Disclaimer – Don't own them, Konami do, so bleh.
Okay, this chapter introduces another new character, and is by far the longest chapter so far. Enjoy!
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Kahri's Story – Chapter Nine & Andrew's Story – Chapter One
Mayhem Outside The Sindar Ruins
(Location – White Deer Inn/Sindar Ruins Entrance)
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Nanami, naturally, reached the Inn before any of the others. Shiro was sniffing around the entrance, and let out a small yelp of disappointment.
Nanami looked confused
"Don't tell me Bonaparte's not here! After running all this way!"
The others soon caught up with Nanami and Shiro. Nanami's voice echoed around, meaning that they all heard her.
Millie saddened
"We've just got to find him...he could be lost...or scared...or lost and scared..."
Jowy pointed at the Inn's entrance
"Well, at least we've found somewhere to sleep tonight."
Nanami brightened up a bit
"Thank goodness. I was getting a bit fed up of sleeping on the ground."
Nanami entered first, closely followed by Jowy, Pilika and Riou. Millie turned round to Kahri.
"How can they be so calm about this! Bonaparte's missing..."
Kahri shrugged
"I'm sure we'll find him. He always turns up sooner or later."
Millie didn't look convinced, a bit angry yes, but not convinced
"Now YOU'RE doing it too! Gah! I'm going to look for him some more."
And with that parting shot, Millie wandered off to the path that led behind the Inn. Kahri looked over at Shiro, who had lain down beside the Inn.
Kahri figured it out soon enough
"I see...you weren't chasing Bonaparte were you. You thought your master had come this way."
Shiro barked softly, almost in confirmation.
Kahri sat down beside Shiro and patted him
"I guess he came this way, that's why you picked up his scent right? I guess he got into Muse with the others."
Shiro looked slightly happy at Kahri's words, and licked his hand.
Kahri giggled
"Stop that...it tickles."
Kahri stood up again and looked at the path Millie had gone down.
"Well, I'm going after her. You coming with me?"
Shiro got up and nodded, adding in a quick "awoooo" for effect.
Kahri nodded, and they both ran off to catch up with Millie...
And that's when the Screaming started...
Kahri looked down at Shiro, and they suddenly ran much faster...
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(Meanwhile – inside the White Deer Inn)
Nanami was chatting away to the Inn owner, whose name was Hilda. Riou and Jowy had sat down at a nearby table, waiting for something to eat. And Pilika was playing with Hilda's son, Pete.
Nanami was in her element, she was talking after all...
"So we can stay here? Great! Thank you very much!"
Hilda smiled
"It's a pleasure to have such polite guests, where are the rest of your party?"
Nanami pointed outside, and for added, but very unnecessary, confirmation
"They're outside – I'll go get them!"
Nanami headed for the door, but before she could open the door it swung open – missing her nose by millimetres – and a man ran in, almost knocking her down in the process.
He ran right up to Hilda and seemed pretty excited
"I've done it! I was right about those Ruins at the back of the Inn! It's the Sindar all right! Finally, treasure beyond our wildest dreams!"
Nanami had regained her composure and had stormed right up to the man
"Hey! You nearly knocked me down you jerk!"
The man waved off Nanami
"Not right now kid, I'm busy."
Nanami's face crumpled, and then turned to anger
"KID?!?"
Jowy and Riou nodded to each other, and simultaneously said – "Grab her."
And so they did, with Nanami protesting every step of the way.
Hilda just shook her head at the man
"But Alex...it sounds dangerous...don't go."
Alex looked flummoxed
"But...I'm doing this for you and Pete! We'll finally be able to leave this dump and move to bigger things!"
Hilda looked upset
"Dear, we do have guests over there you know...besides, you'll need help to get through those ruins."
And that's when Alex suddenly looked crestfallen
"I know...but nobody in Muse would help me. Said I was making jokes..."
Nanami's ears perked up
"Did you say...Muse?"
Alex turned around to face her
"Yeah, so what?"
Nanami's brain cells were working in overtime
"So...that means you must have a Pass to get in, right?"
Alex looked confused
"Well, yeah...everybody needs a Pass to get into Muse nowadays."
Nanami turned around to Riou and Jowy and nodded
"Looks like we got our way into Muse!"
Which was when the Screaming started...
Jowy grabbed his Staff
"What was that?"
Riou looked out the window
"It came from behind the Inn!"
Alex looked distressed
"That means it came from the Ruins!"
Alex quickly ran off out of the Inn, despite protests from Hilda.
Nanami looked over at Hilda
"Do you think you could look after Pilika for us?"
Hilda nodded
"Sure...what are you going to do?"
Riou walked over to Hilda
"Make sure Alex comes back in one piece."
Nanami nodded to Riou
"Yeah, if he gets in trouble, out ticket into Muse is as good as...OW!"
Jowy looked shocked
"Oh sorry, was that your foot? Come on now Nanami, we really must be going now."
And so Riou and Jowy ran off towards the Ruins with Nanami hopping along behind them.
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"This thing is a pest! ARRGH, GET OFF OF ME!!!"
