING TO THREATEN ME. THIS POWER ALONE DESTROYED THE DEAD KINGDOM INDAGOL."
"TH-THAT W-WAS F-F-F-FIFTY TH-TH-THOUSAND Y-YEARS A-AGO..." AINJU'S VOICE WAS FULL OF FEAR.
"AND MY POWER HASN'T DIMINISHED AT ALL."

CHAPTER III
A GLEAM OF LIGHT
"H-HOW COULD YOU HAVE S-SURVIED?" AINJU ASKED
"CHI-CHAN LET ME LIVE. AND I THANK HER GREATLY." MIKARU ANSWERED.
THE BLACK FIRE WAS NOW FOCUSING ON HIS SHOULDERBLADES. A TWINGE OF GOLD SHOWED THROUGH AS THE FIRE SPREAD INTO TWO GREAT FORMS.
"WHEN MY BROTHER DIED I LOST CONTROL OF EVERYTHING. CHI-CHAN STILL LOVED ME THOUGH. IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT MY HATE FUSED WITH ANOTHER'S SOUL. MY LOVE FOR HER FUSED WITH MY INSANITY. IT BECAME AN AURA, A GOLDEN GLOW. I FELT THE PAIN MY BROTHER DID!" MIKARU STRUGGLED TO SAY.
THE FIRE EXPLODED TO REVEAL TWO GOLDEN FORMS. THEY SPREAD TO SHOW THEMSELVES AS THE GOLDEN DEMONS' WINGS! THOUGH THEY SHIMMERED BRILLIENTLY, THEY HAD A FORBIDDING FEEL TO THEM. KI STARED IN A STRANGE LOVING FEAR OF THEM. AINJU HAD ALMOST FAINTED FROM FIGHT.
"DON'T GET ME PISSED OFF, I MIGHT HURT YOU." MIKARU SAID IN A CALM VOICE AS HIS WINGS VANISHED AND AINJU FAINTED.
"IF THAT WAS SLIGHTLY MAD I'D HATE TO SEE YOU PISSED OFF." KI SAID IN A FRIENDLY VOICE AS MIKARU SAT DOWN AGAIN.
"LUCKILY MY WINGS CAST A SPELL TO MAKE PEOPLE FORGET I WAS A DEMON."
"YEAH. THE INN SHOULD REFILL SOON. LET'S GET AINJU TO HIS ROOM."

"YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO CALL ME 'SAN' WHILE AINJU IS IN EAR SHOT." KI SUGGESTED TO MIKARU LATER THAT NIGHT.
"YEAH, PROBABLY." MIKARU AGREED.
THEY WERE BACK IN THE LOBBY. AINJU WAS STILL OUT. TEN MINUTES AFTER MIKARU'S OUTBURST, THE RESIDENTS OF THE INN RETURNED.
"SO THOSE WINGS, THEY REALLY ARE THE GOLDEN DEMONS' WINGS AREN'T THEY?"
"YES. THEY'RE NOT SOMETHING I'M PROUD OF. THEY REMIND ME TOO MUCH OF KIKO-KUN, SARAH-CHAN AND CHI-CHAN."
"YOU REALLY DO MISS THEM DON'T YOU?"
"IT WAS ALL FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS AGO. THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES I'VE EVER CARED ABOUT THIS LONG. SINCE THEIR DEATHS, I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOVE MANY; I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CARE ABOUT MUCH. I'D KILL MYSELF, BUT THESE WINGS WON'T LET ME. I WANT TO DIE, THAT'S WHY I'M AFTER THE SWORD." HE SAID, SURPRISING KI WITH A TEAR IN HIS EYE.
"YOU MUST BE VERY DEPRESSED." SHE SAID SADLY.
"I AM."
A SHORT SILENCE FELL OVER THEM WHEN KI SAID THOUGHTFULLY AND PLEASENTLY, "I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO CHEER YOU UP!"
SHE JUMPED TO HER FEET, GRABBED HIS HAND AND PULLED HIM UPSTAIRS TO HER ROOM WHERE SHE MADE HIM SIT ON THE FLOOR.
SHE DARTED AROUND GATHERING VARIOUS ITEMS AND SET THEM DOWN IN FRONT OF HIM. WHEN SHE WAS DONE SHE SAT ACROSS FROM HIM. SHE QUICKLY MEASURED AND MIXED GREEN TEA LEAVES AND HOT WATER IN A BOWL AND HANDED IT TO HIM, THEN REPEATED THE PROCESS FOR HERSELF.
"WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO MAKE THIS?" MIKARU ASKED.
"FROM MY MOTHER. SHE WAS GOOD IN THE KITCHEN."
MIKARU LOOKED AT THE BOWL IN HIS HANDS. KI LOOKED AT HIM AND SIGHED.
"DRINK IT. IT WON'T KILL YOU." SHE KINDLY.
MIKARU BLUSHED A SLIGHT GREY AND OBEYED.
"YOU SEE? ITS GOOD." KI SAID AS SHE DRANK HERS.
AT THAT MOMENT AINJU BURST IN. HE SEEMED FURIOUS AT SOMETHING.
"DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO KNOCK?" KI ASKED.
AINJU IGNORED HER AND GRABBED THE COLLAR OF MIKARU'S SHIRT AND PICKED HIM UP OFF THE FLOOR.
"YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVES! BY THE ORDER OF THE HEAD OF THE RAINBOWDIAN ARMY: KEEP AWAY FROM MY KI!!"
"HOW MANY TIMES," MIKARU BEGAN CALMLY, "DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU," HE PLACED HIS HANDS ON AINJU'S AND DUG HIS CLAWS INTO THEM AND REMOVED THEM FROM HIS COLLAR, "I'M A HALF-ELF!" WITH THIS HE THREW AINJU ACROSS THE ROOM.
"WHAT A PARANOID MORON..." KI SIGHED SHAKING HER HEAD AT AINJU WHO WAS UNCONSIOUS AGAIN.
"LET'S GET GOING. THE SUN'S COMING UP AGAIN." MIKARU SAID.
"RIGHT." KI AGREED.
WITH THIS, THEY SET OFF.

IT WAS BROAD DAYLIGHT NOW. AINJU WAS ATTEMPTING TO CATCH UP. MIKARU WAS SINGING HAPPILY. KI HAD HER HAND ON HIS SHOULDER TO KEEP HERSELF BALENCED. THEY WERE HALFWAY TO THE CITY OF ORANGLE.
"HAPPY, ARE WE?" ASKED KI.
"YEAH." MIKARU REPLIED WITH A SMILE. "IT'S BEEN AWHILE SINCE I WAS HOME."
"YOU COME FROM ORANGLE?"
"WELL, ACCUALY FROM THE DEAD KINGDOM INDAGOL, BUT, SEEING HOW I ACCIDENTALY DESTROYED IT, YES." HE SAID CHEERFULLY.
THEY WALKED IN SILENCE FOR AWHILE. MIKARU WAS HUMMING SOFTLY AND KI WAS THINKING.
"THE ONLY TIME I'VE SEEN HIM THIS HAPPY WAS WHEN HE TOLD ME ABOUT HIS PAST WITH CHI, SARAH AND KIKO. AND EVEN THEN, HE WAS SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED." SHE THOUGHT.
"KNIKIE-CHAN, I'M ALMOST HOME." MIKARU WHISPERED SUDDENLY.
"KNIKIE-CHAN?" KI ASKED.
"YEAH. MY LITTLE SISTER. YOU'LL LIKE HER, SHE'S VERY CUTE."
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THEY MET, MIKARU'S EYES REFLECTED THE SUN'S RAYS. KI SAW IN THEM A GLEAM OF LIGHT THAT TOLD THE DEAPTH OF MIKARU'S HAPPINESS. FOR SOME REASON, THIS MADE KI SMILE.

