Ok, so I've been awhile updating. Shoot me. *Considers* Wait…on the other hand, don't, just express your unhappy views about such waits in a review so I might get more than 3 next time I update!! : P
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Firesprite led the trio of young humans relentlessly through the forest, coming to the top of a bluff that overlooked a huge valley below. "There it is," she commented lightly, taking a sip from her flask of water as she pointed to a dim glow that could be seen at the end of the vale.
"Seems like we'd never reach it," said Z, resting his legs while he had the chance by sitting on a log. "But now that we have…I'm not so sure I want to leave."
"The Spirit Realms do grow on you after awhile," admitted the Guardian with a wry twist of her lips. "But, you are mortals, and it isn't good for you to stay in places like this for long. Come, it is time for you to go home."
She turned and began to walk back the way they'd came, much to the puzzlement of the others with her.
"Excuse me if I sound rather foolish," said Kenjou, grabbing her arm as she was about to go past him. "But isn't the path that way? As in right in front of us and down those steps to the bottom of the bluff?"
"Not unless you want to take the long way," snorted Firesprite, tugging out of his grasp. "This way, however…" She went back a few more steps, pulling aside some fronds and branches to show a less worn path that led along the side instead of through the middle of the valley. "Shall be much quicker indeed."
"Oh." Kenjou shrugged his shoulders, looking at the sky as if to find some answer he was seeking there. "I've been here for more than a few days now, and you'd think I'd have figured to keep my mouth shut by now, but no…"
"Keni, you never have and you never will," retorted Annie, her remark softened by the teasing light in her eyes.
"Quiet, you three," called back Firesprite in a soft voice. "There's a few watchdogs we have in place over the portal, and while none but the Guardians know of or can use this path, I'd rather not waste time explaining things to them. That is part of the reason we're taking this path, to bypass their questions and verifications. While they will be put out that I did this to them, they'll get over it quick enough."
The path led them to a ledge about ten feet across that ran the length of the valley, completely covered with verdant ferns and vines that easily hid their passage. Firesprite stuck to the path in the shadows, and the others followed her example, keeping out of sight and making as little noise as possible.
Losing sight of the Guardian around a bend, Annie picked up the pace so as to not get left behind while her brother and friend followed at a slower, more relaxed pace. When they caught sight of Firesprite again, it was with Annie at her side and neither one looked too happy about whatever it was they were seeing. Coming up beside them, Z noticed a few giant beast he'd never seen before in his life, who looked like several of the fiercer monsters he knew of all stuffed together, staked to the ground and lying very, very still. Kenjou saw it as well, but was more absorbed with the subtle movements in the trees below that couldn't be attributed to normal wildlife activity.
"Wait here," murmured Firesprite, sprouting the wings that had lain dormant for a while and cloaking herself so she would meld into the shadows better. "Stay hidden and don't move until I come and get you. If I don't come back by tomorrow morning, get out of here and head back to the Guardian's place as fast as you can." Leaving with them the provisions and the map, she didn't even wait for an answer before disappearing out of sight for good.
"What?!" Kenjou nearly went running after her, his progress checked by the hand Annie had clasped over his mouth and the arm Z had placed around his neck. "Hm?!! Hm!! Hmmsnmdmn!!"
"She said to stay," said Annie in a quiet voice, putting her mouth right by his ear. "If that's what she said to do, that's what we're going to do, understand? Something's not right, so she's gone to check it out. We will stay here and rest until she returns, or leave tomorrow morning and hope for the best. And you will not leave before then nor do anything against what she has spoken."
Kenjou wrenched himself from their grasp, glaring at them both as he sat himself under one of the trees. "Your father wouldn't have stayed," he spat quietly. "He would've gone after her, as would've Uncle Allen and your mother too!! They weren't cowards!!"
"They were also in their own realm," Annie reminded him coldly. "Where they had the ability to face whatever came at them. If you haven't noticed, we don't have an icicle's chance in hell of living if one of those evil Destroyer guys comes after us without Firesprite to protect us. You may not have the brains to realize that, but I do and I have no intention of not making it home alive when we're this close to being there again."
