Change in Seasons

Chapter Three

Crystaldaggerz

A/N: Hello everyone, I hope you feel a lot better then I do. Enjoy.

"Follow me, Brago!" With that said Sherry turned around on her heels and ran off in the opposite direction of the other mamodo.

Brago growled, but turned around and ran after her with great displeasure. He despised running from their opponents, especially when he was as pumped as he currently was.

Sherry better be planning on an attack, he thought bitterly after stealing a glance in her direction. Considering that she was only human, he was surprised that she was able to run in her condition; though her gait was slow and her face tense with pain. The angry marks adorning her back mocked him, reminding him of how he was able to protect her. He felt his blood boil with greater ferocity than before.

Someone was going to die.

He could easily pass her, but he kept her pace—just in case. Her brows were knitted together in concentration, as her plan unfolded itself before her in her mind. She prayed that she had planned it right...that her hunch was correct...She gritted her teeth and suppressed a yelp of pain as she felt agony rip through her.

She could make it...

Just a while longer...

''Lordet!''

Perfect.

Both Brago and Sherry were swept off their feet in the portal, reappearing back in front of Frey and his partner. Sherry looked right into their grinning faces as she shouted the rest of the spell she had been reciting.

''—gano Reis!''

The powered up version of Reis hit the other mamodo team full force. With tense content, Sherry watched as they were thrown screaming through the woods, hitting multiple branches until they made impact with a large tree and fell to the ground below. Both mamodo and human partner were dazed from the blows and Sherry took the opportunity to cast another spell.

''Gravirei!''

In response, an intense amount of gravity crushed their opponents to the ground causing both to cry out in pain. Brago gave Sherry a side look. The look of concentration lessoned, but she still appeared to look intense. She was sweating from the pain she had continuously fought to contain. Suddenly her eyes widened and she spun around, panic stricken and cursing.

He looked again to Frey and his partner. They were gone.

''Sherry, cast the fourth spell!'' he shouted snarling in frustration. Why was it that their enemies continued to run without fail? Sherry placed her hand over the black book once more.

''Ion Gravirei!''

Sherry braced herself as the destructive beam of gravity destroyed almost everything in the entire area. She strained her eyes to catch sight of the opposing team, tried to listen intently for any shout or cry of pain, but she couldn't detect them anywhere.

When the destruction ended, and the smoke cleared, Sherry looked around frantically to spot them once more. Brago was breathing heavily, having used so much energy when he wasn't feeling well to begin with. The symptoms seemed as if they threatened to return, so he stooped down so he wouldn't fall. Sherry looked down at him in concern even as she experienced her own unbelievable pain. Her gaze was met with an aggravated glare.

''Brago...?''

Not wishing to explain himself, he looked away from her. ''I can no longer sense them around here. They must have run away...again'' he growled, annoyed that he could not defeat them at the moment. Sherry gave a perturbed sigh and clenched her fist. What the hell?!

Brago returned to his feet. He felt somewhat strained, but it was nothing that he hadn't felt before. He looked tiredly at the destruction he had made causing an old feeling to rise up within him.

He pushed it back down. What mattered most now was that he defeat this team who ridiculed him. No one who fought him would win and none will escape, that's how it had always been and it wouldn't change now.

He glanced over and studied Sherry as she continued to breathe heavily, her azure eyes hidden behind heavy eyelids and her skin slick with sweat. She was obviously still both enduring and stubbornly fighting to stay conscious despite the livid throbbing of her wounds on her back and the stress overwhelming her. Sherry looked as if the slightest breeze would knock her down, yet the proud woman still refused to say anything about what she was feeling.

The damn stubborn woman.

A sound of crackling leaves from his left forced him to return from his thoughts. The sound was faint but with his acute hearing he had heard it.

''Brago, I know this seems upsetting but we can always find them again...'' Sherry stated lightly, oblivious to the sound, trying to ease the tension he probably felt and the tension she knew she felt.

He didn't answer. Instead, he approached a thick tree suffering great damage from his attacks though it was not located in the radius of his spell. He reached and roughly pulled something from behind it. She gasped softly. It was a small boy.

Sherry rushed over to his side as quickly as she could with the punishment she endured with each step. When she finally made it, she brushed away Brago's hand from the boy and gave him a look. She did the best she could in bending to his level in her current condition to scrutinize him; his clothes were in no better condition than hers, with the exception of the dark blood staining the violet material of her dress. His brown hair was mostly black from mud and matted to his forehead, but standing out from his dirty face caked with dirt like a candle in the dark was his eyes. Dark large sad eyes.

It was everything she could do to not grab him and give him a suffocating embrace. Instead, she took his hand and held it, looking him straight in his warm brown eyes.

