Friend of A Friend(A standoff between me and Magus ensues)

Thoom Thoom

Kanna smacks her head against an invisible wall over and over, "I can't break through!"

I rest on Tohru's back and watch while shaking my head.

"It must be a barrier," Tohru claws at the wall. A magic circle appears then fades.

I focus on the barrier and see a giant aurora of lights. It looks just like the Northern Lights I read about in

a book; They grow far north and have dazzling colors that flash and wave like an ocean current.

Kanna rams her head into the barrier again, "Let me through!"

"Stop it, Kanna. We can't get through!" Tohru shakes her head.

Kanna floats around in circles. The wind brushes against her soft fur, "Lucoa is on the other on the side. She needs us!"

"It's an anti-dragon barrier. If you force yourself you will be too weak to help anyone!"

I stand up and carefully balance my footing on Tohru's back. I approach the wall closely.

Tohru shouts at me, "Shiro. You might fall off."

I shake my head, "Don't worry about me. I have an idea," I stand on the tip of Tohru's nose I press my face on the barrier and force my arm through.

Ripples travel through the barrier. My fist sticks out on the other side. I recede my arm's reach.

"I can get through!"

Tohru and Kanna exchange glances.

"Good work, Shiro!" Tohru compliments, "But…The barrier is all the way over there!" she points to an island several thousand feet below. That's problematic; If I want to reach the island I would have to dive several feet down without Tohru to catch my fall or worse, swim. I think for a second. What could I use to reach the island? I think for a while. I remember Kobayashi. I recall a day where I was playing. I walked into Kobayashi's room. The only light in the room is a lamp on her desk. There are hundreds of blueprints of inventions for flying. On the desk, I see a sketch of a human with sails attached to their arms. She waves to me. My curiosity piqued, I asked her, "Mom. What are you working on?" She strokes my hair and replies, "I'm working on inventions to help me fly." I tilt my head, "Why?" She opens the curtains. The sun warms the room and casts ray of sunlight on us. She looks at the blue skies. She daydreams, "The skies are so peaceful. I want to just fly through them and not have to worry about work every once in a while."

Kotori waves her hand in front of my face, "hello? Did you fall asleep with your open eyes?"

I snap out of my daze, "Sorry. I just remember that Kobayashi had blueprints. For flying."

"Like the flying machine?"

"No. Much better than that. She had dozens of them."

"Then what are we waiting for, Shiro!? Let's make it."

"One problem," I scratch my head and turn my head, "I don't have those blueprints. I only had a couple that my mother gave me. But not the one I need."

Tohru douses the barrier in fire. The trail of flame rushing from her mouth hits the wall like a stream of a kitchen sink's water against a dish, "Dammit. I can't leave her there. Shiro. Do you know where those blue prints are? Who could possibly have them?!"

I think and come up with an answer. However, my heart sinks when I realize who could have them. I look at Tohru with worried eyes, "There is one person. Takiya."

Tohru's eyes focus on me. I can see her angry snake pupils, "I won't speak to him. I hate him."

I sigh," What other choice do we have? We have to ask, Tohru."

She sighs, "Fine. Let's go."

We step into Takiya System's office headquarters. Takiya is lecturing the manager, "What did I say about yelling at employees! You're not the manager anymore and you can't blame them for problems that isn't their fault!"

"Achem," I clear my throat.

He turns to see me standing at the front door. His eyes widen. He runs toward me and wraps my around me, "Shiro. Where did you go!?"

"It's...good to see you too, Takiya," Tohru forces herself to say.

He glares at Tohru then turns to me, "You're with Tohru. Shiro…There are humans that are after-"

"I know," I interrupt him, "We found one."

He has a mortified face, "Shiro. Did they hurt you? You gotta leave Tohru! I have a place where you can be safe! Just come with me!"

"Shiro is my son. And I won't let you split us up! He needs me!" Tohru hisses.

"Yeah?! Is this what he needs?! Being hunted by mages! Living in hiding!"

I put my hand on both their chests and gently push them in opposite directions.

"Tohru. Please. He's still my dad…Even after everything he did…," I face Takiya, "Dad. I can't leave her. I made my decision."

