I'm back!!!! Here's part three, and it WILL be better than last time, really it is. Read on,
little friends, and enjoy!!!! ^___^ By the way, there's a lot of changing of perspective or scene type stuff, so it may be just a bit confusing at times…
************************************************************************
Holly and Genki reached the house as the others were finishing breakfast, their faces sticky with honey and mouths full of its sweet taste. "Everyone! Stay in the kitchen!" yelled Genki as he and Holly ran upstairs to change real fast. They threw on fresh clothes and ran downstairs to talk with the others.
Everyone was seated in the kitchen when they arrived, out of breath and gasping for air. As soon as Holly could speak, she told them of what had happened. "This morning, Genki and I were visited by the Phoenix," she explained softly. "A new evil has risen, and he wishes us to go and fight it."
Genki took over from there. "Suezo, you accompanied us last time on our quest, but now you have a family of your own and I think it may be wise for you to stay and protect them. It's not that we don't want you to come, but with three little ones and a fourth on the way…"
"I understand," said Suezo grudgingly. "Just take care of Holly for me, ok?"
"I can take care of myself, you know," put in Holly, slightly annoyed.
"Where will you go first?" asked Jarel, eyebrows raised.
"To Golem's Ruins," replied Holly, "It is only a half a day away and Moochi is there. We'll want to round up some of the old gang before we head out."
"Fine, have you told Coltia yet?"
"Told me what?" asked Coltia as she walked into the kitchen. Seeing Genki stand behind Holly in front of the others, she was about to voice an opinion when Holly interrupted her.
"You'll be running the shop for a while by yourself, Colt," she explained quickly. "The Phoenix has told me and Genki to go and defeat a new evil as we have done in the old days. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but you must keep the shop running until I return."
Coltia took a moment to process that before replying icily, "Why should I believe you?"
Holly sighed in exasperation while Genki sweated nervously behind her. He knew he was part of the problem, and she knew that Colt was being unreasonable. Resisting the urge to strangle the girl, she replied, "Why must you be so difficult?" under her breath.
"Colt," said Genki stepping forward, "Stop acting so immature and listen to me. I don't know what you meant by that last remark, but Holly would never lie to you or anyone else. She has no choice in what the Phoenix has told her, and you must do as she says and stay here to mind the shop."
Coltia's eyes grew large with hearts in them. "Oh, Genki-sama you're so wise," she cooed, throwing her arms around his waist and not caring that he had just chastised her, "You'll come back to me, right?" He struggled to free himself from the girl's death grip while sending pleading looks in Holly's direction.
`Oh, might as well,' thought Holly to herself, `I'll be gone after tomorrow anyways…' Going over to Genki, she pried Colt's arms off him and set her firmly in a chair. "Leave Genki alone, Colt," she said quietly. "He doesn't like you like that."
"You said that he wasn't yours."
"He's not."
"Then he's fair game."
"He's my friend and I won't have you treating him like you do with the rest of the guys."
"That's not fair!"
"Life's not always fair, Colt." Coltia angrily stormed out of the house, saying that she'd watch the shop, but only because she needed the money.
Holly sighed as she watched her go. She was sure the rumors would fly fast and thick the next day, but she wouldn't be around to hear them. With out looking up she said, "I'm going to the shop to get some things I'll be back soon, though."
She left behind a puzzled Jarel and relived Genki. Jarel asked what she and Genki had done while they were gone that morning, so he told him of racing through the crowds and woods after she had finished delivering some packages.
"Why?" asked Genki.
"No reason," said Jarel noncommittally.
Genki puzzled about why Jarel had asked that while going out to the garden to wait for Holly to return.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Holly went and unlocked the shop, leaving the closed sign out side on the door and walking in to get her stuff. Heading to the back room, she went to find some material when Beth popped her head in the door.
"Are you hear, Miss Holly?" she called.
"In the back, Beth," replied Holly from behind stacks of cloth.
"I just ran into Miss Coltia, and boy was she in a tizzy…"
"What did she say?" asked Holly, a note of fear in her voice.
"Something about you and the shop and a fella named Genki. I think she's plumb crazy so I went to find you and ask what it was all about."
