Dark: *walks up to shadow* so vixen still here?

Shadow: surprisingly no...wait this isn't the conversation you were originally going to have

Dark: this one is less perverted and doesn't bring Sophie into play deal with it.

shadow: all right then...so not title this time around

Dark: couldn't think of anything good so the readers get to name it. best chapter title wins

shadow: ties will require a fight to the death

Dark: if only that would work. anyway enjoy the chapter reader.

Shadow: hey shout out to your buddy remember.

Dark: oh yeah, if you readers remember i mentioned my friend christian in the story, well with my approval he is now writing his own story following what happens to him in mine. his pen name is Riuna, please check it out it would mean a lot to him.

Shadow: if you don't well send a few jump soldiers to come and take care of you

Dark: why the threat? Seriously.

Shadow: hey Sometimes fear works better than kindness...

Dark: oh yeah and sorry for cutting the bit with shou so early, but in all honesty that was how it ended, there was just a lot more stalemate combat in the middle.

Shadow: hey you're the writer you don't have to explain yourself

Dark: hey i like my readers, though i wish i'd get more reviews because i know there are some silent people out there

Shadow: threaten to quit writing...

Dark: what! no that didn't work the last time i tried, plus remember that pm

Shadow...oh yeah never mind then.

Dark: crap, sorry for drawing this out people, please enjoy the chapter

Dark: Update people Black Cyrus has come up with a suitable chapter title.

Shadow: thanks man we appreciate it

The Friends You'll Make

" Espirina, you realize that this does mean he may be with the enemy now? Until we know otherwise we'll have to act as such." Shadow had said to Espirina before we left the lookout tower.

He had estimated that it would roughly be three days before the enemy force would reach the city. He advised me to go out and find something to keep myself busy, but I was having a hard time finding something that held my interest. I decided to take a walk through the city top make up my mind.

" What to do, what to do?" I thought as I passed by a weapons shop.

I glanced inside and saw one of the soldiers I had yet to meet from Shadow's camp. I identified him as Shou Kira, a blacksmith and sword master. Intrigued I took out my shifter blade and looked it over, it was still usable but it had several chips in it missing from past use.

" Shadow never did take care of you did he?" I thought feeling sympathy for the blade. " I feeling compassion for an item of bloodshed…weird. I think I'll have Shou work on it, it needs to be strengthened."

As I stepped into the weapons shop I realized that Shou was having an argument with the owner of a shop. As the door slammed shut behind me they both looked my way then returned to their argument.

" You're a fool man! What idiot would believe in the soul of a hunk of metal." The shop owner said, surprising me with his Irish accent.

" And I'm telling you that every weapons has it's own spirit old man? You just need the right tools and a good ear to find it and listen to it." Shou shot back slamming his hand on the counter. He was a bit shorter than me, but Shou was no pushover his upper body was muscular and honed from training and the swinging of heavy hammers while working metal. His eyes held a deep sense of right and wrong, and his brown hair was messy at best. Overall he seemed to emanate an inner strength that would make the weak of heart crumble in his presence.

" Don't be a fool, believing that crap. A weapon is a tool of war, nothing else." The shop owner said turning away to polish a sword.

" Why you old…" Shou began raising his fist.

" What makes you so sure a weapon can't have a soul. Consider what strange things have happened here, the abilities people have. How do you know there isn't a man out there who can breathe life into a blade?" I spoke up grabbing Shou's fist and lowering it.

"Not another one, you can't really believe this one." The sshop owner said placing the sword down.

" I'm not saying I agree, I'm just saying you can't say he is wrong based on your beliefs. On this planet there are many people who have many great abilities. Who's to say some magician didn't say create a mystic hammer that could give a mind, a personality to a weapon." I said calmly eyeing the man hard.

Shou stared at me for a moment, in amazement. I knew it was because my example was more or less the experience he'd had in the story I'd written for him. The shop owner was silent for a moment then turned to face me.

" Aye, I guess you're right. This planet is a strange one, living weapons wouldn't be anything new." He said defeated, " Now are either of you planning to buy anything? If you're not I'll have to ask you to leave, my shops not too big and a crowded weapon shop in a dangerous place."

Shou and I looked at each other then turned to leave, outside Shou turned to me again and gave me a curious look.

" Why did you do that, backing me up in there?" he asked.

" Well I knew that you were right, but sometimes to get a person to believe you it's necessary to stay calm and not get worked up like you did. Besides I like your swords just as much as you do, all six of them." I replied looking away.

" How do you- oh right shadow must have told you."

"No not really, let's just say I nothing things about people. Which reminds me will you do me a favor, I want you to strengthen the blade of my sword." I said glancing up, " And use the good hammer if you have it."

