I am sorry for not updating for so long. I thought I still had to finish another chapter, but when I looked at the chapters I had written and the chapters I had posted, I found out that I had another full chapter written. I am trying to finish this story so that you guys won't have to wait so long for updates, so hopefully this will be finished soon. Anyway, enjoy!

-In Metal Bey City-

"That was totally freaky!" Madoka exclaimed, collapsing onto her couch.

"Yeah, talk about it!" Benkei said.

Suddenly, Madoka's eyes widened. "Gingka!" she whispered.

"Hmm? What about him?" Benkei asked.

"He-he's still out there! With those creatures! We have to warn him!"

"Madoka, wait!" Benkei grabbed her arm. "We don't even know where he is! Plus, its dark out and there's no telling where those 'darklings' as they called themselves, or that dragon is! Gingka will take care of himself, he is strong like that, he will be fine!"

"but-" Madoka fell silent as she realized that Benkei was right. She sighed. "I just hope he's okay"

"We should probably tell Tsubasa-san about this!" Zero exclaimed, jumping up.

"Yeah, let's go Zero!" Shinobu replied, following his rival out of the B-Pit and down the street.

"I should go with them" Benkei sighed. "You want to come too Madoka?"

"No, I'll just stay here with Ren" Madoka muttered.

"Alright. Come on Kaito, Eito, let's go" Benkei got up and left the room with the Unbara brothers following him.

"Be careful Gingka." Madoka whispered, looking out the front window of the B-Pit at the few stars that were visible.

Meanwhile, Gingka woke up to the sound of a branch snapping. Slowly, the half-dragon pushed himself up onto his elbow, gazing with his reptilian eyes through the waterfall. He reached for a small object on his belt and silently dove into the water, gripping it in his hand.

"Sssssss, he had to have been here, ssss." a darkling hissed. "We were ssssent to take him out and we can't fail ssssss."

"Didn't you sssee where he went, ssss?"

"No, if I had sssseen where he went, we wouldn't be wandering around like thisssss."

The darklings suddenly drew their tiny swords as they heard a splash coming from the water.

"One and two, go invessstigate that pond." the leader said.

"Yesssss, sssir." the two named quickly scampered over.

"I don't want to have to fight you, but looks like I have to." Gingka muttered, extending his sword. The blade flashed in the moonlight as its wielder leapt over into another tree silently. The redhead dropped on all fours behind the darklings, then stood and began creeping towards them.

"Elbows in, keep both hands on the hilt, okay, you can do this. Nothing more than a training exercise on the shifter's planet. Use your fire as a last resort because of the forest. Ready, go!" he lunged, catching one darkling neatly by surprise and causing it to disappear in a puff of black and purple smoke as his sword contacted it's back. The other five, hearing their comrade get attacked, turned back instantly. Gingka froze the feet of two of them, but the other three took to their wings as he advanced. As he finished off the two that were frozen to the ground, another one flew at his face, leaving behind a gash on his cheek with its dagger before Gingka could dispatch it. Gingka growled, then let out a roar as he froze the last two in place and finished them off, sending them back to where they had come from.

"Man, he almost got my eye!" Gingka muttered, wiping away a few drops of blood and applying pressure to his cheek. He retracted his sword back into the hilt and reattached it to his belt, then pulled a band aid out of another pouch and rinsed off the cut on his face, covering it up with the band aid.

"Well, that was rather eventful." he chuckled. "I wonder what Madoka would do if she saw me now?" he walked off into the forest, just wandering, not knowing where he was really going until he found himself at the place where he had battled Zero and the others earlier that day.

"Well, it couldn't hurt to make sure they made it back here safely, could it?" Gingka muttered as he stepped into the shadows of a building nearby. Taking nearly the same back routes he had earlier to get to the edge of town, Gingka soon found himself at the B-Pit. The lights inside were off, and the metal shields at the front were down, but that was normal for the time. Gingka leapt into a tree, leaving a few scratches from his claws on the bark as he climbed it to look into the upper windows.

The redhead suddenly froze as he saw Madoka waiting at the window where he had sat the night before. The brunette was gazing up at the sky, her turquoise-blue eyes reflecting the light from the street lamps.

