Chapter 4

Shirley continued to lead Jay deeper into the Waterways. Jay was getting more and more suspicious. Senel's group wasn't here, and they hadn't seen any monsters. So what was so urgent about coming here?

"Shirley..." Jay said. "What exactly are we looking for? We've seen no sign of Senel and the others, and we've seen no monsters."

"Oh Jay, will you stop being so suspicious?" Shirley asked.

"Why should I not be suspicious? You acted like it was so urgent for me to come here, and yet we've seen nothing. Give me one good reason not to be suspicious."

"Um...because there's no reason to be suspicious?" Shirley said innocently.

Jay gave her an annoyed look. "Really?"

Shirley smiled. "Yep."

"Would you please tell me what's going on?"

"Um...it's a surprise."

"A surprise? So the others are waiting inside to 'surprise' me?"

"Yes, that's right," Shirley continued to smile.

Jay looked at her oddly. "Very well...I'll accept that answer for the time being."

"Okay."

The pair continued to walk through the Waterways.

----------------------

Senel's group arrived at the Waterways entrance. Sure enough, there were two ninjas standing guard on either side.

"Look, the ninjas are standing guard!" Norma said.

"This definitely confirms that Solon is here," Will said.

"Even if we save Jay, what can we do about the love spell?" Chloe asked.

"Not to worry. I have just the thing!" Norma pulled out yet another bow and arrow. "This will definitely cure Shirl's crush on that So-So..."

Senel rolled his eyes. "Great. And just whom are you going to hit this time?"

"Give me a break! I can hit Shirl this time! I promise!"

"Right. I'll believe it when I see it."

"That's enough," Will said. "The longer we dawdle here, the more time Solon will have to carry out his plan. First we have to take out those ninjas."

"Got it," Senel said. "Chloe."

"Right," Chloe said, raising her sword.

They both unleashed their projectile attacks.

"Demon Fist!"

"Demon Fang!"

Both attacks hit the ninjas simultaneously, knocking them both out cold.

"Man, why does Solon have such wimpy ninjas?" Moses asked.

"Never mind that," Will said. "Let's go."

The group entered the Waterways to search for Shirley and Jay.

---------------

Meanwhile, Shirley led Jay into the hidden room. As Jay stepped into the center, he could hear the stone door sliding shut behind him. He looked around; there was still nothing in this room. His eyes then widened, as a realization hit him.

So that's it...Shirley's still in love with Solon. She said she would do anything for him. Solon's still after me, so he must have told Shirley to lure me here. No other plan makes sense!

Jay's expression returned to normal. "Shirley...I know why you brought me here."

"Hmm? You do?" Shirley asked.

"It's Solon, isn't it? You're still in love with him, and you'd do anything for him. And I know full well that Solon is still after me, and he would use you to get to me. So that's why I'm here. You brought me here at Solon's request, didn't you?"

"Oh well, there's no more reason to lie." Shirley turned to face Jay, smiling. "You're right, Jay! Master Solon asked me to bring you here."

Master Solon? Jay thought. That just doesn't sound right coming from her...

"Well, in that case there's no reason for me to be here," he said. "So I shall remove myself from this place..."

He turned around to leave, only to find Solon standing directly behind him with his usual, sadistic grin.

"Going somewhere, dear apprentice?"

"Uh..." Jay slowly stepped back from Solon. "Shirley?"

Shirley only danced around in circles. "Spin, spin, spin, and spin again! I did it, yay!"

Jay gave her his annoyed look. Well, she's obviously not going to help...

Solon extended his hand. "Now Jay, come back with me. It can be easy or hard on you. It's your decision."

"Never!" Jay snapped. "I'll never go back with you!"

"Very well." Solon raised his arm. Many puffs of smoke appeared around the room, leaving a clan of ninjas surrounding Jay.

"Damn!" Jay cursed as he pulled out his dagger. He studied the room some more; there was no way out other than the stone door directly behind Solon. "What a perfect place to set a trap..."

"I told you, Jay," Solon said. "It could be hard or easy on you. Since you chose the hard way, that suits me just fine. But either way, you will come back with me."

"No! I'm not going back with you!"

Solon narrowed his eyes. "Take him."

Instantly, two ninjas leaped in, seizing Jay by the arms and forcing him to his knees.

"Argh...damn you!" Jay growled. "Shirley..."

"You know that the Radiant girl isn't going to help you," Solon told him. "She's fallen desperately in love with me, you see. She'll do anything for me."

