Nine shall come but eight shall leave.

When the blood moon rises and Nine mirror images in the realm of dust

Shall I meet thee again.

What's mine is gone. Two are guilty… all shall pay.

And two shall be guards; defend the Silver with their life.

But thou that plunge dagger or arrow

Shall turn to dust before the morn.

Soko's POV

The rain beat down upon my head as I trudged through the forest. I had been walking for what seemed like years. {That last heist was so easy. I should've gotten away with it.} I stop to look at the wound on my upper arm. The gash went from my shoulder to my elbow and was bleeding badly. {And Yoko's place is at least seven miles from here. Maybe I can steal some bandages from a village…}

I reach the edge of the forest to see a village before me. {Speak of the devil…} I shift to my fox form and enter the village. I find the doctor's house and look through the window. Through the rooms I can see the doctor treating a little boy. I smile and go to around to the back. I jump in the open window, favoring my front left leg.

I look around until I find the cabinet. I hop up on the counter and open the door with my nose. I see a roll of bandages and grab it between my jaws. "Hey! Get down from there, you little thief!" I turn to see the doctor. I run to the window, trying not to let the doctor catch me. If I were caught, I would surely be hung in the gallows. I leapt out the window and ran down the street, forgetting about my leg momentarily.

I look back. The doctor is following me. {He must have figured out it's me. If I were just a petty thief he wouldn't bother hunting me down for stealing a roll of bandages.} I turn a corner, hoping to lose him, only to find it to be a dead end. I look over my shoulder. The doctor was closing the distance between us in the narrow alley. {Great. I'm dead.}

Between the legs of my soon-to-be capturer, I see a dark-haired girl, watching me. I jump over the doc and run and hide behind a few bags of garbage. The doctor is look around for me. When he can't figure out my location, he turns to the girl and asks, "Did you see which way that fox went?" I look to the girl, my eyes dark and saying, "You tell him my whereabouts and I'll kill you." As if understanding, she shakes her head 'no'. The doctor ran out of the alley, thinking I had left.

Once I was sure the doctor was gone, I came out of my hiding place. The girl approached me. I glared through my golden eyes. The girl laughed and walked down the alley to a hammock. There, she lay her bag in it and sat down beside her things. I changed into my humanoid fox form and walked up to her. I reached into my pocket and took out a gold coin. I tossed it to her. As I turned to leave, I said, "For your cooperation and brief assistance in my escape." With that, I began to walk out of the alley.

"Wait.", I hear her say. I stop, but don't look back. I hear the girl run up to me. I look down into her ice-blue eyes. "You're Soko, right? I've seen your posters.", she says. I sigh. "Your point?", I ask, not bothering to keep the annoyed tone out of my voice. "I could wrap that for you.", she says. I look to where she's pointing. The wound on my arm is still bleeding. "I can do it myself.", I say. The small girl holds up a finger. "But can you do it with only one hand?", says she. At this, I stop and think of the possibility of me wrapping the wound with only one hand and nod, agreeing that it would take precious time.

"So is that a yes? You'll let me wrap it?", the girl asks. {She seems harmless enough, just a kit. And she'll be doing the work for me.} "Hn.", I mutter, walking over to the hammock and sitting on the ground beside it.

~*~

Xhiko's POV

I roll my eyes and sit down next to the fox thief. I frown at the wound and say "Hey, how long ago did you get this? It looks pretty bad." She just gave me a look that said, "Is it any of your business?" "Wait here." I sigh. "Where're you going", she called to me. "I'm getting a friend of mine who can help with your infection", was my reply. I dart down the street and stop at a two story yellow house. "Mag", I call as I threw a rock at the window. "What", she called down. "Come on. Oh, and bring your herbs. Particularly the infection helping ones." "Got it." She ran quickly down the stairs and out the door. Together, we ran down the street to my alley. {Stupid alley. It's dirty and small and—oh sorry. Let's get back.}

"Whoa" Mag said as she saw Soko. The fox looked up and nods in greeting. "Okay, what we need to do is wrap the herbs around the wound." Mag leans down and quickly lays the herbs on the wound as I lean over to wrap the cloth bandage around it. "Thanks", the fox mutters. "No problem", I chirp happily. She stood to leave. "Oh no", say s Mag. "Xhi isn't going to let you leave until you've had something to eat." "I'll take it for the road", the fox replies. {I feel guilty for calling her fox all the time. Oh well, I'll get over it.}"No way", I call out. "Sit, stay. Good girl." She sits and scowls at me. I just grin. "Be back in a moment", I say before disappearing around the corner. I return with a loaf of bread and some sushi. "Where'd you get this", Soko asks. "She, quote on quote, borrowed it from Mr. Deane, the nearby grocer.", Mag says. Soko smirks. "So you're a thief." "Minor. Only food and clothes", I say in reply. She nods and says to Mag, "And you are?" "Huh? Oh sorry. I'm Magdalene O'Connolly. You can call me Mag though." "I'm Xhiko, rhymes with psycho. Don't tease me 'cause I'm short!" "Ok then", I hear her say as I turn around and stalk away. "Sorry. She's just a little over protective of her height", Mag says. "A little bit", Soko says blankly. "Okay, so a lot." "Well, she is kind of small." {Evil glare from me.} "Only kidding", Soko says, smiling slightly. I grin and say, "It's okay." {Yeah, I'm use to it by now.}