Takiya sighs and presses his palm against his forehead, "Well…If that's your decision it can't be helped. Please if you can…visit me. And I you need an allowance I can provide that."

I let out a breath of relief. Tohru and Takiya look at each other for a long minute. They nod at each other.

I cough, "Anyway. Takiya. Do you have mom's blueprints?"

"Her…blueprints?"

"She had blueprints for inventions that'd help her fly."

He paces back and forth, "I...stored them in a warehouse. I don't let anyone inside."

"This is important, dad. I need a blueprint for mom's glider," I plead.

"Those blueprints are items I kept. I don't want to just give them away. They're things I have to remember Kobayashi by. But If you need them," he reaches for his keys, "Follow me."

We follow dad to a warehouse guarded by a man in black.

Tohru runs up to him. He frowns and stares blankly at whatever is in front of him.

"Fafnir?" Tohru walks in circles around him.

He nods, "It's a pleasure to meet you again."

I scratch my head. She has a lot of friends I though. As much as I would like to get to know them, I need to rescue Tohru's friend, Lucoa. Takiya leads us to a warehouse door. He pulls the door up. Inside are boxes full of blueprints sticking out of the boxes. There are tools scattered everywhere. On desks, on the floor and even hanging from the wall.

On a small desk is a sketch of the glider in my memories of Kobayashi, "This is the one. We need to finish this!"

"Wait," Takiya says, "That invention would take at least a day to finish."

Tohru grabs the blueprint and picks up the tools, "We don't have that much time. Finish it in a few hours," she demands Takiya do.

He shakes his head, "It's not that simple."

Fafnir mutters, "Actually. I could help you. We can finish this device with my powers."

Takiya ponders for a minute, "I guess I could do that…"

"Please, dad," I hold on to his hand, "Finish this for me?"

He sighs and nods, "I will, son. I will. Tell me where I need to bring it. I will deliver it in a few hours."

Tohru grabs my other hand and drags me away, "I hope you keep your word. You already disappointed him before. Don't do it again," she threatens.

"No, Tohru. I won't. You have my word."

Splash

A wave crashes into the sand and recedes. It's already an hour. I walk in circles impatiently, "Ten more minutes," I beg. Tohru scowls, "He's late. There's no way he'll make. Let's leave, Shiro."

"Please!" I shout, "Give him more time!"

"He's late Shiro! He abandoned us," she turns into a dragon and prepares to take off.

Kotori holds my hand tightly, "I'm sorry, Shiro. He didn't make it."

"You wouldn't give up on me, would you, Kotori?"

"No! Of course not. You're my brother."

"Yes, exactly. We're family. Despite everything that happened, Takiya is family. Are we going to give up on family now?"

She smiles at me and shakes her head.

"Let's leave, Kotori, " Tohru flaps her wings.

"No. I'm staying. With Shiro. We're going to wait."

Kanna shrugs and sits down.

Tohru groans. She rests on the sand, "Fine. I can't believe I'm waiting for that fool."

Vrrrmmm

A car speeds past us. It kicks up a cloud of dust, "Shiro! I made it!" my father's voice shouts from the window. I jump with joy, "Dad! You made it!" Tohru is dumbfounded. She grabs me with her claws and drops on her back. She flies alongside the car, "Is that really you, Takiya?"

Fafnir climbs out the window with the glider in his hands. "Hurry! Take it!" Takiya shouts.

Wee Woo Wee Woo

A squad of police cars follow closely behind. "Cops?!" I stretch my arm toward the glider.

"I may have speeded past a red light!"

Fafnir throws the glider. I catch it with both my hands. The police cars see Tohru's dragon form. The police car in the front brakes at the sight of the dragon in fear.

Crash
The police cars behind it all crash into each other and spiral off road. Tohru quickly ascends into the sky. As we quickly climb up, I can see my dad waving from the car window, "Good luck, Shiro!"

"Thank you!" I scream over the gust of wind. Tohru and I are above the clouds. She brakes suddenly. I see the setting sun and its orange rays. She descends.

Whooosh.

I quickly put on the gliders like a bat. I wear a backpack on my shoulders, "I'm ready, Tohru."