Kenjou just growled in response and sulked by himself as Annie and Z settled themselves nearby, sharing some bread and cheese between the two of them. He was subdued for now, and they could only hope it would last until Firesprite had returned again.
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Kenjou smoldered sleepily as Annie and Z slept nearby practically hidden from sight by the leaves that were draped overhead. He was still angry about the whole thing; they shouldn't have stopped him like that! An explanation would've sufficed, it was not necessary for them to gag and hold him like they had. Whether or not he would've listened was completely out of the question, the point was they shouldn't have acted like they did.
His eyes began to drift shut as he scolded himself for being so careless. He should wake one of them, make them sit watch for awhile, but he was too stubborn to admit that he needed something from them and continued to barely hold his eyes open enough to see the ground in front of them. Perhaps that is why he hadn't seen the shadows until it was far too late…
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"Annie!!"
The young woman sat up, her hand immediately going to her blade as she realized her twin was no longer beside her. Jumping to her feet, she saw Kenjou lying to the side with several creatures piled on him, and her twin in the hands of some brutes she wasn't sure were completely human.
"Get off of him!!" she yelled, charging at them as she felt her anger take over her better judgment. "Z!!" One of the men turned and, with a flick of his blade that she hadn't seen, disarmed her and sent her falling back.
"Annie!" cried Z again, throwing off one of his captors only to have the others beat him with butt of their weapons so he'd be still. "No!!"
"Let go of my brother!" she demanded, slowly rising to her feet as the one who'd thrown her back advanced on her slowly.
"No on makes demands on me, girlie," he said with a wolfish grin. "I make demands on them. And my wishes are always granted…" He dodged out of the way as she lunged at him again, this time tripping her in the act with one foot and kicking her in the ribs with the other as she fell.
Annie lay there, groaning in pain as she tried to get her breath and her aching sides refused to move. Rolling over, she struggled to her knees slowly and attempted to rise, only to fall once more.
"Not so tough, are you?" he taunted lazily, forcing her chin up with the tip of his blade. "Just a little too feisty for your own good."
"Coward," she yelled, spitting in his face. His shoulders shaking in rage as he wiped it from his chin, he smacked her to the ground and kicked her in the side of the head, leaving her limp body there for his men to pick up.
"I hate them when they're feisty."
"Annie!! No!!"
"Shaddup, pretty boy," snapped the man in charge, backhanding Z with such force that his captors had to help him stay upright. "She'll be fine, for now. Later, however, when there is time for some real fun…" His face turned dark and cruel. "We shall see."
"Shall we take them back to our Lord Darkwynd, sir?" asked one of the men, motioning to Annie and Kenjou who were both lying limply on the ground.
"No," replied the man in charge, motioning for someone to go pick up the two as well as their things. "Take their provisions and make sure they are unarmed before chaining them with the others in the center of the camp. I will take care of Lord Darkwynd, for I believe this is not the main one we are searching for."
"Yes, sir!" The fellow smirked to himself, three new playthings for when he was bored, and one was even a young woman who might afford him some other pleasures than he'd been seeking for awhile. First to see 'his Lordship' Darkwynd. The pompous pinhead, he'd follow him for now but when the time was right…Mazer, which was his name, toyed with a dagger thoughtfully. His time would come soon, all he had to do was wait.
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Firesprite crept through the camps she found in the valley below, a feeling of dread slowly tightening around her heart. The Destroyer of All had been found already, and apparently he wasn't taking any chances on if he would rule a realm or not.
Even if he did lose, and he was left alive to continue to rule his realm, he'd be in the perfect position to march right into the Mortal Realm by holding the only portal like this and take it by storm. With an army of spirit beings and humans, most likely soldiers, that had died years ago and gone to his realms for punishment out for revenge on the world that had 'treated' them 'wrong', he'd have little or no trouble taking it for his own.
There had to be thousands of fighters hear. The entire front of the valley was covered with tents for human soldiers to live in, and part of the back was filled as well. In the center, by the portal, there were the spirit beings. Monsters who'd fought with Moo and the Creator from the past brought back to life for the purpose of helping them take over the Mortal Realms. They even had a few of the lesser earth, water, and fire spirits, controlled by the stone in their forehead being removed by another. That was just plain slavery, but even if she were to give them their stones back they'd never be the same so there was nothing she could do for them.