CHAPTER IV
ENTER KNIKIE: THE SISTER FROM HELL
"DAMN! I FORGOT THERE WAS A CANYON HERE!" KI SHOUTED.
"I DID TOO...THOUGH I REALLY SHOULD HAVE REMEMBERED, SEEING AS THIS IS KIKO-KUN'S DOING." MIKARU SAID.
"YOUR BROTHER'S?" KI ASKED UNBELEIVING. "YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT FOR ONCE A GREAT PIECE OF DISTRUCTION ISN'T YOURS?"
"I ONLY DESTROYED INDAGOL. THERE'S PLENTY OF DESTRUCTION I DIDN'T DO."
"RIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT." KI SAID SARACASTICALLY, THEN STATED, "WE STILL HAVE TO GET OVER THE CANYON THOUGH. ANY IDEAS? THE NEAREST BRIDGE IS IN NO GOOD SHAPE AND ITS ANOTHER FIVE MILES AWAY."
"WE COULD JUMP DOWN IT." MIKARU SUGGESTED.
"ARE YOU NUTS?!" KI CRIED. "THE CANYON IS AT LEAST A MILE DOWN!"
"ARE YOU WILLING TO PUT YOUR LIFE IN MY HANDS? AT THE MOST, FOR TWO MINUTES." MIKARU ASKED SERIOUSLY AND TURNED TO MEET KI'S EYES.
KI STOOD FOR WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN HOUR, HER EYES NEVER LEAVING MIKARU'S. SHE THOUGHT OF ALL THE THINGS MIKARU HAD ALREADY DONE FOR HER. CARRYING HER WHEN SHE GOT HER SPRAIN AND WHEN IT HURT MOST, PROTECTING HER FROM ANY DANGER, AND MOST OF ALL...KIDNAPPING HER IN THE FIRST PLACE. MANY OTHER THINGS FLOATED THROUGH HER HEAD. THEN SHE REMEMBERED JUST HOW BAD THIS 'JUMP' WOULD BE. THOUGH MIKARU DID HAVE THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN DEMONS' WINGS, THEY DIDN'T GIVE THE POWER OF FLIGHT.
"FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, THE ODDS BEING AGAINST YOU, I WILL PLACE MY LIFE IN YOUR HANDS." KI HALF WHISPERED AND TOOK THE HAND MIKARU GAVE HER.
"KI-SAN, I'M NOT BEING PERVERTED, AS YOU KNOW I CANNOT BE, BUT DON'T BE AFRAID TO HANG ON TO ME AS TIGHTLY AS YOU NEED TO IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE. MOST HUMANS CAN'T STAND WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS." HE SAID AND EMBRACED HER AND LEPT OFF THE CANYON'S EDGE.
KI WAS COMPLETELY TAKEN BY SURPRISE AT WHAT HE HAD JUST DONE. MIKARU CERTAINLY WASN'T THE SMARTEST BEING ON THE PLANET, BUT HE CERTAINLY WASN'T THE DUMBEST ONE EITHER. KI KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHIG, BUT NOT LIKE THIS.
THEY FELL RAPIDLY. MIKARU WAS COMPLETLY CALM. KI, ON THE OTHER HAND, CLUNG SO TIGHTLY TO HIM THAT A HUMAN WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BREATHE. JUST BEFORE THEY WOULD HAVE HIT THE GROUND, MIKARU MUTTERED SOMETHING KI COULDN'T UNDERSTAND. THEY INSTANTLY STOPPED AND KI COULD FEEL THE CANYON FLOOR BENEATH HER FEET.
RELEASING MIKARU SHE ASKED, "YOU CAST A SPELL DIDN'T YOU? ONE TO KEEP US FROM DYING UPON IMPACT."
"YES, I DID. YOU'RE NOT HURT?" HE ASKED.
KI NODDED.
"GOOD. WE CAN CAMP HERE TONIGHT. UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO RISK NOT CAMPING AT ALL TONIGHT."
"I'D LIKE TO REST AWHILE. YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO HANDLE IT."
"ALRIGHT."
MIKARU SAT DOWN ON THE DRY DIRT AND LEANED AGAINST THE CANYON WALL. KI SAT BESIDE HIM AND CLOSED HER EYES, BUT DIDN'T FALL ASLEEP QUITE YET.
AFTER AWHILE, MIKARU TRANSFORMED INTO A HUMAN AND FELL ASLEEP. KI CRACKED HER EYES OPEN AT THIS.
"HE'S REALLY MORE TIRED THAN HE LOOKED I SUPPOSE." SHE THOUGHT. "USUALLY HE'S ONLY HALF-ASLEEP BECAUSE OF ALL THE CREATURES OUT AT NIGHT. THIS CANYON IS SO PEACEFUL AND EMPTY."
AS SHE THOUGHT THIS, MIKARU FELL OVER ONTO HER SHOULDER. KI BLUSHED SLIGHTLY, BUT SMILED AT HIM. SHE SIGHED AND LAYED HER HEAD ON HIS AND FELL ASLEEP.

"I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT!" SHOUTED A YOUNG GIRL. "BIG BROTHER IS FAST ASLEEP!"
KI OPENED HER EYES TO FIND IT WAS MORNING. MIKARU WAS STILL ASLEEP DESPITE THE GIRLS SHOUTING. SHE SAT IN FRONT OF HIM AND WAS POKING HIS BARE FOOT.
SHE LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE A TEN-YEAR OLD GIRL VERSION OF MIKARU, EXCEPT SHE HAD NO BLACK STREAK IN HER HAIR. SHE STOOD ABOUT THREE AND A HALF FEET TALL.
"HEY, BIG SISTER, WHAT DID HE DO BEFORE HE FELL ASLEEP?" SHE ASKED KI.
"WELL, HE USED A SPELL WHEN HE LEPT OFF THE CANYON." KI REPLEID.
"WHAT A MORON!" THE GIRL CRIED WITH A LAUGHED. "HE'LL BE OUT FOR A DAY IF WE LET HIM BE."
"EXCUSE ME, BUT, WHO ARE YOU?" KI ASKED.
"OH I'M SORRY, HOW RUDE OF ME. MY NAME IS KNIKIE. I'M MIKARU'S LITTLE SISTER!"
"SO YOU'RE HIS SISTER! MY NAME IS KI. YOUR BROTHER-"
"SO YOU'RE KI HUH? I HOPED I'D BE ABLE TO MEET YOU!" KNIKIE CRIED HAPPILY.
"I GUESS YOU'VE HEARD OF ME. SO, IS THERE ANYWAY TO WAKE MIKARU-KUN UP?"
"WELL...I KNOW ONE WAY." SHE SAID AND PUT HER HANDS ON MIKARU'S HEAD. "YOU CAN MOVE NOW, I'VE GOT HIM.."
"THANKS." KI WHISPERED AND MOVED AWAY.
"THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO WAY TO WAKE HIM UP EARLY FROM A SLEEP CAUSED BY THE BREAKING SPELL." KNIKIE TOLD KI.
"BREAKING SPELL?"
"THE SPELL HE USED." KNIKIE REPLIED AS SHE SAT MIKARU UPRIGHT. "IT CAN REALLY WEAR OUT AN ELF IF HE OR SHE ISN'T CAREFUL."
"WAIT, THAT WAS AN ELVEN SPELL?"
"YEAH. THERE! NOW TO FINISH THE JOB." KNIKIE CRIED SHE KNELT ON MIKARU'S LAP.
"SO, HOW DO YOU WAKE HIM?" KI ASKED.
"JUST WATCH." KNIKIE TOLD HER.
SHE TILTED HIS HEAD UP WITH HER HANDS. SHE CLOSED HER EYES AND KISSED HIS LIPS SOFTLY. HE INSTANTLY AWOKE, AND ONLY SLIGHTLY STATRLED.
"WAKEY, WAKEY BIG BROTHER!" CRIED KNIKIE AS SHE HUGGED HIM.
"WELL, GOOD MORNING KNIKIE-CHAN." MIKARU SAID AS HE RETURNED HER HUG.
"I SUPPOSE SHE'S DONE THIS MORE THAN ONCE." KI STATED.
"YEP! I KISS MY BROTHER A LOT! THAT'S HOW I KNOW HOW TO WAKE HIM!" KNIKIE SAID.
"YOU SEEM LIKE AN AFFECTIONATE SISTER KNIKIE-CHAN." KI SAID WITH A SMILE.
"DON'T GET HER WRONG, KI-SAN, SHE CAN BE A REAL PAIN." MIKARU SAID AS HE SET KNIKIE DOWN AND STOOD UP.
"BY THE WAY, WHY WERE YOU TWO SLEEPING LIKE THAT?" KNIKIE HALF-TEASED.
"LIKE WHAT?" ASKED MIKARU. (REMEMBER HE WAS ASLEEP WHEN HE LEANED ON KI AND AWOKE AFTER SHE MOVED.)
"YOU WERE LEANING ON BIG SISTER."
AT THIS MIKARU TURNED A LITTLE GREY AND SAID SOFTLY, "S-SORRY KI-SAN."
BLUSHING SLIGHTLY HERSELF, KI REPLIED, "I-ITS FINE, REALLY."

"DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT!" YELLED AINJU AS HE RAN. "I WAS OUT ALL YESTERDAY AND WOKE TO FIND KI AND THE FILTH GONE! I SWEAR, IF MY KI HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY THAT FILTH, I'LL KILL HIM!"

CHAPTER V
KI IS MAD
"WOW, IT'S BIG." KI STATED.
MIKARU, KI AND KNIKIE HAD MADE IT TO ORANGLE. THE CITY WAS ALMOST LARGE ENOUGH TO FIT TWO REDLILYS INSIDE. A LARGE WALL SURROUNDED IT. ON THE WALL WAS A PAINTING OF THE GOLDEN DEMONS' WINGS.
"ORANGLE, THE CITY OF DEMONS. YOU'D BETTER BE CAREFUL KI-SAN, NOT ALL THE DEMONS ARE VERY FREINDLY AS YOU KNOW." MIKARU SAID.
"BIG BROTHER, YOU'D BETTER GET HOME QUICKLY. MOTHER IS WAITING." KNIKIE SAID. "I'LL SHOW BIG SISTER AROUND."
"RIGHT. I'LL SEE YOU LATER, KI-SAN." MIKARU SAID AS HE RAN INTO THE CITY.
"KI!" AINJU CALLED AS HE CAME RUNNING.
"AINJU! WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?" KI ASKED.
"WHY'D YOU LEAVE ME BEHIND?"
"I DIDN'T. YOU FELL ASLEEP AND I WAS FOLLOWING OUR SCHEDULE." KI REPLIED.
"NEW BIG BROTHER!" KNIKIE CRIED. "BIG SISTER, WHO'S HE?"
"THIS IS AINJU. HE'S THE HEAD OF THE RAINBOWDIAN ARMY." KI ANSWERED.
"SO WHERE'S THE FILTH?" AINJU ASKED. "AND WHO'S THIS LITTLE RAT?"
"HIS NAME'S MIKARU! AND THIS IS HIS LITTLE SISTER KNIKIE! AND SHE ISN'T A RAT AND HE ISN'T A PIECE OF FILTH!" KI SCREAMED ANGERLY.
"WHY ARE YOU SO UPSET?" AINJU ASKED. "DO YOU HONESTLY CARE ABOUT THAT DEMON AND THIS LITTLE GIRL?"
"AS A MATTER OF FACT I DO! KNIKIE-CHAN IS JUST A LITTLE GIRL, AND A SWEET ONE AT THAT! AND MIKARU-KUN IS MY FRIEND!"
"STOP CALLING HIM 'KUN'. " AINJU ORDERED.
SUDDENLY KI RAISED HER HAND AND SMACKED HIM ACROSS THE FACE.
"YOU DON'T BOSS ME AROUND! YOUR RANK IS WAY BELOW MINE!" KI SHOUTED VERY ANGERLY. "I'M DOING THIS FOR MY MOTHER!" SHE PAUSED AND A TEAR CAME TO HER EYE. "NOW LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE! GO AWAY!"
"FINE, BUT SEEING AS WE'RE ENGAGED, YOU'LL HAVE TO FACE ME SOMETIME." AINJU SAID CALMLY AS HE WALKED OFF.
"YOU TWO ARE ENGAGED?" KNIKIE ASKED.
"IN HIS MIND, MAYBE!" KI SAID.
"WHAT DOES YOUR MOTHER HAVE TO DO WITH THIS?"
"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT..." KI WHISPERED.
KNIKIE THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT AND SAID, "C'MON. WE'D BETTER CATCH UP TO BIG BROTHER."
"LEAD THE WAY." KI SAID AS KNIKIE TOOK HER HAND AND LED HER INTO THE CITY.