Gingka crouched in the tree, watching her for a few minutes before she sighed and closed the window, leaving it open a crack in case Gingka should come back.

The half-shifter smiled at this, then leapt carefully out of the tree and headed back to the forest.

The next morning, Madoka walked outside and saw the scratches in the tree bark. She stared at them for a few minutes, scared, then ran back inside to call Benkei.

"What is it Madoka? I was sleeping?"

"Benkei, there are claw marks on the tree outside the B-Pit." Madoka said quickly.

"Claw marks?"

"Yes, long ones, like something climbed the tree."

"You're sure they are from claws?"

"Yes, absolutely. Nothing else that I can think of could have done it."

"You think it was one of those darklings?"

"It couldn't have been the dragon; they were too small for that."

"Be careful Madoka. I don't know what to do about it or if we can do anything about it. Just mount a security camera or something and see if it comes back. If it does, we need to figure out what to do about it, start researching or something."

"Okay, good thing I wasn't planning on opening the B-Pit today, since it's not our usual hours right now."

"Careful Madoka. I'll do some research myself, after Bull Burger closes."

"See you later then." Madoka hung up and ran downstairs to her computer, quickly waking it up and waiting impatiently for it to be ready. As soon as it was, she opened her search engine and searched 'darklings.' most of her results were myth-related, but she was sure they must have sprung from some sort of truth. She clicked on the first link, and only got an advertisement for a book series. The second one, however, gave her more luck. It was a full description of everything anyone knew about the darklings, but ended by saying that they could have just been a bunch of different superstitions created by the people of ancient times, and gave no tips on how to potentially combat the real thing.

"The darklings, according to old legends deciphered from ancient writings, were a group of super-powerful creatures, a darker version of another feared group, known as the shape shifters. However, both groups, if they ever existed, were exterminated long ago, except for a few myths localized in the Japanese islands that are more recent than others, and point to a few potential survivors." Madoka read aloud. She was about to look up shape shifters when Tsubasa called her, and she forgot all about it in a sudden rush to the WBBA building for a meeting that she had forgotten about.

-One week later-

Madoka returned to her basement after a busy week. She sat, looking at her screensaver for a few moments before deciding she should get some repair work done. However, she soon forgot about this idea the moment her screen exited its sleep mode. The article about darklings was still on her screen, and as soon as she had searched for information on shape shifters, the front doorbell to the B-Pit rang. Madoka clicked the link on her screen and allowed the article to pop up before answering the door.

"Gingka! You're back safe!" Madoka exclaimed. "Come downstairs, I was doing some research."

"Miss me?" Gingka laughed, following the brunette downstairs.

"What happened to your face?" Madoka asked, suddenly noticing the half-healed scratch under the redhead's right eye.

"I got a scratch." Gingka replied slowly, reaching up to touch the scratch. "It's nothing, really."

"Well, looks like you took care of it." Madoka turned back to her computer.

"So, what are you researching?" Gingka asked, looking over her shoulder. "Shape shifters? What made you

think of that?"

"Well, we followed you after you ran off about a week ago, and ran into these creatures called darklings, or at least that's what they told us. They look like-"

"Small black dragons, i know. I met a few myself. Anyway, how does that relate to shape shifters?"

"Well, if i had seen this article a week ago, i would have laughed and not believed it. But, since i have seen actual darklings now, it's nothing to laugh at for sure. We also met a blue dragon."

"Eastern style?" Gingka raised an eyebrow.

"What, you saw it too? Although i guess it's kinda hard to miss..."

"Yeah, something like that." Gingka muttered.

Madoka looked at him questioningly for a moment before turning back to her screen. "Anyway, I'm going to read this article."

"Could you read it aloud?" Gingka asked, pulling up a chair next to her and sitting down.

"Sure." Madoka looked at him again, then started reading. "The shape shifters were a group of mythological creatures that could supposedly take on the form of anything they touched. It is unknown whether or not they were ever allied with humans, but they were apparently feared, as there are pictures of half-human, half-animal creatures being hunted by people around the world. The most recent records are in Japan, a news report from about one hundred years ago reporting a sighting of 'a creature that seemed human at first glance, but if you blinked, it was soon a lizard scampering away.' This may indicate the sighting of the last one, or it could mean that they still exist on this earth. It has been guessed that they could probably mix with humans and create half-bred shifters, but it is unknown whether or not this is actually possible." Madoka finished.

