Driretlan sat on a cliff over looking a vast valley, the moon was casting a silvery shine on the rivers that weaved in and out of the valley. A tall figure came up behind her and stared at the valley for a moment before speaking in a deep voice.
"We should get going if we expect to make good time tonite." He said dryly.
"I guess that we should be going then."Driretlan sighed getting up and pulling the hood of her black cloak off. Her black and red hair tumbled over her shoulders and fell to her mid-back. She turned and walked passed the figure. "Kixston this had better be worth it."
"It will be trust me. We just have to make it to the Mirojen Province in a week." Kixston said walking behind Driretlan, "Which shouldn't be a problem if we avoid running into to much trouble. Then again the trouble would be a nice break from the daily routine hu?"
"Sure whatever you say, Kixston." Driretlan smirked
The night was still other than the light breeze that filled the air. Kixston walked slowly you could hear his sword clang on against his thigh, he had a bad feeling suddenly set over him as he walked on. There was a sudden rising in the air pressure and the ground quaked a little.
"Please tell me that you feel that too." Kixston said
"Yes I feel it..." Driretlan said with hestitation as the the gruond shook again. There was a loud craking noise as part of the cliff behind them fell off. Driretlan and Kixston exchanged quick looks and they began to run across the feild away from the cliff. The ground behind them split open and a loud rumble filled the air.
"Well at least this way we are making better time." Kixston said as he ran up the feild.
"Yea the time will be better if we live through it." Driretlan snapped lunging forward and taking wider steps. The shaking reached a sudden peak, knocking Kixston and Driretlan off their feet, the the shaking stopped and an errie glow came from the huge cracks in the ground.
Kixston stumbled to his feet, "Well that looks promising." He stammered
Driretlan hopped back onto her feet. "Do you want to stick around and look at what will emerge from that or do you want to get your ass moving?!" Driretlan snapped
Kixston pulled off his hood and shot Driretlan a nasty look, "This is a nice time for you to get snappy. Lets get moving."
Driretlan let out a low growl and walked off up the feild after Kixston. Driretlan and Kixston got about half way across the feild when a shadow dropped down from the sky and landed infront of them.
"Are you leaving so soon? Man and I thought that you would stay for the second half of the show." The shadow laughed hauntingly.
Kixston narrowed his yellow eyes and glared at the shadow. "Driretlan and I would love to stay for your show Asamee, but we have plans." Kixston sneered
Asamee looked directly at Kixston and laughed coldly, "Now your plans have changed."
"I don't have time for this." Driretlan sighed pulling out a sword from under her cloak. Driretlan quickly charged Asamee with her sword in a normal slashing position.
"Driretlan! You idiot!!!" Kixston yelled "You have no idea what you are doing!!"
Driretlan ignored Kixston and slashed right through Asamee. Driretlan spun around and a cloak fell to the ground. "How did I miss?"
"Look up!!" Kixston yelled
Drireltan turned her attention upward to see Asamee with long nails falling toward her. "I can play chicken." Driretlan muttered. She kept an eye on Asamee as he fell toward her, Asamee was about ten feet above Driretlan when he disapeared. "Shit he's gone." Driretlan spun around looking for Asamee.
"What's wrong? Can't keep up with me?" Asamee laughed
"Sure I can, just stop moving for a second." Driretlan chuckled. There was a sharp pain in Driretlan's cheek and three long slashes started to bleed.
Asamee appeared and did a back hand spring before landing. "Okay I stopped moving. Now lets see you do your best, not that it will help your cause."
"You know I can't stand people like you." Driretlan snapped "You are all to cocky."
"Oh right and you are one to talk about being cocky Driretlan." Kixston sighed
"I am trying to fight here, do you mind shutting up!?" Driretlan lunged forward toward Asamee.
This guy is going to retreat the second that I am close enough to attack. Driretlan thought. I will just have to send him Kixston's way.
Driretlan jumped up above Asamee and acted like she was going to try to cut him clean in half.
"Stupid kid." Asamee snarled jumping to the side.
Driretlan smirked and threw her sword at Asamee, it sliced through a section of Asamee's side and tore the clothing around it. Asamee caught himslef from falling back and jumped backwards towards Kixston not taking his eyes off of Driretlan.
That kid how did she know what I was going to do? Asamee thought
Kixston pulled out a broad sword and pulled it tightly into charging position. "Maybe she isn't as stupid as she loooks." Kixston said under his breath.
Driretlan grabbed her set of razor tipped fans off of her belt. She would have to distract Asamee while Kixston finished him off. Driretlan ran forward and gave Kixston the afirming 'go' look.