She contemplated destroying the camp right then, in an awesome unleashing of her mighty power, when her attention was attracted by a commotion coming into camp. She'd noticed the prisoners in the middle of the camp and had been deciding whether or not they'd be worth saving but this clinched it that it was. Kenjou and Annie were thrown on the ground next to Z who was forced to stand there while a thick shackle was placed about each of their legs. Each was given a five foot chain, attached to a giant tree trunk with its head severed off about ten feet from the ground. A single tent was shared by all of the prisoners, and their entire area was surrounded by light so they'd have little chance to escape without being caught.
Resisting the urge to jump out right then and roast the entire valley with one breath, she slunk back into the foliage and to the cliff tops. She needed a plan and needed it now. Allen had to be given the time to complete his trials and tests, and the Mortal Realms had to be guarded against such and attack, the only problem was how…
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Allen steadily climbed higher, his shield, sword, and pack slung over his back as he used his hands and feet to slowly inch his way up the walls and cliffs. The mountain itself was huge, towering over everything else in sight. He shivered slightly in the sudden cold. Just a few moments ago, he'd been ready to take off his cape and shirt he'd been so hot, but now…
Sighing tiredly, Allen crawled over a ledge and stopped for a few moments, removing his pack and weapons before lying flat on his back and staring at the sky. It seemed like weeks, even months since he'd started this journey. So much had happened, making everything, even his Lili, seem like a distant part of his past.
Allen sat up quickly as he retraced that thought. His Lili?! Where the heck had that come from?! She wasn't his anymore than the breeze or the sun was, she didn't belong to anyone or anything she was just…Lili. Or Firesprite, as she was called now. Still, should she ever somehow belong to him…
He smacked himself on the forehead for thinking such things and losing sight of his goal for a moment. His hand hit the circlet, which flew off and fell to his side with a soft 'clink'. Though he hadn't noticed it before, it had something written on either side of the single crystal that had been set in it. Just a single character, but neither one he recognized so he placed it back on his head with a sigh and gathered up his gear to start pressing forward once more.
It was peaceful, here on the side of the mountain, with the sky high above and the earth and waters far below. He was almost in a limbo of sorts, one where perhaps nothing could harm him and he'd be safe and happy here forever. Still, he knew it was not true, and even if he had Firesprite at his side, if she'd even ever agree to such a place, that it would never come true. He was in as much danger here as he was anywhere else, but he could not help feel that at least the danger here was less immanent than it might be otherwise just because of the flowing silence around him.
Allen topped another ledge and allowed his thoughts to flow free for a moment, his body perfectly capable of bearing him up the cliff side without his constant attention. He thought about the others, the twins and Kenjou traveling with Firesprite back home. He wondered if he'd ever see them again, dead or alive, for even their path might hold some danger yet unseen. Especially here, in an unfamiliar realm…he worried about them, but was consoled that they had the best protection possible with Firesprite at their side. They would make it home, he was sure of it, all he had to do was complete his part as well.
He paused by a spring he'd found, gulping some of it's freezing, fresh water with a gasp it chilled him so before turning to face the way he'd came. He'd finish what he'd started, and he would see them all again soon. Perhaps he hadn't promised it before, he couldn't remember, but he did now. Besides, Allen smirked to himself reassuringly, he had put up with Firesprite all those years, so there was little that could hurt him now, right?
Or so he hoped.
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Genki knelt atop one of the flat-roofed shelters he had made, Zephyr down below collecting what provisions and firewood he could find. The man had never questioned his friend's insistence that they build all these shelters or gather all this food, but he had to wonder why they would need so much of it.
Ten little huts stood to his right and another three without roofs to his left. Each was made of four polls with branches and leaves interwoven to make the sides. The roofs were just more branches with a framework underneath over the top, the dirt floors inside cleared of all plants other and such bracken before being swept clean. Or as clean as a dirt floor ever got anyway.
"Zephyr, how many more of these do we have to make?" called Genki, thoroughly worn out as he jumped off the top of the shelter and staggered over by his friend. "I'm not a young kid anymore, you know…."