Brago sighed irately, oblivious to Sherry's change in emotion or the condition of the boy. Glaring daggers at them both with crimson eyes, he crossed his arms and spoke crossly, ''Leave that pathetic kid Sherry. We have to find that mamodo team''

Sherry ignored him. "Are you alright? What's you're name?''

He blushed slightly turning away from her gaze. When he looked to Brago, he looked away even quicker, intimidated by the irate look etched harshly in his features.

''What's your name?'' he asked shyly, avoiding her bright eyes.

''Sherry Belmont'' she answered, smiling sweetly. This little boy before her was just so completely adorable. She found herself chuckling weakly despite herself. However, it made the fact that he was out here by himself looking so filthy even stranger. She didn't push him to say anything, she waited and like she hoped, he looked up at her, brown eyes full of innocence.

''My name is Hoshi Hiewa''

Brago made a irritated noise that sounded something like a cross between a snort and a grunt.

''Sherry, didn't you hear me? I said forget about the child. We need to find the other mamodo team before they get too far''

Both Sherry and Hiewa turned to look at him. Sherry's look was fierce and the little boy's fascinated.

''I know where they are''

''Nani?'' the pair said simultaneously.

Brago turned and studied the boy for the first time. His face was almost emotionless, showing no signs of whether he was speaking the truth or not. The mamodo didn't know whether or not he should believe him, and it could be easily seen in his disbelieving expression. Sherry put both her hands onto his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes again. The boy returned her gaze.

''Hiewa, you do know these are very dangerous people, don't you?'' Sherry whispered sternly. As she said this, she wondered if he had witnessed the battle that occurred only a few moments before. Brago continued to observe Hiewa trying to determine if it was best if he lead them to Frey and his partner—if he was speaking the truth.

''They owe me. They can't hurt me. I'll lead you to them''

he said confidently.

Sherry frowned. She wasn't a parent of any kind, but the thought of putting this boy in harms way did not appeal to her in the slightest. However...so did leaving him by himself in the woods which he appeared to be. Sighing, Sherry straightened herself and turned to face Brago doing her best not to wince. He looked extremely peeved, of course.

She gave him a stern look and took Heiwa's hand. Brago raised a brow

''Brago, I'm not entirely sure that what he's saying is true, but I am sure that I will not leave a little boy out here by himself. And we need to contact a relative...'' A harsh cough escaped her throat effectively interrupting her. Obviously straining, she finished the rest of her sentence. ''...H-he will stay w-with us in the meantime. Without the m-mamodo battles''

It took a while before the information could register. Brago glared daggers at the blonde and snarled. ''You are not the one to decide whether I participate in a battle or not Sherry. And there is no way that I'm going to babysit any child'' He crossed his arms and gave her a look daring her to disagree. He was really behaving like a spoiled child, though he did look slightly concerned with her condition. As did Hiewa.

''Well Brago, we can't all be heartless towards children, can we? We are most definitely not leaving him here. Regardless of what you feel'' The stubborn blonde seemed to completely recover from her earlier attack as she faced him head on.

''I couldn't care less of what you think of me. And I don't feel anything towards the matter, I know what I want, and I want to look for those mamodo''

Three year old much? she thought bitterly.

Hiewa looked at both partners as they went back and forth. Brago was being both stubborn and cold while Sherry was just as stubborn. It was like watching a bull fight. Through it all, Brago seemed to completely loathe the idea of watching over him...

Hiewa stepped from behind Sherry, gripping her dress while looking Brago right in his crimson eyes.

''I could lead you to them. I won't be any trouble'' he said softly.

Brago made a noise sounding like a snort. Sherry put her hand on his curly head smiling a bit. ''Brago...we will watch over him. Whether we allow him to lead us to Frey and Charlotte we'll decide tomorrow''

Even as she said this, she couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. What if there was some heartbroken mother looking for her son now? But for some reason, deep down in her gut, the decision felt…right? She couldn't really contemplate the issue at the moment even if she wanted, because her mind closed up on her right then.

Hiewa gave a triumphant toothy grin which quickly disappeared as soon as the woman before him fell to the floor. Brago, who had turned to walk away noticed and looked down to Sherry's figure. His dark brows furrowed in something unidentifiable as he growled something inaudible. Hiewa's brown eyes widened when he noticed the wounds on Sherry's back.

''Wh-what happened to her?!'' he cried, his eyes painfully reflecting the drying blood on her exposed skin and dress. Brago bent over and effortlessly lifted his partner over his shoulder. She had been acting as if nothing was wrong before...but even if he wanted to tell her not to exert herself, she would have anyways.