Holly sighed. "I'm leaving tomorrow on a journey, and I'm not sure when I'll be back. Colt's just upset because she can't come."
"And the fella named Genki?"
"An old friend who's coming with me. Colt likes him a lot, but the feeling isn't exactly mutual…"
"Oh," said Beth wisely. "She's just jealous. Well, since you'll be gone, and I need something to do, can I help in the shop until you return?"
Holly quickly agreed, knowing Colt loved the older woman and would welcome the help with the festival approaching. She left soon after, locking the door behind her and giving Beth the extra key for when business would open the next day.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki found Holly in the garden a while later, seated under a tree with fabric, spools of thread, and other sewing tools spread around her. "Making me some more presents?" he said as a little boy might.
"No, you greedy little guy, just a necessity for both of us. Every time we went up into the mountains last time, we froze. These cloaks are just a precaution since we have no idea where we'll be going, and they can double as blankets so we don't have to take as many with us." She handed him a hooded black cloak with a silver clasp and blue trim. "It should go nicely with your outfit," she added.
"You may call this a necessity, but I'll call it a present `cuz I like that word better," said Genki, finding the cape fit perfectly.
"Speaking of presents," said Holly thoughtfully, "I do have something for you. I meant to give it to you the other night but it sort of slipped my mind…" She picked the other cloak, an exact copy of Genki's except it was blue and a bit smaller, and led him up stairs to her room. He watched as she pulled a dusty, leather bound book that looked very familiar from her desk drawer.
"Is that the book I left with you when I had to return to my world?" he asked softly.
"Yes. The complete account you wrote the month afterward of our adventure. I read through it about four years ago and made a few revisions…"
"It didn't need any revisions!" said Genki, displeased.
"Oh really?" Holly opened the book to a page she had marked and read aloud, "…the dashing and heroic Genki raced into battle, managing to escape Moo's attacks and getting in a few hits of his own on the evil monster…"
"Oops," said Genki, blushing as he scratched his head, "Forgot about that…"
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The next morning…
Genki and Holly started out before anyone else in the house was awake, not wanting to stick around if Coltia decided to show up. They left a note on the table with their `good byes', trying to get to Golem's home as quickly as possible and being slightly edgy without knowing exactly why…
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Golem stood at the front of the entrance of his ruins, his friends trapped by the Jell hybrids. He was shackled to the back of the ruins, his chains letting go far enough to watch the havoc around him. Seeing them begin to drag away those dearest to him, Golem's eyes glowed white as he ripped the fetters off the back wall and charged at the enemies, roaring mightily…
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki suddenly stopped skating, causing Holly to almost collide with him. "Whoa!" she said, "What's wrong, Genki?"
"How much longer until we reach the forest?" he asked urgently.
"At least another two hours…"
"Something's not right. We have to get there as quickly as possible." He took once more, Holly close behind. She passed him and led the way through the twisted paths to where their friends lived.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
"Please, wake up Golem," said a voice to his right.
He shook his head groggily, trying to clear his pounding head and blurry eyes. He was lying on the ground, facing the sky with someone bending over him. "Mayfleur…" he mumbled, seeing the Mint's face crinkle in concern.
"He's ok, Ojo," she called softly over her shoulder, looking at the Melon Suezo behind her.
"Is he feeling good enough to get up?" asked a third monster. Golem recognized it as Slip, the young Jell that had been born of two others in the group.
"I'm…fine…" muttered Golem as he struggled to sit up.
"Do you think you can stand, old friend?" asked Ojo, hoping closer to the prone monster.
Golem tottered to his feet and walked shakily to the cover of the ruins. "Good," said Ojo, eyeing the clouds nervously, "It'll rain soon and we have no way of moving you to cover ourselves."
Ojo and Slip went to stay inside as Mayfleur went out to await the rain.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki was beginning to gasp slightly for air as the rain started to fall. Holly was still going strong, but she sensed he was tiring and slowed her pace enough for him to catch his breath. He thanked her with a smile and was soon racing down the path at the rate they had been before, being driven on by the sight of the forest before them.