"You sure act like it, though," Zephyr reminded him with a nudge of his nose. "You can stop there, though, for today with the huts. Why don't you go get some more fruit from up in the tree? I can make it fall, yes, but if it goes 'splat' all over the place it really does us little good."
"Alright," agreed Genki with a wink. "I know when you're being lazy, but I haven't disagreed with such large fangs for awhile and I don't intend to start now."
Zephyr laughed out loud. "Then why do you disagree with Holly?"
"I don't!" countered Genki over his shoulder as he walked forward without watching where he was going. "Have you ever seen the fangs she gets when she's mad?! She's every bit as scary as my cousin when she wants to be…omph!" Genki fell backwards on his butt, realizing he'd hit something rather solid that hadn't been there a moment ago. Bowing his head, he rubbed his nose carefully. "Don't tell me a tree just moved…"
"No, you just can't get along without Holly being around," said a familiar voice, a couple of hands reaching down and hauling him to his feet. "Good grief, Genki, she's hasn't even been gone for two weeks…"
"Jack?!" Genki looked up, seeing the other man standing before him with Jon and Jackie on either side. "What…? How did you…?!"
"I brought them, silly," said Holly, coming up behind him and giving him a kiss on the cheek as she slipped her hands around his waist. "Goodness, you really can't keep it together without me, can you?"
Genki winked at her. "Why do you think I married you, beautiful?"
Tilly watched them from her mother's side. "I think I'm going to be sick…"
Her clay nodded slowly. "Ai…Silvia too…"
They were all seated around the fire with Zephyr a few moments later, all the introductions complete and part of their light dinner already in their bellies. "Hm, this is really good fish, mister," said Clay, sticking one in her mouth whole and pulling out the skeleton a few moments later. "Who are you again?"
"I'm called Zephyr," said the huge lupine monster, his golden fur shining in the firelight as he sat beside Holly calmly. "At least by these folks, I am, but I am also known as Wyndcatcher…"
The Clay dropped the bones, looking at Zephyr with reverence as she dropped and bowed with her forehead pressing into the ground. "Most Honored Wyndcather!! I'm sorry I did not pay you these respects sooner…"
"What are you doing?" asked Tilly, giving her monster a confused look as she continued to bow in Zephyr's direction. "It's just old Zephyr, he can travel back and forth between the two realms yes but he's just Aunt Lilianne's companion, right?"
"How dare you dishonor the great Wyndcather!!" cried Silvia, giving her a master a distressed look as she began to bow fervently before the sweating monster. "My humblest apologies, oh great one! She does not know to whom she speaks, I swear! Please do not bring your awesome wrath upon her, I beg you…eh?"
Silvia looked up slowly, seeing her idol lying on his back, laughing so hard tears were coming to his eyes as the others joined in as well. "Oh, youngling…" he gasped, rolling back over and getting up slowly. "Don't worry about her, she doesn't know what you do, and I could never hold it against a family friend." He leaned over and touched her on her forehead with his nose, giving her a smile as he did. "Thank you, though, I appreciate your honoring of me. However, it's not necessary, really, here I am considered to be the same as you."
"The same as ME?!" Silvia was horrified at the thought. "But, sir, I could never even begin to consider…"
"Hush now." Zephyr put a paw over her lips. "Here, I am Zephyr, that is what you shall call me, ok?"
"Uh…hai…Sir Zephyr…"
"That's as close as your gonna get to it, bud," whispered Meg in his ear as the lupine sighed. "She's an extremely honorific to her fellow monsters, even for a Clay."
"So I can see…"
"Aren't you going to eat that?" asked Holly, pointing at the bowl of soup set before him that had yet to be touched.
"I'm not hungry, thank you," he replied. "You may have it, or give it to Genki if you wish…" The normal bottomless-pit of the group didn't even have time to reply before Holly had snatched and gulped it down, sighing in satisfaction as she rubbed her tummy and burped.
"Oops! Ah, excuse me…" Holly blushed as Genki gave her an odd look.
"Are you feeling all right, dear?" he asked slowly, approaching cautiously as if she might pick him up and swallow him whole as well.
"Just fine," replied Holly, giving him a puzzled look. "Why? Is something wrong?"
"N-no…I just haven't seen you like that since you were pregnant with Z and Annie…" His eyes suddenly tripled in size as reality hit him like a ton of bricks. "Wait… does that mean…"
"What do you know, the baka picked it up himself," murmured Jackie to her twin, both exchanging glances.
"Hai," replied Holly softly, and even though she'd gained a few wrinkles over the hairs and some gray hairs here and there, to Genki she looked the same as she did the first time she'd given him this sort of news. "I…we're going to have another baby, Genki."
"We're…I'm…" His eyes began to water as he got up and danced Holly around the fire. "I'M GOING TO BE A FATHER AGAIN!!" Holly just laughed softly, both of them practically shining with love and join as they continued their dance a little way from the fire.
"I think I'm going to be sick," stated Tilly under her breath as she turned away from the pair. "Again."
"Oh yeah," added Silvia who's eyes looked more like spirals at that point. "Me too."
"Being mushy is not always a bad thing," said Meg with a wink. "It's what brought you to this world, Tilly."
"Aw, mom! I don't need to hear about that…"
"Zephyr, what do you think about it?" asked Jack, smiling at the prospect of another adopted grandchild. The Guardian of Wynds didn't reply, he just stared up at the moon. "Uh…Zeph?"
"Shh."
Everything grew silent as Zephyr suddenly through back his head and howled to the full moon above. But instead of fading away into the distance, it pulsed around them and slowly grew more and more intense…when it vanished without a trace.
"What was that?!" demanded Jon, at his feet in an instant. "What's going on, Zephyr?!"
"It was a call," came the calm, cool reply. "It is coming soon, and we will need all the help we can get."
"A call?" Jackie shook her head. "To who?"
"To everyone." Zephyr leapt away to sit above the portal, his outline framed by the moon behind him. "Do not ask me to explain, you will all understand eventually."
Jack sighed, gathering his cloak about himself as he headed for the shelter he'd claimed as his own earlier. "This can't be good."
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Annie could feel something around herself. It was warm, and smelled familiar, but she was so tired, and if she could only sleep for a few more minutes…
"I said wake up!" came the gruff command, her leg suddenly yanked rather painfully so hard that she flipped over and saw a guard leaning over her with a sneer on his face. "Ah, so sleeping beauty finally decided to join us, eh?" He nudged her none to gently. "Don't let it happen again!"
"What's he talking about?" she murmured, holding her pounding head in her hands as she pulled the wrap that had been covering her around her shoulders.
"Just stand up," said Z, he and Kenjou taking either arm and hauling her to her feet so they could join the other prisoners in the tent. "There, that's it…"
"They're all away, sir," called one of the guards.
"Ok, then, bring in the bucket." A single, wooden pail filled with some thin slop was placed by the tree trunk while they were held away with spears pointed at them, the other three who were with them watching the pail with a starved look in their eyes. A second was added to it, this one filled with water. The guards them slowly backed off, and as soon as all of them were out of range the other three raced forwards to fight over the first pail and its contents.
"I can't believe it," murmured Annie, her vision slowly dimming as she watched them. "They're…they're more like animals than humans…"
"Hey!!" Kenjou put both arms around her waist, slowly lowering her to the ground as Z slowly edged around the other three and grabbed the pail of water to bring back to them.
"Hang in there, Annie," murmured Allen's nephew as he dipped a corner of his shirt sleeve in the water and washed Annie's face with it. Z just sat beside him watching the trio at the pale, an older woman, a younger one, and an older fellow around Allen's age. The man shoved the two women aside suddenly, taking what was left of the pail and running for the tent. Instead of pursing him, they sat there wearily. Z watched as the man coaxed two others to crawl out of the tent. Both under ten or so, it was two little girls who weakly gobbled down that which was left before crawling back into the tent silently.
"I can't believe humans can be reduced to such a state," whispered Z to himself, picking up the pail of water and taking it over to the women who still sat by the pole. They both accepted it from him with a nod, but said nothing as they drank from it slowly.
"I think I'm going to be sick," murmured Annie as she stared at the tent where the two little girls had disappeared into. "They were eating…did you see what was in there?!"
