The cart was moving once more; all of the kids were sitting in the back. "You kids are going to have to stay with Kaiba today. The city we're going to is dangerous. They might try to take you." Mana said as she saw the outline of the city outside. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma nodded their heads. No one could see their thoughts, but they were dreading the city and the memories it brought back. Joseph did not know any better, but he agreed to Mana's directions knowing he would get to spend time with Kaiba.
The cart stopped at a small inn just outside the city. Kaiba left for a few moments before returning. "We have one room. I have been informed that there is an auction scheduled for today at the port." He handed Mana and Shada each a bag of gold. "Find them before someone else does."
"We'll do our best." Shada put his hand on Kaiba's shoulder. "We'll be back as soon as we can. Let's go Mana." She nodded her head following Mana out of the inn. Meanwhile, the boys were playing with a ball on the floor. Kaiba sat on a stool occasionally looking out the window to make sure no one suspicious entered the inn. Kaiba looked at Alpha, Gamma, and Beta. He could sense their discomfort. He sighed at them returning to watching the window.
Mana and Shada walked through the city keeping close to each other. It was still morning out so not many people were out. If they were, they were setting up their shops or heading to the port for the auction. When they arrived to the port, Mana and Shada were shocked and appalled. Several people stood around watching as children shackled to each other were led off a boat and into cages on a stage. Shada walked over to one of the auctioneers. "Would you mind if I look at them?" He stared the auctioneer in the eyes with his piercing stare. They nodded granting him permission with some fear in their eyes. Shada walked over to the cage examining the children with his Millennium Key. He sighed looking at Mana. "It's unfortunate that we can't save all of them. None of them have strong shadow creatures."
"Can't we at least save one?" Mana asked looking at Shada with wide eyes.
"I wish." Shada sighed. "Unfortunately, we must follow the Pharaoh's decree."
"I know." Mana sighed. They turned to walk away from the auction site. "Seto will be disappointed in us."
"Not necessarily." Shada pointed to angry shopkeeper yelling at a boy running across the rooftops. "Perhaps we should follow him." Shada broke into a sprint chasing the boy on the roof while he ran through the streets trying to avoid the people. Mana tagged along running ahead of Shada.
Using her magic, she jumped to the rooftops chasing after the boy thief. She could not see much, but she could see a small boy with aqua colored hair tied into a ponytail running and jumping across the ledges. "Hey, stop!" Mana called out to him. The boy looked back at her glaring. He continued running; a set of large knives appeared behind him. Demonic Knives. "I just want to talk!" The blades glowed and started chasing after Mana who was doing her best to avoid them and keep up with the boy. Just as she was about to catch him, the blades caught up forcing her to jump from the building. She landed safely with the help of her magic. The shadow creature disappeared along with the boy. "So close." Mana put her hands on her head in frustration.
Shada finally caught up with her. "Any luck?" Mana shook her head. "We'll find him and reach his heart." He helped her up giving her a look of reassurance.
"If you're looking for that rat, I heard he can't resist candy." Someone said passing them by.
"Candy, huh?" Mana smiled formulating a new plan.
Meanwhile…
The boy with blue hair ran into an alley and ran into a hole in one of the walls. "Kite, I'm back!" He yelled excitedly.
The boy he referred to as Kite sat on a torn sheet on the floor meditating. "Not so loud, Sora. They can't find us."
"This weird girl was chasing me, but I scared her off." He smiled triumphantly dropping a sack on the floor. Its contents were bread, fruit, and a few other food items.
"She didn't follow you here, did she?"
Sora shook his head.
"Good. Kurin, Sora's back with food." Kite picked up a piece of bread, walked over to a small boy laying on the floor, and rubbed his back. "Sora brought food."
"Not hungry." The small boy mumbled rubbing his purple eyes before closing them once more.
"You need to eat." Kite rubbed his back again tearing off a piece of bread for him. Kite watched him eat the bread making sure he finished it and did not try to hide it. "Good job." Kite tussled the mess of shaggy brown hair on his head. "Get some water in you." He handed Kurin a small, chipped, ceramic cup with slightly discolored water in it. He watched him drink all of the water. Kite smiled walking back over to Sora. "Are you going back out?"