Kixston charged forward silently and thrust his sword through Asamee's back. A shreik filled the air and slowly died down as Asamee lost strength. Kixston's sword glowed with a grey tint, and it slowly transfered to his body. Driretlan stashed away her fans on her belt and walked up to Asamee.
"How...?" Asamee asked
"Like I said, I can't stand people like you. You always to get too damned cocky, then you just run away from your enmies." Driretlan chuckled, then she looked up at Kixston. "Just end his suffering, You really shouldn't slow the process down."
Kixston just nodded and the glowing in his sword brightend as he took the rest of Asamee's energy.
Driretlan shook her head and walked to retrive her sword out of the ground. "Discusting." She growled as she pulled it out of the ground. "I hate the way vamp blood clots." Driretlan sighed and took the edge of her cloak and wiped off the blood. Driretlan walked up the feild and due north. Kixston joged up behind her and resheathed his sword.
"That should be the very last time that we ever see him." Kixston said dryly brushing his shaggy silver bangs out of his eyes.
"Are you sure that you took all of his energy this time, you thought that you killed him last time."
"Yea, I got his energy and I cut his head off just incase." Kixston explained.
Driretlan and Kixston walked away from Asamee's body and their miny battle feild. A long shadow was cast above Asamee's body as a winged figure landed with a soft thump, his yellow eyes glowed mysterously. He was standing with his back to the moon and he chuckled to himself. "Well now that I am here i might as well have fun..... I wonder how much it has all changed." The figure spread his wings and took off into the darkness of the night.
Bright light shone inbetween the trees and cast shadows on Kixston and Driretlan.
"Are we just going to walk the day through?" Kixston asked in a nervous tone.
"We will make better time that way.Do you need to stop for somethig?"
"Yea I need to stop for the sunlight...I would rather that we walk at night." Kixston said
"You aren't going to burst into flames are you?" Driretlan asked sarcasticly
"No of course not. I am only half you know." Kixston snapped "I just am not to keen to the idea of walking in it."
"Well this forest should strech for another good ten miles or so...when we reach the end of it we'll stop until nightfall, but then we will have to make up time again." Driretlan explained
"Yea, I know that we will have to make up time. I am the one who has traveled this route before, so don't tell me what we have to make up and not make up." Kixston said angerily
Driretlan shook her head and sighed. "Allright I will remember that in the future." Driretlan put her hands behind her head and hummed a little tune.
"You like that song don't you?" Kixston commented.
"Yea." Driretlan mumbled
"I noticed that when ever you get bored you start to hum it." Kixston added "Your brother taught it to you did he not?"
"Yea....but that is old news." Driretlan sighed "You have to get over the past don't sometime."
Kixston started to whistle the tune as Driretlan hummed it. It was an odd little melody that was sounded haunting.
Driretlan stopped humming and looked at Kixston, that melody was so easily stuck in his head it was not even funny. Now he would be whistling it all day.
The only noise in the forest was coming from Kixston whistling, until a loud crash filled the air.
"Should we go take a look?" Driretlan asked
"Sure, it sounds like it is right on our way." Kixston said running toward the noise.
Driretlan followed Kixston weaving in between the trees running toward the noises. When they drew near the noises the forest adbruptly ended into a clearing. The clearing was freshgly made and was filled with hundereds of stumps from once beautiful tees. In the middle of the clearing there was a girl with long brown hair wearing a kimono top that aws tied at the waist with the bottom cut off at the knees. She was holding a huge shuriken and was standing on a stump facing an ugly human like monster. The monster charged forward and the girl gracefully dodged to the side and threw her shuriken into the monster's back right in between what appeared to br it's shoulder blades. The monster stumbled forward from the impact, and the girl launched herself forward from the stump. She landed on the monster's back and pulled out her shuriken before launching herself backwards off of the monster. The girl made a skillful landing on a stump.
Kixston was standing in watching the fight with alot of interest.
"You might as well be drooling all over yourself." Driretlan muttered, "Geez you act as if you have never seen some one fight before."
"I have never seen someone fight like that before.." Kixston smirked
The monster turned back towards the girl and started to stagger forward. The girl held her shuriken in throwing position awaiting the perfect moment to throw it. As the monster staggered closer the girl threw the shuriken with deadly force, the shuriken met the monster's throat about half way across the clearing. Then it still had enough force to drag it to the edge of the clearing and pin it to a tree. The girl let out a sigh of relif as the monster twitched and disinegrated. The girl walked across the clearing to retrive her weapon, she pulled her shuriken out of the tree and slid it into a holster on her back. There was a shiney deep green stone in the pile of ashes left by the monster, the girl bent over and picked it up.