THE FIRST ROOM IN MIKARU'S HOUSE THAT KI ENTERED WAS RATHER LARGE. IT WAS DOME-SHAPED AND STOOD A GOOD TEN YARDS TALL AND FIFTEEN YARDS WIDE. THIS ROOM WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY EXCEPT FOR TWNETY TO THIRTY STUFFED DUMMIES LINED AGAINST THE WALL.
"I APPOLOGIZE FOR BRINGING YOU IN THROUGH OUR SMALLEST PRACTISE ROOM." KNIKIE SAID AS SHE LED THE WAY ACROSS THE FLOOR.
"SMALLEST?" KI ASKED.
"WITH OUR MOTHER BIENG A DEMON LORD, YES." KNIKIE SAID TURNING PALE.
"YOU'RE..." KI SAID NOTICING THIS. "ARE YOU AFRAID OF YOUR MOTHER?"
"YOU'VE YET TO MEET HER. JUST BRINGING YOU HERE WILL PROBABLY GIVE ME A WEEK'S PUNISHMENT."
"I TAKE IT SHE DOESN'T LIKE HUMANS." KI HALF-WHISPERED AS THEY REACHED THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM.
KNIKIE NODDED HER REPLY AND PUSHED THE DOORS, WHICH WERE NOW IN FRONT OF THEM, OPEN.

CHAPTER VI
TALON AND TIFFANY
THE ROOM KI STOOD IN NOW WAS SMALL, ABOUT THE SIZE OF FOUR ELEVATORS PUT INTO A SQUARE. MIKARU STOOD FACING THEM. UPON HIS LEFT SHOULDER SAT A SMALL, MIDDLE-AGED, MAN. HE HAD VERY LONG, POINTED EARS. LIKE MIKARU, HE WAS CLOTHED ENTIRELY IN RED. HE WAS ONLY ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF TALL.
"TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH." MIKARU STATED.
IN THE DARKNESS OF THE ROOM HE LOOKED QUITE SINISTER. KI THOUGHT THAT THIS MADE HIM LOOK VERY STRANGELY HANDSOME.
"TALON, MEET KI-SAN." MIKARU TOLD THE ELF ON HIS SHOULDER.
"IT IS A PLEASURE." THE ELF SAID WITH A BOW OF HIS HEAD.
"IT IS NICE TO MEET YOU." KI SAID KINDLY.
"KI-SAN, BELIEVE IT OR NOT BUT, TALON HAPPENS TO BE MY FATHER. MIKARU STATED.
"YOU CALL HIM BY HIS NAME?" KI ASKED LOOKING TALON OVER.
"YEP! TALON IS TALON IN OUR FAMILY!" KNIKIE ANSWERED.
"SO KI-SAN IS FINALLY HERE." A WOMAN'S VOICE SAID SUDDENLY.
"MOTHER!" MIKARU CRIED AS HE TURNED AROUND AND KNELT DOWN.
KNIKIE STEPPED FORWARD AND CAUGHT TALON AS HE FELL OFF MIKARU'S SHOULDER.
"SHE DOESN'T SEEM LIKE MUCH." THE WOMAN SAID AS SHE STEPPED OUT OF THE SHADOWS.
"SHE IS CHI-CHAN'S DECENDENT, MOTHER." KNIKIE STATED.
MIKARU'S MOTHER LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE KNIKIE, BUT TALLER, OF COARSE. THE ONLY OTHER DIFFERENCE WAS THAT HER EARS WERE NOT POINTED AND HER CLAWS, TAIL, AND FANGS WERE BLOODSTAINED. SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL AND WHEN YOU LOOKED AT HER YOU JUST KNEW SHE WAS A DEMON LORD.
"WELL, WELL KI-SAN, YOU'VE MADE IT QUITE FAR HAVEN'T YOU? BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH YELLOWDIL, GREENZA, AND BLUECOAL. THEN IT'S STRAIGHT TO INDAGOL. THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT?" SHE ASKED, HER EYES NEVER LEAVING KI'S.
"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT EASY ARE YOU?" KI ASKED.
"WHATEVER DO YOU MEAN?"
"I KNOW YOU NEVER LIKE CHI-SAN OR SARAH-SAN. THAT'S DEMON NATURE, SO, THE DECENDENT OF CHI-SAN IS EVEN MORE SOME ONE TO HATE."
"TOO TRUE. A WEAKLING PART-ANGEL SHOULD NEVER TOUCH THE SWORD. SO YES, I WON'T MAKE YOUR TRIP EASY FROM HERE ON OUT. YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY HERE OVERNIGHT, BUT IN THE MORNING YOU ARE TO LEAVE. OH," SHE SAID AS SHE TURNED TO LEAVE. "MY NAME IS TIFFANY. MY MINIONS WILL MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER. WE SHALL MEET AGAIN." WITH THAT, TIFFANY LEFT.
"SHE SCARES ME." KNIKIE SAID, SETTING TALON ON THE FLOOR. "EVEN THOUGH I'VE KNOWN HER FOR ALL FIVE-THOUSAND YEARS OF MY LIFE."
"I CAN UNDERSTAND, KNIKIE-CHAN. I'M STILL AFRAID OF HER." MIKARU SAID AS HE ROSE TO HIS FEET AGAIN.
"ONE HAS TO ADMIT THOUGH, SHE IS RATHER BEAUTIFUL, IN A DARK WAY." TALON STATED.
"I AGREE." KI SAID.
"WELL, SHALL WE TURN IN?" MIKARU SUGGESTED.
"BIG SISTER! YOU CAN SLEEP WITH ME!" KNIKIE CRIED HAPPILY AS SHE PRACTICALLY DRAGGED KI AWAY.

"JUST WAIT KI, AS SOON AS WE SET FOOT IN PURPLUM, WE'LL BE GETTING MARRIED." AINJU SAID AS HE LIT A FIRE TO COOK HIS FISH. "AND THEN YOU WILL NEVER SEE THE FILTH OR THE RAT AGAIN."
AINJU LAYED DOWN ON THE SOFT GRASS OF THE FOREST AND SIGHED TRIUMPHANLY.
"KI, YOUR MOTHER WOULD WANT YOU AND I TO MARRY. YOU, AS THE LADY OF RAINBOWDIA, AND I, AS THE HEAD OF YOUR ARMY AND THE LORD OF RAINBOWDIA." HE THOUGHT, SMILING EVILY.

