AN: Yeah. Kay. Argh. I'm...almost on schedule? (All: HA..yeah right) Nyag. Anyhoo, reviews thankies goes to SteelSoul, Rap's, Jezzi and Amanda Swiftgold! *bows* Thanks much! (By the by, if anyone happens to guess where the name Tig came from, I'll give you a cookie...or something. ^_^ Honourable mention, lol.)
Chapter 8
Kanzas

Avoiding Wyon and the others became an art before it became something so simple as a game. We agreed we didn't need any more confrontations like that again, and thus began our many maneuverings. It started off simple enough, taking different routes or different portals, we would be able to avoid their usual hangouts. This was easy enough, as these particular Wingly boys didn't have much gusto to go beyond a certain area that we referred to as the "Danger Zone". The stone floors of Ulara, usually so willing to echo our footsteps, became silent with practise, and we could walk around undetected by ear if need be. And at the first hint of Wyon, Tig or Pir, well, it was the flowers burping, and not hushed giggles you heard coming from behing Charle's garden.

The day it became a game was the day I got the slingshot. I remember looking at Zieg so blankly when he handed it to me, that he laughed and pointed at the targets across the courtyard. "Stop wasting arrows, Shirley. Charle has Wingly kids picking those up daily cuz we can't reach 'em. You gotta aim." He winked at me and I had to laugh. "Just don't-"

"-show Charle," I finished with him, "I know Zieg." It was always that one warning. Don't show Charle. Don't tell Charle. Don't let Charle know we...yadda yadda. So that one ice cream raid during my fifth month wasn't exactly a good idea, I wasn't going to tell anyone! Just like I wasn't going to tell anyone my partner in crime had just handed me a weapon I wasn't supposed to have. I winked back at him and smiled. "Thanks."

"Not a problem. Here, I'll show you how to work it." I suppose that was a wise idea, considering my first experience with my bow and arrows didn't exactly turn out too well. And so, with the help from Zeig and my new weapon, and three months of solid practise, I became quite the sniper with that slingshot. That was when avoiding Wyon became a game. We were already so good at it, that we had actually found a way to get to Charle's 20 minutes early. We had plenty of time now to play our little game. Zieg referred to it as 'The-elaborate-yet-simple-plan-to-make-Wyon-go-crazy' game. I called it fun.

It began with a well-chosen hiding place, and here, Zieg and I would lay low until Wyon or one of the others showed up. Then, Zieg 'moved out'. This involved a casual stroll in view of the others. Once they noticed Zieg, and after some very rude words from my friend (some of the words he used I'd never even heard of at the time), they would advance in quite the rage. Here's where I came in. From my hiding spot, I would take out the trusty slingshot. The ammo I used at the time were incredibly tiny tiny little pebbles, just heavy enough so that with the right force, they would fly, and not fall. I would then proceed to fire said ammo at Wyon. This made him quite irritated, and got the others' attention while Zieg casually made his way back to me, a grin on his face.

It was during one of the 'elaborate-yet-simple-way-to-make-Wyon-go-crazy' games that something happened that we didn't expect. Zieg was making his way back, I still fired the occassional rock, and in the background I could hear Wyon complaining.

"I'm telling you! These bugs are after me! Look at that welt! LOOK!" Silence. "I don't know what they are! For the love of Soa...TIG! Don't TOUCH it!!!" And on it went. I was giggling as Zieg finally reached me.

"What's the score now?" He asked.

"Days won? Or shots fired?" I replied, gathering up my stuff. We started off to Charle's. He shrugged.

"Both."

"28 days running, though if you don't count week-ends it's 24," was the answer I gave. "Today, 43 shots fired, 30 hits, though. He was moving too much the other times." We both laughed. And that was when I heard it, or rather...did I feel it? All I know was that I was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of....annoyance and anger. I grabbed Zieg's tunic, forcing him to stop.

"What? Are they after us?" Zieg looked back, but I shook my head.

"Shhh," I told him, holding up a hand, "listen." We both strained our ears, and we heard shouting, grunts, what sounded like a child's voice. We didn't have to think twice, we looked at eachother once, nodded, and dashed off. It hadn't occurred to me that we running in the same direction as the 'Danger Zone' until we were almost there. Dammit! I thought. It's probably them again! And I was right, but it wasn't only Wyon and the others picking on the small boy, but one or two adults as well. Zieg and I halted in our tracks, watching with disbelieving eyes as they shoved and kicked at the little boy. He looked to be only about 5 or 6, his red hair unruly in its short crop. He had his hands up, and every so often when he had the chance he'd swing a punch at them.

"Zieg, we have to do something!" I didn't look at him as I spoke this, but somehow I knew that he nodded, that he glanced at me with nervous yet determined eyes.

