This chapter is really just to develop Sherry as a character, as well as make some new connections~

Hope someone likes it anyway, though~

Peculiar- how peculiar indeed. Have you ever noticed how much time seems to slow down, and how much you seem to just watch it roll by?

I find that I do that a lot; I sit around and watch things pass me by, not really striving for them, not really looking to keep them.

But Brago was different. Brago had fallen into the category of the very few things I was scared- petrified even, to let go of.

I don't really think anyone knew what it was like. To have one thing- one single, important thing, you would do anything to keep in your life.

Pff, wait, what am I talking about? I speak about Brago as if we're dating. Ridiculous. Preposterous!

I don't know where my train of though was going, I don't even really want to know for that matter. I had to stop it where it was, derail it before it went anywhere I didn't want it to.

But it went there. And in my subconscious mind I couldn't help but dream the things I was too scared to admit. I pictured Brago and I, in my house, just snuggled up together on the couch. It would never happen, but that's okay; I had my dreams, and they were good enough for now.

It was odd, really. I had never wanted anything more from Brago than my life back, and now it seemed that I would gain one thing to lose another. Gain my life, my friend back, but lose Brago in the process.

I didn't know if I was up for the trade, to be honest, and that's what scared me. What if it came time to…to have to let go of Brago? What would I do? What would happen?

Even if we won, and he became king…he would still be gone. He would still disappear, slip through my fingers like every other nightmare I had had. I just kept seeing it in my mind; we were sitting on the couch, watching TV, when he began to dissipate. His body became nothing more than sparkling lights floating up into the atmosphere, and when I reached out to touch them I couldn't. When I lunged off my seat for them they just floated away faster.

And that's when I woke up. With a jolt my head lifted off of Brago's shoulder, a new wave of sweat dripping down the back of my neck. I took in a few deep breaths, looking to my left and seeing Brago still there, meditating like usual. His wound seemed to be deep, so I figured it would take a few hours for it to heal.

It occurred to me now that I should probably go and get something to eat for him when he wakes up. I got off of my backside neatly, quietly, before grabbing his book and nestling it into my side before walking towards where I knew a river would be.

This was my home town, where I lived- I knew pretty much where everything was. I only walked for a few minutes before coming upon the river. I looked around for a moment, walking up to the sparkling water and sighing. I didn't know how to catch fish- never needed to know in the first place.

But before I even had time to think about what to do I heard a laugh. It was very high pitched and feminine. My eyes looked around before I gently slipped Brago's book into the satchel I carried around me.

"Who's there?" I asked aloud, my voice giving an edge of severity and harshness.

I heard the same laugh again before a voice.

"Looks like we meet again, doesn't it." My eyes darted to where the voice came from, to see a purple tiger with three tails emerging from the woods. My eyes narrowed at her- I remembered exactly who she was.

"I thought we got rid of you, did we not?" My voice was cold, chilling even. I heard that laugh again though, her legs beginning to carry her around me in a circle.

"No, not quite, but close; I commend you for it. Where is your mamodo? Not around? What a shame."

"Looks like you're lacking a partner as well, though." I grinned devilishly at her, the hand on my cane tightening. Her smile disappeared as she narrowed her eyes at me.

"You did some damage to him."

"Good, I'm glad." I heard her growl as I smiled evilly at her.

"Let's finish this," I heard her speak before she was lunging. I whirled around, my cane snapping up and aiming for her face. She dodged it, quite easily I may add, before darting to the side of me. I whipped around, launching the jewel off of the cane and at her. She caught it within her mouth and I grinned.

I ran from her quickly, pressing the button as it tried to rip the jewel from her mouth. She yelped lightly from the pressure before letting it go, the jewel flying back to me like a boomerang.

"Try again, princess." She spoke to me with a bitter tone, and it was one I did not like.

"I'm sorry; say that again, I couldn't hear you over all the garbage you just spewed at me." I saw her eyes narrow before she started running once more. She was fast- much faster than me. She lunged straight for me, but when I brought my cane up to block her she disappeared.

Now, this was where Brago's training came into play for me. I could hear her minuscule sounds behind me, causing me to drop down to the ground as I heard her fly over me and skid into the ground. I got up, a little breathless, and met eyes with her.

Those eyes…those bright yellow orbs…were just like mine. They held such…such a defiance in them. Such a longing to protect and nurture one who she was not meant to; it was a curse I knew all too well.

"You're pretty good…for a human." I grinned, standing up straight.

"And you're pretty good for an animal who can talk." My grin didn't waver for a moment, locking with her harsh stare.

It took a couple of minutes, but eventually her stare broke out into a light smile.

"So, what brings you here?" I watched her carefully as she walked up to the river and sipped from it. I shrugged lightly.