"Now I can take this back to the village where it belongs." The girl said in a satisified tone.
"I am going to speak to that fighter, it won't take long." Kixston said jogging out into the clearing and up to the girl.
"Oh sure now you don't care about the sunlight." Driretlan muttered walking slowly out of the forest.
"My name is Kixston." Kixston smirked "That was a nice fight, and you got one hell of a weapon."
"I am Mistress Ichigo. Thank you for the compliments." Mistress Ichigo said. "I like my weapon too."
Driretlan waved as she approached. "Hey." She sighed
"Oh sorry i forgot to introduce the slowpoke, that's Driretlan." Kixston said pointing at Driretlan as she sat on a stump.
"Hello." Mistress Ichigo said waving.
"Hey, so I guess that Kixston introduced himself allready, well I guess that we will be back off again. We have to keep good time if we are going to get to the Mirojen Province by the end of the week."
"Really your traveling too." Mistress Ichigo smirked "I am a traveler, I just have to return this to a village before I can get on my way again."
"Where is the village at?" Kixston asked
"North of here." Mistress Ichigo said
"Then why don't we go with you to the village, I need some better company than him any way." Drirtlan chuckled
"Oh I see how it is, you run into a girl and then all of the sudden i am nothing but back ground noise." Kixston said
"Yea, pretty much. It may sound like I am being rude to him, but if you had traveled with him for as long as I have you would understand."
"Oh I know how you feel." Ichigo laughed "I have been there, I think that it would be good to have some company for a change."
"Okay now that it is settled ladies how about we head out." Kixston said
Driretlan hopped up and brushed off her cloak and started to walk out of the clearing heading north while talking to Ichigo. Kixston lagged behind a little bit not wanting to speak up and make a total idiot out of himself.
The village wasn't that far north of the clearing, so they arrived there before it was even midday.The village was fairly small, it only had a few houses and a field with crops.
"I am gussing that this is it." Kixston said.
"No we are just stoping here to smell the flowers." Driretlan smirked
"Well i don't see any flowers." Kixston sighed looking the landscape over once.
"Umm....Kixston I think she was being sarcastic." Ichigo said
"That figures."
Driretlan chuckled and shook her head. "Well this is where we drop you off, right."
"Sure i guess. Unless you want me to continue on with you."
"I think that it would make the trip better. I am getting tired of little miss sarcasim." Kixston said giving Driretlan a 'what are you going to say to that' look.
Driretlan shrugged and walked on with Ichigo leading the way. Ichigo walked up to the largest house in the village and knocked on the door. An old wrickled man answered the door and smiled a bit.
"So you have brought back our guardian stone, mistress Ichigo." The old man said
"Yes I did." Ichigo smirked digging the stone out of her pocket. "Here it is sir."
The old man took the stone and handed Ichigo a bag of food that he picked up from beside the door."This is all my village could give for payment. I hope that it is substantial payment."
Ichigo took the bag and smiled "It is just fine. I had to get food somewhere."
"I am glad that you apricate it. Thank you for your services." The old man said walking out onto the street. Ichigo, Kixston and Driretlan walked out of the village, and the old man watched them go.
"Well atleast I have a little bit of something to offer you guys."
"Yea the food is a plus, I haven't had a good meal in days." Kixston chuckled
"Maybe that is because you haven't fed in days, except for that bit of energy you snacked on last night." Driretlan whispered to Kixston, "What are you going to tell Ichigo tonite when we are eating dinner and you are just sitting there looking at the food?"
Kixston growled and stomped ahead of the group.
After Kixston was out of hearing range Ichigo leaned over to Driretlan. "Why is he so grumpy all of the sudden."
"Oh no big reason, he is just mad that I reminded him of the fact that he hasn't eaten in days." Driretlan laughed
"Oh well if he is that hungry we could eat now." Ichigo offered
"Na we'll live. Besides it is best just to not mention feeding to him right now." Driretlan said
Ichigo nodded "I won't say a word...until my stomach over powers my brain."
Driretlan laughed "You are right there, nothing can over power the almighty stomach, it can bring even the strongest men to their knees."
Kixston turned around and amiled reveling to large canine teeth. "Hey don't forget women...you aren't all powerful ya know."
"The guy is right, not even we can beat hunger." Ichigo said
Driretlan nodded and looked ahead, there was a large feild that adbuptly ended into a huge river. At first Driretlan thought that her mind was playing tricks on her, Kixston hadn't mentioned a river. But as they crossed the feild Driretlan relized that this was no trick of the eye. She walked over to Kixston and nudged him with her elbow.