~*~

Mag's POV

I glance at Xhi. She is rather short, I must admit. Not that she can help it, of course but she doesn't need to act like the typical short person; lots of attitude. In spite of this, she is still always being picked on. All fourth grade, Mrs. T called her "Elemina Fudd." God, I hated that woman. In fact… now that I think about it… it was I that caused her… um… unfortunate condition. Well, I didn't mean to poison her. The herbs just… slipped into her tea?

My thoughts were immediately interrupted by Xhi's light cough. I suddenly realized I was staring at her. "Well, now that you're not bleeding anymore", I nod at the thief chick who is dressed rather oddly. "How 'bought dinner, on me?" Xhi shoots me a mean look. "Sorry, I can't stand that stuff. I'd rather eat raw fish. Well I guess that's what it is!", I say. "Sorry… look, I'll pay… in a nice warm house, dinner on me!" The newcomer looked as if considering throwing a meatloaf in my direction just to see if dinner really was on me. Xhi raised her eyebrows. "Aunts' not home?" I give a shrug. "Naw, Scrabble player's convention in Okalahoma so… I've got run of the house. It's dead boring though… alone that is." Xhi scoffed. "Hippo turning a cold shoulder?" Laughing, I replied, "Guess so." Thief chick is utterly confused. Then it occurred to me that I had no idea what her name was, or even who she was. Xhi started walking down the alley back toward my house when I caught up with her. "Wait," I said pulling her arm. "Who is this mysterious chick? I'm not going a step farther until I know who she…" I wasn't allowed to finish my statement because from about twenty feet away, standing where we had left her, the 'mysteriouso' interjected, "She is…" She cleared her throat. "Laura Jaganshi, if you please."

A bit bemused, I shouted, "Well, come on then. Let's not wait for the roses to grow! Right… ONWARD!" The last part I shouted, pointing forward. Ungrudgingly, the other two followed.

My house was dark and silent as we entered and the stench of my aunts' long lasting pepuri cloaked the rooms. I glanced behind me to see whether both Laura and Xhi had made it in. Xhi looked quite comfortable as she entered my house for about the millionth time. Laura {if that was really her real name} however, was poised and ready to attack. I laugh and shake my head.

Upon entering the kitchen, I busy myself looking for the pizza menu. Plopping down in my seat, I ask, "So, how do you like your pizza?" "As far away from me as possible", she mutters as I rise again and get three glasses of water. "Now", I contradict. "This is no typical pizza. Umm…" I begin to read what the menu says at the top. "Bonsai Pizza: half sushi, half pepperoni, however you like it!" Xhi beams at me.

I call the number, place the order then sit down again and stare at Laura questioningly. "Sooo," I yawn. "What brings you to this… um… lovely part of the world?" Laura looks around at my ugly aqua-green kitchen and says simply, "Business." She twirls a small chain whose pendant is hidden under her clothing. The flash of the chain, the way it changes color, it almost glows. I am purely mesmerized. Instinctively I reach out to touch the glowing chain.

Ouch. Laura's harsh hand slaps mine away. Yelping I look to Xhi who picks up the cue. "So, Soko, gonna tell us what you've been up to?"

My mind flashes with a kind of acknowledgement, I spit out the sip of water I had just taken. THE Soko, Soko the Fox? No, it couldn't be, that would mean… I'd be aiding and abetting! I push a strand of red and blue streaked rather unique hair behind my ear. "Wait, you're not the Soko, the one they've been trying to catch? You can't be.", I am once again cut off by Soko. {This is really starting to be a habit!}

Giving a deep bow {having stood at my water fountain routine} she pronounced, "I am Soko the Fox, descended from a great line of thieves! My latest… um… assignment has brought me here." Her hand again went to the necklace. My orange cat, Hippocrates, bows in respect. Funny. The doorbell rings but a blast of green light radiates through the front parlor. I have a funny feeling that it's not the pizza guy.

~*~