"Looking for food for Brago." I gave no more information than necessary, seeing her look up with a pleased smile.

"May I have such grace as to help you?" I narrowed my eyes on her for a moment before nodding softly, speaking up.

"Do anything to it, and I'll make sure to burn your book personally." She bowed down to me, showing she understood. When I nodded once more she looked into the river for a long, drawn out moment, and then she lunged.

She was in there for maybe twenty seconds at the most, before popping back out and throwing about four fish down onto the ground. She shook the water off of her before looking to me.

"Here you go, enjoy. Now, I must be getting back." I watched her head into the forest, and when her front paw touched the first bush I spoke up.

"Thank you." I saw her stop, my voice distant almost; she looked as though she was deliberating something, and then when she spoke up she didn't look at me.

"Maybe next time we battle, we won't have to be on different sides." And then she was gone. I sighed before picking up all four of the fish, god knows how, and lugging them back over to where Brago was.

He wasn't out of his meditation, and I smiled, getting the necessary things for a fire ready. I made it in a matter of moments, sitting back down next to him afterwards. I took out the book and ran my fingers over it, opening it up and beginning to flip through the pages like usual, looking for something new to read.

I was nestled closely to his side, not touching him, but close enough.

All was peaceful, and that was how I liked it.

Brago had gotten out of meditation shortly after, thanking me for the food before eating it all. I told him I would eat when we got home, which I did.

And now we're here, in the present, me getting out of a long bath and throwing some clothes on. I looked in the mirror, now more pleased with what I saw. My hair was straight as a pin now, and the bags under my eyes were almost gone. I smiled weakly before walking out of the bathroom and into my bedroom.

Brago was seated on the ledge like usual, and I walked over to the bed. When he spoke up out of nowhere, his voice cold, it made me jump.

"Where did you get those scratches from?" I straightened up, keeping my back to him.

"What scratches?" I asked innocently, not knowing what he was talking about. I heard him growl lightly.

"The ones underneath your arm." I still didn't know what he was talking about until I lifted up my arm, and too much of my dismay there was a claw mark there. Funny, I hadn't felt it nor seen it until Brago noticed it.

"Oh, that. I got into a little scruff today, it was nothing."

"What? When? With who?" His questions shot out like bullets, standing up and walking up behind me. I shrugged lightly before sitting down on the bed and looking to Brago, seeing his eyes fixated on me.

"The tiger we faced a few days ago. She's still out there. She helped me get your food."

I saw a vein in his head twitch and it got my worried. He turned his back on me and walked over to the ledge again.

"Don't associate with that type of garbage. We don't need help." This statement annoyed me, to which I raised my voice.

"You needed me, Brago, and I needed her to help me get you what you needed. I made a friend; working alone is not always the best choice." I heard him scoff at this.

"Because you would know."

My anger peaked.

"Yes, Brago, I would know!" I didn't mean to yell, but as soon as I did, I saw his eyes glare into the window and I stared down at my hands.

He didn't say anything more, and the room was overtaken by such an unsettling silence. I had moved my hand to my mouth and began tearing at my cuticles until they bled.

"Stop doing that." I heard Brago say, and I nodded, taking my hand from my mouth.

Why did I feel so guilty for raising my voice?

I didn't know, but I sighed, knowing if I didn't do something, no one would. I got up, taking Brago's book from my night table with me, and walked over to him. I sat down next to him on the ledge, making him move over to make room for me as he glared at the window still.

"Sorry." I spoke quietly, opening the book as I moved closer to Brago, our bodies touching minor. I saw him nod into the reflection of the glass, the moon shining through it clearly. I let my head fall back against his arm like usual, opening up the book and looking through it.

"Why do you insist on doing that?" I heard him ask me a few minutes later. I shrugged lightly, flipping the pages more.

"The more spells I can read, the more powerful you are."

"Why do you care how powerful I am?"

"Because I intend on keeping you." I answered too fast, blushing lightly before trying to cover it up.

"I mean, keeping you in this fight for as long as I humanly can." I nodded at the end to show that was what I had intended to say, turning another page delicately with my fingers. I saw Brago nod again and shut his eyes, probably going into some type of meditation again.

After a few moments of silence I smiled wider than I had before; whatever I was doing, must have been working. I could read another spell within the book.

I brought it up to my chest and closed the book, turning lightly and curling up, getting comfortable on Brago and feeling his muscles tense for a long moment before relaxing.

The more spells I could read, the better Brago and I would be.

And the longer I could keep him here.

Welp, I liked this chapter, but maybe because I wrote it haha.

Give me some feed back if you read this lovelies, please?

Love,

Bryan~ c: