《Eri, the Monster Sealer》 ARC 1: The Heiress of Apocalypse | Prologue - Halls Resided by Demons: The Cathedral of Lions ~ Prologue ~ Halls Resided by Demons: The Cathedral of Lions ~ September, 1286 AD¡ªKingdom of Leola, Continental Lands of Atrea ~ His infant sister was somewhere inside of that awful place. A streak of lightning crackled against its decrepit bell loft. This place was a derelict, once a shrine of song and worship among the Royal family of King Viktor Sufocus. But now, it was just a crypt for the dead. A cathedral with halls resided by demons¡ªruled by a man known these days only as the Black King. In a time before hell unearthed, these ruins had been part of Prince Jarem Sufocus¡¯s home. He sucked back a sharp breath that felt cold and harsh on gritted teeth. He strode on heavy steps towards the cathedral, his hooded cape whipping in the wind. But Jarem stopped short before the doors. Despite himself, an invisible obstacle kept him from entering. Fear. His infant sister was somewhere inside of that awful place. It was all he could think of. Terra Leigh Sufocus¡ªborn with the power to either influence a world of Restoration or a world of Annihilation. She was now a ruling pawn, wound in a hellish web, that could result in the very destruction of Atrea¡¯s countries and the lands beyond. Jarem squeezed tight around the handle of his war hammer. ¡°Terra¡¯s in there.¡± He turned a slow gaze to the six companions behind him. ¡°It will be all right, Jarem,¡± said the psychic healer, Relina Weiss. She offered him a small smile. But Jarem felt the terror she hid behind the gesture. It wouldn¡¯t be. ¡°We¡¯re with you every step of the way,¡± rumbled the mercenary archer, Obiere Laroche, from the other end of the group. ¡°Tonight this war ends,¡± assured the group¡¯s sea-faring minstrel, Faran Coyne. ¡°The Black King will pay for what he¡¯s done.¡± At Faran¡¯s side stood Princess Arissa Lockhart, the warrior-ruler of Demoria Kingdom. She offered Jarem a quiet nod of agreement. Despite her silence, Arissa¡¯s steely gaze told him everything. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. This was it. The shrieking razor-sharp gale around Jarem and his Star Warriors echoed this sentiment. ¡°Prince Jarem, we must make haste.¡± Father Eric Lodoss, the Sufocus family priest, pushed his way through the group to address him. The wind licked at the loose ends of Lodoss¡¯ hooded cloak, the bristles of his thick white beard. Beside Father Lodoss appeared a slender Elf graced with hair like dandelions in the frenzied gale. She gazed at Jarem with concern only for Terra¡¯s fate, and shifted the weight of three Mage Staffs bound against her caped backside. Jarem hated Lakmir, what she was. But the Mage Staffs she provided tonight¡ªlong black rods, each with a single orb fastened to one end¡ªproved her love for his three-month-old sister more than anything else in the world. With the arcane guidance of Father Lodoss, it was Lakmir¡¯s idea to Seal away the Black King forever ¨C Jarem and Terra¡¯s own father¡ªthe maniac responsible for this war between humans and what were known as the Kenah¡¯dai, entities once worshiped like pagan deities. Lakmir¡¯s own kind. Monsters. But it was also Lakmir¡¯s idea to Seal away the Black King¡¯s brainwashing corruption of the Kenah¡¯dai, into a new world of their very own. So that peace for the humans of Atrea might return. Jarem and Lakmir kept their gazes locked. Despite his hate of this Elf, there was no denying her devotion. Even if it meant the possibility of exile, or worse. It was a sacrifice, he realized, that proved just how much Lakmir truly loved his baby sister¡ªa messianic force for both sides of the war. Terra Leigh Sufocus¡ªan infant with eyes the color of red apples. Known by humans as the Child of Destiny. Known by Kenah¡¯dai as the Devil Goddess. ¡°What exactly is our plan, Father Lodoss?¡± asked Princess Arissa. She pushed strands of hair out of her eyes. ¡°Lakmir and I will sneak around the side entrance while the five of you engage the Black King and his minions to provide us a distraction.¡± He exchanged nods with the Elf and continued. ¡°With the Black King distracted from the attack, we will set up the Mage Staffs around the cathedral¡¯s perimeter. As soon as I have cued the ready, the five of you must invoke the incantation to create the rift which will banish King Sufocus and the Kenah¡¯dai forever into a dimensional Void.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all Kenah¡¯dai, right?¡± asked Faran, nervous. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t Lakmir get caught up with the rest of them?¡± Obiere balked at this. ¡°She¡¯s a Monster of the earth element!¡± Jarem¡¯s stare at the Elf hardened, a leap of excitement in his heart. Lakmir drew her gaze away from his to address the question. ¡°It¡¯s a risk I¡¯m willing to take,¡± she declared in a strong voice. ¡°Lady Terra is depending on us now. All of us.¡± Relina caressed the Elf¡¯s shoulder, assuredly. ¡°It¡¯ll be all right, Lakmir. We¡¯ll make sure nothing happens to you.¡± Jarem turned away from his comrades to face the Cathedral of Lions with stronger resolve. ¡°¡­Much has been lost over these past few months. I only hope that tonight we may put my father¡¯s tyranny to rest once and for all, and bring back peace to our world. My sister¡¯s soul depends on it.¡± Another crack of lightning coursed across the sky. It illuminated sinister shadows over the face of the cathedral. ¡°For Terra and Atrea,¡± Jarem murmured. ¡°For Terra and Atrea,¡± his companions repeated. In the deadly shriek of the night¡¯s air, the seven comrades parted ways and journeyed towards the maw of hell. Episode 1 - There Once was a Girl: The Destiny of a Monster Sealer ~ Episode One ~ There Once was a Girl: The Destiny of a Monster Sealer Eri Seruma shot awake with a cold sweat overpowering her fair skin. But everything was all right. She was safe and sound in her bedroom. There were no mystic knights at her side. Her room was no part of any decrepit church. There was no hooded boogeyman waiting at the foot of her bed. And most importantly, she was no longer stuck in the dark ages¡ªbut back where she belonged at the turn of the millennium. The year 2000. ¡°That dream again¡­¡± It was the same dream that had haunted her almost nightly over the past month. Relentless. So vivid ¡­ and always with it, the tendrils of a dull headache and vertigo. Eri groaned through a flourish of fresh tummy pains that accompanied the headache and leaned over the only exposed side of her bed. She nabbed a plush toy off the hardwood floor, discarded in the night. The stuffed doll was a skunk named Regina Lepue¡ªa character from Eri¡¯s favorite series of books. It had been a birthday present from her best friend, Mackenzie, the year before. She flopped back against the mattress and hoisted the doll above her to make it do a happy little dance in her hands. She glanced at her reflection in the closet mirrors at the foot of the bed and sighed. Eri was thirteen years old and, despite toting features that were soft and round, was often cited as ¡®skinnier than a toothpick¡¯ by her father. Her bright, jaw-length, ginger hair helped bring out the paleness of her skin ¨C which, in combination with her impossibly natural apple-red irises, had some of the kids in the schoolyard convinced she was a vampire. It was an assumption that was the bane of Eri¡¯s existence. For now, at least. ~ ¡°Eddi-chan! Right on time, as to be expected!¡± Mackenzie Thompson beamed from the top step of her veranda as the wintry morning air danced with her long blue-black hair. She flicked away the butt of her cigarette and skipped down the steps to meet Eri at the curb. ¡°I guess that makes sense. Your dad being in the military, and all.¡± ¡°Ma-a-a-acks! Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Eri wandered up Simcoe Road, towards the string of rental townhouses, where Mackenzie lived with her mother. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s kawaii, just like you.¡± Mackenzie flashed a toothy grin up at Eri and wrapped an unzipped winter jacket around herself. Mackenzie was fourteen and stood at a whopping four-foot-six, compared to Eri¡¯s own five-foot-one stature. She was easily the shortest girl in their eighth-grade class and was perhaps a little heavier than she would have personally liked. But whatever Mackenzie lacked in height and slenderness she easily made up for with an expert skill in makeup that far surpassed her classmates, alongside a brazen personality to match a refined sense of style that rarely saw her in anything other than dark skirts and nylons, button-down blouses, and a trademark navy blue cardigan that nearly swallowed her whole. The girls had been best friends since the seventh grade. Mackenzie was an inspiration to Eri in nearly every way. And in turn, Mackenzie adored Eri more than anything in the world. Together the girls started a blustery trek towards Holland Court, where the library awaited behind the back lot of a nearby funeral parlor. ¡°You feeling any better?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± said Eri, shifting a rolled up Bristol board that housed their school history project under one arm. ¡°Got another headache and my stomach still kinda kills. Macks¡ªI had that weird dream again last night.¡± ¡°The one with those knights or whatever?¡± ¡°Mmhm. And the faceless guy in the hood¡­¡± Mackenzie studied Eri with deep worry behind yellow-amber eyes. ¡°Maybe lay off the video games, huh? You¡¯re like obsessed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk, with all that anime you watch.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, Eddi-chan. Did you get any sleep last night? You look exhausted...¡± Eri scowled. ¡°I¡¯ve been stuck on this stupid boss fight in Final Fantasy II for ages. I just wanna get through it so I can watch Noah play the new one¡­¡± ¡°Eight, right? What about three-through-seven?¡± ¡°Oh, I beat III already, a while ago. Four, five, and six weren¡¯t released here. But I did beat Mystic Quest. Have to restart VII¡ªbut that¡¯s okay, I already saw the ending¡ª¡± Eri counted the games off one-by-one by her mitten-clad fingers. ¡°¡ªThe ones on Game Boy are just too confusing except for Adventure; I don¡¯t like the Legend series much, so those ones don¡¯t count.¡± ¡°And you say I¡¯m a nerd,¡± Mackenzie said, incredulous. ¡°Your brother¡¯s probably gonna beat it before you ever get that far. You got nothing to prove to him, you know¡­¡± Eri kept a firm stare locked along their snowy path. ¡°I know,¡± she said. Mackenzie sighed. ¡°Your dad got that movie for us, right?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Eri shifted a better grip around the Bristol board under her arm. ¡°Hopefully we can pad stuff out with it. This Dirty Thirties thing Ms. Youse dumped on us is just so boring¡­¡± ¡°Seriously¡ªI never wanted to die sooner. It¡¯s like she gets off on pushing all these projects on us or something. Anyway, so long as we work real hard, I smell an A-plus!¡± ¡°Hope so. She says she¡¯s getting us ready for high school, though¡­¡± ¡°Oh, sure. That¡¯s why.¡± Mackenzie snorted. ¡°Next thing you know, she¡¯ll wanna keep us in at recess, because that¡¯s how high school is.¡± ¡°Ugh. Don¡¯t say that.¡± Eri wrinkled her nose as they turned the corner onto Holland Court, where Shorebrooke¡¯s public library awaited. ¡°So weird that Shinji and Evan wanted to meet up today. They like never talk to us¡­¡± ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Mackenzie said. ¡°Shinji¡¯s always staring at you in class, you know.¡± An uncomfortable shiver went through Eri. She knew. ¡°¡­So?¡± ¡°Maybe he wants to ask you out. It¡¯s about time, honestly.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Are you serious, Eddi-chan?¡± Mackenzie nudged her affectionately. ¡°It¡¯s so obvious you have a thing for him.¡± Eri wrinkled her nose, unable to process the thought. ¡°I do not¡­¡± ~ ¡°¡­So my choir teacher, is like, ¡®Evan, what the hell are you doing to your nose?¡¯ and I can¡¯t say anything, ¡®cause I¡¯m in so much pain, you know?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Well you know what it¡¯s like when you drink a soda, and when you burp, you get the fizzy feeling in your nose?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°And she¡¯s just staring at me like¡ªShinji! Are you even listening?¡± Shinji Izuma blinked a couple of times and glanced up from photocopied images of World War II fighter jets and Hiroshima bombings carefully-arranged around the Bristol board he worked on. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°What did you say?¡± he asked, brushing locks of brown hair out of his emerald-colored eyes. ¡°Aw, forget it,¡± grumbled his best friend Evan from across the table ¨C doing nothing of real productivity, as usual. ¡°You really gotta stop being so ¡­ focused all the time!¡± Shinji blinked again. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not thinking to yourself, you¡¯re talking to yourself!¡± Evan leaned elbows against the table and studied one of the photos that depicted a small row of Japanese soldiers standing at attention before a fenced-off wheat field. Idle fingers itched at a diagonal scar across his dark-skinned cheek. ¡°Doesn¡¯t all this bother you?¡± ¡°What? You not doing your share of the work? Sure.¡± ¡°No, I mean this project. Of all the things to make a report on, Youse stuck us with Hiroshima.¡± ¡°So?¡± Shinji tugged the cap off a glue stick and guided it around the backside of some foolscap. ¡°I¡¯unno, with you being Japanese, and all¡­¡± ¡°Half,¡± Shinji corrected him. ¡°Half-Japanese, whatever.¡± Evan studied his friend¡¯s handiwork behind sleepy aquamarine irises ¡°What¡¯s the other half?¡± ¡°German.¡± ¡°Wait, for real?¡± When Shinji didn¡¯t react or elaborate, Evan burst out laughing. So hard in fact, he nearly fell out of his chair. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re Japanese and German?! Yo, man, that su-u-u-ucks!¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Shinji said, barely paying attention. ¡°Anyway¡ªthey¡¯re here.¡± Evan perked to attention. He glanced over a shoulder, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and spotted two girls in the library¡¯s lobby. Mackenzie Thompson shuffled off small remainders of snow from the bottoms of her shoes while Eri Seruma undid the ties of her knitted Hello Kitty winter hat. ¡°Oh man. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for this¡­¡± ¡°Well, get ready,¡± Shinji said. ¡°We can¡¯t wait any longer to secure the Child of Destiny. The Black King is getting ready to strike again, I just know it. We have to make our move while things are still on the down low. It¡¯s now or never.