"They just made some candy." Sora said finishing off a piece of fruit.
Kite could see the intent in his eyes. "Please be careful."
"I always am." Sora smiled confidently running out of the hole in the wall. Kite sighed sitting on his old sheet to meditate once more. He opened one eye and looked over at Kurin who was trying to play the pan flute that he had found him with. He could only play a few crude sounding notes on it.
Later…
"That's all of it, right?" Mana asked holding a large sack of candy in her hands.
"Yes, yes." The shopkeeper said eyeing the small bag of gold in Mana's hands.
"And you're not making any more today?"
"That's right." The shopkeeper responded.
"Thanks." Mana smiled handing them the bag of gold.
"No, thank you." The shopkeeper smiled coveting the small bag of gold.
"I never saw you as one for a sweet tooth." Shada said eyeing the large bag of candy.
"It's to lure out that boy from earlier. If he likes candy that much, maybe he'll come to us."
"If not?" Shada asked.
"Joseph, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma can have a treat later." Mana swung the bag over her shoulder and walked off towards one of the alleys. "Time to set the trap." She dropped several pieces on the ground and walked out of the alley watching from behind one of the buildings; the bag of candy sat behind her. Shada was waiting on the other side for the boy.
Sora ran across the rooftops until he paused at the candy stand. He used his usual tactics and snuck under the canopy roof. He looked down and saw an empty stand. Any hopes he had disappeared at that moment; he wanted to know where the candy was. He walked into the home behind the stand a glowing axe appeared behind him. "Where's the candy!?"
The woman and man mixing ingredients at one of the tables dropped their bowls simultaneously out of fear. "A girl bought it all. We have to make more for tomorrow now. Please don't hurt us." They were shaking in fear of the small child.
Sora had his fists clenched as he stomped his feet on the ground throwing a small fit. "There better be more tomorrow!" His creature disappeared behind him as he stormed out of the house. It has to be that girl. Sora growled climbing back on to the rooftops. He would jump across to each roof in the village scanning the streets below for any sign of the girl from before and the large amount of candy she was probably carrying with her.
"Nothing." Mana mumbled to herself keeping an eye on the candy on the ground not watching the large sack behind her. She continued to wait hoping he would show up. Then she started hearing the crinkling of paper. She turned around quickly to see the boy from earlier grabbing as many pieces as he could. "Gotcha." Mana said tackling him to the ground.
"Hey, get off of me!" Sora shouted squirming under Mana. At that moment, Sora's eyes closed and his shadow creature took over. A rather large, circular blade appeared behind Mana ready to tear her in half.
"Two Headed Jackal Warrior, defend!" Shada ordered his shadow creature who immediately attacked the demonic weapon knocking it to the ground. "We are trying to help you." Shada said while his creature kept an eye on Sora's. He walked over to Sora seeing no chance of him calming down in the near future. Nevertheless, he held up his Millennium key to Sora knowing there was something to be found. Shada closed his eyes penetrating Sora's mind. "So strange. There are no shadow creatures inside of him, only two portals, almost like gateways for his creatures to emerge from." Shada opened his eyes looking at Sora. "Mana, let him up. I would like to talk to him." She did as she was instructed trying to block Sora off a little. "I would like for you to come with us, have the life you deserve."
Sora stared at him briefly his shadow creature disappeared. He kicked Shada in the shins before running away.
"Hey!" Mana shouted giving chase after him. Shada was not far behind trying to fight the pain.
"They're coming!" Sora shouted bursting into the hideout.
Kite's eyes immediately darted open. His anger at Sora for leading them here was not seen, but known by everyone in the room. "Kurin, hide." He turned to Sora. "Get ready to fight." He turned to Kurin once more who was frozen. "Run, hide!" The small boy immediately started running trying to find a safe place to hide.
"There's more of you." Mana said with a hint of excitement in her tone.
Shada was less excited and a bit more concerned. He looked at Kite seeing his torn clothing. He could see the electric blue glow in his eyes and the similar colored aura that surrounded him. "There's no need for this." Shada gripped his key tightly ready to defend himself and Mana.