CHAPTER VII
AINJU INSULTS, KNIKIE SHUTS HIM UP
"COME ON BIG BROTHER! BIG SISTER AND I ARE WAITING!" KNIKIE CRIED.
IT WAS MORNING AND KNIKIE WAS EAGER TO LEAVE. KI WAITED OUTSIDE THE GATES WITH HER AND MIKARU WAS COMING.
"KNIKIE-CHAN, BE PATIENT. MIKARU-KUN IS COMING." KI SAID.
"ITS FINE KI-SAN. I'M USED TO HER ALWAYS RUSHING ME." MIKARU SAID AS HE COUGHT UP, TALON ON HIS SHOULDER.
"TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!" KNIKIE YELLED.
"SHUT UP YOU RAT!" SCREAMED AINJU, WHO HAD JUST APPEARRED.
"AND WHO MIGHT YOU BE?" TALON ASKED, SLIGHTLY MAD.
"I'M AINJU! AND I DON'T ASSOCIATE WITH DWARVES, RATS, OR FILTH!"
"I HAPPEN TO BE AN ELF! AND THAT 'RAT' AND 'FILTH' ARE MY CHILDERN!" TALON SAID ANGERLY.
"AREN'T YOU A LITTLE TOO SHORT TO BE THEIR FATHER?"
"AREN'T YOU A LITTLE TOO STUPID TO BE KI-SAN'S 'LOVER'?"
"AREN'T YOU A LITTLE TOO LITTLE TO CARE?"
"AINJU, PLEASE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. STOP FIGHTING WITH TALON-SAN. YOU ARE STARTING TO ACT LIKE A COUPLE OF LITTLE KIDS." KI STATED.
"BY HIS FIRST NAME?!" ASKED A SHOCKED AINJU.
"WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU!?" CRIED KI.
"'SAN' OR NOT, DON'T CALL PEOPLE OTHER THAN ME BY THEIR FIRST NAME! THAT GOES FOR THE FILTH AND THE RAT TOO!" ORDERED AINJU.
"YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS! I AM!" YELLED KI.
"BESIDE, KI-SAN DOESN'T CALL ME BY MY FIRST NAME. 'MIKARU' IS MY MIDDLE NAME." MIKARU SAID.
"IT IS?" KI ASKED, SURPRISED.
"THAT IT IS." TALON ANSWERED. "HIS FULL NAME IS KEERO MIKARU KERRO."
"AND BIG SISTER IS FULLY ALLOWED TO CALL ME JUST PLAIN 'KNIKIE' IF SHE WANTS." KNIKIE SAID.
"I STILL DISAPPROVE OF ALL THREE OF YOU!" AINJU SAID. "KI IS MINE AND SHE'LL DO WHAT I TELL HER TO DO!"
"OKAY!" KNIKIE CRIED SUDDENLY, HER VOICE SOUNDING KIND OF STRANGE.
KI, MIKARU, TALON, AND AINJU LOOKED AT HER TO FIND THAT SHE HAD BECOME A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD. SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL LIKE HER MOTHER AND ABOUT AS TALL AS AINJU WAS.
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" KNIKIE SAID.
SHE WALKED UP TO AINJU AS HE BEGAN HIS USUAL RANTING AND RAVING.
"SHUT, UP!" SHE CRIED.
SHE PUT HER HANDS ON AINJU'S SHOULDERS AND ALL AT ONCE PULLED HIM TO HER AND KISSED HIM.
"YOU ARE SUCH A PARANOID IDIOT!" KNIKIE YELLED WHEN SHE RELEASED AINJU.
"EH!?" CRIED A STUNND KI.
"OKAY..." SAID MIKARU, WHO WAS EQUALY STUNNED.
TALON ONLY SHRUGGED AT HIS DAUGHTER'S ACTIONS. AINJU, WELL, HE WAS SPEECHLESS FOR ONCE, TO PUT IT LIGHTLY. (HE WAS ALSO QUITE EMBARRASSED.)
A BLACK FIREY AURA SURROUNDED KNIKIE AND CLEARED TO REVEAL HER TEN-YEAR-OLD SELF AGAIN.
"HONESTLY, YOU NEED TO LEARN TO SHUT UP SOMETIMES." KNIKIE SIGHED.
"SO, THE FOUR OF YOU ARE OFF TO YELLOWDIL?" ASKED TALON
"YES, WE ARE." KI ANSWERED.
"THEN I WISH YOU LUCK." HE SAID AND JUMPED OFF MIKARU'S SHOULDER. "AH YES, AINJU-SAMA, PAY ATTENTION TO KNIKIE-CHAN. IT MIGHT KEEP YOU OUT OF FUTURE TROUBLE."
CHAPTER VIII
WOLVES AND A SPONTANEOUS CHICKEN
"WE'VE BEEN TRAVELING QUITE A LOT TODAY." KI SIGHED.
"I SUPPOSE WE HAVE." KNIKIE SAID.
"DAMN RAT, TALKING TO MY KI." THOUGHT AINJU, WHO WAS HALF-ASLEEP.
"NEXT IS YELLOWDIL, SO IT'LL TAKE SOME TIME." MIKARU STATED.
"WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO FAR?" KNIKIE ASKED.
"WELL AT LEAST GREENZA IS LESS THEN A DAY'S WALK FROM YELLOWDIL." KI SAID AS SHE STOOD UP. "WELL, I'M GOING FOR A WALK."
"I'LL GO TOO!" KNIKIE TOLD HER.
"OKAY, JUST BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT. THERE ARE WOLVES IN THIS FOREST." MIKARU TOLD THEM.

"KNIKIE! LOOK!" CRIED KI.
"HM? HA! A RIVER!" YELLED KNIKIE HAPPILY.
"WANT TO TAKE A BATH WHILE THE GUYS AREN'T AROUND?" ASKED KI.
"YEAH!"
SO KI AND KNIKIE GOT UNDRESSED AND INTO THE RIVER'S COOL WATER.
"FIRE THAT BLAZES BRIGHTLY, HOTTER THAN THE CORE. COME INTO MY HAND AND OBEY MY COMMAND." KNIKIE CHANTED.
A FIREBALL APPEARED IN HER HAND AND BURNED STEADILY. KNIKIE RAISED HER HAND AND THREW THE FLAME INTO THE WATER, HEATING IT ON CONTACT.
"I SEE YOU HAVE SOME MAGIC." KI STATED.
"A LITTLE. NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS BIG BROTHER THOUGH. BUT MOST OF HIS IS LOCKED AWAY BY THE WINGS." KNIKIE STATED.
"THAT'S PRETTY SAD."
"IT IS. THEY ARE A CURSE AFTER ALL."
THEY SAT IN SILENCE FOR A FEW MINUTES WHEN KNIKIE'S EARS TWITCHED. SHE LOOKED AROUND CAREFULLY WITH UNBLINKING EYES.
"WHAT IS IT?" KI ASKED.
"I HEAR SOMETHING...IT ISN'T THE GUYS THOUGH...AND IT ISN'T A WOLF." KNIKIE STATED.
KI BEGAN LOOKED AROUND TOO WHEN SHE HEARD THIS. KNIKIE STOOD UP AND SNIFFED THE AIR, NEVER BLINKING AND ALWAYS LISTENING.
"SHADOWS CREEPING THROUGH THE COLD NIGHT AIR, LISTEN TO MY WORDS AND DO AS I COMMAND." KNIKIE CHANTED. "SEARCH HIGH, SEARCH LOW. FIND THE ONE WHOM IS FOOLING MY SENSES. NOW, GO!"
SUDDENLY, A NEARBY TREE BRANCH SNAPPED AND SOMETHING FELL OUT OF IT. KI UNINTENSIONALLY LET OUT A SCREECH OF SURPRISE.
BACK AT THE CAMP MIKARU AND AINJU BOTH HEARD KI'S CRY. THEY JUMPED TO THEIR FEET AND RACED TO WHERE IT CAME FROM.
"W-WHO ARE YOU?" KI ASKED THE THING THAT HAD FALLEN. "WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO SPY ON US?"
"I WASN'T TRYING TO SPY ON YOU. OW! MY HEAD HURTS NOW!" THE THING SAID.
"COME OUT TO WHERE WE CAN SEE YOU, BEING OF LESSER STATUS." KNIKIE TOLD IT.
THE THING OBEYED. AS IT STEPPED INTO THE MOONLIGHT, IT WAS REVEALED AS A PURPLE ROOSTER. ITS EYES WERE A STRANGE BLUE AND ITS FEET WERE SCRATCHED UP. ITS TALONS WERE DULL TOO. THOUGH IT WAS A STRANGE TO SEE, IT WAS RATHER BEAUTIFUL TOO.
"I APPOLGIZE FOR SCARING YOU MISS, I WAS MERELY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE GUESTS OF THIS FOREST WERE SAFE WHEN THE BRANCH SNAPPED." THE ROOSTER TOLD KI WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE A BOW.
"WHO ARE YOU?" KI ASKED HIM.
"OH, I'M SORRY. THAT WAS RUDE OF ME. MY NAME IS COJIROAN. SOME KNOW ME AS THE SPONTANEOUS CHICKEN. I AM THE GUARDIAN OF THE GUESTS IN THIS FOREST. AFTER ALL, THERE ARE WOLVES HERE." THE ROOSTER REPLIED.
JUST THEN, MIKARU AND AINJU ARRIVED.
"KI-SAN! KNIKIE-CHAN! ARE YOU TWO ALL RIGHT?!" MIKARU YELLED AS HE STOPPED DEAD, AINJU RUNNING INTO HIM.
AT THAT MOMENT KI AND KNIKIE LET OUT A TWIN PAIR OF SCREAMS OF EMBARRASSMENT. MIKARU AND AINJU THEN FOUND THEMSELVES BEING SLAPPED BY KI AND KNIKIE ALIKE.

BACK AT THE CAMPSITE, COJIROAN FOUND HIMSELF BEING HUNG UPSIDE-DOWN IN A TREE. KNIKIE AND KI WERE BOTH BLUSHING WITH ANGER AN EMBARRASSMENT. MIKARU AND AINJU SAT BLUSHING AS WELL.
"WELL, WHAT A PREDICAMENT I SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN YOU ALL IN." COJIROAN SAID INISANTLY.
"SHUT UP! IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED! KEEP TALKING OUT OF TURN AND YOU'LL FIND YOUSELF AS OUR BREAKFAST!" KI YELLED AT HIM.
"SORRY." COJIROAN WHISPERED.
"ANYWAY, I'M SORRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, KI-SAN, KNIKIE-CHAN." MIKARU SAID.
"I'M NOT." AINJU THOUGHT BUT INSTEAD SAID, "SAME HERE."
"YOU'D BETTER BE!" KNIKIE SNAPPED.
"SO, COJIROAN-SAN, YOU SAID YOU PROTECTED THE GUESTS IN THIS FOREST. WHAT DID YOU MEAN?" MIKARU ASKED.
"JUST AS I SAID. THE WOLVES HAVE NO HONOR AND WILL ATTACK PEOPLE AT ANY TIME, DAY OR NIGHT." COJIROAN ANSWERED. "I HAVE MADE IT MY SWORN DUTY TO MAKE SURE NO ONE GETS ATTACKED. IF THEY DO, IT THEN BECOMES MY JOB TO FIGHT OFF THE WOLVES."
"BUT, YOU'RE JUST A CHICKEN." AINJU SAID UNBEILEVING.
"THAT I AM. BUT I'M JUST AS STRONG, NO STRONGER, THAN ANY WOLF HERE." COJIROAN SAID. "BY THE WAY, CAN YOU LET ME GO? THE BLOOD'S RUSHING TO MY HEAD AND I'M GETTING DIZZY."
"SURE, BUT YOU ARE TO STAY HERE UNTIL WE SAY OTHERWISE. GOT IT?" KI ASKED AS SHE STOOD UP AND APPRAOCHED HIM.
"YES, OJOUSAMA." HE SAID AND KI UNTIED HIM.
KI CARRIED HIM TO THE GROUP AND SET HIM DOWN BETWEEN THEM.
"GOOD TIMING COJIROAN, THOSE WOLVES ARE HERE." MIKARU STATED SUDDENLY AS A PACK OF WOLVES SURROUNDED THEM.
AINJU, KNIKIE AND MIKARU ALL STOOD UP AND, INCLUDING KI AND COJIROAN, FORMED A CIRCLE STANDING BACK-TO-BACK. AINJU DREW HIS SWORD AND KI PULLED OUT HER SEPTOR. MIKARU AND KNIKIE CRACKED THEIR KNUCKLES JOYFULLY. COJIROAN ONLY LOWERED HIS HEAD AND PUFFED OUT HIS FEATHERS.
"SO, YOU THINK YOU CAN GET PAST US? WELL, KI-SAN." ONE OF THE WOLVES ASKED.
"TIFFANY-SAMA SENT YOU, DIDN'T SHE?" KI REPLIED.
"CORRECT. LET'S SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO." THE WOLF REPLIED.
THE WOLVES GROWLED AND LEPT AT KI AND HER FRIENDS. AINJU IMMEDIATLY SLASHED TWO OF THEM DEAD. KI RAISED HER SEPTOR AND BLOCKED AN ATTACK FROM ONE AND KNIKIE TORE ITS HEAD OFF WITH HER CLAWS. MIKARU STOOD AND LET THE WOLVES CLOSE IN AROUND HIM UNTIL THEY WERE WITHIN TAIL REACH, AT WHICH POINT HE SPUN AROUND AND HACKED THEM TO PIECES. COJIROAN LEPT ABOUT, TEARING INTO THE WOVLES' BACKS WITH HIS TALONS. THE WOLVES SEEMED TO BE ENDLESS. THEY KEPT COMING NO MATTER HOW MANY WERE TAKEN DOWN.
"WHY AREN'T THEY LEAVING?" AINJU CRIED AS HE TOOK OUT THREE MORE.
"BECAUSE THEY WANT TO KILL US, YOU IDIOT!" KNIKIE SAID.
"WHAT I MEANT WAS, WHY ARE THERE SO MANY!" HE ASKED.
"THEIR LEADER IS A MAGE!" COJIROAN SHOUTED SUDDENLY.
"WHAT!?" KI ASKED, THROUGHLY SHOCKED.
"IT IS A DEMON'S MINION AND IT KEEPS SUMMONING MORE WOLVES!" COJIROAN ANSWERED.
"THEN, WOULDN'T IT BE EASY TO FIND THEIR LEADER!" KI ASKED.
"NOT NECCESARALY KI-SAN. DEMON MINIONS ARE JUST HIGH INTELLIGANT ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN POSSESSED BY A DEMON." MIKARU SAID.