¡± ¡°This plan though, man ¨C I got a bad feeling about it. Really think we should tell her, instead of¡ª¡± ¡°Hiya!¡± chirped Mackenzie as she and Eri came up behind Evan. She ruffled up the tight curls of his flat-top hairstyle. ¡°Sorry we¡¯re late!¡± ¡°Hello, Thompson. No problem.¡± Shinji said. He nodded past her. ¡°Seruma.¡± Eri quietly waved at him. ¡°Are you guys ready to fail Youse¡¯s project?¡± Mackenzie asked. Evan struggled to bat her away from an onslaught of dual-fisted noogies, to no avail. ¡°What are you working on, anyway?¡± ¡°Hiroshima,¡± said Shinji, back to work. ¡°He-e-ey!¡ªSeriously! Yo! Give it a rest, man!¡± Evan begged. ¡°Quit it!¡± ¡°What did you call me?!¡± Mackenzie smacked Evan over the head with the flat of her palm. ¡°Ba¡ªkaaa!¡± ¡°Oww! Chill! It¡¯s just an expression!¡± ¡°What did you call him?¡± Shinji asked her. ¡°Baka,¡± said Mackenzie, surprised by the question. ¡°You know! It means idiot in Japanese?¡± Shinji stared at her. ¡°Uh ¡­ Why are you calling Evan an idiot in Japanese?¡± ¡°Oh! Well, I watch anime with the subtitles ¨C I¡¯m trying to learn the language, so ¡­ hey, um, do you think you could teach me some time?¡± ¡°What? Japanese? I don¡¯t know it, myself,¡± Shinji admitted. ¡°I mean ¨C I was raised in an English household.¡± ¡°What?! Seriously?¡± This was like blasphemy to Mackenzie. ¡°You¡¯re Japanese and you don¡¯t know how to speak Japanese?!¡± He glared at her. ¡°Am I supposed to?¡± ¡°Half-Japanese, actually!¡± Evan supplied. ¡°Other half¡¯s German! What¡¯s the big deal, anyway? My dad¡¯s Trini and almost everyone in the Caribbean speaks English.¡± ¡°So?! That¡¯s different!¡± Mackenzie said. ¡°Is it, though?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t your mom from Quebec?¡± Shinji asked him. ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± Evan said, almost like he¡¯d completely forgotten. ¡° ¡®Kenzie! I could tutor you in French, if you want!¡± ¡°Yuck! No, thanks.¡± Eri snuck by them with her Dirty Thirties Bristol board. She could feel Shinji staring and did her best to ignore him, instead focusing on where to make camp at the table. Mackenzie swooped in to scan the resources Shinji and Evan brought for their own project. ¡°Ooooh. Looks like you guys got your work cut out for you! Now, before you both get distracted by the immaculate presence of girls, we have some stuff to grab.¡± She winked at a confused Shinji and nabbed Eri by the elbow. ¡°C¡¯mon, Eddi-chan!¡± Eri gulped, letting herself be led away to a section of shelves marked Canadian History. Mackenzie swayed against her with an impish grin. ¡°Your face is all red¡­¡± Eri broke away to flit among the array of titles for the right resource tome. ¡°Stop it. I don¡¯t have a crush on Shinji.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, hon. It¡¯s super adorable how you act around him.¡± Mackenzie leaned against the opposite bookcase and stared out at the distant table where the boys sat. ¡°Maybe today¡¯s your lucky day?¡± Eri frowned. She found a worn-down spine that read CANADA AND THE 1930s and plucked the book free. ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up, Macks.¡± The truth couldn¡¯t be denied, however: Eri felt awkward around Shinji ¨C but not for the reason Mackenzie assumed. Whenever he looked Eri¡¯s way in class or recess, feelings of anxiety ripped through her like clockwork. Eri couldn¡¯t grasp why ¨C it wasn¡¯t like either of them were close anymore, not like when they were younger. These days, any feelings of adoration she had once felt for Shinji had since rotted into dread whenever he paid attention to her at a distance. And it seemed like Shinji was paying attention to her a whole lot more these days. When the girls returned to the table, Evan launched into a conversation about weird weather patterns around town. ¡°So! How about that snowstorm last week? Crazy stuff, huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a snowstorm at the start of April,¡± said Mackenzie. ¡°And it¡¯s snowing outside right now.¡± She slyly slid into the spot next to him ¨C leaving Eri the only other available chair next to Shinji. Eri mentally groaned. ¡°You guys have it lucky. All you gotta worry about is weather.¡± Mackenzie frowned. ¡°And maybe showering more than once a week¡ªHey, Eri, remember that night we were waiting outside the Multicultural Center for your folks to pick us up after Battle of the Bands? And you kept feeling like we were being watched, but like, no one was there?¡± ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± Eri rubbed her temples in discomfort, trying to focus on the open textbook before her. She could feel another headache starting to form. It pulsated in a way she feared might lance out of her forehead, like a unicorn¡¯s horn. She winced. ¡°Hey, man, are you all right?¡± asked Evan. ¡°Just another migraine. My stomach hurts, too.¡± ¡°Migraine?¡± Shinji echoed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had those.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, just haven¡¯t been sleeping well. Bad dreams and my brother likes to play his drums at night.¡± She got up from the table. ¡°I need some water. Be right back.¡± Mackenzie watched Eri leave, half-risen out of her own seat and ready to follow if needed. But Evan¡¯s voice called her back. ¡°How long has she been having those for?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, migraines? I dunno ¨C they¡¯re new. Wanna say about a month, I guess?¡± ¡°A month,¡± Shinji murmured. ¡°That lines up.¡± Mackenzie settled back into her seat, brow furrowed. ¡°¡­Lines up with what?¡± A thud sounded under the table. Evan grunted in pain and flashed a glare at Shinji. ¡°Excuse us,¡± Shinji murmured. The boys both pushed out of their chairs. ¡°Where are you going?!¡± ¡°Bathroom,¡± Evan said. ¡°Research,¡± Shinji assured. Evan cleared his throat. ¡°¡­In the bathroom.¡± Mackenzie stared at them with a raised eyebrow. Shinji sighed, leading Evan away to the far end of the library. ¡°We¡¯ll be back.¡± They passed Eri by, bent over the water fountain, and vanished into the men¡¯s washroom. ¡°Weirdoes,¡± muttered Mackenzie. When Eri returned she asked, ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡ª¡± A sudden tremor rippled through the study area. It shook the windowpanes and made the light fixtures flicker. A flourish of surprised gasps and outcries poured from all present in the library that morning. Those who used the quiet rooms for school work poked their heads out the doors with murmured concern. Just then, Borrower¡¯s Services blew to kingdom come with a shock-wave that sent everything flying, raining debris. Eri crawled across the floor, unable to parse through a bleary double-vision amidst the fallen bookcases and overturned tables. Her temples throbbed with such agony, she wondered if her head might have split open when the girls were thrown to the floor. Mackenzie¡¯s arms found her. Eri rolled in her embrace in time to come face-to-face with a massive serpent-like creature emerging from the clouds of destruction. Its head nearly scraped the library¡¯s ceiling. It stared at Eri with eyes like an insect that glowed crimson against the ruinous smog. ¡°Shinji, we got company!!¡± Evan appeared within the din, spinning a weird-looking pitchfork weapon like a baton double his own size. Shinji darted into view wielding what looked like some ancient sword. He headed straight towards the girls. ¡°Take care of Nagamani! I¡¯ll protect the Child of Destiny!¡± Mackenzie croaked on the verge of hysterics. ¡°E-Eddi-chan, you¡¯re seeing this, right?¡± Eri did see it. She saw all of it, and watched in confused horror as the twenty-foot stone snake lurched from the smog and barreled down upon Evan. Episode 2 - The Child of Destiny: An Oath For Terra Sufocus ~ Episode Two ~ The Child of Destiny: An Oath For Terra Sufocus She awoke to the familiar sound of birdsong. With a tired groan, Eri pushed up on her arms to find herself somehow back in bed. She squinted into nothingness until her sleep-addled mind sobered. After a while she noticed her Hello Kitty bed sheets had been replaced with a faded denim duvet. She went to rake fingers through her hair and instead accidentally batted the shade of an adjustable clip lamp hanging off the headboard. Slowly her surroundings started to make sense as the grip of what felt like a century-long coma began to shake free. ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t my bedroom.¡± The space Eri found herself in was a dark and drafty one, likely the result of out-of-date wood paneled walls that pointed towards a shallow vaulted ceiling. Lungs-cleansing winter air gusted in through an open window to her right. It looked out over the edge of dark shingles where an unfamiliar street greeted her below. She noticed an over-stuffed bookcase built into the wall opposite the window and pushed out of bed, suddenly fixated on a copy of Pet Semetary that called her attention from a lower shelf. It was one Eri had always wanted to read, but was forbidden to¡ªamong anything else deemed even vaguely ¡°corruptive¡± to Helen Seruma¡¯s youngest and only daughter. Eri wasn¡¯t even allowed to read the current elementary-school craze, because the plot centered around witchcraft. Eri put the elusive Stephen King novel back in its place and marveled at the sheer amount of titles that dared to rain upon her if given the opportunity. It was like staring at a literary Jenga tower. She¡¯d never seen such an extensive collection of books before. Of course, except for what could be expected in the library¡ª The library! She remembered everything then¡ªhow the library was attacked by that giant stone snake thing. How Shinji and Evan showed up out of the blue to fight it with those weird-looking weapons. The whole incident was like out of a dream. It had to be a dream¡­ ¡­And yet¡­ The murmur of other people in the house caught Eri¡¯s attention. She made her way out of the attic bedroom and wandered around the upper floor of what appeared to be an old farm house until she found herself in a dark and narrow first floor entryway. ¡°¡­Shinji, I don¡¯t understand¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, Thompson. We think that you and Seruma are¡­¡± Eri¡¯s ears perked to the sound of her surname. She followed the voices into what appeared to be a parlor just off the foyer. There, she found Mackenzie, Shinji, and Evan immersed in deep conversation around a leather sectional. It was Mackenzie who noticed Eri first from where she sat with a clear view of the parlor entrance. ¡°Eddi-chan!¡± She shot to a stand, nearly knocking her mug of cocoa off the edge of the coffee table. Shinji and Evan craned a gander over the couch¡¯s backrest as Mackenzie scrambled towards her friend. ¡°¡­Where are we?¡± Eri leaned against the door frame, weary. She let out a breathless ¡°Oof!¡± when Mackenzie launched a crushing bear hug around her. Shinji poured a fresh mug as Mackenzie led her over to the couch by both hands. ¡°You¡¯re awake. Care for some cocoa?¡± he asked. ¡°Sorry about the draft. Thought the fresh air would help. Here, this¡¯ll warm you.¡± ¡°Are we at your house?¡± He nodded. ¡°You fainted, probably from that headache earlier. Do you remember what happened at the library?¡± Eri took a tender sip of cocoa, careful not to burn herself. She hesitated. ¡°I ¡­ I remember us working on our projects. I had to get some water for my migraine and you guys went to the bathroom. And then that ¡­ snake thing...¡± Evan let out an apprehensive breath. Eri hadn¡¯t realized until then that both boys were staring at her with what appeared to be Christmas morning jitters. It was like they¡¯d been nervous for the answer she¡¯d give. ¡°So, you do remember what happened,¡± Shinji confirmed. ¡°You both do.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Eri looked at Mackenzie, who offered an assuring nod. ¡°Shinji ¡­ what happened? Did anybody at the library¡­?¡± ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°The library wasn¡¯t destroyed. Nobody got hurt. Please, don¡¯t worry about that. Nobody will even remember it happened.¡± ¡°What?¡± This news surprised Eri. ¡°What do you mean, won¡¯t remember? It happened, Shinji¡ªwe all saw it. I mean¡ªI think I saw¡­¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°You both remember what happened at the library, because you¡¯re supposed to,¡± Shinji explained. ¡°It¡¯s your birthright to. But no one else will remember. To them, the library never got destroyed. No giant stone snake ever attacked. This is due to a memory-reversal charm put in place every time a creature like it is defeated.¡± ¡°Kinda like Men in Black,¡± Evan said. ¡°Y¡¯know, the flash sticks they use, or whatever? But the erasing affects literally everything. Not just folks¡¯ memories. Best way to describe it is like¡ªlike watching a VHS tape rewind, you know?¡± He laughed suddenly¡ªdistracted by the thought. Mackenzie nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the truth, Eddi-chan. It happened, just like that.¡± She fiddled with the sleeve of her cardigan, uncomfortable by the memory. ¡°It¡¯s real freaky in the moment, at first I mean, ¡®til you get used to it after every encounter, of course,¡± Evan said. Shinji added, ¡°We¡¯re unaffected by the memory charm because we¡¯re Star Warriors.¡± ¡°Cuts, scrapes, all that fun stuff¡ªit all stays with us.¡± Evan thoughtlessly itched at the scar across his cheek, grinning. ¡°But everything else? Whoosh! Like nothin¡¯ never happened. Make sense?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eri squeezed her eyelids closed until stars appeared. ¡°None of this makes any sense. I feel like I¡¯m in a really, really, bad dream¡­¡± Shinji sighed. ¡°Then let me confirm that everything today was not a dream. It¡¯s completely understandable if it¡¯s easier to think so, but the fact remains that you and Thompson have entered a new kind of reality. There¡¯s no going back.¡± ¡°Stop¡ªShinji.¡± Eri waved an irritable hand at him, eyes still clenched shut. ¡°Stop with the Spock-speak for just like, two seconds, and talk to me like a teenager. I just wanna know what¡¯s going on.¡± Mackenzie¡¯s lips pursed. Evidently, she agreed. ¡°What was that thing in the library and why did it attack us?¡± ¡°That was Nagamani, the Monster of Bastion. A Kenah¡¯dai of the Earth element,¡± Shinji said. ¡°It attacked you both because it was looking for someone very important.¡± ¡°Monster of the ¡­ Canadian? What does that even mean?¡± Eri asked. ¡°Someone very important? What are you talking about? That th-thing was coming right at us!