" You're a strange one, but I think we'll get along just fine." Shou said taking the sword from me, " It should only be a few hours so you should find something to keep yourself occupied."

" Great that again…but I was expecting that." I thought as he walked away. With a deep sigh I spun around and went on my way, looking for anything that seemed remotely interesting.

I wandered around the city aimlessly for a few minutes, until I found a small, secluded shop that sat near the edge of the city toward the desert. I stepped inside to find shelves filled with crystalline figurines and statues, each one seemed like it would have taken years to make. I carefully made my way around the shop admiring the obvious skill of the artist who carved the crystals and gems into such intricate designs.

" Oh hello, do you like them." I feminine voice spoke up behind me.

" Oh I'm sorry I was just wandering around the city and I saw that the door was open and just came in." I explained turning around. She was a woman of a kind, gentle appearance, she had dark skin, light hair and her eyes were bright green. She looked happy but I could feel it was just a facade; there was something hollow about her apparent cheeriness.

" Oh, it's all right. Take your time and enjoy yourself." She replied with a small smile.

" You don't have to put on an act for me, or anyone else for that matter." I said not looking directly at her, " Your name is Sophita right, D.R's girlfriend?"

" How do you know that, Are you a friend of DesertRose?" she said clutching her hands over her heart and taking a step back.

" You might be able to say that…" I said turning around again, " I'm sorry to hear that he was killed, it must be hard on you."

" I…he." Sophia muttered looking at the ground before bursting into tears, " He proposed to me just before it happened…I said yes but then he…"

" Damn…how could not writing a story cause so much pain for the characters I cared about like real friends." I thought restraining myself from slamming my fist on the shelves. " I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. But he was a great guy and at least you got to know how he felt before it happened."

Sophita could only nod in agreement through her sobs. I felt terrible for making remember something like that, the pain of losing the man she loved just as they were planning to be married. I couldn't leave; I had to figure out some way of making her feel better or else I'd feel terrible for the rest of my life.

" I know it's, no, I can't imagine how hard it is for you right now. But you'll have to get over it if you want to live a full life. Isn't that what he'd want for you." I suggested to her hoping for some response. " He did live a dangerous life, and he must have seen this as a possibility once the war came along. That's probably why he waited until now to let you know how much he cared about you."

Sophita's sobbing lightened as I spoke to the point where she was merely sniffling. She wiped her eyes and a weak smile appeared on her face, weak but I knew there was real happiness behind it.

" That sounds like something he'd do. He never was one to be to open about his feelings." She said with a slight laugh.

" But beneath his rough sandy exterior was a man who knew what he wanted, and of all the choices he may have had he chose you. And I'd say he chose well, not many men actually find a woman that takes their death so hard." I pointed out.

"Thank you…you seem to know him very well." She said starting to cry a little more.

" I only know about his personality, but I'd love to hear about him from the lady who knew him best." I said hoping to get her to remember good things.

Sophita smiled as she began to recount her time with DesertRose to me. Describing in detail all the things he did to make her laugh, piss her off and the things he did to make it up to her. She went on for hour just talking about how great he was. I was glad to listen, it interested me what my characters thought of each other. I made a few jokes here and there which seemed to cheer her up. By the time I decided to leave you never would have thought Sophita just lost her husband to be.

" It was nice talking to you Sophita but I think I should get going." I said starting out the door.

" Wait, I never did get you name." Sophita called after me.

" It's Dark."

" Well thank you. I needed someone to talk to." She said looking down.

" Well I was happy to do it, just remember to focus on the good times. That' the best way to honor anyone you care about after they die." I said leaving the shop.

I immediately set out looking for Shou to see if he was done working on the shifter blade. I found him waiting near the area where we'd parted ways. I noticed he had a sword of his own tied to his waist as we walked up to each other.

" Here you go Dark, it's should be able to take a lot more punishment now." Shou said handing my sword to me.

" Great, thanks did you use the good hammer like I asked?" I asked running my hand along my blade.

" Of course the same hammer that made this guy right here." He said with a smile as he drew his sword, a red bladed katana.

" Hey, how about I we test your work? A quick spar in the desert just outside of town to see just how much better my sword is." I challenged with a smile.

" Sure, I've been wanting to see what Shadow's second in command can do. And my Blaze here has been getting a bit restless."

" Let's go then." I said running toward the desert.

Shou decided to walk, so I ended up waiting on him for a few minutes. There was a night and day difference from the city to the desert. Crystal city was warm with frequent cool breezes and just the right amount of sun, but as soon as you entered the desert the air became dry and the sun's heat was oppressive. Shou and I held our sword at the ready as we stood across from each other.