It was steadily pouring by the time the ruins themselves could be seen. Holly went all the faster, wanting to check on her friends. He normal careful nature was forgotten as she raced head long through a puddle and went flying through the air as a result.
Genki helped her out of the mud before seeing what had tripped her. He solemnly picked an orange hat that he had left behind as a gift to one of his monster friends.
"Moochi…" whispered Holly, eyes getting big.
"Holly, as that you?" asked a timid voice behind them.
"Mayfleur?" asked Holly hopefully. A small Mint glided down from the trees near the ruins to land near Holly. "What's wrong?" She noticed tracts of tears going down the monsters face. "What happened here and where are the others?"
"…Jells…came and attacked us…captured everyone…Golem managed to free me, Ojo, and Slip…the rest are gone…" sobbed Mayfleur, leaning into Holly for support.
"And Moochi?" asked Genki aggressively. The Mint shirked away from him, hiding behind Holly.
"It's ok, May," soothed Holly, putting her arm around the young monster. "He's a friend."
The small pixie-breed huddled into Holly all the more. "With the others," she answered quietly.
Genki let out a soft string of curses and took off towards the ruins. "Where are you going Genki?" called Holly.
"To track them down and get Moochi back!" yelled Genki. Holly shook her head and chased after him, Mayfleur close behind.
"Go back to the others!" yelled Holly to the Mint, hot on Genki's tail.
He skated onwards, following the tracks the Jells had made, closing his ears to Holly's pleas. She had managed to come up right behind him when he went flying over a log in the way. "Oomph!!" Holly went straight into his back, making them both fall to the ground.
Holly took the opportunity to pin Genki quickly to the ground so he couldn't skate after Moochi again. "You cannot go after them by yourself," she said determinedly, panting slightly.
Genki, still slightly amazed that Holly had been able to immobilize him so easily, swiftly reorganized his thoughts and said, "I have to, Moochi's my monster and I have to save him! Besides, I won't be alone I you're with me."
"That's not enough, Genki," she replied, still not letting him up. "Every time you rush headlong into something you end up getting hurt. Remember what happened with Moo? Or all the times you skated ahead of the group with Moochi when we told you not to and you ended up in trouble? This time Tiger, Hare, and Suezo aren't here to bale you out if you screw up, and I'm not going to let you get hurt or killed."
"Aw, didn't know you cared, Holly," teased Genki, hoping to catch her off guard.
"I'm being serious, Genki," she retorted, "Promise me you won't skate off after them."
"I promise," grumbled Genki, still wanting to save his friend.
"Genki…"
"Ok, ok, I promise not to go after Moochi by myself. That good enough for you???"
"Yep." Holly got up off of him and stood on the trail, waiting for him to get up.
"A little help here?" Holly sighed in mock frustration and pulled him to his feet. Both were covered in mud and soaked to the bone from the rain.
"Let's go, Golem will want to see you and they'll have a fire to get warm by," said Holly, trying not to let her teeth chatter.
Genki put his arm around her and together they skated off back to the ruins.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Mayfleur waited at the entrance, vigilantly watching for her friends and wary of any enemies that might still be about. She saw two forms through the rain and was going to get Ojo when one called out. "Mayfleur? Mayfleur where are you?"
Ojo came to see who was yelling outside their shelter. "Is it them?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
"Yes, it's Holly and her friend," replied Mayfleur, her voice full of relief.
"Call back to them, they're probably cold and wet and we'll need them healthy if they're to help us."
"Yes, sir." She stepped out of the shelter and into the rain and called, "Holly! We're in the main hall!" Turning her back to them, she strode to the end of the large hall, knowing they would follow shortly.
She had two blankets and some food waiting for them when they finally made it. Holly and Genki took them gratefully, being chilled to the bone and half-starved from not stopping to eat.
"Golem," said Genki, seeing him by the fire.
"The stone giant turned his face towards the young man, "Genki," he replied, "Your coming to good…"
"We'll find and rescue your friends," promised Genki energetically, acting like his younger-self for a moment.
"How did you know we were in trouble?" asked Slip, sidling up beside Holly.
