HIKARI no TSUBASA ~ WINGS of LIGHT

CHAPTER THREE

[Resembool, Amestris; two days before.]

Winry answered a knock on her front door and opened it to reveal two people, both garbed in black capes.

"Can I ask you?" she asked a little hesitantly.

"Good morning," the taller one spoke. "I'm new to the area and was wondering if you could tell me the way to Central."

"You'll need to take the train," Winry answered. "Follow that road over there and it will take you to the station."

"Thank you," the man nodded and he and his companion turned away.

The one with him tripped on the top step and the hood fell back, revealing a young woman with short brown hair. She glanced back at Winry, but the man pulled the hood back over her head and led her away.

Winry watched them for a moment before closing the door.

It didn't work, Kari thought, as she trudged along next to the man. He caught me before I could let go of Gatomon.

"Be more careful," the man told her. "And keep your hood on and your cat under that cape."

"Yes, sir," Kari murmured.

They reached the station a while later where the train was preparing to depart. Purchasing the tickets, the man bordered the train with Kari and found a seat next to the window where they wouldn't be disturbed.


[Central City, Amestris.]

Kari tripped again as they were walking through the station the next morning, but like before, the man caught her again. Outside, he stopped and began to consult an electronic device he pulled out of his pocket.

"Wait here," he ordered Kari. "And don't go anywhere if you know what's good for you."

He stepped away, continuing to consult the device and get his bearings. A girl with a basket of flowers moved closer to Kari and looked up into her sad face. A movement underneath the cape caught her eye and she saw a blue eye peer out at her.

Glancing down, the girl selected a flower from her basket and held it out to Kari.

"Would you like a flower?" she asked. "I hope it will cheer you up."

Kari gave her a small smile, but before she could accept the present, the man returned and pulled her away down the street.

"I know where the gate is," he said. "Keep up."

They walked along, eventually reaching a busy outside market. The man bought some food for them to eat and continued on, occasionally consulting the device in his hand. Suddenly, he stopped and looked more closely at the screen.

"This can't be right," he grumbled. "We were going the wrong way. Come on…"

He looked down, but Kari had disappeared. Grinding his teeth together, he hurried off, intent on finding them. His life would be forfeit if he returned without them.

From behind a cart, Kari peeked out and watched him disappear into the crowd. With a tight hold on Gatomon, she quickly headed off in the opposite direction.

A couple of hours later, she was still in the market and discovering she was well and truly lost. Looking around from where she was standing in front of a jewelry cart, she caught sight of the caped man searching for her. Luckily he hadn't yet seen her.

"Can I help you, miss?" the owner of the cart asked. "Looking for a nice necklace? Earrings?"

"Necklace?" Kari murmured, touching the one around her neck. "Can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

Tears began to gather in her eyes as she removed the necklace and held it out to him.

"I know he'll come look for me," she sniffed. "He'll recognize the necklace and know I was here. His name is T.K. Please can you help me? Will you give it to him?"

"What is wrong?"

"He'll find me soon," Kari pleaded. "Please."

"All right," the owner nodded, accepting the necklace. "I'll get my answers from him. I promise not to sell it."

"Thank you," Kari managed to smile, before hurrying off.

Her path became blocked, though, when the man stepped in front of her, grabbing her arm.

"There you are," he said. "You've wasted a lot of time with your little chase. Let's go."


They left the market, but his sense of direction proved to be very bad, and by the time night fell, he was still looking for the gate.

"Stupid device," he snapped. "It shows us, it shows the gate, but it doesn't show how to get there."

Without paying attention, he stepped out into the street, almost getting hit by a car. The automobile swerved away in time and came to a stop. A blond man in a military uniform stepped out of the driver's side.

"Hey, you okay?" Havoc asked. "You should watch where you're going. And what's with the black cape? You going to a party?"

He paused, noticing Kari, half hidden behind the man.

"Are you all right?" he asked her. "Where are you going?"

Feeling the threatening aura emitting from the man, Kari remained silent, though a tear did slip out and roll down her cheek.

"Don't cry," Havoc said. Something's not right.

"Why don't you two get in? I'll give you a ride."

"That would help," the man nodded. "We're very late."

They climbed into the backseat of the car and Havoc drove them to a stone building. Three guards exit the building to greet them and Kari soon found herself locked in a cell with her kidnapper.

"What's the meaning of this?" the man demanded to Havoc.

"You illegally tried to cross the street," Havoc responded. "And your behavior is very suspicious. We'd let you go with a fine if you would tell us your names and what you were doing."

The man glared at Havoc, but didn't utter a word.

Havoc shrugged. "Then you'll stay here until you do," he said, walking off.

"I don't have time for this," the man grumbled, glancing down at the device's screen, which had turned black. "Great, now it has to recharge. Get some sleep, girl. We can't go anywhere until I know where to go."

T.K. I hope you find my necklace, Kari silently wished.

It was late afternoon the next day when the device suddenly beeped on.

"Perfect," the man said, standing up. "We're very close to the gate. Get back from the wall."

Kari and Gatomon moved away as he placed a small detonator against the wall. A moment later it exploded, taking a large chunk with it. The man grabbed Kari's arm and pulled her through the dust and debris.

"Let's go."

He began to run, Kari forced to do so as well or risk being dragged along.


Soon, after descending a hill, he stopped.

"This is the spot," he announced. "It will take about half-an-hour to open the correct gate. Good thing we're not being chased."

Fifteen minutes passed before the man looked up into the sky in the direction they had come.

"What's that?" he asked out loud, drawing Kari's attention.

"It's Angemon!" Gatomon exclaimed looking out from beneath the cape.

"They found us? I have to slow them down."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a vile of brown liquid and poured the contents out onto the ground.

"Rise, my creatures," he said. "Stop them."

The liquid disappeared into the ground and a moment later they heard a car screech to a stop, followed by the sounds of fighting.

"That should hold them," the man turned back to the gate and the column of light reaching into the sky.

"Stop this!" Kari cried. "Let us go!"

"Impossible. My master has need of you and I will not disobey him."

"Kari!" T.K. yelled from the top of the hill and began to run towards them, followed by Angemon.

"T.K. you're here!" Kari called back.

"Blast," the man frowned. "I need more time to open the gate. I have no choice."

Grabbing Kari's arm, he pulled her after him into the column of light. They disappeared just before T.K. and Angemon could reach them.

Chapter Three End