Okay, let's give it a try. First up is Shizuru and Natsuki.

Begin!

I declare this chapter to be dedicated to E.M PRAETORIAN, for her epicness!

The wind howled the trees, flakes of snow whipped past Natsuki's face. Her face, which had been numb with cold, now stung at the impact. Her eyes watered. She shivered, despite the many layers she wore the cold was beginning to get to her. She sighed and looked around the clearing and then up to sky. Twilight was fast approaching.

Natsuki gasped a little. She'd been out so long. Her mother should have called her in by now. Green eyes picked out the path home and she trudged down it, noting with irritation her nose was running. She pulled her arms around her and walked on through the forest. Her home was just over the hill. She'd probably be scolded by her mother but she didn't care. She'd not done anything she wasn't supposed too.

It was then that her world changed for ever.

Her house was a blaze. Terror welled up inside off her and she remained frozen in disbelief. How could this be? Their house was one of the most well protected houses in the mage world. The blaze began to consume the house and tears welled up in her eyes.

Suddenly part of the house fell in and a figure emerged, untouched by the flames. A beautiful yet terrifying woman. She stopped and sniffed the air. Then she looked directly at Natsuki. Even from the distance, Natsuki saw the smirk. That was all she saw. She turned on her heel and ran for her life. She couldn't think logically all she could do was run. Yet she was just a child, barely thirteen, she had no hope of outrunning a creature that could kill her parents, the greatest hunters of this centaury, true masters.

The creature was waiting for her in the next clearing. Natsuki crashed to a halt and stared at it, her mind refusing to work. The creature advanced. A slow, playful walk. Natsuki knew she could not escape. An eerie calm settled over her. She summoned the magic her parents had taught her a flung it out. The snow became ice and the creature halted it's advance.

"Oh, you wish to play?" it asked, tilting it's head. Natsuki flung out her magic once more and spears of ice leapt from the ground, aiming for the creature body.

The creature just smiled. Suddenly, intense heat radiated from her body, melting the spears and ice. Natsuki took a step back. This was bad. Without snow, she could not do magic. An Ice mage more experienced than her could pull it from the moisture in the air. She could not. Her eyes widened and she reached for the magic that had only just been taught her, as heir to the Kruger house.

"Duran!" she bellowed. Wind howled across the clearing and spikes of ice twisted from the ground. It cut towards the creature. Whose face registered shock just before they hit.

The creature was thrown across the clearing and collided with a tree. The force had been strong enough to make her bleed but not enough to injure her seriously.

Meanwhile the mist created by the spikes cleared revealing a metal wolf with guns on it's back. It only reached waist hieght but it exuded threat.

"D.. Duran, load silver cartridge!" Natsuki stammered, staggering back. It did so, metal face relecting what was left of the dying light.

"FIRE!" The shot tore towards the creature. It looked surprised for a moment then it leapt forwards, a deadly looking halberd appearing in it's hands. It knocked away the shot with ease and carried on forwards. Natsuki staggered back and Duran leapt to save it's master. The halberd sliced it to pieces within seconds.

"Nice bit of magic kid, too bad it's not strong enough. Given a few years you could be one of the best" she chuckled. Then she began a terrifying advance towards Natsuki. The girl scrambled back, her back colliding with a tree. Fear struck eyes looked up as the woman raised her halberd for the final strike.

Please, anyone… save me…

Then the world exploded.

Howling winds blew the leaves and twigs in a terrifying cyclone. Natsuki covered her head desperately and the creature backed up swiftly. Her eyes narrowed, her body ready for combat. Her opponent came in the form of a tawny haired woman. She wielded a Naginata and from her stance she knew how to use it. She immediately moved between Natsuki and the creature. Natsuki, however, didn't notice. She was slumped at the foot of the tree unconscious.

The creature hissed.

"A summoner, it was to be expected I suppose. Well then demon, bring it on!"

The newcomer merely smiled in a disconcerting fashion.

"I've come to kill you, do I not deserve your name?" she chuckled. Her red eyes unnaturally focused on the her target. Her target moved into a new stance.

"Like hell you do, what name am I putting on your gravestone?" shouted the creature. The newcomer smiled eerily again.

"Viola,"

Then she moved her Naginata slicing through the air towards the creature, who barely managed to dodge. The creature flew high, her first mistake. Viola's weapon extended to an impossible length, catching the monster in the side. The creature fell and Viola leapt, an impossible leap. Her Naginata striking a killing blow.

The creature plummeted, her body striking the floor with a sickening crack. Viola landed gracefully. She turned too look at the body over her shoulder.

"Humph, I detest inelegant people like you," she muttered.

Then she turned and strode towards the unconscious body. She knelt down before it and gently took Natsuki's sleeping face.

"Natsuki, hmmm. It would appear that we are destined to be…,"

She picked the figure up and began a long trek through the snow.

Fin.

Hope you enjoy it!

- Loki