"What is it Drir?" Kixston asked
"Why didn't you tell me about that we had to cross A GAINT RIVER??!!" Driretlan yelled
"A river what the hell are you talking about?" Kixston asked looking at Driretlan like she was insane. "There is no river around here.There is only a little creek that you could easily jump over. You will have no problem with it."
Driretlan sighed then pointed forward toward the river, "I am talkig about that!!It is still called a river right?!"
Kixston snapped his head in the direction of the river, and his jaw dropped when he saw it. "There wasn't a river there twenty years ago!! Where in the hell did it come from."
"Alot can change in twenty years you know." Ichigo pointed out.
Driretlan gave a satisified smirk. "I told you that there was a river there.Well we will have detour now."
"We don't have time for a detour, we will have to cross the river." Kixston smirked
Driretlan froze in her tracks and stared at Kixston as he walked on.
"Whats the matter Driretlan?" Ichigo asked
"N...Nothing i am just not to keen to the idea of crossing that river." Driretlan stammered
"Awww what the matter Dri? Is it possible that the big bad Driretlan is afraid of water?" Kixston teased
Driretlan growled, "I am not afraid of water!!!...I just don't like it."
"Uh-hu I am sure that is your reason." Kixston laughed
Ichigo looked at Kixston and then Driretlan and she got a puzzled look on her face. She jogged up to Kixston and tapped him on the shoulder. "Uh....Kixston why is Driretlan freaking out over crossing a river?"
"She is a fire demon and she hates water, with a passion....she is afraid that she will drown or something if she goes into deep water. "Kixston whispered "Even though she knows how to swim, she still won't get into the water."
"Ohh I see." Ichigo said looking back at Driretlan who was walking with her arms crossed muttering to herself. "Is there really no other to get to Mirojen with out having to cross that."
"Well there is but it would take us a while, this is the quickest way across." Kixston said "Don't worry about her, I have seen Driretlan get out of tighter spots then having to cross a river."
The group walked to the river with Driretlan still laging behind. Kixston waited impatiently at the river bank for Driretlan to come. When Driretlan finally caught up Kixston pulled off his cloak and his sword and started to wade into the water.
"Go ahead and cross there is now way that i am following you." Driretlan muttered
Kixston spun around and glared at Driretlan, "Come on quit acting like a little kid."
"I am not acting like a little kid." Driretlan argued sticking her tounge out at Kixston.
Kixston rolled his eyes and sighed, "Do you have anything that you don't want to get wet Ichigo?"
Ichigo nodded and handed the bag of food over to Kixston.
Kixston looked bag and looked at Driretlan, "How about you Dri?"
Driretlan shook her head and sat down beside the bank.
"Okay have your way." Kixston said gentally tossing his cloak,and th bag of food into the air. A small buble looking thing appeared around the bag and the cloak and Kixston guided the bubble to the oppisite bank with his finger. The bubble sat the stuff onto the ground and then poped.
"Wow that is cool how do you do it?" Ichigo asked.
"Ahh it is simple telekenisis." Kixston laughed wading deeper into the water. "Are you just going to sit there Driretlan?"
Driretlan nodded and drew her knees close to her chest. "I am not crossing."
"Well suit yourself." Kixston muttered.
Ichigo waded in behind Kixston. There was a sudden noise of rushing water as the water level in the river rose up and started to form into a creature.
Driretlan hopped to her feet. "I told you that water was bad news!"
"Shut up." Kixston growled stepping backwards and taking his sword into fighting position.
The water formed into a human looking monster that stood at least twenty feet tall, it formed a spike on it's left hand.
"Great.." Kixston sighed
The monster knocked kixston's sword out of his hand then shot a blast of water at him. Kixston dodged the water by diving underneath the water in the river, but Driretlan was right in it's path. The blast of water hit Driretlan and blasted her back, she luckily caught her balance and shot her self back toward the monster with her sword. When Driretlan went to attack the monster it turned back into water and she fell right into the river, which was a raging fury. The water quickily started to sweep her down stream. "KIXSTON YOU LAZY EXCUSE FOR A HALF VAMP!!! HELP ME!!"
"Can't you swim?" He asked not moving.
"No!!" Driretlan gasped choaking on the water.
Kixston started to run toward her but the water was stopping him, and by the time that he got onto shore she was too far away to get to in time. Kixston shot a worried look at Ichigo who was getting up onto the bank.
"Are we going to follow?" Ichigo aksed
"Yes we have to...I am not leaving my friend to die by drowning." Kixston growled leavitating the stuff from the oppisite bank to him. "Lets go."
Later that night.
