Demon Guardians is (c) Warattari Panini, a collaboration manga drawn by me and written by Nicola Goodman.
The first series is nearing completion, and we have the second season planned out, which is when this story is taking place.
Please note that if you haven't read the manga, you might be getting a little confused by what's going on.
You don't need to have read it to understand this story but it helps. Here is where you can read it: .com/gallery/#Demon-Guardians-volume1
Please enjoy the story; I welcome constructive critiscm and reviews!~

Demon Guardians

"So Minuki-chan, what's your opinion?"
Minuki looked up from her ice cream float briefly, having completely missed Naminé's comment.
"Sorry, what?"
"Honestly!" her friend sighed good naturedly, rolling her eyes up to the golden sun that shone graciously over them.
"I was talking about those two," she said, waving her hand at the two boys who were chatting by the water fountain. The taller boy, with dark blue hair, was her childhood friend and secret love. Over the past two years he'd been missing, he had grown; emotionally as well as physically. He was a good 6 inches taller than Minuki with a thicker neck and broad shoulders. Fair enough, he was tall but still a good bit shorter and scrawnier than Luther when he was his age.
The other boy whom he was chatting to, was one of the element guardians, Danny. His hair was short and dark brown with spikey sideburns and big blue eyes that sparkled when he was happy.
Minuki noticed they were sparkling now.
"What about them?" she asked, continuing to sip from her glass delicately.
"Aren't they cute together?" Naminé squealed happily.
Minuki could feel the sweet juice and ice cream stop halfway down her throat and try to shoot back up.
She swallowed with difficulty.
"Kyyhhuuugwha?" she gurgled.
"Minuki don't speak like that it's disturbing." Naminé scolded.
"What on earth do you mean, 'cute together'?" she hissed angrily.
Naminé carefully adjusted her sunhat before answering her friend's question.
"Look at them, Minuki-chan," Minuki reluctantly glanced over at the two boys in uncertainty. "You couldn't convince them to be happier, could you? And quite obviously judging by Danny's expression he adores Kamina."
"Too bad Kamina's too dense to notice.." Minuki mumbled through her straw.
"What was that?"
"Eheh… Just me talking to myself."
The boys were walking towards them as they sat at their table in the cosy café on the outskirts of Paris.
There had been no more Demon sightings since they'd arrived a few days ago so they had decided to take a break and tour the beautiful country before heading to their next hotspot. Danny slipped on a loose slab on the road and nearly toppled right over until Kamina caught him in his arms, blinking at the younger boy who was blushing at the contact. Though she hated to admit it, she knew Danny had the hots for the older boy, Kamina.
Heck, so did most people but that was because he was so damn loveable.
"Kamina-kun can I ride on your shoulder for the walk?" she heard his minor, Kerocho, whining.
"If you want little buddy," Kamina chirped happily.
She noticed Danny giving Kerocho a friendly smile. The two got on, but the affection and friendship between Kerocho and Kamina drove him crazy with envy. It was plain as day, and both Minuki and Naminé had already sussed this.
Women's intuition.
"So do we start walking later today? Y'know after lunch or something?" Kamina asked, taking a seat next to Naminé. Danny stood behind him as Kerocho nuzzled his master's neck lovingly.
"Sure if you want, but we better make sure to fit in all of the landmarks," Naminé pointed out.
"That boring crap?" Kamina huffed, flopping back over his chair. "C'mon, seriously Naminé?"
Minuki grinned at him knowingly.
Neither of them enjoyed drab grey buildings and their drab grey history so she knew the two could spend some well earned alone time together.
"What about you, Danny?" he asked, tilting his head back to look directly into the younger boys face. He blushed a little, and Minuki began to resent him a little bit. If Kamina wasn't so dense he'd agree that it was possibly the most adorable and arousing face ever. But of course the neko only blinked at the sudden redness.
"Sorry Kamina-kun but I agree with Naminé-sempai…" he mumbled shyly.
Minuki's resent was immediately wiped away with a strange but absolute admiration. So he wasn't the type to agree with everything willingly. And even though it didn't completely satisfy with his crush, Danny would stick by his opinions.
"Yay! My little Danny-chan!" Naminé squealed happily, throwing her arms around him.
