Setting: Chase Young's citadel. Present day. The day after the final battle with Shix.
Chase awoke the next morning, unable to find KJ around the citadel. He walked to the library while holding his head. Over the night, had silently vowed to be kinder to her, if he wanted her to believe him.
Sighing, Chase leaned against the wall as he softly knocked on the library door.
When he didn't receive an answer, he opened the door and walked inside.
He saw KJ still lying in bed, asleep.
He walked closer to her, and saw that she had a pained look on her face, and was breathing heavily.
"The poison must be taking effect." He muttered to himself. "I should let it run it's course."
Quietly walking back out of the library, Chase leaving the door open behind him.
As he re-entered the hall, he saw a black panther make it's way to the library, where it circled in front of the doorway before lying down.
Chase smiled slightly and continued walking to his meditation room.
"Retraining KJ and helping her remember will be a difficult task." He told himself, assuming the meditative position and closing his eyes. "I will need help..."
He continued thinking about that when he remembered something that he once heard KJ talk about.
In her travels, she had encountered a young girl with great talent in fighting, and knowledge of magic. Her name was... ... ... Well, he'd worry about that when the time came.
"But to find her, knowing her name would help a great deal." Chase muttered to himself.
Unable to concentrate, Chase got up and walked into the weapon room, where he grabbed a staff.
"I suppose I'll have to wait until KJ wakes until I can find that girl." He told himself.
Still unable to concentrate, Chase dropped the staff and walked back out into the hall.
He passed by the library, and saw KJ still asleep in a bad state.
He decided to walk inside, and stood next to her bed, watching her chest slowly rise and fall with each breath.
The black panther snuck up behind him, and eyed him almost suspiciously.
"I'm only checking her breath to make sure she's still alive." Chase explained.
The panther gave him a look that said, "yeah right", and Chase scowled.
"I really have begun to slip." He told himself. "First the KJ incident, and now I'm arguing with a cat."
The panther defensively laid down right inbetween Chase and KJ's bed. It closed it's eyes, and seemingly went to sleep.
Chase rolled his own eyes before checking to make sure that KJ was breathing one last time.
He gently reached over and brushed some hair out of her face, letting his hand rest near her head for awhile.
She shifted her weight with a pained expression on her face, and Chase drew his hand back. He didn't want her waking up to the sight of him standing over her.
Almost smiling, he turned and exited the library, softly closing the door behind him.
About a week passed, and KJ remained in her poisoned condition.
As much as he hated to admit it, Chase was getting worried.
Once more, he stood next to her bed, watching her breathe.
His only problem was that he didn't know how to wake her up. He could drop a book on her head and she still wouldn't budge. (He knew from past experiences.)
He looked down at the black panther that was still resting near her bed. It seemed to smirk at him, and Chase frowned.
Somehow, he knew what he had to do to wake her up...But he didn't want to do it.
The panther knew that, and it was mocking him.
Reluctantly, Chase brushed her hair out of her face, leaned in, and kissed her softly on the cheek.
KJ winced in her sleep, and slowly opened her eyes.
When she saw Chase standing there with his arms crossed, she almost had a heart attack.
"What are you doing?" She demanded to know.
"You were asleep for over a week." Chase informed her.
She stared at him in disbelief.
"You woke me up for that?" She asked him.
He resisted the urge to sigh out of annoyance.
"No. I needed to know something that only you know."
She laughed. "Man, these next few years are going to be fun. So you need my help?"
This time, Chase DID sigh out of annoyance.
"Yes. I recall you saying something about having a friend with knowledge of magic and fighting."
She gave Chase a puzzled look.
"Who? Cherushii? Yeah, she knows magic-we both learned from the same sensei. Why?"
KJ knowing magic? This was new.
"It seems as though KJ has some talents that I was somehow not aware of. Although it does me no good now..." Chase mentally swore.
"What do you need Cherushii for?" KJ asked again, sitting up in her bed.
"I was thinking that she might be useful in helping to restore your memories." Chase said.
KJ laughed. "Yeah, Cheru'd probably do it. But you'd need to pay her."
Great. Chase could only imagine what a friend of KJ's could come up with. He'd probably have to sell her his sould, or something like that.
"Just find a way to bring her here, and I'll take care of the rest." Chase told her. "Most of the poison has taken it's toll on your body, right?"
KJ nodded while swinging her legs over the side of the bed
"It might take a day or two. Cheru's pretty tricky." She warned him.
"It doesn't matter. Just get her here as quickly as possible, understand?" He turned and started to walk away.
"Yes, master." She retorted.
Chase nearly lost it, and wanted so badly to slaughter something, but he didn't. Taking a deep breath, Chase walked out of the library, firmly closing the door behind himself.
Exactly two days later, KJ approached Chase in his meditation room.
"She's on her way." She informed him.
"Good. How long until she gets here?" He asked, standing up and walking with her out into the main foyter. (A/N: I guess you can sort of call it a foyer, right?)
"Knowing Cherushii, I'd say-"
KJ's sentence was interrupted as the stone slab door came crashing down.
In entered a young girl with ears and a bushy tail. She wore light green robes and nifty looking boots.
"KJ!"
"Cherushii!"
The two ran up to one another and hugged.
After the warm welcome, Cherushii walked over to Chase.
"So you're the person that needs my help." She mused. "You know, I expect to be paid."
"I told you." KJ laughed at Chase.
"Of course. Only name your price, and-"
"Shiny."
"Pardon?" Chase lifted an eyebrow in confusion.
"Shiny. For my payment, I require one large shiny." Cherushii stated very clearly.
Chase glanced at KJ who shrugged.
"Okay...What kind of shiny?" Chase couldn't believe he asked.
"I'll think of something." Cherushii assured him.
"Oh I'm sure you will." Chase muttered.
Cherushii smiled evilly.
"So Chase," She asked with the same evil smile on her face. "For what do you require my unique talents?"
"Follow me." Chase instructed.
KJ started to walk with the two when Chase stopped.
"You." He pointed to KJ. "Stay."
She glared as the two started walking again.
"I'm not a dog!"
But the two only kept walking, leaving her alone.