We were walking along as we always do when a small dog-like animal scurried across our path. "Look Leon! It's a Darkness Shadow! Aren't they rare in these parts?" I asked, Leon nodded and in a couple of seconds the little black creature came scurrying back out sniffing my shoes and rubbing my hand lightly. "He looks lost, Leon. And look, he's hurt! Do you think I should take him home?" I asked picking the small black bruised creature up and rubbing it's ears. Leon shrugged so I picked up the Darkness Shadow and we set off toward home.

I took care of Skittles, thats what I named him, Skittles. We played fetch and I taught him tricks, we were happy! Leon had left for a vacation with Chrissie, my friend so it was just Skittles and I so we had a lot of fun all alone in our house. Skittles stopped running and looked around wildly. "What's the matter, Skitt?" I asked petting his head softly. He started backing up shaking my hand off and trembling. Then I heard it, footsteps, they sounded exactly like his. The samurai of Afia. I knew him and I knew he kills Darkness Shadows, I can understand why Skittles is so afraid now. I picked up Skitt and ran as fast as light into the house, hiding my best friend in my closet. I heard knock at the door but ignored it. "Don't worry! I won't let that horrible samurai get you! I swear my life on it!" I whispered into the door, grabbing my sleeves. I grabbed my sword that hung on the wall and unsheathed it. "I vowed never to use this again but, for you I will!" I stood up and readied myself, bracing myself against the wall and taking deep and deeper breaths. Then at the last moment I ran out staring into the eyes of the samurai. "Move girl! I want that Shadow!" He yelled trying to push me. I slashed straight through him, he fell to the ground holding his chest. "My name...Is not girl. It's Xaine and you, you are not getting anymore Darkness Shadows because I am killing you!" I finished him off with a final cut and left the room, a small trail of blood ran down my arm.I paid no mind. "You can come out now, Skittles." I said softly. The black Shadow crept out and curled up on my lap. "I love you." I whispered and we fell asleep like that, sitting in my bedroom on the floor.

Leon came back a day later because I had told him what happened, and of course, he overeacted. He came home lightning quick, faster than I run aswell. This was the same morning. "Xaine, you could have been killed!" He said concerned. "But I wasn't so lay off why don't you!" I said leaning back on my chair and pressing my headphones deeper into my ears. "True but still. Oh it's no use telling you! The 12 year old girl who jumps off of 20 story buildings and survives!" Leon said apparently annoyed. I ignored his bickering and listened to my music. My favorite band was playing, "Taming Fire" was the name. The song was "Into the Fire" I knew every word by heart and could hit every note on the electric guitar. I started playing air guitar and thats when Leon realized I wasn't listening. "HEY! XAINE I HAVE YOUR BOOK!!" he shouted holding up my favorite book called "The Life Of A Samurai". A friend wrote it for me, his name was Alex a very good writer, too. I jumped up grabbing the book before he could react and I ran down the hall screeching "Catch me if you can Leon!" and we chased eachother around the house untill midnight when we went to bed.
The next day we had a picnic. Leon played fetch with Skittles and I read my book again. "Come on Xaine join us!" Leon said throwing me a frisbee, which I caught easily. "Alright! Here goes!" I tossed the frisbee as hard as I could and little Skittles tore after it. catching the disc in his small claw like hands. "Nice catch Skitt!" Leon yelled retrieving the disc. He tossed it toward me and in a few seconds I was in a chase, my tail bristling. He threw it pretty hard because I was still running when my face plunged into the ground. I stood up and held my nose instinctivly, I broke my nose of course. I looked to my left to find none other than Sarah Lockhart, my worst nightmare. "Hey Fox-Loser!" She said with a sneer. "Back off, Lockhart!" I shouted pushing her away, my tail flicked with anger. "Shut up, Shadow!" she retalliated into my face. I turned and walked away dropping a small letter bomb that would blow her back to her house and not hurt her, but I wish it could. Leon caught up with me and asked what had happened. "Well, I just dropped letter bomb and left really. But here!" I handed him the frisbee and we walked home, Skittles trailing at my heels. "You know Xaine, that was pretty dumb right?" Leon asked when we were back home and I was stting on the countertop reading. "Uh huh." I said focusing on the print that Izeno had written for me. Leon shook his hair I looked up and smiled. "Leon, you miss her, I know you do. I can read your mind." I said looking at the picture on top of the microwave. It held a pitcure of Joenah, his girlfriend. Joenah was a friend of mine but not a very good one. My best friends were Leon, Sakoto and Shoajei Shadow my brother.
One month after the picnic, we were sitting on the swing in the backyard listening to music when Leon suddenly sat up. "Whats up Leon?" I asked standing up with him. "I think I hear someone." he said, he pulled Skittles closer to him and waited. Sure enough and few minutes later a young man about my age came into our yard with a package. "Hello, Shoajei!"I said pleasantly to my other brother. He handed me the package and said "Just got in today, had a Sarahu address. Might be from Sakoto, ya never know!!" I hugged my little brother and he went on his mail route again. Sakoto was my best friend next to my two brothers, she lived in Sarahu one hundred miles away but that didn't stop us we could walk that. I opened the package, it was a cloak of some sort. I unfolded it, the coat was unmistakable. It was my old uniform, from when I worked with Sakoto. We had worked for an organization called Kirai Nanto which meant Hate Whatever in japanese. I put the coat in my special drawer that held all of my inportant items, like my guitar pick and my favorite book. Life was pretty nice after that, I went to live with Sakoto for a while but she wasn't there and the next year she wasn't there. Everyone thought she had died but I knew better she was hiding in the mountains. She had to get away from everyone, like me I left to the islands and thats where I stayed for seven years with Skittles and a new pet named Shion. Shion was a huge black fox with a blood red tail. We had fun on the island through the storms and the sunshine, the parties and the mournings of lost pets. We went back to find Leon but he wasn't there now he left with Joenah and little 4 year old Caiskare. We lived out our lives in peace but we still got lonely when Skittles left us to find a mate. my last words in this world was "Meiki kono shimei Xaine." This is the end of my story but also the begining of a new one.
The End
Footnotes:

Meiki kono shimei means remember the name in japanese.
About the Author!
Hey there! I'm Ashley Lanning! I love to write :3 Xaine, Leon, Skittles, and Shion and all other characters are mine exept Sakoto she is my best friend's character. I write day in and day out I also enjoy watching anime like Naruto and playing video games like Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy VII. I am 12 years old and love to read. I would like to thank my parents, my great teacher , and all of my friends who enchourage my writing obsession! Thanks For reading have a nice day! ^_^