"We didn't, Slip," admitted Holly. "We were on another mission…"
"Are you the boy from the legends?" asked Ojo, hopping out from behind Golem.
"What legends?" asked Genki.
"Many stories told of Moo's defeat. We are all considered living legends, and you especially being an off world-er. I have told my friends about you," replied Golem.
"Why have you returned, battler of Moo?" asked Ojo, bowing as low as his stalk would let him.
Genki sweated, not being used to this sort of treatment. Holly, as usual, saved him by answering Ojo. "A new evil has come to our world, and we must go and fight it. I'm afraid that your friends were captured by this new enemy, and we must go and get help before we can go after them."
"Then we go to Tiger's canyon tomorrow," said Ojo determinedly. Turning to Golem he added, "That is, only if you're up to it, old friend."
"I'll be fine," replied Golem, smiling with his eyes since it is the only way a stone giant can.
"Then tomorrow it is," agreed Genki, sitting down beside the already half-asleep Holly.
"Yes, tomorrow," sighed Slip, thinking of his parents. He crept outside to be alone in the rain, and cried.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Tiger sat at the mouth of his cave, staring into the sky. A cloud shaped as Phoenix floated across the moon before dissipating into nothing.
"An omen," said a voice beside him.
"Yes, brother," replied Tiger, "But a good or bad one?"
Grey Wolf sat down and sighed. "I don't know. But the Phoenix was our friend, so we shall wait and see…"
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki flew down the path, the others close behind. May and Holly took turns carrying the exuberant Slip, and at the moment he clung giddily to Holly's back as she raced after Genki. Golem ran in the back as usual, Ojo on his shoulder and May on the other when she tired of flying.
They reached a narrow canyon just 4-5 hours after they had left the ruins, and the sun was well overhead. Holly motioned for them to stop and be silent for a minute.
"Tiger!" she yelled, "Tiger of the Wind. I'm back and I have some guests with me!" Two Datons and a Datonare ran out from behind a boulder to greet them.
"Holly! We didn't expect you for another few weeks!" one of them cried. They leapt on Holly, almost knocking her over.
Tiger came down a ledge along the side of the canyon, a female Tigress and two pups beside him. "Did I mention he had a family?" asked Holly as she noticed Genki's look of surprise.
"Who's your guests?" asked Tiger when he reached the bottom.
"You don't recognize me?" laughed Genki; putting on the orange cap he had saved from the puddle.
"Though I smelled you coming, kid," said Tiger, grinning lopsidedly. "And I see Holly's still keeping you out of trouble…"
"When ever he'll listen to me, that is," interrupted Holly.
"Will you ever learn?" asked Tiger, shaking his head.
"Probably not any time soon, but I plan on it some day…" said Genki guiltily.
"You can't learn when you're dead, kid," said Tiger seriously.
"Really? I never tired," replied Genki, sounding thoughtful.
"And you're not going to!" said Holly protectively.
"When did you return? And why?" asked Tiger, changing the subject.
Genki quickly explained how he had gotten there and why they were traveling once again. Holly went over and talked to his mate and pups, catching up on the latest news of the pack. "So you have come to get help in your search," said Tiger slowly.
"Yes. You were one of our best fighters and we'll need all the help we can get," replied Genki, trying to sound convincing.
"What about my family? And the pack?"
"I'll lead the pack while you're gone," said Grey Wolf from the ledge above them.
"And my mate and pups?"
"We're coming with you," said the Tigress, coming up beside him.
"What?!" exclaimed Tiger, "You and the pups might get hurt…"
"I'll be able to handle my self," interrupted the Tigress, "I think I proved that when I took you and your brother a few years back."
"And the pups?"
"They'll live. They're getting soft from living in the cave, this'll be a good experience for them."
Tiger shook his head and struggled between consenting to them and standing firm. Finally he sighed and growled, "They can come, if they promise to obey at ALL TIMES."
The two pups nodded solemnly, their eyes glittering with mischief. "We'll be good, dad," they said in unison.
"Now that that's settled, why don't you introduce us?" said the Tigress quietly.