Driretlan woke up to a hazy mess that looked like a starry sky. She heard an odd but beautiful melody playing in the back ground. "Did I die." She wondered aloud
"No." A voice said as the music stopped "I saved you."
"We should get going if we expect to make good time tonite." He said dryly.
"I guess that we should be going then."Driretlan sighed getting up and pulling the hood of her black cloak off. Her black and red hair tumbled over her shoulders and fell to her mid-back. She turned and walked passed the figure. "Kixston this had better be worth it."
"It will be trust me. We just have to make it to the Mirojen Province in a week." Kixston said walking behind Driretlan, "Which shouldn't be a problem if we avoid running into to much trouble. Then again the trouble would be a nice break from the daily routine hu?"
"Sure whatever you say, Kixston." Driretlan smirked
The night was still other than the light breeze that filled the air. Kixston walked slowly you could hear his sword clang on against his thigh, he had a bad feeling suddenly set over him as he walked on. There was a sudden rising in the air pressure and the ground quaked a little.
"Please tell me that you feel that too." Kixston said
"Yes I feel it..." Driretlan said with hestitation as the the gruond shook again. There was a loud craking noise as part of the cliff behind them fell off. Driretlan and Kixston exchanged quick looks and they began to run across the feild away from the cliff. The ground behind them split open and a loud rumble filled the air.
"Well at least this way we are making better time." Kixston said as he ran up the feild.
"Yea the time will be better if we live through it." Driretlan snapped lunging forward and taking wider steps. The shaking reached a sudden peak, knocking Kixston and Driretlan off their feet, the the shaking stopped and an errie glow came from the huge cracks in the ground.
Kixston stumbled to his feet, "Well that looks promising." He stammered
Driretlan hopped back onto her feet. "Do you want to stick around and look at what will emerge from that or do you want to get your ass moving?!" Driretlan snapped
Kixston pulled off his hood and shot Driretlan a nasty look, "This is a nice time for you to get snappy. Lets get moving."
Driretlan let out a low growl and walked off up the feild after Kixston. Driretlan and Kixston got about half way across the feild when a shadow dropped down from the sky and landed infront of them.
"Are you leaving so soon? Man and I thought that you would stay for the second half of the show." The shadow laughed hauntingly.
Kixston narrowed his yellow eyes and glared at the shadow. "Driretlan and I would love to stay for your show Asamee, but we have plans." Kixston sneered
Asamee looked directly at Kixston and laughed coldly, "Now your plans have changed."
"I don't have time for this." Driretlan sighed pulling out a sword from under her cloak. Driretlan quickly charged Asamee with her sword in a normal slashing position.
"Driretlan! You idiot!!!" Kixston yelled "You have no idea what you are doing!!"
Driretlan ignored Kixston and slashed right through Asamee. Driretlan spun around and a cloak fell to the ground. "How did I miss?"
"Look up!!" Kixston yelled
Drireltan turned her attention upward to see Asamee with long nails falling toward her. "I can play chicken." Driretlan muttered. She kept an eye on Asamee as he fell toward her, Asamee was about ten feet above Driretlan when he disapeared. "Shit he's gone." Driretlan spun around looking for Asamee.
"What's wrong? Can't keep up with me?" Asamee laughed
"Sure I can, just stop moving for a second." Driretlan chuckled. There was a sharp pain in Driretlan's cheek and three long slashes started to bleed.
Asamee appeared and did a back hand spring before landing. "Okay I stopped moving. Now lets see you do your best, not that it will help your cause."
"You know I can't stand people like you." Driretlan snapped "You are all to cocky."
"Oh right and you are one to talk about being cocky Driretlan." Kixston sighed
"I am trying to fight here, do you mind shutting up!?" Driretlan lunged forward toward Asamee.
This guy is going to retreat the second that I am close enough to attack. Driretlan thought. I will just have to send him Kixston's way.
Driretlan jumped up above Asamee and acted like she was going to try to cut him clean in half.
"Stupid kid." Asamee snarled jumping to the side.
Driretlan smirked and threw her sword at Asamee, it sliced through a section of Asamee's side and tore the clothing around it. Asamee caught himslef from falling back and jumped backwards towards Kixston not taking his eyes off of Driretlan.
That kid how did she know what I was going to do? Asamee thought
Kixston pulled out a broad sword and pulled it tightly into charging position. "Maybe she isn't as stupid as she loooks." Kixston said under his breath.
Driretlan grabbed her set of razor tipped fans off of her belt. She would have to distract Asamee while Kixston finished him off. Driretlan ran forward and gave Kixston the afirming 'go' look.