"Bits and parts of what the rest didn't want, would be my guess," coughed Kenjou, upset with the situation but trying not to sing with joy that Annie was willingly leaning on his shoulder at the moment.
"That's…that's horrible…they're being treated worse that dogs!"
"At this point, I don't think they care," whispered Z. "And they'll probably do anything to keep us from eating it as well. Water, well, I bet they're given as much as they want. But food is probably harder to come by, and with more to share with it's going to become even scarcer than before."
"Where did we sleep last night?" asked Annie, beginning to feel tired again. "I can hardly remember anything at all…"
"Around the pole," replied Kenjou, motioning towards where the two women were sitting with the water bucket between them. "I was out cold until this morning, and Z probably didn't feel like dragging us to the tent…"
"Hm…where's your cloak, though?" She gave him a puzzled look. "You were wearing the one Uncle Allen gave you, right? The one he used to wear when he was younger…"
"Uh, you have it actually…" coughed Kenjou, fiddling with the hem of his shirt while Z looked around them appraisingly.
Annie looked in surprise at the gray length of cloth she had wrapped around her shoulders. "I do…oh. How did I get it?"
"Y-you…you looked cold, that's all…"
"It looks like we're not going anywhere soon," cut in Z, having inspected his shackle and found it quiet impossible to remove without a key. He noticed the bags under his sisters eyes, and made a shooing motion with his hands. "Go in the shade with Kenjou, sis, and get some sleep."
Annie looked at her twin stubbornly. "But you might need my help!"
"I'll wake you if I do!"
"No you won't."
"I swear I will, but you need your rest…"
"Ah, what have we here," broke in a familiar voice. The commander from the day before stood over them, surrounded by several guards wielding spears pointed right at them. "Release them, men, Master Darkwynd wishing to have a word or two with them…"
They were dragged into the largest tent in the camp, forced to stand before a thrown that sat in there upon which a beast sat unlike any they'd seen before. Human enough in that he had two arms and legs and walked upright, that's where the similarities ended. His hide was covered in scales, and a long whippy tail flicked its end at his feet. A ridge that went down his back started with some horns on his forehead, and the only clothing he wore was a large pair of trousers and a belt with an enormous katana in it. Towering over them as he stood, Z gulped as he realized this fellow could probably lift them all with one arm and never break a sweat. The thought didn't comfort him in the least.
"Now, children," rumbled the creature. "Perhaps you do not realize this, and if you don't I shall gladly set you free, but you are trespassing on my land."
"Trespassing?!" spat Annie before either boy could stop her. "Since when is the portal in the hands of any others besides the Guardians?"
"My dear, we are the Guardians," sneered the creature at her. "I am the Guardian of the Living, Keitaro."
"That is a lie," burst Z angrily. "You are no more a Guardian than I am a god!"
The creature chuckled evilly, drawing closer to them. "You say that I lie. Guards?" All three of them cried out as one as they were suddenly beat from behind, left to lie in a pile at his feet as the creature waved them away. "I see you know more than you probably should. Or at least might know something of use to me. I am the Destroyer of the Living, Keitaro. Known as Master Darkwynd by those who inhabit this camp. Tell me, how do you know what a Guardian is?"
"Like I'll tell you," growled Annie, nursing her wrist that was bent entirely the wrong way.
"Insolent brat…" Keitaro growled as he backhanded her to the wall. Kenjou tried to go to her side and was knocked back with a well-aimed kick, finding himself on the wall opposite of her. "Che. You will bow before me and beg for mercy before I am done with you, especially you little girl, and I will still get the information I require regardless. You could save yourself the trouble and just tell me, however…who is it who brought you here and why?"
"My name is Z," said Genki's son, a smirk on his face as he looked up at Keitaro lazily. "And I am here before you. That is all I know."
"Guards." Keitaro watched with pleasure as the three young people were beaten again. He would break them to his will eventually. Given the time, and the resources, they would be his, as would what they know.
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Kenjou woke with a start as he felt someone gently washing his face. Pushing the hands away quickly, he was on his knees in an instant and looked around himself. The man from before sat across from him, a rag in his hand and one of the little girls at his side.