¡± Evan shifted with discomfort. Shinji cleared his throat and continued. ¡°What I mean is, the Child of Destiny. She was sent to the future from the year 1286 AD. You¡¯re responsible for finding and protecting her. We all are. That¡¯s why the Monster was after you.¡± Eri stared at him behind her mug of cocoa. And then burst out laughing. Shinji glowered at her. Evan preened at his hair, feeling awkward. Mackenzie cringed. ¡°Eddi-chan¡­¡± ¡°Okay, guys. That¡¯s real funny. Good talk.¡± Eri set down her mug and rose to a stand. ¡°Welp, gotta go and do more research for our project! Ha, ha, ha! I didn¡¯t know you were so funny, Shinji! Buh-bye, boys! See you in class!¡± ¡°Sit down,¡± Shinji said. ¡°You need to hear this. We all belong to sacred bloodlines that have been tasked with¡ª¡± ¡°Okay, seriously though! My parents are probably wondering where I am right now, and, oh! Would you look at that? My cocoa¡¯s all gone! Time to go!¡± Eri squeezed by Mackenzie, bumping the coffee table with her knees and spilling her friends¡¯ drinks in the process. ¡°Oops! Pardon me. Sorry! Macks, are you coming? We aren¡¯t going to earn that A-Plus if we don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Seruma, sit down!¡± Eri froze to the spot. She blinked, surprised when Mackenzie gently tugged her hand back to the couch. ¡°Listen to me,¡± Shinji said to her, both his gaze and tone hard-set. ¡°You saw the Monster yourself¡ªhow could I lie to you about something like that? I¡¯m telling you the truth here, we belong to a line of holy knights that has prepared hundreds of years for the arrival of the Child of Destiny.¡± ¡°¡­Knights?¡± An icy rush went through Eri. Her thoughts went back to that recurring dream of the seven warriors and the faceless hooded man all fighting in a decrepit chapel. ¡°That Monster who attacked us at the library? One of thousands more. A minion of the Child of Destiny¡¯s father, the Black King of Leola, in search of her,¡± Shinji continued, faster. ¡°If Viktor Sufocus or his Monsters finds the Child of Destiny, it means the end of the world as we know it.¡± ¡°Shinji, slow down¡ªwait¡ª¡± ¡°Our ancestors banished King Sufocus and his Monsters to an alternate dimension centuries ago, but he¡¯s found a way free, and that¡¯s why¡ª¡± ¡°Shinji! Enough!¡± Eri yanked her hand free from Mackenzie¡¯s grip and wriggled free from the confines of the couch. ¡°You guys are crazy. I don¡¯t believe any of this.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re going to have to!¡± Shinji snapped. He rose to a stand and followed Eri out into the foyer. ¡°Evan and I didn¡¯t want to believe it either, but it¡¯s just something we have to deal with now!¡± Evan turned his gaze over the backrest at Eri. ¡°Listen, man. We get it. But you gotta believe us. We¡¯re friends, right? Why would we lie about something this heavy?¡± ¡°Macks, what is this? Did you blab about my dream?¡± ¡°Eddi-chan, I think they¡¯re telling the truth,¡± Mackenzie admitted. ¡°Here, look¡­¡± She brushed her hair away to reveal a strange-looking pendant around her throat. Eri furrowed her brow as she considered its golden wing-shaped design, not remembering if Mackenzie had been wearing it the whole time they¡¯d been together that day. ¡°Seruma.¡± Shinji gestured at her. ¡°Come back.¡± Eri glared at him. Glared at Evan. ¡°You guys are the worst. Just because I like medieval fantasy stuff doesn¡¯t mean you can try to trick me like this. Obviously stuff like monsters and magic don¡¯t really exist.¡± She found Mackenzie gazing at her with a pleading expression. That hurt the most. Eri sniffled, wiping away fresh tears. ¡°Macks, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re in on this, too. Just because you like anime and all that stuff ¡­ I thought you were my best friend¡­¡± Surprise flashed across Mackenzie¡¯s face and quickly wilted into a look of hurt. ¡°Eri, I¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going home!¡± Eri found her winter gear and school project near the front door and tugged on her converse sneakers without taking the time to pull on her coat. Shinji inched towards her. ¡°Seruma, wait¡ª¡± ¡°No. Goodbye, Shinji.¡± She slammed the door behind her and was gone. Episode 3 - Warriors of the Star: The Start to Eri’s Unwanted Destiny ~ Episode Three ~ Warriors of the Star: The Start to Eri¡¯s Unwanted Destiny It couldn¡¯t have been real. There was no way. Eri pondered this, sitting cross-legged on her bed as she stared into her reflection in the closet mirrors at the foot of the frame. She hadn¡¯t moved from this position since dinnertime, and all she could do was replay the events of the library on an endless mental loop. The explosion¡­ ¡­The giant snake-thing with insect eyes¡­ ¡°We¡¯re friends aren¡¯t we? Why would we lie about something this heavy?¡± Evan had made the statement earlier that afternoon, after she¡¯d woken up at Shinji¡¯s house. It was a statement that hung with Eri for longer than she would have expected. Longer than she would have liked. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? ¡°I don¡¯t even know you¡­¡± Thoughts of Mackenzie¡¯s hurt expression flashed across her memory. ¡°I thought you were my best friend¡­¡± Eri mashed a fist against a tearful eye, sniffling. A sudden bang at the bedroom window jolted her attention. Eri watched, frozen with horror as the frame rattled to life and began a slow ascent along its sticky track. Winter air gusted into her bedroom. Shinji poked his head into the room. He blinked, glanced around, and found Eri staring at him, horrified, from where she sat on her bed. ¡°Hey,¡± he said. ¡°Shinji?!¡± Eri scrambled off the mattress to meet him. Doing so in such a hurry, she banged a knee against the edge of her nightstand and crashed into him. Her outstretched hands mashed against his face, shoving him backwards out the window. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± ¡°Agh! I came to see if you were okay! You left in such a hurry¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be climbing through my window!¡± Eri exclaimed. ¡°How did you even get up here? What if my dad or Noah sees you?!¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t. I used the vine trellis¡ª¡± ¡°You what?!¡± There was a knock at the bedroom door. ¡°Go home! I don¡¯t wanna talk to you!¡± Eri hissed at him under her breath. Shinji ducked out of sight just as Helen Seruma entered her daughter¡¯s room with a basket of laundry balanced on one hip. ¡°I have some clothes for you, Gingersnap.¡± Helen set the basket down on the floor by Eri¡¯s closet. She was a tall and slender woman of Irish descent, with long raven curls and fair skin to match. ¡°Is everything okay? I thought I heard a crash. Oh, you remember Nana¡¯s coming tomorrow, right? Make sure your trundle has fresh sheets on it for me?¡± ¡°Yeah! N-no problem!¡± Helen blinked at her daughter, just then realizing Eri was halfway out the open window. Flecks of snow blew in, melting against the hardwood floor. ¡°Eri, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Ahh ¡­ nothing! Just ¨C needed to clear my head a little bit, that¡¯s all! Ah-ha-ha-ha!¡± ¡°You¡¯re letting the heat out. We know how your father is about that. Come on, Gingersnap, close the window and put your clothes away. Gonna catch cold if you¡¯re not careful¡­¡± Helen slid back out into the hall, leaving the bedroom door open ajar. Eri let out a heavy sigh. She rose to a stand, crossed the room on hasty steps, and clicked the door shut. She leaned against the frame, pulled a few strands of hair down over her eyes in scrutiny. ¡°¡­I wish she¡¯d stop calling me that.¡± ¡°What, ¡®Gingersnap¡¯?¡± Shinji asked, straddling the windowsill. His freckled face still glowed with the indents of Eri¡¯s hand prints from before. He leaned back outside to reel in his backpack by its straps. The thing looked like it weighed a ton. ¡°I ¨C oof! I like your hair.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± Eri glowered at him, trembling fists clenched at her sides. ¡°Go home. I¡¯m still mad at you, you know.¡± ¡°Figured.¡± Shinji lugged the backpack over to Eri¡¯s bed. With some struggle, he heaved it onto the mattress ¨C slightly mussing up the perfectly-made Hello Kitty sheets in the process¡ªand began to root through the contents within. ¡°You forgot something at my house when you stormed off earlier.¡± Eri¡¯s instinct called her attention to the school project left neglected against the wall at the foot of her bed. There was a small tear in the edge of her rolled-up Dirty Thirties Bristol board. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Shinji reached into his backpack with both hands and carefully worked to free whatever was weighing it down. In an instant, all anger Eri felt for him gave way to a numb state of awe and confusion. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The object could have easily been mistaken for a psychic¡¯s divination crystal¡ªor in Eri¡¯s case, a giant snow globe or one of those plasma balls from the Toronto Science Center. She gazed at the myriad of color streams that swam almost fishlike within the glassy, dark-tinted orb. The mouth of Shinji¡¯s bag fell away like snakeskin, revealing a volcano-shaped base. It looked like it was carved from obsidian. Shinji carefully turned the flickering object in his hands, revealing the opposite side of the base that encased it. Eri gazed upon the face of a lion, forever frozen in mid-roar. ¡°¡­Shinji, what is that thing?¡± ¡°A Monster Dowser,¡± he said, simply enough like it should have been obvious. ¡°A specially-crafted tool made by our ancestors to help combat the Black King of Leola Kingdom. Evan and I use it to track Monsters who¡¯ve returned to seek out the Child of Destiny. It works like a radar, kind of.¡± He sat down on the edge of the bed, careful to set the Monster Dowser on Eri¡¯s night stand. The sight of it sent an icy shock through her. A dull headache dared to throb alive. Shinji tugged his backpack between his knees and rooted deeper within. He removed two more items: a tiny pine box and a small glassy red orb. Eri swallowed hard and edged towards him on timid heels. ¡°¡­So today really happened?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we were trying to tell you, yeah.¡± She hesitated to sit down next to Shinji, but exhaled a bated breath and did so anyway. Her added weight on the mattress caused the glass orb to roll between them within the creases of her blanket. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± ¡°Start believing. As I was saying earlier, the lineage we belong to dates back seven-hundred years. Starts with five holy knights who initially fought King Sufocus and his Monsters. They were called Star Warriors¡ªeach represented one of the five pagan elements of balance.¡± ¡°Knights, huh?¡± Eri pondered this in relation to her recurring dream. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m related to the Warrior of Earth¡ªArissa Lockhart. She was Princess of Demoria Kingdom, from Atrea Continent¡ªnow part of Europe,¡± Shinji explained. ¡°Evan¡¯s related to the Warrior of Water¡ªa sea-faring minstrel named Faran Coyne.¡± ¡°Of course the water knight would be a sea-faring minstrel named Faran,¡± Eri murmured. ¡°Today we realized your friend Thompson belongs to the Air bloodline, a descendent of Relina Weiss¡ªa priestess and psychic.¡± Eri picked at her fingernails. ¡°Guess I¡¯m related to one of these Star Warriors, too?¡± ¡°Yeah. Fire,¡± Shinji replied, quickly¡ªbut didn¡¯t elaborate. ¡°There¡¯s one more, the Warrior of Spirit¡ªa French mercenary named Obiere Laroche. We still don¡¯t know who his descendant is, though.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Eri nodded, trying to understand all of this. She found the glassy red orb now beside her and let it roll into her hands. It was smooth and cold. A solid weight despite the fact it was about the size of a tennis ball. ¡°What¡¯s this thing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a Monster Orb,¡± Shinji told her. ¡°Or, Mon-Orb for short. Silly name, Evan¡¯s idea, but it was all we could come up with. When the proper incantation¡¯s invoked, Monsters¡ªor, Kenah¡¯dai, as they are natively known¡ªturn into one of these after we weaken them enough.¡± ¡°¡­You mean¡ªThis belongs to that Monster that attacked us today?¡± ¡°...It is the Monster that attacked us today.¡± ¡°W-wait¡ªfor real?!¡± Eri lifted the thing to eye-level, squinting. She shot Shinji a bewildered side-eye look. ¡°...It''s like a Pok¨¦mon ... But how?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Just part of the magic we possess. I don¡¯t really know how it works¡ªjust that it works. We can use these Mon-Orbs against other Kenah¡¯dai. Lets us and our weapons use the Sealed Monsters¡¯ abilities.¡± Eri barely registered the explanation, too numb to really process anything that sounded straight out of Mackenzie¡¯s favorite Japanese cartoons. She turned the Mon-Orb in her hands until an engraving of a stone snake faced her. Its etched image was curled in on itself and reminded Eri of a chest-burster thing from one of those Alien movies Noah loved so much. ¡­An ouroboros devouring its own tail¡­ ¡°So¡ªthis is your room, huh?¡± asked Shinji. Eri blinked up from the Mon-Orb and found him gazing around her bedroom with an almost absent-mindedness about the actual reason he was here tonight. Shinji took a gander over one shoulder, chuckled at the sight of Eri¡¯s beloved Regina Lepue plush toy leaned against a couple of pillows. ¡°Didn¡¯t know there was merch from that series.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t. Mackenzie made it for me,¡± Eri murmured. ¡°For my birthday last year.¡± The second and most obvious thing Shinji noticed was the poster of Shirley Manson and her band-mates from Garbage, making goofy faces in the street, hanging over Eri¡¯s desk. The image was from their debut release. Garbage was secretly Eri¡¯s favorite band of all time, their two albums to-date stashed safely away in her vanity drawer. Her mother hated the look of the poster amidst Eri¡¯s other more tame and ¡°properly feminine¡± possessions, but it had been a Christmas gift one year from Noah, who¡¯d introduced her to the band in the first place. Shinji¡¯s attention shifted to a short bookcase beside Eri¡¯s desk crammed with Super Nintendo and Game Boy games, alongside some novels and decorative knickknacks. On top of the bookcase sat a tiny white TV hooked up to a Super Nintendo riddled with stickers; a single controller wrapped in its own cord leaned tucked at its side. Eri¡¯s copy of Final Fantasy II peered at them from its current home in the cartridge slot. Against the adjacent wall rested an oak vanity by the bedroom door. A tiny collection of parental-approved music ¨C mostly composed of Genesis, The Go-Gos, Boston, and the Hip ¨C stood against the mirror, propped upright between a small CD/Cassette player and Eri¡¯s favorite strawberry perfume. ¡°This setup is similar to how your old bedroom looked,¡± remarked Shinji. He gazed up at the ceiling for no real particular reason, then let his eyes fall back to the Monster Dowser glowing away on Eri¡¯s nightstand. ¡°Um ¡­ you think so?