Meeting Secrets

"Stop right there!" Kage was now trailing the cybernetic Spike, who was carrying the package, aka, Painwheel. Despite the package he's carrying in contrast to Kage's orb, which just follows him, he moves surprisingly fast.

"Why don't you give up? I'm missin' out on my naptime, and you're making it all the more difficult for me."

"Not until I stop what you're doing." Kage continued to tail him until they reached a bridge in front of Wu-Yan's restaurant.

"Screw this." Spiked threw the package to the side "I might as well kill you. Makes things faster." He showed his spikes again.

"Very well." The dog ninja brought out his short sword "You will answer my questions."

"Too damn bad." Spiked thrusted the spikes even further and Kage dodged while the Spike hit a wall by an alley. Unknown to them, this is where Filia and Cerebella were.

"That damn brat!" Samson quietly yelled "Nearly poked me."

"I think we should hide somewhere else." Filia murmured.

"Trust me, this is as safe as it can get." Cerebella told her companion.

"Anyway, what should we do now?" The parasitic girl asked.

"Nothing to do now but hang back. If we rush in there, who knows what they'll do to pretty ladies like us."

"Probably something indecent." Samson bluntly stated.

"SAMSmmph" Cerebella put a hand over Filia before she could yell.

"You're gonna give away our position, Mop Top."

Filia removed the hand from her mouth "Sorry."

Back to the fight, Kage threw a rain of kunais down on Spike, who flung them away with long spikes "That trick won't work on me."

"Really?" The kunais then turned into clones as they started attacking Spike off guard.

Spike kept getting slash before discharging a field of lightining "Not bad, mutt." He smashed the ground as a spiked electric bush was coming up towards the ninja "But it's still not good."

Kage surrounded himself in a shadowy orb, but the force of the spike hit him and knocked him in the air. Spike fired a barrage of spikes at the airborne shinobi. Kage pulled out his sword and deflected most of them but still got scratched and hit in the shoulder. Spike snapped his finger as electricity was rushed through Kage's body.

Kage landed with a thud and the spike fell out of him. Spike walked towards him with an electrically charged fist. However, a shadow dog stopped him in his path.

"So the little puppy wants to play? Fine. I'll fry your mutt, Mutt."

Back towards the spectators "Damn, this is some intense fight." Samson muttered.

"I wonder how the bridge they're standing on is still not wrecked." Cerebella observed the wooden bridge where the fight was taking place.

Then they heard grunts coming from another direction. Filia ran towards where the sound was and saw "Walker?!"

Indeed, Walker was flying from the opposite direction with elastic arms wrapped around him "Get your stinkin' arms off of me!" Walker landed at the edge of the bridge and kicked Francis who charged at him.

Francis hit the wall next to the girls "Piece o' parasitic crap!" He was about to charge again before Cerebella stopped him "What're you doing?!"

"Stopping you from killing each other!"

"I appreciate the intentions, but hardhead is in my way of my revenge, don't get involved in this!"

"I'm not lettin' you do this!" Walker yelled from the other end.

"Oh yeah?! Watch me!" Francis flung his fists above them as they reached for Kage.

"What-" "-the hell?!" The fists collided with the bridge as they grabbed Kage.

"Got you-GAH!" Walker held a gigantic fist around Francis' arms "Walker, let go." He said menacingly.

"You first."

"You wanna play like that? FINE!" He lifted his arms and flung both Kage and Walker into the air.

"Dammit, Francis, put us down!" Walker yelled.

"Gladly!" Francis lifted his arms up and smashed them towards the ground. Walker and Kage were sprawled on the ground and tried to get back up.

Spike was walking towards his package "'Bout damn time someone took care of that dog." He turned his head to the package and found someone familiar on top of it "What the-Aren't you supposed o be trapped?"

Ms Fortune was perched on top of the package "Well, I don't know who to thank, but when the doggy got disciplined, I got out of that dark purr-ison."

"Lame pun aside, move." Spike raised an electric fist.

"Over my already dead body." Ms Fortune pounced at him.

"You people are pissing me off!" Spike gave off a gigantic electric field that shocked Ms Fortune, the package, and the men on the other side of the bridge.

"Walker."

"Filia, wait." Cerebella stopped Filia before she can get herself caught in the field "Unless your asking to get shocked, we have to stay back."

"But-"

"I don't like to standby either, but what can we do without getting ourselves shocked?"

The shocking then stopped as Spike breathed heavily. He lifted his head up and twisted his neck "Damn interfering punks." He grabbed the package and began to walk away.

"Wait." Kage said weakly.

Spike stopped in his tracks "What does it take to kill a mutt like you?!"

"A lot." Kage stood up and walked towards him "I'll say it again, surrender."

Spike cackled really loudly and turned to face him "I don't think you're in any condition to be making threats. You're banged up bad, what makes you think you can still take me on?"

Kage picked up his sword which was close to his feet "I won't give up, no matter the cost."

Spike began to walk towards him but then froze and saw an image of a young boy saying "I won't give up, no matter what!"

"GAH!" He dropped the package and held his head "What the hell...was that?" He muttered.

"Keep your guard up." Kage held his sword against Spike's neck "Else, your life shall end quickly."

