Ayume Michiyo- A zoanthrope that can turn into a Pegasus. Even though she isn't very out going but her actions vary depending on her emotional behavior, she is a good friend of Uriko's and she is Kenji Ogami's (Bakuryu) classmate. She does have strange feelings for him though. She has long blackish hair with dark violet streaks and red rose colored eyes.
Shirei Kinka- A zoanthrope (which she turns into polar bear) who works with Long, she is supposedly his apprentice but there isn't much explained in that. She has glasses with blue medium length hair and green eyes-also she is simple minded but she can be tricky to fool.
Maea Tigami- A zoanthrope (she turns into a black bear) that helped create Shenlong; even though she and him are the only ones who get along with each other they both choose to destroy their other halfs (Shirei and Long). She has long midnight blue hair with forest green eyes.
Naori Tawanori- A young woman who helps Alice with her work but she is also a mysterious zoanthrope which no one has found yet to be of existence. She has medium length silver hair and light purple eyes.
Takase Hito-A school mate of Uriko's; he helps her find out the truth behind her past as he searches for his own. Takase is also a zoanthrope; which he turns into a serpent with dragon wings. He has short gold spiky hair and brown eyes. He is outgoing but sometimes serious.
Chapter One: A Weird Day…
"Hey! Hey! Ayume wait for me!" Uriko said yelling down the hallway. Uriko had short brown hair and light brown eyes; she seemed to always be in a happy-go-lucky mood. Ayume was more of a quiet somewhat-serious type of person. As Ayume stopped walking and turned her attention over to Uriko, she glared at her strangely. "What is it Uriko?" she asked solemnly. "Hey, didn'tcha hear me? I called you about five times and you didn't seem to answer! What is the matter?" she asked bubbly. "It's nothing. I'm just tired that's all." Ayume said. "Yeah right, I bet you were distracted by Bakuryu again…huh?" Uriko teased playfully as she pulled her book bag up. "…Huh? No it's not him. I was just thinking…" Ayume blushed lightly in embarrassment. "Yeah right! You're face is turning red. You like him don't you?" Uriko asked. Ayume turned her face away thinking of something else. "…I don't know." She spat out as they continued walking. Ayume and Uriko headed to gym class which Ayume really hated and they had to do the simple climbing rope; except Ayume had a problem. She is afraid of heights. As she got to the top of the rope, she didn't decide to come down. "Come on Ayume, it isn't that hard!" Uriko shouted. "You must be fricking nuts!" Ayume said struggling to keep her grasp. Takase began shaking the bottom of the rope violently. "Come on down Ayume!" he teased. "Takase stop-I am not playing with you!" Ayume said.
"I'll get her down…" The boy with spiky brown hair said to Takase. "Oh okay Bakuryu." Takase said letting go of the rope. Bakuryu jumped up onto a ledge of the gym wall and leaped for Ayume in the air. "Grab on!" he said as he reached for Ayume. Ayume nodded and grabbed on to Bakuryu's hand as he pulled her close to him. Ayume closed her eyes in fear which cause Bakuryu to smile gently. "Don't worry I got you Ayume." He said calmly as they landed on the floor. Ayume opened her eyes slowly as she heard his voice and stared at him. She blushed lightly and nodded in thanks. Bakuryu didn't reply back to the gesture but he spoke to her calmly which he never talked to everyone else. "Are you alright?" he asked. Ayume shook her head for a bit and nodded "yes". Bakuryu noticed her shyness and accepted her response to him. "You must be Ayume, right?" he asked hoping to be able to get her to speak.
"Y-Yes…That's me." Ayume said stuttering. "That's a new name around here. Here let me help you get to your next class." He said as he helped her stand. The two then walked out of the gym auditorium. Ayume kept noticing Bakuryu glancing over at her. "So you are a zoanthrope too…?" he mentioned. "…Yeah, I'm a Pegasus…" Ayume mumbled. "Don't worry I already know that Uriko and Takase are zoanthropes too…but you had a different scent. It was hard to tell whether you were one or not but it's our secret." Bakuryu said seriously. Ayume stopped walking and collapsed on her knees. Bakuryu turned around quickly and noticed her sweating a bit. He then lifted her up on his back gently and began carrying her. "You seem a bit sick…is it because of your form?" he whispered. "Yeah, something like that. I get it off and on so it's normal." Ayume whispered back.
Bakuryu turned his eyes over to Ayume and sighed, "You need to get some rest. I'll take you to my home. I bet Yugo could do something." Ayume nodded to Bakuryu's suggestion and fainted. She then woke up found in the Bakuryu's bedroom. Ayume sat up weakly as she removed an ice pack from her forehead. "W-Where am I?" she asked glancing around the room. "My room…" Bakuryu said as he sat at the foot of the bed. "Ayume…you seem different from most people even though you are one of us but you just don't show it not even in power…well, that's not the point I am trying to get at but I think I remember you." Bakuryu said thoughtfully.