¡± An uneasy feeling squeezed around her heart at the comment. She shifted away from Shinji, uncomfortable by the intensity of his interest in her things¡ªher personal sanctuary away from the rest of the world, let alone away from her family. Her coveted Garbage albums called from their hiding spot in the vanity drawer. ¡°Hey, um¡ªare we done here? I still have a lot of homework to do, and stuff¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. Actually, looks like you¡¯re in luck.¡± Shinji took the Monster Dowser into his hands and brought it to her attention. The swirls of neon within its darkened orb left light trails behind Eri¡¯s eyes. Therein, she could almost make out pictures ¡­ outlines ¡­ a forest where an old windmill stood. The image flashed to life, brighter, then faded into nothingness. Shinji peered at her with a penetrative stare. ¡°Looks like your training as the Warrior of Fire begins tonight.¡± Episode 4 - Fire’s Soul: Eri’s Magical Powers Are Revealed! ~ Episode Four ~ Fire¡¯s Soul: Eri¡¯s Magical Powers Are Revealed! Grover¡¯s Mill Provincial Park sat in the dead center of town. It was a monumental piece of Shorebrooke¡¯s history, once a famous tree farm in the early nineteen-hundreds. Now, it was a conservation area mapped with bike trails, two separate playgrounds, an outdoor theater, picnicking areas¡ªand of course, plenty of parking. According to Shinji, the Monsters seemed to be coming from the park¡¯s forest¡ªan arboretum fully-protected by the municipality. It lay in great patches along elevated hills near the rear of Grover¡¯s Mill. He was leading Eri towards it. ¡°Two Monsters in a single day ¡­ things are starting to ramp up,¡± said Shinji. He and Eri strode side-by-side through the park. Dull-glowing lampposts served them visual aids in the night. The moon overhead showed them the way¡ªfull, and glowing crimson. Eri shivered at just how casual he sounded about this whole thing. Her gaze found the park¡¯s namesake off in the distance, a now-defunct windmill from when the Grover family farm still existed. It now stood a red-bricked monument amidst the open trails and playgrounds. ¡°Hey, um¡ªmaybe we should wait for Macks and Evan to tag along? Power in numbers and all that?¡± ¡°You mean strength. I think we can handle this one on our own. Monster Dowser says Kyupo isn¡¯t too far now.¡± Shinji regarded the ancient device as they headed towards the woods. The neon lights from within the darkened orb glowed against his face, hard-set with study. ¡°Its only power is velocity¡ªKyupo¡¯s lightning fast.¡± He turned a curious eye on Eri. ¡°Nothing too devastating for a track star like you, right?¡± Eri blushed. She tried to imagine the Monster in the shape of a cute and tiny rabbit wearing sneakers, a racing number pinned to its back. They came to a stop at the arboretum entrance¡ªan oak archway with large maps and info-graphics nailed to its pillars. It opened to a darkened wooded path. Eri felt unease at the sight of it. Shinji said the Monsters were coming from the woods¡­ ¡°Oh, here.¡± Shinji reached into his jeans pocket, balancing the Monster Dowser in one hand. ¡°Meant to give this to you back at the house.¡± He placed a small pine box into Eri¡¯s waiting palms. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± She tilted back the lid on stiff hinges. Within was a gold-chained necklace. Attached to it was a translucent pendant in the shape of a dark orb engulfed by scarlet flames. ¡°Ohh! It¡¯s so pretty¡­¡± Eri lifted the necklace out of its box and examined the design against the moonlight. It looked slightly incandescent between her fingers, slowly spinning as the pendant glinted against the park¡¯s fluorescent lamplight. ¡°The Fire Pendant,¡± said Shinji. He was studying her reaction with a kind of seriousness no kid his age should ever wear. ¡°It¡¯ll save your life.¡± Eri blinked at him, confused. ¡°¡­Save my life?¡± A dull hum sounded in her ears. Then out of the blue, a patch of snow exploded before the arboretum entrance. The impact sent a supersonic wave past the two kids, a piercing hum in their ears. ¡°There!¡± Shinji pointed above the treetops. Eri followed his gaze and found a small yellow ball silhouetted in the crimson moonlight. The object slowly turned to face them amidst hunks of snow, dirt, and grass it had kicked up from the impact. A split formed in the center of the ball, opening to reveal an oozing eyeball that stared directly back at Eri. ¡°Watch out!!¡± Shinji tackled her just as the ball came down at them a second time. Wintry debris exploded like a hidden landmine. Eri rolled onto her backside, cringing from the fall. ¡°That¡¯s the Monster you wanna fight?!¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°You¡¯d rather another Nagamani?¡± Shinji leapt to a stand, leaving the Monster Dowser and his backpack neglected in the snow. With the yellow ball of destruction in his sights, he yanked free something from around his neck and shot an arm into the air. ¡°Element¡ª¡± The ball struck him in the face, then launched back skyward. Shinji floundered into the snow, tossing whatever had been in his grasp. The ball arced over the arboretum treetops and vanished within the woods. ¡°Shinji!¡± Eri ran to him, shrieking. ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Shinji struggled to sit up. He winced, wiping his bloody nose on a sleeve. Eri dropped to her knees beside him and inspected his face. ¡°Oh my gosh, is it broken?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± he said. ¡°You need to go after Kyupo!¡± ¡°Are you crazy?! I¡¯m not leaving you like this!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice!¡± Shinji barked at her. ¡°This isn¡¯t a game, Seruma. Kyupo¡¯s on its way to find the Child of Destiny. You need to Seal it before that happens, understand?!¡± Eri shivered at the sight of him. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. Go!¡± She stared at Shinji. He stared back at her, his fierce eyes glimmering emeralds behind tears that fought to fall. The look he gave her now¡ªthere was something within it, a fire that formed Eri¡¯s reflection back at her. ¡°You can do this, Seruma,¡± he murmured. ¡°I know you can.¡± Eri gave a short nod. It was all she could do now. She got up, backed away from Shinji, and made a dash towards the woods. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll do my best!¡± ¡°Seruma!¡± Eri paused to look over-shoulder at Shinji. He stared at her, bloodied ski glove clamped over his nose. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your pendant,¡± he said, voice muffled. ¡°Call upon the magic you were born to use¡ªthe flames that burn within its tempered glass. Unlock that which is your birthright as a Star Warrior. Summon the element of Fire.¡± His voice sent a chill through Eri. She considered him, the seriousness of his words hanging like ghostly echoes in her still-ringing ears. Warmth blossomed in her mittens. It came from the flame-shaped pendant cupped in her cotton palms. Eri took a deep breath. ¡°Element Fire¡ªR E L E A S E ! !¡± A sudden gust of air formed around her as the necklace glowed to life. The gold chain vanished, leaving only the Fire Pendant spinning in Eri¡¯s grasp. It emitted an invisible force that pushed away her hands, allowing the pendant to remain on the air weightlessly. She watched awestruck as it began to transform. The warm gusts that consumed Eri erupted into fiery winds that did not burn her nor melt the snow around her feet. What appeared to be a long gray rod, tipped with a golden spike, stretched into existence out one side of the Pendant. What was unmistakably that of an orange dual-faced hammerhead took form on the opposite end. With it came another, longer, golden spike that surfaced from between the hammerhead¡¯s bell-shaped curves. The war hammer from her dreams. It floated before Eri, whispering wordless secrets to her. She shivered at the sight of the weapon, her body hot with an alarmed feeling that had since replaced the quickly-dying winds around her. Weight returned to the magical artifact. Gravity called the hammer¡¯s head to tip and caused it to plummet into the snow with a light thud. The handle stuck out in the night, beckoning like Excalibur¡¯s hilt. Eri swallowed hard and approached the weapon on cautious heels. She glided cotton-clad fingers over the rod; it was hot like fireplace coals, but touching it didn¡¯t bring any harm. Her grasp wrapped around it. She pulled the war hammer from the snow. It came free without effort. Like it was meant just for her¡­ ¡°Seruma.¡± Shinji¡¯s voice tickled her ears. ¡°Remember¡ªyou need to weaken Kyupo enough before you can Seal it into a Monster Orb. Call upon the oath placed by the Original Five and command Kyupo¡¯s power to surrender to you. Do that, and it¡¯ll happen. Don¡¯t worry¡ªthe Fire Hammer will keep you safe.¡± Eri turned at the hip with the elemental weapon clutched against her body. She found Shinji watching her from where he sat in the snow, both hands now clamped over his bleeding nose. ¡°Are¡ªare you sure about this?¡± she asked. ¡°I believe in you,¡± he said. ¡°Here¡ª¡± He tossed Eri something that looked like a tennis ball from inside his backpack. She caught it in one hand, surprised by the unexpected weight of the object. It was the glassy red orb from before¡ªthe Monster Orb that contained the essence of the Kenah¡¯dai who¡¯d attacked the library. Nagamani, the Monster of Bastion. ¡°In case you need some help,¡± Shinji said. Eri nodded. She had no idea how a little glass orb could help her take down such an unassuming but destructive force. Then again, she¡¯d no idea how a flame-shaped pendant could turn into a full blown magical war hammer, either. She turned away from Shinji and broke into a dash towards the arboretum. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down!¡± Shinji hesitated. ¡°¡­I know.¡± Episode 5 - An Evil Within the Woods: Kyupo, the Monster of Velocity ~ Episode Five ~ An Evil Within the Woods: Kyupo, the Monster of Velocity ¡° Birds squawked overhead. Something rustled in the nearby brush. Eri hadn¡¯t stepped foot in these woods in years. In fact, she was unsure if she¡¯d stepped foot in these woods at all during her time in Shorebrooke. The namesake of Grover¡¯s Mill Provincial Park¡ªthe now-defunct red-and-white windmill out amidst the open playgrounds and picnic trails stood out most in her memory, so clearly, while being tugged along by her mother in Noah¡¯s hand-me-down Little Tikes Fold ¡®N Go wagon. She remembered gazing at it out past the jungle gym and swing sets, a guard over the parklands like a giant god of some kind. Eri hadn¡¯t been back to Grover¡¯s Mill since her family returned to Shorebrooke in the summer of 1998, following a two-year stint in Base Borden. They¡¯d come back just in time for grade seven enrolment at the newly-built Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary. Entering the park after so long felt like coming face-to-face with a subliminal enemy¡ªlike the giant god of Grover¡¯s Mill was something she needed to overcome¡ªa windmill in disguise of something much darker and sinister, like the story of Don Quixote out of that one episode of Wishbone. She was never allowed to go near these woods when she was younger. Made sense. But Eri remembered her mother always seeming so nervous of the arboretum whenever they came to the park for pre-naptime play. It seemed like Helen Seruma barely ever let her daughter five feet out of range, especially so when Eri was younger. Especially at the park, where grinning strangers were apt to lurk and leer. Especially at the park, where kindly old men with funny accents offered broken bread chunks to brave and curious little girls. Brave and curious little girls who¡¯d managed to get away from their squirrely mothers, to marvel at the hungry pigeons of the jungle gym¡ª ¡°Eri!! Eriya, don¡¯t run away from me like that! ¡­ Do you want bad men to come and take you away from me? That would make Mommy very sad!¡± Eri shook her head of the vague memory. It broke apart into dissipated clouds of her mental vision, giving way to clarity for her physical vision upon the arboretum path. These woods called her¡ªclaimed her, urged her snow-soaked converse sneakers forward on almost automatic movements. Eri shivered. Not from the cold that emanated off the trees at every turn¡ªbut from the sheer curiosity of the situation she now found herself in: letting boys in through her bedroom window. Sneaking out into the night. Wandering the middle of the woods, alone. She should¡¯ve been at home, doing homework and putting away her mother¡¯s folded laundry. She should¡¯ve been curled up under the covers, focused on that Bahamut boss she was stuck on in Final Fantasy II¡­ What¡¯s the story, Wishbone? These woods, where she was not allowed to venture as a child. These woods, where tonight she would find the greatest of horrors and be forced to face such a thing head-on. These woods, in pursuit of some mystical creature that needed to be Sealed into a magical glass tennis ball. All because she was told to. All because a boy she once considered her best guy-friend, but now barely knew anymore, told her to. All because this was how life was going to be from now on, and she¡¯d better get used to it¡ªwhether she liked it or not. All because Eri was the only one who could do this. Whatever this was. All because it was her destiny ¨C her birthright. Whatever that was. All because she was a people-pleaser by default. Fearful of repercussion for any sort of disobedience. Even if it meant the end of the world. ¡°Do you want bad men to come and take you away from me? ¡­ That would make Mommy very sad!¡± It was a school night, after all. She shivered again, clutching the Fire Hammer against her body, both for the warmth it gave off and for the smidge of confidence it offered in this strangely cartoonish scenario. This obedient disobedience of her mother¡¯s fear for these woods. Eri¡¯s headache worsened. With it, the knotted aches in her tummy from earlier that morning, refusing to go away. She grimaced and pushed onward, the reality of her situation hanging like a dull-fuzzy veil. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve returned¡­¡± someone uttered. Eri spun with a gasp on one heel¡ªbut found no one else there with her in the forest. Fear prickled up her toes and fingers as she scanned the deep darkness between the patches of leafless trees, lit up only by the refraction of crimson moonlight against the stark drifts left over from that morning¡¯s snowfall. But there was only the cool whisper of the night air. The gurgle and rush of a nearby stream. Eri¡¯s ears strained; she couldn¡¯t even hear the sounds of the town¡¯s central traffic anymore. Something moved behind her. Eri sensed it, a spike of pain that punched through her already-searing forehead. Deep-centered breaths quickly became short, tight. Strained vision became focused, hyper-sensitive to the shadows and outlines and quiver of branches as far as the eye could see. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± she demanded in as brave a tone possible. ¡°Shinji? That you?¡± There was no reply. Eri gulped, scanning her surroundings. The prickly sensation of being watched remained with her here, and the more she let her fearfulness consume her, the more she wondered just how the heck it was possible to find her way back to the main area of the park without getting lost for ages. And being lost for ages in the middle of the night with that gooey eyeball Monster, or maybe even something worse, frightened her more. Eri remembered the Fire Hammer in her grasp then, its feather-light weight an almost forgettable thing, save for the magical heat it gave off. She clenched a tight grip around the hammer¡¯s rod and let the gleaming spike of its dual-bell-shaped head guide her sharpened gaze across the wooded horizon. ¡°¡­Hail Mary, f-full of Grace, the Lord is with th-thee¡­¡± She tried to suppress the fear in her throat with her favorite bedtime prayer. The words tumbled off her tongue quickly as she searched for the strength to regulate her nervousness into something palpable, something she could use to overcome her fear. ¡°B-blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed art thou ¨C I mean ¨C is the fruit of thy womb¡ª¡± ¡°Christ does not dwell within these woods, Lady Terra.¡± Eri yelped in surprise, jerking around to face further darkness within a patch of maple trees. Their empty branches stretched so high to the heavens, they looked like witches worshiping the fully-pregnant moon. But deep within the folds of their naked and wrinkled trunks, something took shape. Something that had always been there in the shadows of the arboretum, the shadows of Eri¡¯s mind¡ªan outline. The figure of a cloaked man. Far enough away that the naked eye would miss him, easily. And yet close enough that Eri knew him real, for certain. A trick of the eyes within the night, save for that of a porcelain face¡ªa mask that hung in the darkness, lit with a pair of yellow-glowing orbs where black eye slits stood out. A masked man within a cloak that dripped with shadow¡ªhis long, pale, claws digging into the tree bark as he watched Eri from the folds of the naked moonward maples. He was grinning at her. A wild, porcelain, grin¡ªlike all her fears come to life. This wasn¡¯t the Monster Shinji had sent her here to Seal. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. This was something else. Something¡ªsomeone¡ªfar, far, worse. Eri stumbled backwards, choked on her own prayer as a scream for help tried to claw its way up her throat. But then the snap of twigs from the opposite direction stole her attention. A little yellow ball rolled across the wet dirt and leaves, towards her. It came to a stop within a puddle of moonlight cast between the roots of a pair of pine trees. Like it¡¯d been waiting for her the whole time. Kyupo, the Monster of Velocity. The ball suddenly launched straight up, breaking through all the branches in its way. Eri screamed, covering her face with an arm as splinters rained down overhead. She cracked open an eye to watch Kyupo arc high above her in the gleam of the moon and vanish within a cluster of nearby firs. She turned when a sound like roving bulldozers quaked from there. The trees the Monster found solace in then began to fall in the wake of other yellow orbs like it¡ªdozens of little yellow orbs that spilled forth over the fallen firs like angry wasps. There wasn¡¯t just one Kyupo. There were lots. The multitude of Kyupos brought down everything in their path to give way to a monstrosity that pushed all thoughts of the porcelain-faced man out of Eri¡¯s mind in an instant. It was a creature she could only describe as a fifty-foot blob of yellow orbs, lurching towards her on gurgles and screeches. Hundreds of Kyupos hung from it like copious amounts of puss-filled Christmas ornaments, each splitting open to reveal a single eye after another that all leveled in unison upon a single tiny target: Eri Seruma, the Warrior of Fire. The sudden realization dawned on her that the true Monster of Velocity was not each of these little individual flying balls of destruction. But in actuality¡­ ¡°N-no way! Th-that whole thing¡¯s Kyupo?!¡± Eri thought back on the cute little bunny in running sneakers she¡¯d imagined from before. It promptly flipped her off and hopped away from her imagination. Two of the eyeball orbs launched at Eri. Patches of snow and earth exploded on either side of her. She flinched, shrieking, with the Fire Hammer tight against her body¡ªthen broke into a run for desperate safety deeper within the brush. Two more orbs soared above the treetops, just above Eri¡¯s line of sight. She darted through a forked path where a small decline led her along the bank of a ravine, towards a clearing that housed a single massive old oak tree. She leapt between a pair of maple trees whose branches formed an archway over the clearing. A quick look over-shoulder revealed the duo of eyeball-shaped appendages in hot pursuit. They gained speed on her record-breaking heels. Eri shrieked again, letting the ice and snow and mud carry her forward, until an exposed root snagged her foot in its clutch. She hit the ground face-first. A hollow tink-tink-tink! aligned Eri¡¯s cringing expression with the sight of a glassy red tennis ball that had bounced free from inside her jacket pocket. It came to a rolling stop between the crooks of her outstretched arms. Its engraving of a curled stone snake¡ªlike an ouroboros¡ªleveled with her gaze. The Monster Orb Shinji had given her. Nagamani, the Monster of Bastion. The quake of snapping trees amidst the shrillness of an ethereal monstrosity jolted Eri alert. She rolled over, sitting up on her arms, and watched in horror as the fifty-foot blob of oozing eyeballs bulldozed through every tree standing in the way between the two of them. ¡°Get away from me!¡± Eri screamed at it. ¡°Leave me alone! I don¡¯t want to do this! Shinji, please!! I can¡¯t do this! I wanna go home!¡ªI just wanna go home!!¡± But the sobs and pleas of a terrified thirteen-year-old girl fell on deaf eyes. Several more orbs detached from Kyupo¡¯s ¡°body¡± and came whizzing through the air at Eri, encircling each other, ready for a multitude of bone-crushing strikes. Icy realization flooded her veins: I¡¯m gonna die. With the thought came a desperate image of a monolithic barrier. She threw up her arms in a protective cross. Another spike of agony lanced past her forehead. A bright reddish light appeared out the corner of her eye. The ground before Eri suddenly faulted to give way to a high curving wall of pure clay¡ªsplattering the heat-seeking eyeballs upon impact. She gaped at the sight. ¡°What the heck¡­?!¡± The glow from before brought Eri¡¯s attention to a small object left forgotten in the muddy snow. Nagamani¡¯s little red Monster Orb. ¡°¡­In case you need some help¡­¡± Shinji¡¯s words echoed in her mind. The roar of Kyupo reinserted Eri¡¯s attention to the chaos at hand. ¡°You can do this, Seruma. I know you can. ¡­ The Fire Hammer will keep you safe¡ªIt¡¯ll save your life.¡± Eri sucked back a deep breath. With a shake of her head, she struggled to a stand, snatching up Nagamani¡¯s Mon-Orb and the Fire Hammer. ¡°I can do this...¡± she reminded herself. ¡°¡­I can do this¡­¡± It was just like fighting a boss in Final Fantasy. That¡¯s all this was. Just a bad dream. A bad dream, induced by countless hours of video games. Countless hours of trying to prove worth to her big brother. ¡°You have nothing to prove to him, you know.¡± Mackenzie¡¯s reassurance from that morning. ¡°I know,¡± Eri said. ¡°But I can do this. I don¡¯t want to¡ªbut, I can¡­¡± As though on cue, the wall of earth protecting her crumbled into nothing, giving way to a clear view of the Monster of Velocity, breaking past the last of the treetops that separated it from Eri. The eyes that all hung from Kyupo¡¯s ¡°body¡± glared directly at her. Intent. Needful. Desperate. A shudder went through Eri at the sight of them. ¡°If I die, I just wake up¡ªright? Start again from my last save file.¡± She took a deep breath, nodded, then darted around to the front of the old oak tree to face the Monster head-on. She dug her heels into the mud, brought the Fire Hammer up in a ready stance. had Eri right where it wanted. A banshee¡¯s shriek tore through the horizon, sending flocks of birds skyward into the night. All of the hundreds of oozing eyeballs then detached from each other and scattered like a swarm of wasps. In their wake hovered a lone iris the size of a giant¡¯s eye. A Master Eye. Kyupo¡¯s core. The giant Master Eye widened, glaring down upon Eri as all the other smaller eyes swooped and weaved through the air, ready to come down upon her in one final devastating strike. ¡°Please let this work¡­!¡± Eri squeezed Nagamani¡¯s Monster Orb tight. Its reddish glow spilled past the cracks between her mitten-clad fingers like beams of light. She tossed it into the air. The Monster Orb hung in place above her head. A single thought¡ªlance¡ªcame to mind. In an instant, the ground before Eri broke apart. Something like a missile made of pure rock and clay pushed up from the snow and mud. The sight of it startled Eri¡ªit was exactly what she¡¯d imagined. On a hard swallow, she swung the Fire Hammer so its spiked tip aimed directly at Kyupo. The earthen lance torpedoed dead center into the Master Eye before the hundreds of its smaller counterparts could react. The Monster of Velocity screeched anguish that cracked the heavens wide open. A moment passed. A few of the smaller eyes dropped out of the air. Then a handful. Then a good two dozen. Then more. They all dropped like dead flies as their Master Eye shook and vibrated in place, completely blinded by the missile of rock impaled through its iris. ¡­You need to weaken Kyupo before you can Seal it into a Monster Orb¡­ ¡­ Remember to call upon the oath¡­ ¡­ Remember to command Kyupo¡¯s power to surrender to you¡­ This was Eri¡¯s one and only chance. ¡°Okay¡ªumm¡ªall right! Here goes!¡± She took a deep breath, raised the Fire Hammer in both mitts and aligned its spiked tip with Kyupo as best she could. ¡°Kyupo, Monster of Velocity! I command you by the oath of the Original Five! Surrender your power to me¡ªnow!!¡± The earthen lance exploded into a million shards, leaving the Master Eye staring blank ahead, shocked in mid-screech. The reddish glow of Nagamani¡¯s Monster Orb died; it dropped to Eri¡¯s feet, rolling between her heels. Upon utterance of the incantation, a strong wind exploded around Eri that gusted upwards and encapsulated Kyupo and all its eyes, whole. Despite its struggles and cries, the Monster began to dissolve into wavering liquid strands swept up by the winds of Eri¡¯s incantation. The outline of a glassy orb took form from nothingness before the Fire Hammer¡¯s spiked tip. The empty orb filled with Kyupo¡¯s essence until there was nothing left of the Monster of Velocity or its hundreds of smaller, oozing, counterparts. All that remained was that of a brand new glass tennis ball that hovered about an inch from Eri¡¯s elemental weapon. This orb was a greenish color, engraved with that of a giant eye surrounded by many smaller eyes. The new Monster Orb dropped with a splash into a moonlit puddle near her feet. Eri dropped to her knees, winded. A curious thing happened then. She thought maybe it was further proof of dreaming or probably going crazy¡ªbut as soon as Kyupo became Sealed into a Monster Orb, the parts of the arboretum that had been destroyed during the fight started to repair themselves in jerky, rapid, backwards movements. It was like watching a VHS tape rewind, as if Eri were living inside a VCR, itself. Restoration. ¡°¡­I did it¡­¡± She blinked, dumbfounded by the new Monster Orb that lay in the moon-kissed puddle before her. A proud little grin crept across her face. ¡°¡­I did it!¡± Episode 6 - The Curse: An Unforeseeable Ebbing ~ Episode Six ~ The Curse: An Unforeseeable Ebbing ¡°Terra¡¯s my sister¡ªyour daughter, for God¡¯s sake!¡± Prince Jarem Sufocus¡¯s war hammer came down upon the impenetrable-jaggedness of the Black King¡¯s serrated broadsword. They exchanged parries in an intense toe-to-toe duel, dancing with passionate hatred for each other. The Cathedral of Lions¡¯ chapel was their arena. ¡°Terra is the icon of the world¡¯s purification, my son!¡± uttered King Viktor Sufocus within the inky shadows of his hooded cloak. No matter how hard Jarem glared into that black abyss, the face of his father¡ªthe once Kind King of Leola Country¡ªwas forever obscured by darkness, now. Jarem¡¯s Star Warriors¡ªArissa, Faran, Relina, and Obiere¡ªfound themselves helpless spectators to the fight, suspended high up above the pews by an invisible force that pinned their bodies against the cathedral¡¯s walls and stain glass windows¡ªthe work of black magic. King Sufocus¡¯s Kenah¡¯dai-controlling black magic. This fight, this final battle, was between father and son, only. The fate of Terra Leigh Sufocus¡ªthe fate of the world as they knew it¡ªwas dependant on the victor between their clashing weapons. ¡°You¡¯re a demon! I¡¯ll kill you!!¡± Jarem promised. ¡°Warrior of Fire! You have already failed.¡± Meanwhile above them¡ªFather Eric Lodoss and Lakmir the Elf scampered along a catwalk, each carrying a single Mage Staff, careful to not take the notice of the Black King or any of his minions that might be lurking nearby. ¡°Here.