Shou made the first move, charging at me with his blade held low to the ground. I jumped into the air and flipped behind him as he struck, we both spun around clashing swords. We both smiled as I repelled Shou and charged at him, I started my attack and he expertly blocked every strike. No matter how I came at him he found a way to block or divert my strikes. Letting frustration get the best of me I struck at Shou sloppily and he knocked my sword from my hand.

" Not bad." He said holding his sword at my neck; " you just lost focus for a second there."

" So what." I said jumping back a few feet, " I'm human, I make mistakes. Besides it'll take more than a sharp blade to take me out anyway.

" Oh really, then you won't mind if we turn up the heat a little." Shou said as his sword began to glow.

" Here we go…the red blade. Blaze of the flame." I thought holding out a hand as I willed t the shifter blade back to me. " Wow, that didn't even sound good in my head…"

Shou's blade continue to glow as the blade became a more wavy shape to the point were, coupled with it's glow, the blade faintly resembled a flame. The blade grew slightly in length, forcing Shou to hold the sword with both hands to keep it steady. Shou ran toward me again and struck, though I blocked the strike the heat coming of his blade burned my skin. He pushed me back and swung his blade down over my head, diving to the side I dodged the strike.

" What's wrong, can't take the heat?" Shou asked mockingly as I stood up.

"That's nothing compared to what I've been through in the past few days." I shot back spinning my sword. "I just have to make a little adjustment that's all"

I willed the shifter blade to change into a spear, but nothing happened. I glanced down at the blade and raised an eyebrow, and willed it to change again. Nothing.

" What's wrong can't even control your own weapon." Shou taunted, with a playful smirk.

" Technical difficulties that's-" I began as I felt a pulsation run through my sword, "What the…"

I looked down at the blade again as I felt another pulse ripple through the blade. Slowly it began to change, the blade lengthened slightly becoming wide near the hilt, skinny toward the center then widening again before coming to a sharp point. A long gray crystal ran up the center of the blade, and a length of chain appeared on the hilt and wrapped around my wrist.

I examined the blade curiously, taken aback by its sudden transformation. It was heavier than it was as a katana by as I gave it a few test swings it seemed much easier to wield.

" Impressive, but can we continue." Shou said impatiently.

" Uh…Yeah. I think we can." I replied swinging my sword by its chain. " And if your sword is still feeling restless let him cut loose a bit."

" Gladly." Shou said as he swung his blade launching a wave of fire toward me.

" All right the same as with-"

" Allow me." A feminine voice echoed in my head.

Glanced down at my blade and smiled, then swung it as the flames enveloped me. A gap opened in the flames and they passed around me without so much as burning a hair. My smile only grew bigger as I swung my blade again, sending a wave of force traveling across the ground toward Shou. Shou put his blade up to defend and the wave pushed him through the sand, knocking his sword away from him. Immediately followed up by swinging my blade over my head once, and throwing it toward him, grazing his check before my sword crashed down behind him.

" Ok I think you've tested out your word enough for one day." Shou said as he fell on his behind and sat Indian style. " We'll call this a draw for now. This heat is starting to get to me."

" Yeah me too, let's head back into the city." I said glancing at my blade again.

Shou and I parted ways again and I made my way to an inn that was chosen for the soldiers from shadow's camp. I was lucky enough to get a room to myself and sat alone with my door closed staring at my sword.

" Not a big talker are you?" the female voice said in my head again.

" Well, it's nice to be sure your sword can talk back before you start talking to it…because if I'm not talking to my sword then I'm going crazy." I said with a smile picking the sword up.

" You talked to me before when there wasn't even a possibility that I could talk back." The voice replied, " and you're not crazy, unique…but not crazy."

" Thanks…I think." I said uneasily, " So, what's your name? I'm sure you don't want to go by shifter blade now that you can think for yourself."

" Well your right, why'd you have that guy he never took care of me name me call me that anyway?" the voice asked intently.

"Wait, how did you know that I-"

" Just because I'm in your hand doesn't mean I'm not in your head as well. You think so much it's like an open book in there…" the voice said cutting me off, " Now my name, it's Mira I think?"

" You think?"

" I've only been able to think for a few hours, having a name didn't come to mind until you brought it up." Mira said a little offended.

" This is definitely going to interesting…and was that open book comment supposed to be an insult or a complement?" I asked staring hard at the sword.

" Hmm, I'm not sure… I'll have to get back to you on that one." Mira said as the blade returned to its normal form.

" What do you mean you'll get back to me on that? Mira…Mira!" I yelled with only silence as a reply.

" No luck with women even when they're an inanimate object." KidDark's voice chimed in with a laugh.

" And why the hell do you keep on popping back up just to make pointless remarks?" I asked angrily, with no reply once again. " Son of a bitch, if I get anymore voices in my head like these two I'm going to go insane.