He walked over to Shirley, tracing her jaw with his index finger. "Isn't that right, my dear Radiant?"

Shirley smiled. "Yes, Master."

Solon shrugged. "All this affection is all well and good. However, it's you I want, Jay."

"What?" Jay asked.

"I love you, Jay, and I want your love in return."

"Ah!" Jay gasped, as he tried to stand up, but the ninjas forced him back down to his knees. "No...I'll never love you!"

Solon knelt down in front of Jay, grasping him firmly by the chin. "Such lovely, pale skin. How I yearn to caress it to my heart's content."

Jay's eyes widened, then he turned his head sharply, breaking Solon's grip. Jay looked over at Shirley, who was still smiling.

That love spell must be really strong if she's not even getting jealous, he thought.

That's when he had an idea. It was a disgusting idea, but Jay was willing to do anything to get away from Solon.

Perhaps I have to return Solon's affections to make Shirley jealous?

Solon took Jay's chin again. "Do you know what I haven't done in so long, Jay?"

Jay swallowed hard as he felt an incredible nausea in his stomach. Slowly, he pushed himself forward, pressing his lips against Solon's.

Solon looked surprised, but he waved off the ninjas, who released Jay. Solon held Jay's head with both hands, while pressing his lips against Jay's. Closing his eyes even tighter, Jay wrapped his arms around Solon's neck, while thrusting his tongue into Solon's mouth.

"Mmm..." Solon kept his mouth pressed against Jay's for another moment before slowly pulling back, softly licking Jay's lips. Jay staggered back, covering his mouth and stomach, resisting the overwhelming urge to vomit.

"That was...invigorating," Solon said. "I've wanted that from you for a long time. So was it good for you too?"

Jay kept still, waiting for Shirley to begin her jealous rage, but it never happened. However, another idea came to mind. Now that the ninjas were no longer restraining Jay, now was the chance to make his move.

Jay slammed a smoke bomb on the ground and quickly cartwheeled over to the stone door, which began to slide open slowly. Jay squeezed through the opening to begin his escape.

"Stop him!" Solon ordered. "He mustn't escape!"

Jay ran down the path of the Waterways, trying to reach the exit as fast as he could. As he turned the corner, he spotted the three white demons flying straight at him. Jay quickly threw himself to the ground, letting the demons fly over him.

"It's those things again!" Jay growled. "It should be easier to fight them within these ruins, as their movement is restricted."

Jay stood up to face the demons with his dagger ready. "Come on..."

The demons rushed toward him on foot, lashing at him with their talons. Dodging the attacks, Jay lashed out with his dagger, slitting their chests. The demons squealed in pain as they attacked again. Jay slipped behind one of the demons, reaching around with his dagger, slashing its throat. As the demon's dead body fell to the floor, another demon attacked with its talons. Jay simply backed off, then dropped to the ground on his back. He then lifted both feet, kicking the demon in its jaws. As he got back on his feet, he threw the dagger to his right, which plunged right into the other demon's forehead, killing it. The final demon rushed in for an attack, but Jay leaped into the air, grabbing the demon by the head, positioning his body upside down. He then twisted his body, twisting the demon's head and snapping its neck. Jay landed on his feet while the demon hit the floor with a thud.

"You little brat!"

Jay spun around upon hearing the loud, grating voice. He managed to block Solon's sword stroke with his dagger, but Solon twirled the blade into the dagger, sending Jay flipping over and hitting the ground on his back. Before Jay could recover, Solon pinned him down with his foot.

"You've fought well, my young apprentice," Solon said, "but I'm afraid that you lose."

Jay only looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Toss your dagger away...slowly," Solon ordered.

Jay looked at his dagger for a moment, then threw it aside, letting it slide along the ground.

"Oh Jay, how I enjoy catching you over and over again," Solon grinned. "But your constant escaping his bothersome as well. Now that ends here. From now on, I will be your master, and you will be my apprentice!"

"No...I'll never...I'll never obey you again!" Jay cried out.

"You say that now, but with the right training, you'll be back to your old self in no time. I simply cannot let you stay the way you are now."

Jay paused, waiting for another plan to come to mind. But before he could put in much thought, someone tackled Solon to the ground, freeing Jay. Jay stood up to see who had saved him.

"Huh? Th...Thyra!?" he gasped.

Thyra rolled off Solon and backed away.