¡± Father Lodoss stopped to raise his Mage Staff overhead. He thrust down into the floor, the staff¡¯s spiked end sinking into the tile like a knife through warmed butter. Lodoss twisted the Mage Staff in both hands, locking it in place. In an instant, the ruby crystal bound to its head throbbed to life with crimson-glowing heartbeats. This was a reaction to identical palpitations that emanated from the pair¡¯s first Mage Staff, set up within the organ loft above where the Star Warriors struggled to free themselves of their magical bonds. ¡°Master Lodoss, let me aid Prince Jarem while you prepare the final staff,¡± said Lakmir. She withdrew the Mage Staff she carried around her shoulders and passed it off to him. ¡°I must find Lady Terra!¡± ¡°Lakmir, wait¡ª!¡± But she had already hopped over a railing that dropped down into the main area where Jarem and his father fought. Lakmir shuddered at the sight of them exchanging hate-fuelled blows¡ªthen turned her attention to the unheard wailing of an infant. Lady Terra. The baby¡¯s cries led the Elf up a set of steps near the rear of the chapel, towards a marble altar that oversaw the battle at-hand. At the foot of the altar lay the corpse of a headless goat crumpled in its own gore. Lakmir¡¯s gaze flicked to the altar¡¯s robed surface. It bore a single copper basin, spattered in blood. From within, a tiny fist slowly rose into view, clutching for the rafters. Lakmir leapt over the cadaver, slamming down her hands on either side of the basin. Before her squirmed a runty-looking three-month-old. The infant¡¯s alabaster skin and ginger tufts were smeared with blood that was not her own¡ªwhat looked like a ritualistic act. ¡°Lady Terra¡­¡± The sound of the Elf¡¯s voice calmed the child. Her eyelids fluttered open and she stared up at Lakmir with impossibly natural apple-red irises, cooing happily. The Eyes of the Devil Goddess¡ªThe Child of Destiny. She, who could bring Restoration to the world. Or, Annihilation. ¡°My precious liege, oh¡­¡± Lakmir scooped the infant into her arms. ¡°¡­What have they done to you?¡± Behind her, a figure in a grinning porcelain mask appeared from the shadows of the back sacristy. A sudden blow to the side of Lakmir¡¯s head dropped her to the floor in an instant. Pale claws slid the blood-spattered child, squirming and whining again, out of the Elf¡¯s unconscious grip. ¡°Shh, shh, there, there ... It¡¯s time to go now, Lady Terra...¡± The porcelain-faced man hoisted her against his shoulder and slipped back within the shadows. ¡°My beloved Ghetta will ensure us a safe journey¡­¡± Below the altar steps, the Black King knocked Jarem¡¯s war hammer clean to the floor and lunged upon his son before any chance of evasion could be had. Sufocus clamped down a mammoth gauntlet overtop of Jarem¡¯s head, leaving only his mouth exposed to scream agony. ¡°Jarem!¡± cried Arissa. She struggled against the invisible force that kept her and the other Star Warriors pinned in place high up against the cathedral walls. But the strain only wore the war-princess down. She let out a sob of anger, blood-spittle flecking from her lips. ¡°We¡ªwe have to¡ªdo something!¡± Faran croaked. Beside him, Obiere grunted behind a sweat-dotted sheen of lungs-crushing torture. ¡°Stop it, King Sufocus¡ªhe¡¯s your son!¡± Relina begged him through endless tears. ¡°For God¡¯s sake¡ªhave you no mercy?!¡± ¡°Star Warriors!¡ªMy daughter¡¯s clutches on this pathetic world is imminent! Soon, the Kenah¡¯dai and all the lands beyond Atrea will be mine! This is prophecy! And it shall commence!¡± With a rumble of laughter, King Sufocus hoisted his son in the air by the face, letting him dangle. He tilted a curious look, observing the thin trails of blood that ran down Jarem¡¯s anguished features. ¡°P¡ªplease¡­¡± Jarem croaked. ¡°T¡ªTerra¡­¡± ¡°There is no other way to proceed, my boy.¡± Sufocus declared. ¡°I must end you.¡± His metallic claws clamped down on Jarem¡¯s skull. A crunch deafened the cathedral. Shrapnel made of bone and brains flew, and the Warrior of Fire¡¯s struggles went limp. Arissa screamed. ¡°Jarem!!¡± Eri awoke with a start. Her apple-eyed reflection stared back at her, gasping with fright, in the closet mirrors at the end of her bed. ¡°Just a nightmare ¡­ just another nightmare¡­¡± She took a deep breath and ran fingers through her sweat-matted hair. Then, buried her face into her hands to shake off the jitteriness of frail nerves. Why was this happening? It was then that a peculiar stickiness between the sheets caused her to turn a downward gaze. Eri froze, all warmth in her face draining with horror. She was sitting in a pool of blood. It had leaked through the thighs of her pajama pants, staining her linens and the underside of her Hello Kitty comforter. Eri screamed murder at the top of her lungs. Hurried footfalls sounded out in the hall towards her bedroom. The door broke almost clean off its hinges when her parents barreled through. From the look of their wrinkled sleepwear and tousled hair, this had been their wakeup call. ¡°Eriya, what¡ª¡± Her father Ken froze in mid-stride. ¡°¡ªWhat¡ªwhat did you do to your bed sheets?!¡± Helen swooped past her husband, fuelled by maternal adrenaline. She snatched Eri by the shoulders, who now cowered against the corner of her bed with the comforter crumpled in a heap on the floor. ¡°Eri, what¡¯s going on? What happened?!¡± The words that followed tumbled out of Eri¡¯s mouth in what could only be described as a stark-raving train wreck. Between crackling sobs and desert-dry hiccups, she tried in desperation to relay the string of medieval nightmares to her mother¡ªthe magical war hammer she had summoned from a necklace the night before. The fifty-foot Monster made of oozing eyeballs she¡¯d fought with it, and Sealed into a little glass tennis ball. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Whatever remained of Helen¡¯s drowsiness folded into realization for what was really going on¡ªwhat had happened in the night. And with the realization came impatience for her daughter. ¡°Honey, everything¡¯s fine. You¡¯re okay¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not okay! I¡¯m dying!¡± ¡°Eriya Marie. You¡¯re not dying. Calm down. You¡¯ve just had your first¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to calm down!¡± Eri screamed at her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you listening to me?! You never listen to me! I¡¯m not fine! I¡¯m¡ª¡± Helen slapped Eri across the face, shocking her into silence. ¡°A woman, now,¡± she snapped. ¡°So stop making a fuss and act like it.¡± ~ Eri nuzzled her chin against her knees from where she sat curled up on the toilet after a much-needed shower. She was wrapped in a giant pink towel, most of it draped over the seat, with what felt like a sack of bricks in her guts. She pondered the blood-stained pajamas laying on the floor by the tub. Why¡­? She thought back on the fight with Kyupo the night before. Its thousand eyes all upon her amidst the destruction on the arboretum. The deafening screeches it made while trees exploded all around Eri, mowed down with shrapnel made of bark and branches. The heaviness in her guts shifted like boulders. Nausea followed. She groaned from the discomfort. Maybe this wasn¡¯t ¡­ it. Maybe this was just ¡­ an injury ¡­ from fighting the Monster¡­ Eri buried her face against her knees. No. That was stupid. The forest had repaired itself after the battle. There were no wounds to be had from Sealing the Monster. Eri had gone to bed the night before, fit as a fiddle, and feeling good about her conquest in the arboretum. Her victory as a Monster Sealer. Her birthright as the Warrior of Fire. This wasn¡¯t an injury at all. This was something far worse. Revulsion shivered through her. Why now? Why on the day she and Macks were supposed to give their class presentation? Why today? Eri fought back fresh tears that stung with confusion¡ªbetrayal. Why didn¡¯t they warn me it was gonna be like this? There was a bang at the door. ¡°Hey, get out of the bathroom! You¡¯ve been in there for like an hour already!¡± It was Noah. ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a second.¡± Eri mashed her palm against a tired eye and turned her attention to the small window above the toilet. A pair of mated doves appeared to her outside the sill. The doorknob rattled. ¡°What are you doing in there?! I need to get ready for school!¡± ¡°So do I!¡± Eri snapped. ¡°I said I¡¯ll be out in a second!¡± She listened as Noah stormed away. Probably back downstairs to the basement where his bedroom was. Probably to wash his hair in the laundry basin. Eri raked fingers through still-damp hair. She dropped a dour gaze upon the box of menstrual pads laying just off the edge of the sink alongside a folded pair of clean underwear. A box of menstrual pads her mother had sent her into the bathroom with¡ªwithout instruction. Without any words of wisdom. Without reassurance. You¡¯re a woman, now¡ªso act like it. Eri caressed the flesh where her cheek still stung. The sack of bricks in her guts wavered into painful contractions, a sudden need to urinate. She sniffled. The sight of the half-empty box was a hateful thing¡ªwhat it meant for her life going forward. But what she hated most of all about it was her mother, for acting like this whole situation was ¡­ no big deal. Like it was Eri who was overreacting. Like it was her fault this happened. Like waking up covered in blood was just another inconvenience for Helen Seruma to deal with. And then her father. Angry that the bed sheets had been ruined. Angry that he might have to buy a whole new set. Like it was her fault this happened. Eri wiped away tears. She snatched the pads off the counter, praying for a new set of parents. ~ ¡°¡­And until the Atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, the Halifax Explosion was considered the first most horrific bombing in history.¡± Shinji pointed to an aftermath image displayed through a projector. ¡°Thank you.¡± He gave Evan a small nod, cuing his best friend to flick the lights back on in the classroom. Ms. Youse, the eighth-grade teacher at Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary, let a rare smile of approval cross her youthful lips from where she sat in the front row among her students that day. ¡°Very good, boys,¡± she said over the class¡¯s half-hearted claps. ¡°Now, if you¡¯d please hand in your rubric ¡­ thank you, Shinji.¡± From their desks at the back corner of the room, beside the computer station, Eri and Mackenzie paid little attention to the goings-on at the front of the class. They were busy catching up. ¡°Shinji filled us in on what happened last night,¡± Macks explained. ¡°Said you Sealed a Monster all on your own! That¡¯s really cool, Eddi-chan! Sorry I missed it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. It was awful.¡± ¡°Nothing as awful as this morning, I bet. Welcome to the club: you¡¯re finally cursed.¡± Eri moaned, thumping her forehead against her desk. ¡°I can¡¯t believe your mom made you come to school today, though.¡± Mackenzie ran delicate fingers through the lushness of Eri¡¯s hair. ¡°At least she let me come to school late.¡± ¡°Still. Hey, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do the talking. Then we¡¯ll go for ice-cream and hang out at my place, ¡®kay?¡± ¡°You¡¯re buying. I want five scoops.¡± ¡°But of course. It¡¯s your initiation! Bet your mom¡¯s got a big ol¡¯ cake waiting for you at home.¡± ¡°Ew, don¡¯t say that¡­¡± Ms. Youse called to them. ¡°Mackenzie Thompson, Eriya Seruma¡ªare you girls ready to present today?¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Youse,¡± Macks answered. ¡°We¡¯re ready.¡± Eri groaned. The girls gathered their materials and headed to the front of the class. Eri stole a peek from where Shinji and Evan¡¯s desks sat by the hallway door, a row that inwardly-faced the classroom. Shinji wasn¡¯t even in his seat yet, instead wrestling his Bristol board into a garbage bag along with other paperwork. His broken nose from the night before was currently held in place by a flurry of self-applied gauze and bandages. Beside him, Evan waved hello to Eri, grinning from ear-to-ear in his classic Evan Williams way. Eri offered him a weak smile against the vice grip of fresh cramps. ¡°Ahem¡ªWe¡¯re gonna talk about the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and its impact on the Canadian Economy going into the ¡®30s,¡± Mackenzie informed the classroom in her best professional tone. She gave a toss of her long blue-black hair and motioned to their slightly-torn Bristol board, which Eri had hung on hooks above the blackboard. ¡°Even though you¡¯re all making notes, we went ahead and photocopied a brief summary of our presentation for everyone.¡± A few kids in the room let out relieved sighs. To make sure everyone paid attention, Ms. Youse had instructed the students to take down notes of each presentation. Notes which she would look over and mark for accuracy. ¡°I want a copy handed in with the rubric at the end of your presentation,¡± she coolly requested as Eri wobbled by with a stack of photocopied papers. Mackenzie dove right into their presentation: ¡°The Great Depression, or ¡®The Dirty Thirties¡¯, was a world-wide economical crisis. In America, The Great Depression happened on October 29th, 1929, which is known as ¡®Black Tuesday¡¯...¡± Eri forced herself along a track between desk rows, handing out copies of the notes she¡¯d typed up over the weekend. She focused on Mackenzie¡¯s words as best she could to block out the intensity of her body¡¯s newly-acquired contractions and the bloating that tagged along for a ride. Mackenzie was notorious for being loud and blunt, sometimes crude. It was amusing for Eri to hear her best friend try to keep a professional and knowledgeable tone. Regardless, she was grateful for Macks¡¯ bravery in front of the class today. ¡°Thanks,¡± Shinji said when she passed by. He¡¯d been staring at Eri the whole time. ¡°Welcome,¡± she murmured. ¡°How¡¯s your nose?¡± ¡°Kills. But still attached.¡± Eri offered a sympathetic smile and continued on her way. She passed off the last of the notes to Dana Gardner at the end of the row and waited by the door for her cue to get the lights. ¡°Most families were left destitute,¡± Mackenzie went on. ¡°Many rich people actually committed suicide, because they couldn¡¯t bear to live with such a gran ¡­ gran ¡­ um ¡­ gran-dee-ose financial loss. Ahem¡ªNow, to show you just how bad The Great Depression was, here¡¯s a clip from the cinematic classic, The Grapes of Wrath.¡± On cue, Eri flicked the light switch and helped Mackenzie wheel a metal unit supporting the weight of a large TV to the front of the class. She had no idea if the movie really was a cinematic classic¡ªit¡¯d just been a title her dad picked out during a Friday-night trip to Showtime Video. Mackenzie squeezed the tape out of its protective plastic slip and pushed it less than gently into the hungry VCR. The word ¡°Play¡± appeared in the upper right corner of the illuminated TV. Tracking lines skittered across the footage Eri had chosen, then faded away after a moment. The video clip rolled on in peace, showcasing hundreds of American citizens from every walk of life migrating cross-country, all for the golden opportunity of high-paid work in sparse supply. ¡°Holding up okay?