Ayume Michiyo- A zoanthrope that can turn into a Pegasus. Even though she isn't very out going but her actions vary depending on her emotional behavior, she is a good friend of Uriko's and she is Kenji Ogami's (Bakuryu) classmate. She does have strange feelings for him though. She has long blackish hair with dark violet streaks and red rose colored eyes.
Shirei Kinka- A zoanthrope (which she turns into polar bear) who works with Long, she is supposedly his apprentice but there isn't much explained in that. She has glasses with blue medium length hair and green eyes-also she is simple minded but she can be tricky to fool.
Maea Tigami- A zoanthrope (she turns into a black bear) that helped create Shenlong; even though she and him are the only ones who get along with each other they both choose to destroy their other halfs (Shirei and Long). She has long midnight blue hair with forest green eyes.
Naori Tawanori- A young woman who helps Alice with her work but she is also a mysterious zoanthrope which no one has found yet to be of existence. She has medium length silver hair and light purple eyes.
Takase Hito-A school mate of Uriko's; he helps her find out the truth behind her past as he searches for his own. Takase is also a zoanthrope; which he turns in a serpent snake with dragon wings. He has short gold spiky hair and brown eyes. He is outgoing but sometimes serious.
Chapter three: Everyone's arrival...
Ayume came out of her room and walked down the hallway with a frown. "Where is everyone? Why aren't they here yet...?" She thought. Ayume then stopped as she looked out the long glass window covered by a drape with a symbol on it. Suddenly, someone's hands covered her eyes. "What the...?" She said. "Guess who this is?" The man asked. "Okay Yugo you can quit it now." Ayume said laughing. "Geez, you can tell by anyone's voice can't you Ayume?" Yugo said releasing his hands. Ayume turned around seeing Yugo, Alice, Uriko, Takase, and the others. "Cool you guys made it!" Ayume said cheerfully. "Yep, we got the invitation just like you!" Uriko pointed out. "We came just in time but a bit of a day early." Takase said with a smile. "So we heard that the one who is hosting this tournament is a prince." Alice said, "I heard he had some interest in a certain girl here." "Wha-oh hell no! You got to be kidding! He doesn't like me like that!" Ayume said shaking. Bakuryu walked up to Ayume. "So how do you feel now that everyone else is here?" he asked. "Better thanks." Ayume blushed. "Aww you two are getting along again." Uriko teased. "Seems like little brother likes this girl a lot too." Yugo said giving Bakuryu a noogie, "You better keep this one bro!" "Hey come on now. We got to get to the bottom of this." Long said with Shirei by his side.
"You all have also recieved the invitation. Of course there is going to be a tournament but there is also something else going on." Shirei explained. "We are going to look around the area." Long said as he walked away. "Okay." Ayume said nodding. "Well did you guys get set in your rooms yet?" Bakuryu asked. "Nah, Cronos was about to help us do that right about now." Yugo said as Cronos walked towards them. "Hey guys, well let me escort you to each of your rooms." Cronos said pointing over to the west wing of the hallway. "He is an experiment?" Ayume thought as she gave a glare towards Cronos. "I'm a experiment too?" She thought as she glanced over to the window. Bakuryu placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to flinch. "Ayume are you alright?" He asked. "Yeah, I just was thinking. Sorry to worry you." she said looking at Bakuryu sadly. "Thinking about what?" he asked. "Myself, what I was about a year ago...as an experiment to have the Pegasus's power. I remember when we first met even when you became Bakuryu the assassin. Now I feel like my memories are breaking me." Ayume sighed. Bakuryu took Ayume's hand and brought her to his corridor. He then placed both his hands on her shoulders.
"Tell me something Ayume...does Cronos bother you?" Bakuryu asked concerned. "Yeah but he is an experiment...I just know it. That pheonix and him are one and the same. He needs me to unleash my powers but I am not going to do that." Ayume said. Bakuryu kissed her lips gently and hugged her tight, "You won't unleash it if you don't want to. I promise that no one will harm you." "Bakuryu...why are you..." Ayume wrapped her arms around his waist. "Bakuryu..." she said as she hid her face in his chest. Bakuryu laughed softly and touched her cheek. "You can be so predictable Ayume." he said smiling. "Very funny. Now I'm going to kick your butt for that." Ayume said. As the two left the room; Shirei was out there talking to Long. "I see that there are captives here." Shirei said. "What does that mean?" "It means that there are other zoanthropes being created." Long explained. The two kept the conversation to a minimum of hearing. Cronos then noticed Ayume standing by Bakuryu and walked over to her. "How do you approve of this place?" he asked cheerfully. "Uh, it's pretty cool." Ayume said with out making a face. "That is good. Now everyone else is busy in their quarters. Would you like to see the rest of the castle?" Cronos said not even taking his eyes off Ayume. "That would be nice but can Bakuryu come with me?" Ayume asked as she took Bakuryu's arm. "Yes of course." Cronos said as he started walking. "Ayume, I'm going to check with Yugo about someting. You go on ahead with Cronos." Bakuryu said calmly. "I'll kick his ass if he touches you." Bakuryu whispered. "Yeah, got that." Ayume murmured releasing Bakuryu's arm.
Cronos held his hand out to Ayume and she took it with hesitation. Bakuryu headed over to Yugo where he was talking with Alice. "Bakuryu...I think I can be able to fight." Ayume thought as the two started walking. "I see you have been distracted by something lately, what is that?" Cronos asked. "...Well, it's about this tournament. Why are we all here and why is it being held?" Ayume asked a bit angry. Cronos chuckled a bit as they went down an elevator. "You'll see...King Orion has been waiting for the time of humans and zoanthropes in peace." Cronos said as the elevator door opened. Ayume took a step out of the elevator and froze. This became a large laboratory with confinements for experimental zoanthropes. "What the fuck?" Ayume said stepping back. Cronos took a grip on Ayume's arm, "Why so scared? You were one of them once." "No! You bastard. Why the hell do you want me here?!" Ayume said trying to pull her arm away. "You seem to know more about zoanthropes and humans separately. I need your help in solving the mystery." Cronos said releasing her. Ayume rubbed her arm, "The mystery to what?" "The mystery in solving what has to be a relationship between Zoanthrope and Human. There is a tie that is hiding somewhere and I haven't figured it out yet." Cronos explained.
"And if I refuse?" Ayume asked. "Oh you won't be able to unless you want to belong in the past again." Cronos said cupping Ayume's face in his hands. "Go to hell Cronos." Ayume said as thought of spitting in his face. She then took a grip on his neck with her hands forcing her power to put a shock in his body. Cronos backed a step away. "You can still do so little..." he said coughing. "Not anymore if you continue to piss me off." Ayume said with a grin. "Is that why you keep so being nice?" she asked. "No, I want to know why you were created but ignoring the point I want to be your friend or may be more." Cronos said turning away. "But you love that zoanthrope Bakuryu don't you?" he asked. Ayume gasped at the question then fell silent, "...I don't know. I had feelings for him ever since we encountered each other in that damn laboratory at Tylon. Busuzima confined me just so I could be his tool. Just like Bakuryu too..." Ayume looked at the zoanthrope inside the confinement. "This is madness. I can't use my power just because the boundaries between zoanthropes and humans are breaking. Cronos why did you want me to see this?" Ayume asked forcing him to look at her. "I know that in the past I considered myself a freak because of my incomplete zoanthrope power. I couldn't even transform into it. So the only thing that I was able to do was make my wings appear." She said poking a finger at Cronos's forehead. "You got some nerve though...forcing me to make a choice that I don't want." she said laughing, "After this tournament I will decide. I guess it couldn't hurt just to fight right?" Cronos smiled. "Thank you..." he said as Ayume walked away looking around. "It's nothing really besides I still don't know what I will do." she said holding out her hand. "What are you doing?" Cronos asked.
Ayume let her power spark out of her body and aim for some of the empty test tubes on the desk. Glass started to shatter and hit the floor violently. "Heh, perfect. I see that I am going to be having fun with this power..." Ayume said clenching her hand into a fist. "You choose to stop me then I will release some power towards you." Cronos stopped his tracks and just watched Ayume break glass with out being close enough to. "...Her power is not completely restored. If she would only agree to letting me help her then her power could..." Cronos thought. "Bakuryu must be worried about me. I need to get back." Ayume said turning to Cronos. "Okay then let's go." Cronos said heading over to the elevator as Ayume followed him. The two didn't say anything while the elevator was moving. As the door opened, Ayume saw Bakuryu waiting for her. "Ayume." Bakuryu confronted her. Cronos confronted Bakuryu with a smile. "Ayume seems to be enjoying the castle very much Bakuryu. Now I shall see when the tournament begins tomorrow." Cronos informed just as he walked away. "Ayume, what did you see?" Bakuryu asked. "A nightmare...I saw..." Ayume stammered trying to speak words in a sentence as she closed her eyes. "Zoanthropes that were being used for the mystery..." she said slowly. Ayume fell on her knees and started breathing fast until she placed her hands on the floor releasing some of her power into the floor. The carpet had a small flame on it until Bakuryu stepped it out. Ayume stood up and turned to Bakuryu. "The tournament will start tomorrow." Ayume said. "Alright. But what should we do now?" Bakuryu asked with a smirk. Ayume took a glance at him to see what he was thinking. "Bakuryu...this better happen in your room or we're going to be in trouble." Ayume squeaked. Bakuryu wrapped his arm around Ayume's waist. "Let's go..." he said leading the way.
"Are you serious? We can't be doing this." Ayume said just when Bakuryu closed the door. Takase and Uriko were running through the hallways looking for something to do. "So I guess we are finally here." Uriko said being her hyperself. "That still doesn't explain why we all were invited to the tournament though." Takase said as he began to think. "Hey I think there is some food around here somewhere you wanna eat?" Uriko asked. Takase looked at the ceiling then looked at Uriko. "Sure." he answered. Uriko and Takase then ran into the kitchen.