"Relax, little brother," said the man, nodding his head slightly. "You are safe, now. Though I must say that collection of bruises you've gained is quite impressive…."
"Eh…" Kenjou winced as he realized just how much he actually hurt. The beatings and questioning seemed to have lasted forever. "How long have I been out?"
"Not even an hour," replied the man with a shrug. "Your friends are here, and Kit is attending to them right now." He held out a small jar, and a packet of seeds in his hand. "Here, you might want to use these."
"Where did you get them?" asked Kenjou, feeling extremely confused. "Did you steal them or something?!"
"No, they were give to me by the guards for you," explained the man bitterly. "You must know something very important for them to treat you this badly and then turn around and give you the best treatment they can."
"Then that is…?"
"Bruise balm and painkillers," replied the man with a shrug. "Come on. I have to set the bones of your friend's arm, and I have a feeling she's going to be less than grateful for it…"
Kenjou smiled wryly. "Thank you. Who are you, though?"
"Seta." His worn face was lined with hunger and grief; making him seem much older than he probably was. Thin as a rake like the rest of them were, and his face covered with black stubble, his shirt and over tunic hung from his body and his pants had to be held up by a belt or they'd fall off completely. "And this one is Kat, the elder of my two daughters."
He motioned to the little black haired girl beside him, a thin little waif so pitiful that Kenjou just wanted to pick her up and protect her from the world. Her hair reached almost to her feet in it's braid, and Kenjou was just about to ask just how long they'd been there when a familiar cry came from the tent.
"She's awake," said Seta to herself, following at a slower pace as Kenjou rushed right in and all most passed out at the sight before him. Annie's arm was bent at a 90 degree angle in the wrong direction, and her wrist wasn't much better either.
"Oh my gosh…"
"Kenjou," she ground through her teeth slowly as tears fell from her eyes. "Brother…Kenjou…Momma… Please, someone, make it stop…"
"It's me, Kenjou," he said quickly, kneeling at her side since Z was still passed out cold beside her. "Relax, Annie, please, there's someone here who will help you…"
"Hold her down, boy," said Seta, taking a seat on the same side as the broken arm. "They wouldn't give me restraints and she's not going to just hold still for it…" He took it in both hands and felt around for a moment, Kenjou holding Annie down by her arms and with one leg holding down her stomach when she suddenly writhed with pain as Seta began to snap the bones back into place.
"AAHHHHAHHHHH!!!"
"Sister!" Z sat up as Seta stuffed a gag down Annie's throat, somewhat silencing her piercing screams.
"The guards will beat us and with hold our dinner if we make too much noise," explained Seta calmly, wrapping up the arm as quickly as he could. "I'm sorry, but I'm not about to risk that…"
"Sit back down," insisted the woman who appeared at Z's side as he struggled to stay upright, the world swimming around him as he tried to find some still object to concentrate on. "Seta-sama said you had a concussion, and you must not move around so…"
"But my sister…!!" protested Z.
"I've got her," said Kenjou with a nod. "Don't worry, Z, I won't let anything happen to her."
"You'd better not, Ken," came the rough reply.
"I won't, I won't…." Annie's arm was set soon after, her body relaxing with the water she was given that had been laced with the painkillers. Drifting off to sleep, Seta had said it was because of the pain killers and she would wake soon. Z was moved out by the fire they were allowed every night, laying there in the care of the other younger woman who Kenjou had noted for her apparent beauty but had been too busy with Annie to notice much else.
Dinner came and went, but still Annie did not wake. Kenjou saved her his share, taking none for himself since he had no stomach to eat right then. Kit and her sister Kat, Seta's daughters, had crawled into their usual corner and fallen asleep long ago when Annie finally stirred, the rest of the tent's usual occupants out by the fire with Z extracting information from him. The fact that he had his head resting in the young, lovely one's lap was probably drawing more out of him than usual, and Kenjou just hoped it wasn't too much. Endangering the other prisoners was not something he wanted to do right now.
"Ken…jou…?"
"Hai?" He leaned over Annie, seeing her open both eyes slightly with a dazed look.
"My arm…?"