¡± Mackenzie whispered. Eri grimaced, shifting on her heels. ¡°Feel like I wanna die. And pee. Both. ¡± ¡°Hang out with our new ¡®friends¡¯ long enough, you just might get your wish,¡± Mackenzie said, referring to the Monsters. ¡°Dying, I mean. Dunno about the peeing part. Hey, um¡ªby the way, Shinji says he wants to meet tonight. Debrief, whatever that means. Wanna go?¡± Eri peered out the window on the opposite side of the classroom, where melting snow rained over the wall-length pane from the eaves. The sun made the sky look a peculiar shade of orange, casting shadows over the nearby water tower and church steeple. She shrugged. Revisiting the previous night¡¯s fight with the Monster of Velocity was the last thing Eri wanted to do. But it was either that or potentially walk in on her mother carving a huge ¡°Happy First Menstruation¡± cake, while recounting all of the gory details to Nana Ferguson over dinner¡ªlike it were just another one of Eri¡¯s track-and-field wins to tuck away in her craft room hutch. No, that wasn¡¯t right. Who was Eri kidding? Coals of pain raked across her heart. Her mother didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna go anywhere,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna go to Shinji¡¯s house. I don¡¯t wanna go home. I don¡¯t wanna go anywhere¡­¡± Episode 7 - A Shadow of Shoes to Fill: A Cold Pack For the Heart ~ Episode Seven ~ A Shadow of Shoes to Fill: A Cold Pack For the Heart Eri stood paralyzed, trying to read all the labels displayed on the aisle shelves before her. She barely noticed the biting frost of her neglected slushy cup as she faced a tower of seemingly endless feminine hygiene products. The local pharmacy itself was cold¡ªnot in temperature, but in nature, with its sterile walls and waxy-pale linoleum. Fluorescent lights hummed overhead. The place smelled like old people. Mackenzie appeared at Eri¡¯s side from the opposite end of the aisle, noisily slurping away on a slushy straw with a box of tampons loose in her grip. ¡°Look at all of these,¡± Eri said, overwhelmed. ¡°¡­There¡¯s a kind for night-time, a kind for day-time, a kind for when it¡¯s just around the corner. Oh my gosh, there¡¯s even one for when you¡¯re pregnant?! I didn¡¯t know it could happen when you¡¯re pregnant!¡± ¡°Those are postpartum pads, hon. For after you have the baby.¡± Eri felt queasy at the thought¡ªamidst the queasiness of everything else already going on inside of her. She plucked free another box, inspected the label. ¡°This one has wings¡ªwhatever those are¡­¡± Mackenzie tugged the end of her straw with a hollow gurgle. ¡°How did you literally not know this was going to happen? We all had Sex-Ed in grade six. Your school in Borden didn¡¯t have that?¡± ¡°Noah and I were home-schooled the couple years we were there, remember? We had no idea what was going to happen with Dad over Kosovo, and after everything with Medak Pocket and Bosnia¡­¡± ¡°Wait, are you serious? Your mom didn¡¯t prep you, like at all?¡± Mackenzie stared at her with slacked-jawed horror. Eri supplied a helpless shrug. ¡°Religious conservatism aside, how did she expect you to deal with this without the talk? My mom doesn¡¯t give half-a-dozen cat farts about me, either, and even I got the talk¡ªon top of Sex-Ed and everything. You¡¯re thirteen, for shit¡¯s sake!¡± ¡°I mean¡ªI kind of knew what it was, from like whenever you got yours, I guess¡ªbut I didn¡¯t know it was gonna be this bad, you know?¡± She sighed and continued in a tone that began to quaver. ¡°I guess mine started in the night¡ªI woke up from another bad dream and ¡­ thought ¡­ I thought ¡­ Macks, I thought I was dying. Like, blood was everywhere. And Mom, she ¡­ she just¡­¡± You¡¯re a woman now¡ªso act like it. Eri wiped away fresh tears, murmuring, ¡°I just¡ªI feel so humiliated.¡± Mackenzie nodded sympathy, then nudged her with the tampons she found. ¡°Here, this one¡¯s got a calendar¡ªhandy, trust me. Eddi-chan, I can understand feeling humiliated. But, if anything, you should be angry.¡± Eri took the package, sighing, and together the girls wandered over to the checkout counter. She reached into the back pocket of her jeans for the ¡°special boost¡± in allowance money Helen had given her that morning. ¡°This is so embarrassing¡­¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t believe she made you come to school today. What a dick move.¡± Eri wrinkled her nose at Mackenzie, confused by the statement, as she paid for the transaction. The clerk handed her back some change, as well as the tampons wrapped in a discreet plastic bag. ¡°Thanks for doing this with me ¡­ It means a lot.¡± Mackenzie caressed her shoulder, guiding her towards the doors. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you that ice-cream, huh?¡± ¡°Five scoops, remember. Your treat.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Eddi-chan. I got you.¡± ~ ¡°Momma, we¡¯re back!¡± Mackenzie called out. A brick wall of tobacco and marijuana struck Eri as soon as she passed through the front door of Mackenzie¡¯s townhouse, which opened into a filth-ridden kitchen. While loosening the ties of her knitted Hello Kitty winter hat, she noticed dirty dinnerware and cooking tools that lay piled near ceiling-high in the dual sinks. A flowery odor seemed to emanate from that area of the kitchen. As she leaned over to undo her low-cut converse sneakers, Eri instinctively reached out and grabbed onto the edge of what should have been a kitchen table¡ªbut looked like a monument of fast food bags and junk mail flyers. Four ratty-looking chairs worshipped around it. ¡°Sorry for the mess,¡± Mackenzie mumbled, closing the door behind her. Eri was used to it, knew well enough to not say anything. The sound of daytime television brought her gaze into an adjoining living room, where the air was thick and smoky. A faint and ragged cough sounded from the couch that faced the TV, where Maury Povich was doing his regular song-and-dance about pregnancy tests over the ruckus of his studio audience. A weak voice wavered from the couch. ¡°Muh ¡­ Muh¡¯kenzie¡­? Who¡¯s¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just Eri, Mom.¡± She kicked a plastic three-step stool across the kitchen, where it bumped against the fridge. ¡°Here¡ªI¡¯ll grab you a bag of peas.¡± ¡°Hi, Mrs. Thompson!¡± Eri called into the living room. Her brow furrowed at Mackenzie. ¡°Peas?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± She slapped the freezer door shut with a bag of frozen No Name brand peas tucked under one arm, and hopped down from the stool. ¡°Twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off. Thank me later.¡± From the shadows beneath the kitchen table appeared a scrawny black cat, attracted by the scent of new company. It wound around Eri¡¯s denim-clad legs with deep purrs that worked its bony ribs like a bellows. Eri giggled, stroking down the feline¡¯s jagged backside. ¡°Hiya, Luna.¡± ¡°C¡¯mere, you,¡± Mackenzie said, scooping the cat up into her arms. She passed along the bag of peas to Eri and buried her face into Luna¡¯s neck. Together, the girls headed up a set of stairs near the rear of the kitchen, where the second floor awaited. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Opening the door to Mackenzie¡¯s bedroom was like entering an alternate universe that hovered within the confines of the Thompson home. The gray carpet was unstained, the off-white walls lacked dents and scratches with two respective anime posters¡ªRevolutionary Girl Utena and Lum the Invader Girl¡ªthat hung perfectly and showed no signs of wrinkles or tears. On the dresser beside Mackenzie¡¯s closet was a stuffed Sailor Moon doll that propped up some make-up supplies, placed in order of brand and color. ¡°Is your mom doing okay?¡± Eri asked. She dropped her pharmacy bag and Hello Kitty backpack to the floor, plopping down on the bottom mattress of Mackenzie¡¯s bunk bed. She eased the frozen peas against her abdomen, wincing from the mix of bodily flourishes it induced. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Mackenzie muttered, hoisting Luna up to the top bunk through the rails. She then clicked her bedroom door shut and crossed over to a small bookcase beneath her window that housed a TV/VCR combo unit. Its shelves were all stuffed with manga and bootlegged anime recorded onto Kodak VHS tapes. She dropped to her knees and plucked free a video. ¡°Just been making a big deal about her fibro again. Do you remember which episode we¡¯re on?¡± The response, as dismissive as it sounded, was understandable. Unlike the Seruma family, who lived on the shoulders of the local electronics shop Eri¡¯s father owned and operated (not to mention his military pension), Mackenzie and her mom thrived off of a meager stipend graciously mailed out by the government each month¡ªand whatever child support her father felt like passing along, if any. If there was one thing Eri knew her best friend hated most about being an eighth-grader, it was that she wasn¡¯t yet old enough to legally work. It was tough, being a kid with a caregiver unable to even care for herself. However, that wasn¡¯t all¡ªor even the worst of it. But Eri knew deep down Mackenzie loved her mother, and would do anything for her. The girls spent the rest of the afternoon watching what Mackenzie referred to as fan subs¡ªbootlegged anime from her uncle who lived in the city. These were Japanese cartoons he¡¯d buy from the Pacific Mall with meticulously-translated subtitles distributed by dedicated otaku via underground means. As much as Mackenzie loved anime, she absolutely detested the dubbed English-broadcast versions of her favorite shows like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura, which had been censored and retranslated for both a younger and puritanical Western audience. Not only that, but officially-licensed anime was expensive, upwards of about forty-dollars or more per VHS tape, and usually only came with two episodes per volume, at best. But whenever her uncle came to visit, Mackenzie got stacks of pre-recorded Kodak tapes just chock full of the stuff she loved¡ªshoujo mahout¡ªor, magical girl anime. It was better this way. When it came to shoddy English versions, the censorship of romantic relationships¡ªespecially those between same-sex characters¡ªannoyed Mackenzie the most. That of Outer Senshi Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune came to mind, who were rewritten in Sailor Moon¡¯s English dub to that of essentially kissing cousins. But Mackenzie¡¯s biggest bone of contention was the utter deterrence of subtle romantic undertones Tomoyo Daidouji shared for her best friend, the title character of Cardcaptor Sakura. Not to mention a plethora of other romantic arcs featured in the series. Mackenzie never went into too much detail as to why these changes bothered her so much except for an adamant, ¡°It¡¯s not how they are in the original!¡± But Eri knew how sensitive her best friend felt about these topics and did her best to divert attention whenever the shows¡¯ English versions came up at school. She studied a sequence of Sakura Kinomoto summoning her Staff of the Seal that currently played out on Mackenzie¡¯s little TV and mentally wandered back to the fight with Kyupo, the night before. A giant mound of oozing eyeballs that zipped and cut through the air at lightning speed¡ªfaster than Eri could ever imagine, considering her own record as a track-and-field athlete. The Monster was so grotesque in nature compared to the cutesy humanoid Clow Card entities any Cardcaptor found herself contending with. Eri watched the Sealing Staff grow to full size in Sakura¡¯s grasp from that of a tiny wing-shaped key. The Fire Pendant around her throat swelled with warmth. ¡­Unlock that which is your birthright as a Star Warrior¡­ The Fire Hammer was massive, despite its feather-light weight. She imagined spinning it around, tossing it in the air and catching it again, much like Sakura did when emulating a baton with her own magical weapon. Eri giggled at the thought. The episode drew to a close. The Clow Card was Sealed in a matter of thirty seconds or so. The world was safe again. And Sakura was embraced by her best friend Tomoyo as rivals Syaoran and Meiling Li glared at them from the sidelines. A sniffle sounded. Eri glanced from where she lay on the bottom bunk with her coveted frozen peas. Macks was curled up on a pillow on the floor, her attention fully consumed by the events on the TV. She reached for a nearby box of Kleenex and wiped her eyes and nose. An emotional shudder went through her. ¡°¡­This show makes me so happy.¡± Eri couldn¡¯t help but let a tender smile bloom. The phone on the bedside nightstand bra-a-a-ng to life, startling both girls. Mackenzie paused the video and crossed the bedroom to snap the phone up off its cradle. ¡°Moshi moshi, Thompson residence.¡± She blinked, eyed Eri with a concerned look. ¡°Oh, hey. Yeah, she¡¯s here.¡± Eri shuddered. ¡°Is it my mom?¡± Mackenzie shook her head and rolled on talking into the receiver without skipping a beat. ¡°Eri¡¯s not feeling well¡ªNo, she¡¯s not contagious.¡± She paused, then growled with annoyance. ¡°Listen here, Shinji Izuma! You can¡¯t just dump all this stuff on our plate and then expect us to drop everything because you say so¡ªWe. Have. Lives.¡± Eri sighed. They were arguing about the meeting Shinji wanted to have this afternoon. She plucked a picture frame from beside Macks¡¯ phone cradle. The encased photograph was a close-up on a young girl in her mid-teens, surrounded by trees on a summery afternoon. She was smiling over-shoulder at the camera with her wavy blue-black hair flowing with clumsy finesse. She was Amanda Thompson¡ªMackenzie¡¯s older sister. Every day, Mackenzie faced the constant chase to fit into Amanda¡¯s shoes. Shoes that would never fit. An impossible battle, the desire to even be seen¡ªrecognized¡ªin a home where the only truths visible to her mother were made of painful memories. Amanda¡¯s death had changed everything. ¡°Shinji, no. That¡¯s not fair. Listen, I know this thing is important to you, but you gotta realize¡ª¡± Mackenzie paused, cut off, and followed up with, ¡°Hey, you jerk! Just because I don¡¯t live in a big old fancy farmhouse with rich parents who let me get away with murder doesn¡¯t mean you get to talk to me that way!