CHAPTER IX
COJIROAN'S ABILITIES
"WHAT?!" KI CRIED, BLOCKING ANOTHER WOLF AND KICKING IT AWAY. "SO THEN, WE CAN'T TELL WHICH ONE WE NEED TO KILL?"
"EXACTLY." MIKARU REPLIED.
"SO LET'S JUST KILL'EM ALL!" AINJU STATED.
"THAT WON'T BE SO EASY. BUT, I HAVE AN IDEA." COJIROAN SAID AS HE LEPT OVER THREE MORE WOLVES AND LANDED IN A TREE. "ALL THE FOUR OF YOU NEED TO DO IS COVER ME."
"RIGHT!" KI, KNIKIE, AINJU AND MIKARU SHOUTED TOGETHER.
"SPEARS OF LIGHT THAT PASS THROUGH THE TREES OF MY HOME, GRANT ME THIS ONE WISH." COJIROAN WHISPERED AND A SLIGHT WIND KICKED UP. "BRING MY SENSE OF SIGHT TO ITS PEAK. BLESS THESE WOLVES IN FRONT OF ME WITH AN AURA ALL THEIR OWN."
COJIROAN BEGAN GLOWING AS HE FINISHED HIS SPELL. KI, KNIKIE, AINJU AND MIKARU DIDN'T NOTICE BUT KEPT ON SLAYING ANY WOLF THAT CAME NEAR.
"KILL ALL THE WOLVES YOU CAN! THAT IS ALL I REQUEST!" COJIROAN SHOUTED TO THEM.
FROM HIS PERCH, COJIROAN WATCHED AS WOLF AFTER WOLF WENT DOWN. NEW ONES WERE CONSTANTLY APPEARING FROM NOWHERE. IN HIS EYES HE SAW AN AURA ON SOME OF THEM, OTHERS, THE NEW ONES, DIDN'T HAVE THIS. AS THE WOLVES DROPPED, FEWER AND FEWER HAD THE AURA. WITHIN A MINUTE'S TIME, ONLY TWO WOVLES REMAINED WITH THE AURA. ONE OF THEM, WAS THE REAL ONE.
"KI-SAN, THE ONE NEXT TO THAT TREE, KILL IT! KNIKIE-CHAN, THE ONE BY THE FIRE! GO NOW!" HE SHOUTED TO KI AND KNIKIE.
"OKAY!" KI AND KNIKIE SAID TOGETHER AS THEY WENT FOR THE ONES THEY WERE TOLD TO.
KI RAISED HER SEPTOR AND CRUSHED THE SKULL OF HERS AND KNIKIE TORE THE HEAD OFF OF HERS. ALL AT ONCE, THE WOLVES VANISHED. THE FIVE SIGHED AND RETURNED TO THEIR SPOTS AT THE CAMPFIRE.
"WELL, THAT WAS ANNOYING." KI SAID AS SHE YAWNED.
"IT CERTAINLY WAS." MIKARU AGREED.
"GOOD JOB EVERYONE. AND THANK YOU FOR KILLING THEM OFF." COJIROAN SAID HAPPILY. "NOW I HAVE NO REASON TO STAY HERE. ALL OF THEM ARE DEAD."
"GOOD FOR YOU." AINJU SAID SARACASTICALLY.
"HEY! I'M TRYING TO BE NICE!" COJIROAN YELLED.
"SORRY BIG CHICKEN BROTHER, BUT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY SLEEP TONIGHT. AND NOW WE HAVE TO START ON OUR WAY AGAIN BECAUSE THE SUN'S COMING UP." KNIKIE SIGHED.
"WELL, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT." COJIROAN SAID.
"ITS OKAY COJIROAN-SAN, WE FINISHED WHEN WE DID BECAUSE OF YOU." KI SAID HAPPILY. "IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOUR SPELL, WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH LONGER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN."
"BY THE WAY, I'VE BEEN MEANING TO ASK, HOW CAN YOU SPEAK? AND WHY CAN YOU CAST SPELLS?" MIKARU ASKED.
"WELL, YOU SEE, I TOO, WAS ONCE A DEMON MINION." COJIROAN REPLIED.
"WHAT!?" ALL FOUR YELLED AT ONCE.
"I WAS A DEMON MINION. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THOUGH I FOUND MY WAY TO THE SWORD OF THE GODS. YOU ALL KNOW OF IT RIGHT?"
"YEAH. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED." KI ANSWERED.
"WELL, ONCE THERE I ASKED IT TO SET ME FREE. IN RETURN I WOULD GUARD MY HOME FOREST FROM ANY EVIL THAT LAY THERE. AND MY WISH WAS GRANTED. I AM NOW FREED FROM MY DEMON MASTER AND AM FREE FROM MY BONDS HERE. I STILL HAVE ANY AND ALL THE ABLITIES I HAD AS A MINION, WHICH IS GOOD FOR ME AND YOU." COJIROAN EXPLAINED.
"HOW OLD ARE YOU?" MIKARU ASKED SUDDENLY.
"WHAT? ABOUT FIFTY THOUSAND OR SO I'D SAY." COJIROAN REPLIED SLIGHTLY CONFUSED.
"AND YOUR FORMER MASTER'S NAME WAS KIKO, WASN'T IT?" MIKARU ASKED.
"KIKO!" CRIED A SHOCKED KI AND KNIKIE.
"YES, HOW DID YOU KNOW?" COJIROAN ASKED.
"WHO'S KIKO?" AINJU ASKED.
"KIKO WAS MY BROTHER." MIKARU STATED.
"WHAT!?" COJIROAN AND AINJU CRIED TOGTHER.
"SO THE CHICKEN'S MASTER WAS YOUR BROTHER?" AINJU ASKED.
"YES HE WAS. AND YOU HEARD ME COJIROAN." MIKARU REPLIED.
"WELL I SAY THAT'S A GOOD REASON TO TAKE HIM ALONG." KI SAID.
"SAME HERE! ANY FORMER MINION OF UNKNOWN BIG BROTHER IS A FRIEND OF MINE!" KNIKIE AGREED. (REMEMBER, KNIKIE IS ONLY FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OLD AND KIKO DIED FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS AGO.)
"WELL, I GUESS HE COULD TAG ALONG IF HE WANTS TO." MIKARU SAID.
"I DON'T CARE EITHER WAY." AINJU REPLIED.
"I'D LOVE TO COME ALONG." COJIROAN SAID WITH A CHICKEN'S GRIN.
"WELL, LET'S GET GOING THEN." KI SAID AND THEY FOUR OF THEM BEGAN THEIR JOURNEY ONCE MORE, COJIROAN TROTTING AT THEIR FEET.

