Chapter 20: Me and My Summon Spirit

Airi awoke with a jolt. "Ah!" She sat up and put her right hand to her chest. "Wh-Where am I?" The room she was in was nicely decorated and the bed was comfortable. "What is this?" She got up and looked out of the window. "It's still night out? I can't see a thing!" What happened? I gotta try and remember! "Let's see…! I'm here by myself!" She kicked at the ground. "Dammit, why'd I have to get kidnapped? I don't wanna be a damsel in distress!" She smirked. "I'll just have to break out! Kaji, can you come out?"

Little red orbs spun around and transformed into the dog Summon Spirit of Fire, Kaji. "Yes Airi? What's up?"

"I've just been kidnapped."

"What!" The dog jumped. "No way!"

"But we're gonna break out, okay?" She bent down and rubbed his head. "Shinji can't keep me here like this. I don't want to be a burden to my friends, so I have to break out."

"Alright Airi, I'm with you!" The small dog looked around uneasily. "But shouldn't you summon Inochi as well?"

"I'm not sure if I can summon her just yet. Let's get going." She walked over to the door and twisted the knob. "Hey, it's locked?"

"Fool, of course it is!" Kaji barked.

"Well, excuse me for being naive!" She placed a tag on the door.

"A bomb tag?" Kaji asked.

"Yep!" The two ran back behind the bed and crouched down. With a loud explosion, the door blew up. "Oops…"

"Oops is right! We're lucky if no one hears-"

"Hey, what's going on in here!" Two men rushed in.

"Crap!" Airi jumped up and readied her cards.

"No, leave it to me Mistress Airi!" Kaji said. He ran forward and growled at the men.

"What is this? A mutt?" The men chuckled. They looked at Airi. "We'd better give you more sedatives this time!"

"Kaji, hurry up and attack already!"

"I'm goin'!" The red ruby on Kaji's head began to glow. "This is for callin' me a mutt earlier!" He head butted the two men.

"Grr, pest!" They pulled out whips.

"Are you sure you don't need help!" Airi called out.

"Part of being a Summon Spirit is protecting your master! Airi, if I can't protect you, then what good am I!"

Airi smiled. "Kaji…"

"Flame Star!" Five points of fire surrounded the men. A red light connected from each flame, forming a star.

"Wh-What is this!" The men were suddenly consumed by fire. "AAAHHH!"

"And that the end of that!" Kaji barked. He turned to Airi. "Let's go Airi."

"Right." They ran out of the room.

XXXX

"This place is huge," Kaji said.

"That bastard Shinji!" Airi hissed. "When I get my hands on him, I'll kill him!" She sighed and looked down. "…I hope everyone's alright…"

"You miss your lover, don't you?" Kaji asked.

"Yeah, I--!" She looked down at him. "What did you just say! L-Lover! Who is!"

"You know, that Shino guy."

"He…He's not my lover."

"I had a talk with Akamaru before and he said that you and Shino love each other."

"Th-That's not true."

"Yes it is! Quit lying to yourself Airi! You love Shino more than anyone else! You even love him more than Airas and Aurion! You need him and he needs you."

"…Kaji…"

"You're always saying that you want to change so you can become stronger, so why don't you do that! Airi you don't have to be afraid anymore. Shino won't hurt you, he won't abandon you! Shino loves you and you love him as well."

Airi started to laugh lightly. "Kaji, you silly Cerberus…" He looked up at her. "…You're right. I'm a horrible hypocrite. I do love Shino more than anyone else…but…"

"It doesn't matter that you're from two clans that hate each other's guts! Love is love! Haven't you ever heard of the saying 'Love knows no boundaries'! Shino would give up his life for you."

"…I…I know." She looked up. "I can't be like this anymore. I have to change!" They came to a dead end.

"Uh-oh, now what?"

"Hmm, let's go back." They started to head back when they passed by a window. What? Airi stopped and went back to the window.

"Airi?"

"Shh, come over here." They crouched by the window and looked down into the room below them. "That bastard, it's Shinji!"

"But who's that woman he's with?" Kaji asked.

"She…looks kinda familiar…! It's that assassin woman that Hinata and I beat up!"

----

"You're back already?" Shinji asked.

"Yes," the woman responded. "They're headed for Ossa. The Aburame boy had a very determined look on his face."

"Shino's always been like that." He turned around and started to chuckle. "Everything's working out quite well! With Shino at my mercy, Shen will have no other choice but to make me the new leader!"

"Wouldn't you have to get rid of Shino first?" the woman asked.

"Yes, of course, but why now? I find him useful, so I shall make use of him. Remember, it's all about manipulation, my dear Kitari."

"Well, what're you planning to do after you take over?"

"I'll get rid of old man Shen!"

The woman looked down. He's insane! Just because Shen chose Shino, Shinji wants to kill everyone… "And the girl?"

"What girl?"

"Airi."

"Oh, I'll make use of her too…once I get that book."

"What exactly is that book?"

"It's a Nozomi artifact."

"Why is it in Ossa then?"

"How the hell should I know! As long as I can have it, who cares about those small details!"

"What're you planning to do with her?"

"Same thing with Shino."