"Let's go." He ran off and I followed, catching up quickly. Now that I look back, what we did was fool-hardy. We didn't even have a plan, we just dashed right in. Literally. Both Zieg and I ran into the small circle where the small boy was, arms spread in an attempt to protect him.

"Hey! Who are you?!" The boy shoved at Zieg from behind and I whipped my head back at him.

"We're here to help!" I told him. He obviously did not believe me, as he turned to me and stuck his tongue out.

"Go away! I was doing fine! I don't need a girl's help." I blinked at him. Did he just say that!?

"Shirley!!" Zieg called out to me and my attention snapped back. Wyon had reached out and grabbed a handful of Zieg's blonde hair, pulling hard to pry him away from the boy. Zieg grunted, but only pulled back, his grip on Wyon's arm tightening. "Let me go!" He demanded, swinging his free hand and whacking Wyon upside the head. I was surprised at what I heard next. Laughter. The little boy we were trying to help was laughing.

"You guys are great!" He clutched at his stomach. Obviously the hilarity of it all was too much for him. "Alright!" He cracked his knuckles suddenly, the laughter gone from his face. He raised his fists. "Let's show 'em!" I turned back, because at that very moment, the Winglies had decided we'd had our fun, and it was time to end it. The adults were advancing on me and Zieg, hands out to restrain us.

"Don't touch me!" I flung my arm free from their grasp, reaching back to my belt, to where I kept my slingshot.

"SHIRLEY!! NO!!" Zieg's voice rang in my ear, and without thinking, I listened to him.I dropped my hand, and sidestepped those were after me. Looking around, I found Zieg fending off Wyon and Tig, Pir was harrassing the kid. This was insane. I ran forward, pushed Wyon away from my friend, and grabbed Zieg's arm.

"Let's get out of here." I hissed, already dragging him towards the small boy. I grabbed him too, and pushed him forward. "Run!!" And off we ran, the angered voices of the Winglies not far behind. They'd take flight soon enough, I knew that. We had to get to Charle's. But 'soon enough' to the Winglies meant 'now', and we were overcome too quickly.

"Hand him over! He's not yours!" The man demanded. I placed an arm infront of the boy, glaring at the Wingly.

"He's not yours either! We are not property! So leave us alone!"

"Even if we were property," Zieg added, "We're Charle's! Not yours!"

"Maybe so," the man hovered above us, "but that brat isn't!

Oh that was it. I was tired of playing this game, and if we didn't hurry, we'd be late for Charle's classes. "Close your eyes," I whispered back to Zieg and the boy. I was going to blind these idiot winglies.

"What? Shirley-" Zieg sounded confused.

"Just do it!" I glanced back at them, my eyes already starting to glow an irredescent light as I focused on the spell. They crouched and closed their eyes obediently and I turned back to the Winglies. I focused, and called upon my element, a blinding light surrounding me and them. They cried out, covering their eyes. That was my chance. I let the spell drop and nudged Zieg and the boy. They opened their eyes, squinting as the last of my spell wore off. Zieg looked at me with wide eyes, but all I did was nod. He was back in lead.

'Let's go' He mouthed, pointing at the path. I nodded my understandment, and urged the boy forward. The Winglies were still shouting at the top of their lungs, covering their eyes with their arms. We resisted the urge to laugh as he snuck past them and made our way to Charle's as quickly and as quietly as we could.

"What's your name?" Zieg asked the younger boy as we ran. I kept my ears alert, the outraged cries of the Winglies reached my ears just as we made it past Charle's doors.

"Kanzas."

Zieg and I nodded at eachother, pushed the boy in infront of us, and shut the doors behind us. "How much time do we have?" I asked Zieg. He shrugged.

"I don't know...two? Maybe five minutes?" He ran a hand through his hair. "We're going to get it this time, Shirley. Those weren't just kids, those adults are gonna-" he cut himself off quickly as Charle walked into the room. "G-good morning, Charle!" He dipped his head politely.

"Good morning Zieggy! Shir-" She looked at us, STARED at us, her fan folded neatly in her hand as she did so. Her eyes locked onto Kanzas, a delicate brow raised in question. "What's this?" She asked. "You come in, short of breath, and with another slave?" She walked up to him, unfolding her fan. "Chin up." She ordered. Kanzas glared defiantly at her, but raised his chin, albeit only a millimetre. She placed her fan beneath it, forced it higher. "Heavens, child!" She exclaimed after a second or two of close expection. "Whatever skirkmish you've been in, it's left a few marks." That was true. I hadn't noticed it before, but his face was bruised in places and he had a split lip. "Who's your master?" She asked, removing her fan and walking around in a matter of fashion.

Zieg and I waited expectantly, but Kanzas didn't answer. Charle turned, a small frown on her fair features. "Well? Speak up! I'll have a name out of you so that I may contact him at once! You need tending, my dear. You won't be able to-"

"I don't...HAVE...a master." Kanzas hissed out. "Ma'am."