"Hmm, well, shifters are human originally, they just have powers, so yeah, they could easily mix with people." Gingka said suddenly.

"Huh? How do you know that?" Madoka asked.

"Cave near Koma." Gingka muttered, then fell silent again.

"Can we go there? I'd like to find out more about these things and if they can be defeated, or at least the darklings."

"Sure, we can start right away if you want to." Gingka stood up from his chair.

"Okay, just let me grab a few things." Madoka ran upstairs with Gingka following her.

"You actually mean a few this time, right? Not like, a literal ton of stuff?"

Madoka laughed. "I'll bring one backpack." She promised.

"Guess I'll grab my stuff from my room then."

An hour later, they were on the road, having left a note for Maru to indicate where they were going.

"So where is this cave?" Madoka asked once they were on the train that would take them most of the way to Koma Village.

"Out in the forest somewhere, i'm not sure i remember where." Gingka replied, gazing out the window at the trees flashing past.

"Well hopefully we can find it, i don't feel safe at all with those-" Madoka glanced around and lowered her voice to a whisper. "With those darklings around."

"Yeah, we'll get rid of them eventually." Gingka said.

A couple of hours later, the two arrived safely at the train station. Gingka climbed off first, on the alert.

Madoka watched the redhead as he plunged into the forest.

"Tell me if i start going too fast, i'm not used to having someone following me." He said before starting off.

Madoka walked quickly to stay with him, wondering at his different personality. However, she shrugged it off as a result of him maturing.

The two walked through the forest in silence, Madoka straining her ears for any small noises. Gingka seemed tense, and the brunette walking behind him soon noticed.

"Are you okay Gingka?" Madoka asked.

The redhead stopped walking and turned around. "Yeah, why?"

"You just seem so... Different, is something wrong? You're all tense."

Gingka raised an eyebrow, then turned around and continued walking. "It's nothing." He replied shortly.

"No, it's not!" Madoka exclaimed, stopping and setting her backpack down. "And until you tell me what's going on, i'm staying right here!"

Gingka stopped and sighed. "You sure are stubborn." He said bluntly, turning around to face her.

Madoka looked him straight in the eyes as he leaned against a tree and crossed his arms. "Well?" She said expectantly.

Gingka made no reply, his eyes focused on the bushes behind the brunette.

"Madoka, get up slowly and get behind me." He said quietly.

"I told you, i'm not moving until you tell me what's up."

"Madoka, move, quickly." Gingka growled, literally.

Madoka jumped in surprise and obeyed.

"I see you back there! Come out!" Gingka called, reaching for his sword but leaving it retracted.

In response, a dark-looking human man with black bat-like wings and fangs came out of the bushes. Madoka began trembling at the sight of his deep red eyes.

"What do you want, darkling?" Gingka snarled, the pupils of his eyes turning into slits.

"I thought that was you." The darkling humanoid smirked, drawing a curved sword that hung at his side.

Gingka pressed a hidden button on the hilt of his own sword, causing the blade to shoot out. "You were wondering why i was tense, Madoka? Two reasons: one, i heard this guy coming," he raised his sword, "and two, it involves the reason for me leaving so suddenly four years ago. This will explain it all."

Madoka stared, wondering where Gingka had gotten the sword. As she was behind him, she couldn't see his eyes change, or his fangs appear.

"This fight ends here." The darkling growled. "I am Takeo, the strongest of the darkling warriors, sent to destroy the remaining two shifters on this planet. I believe, according to our data, that you have just started sword fighting, and won't be able to take me on."

"Well, from what I've heard, you don't happen to be able to breathe fire or ice at will, so i don't think i have much of a problem." Gingka retorted, shifting into a battle stance.

"Hah! No known shifter can do that anymore." Takeo sneered.

Gingka just grinned as the darkling rushed at him. A quick movement got him out of the way of danger before Madoka could shout a warning.

"You sure are quick." Takeo snarled.

"Quicker than you think." Gingka smirked, standing in the tree above Madoka.