Her eyes widened. He's planning to kill her too! This man is pure evil! But…I have no say in this…Why did I do that? Why did I…? "Shinji, do you have to kill everyone one?" She asked. "I mean couldn't you just…" She glanced to her right and looked up. She saw a tuft of mint green disappear. What! She quickly looked away. "Erm, couldn't you just find another way?"

"Yes, but this is the path I choose." He turned back to her and smile. "And by that tone in your voice and that look in your eyes, I'd say our little guest likes to explore, correct?"

Shit, what've I done! She looked around. "Ah, um…" She sighed and nodded.

"I see. Well, anyway, you'll go to Ossa and keep a close eye on my best friend Shino."

"…Yes Shinji." She walked away.

"Oh, and while you're heading out, please tell Kuro to greet our guest." He smiled and glanced up at the window.

----

"Do you think he saw us!" Kaji asked.

"I really hope not!" Airi said. She pushed her mint green hair out of her left eye.

"I think that woman saw us though, we should get out of here!"

She nodded. "Right!" They headed out of the hall. "We have to get out of here Kaji! We have to tell Shino what Shinji is planning!"

"I know, but where are we! Even if we manage to get out of here, where do we go? Do you even know where Ossa is!"

"No I don't, but that doesn't matter! As long as I have my Nozomi Charm, I can find my brother and sister. Remember, our Summon Crystals can help us find one another."

"Don't move!" A man popped up in front of them.

"Airi!" Kaji shouted. They stopped.

"Hmph, Kitari said that our 'guest' was exploring the place and I'm glad I found her," the man said.

Airi readied her cards. "Who are you!"

"My name is Kuro and I work for Shinji. I've been asked to return you to your room immediately."

"There's one problem with that," Airi said, "I'm not going with you!"

"Grr, stubborn brat!" He pulled a lance off the wall. "Then I'll just have to force you to your room!"

XXXX

"ARF!" Kaji hit the wall hard.

"Kaji!" Airi cried.

"Foolish little girl!" Kuro slammed her against the wall. "Shinji never said anything about killing you, but you've made me angry! He can always use your siblings!"

Blood dripped from Kaji's nose. "Get away from Mistress Airi!" He bit Kuro in the leg. I…I don't have any strength left…

"Agh! Damn dog!" He kicked the Summon Spirit.

"Kaji, no!" Airi screamed. I have to call him back or he'll die! "Kaji, you need to rest! I'm calling you back!"

"No Airi! I can still fight!" the dog whined. He tired to get up, but he fell back to the ground.

Airi bit the man's arm, then pushed him away. She ran to Kaji. "You did good Kaji, but you need to go back."

"A-Airi…" He looked up at her.

"I won't allow you to die, not after all those years we've been together. You were my first Summon Spirit, so I'll protect you just like you protect me." Kaji, I love you, that's why I have to protect you! She closed her eyes and the dog slowly began to fade away. Please return to my Summon Crystal… Little red orbs were absorbed back into her body.

"Death to you!" Kuro drove his lance through Airi's back.

"Urgh!" Airi's eyes widened as blood began to drip from her mouth. Her memories began to fill her as her eyes began to drift close. "…Sh-Sh…Shino…" She fell forward.

"Oops, guess I killed her," Kuro said with a smirk. He pulled the lance out of her and turned his back. "Too easy.

"Airi's it's not your time yet. You have to awaken!"

Airi opened her eye as her wound began to heal. "Wh-What?"

"It's time to summon me!"

Airi nodded and shakily got to her feet. "I-I call u-upon the ruler of heaven, earth, and everything in between…the giver of l-life…I summon thee…" She held up her right hand, "Come, Inochi!"

Kuro spun around. "What!"

The Nozomi Charm began to glow a bright green, then white. Airi blinked in wonder as Inochi's spirit came out of the charm.

"Ready Airi?" Inochi asked.

"F-For what?"

"Possession!" Inochi jumped into Airi's body and her eyes began to glow white.

"What the fuck is this!" Kuro shouted.

"A little thing called payback!" Airi shouted. She held up her hands. "Rebirth Flame!" The entire hallway erupted in flames.

"AGH!"

Airi winced as the fire touched her wound. It began to heal even faster. "Huh? Is this an attack and healing art?" The blood on her body disappeared, but Kuro was dead. The fire suddenly disappeared and the hallway appeared unscathed. "Whoa…!" Inochi pulled herself out of Airi's body. "AH!" She clutched her stomach. "Ow, that hurt."

"I'm sorry Airi; that happened with Shino as well…"

"It's okay. Thank you for bringing me back to life, then healing me."

"You're my master. As Kaji said, I must protect you." She smiled and went back into the charm.

"Wow, that was a cool summon." BAM! Airi suddenly blacked out and fell to the ground.

The female assassin sighed. What am I doing? Is this right? She rubbed her hand. "Ow, that girl's got a hard head…"

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Hey-yas my dear readers! How are you all today! Why am I so happy today? Because June 8 is my birthday! I'm 15 as of today! Yay! I'm growing up and I won't be a kid anymore. Anyways, sorry that I only updated with one chapter. I'm still working on 21 and it'll be done soon. I just wanted to post this one on my b-day cuz it's done. I've been really busy with a stupid research paper for school and what not. It was 13 pages and I got a C on it...that sucks! Maybe I can still get a 4.0...In any cse, thanks for reading this fan fic! There's still a lot more to come!