"Will be fine," he assured her quickly. "Seta rubbed it with the bruise stuff that supposedly helps heal it faster, and with the pain killers you took you shouldn't be too bad off right now…"
"…I guess so." She turned away, looking at the two miserable girls huddled in the corner wearing only their rags. "Kenjou?"
"Hai?" he asked, scooting a little closer so he was at her side and not by the tent wall.
"Give them the cloak," she said, drawing it off her with her good arm. "I still have mine…"
"But, you're hurt…" he protested, then let the words die on his lips as he saw the determined look on her face. "Ah, ok." Taking it from her, he spread it over the two gently and watched in amusement as they immediately burrowed into it next to each other. Sitting by her again, he offered her the bucket with the little bit of broth and some questionable bits of meat in it. "Here, we left you some dinner. Do you need anything else?"
"I'm not weak and defenseless, you know," said Annie slowly, sitting up with a wince as she took the bucket from him and all but licked it clean. "I can take care of myself."
"Whoa, I…I'm not disputing that at all!!" stammered Kenjou as he backed up slightly. "Really, it's just you took the brunt of the beatings and I thought you might want some help…"
Annie didn't reply, just set the bucket to the side as Kenjou reached behind him and drew out the bruise balm.
"Uh…you want some?" he offered warily, unsure of how she would act. He opened it and dipped out a bit on his hand, rubbing it gently onto the large, purple bruise he had over his shoulders.
"No…no thanks," she said slowly, looking away as his muscles relaxed and released the pain that had been there.
"Are you sure?" he asked, "I know you're into the whole 'macho-babe' thing, but sometimes it's stupid to refuse help that's offered to you."
"Macho-babe?!" cried Annie, sitting up and hitting him over the head with her good hand. " First off, I am not a macho-babe, I'm a warrior and I can take the pain of whatever injuries I gain! Second, I couldn't use it if I wanted to because I'm right handed and my right and is kinda out of commission right now!"
"Oh, that's right…" Kenjou considered her words for a moment. "Though, it is partially your fault, egging them on like that and all…"
"Was I?" she asked, laying back down slowly as she tried to hide just how much it hurt. "I hardly remember, now."
"You're mouth is always getting you into trouble, though," said Kenjou with a smirk. "You just couldn't resist getting in that last remark, and each time they'd just smack you around more for it. You'd think you would've learned after the first few times…"
"Like that pea-brained dirt bag could ever teach me anything useful," came the short retort, "And if I recall correctly, you're mouth is every bit as big as mine and gets you into the same amount of trouble."
"Ok, my trouble involves glares for the Aunite, and black eyes from you," countered Kenjou with a frown. "Yours was more along the lines of being beaten to death. Does anyone else see a difference here?"
Annie grumbled to herself as she made a snatch at the jar. "Does anyone else care…??" She ignored his knowing look as she took a bit out and began to spread it on her arms, taking care not to touch the lower half of the right one too much so she wouldn't upset the broken bones.
"Here." She was surprised as he took a bit and put it on her cheekbone. "You have a nasty one there, but you can't see it so you probably didn't know it was there…"
"Uh…thanks…"
"Kenjou, are you in there taking advantage of my sister again?" called Z teasingly, obviously having heard them fight.
"Oh, was it really that obvious?" Kenjou called back, ducking out as fast as he could as the jar went flying past his head. "Night, Annie-chan!!"
"Do us all a favor and die along with my twin, Kenjou!" came the angry reply.
"Perhaps, but not yet," he replied, lying down by the fire next to Z. "I really need to learn when not to talk, don't I?"
"Yeah, I'd say so," replied Z sleepily. "But let's worry about that after Lilianne comes and gets us, ok?"
"What makes you so sure she will?"
"Because. Would Annie have left us here?"
"…well, not you maybe…"
"Kenjou…!"
"Alright, she wouldn't."
"Then neither will Lilianne, who she was named for, right?"
"Uh, sure, I guess. It's just…"
"….zzzz….zzz…."
Kenjou glanced at Z, who had fallen asleep before he'd even laid down completely. "Hm…night."
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*whirly eyes* Ai…too much computer, anime, and tv put together…
Anywho, there you go, enjoy, and have a great summer! ^_^
~Crosseyedbutterfly~