Part 8

(Kenshin)

I ran for a long time, following my son's star of ki. Sano and Yahiko were quiet on my back, and I soon nearly forgot their presence. It was nothing but me and the wind, the ground beneath my hooves, and the world around me rushing past. I could smell the water I was coming up to, and I prepared myself to leap the small stream I knew was up ahead. I gathered myself and jumped, easily sailing across the water. I heard Sano give a whoop from my back and I let out the trumpet of a stallion, laughing inwardly when I felt Yahiko flinch.

My ruby hooves touched the bank and I was off and running again, heading straight for where I could sense my son was being held. I felt Sano's fingers on my neck and I heard his voice in my pointed ear. "Kenshin, do you know where Kenji is?"

Since he was touching me I could speak with him mind to mind, much like my link with Kaoru, but different. I could speak to her without contact because of what she'd allowed me to do, but the others must be touching me. /I can Sano. I can sense his ki./

I felt the muscles in Sano's long legs tense against my skin, and I whickered slightly. He hesitantly spoke back to me in his mind. /Kenshin/

I grinned inwardly. /Hai Sano/

/Why didn't you tell me you could do this/ his voice roared in my head, making me flatten my ears and toss my head a little. /This would have been a lot easier…/

/Of course it would Sano, and that's why I'm telling you now. It will be easier to talk like this instead of have to shout to one another./ I said, amusement in my tone. /We can only do this if we are touching each other though, so don't expect it to happen all the time./

I felt the hesitant touch of Yahiko's mind as I leaped over a log in the path, bumping him a bit. /Kenshin/

I whinnied suddenly. /We're getting closer. Not long now./

/Alright/ Sano cried in my mind, subconsciously aware of the fact that we should be quieter now. /Good going Kenshin/

I slowed to a gentle trot as we got within hearing distance, not wanting the thundering of my hooves to alert anyone. I slowed to a walk, bowing my head and putting my horn to the dirt. Footprints flared crimson in my vision as my magic sparked along them, and I saw the mark of something being dragged. I snorted, blowing dust away from it, and I saw a golden feather buried in the dirt. /Kenji…./ I murmured to the others.

I walked slowly, carefully keeping my senses alert for anyone around us. There was nothing, and I was glad to find that as we got closer I could sense many shifters within the walled enclosure, but no one else. I moved closer, feeling Sano and Yahiko's leg tighten around my ribs. I heard a cry, and I had to restrain myself from whinnying. It was Kenji!

I got to the wall, letting Sano and Yahiko down from my back. They walked away from me, and I studied the ki within the walls. There were five shifters, and then Kenji. A few human guards were scattered around, but there were not many. Sano went and got rid of one, while Yahiko got another. They made their way back to me after a moment, Sano laying one hand on my shoulder. /There were 4 guards, but Yahiko and I got rid of them. We found a door, come on, this way./

He took a hold of my mane, leading me in the direction he had come. I walked quietly, allowing him to show me, and soon we came to a fairly large door in the wall. Sano led me through it, and I lowered my head in the small enclosed hall so my horn wouldn't scrape the ceiling. We were out of the hall in a moment, and into a large arena. In the center there was Kenji, still in his phoenix form.

I nearly nickered, but I restrained myself. Kenji was bound and chained to the floor, his head held away from his claws. His feathers were ragged, and he was frightened, at least by his ki. But I could still feel his resistance, sparkling beneath the fear.

There were two bears, one tiger, and a panther clustered around him. There was another shifter, but he was not in his animal form. He stood in front of my son, mocking in his eyes and features. "You are resistant Phoenix, but you will not prevail. We will triumph over you."

At this point I lowered my head, gently touching my horn to the ground. Crimson lightning raced through the dirt, lighting up the place with a bang. Sano let out a war whoop, knowing that I was ready to save Kenji. I reared tall, trumpeting my fury to them, then charged forward.

I heard Kenji call for me, and I ran for him, knowing that the faster I got him loose the faster we could get out of here. A bear leaped in my way, but Sano appeared out of nowhere with a gun he had stolen from a guard, facing down the creature and shooting it into submission. Yahiko was doing the same with the panther, and I knew he would manage alright.