Kixston charged forward silently and thrust his sword through Asamee's back. A shreik filled the air and slowly died down as Asamee lost strength. Kixston's sword glowed with a grey tint, and it slowly transfered to his body. Driretlan stashed away her fans on her belt and walked up to Asamee.
"How...?" Asamee asked
"Like I said, I can't stand people like you. You always to get too damned cocky, then you just run away from your enmies." Driretlan chuckled, then she looked up at Kixston. "Just end his suffering, You really shouldn't slow the process down."
Kixston just nodded and the glowing in his sword brightend as he took the rest of Asamee's energy.
Driretlan shook her head and walked to retrive her sword out of the ground. "Discusting." She growled as she pulled it out of the ground. "I hate the way vamp blood clots." Driretlan sighed and took the edge of her cloak and wiped off the blood. Driretlan walked up the feild and due north. Kixston joged up behind her and resheathed his sword.
"That should be the very last time that we ever see him." Kixston said dryly brushing his shaggy silver bangs out of his eyes.
"Are you sure that you took all of his energy this time, you thought that you killed him last time."
"Yea, I got his energy and I cut his head off just incase." Kixston explained.
Driretlan and Kixston walked away from Asamee's body and their miny battle feild. A long shadow was cast above Asamee's body as a winged figure landed with a soft thump, his yellow eyes glowed mysterously. He was standing with his back to the moon and he chuckled to himself. "Well now that I am here i might as well have fun..... I wonder how much it has all changed." The figure spread his wings and took off into the darkness of the night.
Bright light shone inbetween the trees and cast shadows on Kixston and Driretlan.
"Are we just going to walk the day through?" Kixston asked in a nervous tone.
"We will make better time that way.Do you need to stop for somethig?"
"Yea I need to stop for the sunlight...I would rather that we walk at night." Kixston said
"You aren't going to burst into flames are you?" Driretlan asked sarcasticly
"No of course not. I am only half you know." Kixston snapped "I just am not to keen to the idea of walking in it."
"Well this forest should strech for another good ten miles or so...when we reach the end of it we'll stop until nightfall, but then we will have to make up time again." Driretlan explained
"Yea, I know that we will have to make up time. I am the one who has traveled this route before, so don't tell me what we have to make up and not make up." Kixston said angerily
Driretlan shook her head and sighed. "Allright I will remember that in the future." Driretlan put her hands behind her head and hummed a little tune.
"You like that song don't you?" Kixston commented.
"Yea." Driretlan mumbled
"I noticed that when ever you get bored you start to hum it." Kixston added "Your brother taught it to you did he not?"
"Yea....but that is old news." Driretlan sighed "You have to get over the past don't sometime."
Kixston started to whistle the tune as Driretlan hummed it. It was an odd little melody that was sounded haunting.
Driretlan stopped humming and looked at Kixston, that melody was so easily stuck in his head it was not even funny. Now he would be whistling it all day.
The only noise in the forest was coming from Kixston whistling, until a loud crash filled the air.
"Should we go take a look?" Driretlan asked
"Sure, it sounds like it is right on our way." Kixston said running toward the noise.
Driretlan followed Kixston weaving in between the trees running toward the noises. When they drew near the noises the forest adbruptly ended into a clearing. The clearing was freshgly made and was filled with hundereds of stumps from once beautiful tees. In the middle of the clearing there was a girl with long brown hair wearing a kimono top that aws tied at the waist with the bottom cut off at the knees. She was holding a huge shuriken and was standing on a stump facing an ugly human like monster. The monster charged forward and the girl gracefully dodged to the side and threw her shuriken into the monster's back right in between what appeared to br it's shoulder blades. The monster stumbled forward from the impact, and the girl launched herself forward from the stump. She landed on the monster's back and pulled out her shuriken before launching herself backwards off of the monster. The girl made a skillful landing on a stump.
Kixston was standing in watching the fight with alot of interest.
"You might as well be drooling all over yourself." Driretlan muttered, "Geez you act as if you have never seen some one fight before."
"I have never seen someone fight like that before.." Kixston smirked
The monster turned back towards the girl and started to stagger forward. The girl held her shuriken in throwing position awaiting the perfect moment to throw it. As the monster staggered closer the girl threw the shuriken with deadly force, the shuriken met the monster's throat about half way across the clearing. Then it still had enough force to drag it to the edge of the clearing and pin it to a tree. The girl let out a sigh of relif as the monster twitched and disinegrated. The girl walked across the clearing to retrive her weapon, she pulled her shuriken out of the tree and slid it into a holster on her back. There was a shiney deep green stone in the pile of ashes left by the monster, the girl bent over and picked it up.
"Now I can take this back to the village where it belongs." The girl said in a satisified tone.