The island is several thousand feet below. The wind smacks into my face, "Argh," I wrap goggles around my glasses. My heart beats like a steady clock. "Now!" I let go of Tohru and extend my arms. I dive straight toward the barrier. Closer…Closer…Crash I smash through the barrier and descend toward the barrier. Kanna, Tohru, and Katori float in the air watching from above.

Kanna's voice speaks in my head, "There should be seals on the island, Shiro! Break them and we can get through!"

I nod. The gap between my and the island is closing in faster than I thought it would take.

"We're counting on you!" Kotori shouts, "So come back alive, okay?"

I pull on a cord attached to my backpack.

Fwoop

A parachute jumps out of the backpack. I descend until my body touches the ground. I look around me.

It looks like I'm on a castle's walls. There is a magic mirror next to me. There are two others. One on my left and the other to my right. "Oops," I push the mirrors over. They fall over and shatter into pieces.

Men run around in panic, "The barrier!"

I see the force field in the skies. The colorful seals fade away and sprinkle rainbow-colored dust down on the castle. Tohru slams dunk on the castle walls, "Now we rescue Lucoa!" A wall of crossbowmen unload their bolts at Kanna. A barrier deflects the crossbow bolts. They fly in opposite directions and collapse like harmless like harmless twigs.

"No one can harm lady Tohru!" Kanna shoots beams of light that sends the soldiers flying like bowling pins, "Shiro, I can sense Lucoa is in the dungeon!"

"Right!" I descend the stairs and force myself through the castle doors. Kotori follows right behind me in her human form, "I have your back, Shiro!" A knight in armor holds up his shield, "Stop!"

Kotori jump-kicks into him.

"Kyah!" he slams against a wall that leaves a crater behind him. We find a pair of stairs and descend into a wet, damp area. At the bottom is a dark hallway lit by torches. There are several jail cells lined in two rows along the walls.

"How am I supposed to find Lucoa in this mess?"

Kotori forces open a cell by bending it with her arms, "Lucoa?"

A girl is sitting on the floor, "Mm…, W-Who is that? Go away!" she lashes out at us and throws a bowl of water at me.

I dodge to the side, "Wait, we came to rescue you. Do you know if they have someone called Lucoa in these cells?"

A woman with blonde hair and closed eyes sticks her head out of the jail cell next to ours, "Did someone say my name?"

Kotori runs over to the cell. She grabs the bars and rips them from its place. She tosses it against the wall oppose of her. Thoom

"Lucoa. Tohru and Kanna are here. Can you walk?" she offers to help her up, but she shrugs her off and walks out of the cell, "Did you destroy the barrier on these cells?"

We both nod.

"Wait," the girl limps to us, "Did you say Kanna is here?"

Kotori nods, "Do you know her?"

She nods, "Yeah you could say that. Please, take me to her."

I let her rest on my shoulders, "Yeah. Of course. Let's go."

A man is meditating in the corner of Lucoa's cell, "Let us go then," he finally says.

He stands up and approaches me. This must be Shota.

"Right," I have the girl piggyback on my shoulders, "Up the stairs!"

"No," Shota says. He stomps the ground and we teleport to the castle walls.

Tohru and Kanna are clawing and spitting fire at the guards. The guards cast a magic shield over themselves to protect themselves.

"We found Lucoa and her friends!" I shout to them, "Let's get out of her!"

Just then a flurry of swords get thrown at us. We duck and dodge them.

"You're not going anywhere," Magus walks up the steps. He glares at me. I can feel the hatred emanating from his eyes, "I warned you about causing incidents like this. Now I have to kill you," he draws his staff.

Lucoa turns into a black serpent and carries the prisoners on her back. Shouta stands beside me. There is a fire resting on his palms.

"Take them somewhere safe. We'll buy you some time to escape Lucoa!"

Shouta climbs on Lucoa's back, "Fighting him is dangerous," he says to me, "Are you sure want to face him?"

A barrier forms between me and Magus.

I nod as I clench my fists, "I need to be strong enough to protect my family. This time I won't let anything bad happen to them. I refuse to stand idly by and watch the people I care- no the people I love get hurt!"