I had nearly reached Kenji when the man I had seen got in my way. I slid to a stop, snorting in his face. "Well, another legendary animal," he murmured, one of his hands rising up to touch my horn. I screamed and reared, ready to bash in his head. He simply stepped back and I missed my target by inches. "You will regret coming here Unicorn." He suddenly began to glow, and I readied myself for his shifted form.

No matter how much I could have prepared myself for this I would never be ready for it. He grew and grew, towering over my head and Kenji's. Kenji let out a caw of fear and struggled against his bonds again, and I darted around the shifting man to set him free with a crimson flare of magic. He ran his beak through my mane. "Tousan, you came."

I whickered. "Of course Kenji." I looked back at the shifting man. "Be ready my son."

(Normal)

The man continued to grow, and soon the glow disappeared and Kenshin let out a snort of disbelief. Kenji's eyes were wide. "He's a dragon."

With a roar the great blue creature attacked, wedge-shaped head coming down to try and take a bite out of Kenshin. The crimson unicorn danced out of the way and a bolt of crimson lightning flared and shot for the dragon. It impacted on its scaly hide, but seemed to do no good.

Kenji threw himself into the air, beak skimming along his claws. Fire flew from his beak and he attacked the dragon's eyes with a fury unmatched. The great creature roared in pain and fury and snapped at the golden bird, but Kenji fluttered nimbly out of his way.

Kenshin thrust his horn into the dragon's side, and it roared and flung down a clawed hand towards Kenshin. He whinnied and danced away again, nearly getting caught in the dragon's grasp.

Sano came running up, aiming his gun for the dragon's eyes and shooting out one of its great orbs. Roaring in pain and anger its head lanced up, flame streaming from its mouth. Kenji darted out of the way, scolding the dragon in the way only birds can.

The dragon looked back down at Kenshin, red eyes glowing with fury. Its voice was guttural and hoarse, causing Kenshin to flinch. "You will not win against me Unicorn. I am more powerful than you could ever be."

Kenshin whinnied his defiance and charged the dragon, horn down and sparking with crimson. Sano noticed that his eyes had changed to amber, signaling that this dragon was in for a ride. Whooping again he swung the gun up to his shoulder again, aiming for the creature's neck.

Kenji blew fire at it, still attacking its head and neck. Kenshin's neigh of distress alerted them all, and Kenji cried out. "TOUSAN!"

The dragon had gotten its claws around Kenshin's middle, lifting the unicorn high into the air. It smiled a dragon smile, sharp teeth glinting in the light. "Ah, little Phoenix, this is your father?" It squeezed its hand closed tighter and Kenshin's unicorn shape faded, leaving the redhead gasping for air in the grip of the dragon.

Kenji's blue eyes grew angry. "Let him go. Now."

The dragon roared, a laugh. "I don't see why I should do what you want." It squeezed tighter still and Kenshin screamed, his hands pushing at the dragon's claw around him, trying to loosen the pressure.

Sano watched grimly, not willing to fire the gun for fear that the dragon would put Kenshin in the way of the bullet. 'I don't know how much longer he can stand that. It's likely that dragon's already broken a couple ribs,' the ex-street-fighter thought.

Kenji cawed, diving for the dragon. In defiance the creature squeezed Kenshin again, and Kenji curved off as his father screamed again. Yahiko didn't know what to do, helplessly watching his mentor getting crushed in the grip of the large shifter.

"I think," the dragon said, punctuating each word with a squeeze. "I will kill this man."

"YOU WILL NOT!" Kenji roared, diving again.

The dragon held up Kenshin, and Kenji slid to a stop inches from his father's face. Kenshin smiled weakly at his son. "It's—okay…Kenji…"

Kenji nearly cried out. Kenshin's lips were blue, and his face was growing pale as the dragon slowly cut off his air. "Tousan…."

Kenshin head suddenly fell to the scaled hand holding him, going limp in the dragon's grasp. Kenji screamed as he felt his father's ki dim. "LET HIM GO!"

The dragon laughed. "As you wish."

Kenshin fell through the air as Kenji watched in horror, released from the dragon's iron claws. He hit the dirt with a sickening thud, and didn't move. Kenji's eyes began to glow, the blue fire of his magic filling them with light. When the phoenix spoke it was in a voice filled with power and anger. "You will pay."

HM: CLIFFIE! I know, I'm evil, but review, and I will update soon!