CHAPTER X
KI'S CONFESSION
"FINALLY WE REACH YELLOWDIL." KNIKIE SAID HAPPILY.
"ITS BEAUTIFUL." KI SIGHED.
"ISN'T IT THOUGH?" COJIROAN AGREED.
"WHATEVER." MIKARU AND AINJU SAID TOGETHER.
THE CITY WAS ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF ORANGLE'S SIZE. IT WAS FILLED WITH TALL BUILDINGS AND WAS AN AMAZING SIGHT IN THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.
"WELL, LET'S GO FIND A HOTEL TO STAY AT." KI SUGGESTED.
"LET'S, I'M TIRED." MIKARU STATED.
"BIG BROTHER, WE MIGHT WANT TO TRANSFORM." KNIKIE SAID.
"GOOD POINT. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DRAW A CROWD OR SCARE ANYONE AWAY."
A BLACK FIREY AURA SURROUNDED THEM AND CLEARED AWAY TO REVEAL THEIR HUMAN SELVES. WITH THIS, THE PARTY VENTUERED INTO THE CITY.
THE CITY WAS MUCH LARGER ONCE YOU WERE ACCUALLY IN IT. YOU NEVER NEEDED TO WORRY ABOUT RUNNING INTO SOME ONE IN THE DARK BECAUSE THERE WERE LIGHTS EVERYWHERE. COJIROAN QUICKLY FOUND IT HARD TO KEEP UP WHILE DOGDING FEET IN THE BUSY STREETS AND TOOK A PERCH ON KNIKIE'S SHOULDER. AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE HALF AN HOUR THE GROUP FINALLY FOUND A HOTEL AND WENT INSIDE.
SURPRISINGLY THE PLACE WASN'T VERY CROWDED. PEOPLE SAT HERE AND THERE, BUT WEREN'T ALL OVER THE PLACE. KI WENT TO GET THE ROOMS WHILE AINJU, MIKARU, KNIKIE, AND COJIROAN GOT A TABLE TO SIT DOWN AT. WHEN KI RETURNED, SHE GAVE OUT THE ROOM KEYS AND SAT DOWN AS WELL.
"THE MANAGER SAID THAT WE SEEMED LIKE AN ODD BUNCH." KI SAID WITH A SMILE.
"I WOULDN'T DOUBT THAT." COJIROAN SAID. "OR AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY IF KNIKIE-CHAN AND MIKARU-SAN WEREN'T IN HUMAN FORM."
"SAME HERE." AINJU AGREED.
"ABOUT THAT, I ASKED HER WHY SHE SAID WHAT SHE DID AND HER REPLY WAS 'I KNOW THOSE TWO THAT LOOK ALIKE AREN'T HUMAN. THE ROOSTER ISN'T NORMAL EITHER.' I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW SHE KNEW, BUT SHE SAID YOU CAN RELAX AND BE YOURSELVES WHILE YOU'RE HERE." KI SAID.
"WELL, WE MIGHT AS WELL NOT BE RUDE." MIKARU STATED AS HE TRANSFORMED BACK.
"YEAH, PROBABLY." KNIKIE AGREED AND TRANSFORMED AS WELL.
SURPRISINGLY, NO ONE AROUND REALLY TOOK MUCH NOTICE OR CARE AT THIS. THE MANAGER, WHO WAS BEHIND THE COUNTER, ONLY SMILED AND WENT BACK TO HER WORK. MIKARU SIGHED HAPPILY AT BEING ABLE TO BE HIMSELF IN THE HUMAN PUBLIC. KNIKIE DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE.
"I KNOW YOU'D LIKE TO KEEP A TIGHT SCHEDULE, BUT I'D LIKE TO LOOK AROUND A BIT TOMARROW BEFORE WE LEAVE." KI SAID.
"FINE BY ME. I WAS THINKING ABOUT RELAXING A BIT LONGER TOO. IT'S BEEN AWHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN IN A HUMAN CROWD AND WAS ABLE TO BE MYSELF." MIKARU SAID.
"COOL, I LIKE LOOKING AROUND IN CITIES." COJIROAN STATED. "I HAVEN'T BEEN IN ONE FOR A WHILE THOUGH BECAUSE OF MY FOREST DUTY."
"SO WE'RE STAYING HERE AWHILE THEN?" AINJU ASKED.
"I'D SAY UNTIL NOON TOMARROW AT THE LONGEST, YES." KI REPLIED.
"OKAY THEN. I'M GOING TO BED." WITH THIS, AINJU STOOD UP AND LEFT.
"WHY DID YOU BECOME HIS GRILFRIEND AGAIN?" MIKARU ASKED.
"BECAUSE HE WAS ACCUALLY NICE BEFORE HE MET YOU. QUITE A GENTLEMAN I MIGHT SAY." KI ANSWERED. "I'M STARTING TO REGRET BEING SO CLOSE TO HIM NOW."
KNIKIE YAWNED SUDDENLY AND SAID, "I'M TIRED. I'M GOING TO BED. C'MON BIG CHICKEN BROTHER, YOU CAN SLEEP WITH ME."
SO KNIKIE AND COJIROAN LEFT, LEAVING MIKARU AND KI ALONE.
"YOU ARE?" MIKARU ASKED QUITE SURPRISED.
"YEAH, YOU WEREN'T AROUND WHEN I SMACKED HIM BACK IN ORANGLE." KI STATED.
"SO YOU FINALLY GOT THAT MAD AT HIM."
"YEAH. HE WAS CALLING KNIKIE-CHAN A RAT AND YOU A PIECE OF FILTH AGAIN. IT FINALLY GOT TO ME. I'VE NEVER HIT ANY OF MY SUJECTS BEFORE AND NOT HURT INSIDE, AND IT DIDN'T HURT ME TO HIT HIM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. HE'S CHANGED SOMEHOW. HE ISN'T THE ONE I FELL IN LOVE WITH ANYMORE. EVER SINCE HE MET YOU, WE'VE BEEN TEARING APART. HE'S BECOME SOME ONE I DON'T LOVE ANYMORE. AND IT DOESN'T HURT TO SAY THAT." KI SAID CALMLY AND SOFTLY. "I'M SORRY, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TOLD YOU ALL THIS. I'M GOING TO BED."
KI STOOD UP TO LEAVE BUT MIKARU GRABBED HER WRIST AND STOPPED HER.
WITHOUT LOOKING AT HER AND SPEAKING IN A KIND VOICE SHE HAD NEVER HEARD HIM USE BEFORE, MIKARU SAID, "IT'S ALRIGHT. I'M GLAD YOU CAN THINK OF ME AS SOME ONE YOU CAN TURN TO IN TIMES OF NEED. IF THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG IN THE FUTURE, FEEL FREE TO TELL ME. I DON'T MIND."
"ALRIGHT. THANK YOU." SHE SAID WITH A THANKFUL SMILE AND A TEAR OF HAPPINESS IN HER EYES.
MIKARU LET HER GO AND KI WENT UP TO HER ROOM.
"KI-SAN, YOU REMIND ME SO MUCH OF CHI-CHAN. I'M GLAD I CHOSE YOU FOR MY GUIDE." MIKARU THOUGHT. "I SWEAR, IF YOU EVER NEED ANYONE TO LISTEN, I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU. AFTER ALL, YOU'RE THERE FOR ME."
MIKARU STOOD UP AND WENT TO HIS ROOM, A SMILE ON HIS FACE.

"IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE BEEN IN A HUMAN CITY!" KI CRIED JOYFULLY.
"SAME HERE." AINJU AGREED.
IT WAS MORNING NOW. KI AND KNIKIE WERE EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO LOOK AROUND. AINJU WAS STILL HALF-ASLEEP SO HE REALLY DIDN'T SEEM TO WANT TO DO MUCH. MIKARU AND COJIROAN, WHO WAS ON HIS SHOULDER, WERE MERELY TAGGING ALONE BEHIND KI AND KNIKIE BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING BETTER TO DO.
"BIG SISTER LOOK!" KNIKIE CRIED, POINTING AT SOMETHING IN A SHOP WINDOW.
"HM? WOW! NOW THAT'S COOL!" KI SAID.
IN THE WINDOW WAS QUITE A VARITY OF JEWELED WEAPONS. FROM SWORDS TO SPEARS. FROM BOWS TO STAFFS. ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU COULD DREAM OF.
"BIG SISTER, LOOK AT THAT!" KNIKIE SAID, POINTING AT SOMETHING.
"NOW THAT'S, AWESOME." KI SAID UNBELIEVING.
IT WAS A MACE. IT WAS MADE OF A VERY STRONG AND SHINNING METAL. THE SPIKES WERE SHARP AND REFLECTED THE SUN'S RAYS. ALMOST THE ENTIRE THING WAS STUDDED WITH A COMBINATION OF RUBIES, SAPHIRES, AND EMERALDS.
"I'M BUYING IT." KNIKIE SAID AND WENT INSIDE.
"I'M COOL." KI SAID STANDING UP AGAIN. "MY SEPTOR CAN BEAT ANY MACE."
AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES KNIKIE CAME BACK OUT OF THE STORE. A BIG SMILE ON HER FACE AS SHE CARRIED HER NEW 'TOY', AS SHE CALLED IT.
"WELL, WE'D BETTER GET GOING. IT'S ALMOST NOON." COJIROAN STATED.
SO THE PARTY LEFT YELLOWDIL, KNIKIE HAPPILY CARRYING HER MACE AND COJIROAN ON HER SHOULDER ADMIRING IT.