A very flummoxed looking man was standing outside some gate thing. Being harassed by a little groundhog was not on his "To Do" list. He managed to grab the thing and throw it to the ground. He looked around 19, and was wearing simple clothes. But the addition of the Cloak and the Headband made him look kinda rogueish. And he was looking very angry, which made him look more like a pirate...all he needed was the Eye Patch...
And then he unsheathed his Sword...a magnificent looking Sword at that...in fact calling it a Sword seems like an insult. And he aimed for the groundhog's little yellow, beady eye filled head.
Which is when the girl with the stupid skirt and hat ran in screaming...
"AAHHHH!!!! Leave Bonaparte alone you big meanie!"
The girl scooped up the groundhog into her arms. She looked very pissed off...
"Mean! How can you pick on a poor defenceless groundhog like that!"
The guy with the sword shrugged
"Hey, he attacked me first! Good enough reason to kill it if you ask me."
The girl walked over to the guy and slapped him. Hard.
"He was only playing with you...you...JERK!!!"
The guy looked exasperated at this point
"I don't call trying to bite me PLAYING little girl! Lemme at it, I'll cut its damn head off in one swipe!"
The girl then started screaming
"YOU LEAVE BONAPARTE ALONE!!!"
Suddenly a small blue glow came from her forehead, and before you could say "Could That Be A Magic Rune?" a multiple tailed creature appeared in front of her.
The guy raised his sword in defence
"How did you do that? Creatures just don't appear like that!"
The girl smiled slyly
"They do when you know what you're doing."
The guy swung his sword at the creature, who moved.
"This...this is the work of a Blue Gate Rune!"
The girl brushed her hair with her fingers in a sign of defiance
"Very clever – now feel the wrath of Open Gate!"
A burst of flame erupted from the creature's mouth. It moved too swiftly for the man to avoid, and instead he used his cape as a makeshift shield.
It didn't really work though...as the cape caught fire...forcing the man to stop, drop and roll it out.
He recovered very quickly, much to the girl's surprise.
"Very good girl, now it's my turn."
And he charged, his sword held high and ready to swing.
And then Millie screamed...
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"Oh no you don't!"
Kahri swung his Spatula out in front of the charging man, knocking him down to the ground. His sword flew of and embedded itself in a nearby tree. And before he could get back up, Shiro had leapt on top of him and pinned him down with a growl and a snarl.
"What is going on here?"
Kahri turned around to see a man run up to him. He decided he might as well answer.
"Well, this bandit here was attacking my friend Millie, so I stopped him with a little help from Shiro."
The "bandit" didn't take too kindly to that remark.
"I am NOT a bandit! Get this dog off of me! I've got to tell somebody about my discovery!"
Kahri's curiosity was well and truly piqued
"What discovery. Come on, share it with the group and I might let Shiro let you go. Although he might not listen to me...but that's a chance you'll have to take."
Millie walked over and whispered into Kahri's ear
"You are so evil at times..."
Kahri couldn't stifle the giggle, and soon both he and Millie were laughing quite loudly. They didn't notice Nanami, Riou and Jowy running up to the gate.
Nanami was first to speak...as usual
"Who is this guy?"
Kahri walked over to the guy Shiro was holding down
"Good question. So who is our bandit anyway?"
He looked a bit defeated...
"My name is Andrew. And I'm a treasure hunter in search of the Sindar with my partner Lorelai. We got split up because of the whole war thing. I found this gate while running from a group of Highlanders when I was in Toto Village. I'm pretty sure it's the Sindar's work. So I was gonna go and find Lorelai to tell her, but then that damn groundhog attacked me."
Millie coughed in the background, and Andrew sighed before correcting himself
"That damn groundhog wanted to play with me..."
Millie nodded in satisfaction. Then turned to the guy who had ran up with Nanami and the others.
"So who is this guy?"
Nanami did the introductions
"This is Alex. He wants us to help him find the treasure in the ruins!"
Andrew looked flabbergasted
"Hey! This is MY find, I'll be the one finding that treasure!"
Alex and Andrew stared daggers at each other, but Alex had the trump card waiting
"Hah! But I bet you don't know how to get in there do you?"
And Andrew was thoroughly defeated. Alex let off a little laugh.
"Ha! I knew it!"
Kahri looked sceptical at Alex's announcement
"So...do YOU know how to get in there then? Only Bonaparte's just run off in there..."
Millie turned around at once to face Kahri
"WHAT?!? ACK!!! Come on! After him!"
Millie grabbed Kahri and Alex and ran into the Gate, with Shiro not far behind them.
Andrew stood up and cleaned the dirt off his cape.
"I'm not letting anybody beat me to that treasure!"
And he ran in too...
Nanami looked back at Riou and Jowy, who both sighed.
"Come on you two! We need to make sure Alex finds the treasure first so we can get into Muse!"
Nanami ran in, and Riou and Jowy quickly followed. Let the treasure hunting begin...
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Sindar Ruins, here we come - Andrew Chapter Two and Kahri Chapter Ten up next!