"Shut up." Spike prepared a fist "SHUT UP!" He punched Kage hard as he flew back and landed close to Francis, who stirred.

"Damn...lightning." He looked to see Kage at his feet. However, he didn't have the energy to move "Damn, that attack must've fried me of my strength."

"Muscle man." Francis turned his head to the sound of Cerebella's voice "Your not too hurt are you?"

"Just...fine." Francis then looked back at Kage.

"Don't you even think-"

"Even if I wanted to, I can't. I'm all busted." He then closed his eyes "Can't even...keep awake."

"Francis?"

"He's fine, just fainted." Cerebella looked behind to see Samson and Filia, with Samson carrying Walker.

"Well, it's good they're alive, but..." Filia looked towards Spike who advanced towards Kage.

"I had enough of this crap. I'm gonna make sure you stay down for good!" Spike raised his spiked fist as he was about to kill Kage with it. He heard a groan and looked towards the other group and saw Walker stirring. He sees a flash of images, once that he didn't recognize yet felt familiar to him. He held his head and screamed. He crouched down "MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! IT HURTS SO MUCH!"

"W-what the...?" Walker woke up to the screamings and saw Spike screaming and thrashing his head around "What's wrong with him, did he take something?"

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Finally, he stopped screaming, and fell limp.

"Mhm, I was having a nice catnap." Ms Fortune woke up and twirled all her limbs and head around "What happened?" She then remembered the package "What's in this thing anyway?" She then opened the box and found a single person.

Painwheel.

Inside a room, four people gathered, Parasoul, Arselite, Peacock, and Mage. The room had a desk near a window and bookcases, along with a couch and a television and door to a bathroom and bedroom. It almost looked like a hotel room.

"Mind tellin' me why we're here?" Peacock asked "I had other things to do."

"You mean sleeping with a bucket full of junk food?" Mage mockingly asked.

"Yep!" Mage nearly facefaulted at her reply.

Parasoul coughed and got their attention. She was seated at the desk with Arselite by her side "I have gathered you two here for a favor. I understand that you're, for the lack of a better term, products of Avian's works."

"That's correct." Mage confirmed.

"Then we'll need your help regarding the hunt for the Skullgirl." Arselite told them.

"Well, we are lookin' for her." Peacock said.

"Yes, so it would be wise to join forces." Mage said.

"That was easy, we'd thought you'd need more persuasion than that." Arselite said.

"Looking for the Skullgirl is their mission, so it would make sense." Parasoul told him.

"Oh, right. But I thought you didn't like authoritative figures like us." Arselite said.

"I don't, she does." Mage pointed to his childhood friend.

"It's true, but I want to find her fast." Peacock proclaimed.

"Wow, she's actually taking her work seriously. I think she finally deserves some respect." Mage thought.

"If I don't find her fast enough, I'll miss my show!"

"And now she lost that respect."

"Alright, I think it'll be wise if we showed you what she looks like." Mage flinched at Parasoul's words "Commander, the picture."

"Oh no, if she looks at that picture, she'll-"

"No need, I want the appearance of her to be a surprised." Everyone looked at Peacock "I love surprises."

"Well, I guess it's alright, I think." Arselite said.

Mage internally sighed "That was close." He muttered.

"Say somethin', kid?" Arselite asked.

"Uh, I said I hope we start tomorrow, because I'm relatively tired." Mage lied "And don't call me kid."

"Well, we're in no immediate danger, so some rest should be fine." Parasoul said.

"Besides, you'll need to be in full form in case we run into her." Arselite mentioned.

"Alright, then, if we're all done here, back to junk heaven." Peacock said as she left.

"She is...an interesting person." Parasoul commented.

"She sure is special." Arselite followed.

"Yeah, she's rather weird." Mage said "But I guess that's part of her charm."

Suddenly Peacock yelled "Oh, I know, let's raid the fridge!"

All three sweat-dropped "Okay, maybe it's not." Mage then left for the door "I'll take my leave. Good night, Commander, Princess."

"Good night."

"Have a good sleep, kid." Mage looked back at Arselite before leaving "He really hates that word." He then noticed Parasoul thinking hard "Is something the matter Your Majesty?"

Parasoul looked at the Commander "It's just that those two were familiar."

"Maybe you've seen them in a public area?"

"No, that's not it." Parasoul then leaned back in her chair and crosses her arms "I can't think right now, not with the Skullgirl ordeal at the moment." She then softly yawned.

"Maybe you need to sleep as well, now that I mention in it," He stretched his arms "so should I." He started to leave when...

"Excuse me, Commander." He turned around "Would you like to join me for some wine?"

"...Huh?" He said.

"Well, I can't really sleep without having at least a glass of wine, and I wondered if you wanted one as well." She said.

Arselite then blushed and scratched his head "Uh, well, I-I'd love to, but I don't think I should have any alcohol right before I sleep. P-plus, I'm kind of tired." He lied nervously "G-good night, Milady."

Parasoul then held her chin "Why is he always nervous around me? Is he afraid, maybe?" She then reached for a wine and a glass "Well, I guess I can't do much about him at the moment."

Unbeknownst to her, someone was looking at her from outside the window "So, she's one of the future candidates?" Said spy looked down "Please, when you finally come across this power, please fight it." And the figure left.