''Let's go''

Hiewa was immensely astounded that he was allowing him to follow, but he didn't voice these thoughts for fear that he would change his mind.

Sherry's eyes fluttered open, her gold ringlet's bouncing about her as Brago walked, the blue under her lashes seeming to glow in the dark of evening. Her arms hung loosely down his back and her pride didn't seem to protest that she was being carried by the most arrogant man she had ever known. She smiled as she noticed the boy's baffled expression as he followed them. ''Thank you Heiwa'' she whispered softly.

''Be quiet, woman. If you don't try to rest and recover, I'm going to finish you off myself''

The threat from the mamodo carrying her only broadened her weak smile. She felt the blackness that she had recently escaped from return. This time, for the sake of Brago...she would not fight its hold over her. Lashes drooping, she shivered.

''Yeah...ye...ah...''

Brago sighed. His body was tired from three different factors. And his mind. During the journey back, he had to carry both Sherry and the small urchin child that he had found when he fell asleep.

The weight would not have usually affected him in the way that it did, but his body had been weary to begin with. Absorbing the cool air of the air conditioned room, the mamodo laid his golden haired partner on one mattress and the boy Hiewa on the other. Before he took to the lounge chair to rest, he mended Sherry's wounds to the best of his ability with the kit she always carried with her on long trips.

He would never admit it to her, but he was actually thankful then for those stupid lessons she made him endure in first aid. Satisfied with his work and not bothering to replace her dress, he threw the blankets over his two room mates and immediately fell asleep.

xxxx

When Sherry awoke, she blinked her eyes a few times to get them adjusted to the bright light assaulting the side of her face. Frowning, she sat up and gingerly massaged the back of her neck.

The exposure of the warm rays leaking through her window on her skin lead her to cast her eyes down to her person. Sure enough, the top of her dress had been ripped cleanly off, and in its place were tightly wrapped bandages. It was upon this discovery that she remembered her injury from the day before.

She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to remove the sleep from them. Brago must have tended to her when she lost consciousness. He was a good learner even though there was no end to his complaints when she had taught him first aid. Letting her feet fall to the floor, she decided that she'd wash up and dress before waking up Brago. She let her eyes wander to the bad where Hiewa must have slept in the night before.

He wasn't there.

Startled, she looked over to Brago and nearly fell over. The missing boy stood before the sleeping dark mamodo with his bed sheet draped around his slender shoulders, clutching his pillow with one hand and holding a glass of water with the other. Acting on a reflex, she dashed over and grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him back. All of the following events after that seemed to occur in slow motion.

Hiewa let out a startled cry, waking up an irritated Brago as he got his foot tangled in the sheet around him. He tripped and waved his arms madly as he instinctively tried to regain his balance. The water from the glass sprang to life, flying out from its barrier and spilling over a startled Brago. Heiwa landed in a heap at his feet. The glass joined him and shattered, though the sound of it breaking was not heard.

An extremely nervous chuckle unknowingly escaped her as she unconsciously gripped the coffee table for support. Kami…

Her hand flew to her forehead as she felt a sudden headache attack her. Oh no...

There was silence.

Hiewa decided to act first and crawled towards Sherry, allowing Brago to get up from his seat. His clawed hand clutched his head as he swayed, unable to keep steady on his feet. The dizziness returned to him full force beyond anything he ever felt before, sending the entire room spinning uncontrollably. He groaned in pain, something he wasn't accustomed to. Hiewa looked up at him in concern.

''Brago...?''

He fell to his knees holding on to the arm of the chair as he went down. Heiwa stood up and leaned over him alarmed. Brago's face was scrunched up in anguish and his vibrate red irises were dilated and cloudy. ''Brago? What's the matter?!'' Hiewa cried, brown eyes full of concern, unable to stop from thinking that he was at fault for Brago's suffering somehow…

Sherry stood frozen in place, her hand still resting on her forehead. For the first time in her life, Sherry did not know what to do. Her mind was completely blank. All she could see was Brago, there on the floor cringing and groaning, something that occurred only once in that one battle, and it was definitely not as bad as this. Brago slowly looked up to her face, his crimson eyes meeting her cerulean ones.

Nani...?

The look that he gave her made her stop, her breath catching in her throat. His crimson eyes were like magma cesspools that burned into hers with a passion she had never seen in them before…ever. .

Sherry felt her heart quicken, beating crazily against her ribcage and she didn't know why. And worse, she couldn't understand for the life o f her why she couldn't form a single word on her lips. Before she could even decently react, Brago fell over in Hiewa's lap.

A/N: Wow. I think this is like the sixth time I edited this since I first wrote it XD Don't worry, if your rereading this or reading it for the first time, I'm working on a update too :D