Kamina pouted a little at the fact that his only chance of a guy to guy conversation was wiped. But he cheered up when Naminé asked him to buy another few drinks for Danny and herself. As usual, he was happy to oblige to his crush's will. After they had left, almost immediately, Minuki and Danny were joined by the other three; Kaiza the lightning guardian, Bianca the flame guardian and Baki the minor of the younger generation.
"Afternoon Danny-kun!" Kaiza chirped happily to her friend.
Minuki's face was marred with a scowl.
The bouncy blonde and herself did not see eye to eye one bit. Firstly, she was reckless and young which gave her immaturity that the ever idle Kamina accepted and the fun-loving Naminé welcomed.
Secondly, (though she hated to admit it for Kamina's sake) it was clear she was the new ringleader of the group so shy little Danny who wouldn't hurt a fly agreed and followed her willingly whilst the surprisingly quiet Bianca glided along behind her too.
Minuki was also aware that Kaiza was her love rival as she had an obvvious crush on Kamina, almost 5 years her senior. She could honestly not be bothered with her monkey like jabbering this early in the afternoon.
"You'll never guess what Bianca's just told me!" she squealed as the older girl's cheeks tinted pink.
"Is it really ok for you to be blurting your conversation to the whole café?" Minuki grumbled.
After a momentarial glaring match, Kaiza continued. "Bianca likes one of us!" she giggled.
Minuki continued to sip her ice cream float, with only one ear tapped into the conversation. "Like?" asked a puzzled looking Danny.
"You know! Who she admires!" Kaiza explained happily.
It seemed to Minuki that Bianca didn't want her personal feelings overheard but she made no move to halt the lightning lion. Danny was showing a ghostly frown though; a slight edge in his usual gentle expression that Minuki had never seen before.
"Bianca-chan says she likes Kamina too!" Kaiza said happily.
The air seemed to still for a moment. The impact of her words didn't have that much of a blow on Minuki who was expecting something ridiculous like this, but Danny was sitting with wide unblinking eyes that took up his entire face. Tiny beads of sweat had formed on his hands and his skin had gone a stony grey colour.
He was absolutely devastated.
But Minuki realised the other two couldn't know about it and rushed in to distract the other girls from the water guardian's frozen frame.
"Could you yell that a bit louder Kaiza?I think there's a deaf old lady in Australia who didn't quite catch that." she joked cuttingly.
Kaiza scowled at the lack of attention her outburst had received but kept her lip buttoned as Kamina and Naminé returned with ice cream floats.
"You guys up for a thrilling tour of Notre Dame after this?" Kamina gushed with fake enthusiasm.
Bianca blushed and Kaiza grinned at his humour.
"It's not as horrible as he's making it out to be girls," Naminé tutted, ruffling the neko's hair affectionately.
"Hehe! Well what about you, Dan my Man? Ready for the excitamundo of Paris?" he asked, punching Danny's shoulder lightly.
The younger boy flinched at his touch but snapped out of his horrific trance long enough to shoot him a weak-and slightly grim- smile.
"Danny? You okay?" Kamina frowned, leaning in closer as he noticed the grey skin and wide eyes.
Oh god, Minuki thought. He chooses now of all times to be observant. Shooting Naminé a look that she knew the angel would be able to read as 'he's in a scrape', Minuki once again dived in on Danny's behalf.
"I think all this heat's just wearing him down a little," she explained. "Go up to your room and get outta the sun for a while."
Kamina scraped back his chair anxiously. "I'll take him up."
Minuki grew alarmed. This was obviously a bad idea if Danny were to break down halfway towards the hotel suite.
But luckily help was at hand.
Namine stood calmly and wrapped her arm protectively around the younger boy's shoulder. "I'll take him. I don't think Danny-chan is up for today so we'll have to keep him inside." she said coolly.
Minuki marvelled at her brilliance and nodded in agreement.
"By himself?" Kamina frowned, evidently worried.
"I'll be fine." Danny croaked in reply.
Before there could be any further discussion, Naminé whisked him out of sight and back to the hotel; leaving the others to finish their drinks in silence.
They managed to climb the two flights of stairs and slide the key through the lock before Danny collapsed against Naminé in tears; unable to hold back anymore and just waiting for his lungs to burst and eyes to go dry and barren like everything else seemed to be around him.

Thank you for reading right up to the end!~

Amy Galloway