"You're threatening me and my brothers. There is a need for this." Kite ran at Shada his fist glowing with energy. Shada quickly ducked to the side. Kite's fist blew through the wall.
"Time for full power!" Sora grew excited. "When my soft monsters and my demonic ones come together, they make something truly terrifying!" Shada and Mana watched in horror as the demonic blades they first encountered appeared with a large, soft looking bear. They quickly came together forming a demonic form of the bear with blades protruding from it.
"Fusion! Something I only thought could be done by the power of the Millennium Scales!" Shada looked at Sora with sheer terror on his face.
Kite ran over back to Sora's side. They stood side by side ready to fight.
"My turn." Mana summoned Dark Magician Girl by her side.
"We're not here to fight." Shada stood calmly not bothering to summon any of his shadow creatures. "I want to talk to both of you."
"The time to talk is over." Sora's shadow creature swiped at Mana and Shada. Mana's Dark Magician Girl retaliated with her own magical blast. Kite and Shada were locked in battle.
Kite would continue to swing at him, but Shada would only dodge his attacks. "You could have summoned your shadow creature by now."
"No need." Kite swung at Shada once more, but Shada dodged the attack and grabbed Kite by the back of his shirt. It was not his smartest move as the shirt tore revealing a rather intricate tattoo of a sword on Kite's back.
Shada used Kite's distraction to wield the power of his Millennium key. The power of the creature inside of Kite threw him against a wall. "Such…power. A dragon from the cosmos."
Kite walked over and grabbed Shada by his collar. "Never speak of it." His eyes glowed intimidatingly. "Tell me who you are."
Meanwhile, Sora and Mana were locked in their own conflict. "First you buy all the candy and now this!" Sora's monster swiped at Mana once more. She jumped on to the creature's arm avoiding the attack. Her Dark Magician Girl launched another attack blasting the creature back. Mana could tell that the repeated attacks were draining the boy's energy.
The battle raged on with Mana and Shada draining Sora and Kite's energy enough that exhaustion would be imminent. The battle was cut short by a piercing shriek. Everyone stopped fighting. They all turned their attention to the source of the unpleasant sound, a small ball of brown fur with purple eyes and green arms and legs.
"What is that?" Shada looked at the creature in confusion wondering where it came from.
"Something's wrong with Kurin." Kite's body stopped glowing. He started running through the building following after the creature.
"Wait!" Mana chased after him. "We can help."
"We don't need your help!" Kite turned to her shouting not stopping hoping it was not too late. Kite ran into a room and threw aside a piece of debris revealing a large hole in one of the walls. There he saw Kurin, curled up in a ball, sobbing. Kite got him out of the wall and pulled him in closely wrapping him in a hug. "Why are you crying?"
"They want to take you and Sora away."
"We won't go anywhere without you." Kite hugged him tightly not noticing Mana walk into the room with Kurin's shadow creature which disappeared upon entry.
"I guess it thought I should see what was happening." Mana shyly held her staff with both hands walking over to Kite and Kurin.
"Get away." Kite stared at her watching carefully.
"I'm not doing anything." She knelt beside them. "What's your name?"
"Kurin." He said shyly.
"I never learned your name either." Mana said looking at Kite.
"It's Kite, and Sora was the one you met first."
Mana put her hand on Kurin's forehead. "You're warm. If you come with us, we can give you guys the life that you deserve. You'll get to live in a big house and never have to steal food again."
"Sounds too good to be true." Kite looked at her skeptically.
"We still have to make a few stops before we go back to the big house, so you might have to rough it in a caravan for a little bit." Shada said walking into the room with Sora by his side munching on a piece of candy.
"It looks like you two worked out your differences." Kite said looking at Sora.
"It doesn't take much with him." Shada said tussling Sora's hair.
"What do you say?" Mana asked taking Kurin from Kite. She held him closely. Kurin nodded his head resting it over her shoulder.
"I guess we're going." Kite said grabbing Kurin's pan flute off the floor. He handed it to Mana. "That's his."
"First we need to get some food in him." Mana said feeling how light Kurin was. "We'll go back to the inn so you can meet the others. We'll get some rest, and then we can go in the morning."
"Others?" Kite looked at her with a bit of worry.