Disclaimer: YAY! I mean... Uh!
A/N: YAY! I got the next chap up fast! YAY! I might not be able to put chap 20 up for a while, so I'm putting 18 and 19 up so you don't complain! Have fun!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 18: Twists
Genki looked at Holly with surprise. She had just slapped him. She had made his face turn red. It hurt badly.
"They will all be ok! Stop worrying. I told Tiger and Mako to send Yuri back here as soon as one of them finds them," Holly said slowly, glaring into Genki's eyes. She had changed. She wasn't the innocent girl he had left behind.
"I'm sorry," Genki whispered as he stared at the floor, "I'm just really worried about Achika. This is the first time she has ever faced such dangers as these. She just turned fourteen. I remember when my mom first brought her home from the hospital. How frail and small she was back then. I know how frail and small she still is. She's my responsibility. I need to make sure that she is ok."
Holly smiled and hugged him. He too had changed. She hadn't noticed it before, because he acted like his usual reckless self, but the way he reacted with Achika's disappearance proved her wrong. He had become more cautious and more responsible.
Genki accepted the hug and held her close. He was so worried.
"Holly!" Yuri shouted as she landed. Genki and Holly looked at the phoenix in something that reminded her of fear. A questionable look crossed her features until she realized why they were reacting that way. The fires that engulfed her body had gone hot. Sweltering heat shot from her body and engulfed anything that came within contact of her. The grass she had just stepped on, was incinerated on contact. The ground was scorched.
"Oops. Um... Holly, I need you to come with me. Achika was attacked by something and we need you to help her. Come now!"
"WHAT?!" Genki roared, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! IS SHE HURT?!"
Holly let go of Genki and walked over to Yuri, "What do you mean?"
"We don't know what it was, but she was attacked. We're not sure how long she will be okay... We should leave immediately. Let's go Holly," Yuri commanded, marching towards her. The flames calmed themselves as she walked towards Holly. Holly nearly cringed back, because of the flames. She could still feel the heat even after Yuri cooled down.
"What about Genki?"
"Do you really want me to carry that heavy boy?" Yuri asked, joking. No one laughed, but it helped with the tension.
"I'll just skate on the ground thank you," Genki muttered, pulling on his skates. He realized that Yuri was trying to keep his mind away from the news she had just brought him.
"Are you sure you can keep up with me, little boy?" Yuri asked, waiting patiently for Holly to climb onto her back. Holly put her arms around the monster's neck and felt Yuri grab onto her thighs. Yuri held her up as she flew up and hovered above Genki.
"I can keep up with you, you fat fairy. Just lead the way," Genki said sarcastically. Yuri pouted but flew away. Something kept pounding in the back of her head. Something besides Achika was bothering her. She couldn't place it but it was there.
"Hey, Yuri, watch the fires!" Genki yelled from below.
Yuri snapped out of her thoughts and realized what he meant. She was getting angry again, and when that happened it was never good. Especially for someone on her back.
"Sorry, I'm not paying attention," she yelled down, calming down. Holly sighed in relief. She was afraid that Yuri was about to accidentally kill her.
"It's ok Yuri. I understand that you're worry about Achika, and you probably want revenge for what happened. Do you even know who did it? Do you have a clue?" Holly asked, clinging onto Yuri for her dear life. Yuri looked back and smiled at the girl. Holly always seemed to know what to say.
"Hey, Yuri, how much further...." Genki complained.
Yuri looked down at him, "I thought you said you could keep up."
"Yeah, I can keep up, but I can't go on forever!"
"Stop complaining. There's Mako."
***
Mako looked up to see Yuri flying back with Holly. He jumped up happily.
"Yuri! Down here!"
"I see your fat head!" Yuri replied as she landed.
Mako sweatdropped as Col laughed. Her delicate giggle filled the air. Mako blushed as a very tired Genki collapsed onto the ground dramatically.
"Genki, knock it off!" Yuri yelled, glaring at him. Genki got up and and then dropped to his knees when he saw the bloody mess that they claimed to be his sister.
"ACHIKA!"
The unconsious youth had lost more blood. She was barely breathing and looked paler then usual.
"Oh gods... Achika...." Yuri whispered, horror crossing over her features. Before, when she saw Genki and Holly, she was relieved to just see some form of comfort. Yuri forgot how truly badly injured she was, she didn't want to remember how hurt she was.
"Let me see her," Holly muttered as she took her from Mako, "She seems to be ok for now. It's a good thing you got me here so fast. Any later, and it may have been too late."
"Will she be ok?" Genki asked, ignoring everyone else.
"She will be fine. I've seen worse survive," she muttered, taking out bandages and wrapping Achika's wounds. Yuri grabbed a basket and went to get water. Genki went with her, leaving Col and Mako alone with Holly and Achika.
"Mako."
The half breed turned towards Holly, "Yes?"
"Get wood for a fire. Please, stranger, help him."
Col nodded and dragged a dumbfounded Mako away. Mako was so dense sometimes.
Holly held Achika's head in her lap.
"H-Holly..." Achika groaned.
Holly leaned forward to hear her, "Yes?"
"Don't hate him... He wasn't controlling himself. It wasn't him who attacked me. It was....." the girl passed out before she could say anymore.
Him? Who was he? Was she talking about Red?
***
Tiger jumped to the ground. He was tired of using the trees as cover. If Red was out of his mind, then why should he care about hiding? The daton would probably find him before he could do anything anyway.
'I hope the others are all right,' he thought, as he listened to the silence. It was too quiet. Not even the birds were singing. There weren't any. Where were all the birds?
A growl snapped Tiger out of his thoughts. He turned around to see a deranged Red. Blood covered the wolf's muzzle and made him look even more intimidating then before. The thing that shocked Tiger the most was the scent.
"You attacked Achika. You killed her, didn't you?" he asked.
Red growled at him, saliva and blood dripping from his muzzle.
"Damn it Red. Now I have to kill you... LIGHTENING!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I ask for everyone to review for this chap and chap 19! Thank you everyone!