CHAPTER XI
COJIROAN'S FEAR
"GREENZA! GREENZA!" KNIKIE SANG HAPPILY.
"I'M SURPRISED, IT TOOK ONLY A FEW HOURS TO GET HERE." MIKARU STATED.
"WELL, LETS GET GOING." KI SAID.
"WAIT!" COJIROAN CRIED SUDDENLY. "YOU KNOW, WE COULD JUST SKIP THIS TOWN AND MOVE ON."
"YEAH, BUT WHY WOULD WE DO THAT?" AINJU ASKED.
"WELL, BECAUSE IT'S SO NICE OUT TODAY AND WILL PROBABLY BE SO ALL NIGHT TOO."
"IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT THE WHOLE WAY. WHY IS TONIGHT SO DIFFERENT?" MIKARU ASKED.
"...WELL..." COJIROAN LOOKED AT HIS FEET. "I-ITS BECAUSE I'M AFAID OF THIS TOWN..."
"WHY? I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT." KNIKIE STATED.
"COJIRAON-SAN!" SOME ONE CRIED.
THE GROUP TURNED TO SEE A GOAT RUNNING TOWARDS THEM. IT WAS BLACK AND IT EYES WERE GREY. IT HAD A PAIR OF HORNS THAT WERE ABOUT HALF A FOOT LONG.
"WHO ARE YOU?" KI ASKED IT WHEN IT REACHED THEM.
"MY NAME IS JACK." THE GOAT SAID.
"GO AWAY JACK-SAN." COJIROAN SAID IN A CHICKENY GROWL.
"IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME THOUGH." JACK SAID SADLY.
"YEAH, AND I STILL DON'T LIKE YOU. AT LEAST YOUR SPEECH HAS IMPROVED THOUGH." COJIROAN SAID, STILL GROWLING.
"SO, JACK-SAN, HOW DO YOU KNOW COJIROAN-KUN?" MIKARU ASKED.
"WELL, IT WAS ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO. I WENT WANDING IN THE FOREST BETWEEN ORANGLE AND YELLOWDIL ONE DAY. AS IT BEGAN TO GET DARK, A PACK OF WOLVES ATTACKED ME. I WAS YOUNG AND DEFENCELESS. BUT THEN, COJIROAN-SAN CAME AND SAVED ME. I WAS SO GREATFUL. I ASKED HIM HOW I COULD REPAY HIM." JACK SAID.
"AND I TOLD YOU THAT ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS LEARN TO SPEAK THE HUMAN-TONGUE. AND YOU'VE LEARNED JUST FINE. SO GO AWAY!" COJIROAN SHOUTED.
"I TOLD YOU THAT THAT WASN'T NEARLY ENOUGH. SO I DECIDED THAT I WOULD REPAY YOU BY MARRYING YOU!" JACK CRIED.
"I'M A CHICKEN AND YOU'RE A GOAT! IT WON'T WORK!" COJIROAN YELLED.
"I FIGURED YOU'D SAY THAT..." JACK SAID. "SO, I FOUND A WAY TO GET AROUND THAT."
"WHAT?" KI, KNIKIE, AINJU, MIKARU, AND COJIROAN ASKED TOGETHER.
"LIGHT THAT GIVES LIFE, THAT CREATES SHAPES AND FIGURES, FALL UNDER MY CONTROL FOR JUST THIS MOMENT AND DO MY BIDDING." JACK CHANTED HAPPILY. "HUMAN!"
A FLASH OF LIGHT EXPLODED AND WHEN IT CLEARED, JACK AND COJIROAN WERE BOTH HUMANS. JACK WORE BLACK PANTS AND SHIRT WHILE COJIROAN WORE PURPLE PANTS AND SHIRT. BOTH LOOKED VERY HANDSOME AS HUMANS.
"JACK-SAN'S A BOY!" KI, KNIKIE, AINJU, AND MIKARU CRIED, COMPLETELY STUNNED.
"WHY DO YOU THINK I NEVER LET HIM MARRY ME?" COJIROAN ASKED.
"COJIROAN-SAN, I HAVE DEDICATED MYSELF TO YOU." JACK SAID AS HE LAYED HIS HEAD ON COJIROAN'S CHEST. "I COULDN'T CARE IF YOU LOVE ME. I WANT TO REPAY YOU. SO PLEASE, LET ME."
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" COJIROAN CRIED AS HE TRIED TO STEP AWAY, BUT JACK PUT HIS ARMS AROUND HIM.
"OKAY, THIS IS GETTING WEIRD." AINJU STATED.
"OH YEAH." MIKARU AGREED.
"AW! SO CUTE!" KI CRIED LOVINGLY.
"ISN'T IT?" KNIKIE, WHO HAD FOR SOME REASON BECOME A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD, ASKED.
"GIRLS AND GAYS..." MIKARU AN AINJU SAID TOGETHER.
"WHAT WAS THAT YOU FILTH?" AINJU ASKED.
"DON'T GO STARTIN' THIS AGAIN!" MIKARU CRIED.
"COJIROAN-SAN, MAY I CALL YOU, COJIROAN?" JACK ASKED, LOOKING INTO COJIROAN'S EYES.
"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!" COJIROAN SCREAMED, NOW TREMBLING WITH FEAR.
"I WON'T..." JACK SAID SOFTLY AND DREW NEAR COJIROAN'S LIPS.
COJIROAN FACE WAS PINK AS HE STRUGGLED TO GET AWAY. KI AND KNIKIE WERE WIDE-EYED AND SIGHING HAPPILY. MIKARU AND AINJU WERE BUSY FIGHTING, MIKARU WAS WINNING OF COURSE.
"P-PLEASE...D-DON'T" COJIROAN STUTTERED, NOW COMPLETELY RED.
"NEVER." JACK WHISPERED AND KISSED COJIROAN SOFTLY.
"WOOOOOOOOOW!" KI AND KNIKIE CRIED TOGETHER IN JOY.
"SHUT UP FILTH!" AINJU YELLED.
"MAKE ME." MIKARU DARED.
"COJIROAN, I LOVE YOU." JACK WHISPERED. "PROMISE ME YOU WILL MARRY ME."
"I BETTER DO IT, OR I'LL NEVER GET AWAY FROM HIM." COJIROAN THOUGHT, THEN SIAD WITH A HEAVY SIGH, "ALRIGHT, I'LL DO IT... JUST, LET ME FINISH WHAT I SET OUT TO DO. THEN, I PROMISE I'LL COME BACK FOR AND MARRY YOU."
"HURRAY!" JACK CRIED HAPPILY. "AND UNTIL YOU COME BACK, I'LL JUST LEAVE YOU AS A HUMAN. THAT WAY, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TO BECOME NORMAL AGAIN."
COJIROAN SIGHED AND SAID, "FINE. BUT REMEMBER, WHEN I RETURN FOR YOU, I WANT TO BECOME NORMAL ANYTIME I WANT."
"OF COURSE." JACK SAID, THEN TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO THE REST OF THE GROUP AND SAID, "YOU ALL ARE WLCOME TO STAY AT MY HOUSE FOR THE NIGHT.
"ALRIGHT." KI SAID AND THE GROUP HEADED TO HIS HOME FOR THE NIGHT.

"WELL, I'LL WISH ALL OF YOU GOOD LUCK." JACK SAID IN THE MORNING.
"THANK YOU." KI SAID.
"REMEMBER TO COME BACK FOR ME COJIROAN. I'LL BE WAITING." JACK REMINDED HIM.
"YEAH, YEAH. JUST WHEN I COME BACK, YOU ARE TO STAY OUT OF MY BED!" COJIROAN SHOUTED.
"YOU TWO SLEPT TOGETHER?" KNIKIE ASKED EVILY.
"YOU BETTER LEARN TO SHUT THAT MOUTH OF YOURS BEFORE I WASH IT WITH SOAP!" AINJU YELLED AT MIKARU.
"YOU MEAN TO SAY YOU'VE NEVER HEARD THE DEVIL'S WORDS? SOME MAN YOU ARE." MIKARU REPLIED WITH AN EVIL SMILE.
"C'MON! WE'RE OUTTA HERE!" COJIROAN SAID AS THEY BEGAN THEIR JOURNEY ONCE MORE, JACK WATCHING AS HIS LOVED ONE DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT.
"I LOVE YOU COJIROAN. I REALLY DO." HE SAID AND WENT BACK INSIDE HIS HOUSE.