"I am going to speak to that fighter, it won't take long." Kixston said jogging out into the clearing and up to the girl.
"Oh sure now you don't care about the sunlight." Driretlan muttered walking slowly out of the forest.
"My name is Kixston." Kixston smirked "That was a nice fight, and you got one hell of a weapon."
"I am Mistress Ichigo. Thank you for the compliments." Mistress Ichigo said. "I like my weapon too."
Driretlan waved as she approached. "Hey." She sighed
"Oh sorry i forgot to introduce the slowpoke, that's Driretlan." Kixston said pointing at Driretlan as she sat on a stump.
"Hello." Mistress Ichigo said waving.
"Hey, so I guess that Kixston introduced himself allready, well I guess that we will be back off again. We have to keep good time if we are going to get to the Mirojen Province by the end of the week."
"Really your traveling too." Mistress Ichigo smirked "I am a traveler, I just have to return this to a village before I can get on my way again."
"Where is the village at?" Kixston asked
"North of here." Mistress Ichigo said
"Then why don't we go with you to the village, I need some better company than him any way." Drirtlan chuckled
"Oh I see how it is, you run into a girl and then all of the sudden i am nothing but back ground noise." Kixston said
"Yea, pretty much. It may sound like I am being rude to him, but if you had traveled with him for as long as I have you would understand."
"Oh I know how you feel." Ichigo laughed "I have been there, I think that it would be good to have some company for a change."
"Okay now that it is settled ladies how about we head out." Kixston said
Driretlan hopped up and brushed off her cloak and started to walk out of the clearing heading north while talking to Ichigo. Kixston lagged behind a little bit not wanting to speak up and make a total idiot out of himself.
The village wasn't that far north of the clearing, so they arrived there before it was even midday.The village was fairly small, it only had a few houses and a field with crops.
"I am gussing that this is it." Kixston said.
"No we are just stoping here to smell the flowers." Driretlan smirked
"Well i don't see any flowers." Kixston sighed looking the landscape over once.
"Umm....Kixston I think she was being sarcastic." Ichigo said
"That figures."
Driretlan chuckled and shook her head. "Well this is where we drop you off, right."
"Sure i guess. Unless you want me to continue on with you."
"I think that it would make the trip better. I am getting tired of little miss sarcasim." Kixston said giving Driretlan a 'what are you going to say to that' look.
Driretlan shrugged and walked on with Ichigo leading the way. Ichigo walked up to the largest house in the village and knocked on the door. An old wrickled man answered the door and smiled a bit.
"So you have brought back our guardian stone, mistress Ichigo." The old man said
"Yes I did." Ichigo smirked digging the stone out of her pocket. "Here it is sir."
The old man took the stone and handed Ichigo a bag of food that he picked up from beside the door."This is all my village could give for payment. I hope that it is substantial payment."
Ichigo took the bag and smiled "It is just fine. I had to get food somewhere."
"I am glad that you apricate it. Thank you for your services." The old man said walking out onto the street. Ichigo, Kixston and Driretlan walked out of the village, and the old man watched them go.
"Well atleast I have a little bit of something to offer you guys."
"Yea the food is a plus, I haven't had a good meal in days." Kixston chuckled
"Maybe that is because you haven't fed in days, except for that bit of energy you snacked on last night." Driretlan whispered to Kixston, "What are you going to tell Ichigo tonite when we are eating dinner and you are just sitting there looking at the food?"
Kixston growled and stomped ahead of the group.
After Kixston was out of hearing range Ichigo leaned over to Driretlan. "Why is he so grumpy all of the sudden."
"Oh no big reason, he is just mad that I reminded him of the fact that he hasn't eaten in days." Driretlan laughed
"Oh well if he is that hungry we could eat now." Ichigo offered
"Na we'll live. Besides it is best just to not mention feeding to him right now." Driretlan said
Ichigo nodded "I won't say a word...until my stomach over powers my brain."
Driretlan laughed "You are right there, nothing can over power the almighty stomach, it can bring even the strongest men to their knees."
Kixston turned around and amiled reveling to large canine teeth. "Hey don't forget women...you aren't all powerful ya know."
"The guy is right, not even we can beat hunger." Ichigo said
Driretlan nodded and looked ahead, there was a large feild that adbuptly ended into a huge river. At first Driretlan thought that her mind was playing tricks on her, Kixston hadn't mentioned a river. But as they crossed the feild Driretlan relized that this was no trick of the eye. She walked over to Kixston and nudged him with her elbow.
"What is it Drir?" Kixston asked
"Why didn't you tell me about that we had to cross A GAINT RIVER??!!" Driretlan yelled
"A river what the hell are you talking about?" Kixston asked looking at Driretlan like she was insane. "There is no river around here.There is only a little creek that you could easily jump over. You will have no problem with it."
