Dart and co. stood group around the castle gates as they said their goodbyes. Albert stood in the back, with Shana, as she held Lavitz.
A young girl with little-less-than shoulder length black hair suddenly ran right into Albert from behind, toppling them both over.
"I'm so sorry!" The girl helped Albert to his feet. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"That was obvious," Albert said, brushing himself off.
"There she is!"
"Yeah, get her!"
"She's mine!"
A group of three big boys in their late-teens advanced up.
Haschel walked up to Albert. "This doesn't look good."
"I agree," Albert said. "One would think young men that old would be more mature than to pick a fight."
The girl stood in a ready stance. "Bring it on!"
One of the boys laughed. "Look guys! This little shrimp thinks she can take us on!"
The girl gritted her teeth together.
Haschel gasped. That stance...and her profile...she looks a lot like Claire...
Albert looked over at Haschel. "Anything wrong?"
Haschel shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong."
Another boy laughed hysterically. "To think that she could take us out...help me, my sides are splitting!"
The third boy, obviously the leader, silenced the other two. "She looks serious about this. But, even I think it is a bit insane of her to be so little and take on the three of us."
"Are you three gonna fight or just talk all day?" The girl snapped.
The smallest of the three stepped forward. "I'll take you on, shortie."
The girl narrowed her eyes. "Never underestimate your opponent!"
The boy lunged at her, but she neatly sidestepped him, and drove her elbow into his back. He got back up, lunged at her once more, but instead of strifing out of the way, she served him an uppercut in the jaw. He collapsed onto the ground, out cold.
She rubbed her hands, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a pair of fingerless black gloves. She slipped both onto her hands and turned to the remaining two. "Who's next?"
The leader shoved the smaller one in the back. "Go finish her."
The minion smiled cruelly. "My pleasure."
He swung a wooden pole at her head; ducking, she reached up and caught it. Pulling it down to the ground and the boy withit, she swung around it and kicked him in the head with both feet. He dropped like a rock senseless onto the ground.
She threw the pole to the side and glared at the remaining one. "I guess you're next, big guy."
He drew what looked like a short sword. "You're weapons are your fists, so my weapon will be this."
"Fine with me." She said.
He lunged at her, swiping with the sword's blade. She dodged his attack, grabbed his right wrist, and smash the heel of her right hand into it. The sword fell from his grasp onto the cobblestone pavement, and she kicked it beyond reach. She then threw him onto the ground in the opposite direciton. He climbed to his feet, and clenched his hands into fists. He threw a punch at her, but she ducked, and slammed her left fist into his stomch. He doubled over, and she served him an uppercut with her right fist into his chin. He flew back up into an upright position. Before he could react, she flipped over backwards, and when her hands touched the pavement below her head, she brought her feet up simultaneously and kicked him the the head to complete her combo. "Somersault!" She landed in a "leap-frog" position, crouched down the her hands supporting her weight in the front. She stood and glared at the three that lay groaning on the ground. "I'm older than I look."
"Who is she?" Albert asked aloud. Haschel shrugged.
The girl stretched her arms out to loosen them up.
"Small Lady!"
The girl looked up. "Phoenix!"
What looked like a cat with bird-like wings flew from the sky and landed on the girl's shoulders.
Meru gasped. Small Lady! That was...Guaraha's nickname for...
"You know, you're askin' for a butt-whoopin' one of these days," Phoenix said.
"What do you mean?" The girl, "Small Lady" said. "I'm a master of the Martial Arts!"
"A master by your own definition," Phoenix retorted.
She ignored the comment. "So, what's up?"
Phoenix nuzzled the cheek of the girl. "I scouted ahead..."
"And...?" The girl said.
"No sign of Meru, but it is possible that your family is in Serdio," Phoenix said.
"Serdio, I forgort completely about that," the girl said.
Meru stepped out from the crowd. "Claira?"
The girl whirled around. "Meru?"
They both ran to each other, meeting halfway. They hugged.
"Claira! I missed you so much!" Meru said, smiling.
Claira shared her smile. "Me too."
Meru picked the winged cat off of Claira's shoulder. "Phoenix! I missed you too!"
Phoenix purred and nuzzled up against Meru's face.
"Oh! Claira!" Meru said.
"Yes?" Claira asked.
Are you going to Serdio? That's where we're headed," Meru said.
Claira exchanged glances with Phoenix. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Cool!" Meru exclaimed.