"K…" Ayume tried to speak nervously. "Kenji." She finished. "It is you isn't it Kenji? I remember by that time you helped me and my friend escape when we were younger." Ayume said a little bit shocked. Bakuryu nodded. "Yes, it's me…but now I am known as Bakuryu the assassin. You saved me from losing control of myself when I was brainwashed by Tylon. Though I would remember you but your name was what I couldn't." he said. Ayume smiled a bit at what he could remember. "I'm glad that you remember me Kenji. At first when we last seen each other a year ago by that time I have known that you were Bakuryu the assassin. Now you are Bakuryu and Kenji Ogami. The same person to me anyway. Takase and Uriko doesn't know about your past but Yugo knows some of it. I'm just happy that you didn't forget me." Ayume said softly crying. "How could I? I had strange dreams when we were younger…when you saved me from killing someone important, by that time I thought I was going to die until you showed up crying for me." Bakuryu said smiling gently. "Besides-you owe me that date for saving you this time." He added. "WHAT! Now wait a fricking minute! I know I remembered saying that whenever you saved me I would give you anything you wanted but-!"
"But you said anything and you weren't specific!" Bakuryu backfired as he pointed out. "Grr…I always lose to you when it comes to promises Kenji. This really sucks!" Ayume complained. "Hey-I always wanted to go on a date with you so at least I can spend time with you more like I have wanted in so long." Bakuryu mentioned. Ayume blushed deeply in embarrassment and hid her face in the covers. "Why…why…why?" she whined. Bakuryu pulled the covers away from her face and cupped her chin in the palm of his hand. "Ayume…I do like you so please lets go on this date." He said seriously. Ayume smiled cheerfully. "Okay…" she answered. "I will go on a date with you but we can't let anyone see us. Or you know…" Ayume mumbled the rest. "Yeah I know." Bakuryu agreed. "So, should I call you Bakuryu or Kenji?" Ayume asked worried about messing up of what to call him. "Call me Bakuryu or Kenji. It's doesn't matter as long as you are the only one calling me by my real name." Bakuryu said letting go of her chin. Ayume nodded in agreement and fell back asleep.
As Bakuryu left the room, Yugo was already gone and Alice and Naori were watching the news. The two women nodded as Bakuryu gave the news. "Okay we'll take over from here now Bakuryu." Alice said. "No. I'll take care of her." Bakuryu refused. Naori got a little frustrated with his refusal. "But you are young too. You are only 16 now. And Ayume has turned 16 a few months ago. You both are still children yourself." Naori said arrogantly. "Maybe so but I won't let any one take care of her unless it's myself. I apologize but I want her to be my responsibility." Bakuryu said walking out the door. He then headed toward his bedroom once gain while Ayume slept and sat at his desk. "…Ayume." He thought as he glanced over at her caringly. Bakuryu then fell asleep after a few hours. The two slept until 10: 00 p.m. when Takase busted through the door.
"Hey you guys!" He said cheerfully although he sounded loud enough for the whole area to hear. Bakuryu reacted to his greeting with a shuriken and quickly placed it on his throat. "Okay Takase I am going to tell you this only once…Shut the hell up." Bakuryu said before leaning back down on the table. Ayume glared at Takase with a pissed off look and then turned to Bakuryu. She then nodded and fell back asleep. Uriko hopped in the room cheerfully and looked at Ayume and Bakuryu sleep. "Hee hee those two are sleeping together!" she giggled hysterically. Takase grabbed Uriko by her arm and pulled her out of the room. Bakuryu leaned his head up from the desk after Takase closed the door and turned to Ayume with a cheerful grin. "Hey you awake?" he asked. Ayume faced her eyes up at the ceiling. "Hell no…I just snored." She said sarcastically. "Well, we fooled them." Bakuryu said leaning back in his chair. "Yeah…I guess so." Ayume said turning over. "Hey what's wrong Ayume?" Bakuryu asked peeking over her. Ayume blushed in embarrassment trying to hide her face from him and pulled the covers over but it was too late. Bakuryu had a part of the bed sheet clutched up in his hand. "It's nothing Kenji." Ayume smiled. "I don't know about that your face can get pretty red when I just stare at you." Bakuryu teased. "Come on Kenji…damn, Bakuryu." Ayume changed her sentence as she called out whispering.
"Look we've been through this already and I am not in the mood to be bothered by it." Ayume pulled a tug of a strand of Bakuryu's hair. Bakuryu gave an evil glare to Ayume and grabbed a strand of her hair. "Bet you won't pull hard Ayume?" Bakuryu teased again trying to sneak a kiss from her. "I bet I would damn it." Ayume flared as she pulled a strand of hair out of Bakuryu's head. "Ow-holy shit that hurts!" Bakuryu yelled as he fell back rubbing his head. "Ha, I told you I would pull it!" Ayume laughed. Bakuryu sat back up and pulled a long strand of Ayume's hair out. "Crap! That isn't fair!" Ayume whined playfully as tiny tears of pain came running down her face. Ayume and Bakuryu laughed together for a moment then each gave into a kiss. After a few moments the two backed away quickly not knowing what else was going to happen.
"That was um…" Ayume blushed deeply. "Pretty nice…" Bakuryu finished. "I think we should stop for now…or Takase and Uriko will try to figure us out." Ayume suggested. "Yeah I guess so but remember…we will stop for now." Bakuryu said quietly. "So, you aren't so shy after all Ayume." Bakuryu said as Ayume turned her face away in ignorance. "Yeah and what about you? You a ninja and a student? That is funny as hell Kenji." Ayume laughed. "You know you got some mouth…" Bakuryu mumbled as he kissed her again. Ayume held onto Bakuryu tightly. "Okay whatever...can I go back to sleep now?" Ayume said before she yawned. "Yes but tommorow you are going to work with me in the morning." Bakuryu said letting her sleep.