Solon stood up as well. "Oh, it's you again. Tell me, what is it about my apprentice that interests you so much?"

Thyra took more steps backwards. "Your...apprentice?"

"That's right," Jay said, thoroughly annoyed. "He's the one who raised me, as much as I hate the fact."

Solon shrugged. "Now what kind of talk is that? Do you remember that if it wasn't for me, you would have died in the dirt long ago?"

"Knowing you, I would rather die in the dirt than be saved by you."

"You little brat!" Solon started a rage, but then calmed himself down. "Hmm...Shirley?"

"Yes, Master?" Shirley asked, approaching Solon from behind.

Solon pointed his sword at Thyra. "Kill this woman for me, will you?"

"As you wish."

Thyra gasped. "M...Merines!?"

"What's wrong?" Jay asked. "If you really hate her this much, you should be happy."

"Quiet, you!" Thyra snapped.

Shirley marched up to Thyra, quickly seizing her by the neck. Thyra returned the gesture, grabbing Shirley's neck. From there, the two Ferines girls threw each other back and forth across the room, wrestling for superiority.

"In the meantime, I'll finish dealing with you!" Solon pointed his sword at Jay again.

"Like hell!" a familiar voice shouted from behind Jay.

Jay perked up upon hearing the voice, which brought him much relief. "Moses?"

"Eagle Shot!" Moses threw his spear, which powered up in the shape of an eagle, slashing through Solon's body. Solon screamed in pain as he fell backwards, hitting the ground awkwardly.

Jay turned as Moses arrived at the scene. The rest of the party followed closely behind the bandit.

"Whoa, what the hell!?" Moses exclaimed upon spotting Shirley and Thyra wrestling up ahead.

"Shirley!?" Senel cried. "What are you doing!?"

Solon paused upon seeing Senel. "So, you're still alive? Shirley!"

Shirley paused as well, with Thyra still squirming in her grasp. "Yes, Master?"

"I thought I told you to kill Senel Coolidge!"

"Um...I'm sorry, Master...I have failed."

Solon shook his head. "Never mind that! Finish your job and kill him!"

"Yes, Master." Shirley threw Thyra to the ground and began to advance on Senel.

"Shirley, snap out of it!" Senel protested. "Don't listen to him!"

Shirley moved up to him with cold eyes, grasping him firmly by the neck with one hand. She squeezed hard as she slowly lifted him into the air.

"Sh...Shirley..." Senel muttered, gasping for breath.

"Shirley, stop!" Chloe grabbed Shirley's arm, trying to break her hold on Senel. However, Shirley grabbed Chloe's face with her free hand, flinging her away effortlessly. Chloe hit the wall and crashed to the ground.

"Ooh, now's my chance!" Norma got her bow and arrow ready.

"Now wait just a minute!" Moses quickly snatched the weapon from her.

"Hey! What are you doing, you stupid bandit!"

"Let me be the one to shoot her!"

"Oh, for crying out loud! You can't even shoot the ground in front of your feet!"

Moses ignored her insult as he aimed the arrow at Shirley. "Ready...aim...fire!"

He let fly with the arrow, which struck Shirley directly in her shoulder.

"Ahhh!" Shirley cried out, dropping Senel. The Alliance Marine fell to his knees, coughing to catch his breath.

"Coolidge, are you all right?" Chloe asked as she checked on him.

"I...I think so..." Senel said, still gagging.

Shirley continued to cringe in pain. "Master Solon, I...I am unworthy of your love!"

She then collapsed to the ground, where she lay unmoving.

"Shirley!" Senel immediately ran to her, with the rest of the party gathering around her also.

Solon shook his head and shrugged. "Oh well, no matter. I wasn't particularly fond of her affections anyway."

Moses stepped towards him, raising his spear. "Now it's yer turn! Get ready to get your butt kicked!"

Solon shrugged again. "I prefer to avoid pointless combat with the likes of you. I've no more reason to be here, so I'll take my leave. Farewell, until next time."

With his parting words, he and the ninjas vanished in a puff of brown smoke.

"Hey, get back here!" Moses yelled. "He ran away! That bastard!"

"Calm down," Will said. "We got what we came for, and that's all that matters."

"Thyra," Chloe said. "Are you all right? What are you doing here?"

"I'm fine. I came to save Jay," Thyra said.

Jay only shot her an irritated glance.

"Well, let's get Shirley out of here," Will said.

The others nodded. Placing Shirley on Giet's back, the party began to leave the ruins.