Tiger bowed slightly and said, "Guys, this is my mate, Tigress of the Storm…"
"Just call me Storm," she added quickly.
"And these two pups are my twins, Tempest Winds and Icewolf. But we call them Temi and Ici for short." The two pups bowed as they had been taught to before hurling them selves at Holly in hopes for a treat.
"Sorry, guys," she said gently as they snuffled through her pockets. "I didn't bring you anything this time."
"But you always bring us a treat," said Temi, pouting slightly.
"Well, if you behave while we travel, I'll make you a treat one night for dinner, ok?"
"Deal!" said Temi, smiling broadly. Ici just grinned and nuzzled Holly again before following their father who was already leading the others in doors.
Once inside and seated around a fire in a large cavern, they met some other Tiger breeds that lived there. There were the three who had jumped on Holly earlier: Dawn, Cole, and Swifty. The only Cabalos in the group was called Cutter; and Grey Wolf's mate was a Terror dog named Star for the mark on her shoulder. There was another Terror dog there named Fang, and his pup Kip was there with him.
Tiger had ordered for food to be brought to them and it had just arrived when a Jelly hound came rushing in the door. "Holly! Blaze wants you to come see her new pups!" he panted, not waiting for them to give him permission to speak.
"Let her rest and eat for awhile, Zen," reproached Tiger severely, "There'll be time later…"
It's ok, Tiger," said Holly, getting up quickly, "I'm not hungry and I'm sure the rest of you have a lot to catch up on." She followed Zen out the door, taking Temi and Ici with her.
"Is Holly well liked by the pack?" asked Genki.
"If she wasn't a human, she'd be one of the pack," chuckled Tiger. "Especially the young ones, though. They love her to death and will spend hours wresting and listening to her stories. But that doesn't mean the older one's don't like her. They think she's responsible and helpful. Many speak very highly of her and would defend her as they do their own."
"The pack would suffer greatly if something were to happen to her," said Grey Wolf from his seat. "Make sure you take good care of her."
"We were able to last time," said Genki curtly.
"She can take care of herself," said Storm angrily. "Holly's no timid pup anymore and you'd do well to remember that."
"Yeah, I know," muttered Genki to himself.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Blaze, named for her orange-red fur that rippled like fire, lay in a pile of straw with two newborn pups asleep beside her. The young woman from Tiger's journeys was once more among them, and she was waiting for Zen to bring her to see the pups.
She smelled her coming before she called to her, and she surprised her by calling to her first. "Just get in here," she growled good naturedly, knowing Holly would understand.
Holly greeted her before turning to the new arrivals and looking them over. "Well, Blaze, you have yourself a nice set of boy twins," said Holly cheerfully, "What did you name them?"
"Flare and Flame, since they are both orange like me," said Blaze proudly.
"They have your fur and eyes, hopefully they didn't pick up their grandfather's cynical nature," said Holly softly. He was the oldest Tiger in the pack, and for some reason couldn't accept Holly as a friend.
Blaze nodded and quickly changed the subject. "Did any of your friends come?" she asked.
"Yes, but you haven't met any of these ones."
"Then Moochi, Rover, Coltia, Bluefur, and that family of Suezo's didn't come? Where are they then?"
Holly told her about what had happened since she had last seen her that was relevant to that question. "Then the boy from your stories is here," said Blaze, recognizing Genki's name.
"Yeah, he's back and ready to go on another adventure."
"Then you won't be staying long."
"No. Only a few days."
"Well, we'll miss you and take care of yourself," said Blaze in concern.
Holly was about to reply when Tiger called to her from down the hall. "Holly! We need to talk!" he yelled.
"Coming!" she yelled back, quickly leaving Blaze to be by herself once more.
The group stayed with the pack for four days before leaving to start their quest of destroying the evil that had entered their world. Using Holly's pendent, they set a course almost due North and there is where the next part of their adventure begins…
*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Butterfly speaking once again, and not bad if I do say so myself. Please, review. It's a nice thing to do and the more you review the faster the chapters come, and interesting concept, I know. Next chapter's on the way and I need some input here! Thank you to those who did review, it was very nice of you.
Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 0.6.7
-->