CHAPTER XII
A COLD NIGHT
"DAMN IT! WHY IS IT SO FREAKING COLD!?" COJIROAN ASKED.
"WELCOME TO THE HUMAN WORLD. YOU JUST AREN'T USED TO HAVING NO FEATHERS." KI SAID WITH A SIGH.
"Y'KNOW WHAT, HUMANS SUCK." COJIROAN STATED.
"SHUT UP CHICKEN! JUST BECAUSE YOU AREN'T USED TO THE HUMAN WAY OF LIFE DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN INSULT US. WE'VE BUILT THINGS YOU AND THE REST OF THE ANIMALS NEVER COULD." AINJU SAID.
"YEAH, BUT HUMANS ARE PHYSICALLY WEAK. YOU CAN'T RUN VERY FAST, CAN'T FLY, CAN'T EVEN TAKE A WOLF ON BARE HANDED WITH STRENTH ALONE." COJIROAN STATED.
"AINJU, I'D HAVE TO AGREE WITH COJIROAN-KUN ON THIS SUBJECT. IT IS PRETTY COLD." KI SAID.
"DAMN CHICKEN..." AINJU WHISPERED TO HIMSELF.
"IS IT COLD? I'M FINE." KNIKIE ASKED.
"KNIKIE-CHAN, DON'T BE RUDE, WE'RE DEMONS." MIKARU TOLD HER.
"LUCKIES..." COJIROAN SAID.
"YOU'LL GET USED TO IT COJIROAN-KUN. I KNOW YOU WILL." KI SAID.
"YEAH, I KNOW." COJIROAN SIGHED.
"BIG CHICKEN BROTHER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CUDDLE WITH ME IF YOU'RE COLD." KNIKIE STATED FRIENDILY.
"...THANKS?" COJIROAN ASKED AS KNIKIE SAT BESIDE HIM AND LEANED UP AGAINST HIM.
"KNIKIE-CHAN, DON'T GO TREATING HIM LIKE A CHICKEN STILL." MIKARU TOLD HER.
"BUT HE IS. HE'S JUST A LITTLE FUNNY LOOKING." KNIKIE SAID.
"I'M GOING TO KILL JACK." COJIROAN SIGHED.
"BUT YOU TWO ARE SO CUTE TOGETHER." KI STATED WITH A SMALL SHIVER.
"SHUT UP!" COJIROAN CRIED TURNING A SLIGHT PINK.
AINJU SAW KI'S SHIVER AND WALKED OVER TO HER AND SAT BESIDE HER. HE PUT AN ARM AROUND HER AND PULLED HER CLOSE TO HIM. KI GROANED SOFTLY AT HIS ACTIONS BUT DIDN'T FIGHT HIM.
"EVERYONE LOOKS NICE AND CUDDLY." MIKARU TEASED, TURNING EVERYONE PINK, ACCEPT KNIKIE, WHO TURNED A DARK GREY. (I THINK I MIGHT WANT TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING HERE. A LIGHT GREY WOULD BE LIKE OUR RED, WHILE A DARK GREY WOULD BE LIKE OUR PINK. SORRY FOR TELLING YOU SO LATE.)
"SHUT UP BIG BROTHER!" KNIKIE CRIED.
"YEAH! WHEN DID YOU GET SO EVIL?" KI ASKED.
"I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HELP IT." MIKARU SAID WITH A FRIENDLY SMILE.
"YOU ROTTEN FILTH!" AINJU CRIED AND JUMPED UP TO ATTACK HIM.
MIKARU STOOD UP AND STEPPED OUT OF HIS SWORD'S PATH. WITH A SWIFT KNOCK ON THE HEAD, AINJU PASSED OUT.
"THAT TAKES CARE OF HIM." MIKARU SIGHED.
"WE'D BETTER GET HIM NEAR THE FIRE AND GET A BLANKET ON HIM, LESS HE FREEZE TONIGHT." KI SAID.
"RIGHT."
WITH THIS, KI AND MIKARU MOVED AINJU TO THE FIRE AND WRAPPED HIM WITH KI'S BLANKET, THIS, OF COURSE LEFT HER ALMOST COMPLETELY EXPOSED TO THE COLD, MAKING HER SHIVER ONCE MORE.
KI WALKED OVER TO WHERE SHE WAS SITTING AND SAT DOWN ONCE MORE. LOOKING OVER AT HIS SISTER AND COJIROAN AND FINDING THAT THEY WERE ASLEEP, MIKARU WALKED OVER AND SAT BESIDE KI. KI DIDN'T FLINCH WHEN HE DID THIS, FOR SHE WAS USED TO HIM SITTING BY HER.
"EVERYONE LOOKS PRETTY WARM NOW BUT YOU, KI-SAN." MIKARU STATED WITH A SIGH.
"AS LONG AS THEY ARE OKAY, I DON'T CARE." KI SAID.
"KI-CHAN," MIKARU BEGAN, MAKING KI BLUSH A BRIGHT RED, "YOU ARE FAR TOO KIND AND HELPFUL FOR YOUR OWN GOOD."
"TH-THANK YOU..." KI STUTTERED SHYLY.
"I'M SORRY, HAVE I OFFENED YOU?" MIKARU ASKED IN THAT STRANGE KIND VOICE ONCE MORE.
"N-NO, I'M FINE." KI SAID WITH ANOTHER SHIVER.
"KI-CHAN, YOU ARE COLD." MIKARU STATED AND PUT HIS ARM AROUND HER AND GENTLY MADE HER LEAN ON HIM.
"M-MIKARU-KUN..." KI STUTTERED IN ALMOST A WHISPER.
"ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS? I'LL LET YOU GO IF YOU AREN'T." HE TOLD HER.
"I-I'M FINE..." KI WHIPERED.
"THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR." MIKARU SAID AND LAYED HIS HEAD ON HERS. "IT'D BE SAD FOR A FRIEND OF MINE TO BE UNCOMFORTALBE AROUND ME.
IT TOOK A HALF-HOUR OF SILENCE, BUT KI AND MIKARU DID FALL ASLEEP TOGETHER. MIKARU, AS USUAL, WAS THE FIRST TO AWAKEN. HE WOKE KI AND THEY PULLED APART FROM EACH OTHER SO THAT NO ONE ELSE WOULD KNOW HOW THEY SLEPT.
"KI-SAN, I'M GOING TO GET US SOME FISH FOR BREAKFAST." MIKARU SAID IN HIS ORDINARY VOICE AS HE WENT OFF INTO THE FOREST.
"WHAT WAS THAT LAST NIGHT?" KI ASKED HERSELF. "HE WAS USING SUCH A STRANGE VOICE. THE ONLY OTHER TIME I'VE EVER HEARD HIM USE IT BEFORE WAS IN YELLOWDIL, WHEN HE WAS TELLING ME THAT I COULD LOOK TO HIM IN TIMES OF NEED. BUT, THIS TIME, HE CALLED ME...'CHAN'...WHAT WAS ALL THAT? WAS IT A DREAM? IF SO, WHY WERE WE TOGETHER THIS MORNING? AND WHY WAS MY HEART BEATING SO FAST? AND JUST NOW, HE WAS ACTING NORMALLY. I'M SO CONFUSED. AINJU NEVER MADE ME REACT LIKE THIS..."
KI STOOD UP AND REMOVED HER BLANKET FROM AINJU AND SAT DOWN AGAIN.
"I BETTER FORGET ABOUT IT. OTHERWISE, SOME ONE MAY START THINKING I'M ACTING ODDLY." KI TOLD HERSELF AS SHE TOOK A DEEP BREATH.
WHEN MIKARU RETURNED, EVERYONE WAS AWAKE. THEY ATE LIKE ALWAYS AND BEGAN THEIR JOURNEY ONCE MORE.

CHAPTER XIII
WOLVES AND THE FLETCHER CLAN
"HEY, COJIROAN-KUN. THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SERVIROR OR TWO FROM THE WOLVES?" MIKARU ASKED.
"QUITE POSSILBY." COJIROAN ANSWERED.
THE GROUP STOOD BACK-TO-BACK ONCE MORE WITH THEIR WEAPONS DRAWN. ALL AROUND THEM WERE A PACK OF WOLVES. THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY FROM THE SAME PACK AS THE OTHERS. THEY TOO, SAID TIFFANY HAD SENT THEM.
"WHY NOT JUST DO THE SAME THING AS LAST TIME?" KI ASKED.
"I CAN'T USE ANY OF MY MINION SPELLS. I'M NOT IN MINION FORM." COJIROAN STATED.
"WELL, WE'RE IN A PICKLE." SAID A WORRIED AINJU.
"WELL, LET'S NOT STAND AROUND, THAT WON'T GET US ANYWHERE." KNIKIE STATED.
"TOO TRUE." THE WOLF LEADER AGREED AND SENT HIS PACK AT THEM WITH A SPINE TINGLING HOWL.
KI, KNIKIE, AINJU, AND MIKARU IMMEDIATLY WENT INTO ACTION. COJIROAN, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS A LITTLE HESITANT. FOR HE WAS NOT USED TO HIS HUMAN BODY QUITE YET. HE STAGGERED BACKWARD AS HE RAISED HIS FISTS. KI NOTICED HE WASN'T A GREAT FIGHTER AS A HUMAN YET, AND RAN TO HELP HIM.
"THANKS KI-SAN." COJIROAN SAID AS SHE KNOCKED AWAY AN ATTCKING WOLF.
"NO PROBLEM." SHE REPLIED.
"FIRE THAT BLAZES BRIGHTLY, HOTTER THAN THE CORE. COME INTO MY HAND, AND OBEY MY COMMAND!" KNIKIE CHANTED AND A FIREBALL APPEARED IN HER HAND.
AS KNIKIE REPEATEDLY SUMMONED AND THREW HER FIREBALSS, MIKARU CHANTED A SPELL IN ELVISH. (THE ELF LANGUAGE.) AINJU HAD HIS HANDS FULL WITH AROUND TEN WOLVES THAT REFUSED TO BE HIT BY HIS SWORD.
"ROTATING SPHERE!" MIKARU YELLED AND A LARGE BALL OF RAW MAGIC APPEARED IN FRONT OF HIM.
WITH THE PALM OF HIS RIGHT HAND, MIKARU HIT THE BALL AND COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED ABOUT THIRTY WOLVES, INCLUDING AINJU'S.
"ALRIGHT BIG BROTHER!" KNIKIE CHEERED, TEARING THROUGH A FEW WOLVES WITH HER MACE.
"OH THANKS A LOT, FILTH!" AINJU YELLED ANGERLY.
"ANYTIME." MIKARU SAID. "HOW YA HOLDIN' UP KI-SAN?!"
"I COULD USE A LITTLE HELP!" KI ADMITTED AS SHE CAUGHT A WOLF'S ATTACK AND THREW IT TO THE GROUND.
KNIKIE THREW A FIREBALL AT HER FEET AND USED THE EXPLOSION TO BACKFLIP TO WHERE KI AND COJIROAN STOOD. IMMEDIATELY, SHE HACKED APART THREE WOLVES.
"THANK YOU KNIKIE-CHAN." COJIROAN SAID.
"IT AIN'T OVER YET!" AINJU YELLED.
"LIGHT ARROW!!" SOME ONE YELLED.
A WHITE ARROW BLAZED PAST THEM AND STABBED A WOLF RIGHT IN ITS HEART, KILLING IT INSTANTLY.
"BLOOD ARROW!" ANOTHER PERSON YELLED.
A RED ARROW FLEW PASTAND KILLED ANOTHER WOLF.
"STRIKE ARROW!" SOME ONE ELSE YELLED.
"LAUNCH ARROW!" YET ANOTHER PERSON YELLED.
A BLUE ARROW AND A PURPLE ARROW SUNK INTO TWO MORE WOLVES, KILLING THEM.
"ARE YOU FIVE ALL RIGHT!?" THE FIRST PERSON ASKED.
KI, KNIKIE, COJIROAN, MIKARU, AND AINJU ALL TURNED TO FIND SIX MEN STANDING IN A LINE, EACH CARRYING A BOW AND A QUIVER OF ARROWS. ONE OF THEM RAN FORWARD AND BLOCKED AN ATTACKING WOLF WITH HIS BOW.
"SHIELD ARROW!" HE YELLED AND FIRED AN ORANGE ARROW AT IT.
ALMOST INSTANTLY A BARRIER WENT UP AROUND KI, HER FRIENDS, AND THE SIX MEN.
"YEAH WE'RE FINE NOW I GUESS." KI REPLIED.
THE FIRST MAN STEPPED UP TO HER AND KNELT DOWN, GRABBING HER HAND AND BOWING HIS HEAD ON IT. "THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR, MY DEAR." HE SAID.
ANOTHER CAME OVER AND HIT HIM ON