Takeo grinned and tried to move, only to find that his feet were frozen to the ground.

Gingka smirked. "Told you, you can't breathe ice." The air around the redhead was cold, and as Madoka looked up she had to look twice, as there were small icicles sticking out of his mouth. These soon turned to steam as his breath switched from cold to hot in a flash.

"Gingka... What are you?" Madoka whispered.

Gingka flashed a fanged smile at her, causing her to start in fear and almost run. "You were looking up shifters; the cave i told you about doesn't exist. I am the son of the last full-blooded shape shifter on earth."

"You're... A shifter?" Madoka was shocked.

"Takeo, the spirits of beys count as animals. You should have had this in your database; it's how i destroyed squad three." Gingka said, sheathing his sword.

Madoka watched in surprise as Gingka began glowing white and suddenly grew longer. Moments later, her friend had turned completely into a dragon. Takeo started struggling frantically, trying to escape, but it was too late. Gingka froze him, then smashed through the ice with his hard snout and a puff of fiery breath, causing the darkling to disappear in a puff of black smoke.

"Now you know." Gingka said a few moments later, turning and looking sadly at Madoka with reptilian eyes.

Madoka just stood there for a moment, scared.

"You can run back to Metal Bey City if you want to, i know that i'm a monster." Gingka turned away and looked at the ground. He winced slightly as he heard Madoka's feet hitting the ground as she ran, then froze as her arms wrapped around him from behind.

"No, no you're not, you're my friend." Madoka sobbed into his back, scared and surprised at him all at once.

Gingka smiled and wrapped his dragon's tail around her waist.

Madoka stiffened for a moment at the unusual touch, then relaxed. It was going to take effort to get used to the new Gingka, but she knew she could do it.

"So, should we go back to Metal Bey City or keep going to Koma?" Gingka asked, releasing his grip on Madoka and turning to face her.

"Y-you have fangs..." Was all Madoka could say.

Gingka chuckled. "Yeah, all of this takes about a week to go away completely."

"Let's go to Koma, and stay there until it goes away." Madoka intertwined her fingers with Gingka's.

"Ouch!" She exclaimed suddenly, pulling her hand away.

"Sorry, i forgot to warn you about the claws." Gingka muttered. "Here, let me see your hand." He held out his hands and Madoka placed hers carefully in them.

"It's not bad, you just grazed them." Gingka lowered his hands back to his sides.

Madoka looked at the scratches on her hands.

"Ow! Mom!" Gingka exclaimed suddenly, swatting at a small brown bird that had come out of seemingly nowhere. "Stop pecking my ears, would you?"

The bird made a series of noises that sounded almost like laughter.

"It's not funny!" Gingka exclaimed.

The bird chirped again.

"Yes, that's her. Now are you happy?"

The bird chirped and looked satisfied before flying off.

"That's your mom?" Madoka was surprised.

"Yeah, she prefers to be a bird most of the time. We'll probably see her in Koma." Gingka handed Madoka her backpack. "So, think you can ride a dragon?"

"You don't mean..."

"Yes i do. Now listen closely. I can't speak when i'm a dragon, so you have to get this down before. Close to my head would be the best place to ride, because of the fur, which you can grip onto. Don't worry about pulling it, because it won't hurt me. If you think you might fall off, tell me immediately. Got it?"

"Umm, i think so, but-" Madoka stopped and sighed as Gingka shifted back into his dragon form.

"Guess there's no stopping you, is there?"

Gingka made a deep rumbling noise that sounded like a chuckle. Madoka sighed, grabbed her backpack, and climbed on carefully.

"Right here?" She asked, seated just behind the horns.

Gingka gave a nod and slithered into the air as Madoka grabbed hold of the red fur in front of her.

"So, if you can do a dragon, can you do Pegasus as well?" Madoka asked.

Gingka let out a low roar.

"Right, sorry. You can answer that when we land."

They flew on in silence for the rest of the ride.

The next chapter will come as soon as I can get it finished. As I'm posting this, it only needs another page to be complete, and I might finish it where it is. Hopefully it won't be more than a month before I update a fifth chapter after that. Sorry again for the length of time, and thanks for being patient.