Driretlan sighed then pointed forward toward the river, "I am talkig about that!!It is still called a river right?!"
Kixston snapped his head in the direction of the river, and his jaw dropped when he saw it. "There wasn't a river there twenty years ago!! Where in the hell did it come from."
"Alot can change in twenty years you know." Ichigo pointed out.
Driretlan gave a satisified smirk. "I told you that there was a river there.Well we will have detour now."
"We don't have time for a detour, we will have to cross the river." Kixston smirked
Driretlan froze in her tracks and stared at Kixston as he walked on.
"Whats the matter Driretlan?" Ichigo asked
"N...Nothing i am just not to keen to the idea of crossing that river." Driretlan stammered
"Awww what the matter Dri? Is it possible that the big bad Driretlan is afraid of water?" Kixston teased
Driretlan growled, "I am not afraid of water!!!...I just don't like it."
"Uh-hu I am sure that is your reason." Kixston laughed
Ichigo looked at Kixston and then Driretlan and she got a puzzled look on her face. She jogged up to Kixston and tapped him on the shoulder. "Uh....Kixston why is Driretlan freaking out over crossing a river?"
"She is a fire demon and she hates water, with a passion....she is afraid that she will drown or something if she goes into deep water. "Kixston whispered "Even though she knows how to swim, she still won't get into the water."
"Ohh I see." Ichigo said looking back at Driretlan who was walking with her arms crossed muttering to herself. "Is there really no other to get to Mirojen with out having to cross that."
"Well there is but it would take us a while, this is the quickest way across." Kixston said "Don't worry about her, I have seen Driretlan get out of tighter spots then having to cross a river."
The group walked to the river with Driretlan still laging behind. Kixston waited impatiently at the river bank for Driretlan to come. When Driretlan finally caught up Kixston pulled off his cloak and his sword and started to wade into the water.
"Go ahead and cross there is now way that i am following you." Driretlan muttered
Kixston spun around and glared at Driretlan, "Come on quit acting like a little kid."
"I am not acting like a little kid." Driretlan argued sticking her tounge out at Kixston.
Kixston rolled his eyes and sighed, "Do you have anything that you don't want to get wet Ichigo?"
Ichigo nodded and handed the bag of food over to Kixston.
Kixston looked bag and looked at Driretlan, "How about you Dri?"
Driretlan shook her head and sat down beside the bank.
"Okay have your way." Kixston said gentally tossing his cloak,and th bag of food into the air. A small buble looking thing appeared around the bag and the cloak and Kixston guided the bubble to the oppisite bank with his finger. The bubble sat the stuff onto the ground and then poped.
"Wow that is cool how do you do it?" Ichigo asked.
"Ahh it is simple telekenisis." Kixston laughed wading deeper into the water. "Are you just going to sit there Driretlan?"
Driretlan nodded and drew her knees close to her chest. "I am not crossing."
"Well suit yourself." Kixston muttered.
Ichigo waded in behind Kixston. There was a sudden noise of rushing water as the water level in the river rose up and started to form into a creature.
Driretlan hopped to her feet. "I told you that water was bad news!"
"Shut up." Kixston growled stepping backwards and taking his sword into fighting position.
The water formed into a human looking monster that stood at least twenty feet tall, it formed a spike on it's left hand.
"Great.." Kixston sighed
The monster knocked kixston's sword out of his hand then shot a blast of water at him. Kixston dodged the water by diving underneath the water in the river, but Driretlan was right in it's path. The blast of water hit Driretlan and blasted her back, she luckily caught her balance and shot her self back toward the monster with her sword. When Driretlan went to attack the monster it turned back into water and she fell right into the river, which was a raging fury. The water quickily started to sweep her down stream. "KIXSTON YOU LAZY EXCUSE FOR A HALF VAMP!!! HELP ME!!"
"Can't you swim?" He asked not moving.
"No!!" Driretlan gasped choaking on the water.
Kixston started to run toward her but the water was stopping him, and by the time that he got onto shore she was too far away to get to in time. Kixston shot a worried look at Ichigo who was getting up onto the bank.
"Are we going to follow?" Ichigo aksed
"Yes we have to...I am not leaving my friend to die by drowning." Kixston growled leavitating the stuff from the oppisite bank to him. "Lets go."
Later that night.
Driretlan woke up to a hazy mess that looked like a starry sky. She heard an odd but beautiful melody playing in the back ground. "Did I die." She wondered aloud
"No." A voice said as the music stopped "I saved you."