Author's note: It has been a while since I updated, eh? Well thank you reviewers- Vivi236, swords-babe and GOR (who is actually my brother). You guys (and girls) are the best.

Paths of the Heart

Chapter XIII: Quest for the clothes thief

"Uh… Ryu?" Nina asked timidly clad in Bush and… well that's it.

"Yes?"

"Well… Uh… do you think we should find that mental kid 'Michael'?" Ryu looked at her thinking. (while trying to ignore the fact that she was wearing a bush)

"… Good point…. But we have no weapons… and you have no clothes." He said.

"So? You're only wearing your underwear." Nina pointed out, smiling slightly.

Ryu looked down again. "…Crud. That'll make things more difficult."

X

"Nay, I will'st not help thou." Fou-Lu said stubbornly, Deis using what was left of her magic had tracked down the location of Fou-Lu, who was hiding in a bean field… don't ask.

Deis cracked her knuckles, "Look the sooner you help us the sooner I can get back to the strip club!" Cray looked at her.

"Can I come?" He asked drooling.

"…I was kidding." Cray sighed unhappily.

Fou-Lu folded his arms "There is'st none that thou can do to me, which will'st change mind." Deis growled and moved her arm into a slapping position.

"Wanna bet?"

Fou-lu shook his head, obviously scared. "There is seldom things that can'st frighten mine self… but women be'est one of them."

X

"Now… If I was a mental kid called Michael Hill, where would I be…" Nina said thoughtfully.

"I dunno… Maybe-Ouch! What was that?"

CLANG

"It looks like… a sword…" Nina said, picking up the said item from the ground, and looking to the sky, where it appeared to have come from.

"Ouch…. I'm dying…" said Ryu rubbing his head.

"Hey look, there's a note attached!"

Dear Ryu and Nina

We caught Fou-lu and are planning to get you back. However he seems to have 'forgotten' how to make a warp gate, therefore I foresee that much torturing in the way of strapping him to a chair and making him watch Cray put on a strip show… and you really don't want to see that.

Oh yeah, and the sword is called the 'Dragon-blade' just don't ask why I'm sending it to you, I just needed something to drop on your head to get your attention.

Love Deis.

XXX

Ryu looked closely at the sword "Well at least I have something to fight with now…" he said ignoring the pain from his head.

Nina giggled. "Poor Fou-Lu, Having to watch Cray stripping… I feel sorry for him."

Ryu scratched his head. "Yeah…"

"Well… let's go then, he left footprints in the mud." Nina said pointing to the ground.

Ryu looked down "Uh… I never noticed them before…"

X

"Nooooooooooooooooooo! Not'st that! Anything but that!" Fou-lu screamed, strapped to a chair as he watched Cray pull off frilly pink knickers and swirl them round his hand seductively.

How did Deis get him to do that, well… She's very persuasive.

Uh… now back to the story, I think I've disturbed you all enough.

X

And so we find our heroes in the quest for their clothes, searching the search-able and following the footsteps… or whatever.

"Look! The footsteps lead here!" Nina proclaimed, standing at a doorway on a small street.

"Let's go in." Ryu decided, Nina nodded, knocking on the door which was answered quickly by a thin woman wearing a long black cape.

"Yes?" She asked, eyebrows raised to the fact that they were almost naked.

"Um… does Michael Hill live here?" Nina asked politely.

The woman nodded "Yes, I'm his step-mother, are you his friends? I'm afraid you can't come in, he's been stealing underwear from the neighbors washing line's again." She said unhappily.

Ryu blinked "Uh… well actually… he's stolen our clothes and stuff, we came to get them back." The woman sighed.

"Not again, this is the 3rd time this week… he's being a very naughty boy, I shall have to smack his bottom. Come in then."

They both stepped in, and immediately saw Michael, he was drawing a picture of him setting the washing line on fire, and he was also laughing insanely. Oh and he was wearing Nina's knickers on his head too.

Michael's stepmother stepped up to him. "MICHAEL!" She screeched "What have I told you about stealing people's clothes!" Michael's evil smile faded.

"Oh man… I'll go get them…." He said running up the stairs and coming back with the stuff.

"Here you are… oh I sold the sword though, I got 5 quid!" He said dumping the stuff in Ryu's arms.

Ryu sighed knowing his sword was gone. "Let's get dressed Nina…"

"Not at the same time though." Nina said smirking.

Ryu went red. "I meant that."