"Well you must have," Charle replied, unoffended, "otherwise you would not be in my city. Where is he?" She was standing infront of where we hang the weapons, her back to us. Zieg and I watched as the boy shifted nervously. He obviously did not want to answer. "Well?"

"He kicked me and my mother out. Said if I couldn't do his dishes I could eat off the streets like the rest of 'em." Was the mumbled reply. I blinked, not believing him for one instant. Unless he came from Aglis, where the slaves had to live with the scientists, he'd have his own quarters in this city. I glanced at Charle, seeing if she was oblivious to this lie. She wasn't the look on her face showed that. The amused twitch of the lip gave her away anyways. Zieg nudged me, shaking his head. He'd caught the lie, too.

"Well then," Charle plucked at the fingers of her gloves, a small smile on her lips, "you'll need a new master, won't you?" Kanzas frowned, not liking this option. "You are to remain with me for the day, I'll have word sent to your mother..." she raised her eyes to him, "your name child? What is it?"

He snarled, defeated. I had to wonder how he'd ever think it'd work. Escape was impossible. "Kanzas."

"Kanzas, I'll have word sent to your mother that you are here. You can help Zieg and Shirley while they practise." She nodded, her word final. She turned to us. "Is that alright with you two?"

"Of course, Charle!" Zieg nodded, smiling. We both turned to leave.

"Wait." Charle's voice froze us, we turned slowly. "You still haven't explained what happened yet." She said simply. I glanced at Zieg, Zieg glanced at me, we both glanced at Kanzas. "Shirley?" I jumped slightly as she came around me quickly, plucking my slingshot from my belt. My face coloured as I heard Zieg curse under his breath. "What is this?" She demanded, holding it aloft in her still-gloved hand. I swallowed, nervous.

"I...uh, found it...today."

"Of course you did." She smiled, I thought, a bit over-sweetly. "But what is it?"

"A slingshot." I replied.

"Of course it is!" She tossed it behind her, right out the window. I clenched my fists. "Your weapon is the bow, Shirley, no need to keep it." Alright, so we were caught. What now? "Go!" She waved at us and we ran off, Kanzas following behind us.

We practised harder that day, our thoughts distracted us enough to make us focus more time and energy into our weapons. I'd gone through three targets, arrows dotted the center circles, almost completely covering them. Zieg's dummies were hacked to pieces, I had to duck more than once to avoid a flying wooden limb. I thought absently, that he was putting more than just thought and concentration into those swings. He was putting anger into them as well.

And Kanzas... Kanzas watched. He watched until all my arrows were spent, and Zieg collapsed in an exhausted heap.

"Shirley..." Zieg waved me over. Kanzas approached slowly as I did, Zieg sat up. "What did you do earlier? With that light?"

"It's my element. I can do magic." I stated quietly. I glanced up at Kanzas, his lip still swollen and puffy. Blood was still underneath. "I can heal, too, if you like." I offered. "It doens't hurt." I waited until he nodded (that took a while), before I stepped forward, completed a simple healing spell, and stepped back. Zieg stood, awed.

"All these months..." he leaned on his sword, still panting, "That was the secret, wasn't it? Why it took ten thousand gold to get you here?" I nodded slowly. "You can do magic, and you never told me?" He was hurt, perhaps offended that he might have even thought I didn't hold our friendship with that much trust.

"I didn't want you to be scared of me," I replied, "besides," a smile formed on my lips, "you never asked."

"I did SO ask!" Zieg whirled on me. I glanced at Kanzas, who was simply watching us with interest. "I asked you that second day, remember? Why you cost so much? Why you had the better quarters?" He took a deep breath and stalked away, only...he didn't stalk. He paced back and forth.

"Look, if it's healing magic she's doing," we both stopped to stare at Kanzas, "then why are you so upset?" He cracked his knuckles. "She's useful that way."

That way? I narrowed my eyes. I had other uses, too!

"You could have told me, Shirley," Zieg said, facing me. The anger was gone, I could see that, and was greatly relieved. He smiled, it was a slow smile, but still, he smiled. "One of these days, you have to show me how."

"One of these days," I agreed, laughing.

*~*~*~*

"That's enough for now. The hour grows late."

Shana roused herself slowly, yawning and rubbing at her eyes. "But what happened next?" She asked sleepily. Miranda turned her head, taking note of the rising moon. They must have just missed the sun set.

"Kanzas joined us the next day, as part of our group. Charle didn't say much about it, even when I asked about it years later." Shirley shrugged. "He will most likely tell all when he shares his tale. But for now, I suggest you two rest. I have to get back, anyways. I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright," Shana yawned. "Good night Shirley, Miranda."

"Good night," Miranda's voice was already faraway, her thoughts distant as Shirley said her farewells and faded away into the darkness of the night.