¡± Shinji¡¯s voice raised on the other end: ¡°You think that¡¯s what this is about?!¡± ¡°See you tomorrow. In school.¡± Mackenzie slammed the phone back onto the cradle. She flopped down next to Eri on the bed, fuming. ¡°God, I can¡¯t stand him¡­¡± ¡°Cut him some slack, okay? Shinji¡¯s autism makes him a little blunt sometimes.¡± Eri fidgeted on uncomfortable words. ¡°And, um ¡­ please don¡¯t say God like that.¡± ¡°Really, Eri?¡ªWhatever. Anyway, of course you¡¯d defend him. Just because he¡¯s autistic, or whatever, doesn¡¯t give him the right to be a total asshole.¡± Mackenzie peered over at the photograph in Eri¡¯s hands. ¡°He was trying to give me grief over his precious meeting I mentioned before.¡± Eri leaned against her. ¡°Your sister¡¯s so pretty.¡± Mackenzie exhaled a ragged sigh and nodded. ¡°Uh-huh. We¡¯d fight about the dumbest stuff, you know? So stupid now, thinking back on.¡± She wiped her eyes of fresh tears. Eri placed the picture back where it lived on the night stand. ¡°I know¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Eddi-chan. I¡¯m supposed to be the one cheering you up.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, Macks. It¡¯s not good to keep this stuff bottled. You always pretend like everything¡¯s okay when it¡¯s not.¡± Eri¡¯s slender artist fingers glided across Mackenzie¡¯s knuckles. She offered a sympathetic smile. ¡°Hey ¡­ It¡¯s okay to feel what you¡¯re feeling.¡± But Mackenzie pulled away from her, cheeks glowing. Then as though on cue, the VCR clicked, shutting down the tape they¡¯d been watching. The frozen image of Cardcaptor Sakura embracing her best friend Tomoyo vanished. ¡°Umm¡ªcome on. It¡¯s getting pretty late. I¡¯ll walk you home.¡± Mackenzie rose to a sudden stand and headed out into the hallway. Eri stared after her in a confused daze. Episode 8 - Enter Shiara!: Shinji, and the Guardian Beast of Water ~ Episode Eight ~ Enter Shiara!: Shinji, and the Guardian Beast of Water There were no gory details. There were no probing questions or awkward silences. Best of all, there were no skyscraper-high ¡°Happy First Menstruation¡± cakes waiting on the table like a proud centerpiece to be sliced up and divvied among Eri¡¯s family. There was only tuna casserole with a side of mushy peas. There was only the clinking of utensils and murmured small talk. There was only Nana Ferguson¡¯s dentures hanging in a glass of Alka-Seltzer. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty necklace,¡± Helen Seruma noticed from where she sat across from her daughter. ¡°Is it new?¡± Eri swallowed hard. The heat off the flame-shaped pendant seared against her throat. ¡°Um, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t remember you wearing it before.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your crucifix?¡± asked Eri¡¯s father, Ken¡ªless a question and more a trial. He readjusted a pair of glasses that always seemed to be slipping off the bridge of his thin, tanned, nose. ¡°You should be wearing that.¡± All eyes were on Eri now. Nana Ferguson leaned in beside her to have a closer look behind thick bottle-cap lenses at the magical necklace. ¡°Ohh¡ªit¡¯s very pretty, my dear,¡± she said. ¡°A present from a boy?¡± Eri¡¯s big brother studied her with a narrowed stare. Noah was nineteen years old¡ªtall and golden-skinned with broad shoulders despite an otherwise narrow frame. He was a perfect blend between his parents¡¯ Irish and Northern Italian genes, completely unlike his younger sister. ¡°What boy?¡± he asked, pointedly. Eri took a deep gulp from her glass of water to keep from answering the question. It didn¡¯t do much to hide the scarlet in her cheeks. Both father and son eyed her, now very interested in the necklace. ¡°Ohh¡ªso romantic,¡± cooed Nana dreamily, going back to the mush of peas and tuna strewn around her plate. ¡°A secret admirer¡­¡± ¡°Who, Eriya?¡± Ken firmly asked. ¡°N¡ªnobody. I mean, um, a friend. B¡ªbut it¡¯s not like that!¡± ¡°Not like what, young lady?¡± ¡°Ken, it¡¯s just a pendant.¡± Helen laid a hand over his knuckles, squeezed gently. ¡°Probably another hand-me-down from Mackenzie.¡± ¡°Better be a hand-me-down,¡± Ken muttered, stuffing a forkful of casserole down his gullet. He flashed a soul-stealing look at his daughter. ¡°Gentle reminder, Eriya, that you¡¯re still not old enough to date, understand?¡± ¡°Y¡ªyes,¡± she murmured, now stirring around the contents of her plate. ¡°Yes, what?¡± Eri squirmed with discomfort in her seat. ¡°Yes¡ªsir.¡± ¡°Good. This doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re suddenly a grown woman, just because you had your first¡ª¡± ¡°Ken. Drop it,¡± stated Helen. Eri mashed her palm into one eye, scrubbing furiously at the socket in a fit of embarrassment. ¡°Um, can I please be excused?¡± ¡°Finish your plate,¡± Ken said. ¡°You¡¯ve barely touched your dinner. I took a lot of care into making it. Just for it all to go into the garbage? Not in my house.¡± Helen flashed a shy look to her mother, who was sure to be too deaf to comprehend most of anything going on around the dinner table that night. ¡°Sure, honey. Just take your plate with you to the kitchen, okay?¡± Ken balked at her. ¡°Helen¡ª¡± ¡°Ken, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll wrap it up for later.¡± ¡°First what?¡± Noah asked Eri as she pushed away from the table with her untouched meal in tow. She avoided him with cheeks still rosy and headed into the kitchen on hasty steps. ¡°Nothing,¡± Helen spoke for her. ¡°Eat your dinner.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? I¡¯m just asking¡ª¡± ¡°Noah, listen to your mother.¡± Ken exhaled a stern sigh that avoided any eye contact. ~ Eri awoke to Shirley Manson singing Fix Me Now over the sound of someone banging on her window. She pushed up onto her arms, nudging away her headphones, to find Shinji squatted in darkness outside the pane. The agitated expression on his face melted into instant relief. ¡°Oh my gosh, seriously?¡± Eri threw back her new blanket (and the hot water bottle for cramps that her mother had wordlessly passed through the door, earlier) and crossed the room to let him in. ¡°I have a phone, you know.¡± ¡°No time to call, had to come get you right away,¡± he said between deep puffs of air. His face glistened with perspiration desperately wiped away with the back of a sleeve. ¡°Come get me?¡± Eri wrinkled her nose. ¡°There¡¯s another Monster at Grover¡¯s Mill,¡± Shinji explained. ¡°Evan and Thompson are already there waiting for us. Come on.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Eri shivered at the thought of fighting another Monster. She picked up her Regina Lepue doll off the floor and tossed it back onto the bed where it belonged. ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t. My nana¡¯s here, and¡ª¡± When she turned back around, Shinji was right in her face. Eri inhaled sharply. Their noses nearly touched. She could almost feel his ragged breath on her cheek, the warmth radiating off his flushed skin. Their eyes locked. A firm coldness lingered behind Shinji¡¯s emerald irises, where deep pain and hard-set wisdom resided. His gaze pleaded Eri, begged the depths of her, as he panted for air. Nervous discomfort fluttered within Eri. She tried to swallow, her cheeks on fire. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Please, Seruma¡ªwe need you.¡± ¡°Shinji, I¡­¡± Eri forced herself to step away from him, massaging her beet-red face. ¡°¡­You said Macks is out there?¡± ¡°Yeah, with Evan.¡± He seemed oblivious to Eri¡¯s flustered state. ¡°We were on patrol tonight, thought it¡¯d be a good chance to show her the ropes. Then the Dowser went nuts.¡± ¡°Okay. Uh¡ªGimme a sec to change and¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time. We have to leave¡ªnow.¡± Eri regarded the two piece button-down Hello Kitty pajama set she wore. ¡°I¡¯ll freeze to death!¡± ¡°I guarantee you won¡¯t,¡± Shinji said as he started back out the window. Eri hesitated, watching him vanish into the night. It was then when she felt a warmth seep into her bedroom. With it, the pitter-patter of water off the eaves drain. The snow had given way to an unnatural balminess in the air. Shinji guided her down the side of the house, careful to navigate the steep-angled shingles, and descended her mother¡¯s wobbly vine trellis. Once they touched grass he began to rummage around inside his backpack. ¡°Here, stand back¡ªI¡¯m calling our ride.¡± Eri expected him to pull free a cell phone. To her surprise, it was an orange Mon-Orb that Shinji withdrew instead. He set it down on the ground and stepped away, gesturing Eri to get a safe distance farther back. She bumped into something. The ancient sword Shinji had used back at the library was stuck amidst her mother¡¯s petunia garden. He pulled the weapon free, shook loose damp soil and dead petals from its blade and leveled its tip with the Mon-Orb. ¡°Shiara, Beast of the Water Seal! Reveal yourself to me! Unleash the power of the elementals and show me your true form!¡ªR E L E A S E ! !¡± The Monster Orb started to glow and transfigure. Beams of radiance shot out into the night sky. Something took form in the light, swallowing up the glassy orb¡ªan animalistic shape that extended high above the kids¡¯ heads. The light dimmed. A four-legged creature about the size of a fire truck sat before them on hind legs. It looked kind of like an arctic fox with shimmering blue-silver fur. It regarded Shinji and Eri with ruby eyes. Icy breath passed its jagged teeth with every exhale. ¡°Oh wow¡­¡± The sight of it sent a ripple of wonder through Eri. The creature bowed its head when she approached, as though asking to be petted¡ªor exhibiting reverence. ¡°Shiara,¡± Shinji introduced her. ¡°One of the four Elemental Guardian Beasts.¡± Eri blinked at him. ¡°Elemental wha-a-a-a¡ª?¡± Shinji ascended the Monster¡¯s fur like a pro rock climber. He then leaned over to offer Eri a hand. ¡°It¡¯s said the Guardian Beasts are pure-hearted, sworn to protect the Child of Destiny. I believe it¡ªShiara¡¯s really just a big dog that can fly and breathe winter on everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ªkinda cool, I guess!¡± ¡°Part of the training you missed. We went over some of it with Thompson yesterday at my place. I was hoping to catch you up this afternoon, but I guess you weren¡¯t feeling well.¡± Eri went beet-red and nodded. She ran the flat of her palm over Shiara¡¯s fur, shivering to its cool touch. She blinked, straightened¡ª ¡°W-wait. Did you say fly?¡± ¡ªThen screamed when the Guardian Beast suddenly launched into the air. Shinji gazed into the cloudless night past Shiara¡¯s canine ears. His voice raised over the rush of the passing air around them, ¡°In the long run, the Monsters really want the same thing we do: to find and protect the Child of Destiny! It¡¯s just that King Sufocus has warped their perception a bunch!¡± Eri opened one eye and gazed down at the distant lights of Shorebrooke that helped lead the way to Grover¡¯s Mill. She buried her face against Shinji¡¯s back and clung tight around his middle to keep from falling. ¡°Most of the Monsters we¡¯re up against are brainwashed by powerful magic,¡± Shinji told her. ¡°Sealing them into Monster Orbs helps return them to normal¡ªthey want to help us!¡± ¡°F¡ªfor real?¡± ¡°Yeah! My Opa would freak if he knew I summoned Shiara like this! She¡¯s the only Kenah¡¯dai who¡¯ll release for me, and it¡¯s only ever been temporary¡ªI¡¯ve never been able to get her to remain in her pure form longer than an hour.¡± ¡°W-why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡ªwell, the spell is meant only for the Child of Destiny to invoke! That¡¯s because her magic¡¯s strong enough to cause a permanent effect¡ªand release multiple Kenah¡¯dai at once, and from both the Void and their Monster Orb states!¡± He paused for effect. ¡°Anyway, my understanding is that¡¯s why she¡¯s so important. Why we need to find and protect her from the Black King. You see, defeating the Black King relinquishes his brainwashing magic over the Kenah¡¯dai!¡± Eri swallowed hard. ¡°G-good to know¡­¡± ~ ¡°Yo! What took so long?!¡± Evan snapped. ¡°We have a Monster to Seal!¡± ¡°Sorry. Thanks for waiting, guys,¡± muttered Shinji when they¡¯d landed in the main area of Grover¡¯s Mill. He hopped off of Shiara¡¯s back and turned with arms outstretched to catch Eri. ¡°Where¡¯s it at?¡± ¡°Over by the theater,¡± said Mackenzie. She studied Shiara curiously from where she sat slowly swinging on a nearby swing set. ¡°Is that a giant kitsune? Can I¡ªcan I pet it?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course! Her name¡¯s Shiara.¡± ¡°What kind of Monster are we up against?¡± Eri asked. ¡°Cloria¡ªthe Monster of Radiance.¡± Shinji leaned against a tree, eyes closed as Mackenzie fawned over a very tolerant Guardian Beast of Water. ¡°Explains the snow all melting¡­¡± Eri blinked. ¡°Monster of Radiance? You think that why it¡¯s so warm out now?¡± ¡°Mmhm. Cloria joined Sufocus¡¯ ranks when her brother Zorfus, the Monster of Darkness, was brainwashed. Even though Cloria hated the Black King, she couldn¡¯t live without Zorfus. So, she sacrificed her free will to remain at his side.¡± His eyes opened to find Evan and Mackenzie staring at him like a crazy person. ¡°What?¡± Shinji raised an eyebrow. ¡°The Kenah¡¯dai were once worshiped as deities by humans. Quite aware of the world they inhabited before Sufocus messed everything up.¡± ¡°Uhh, okay,¡± Mackenzie said, stroking Shiara¡¯s snout. ¡°So, info-dump aside, what¡¯s the plan, you guys?¡± ¡°¡­Wait, you mean you stood around while I got Seruma, and neither of you came up with a plan?¡± Evan shrugged. ¡°I mean¡ªyou¡¯re the leader, right?¡± Shinji groaned, caressing his face in one hand. ¡°Evan¡­¡± ¡°Eddi-chan, do you have any ideas?¡± Mackenzie glanced to where her friend was last standing. ¡°Eddi-chan?¡± But Eri was nowhere in sight. Episode 9 - Wrapped in Tenderness: Cloria, the Monster of Radiance ~ Episode Nine ~ Wrapped in Tenderness: Cloria, the Monster of Radiance Branches bent for forward-moving feet clad in grass-stained Hello Kitty slippers, revealing a woman singing at the apron of an outdoor theater. Her body was a candle flame against the darkness of the conservation grounds as her melodic voice filled the night sky. Eri slowed at the edge of a tree line that opened up to the stage and its exposed rows of benches. She placed a hand against the trunk of a cedar to help balance the wooziness that swam between her temples. The woman¡¯s song had called her attention away from the others. It was a song unlike any Eri had ever heard before, in a language she¡¯d never heard before. But it was warm to the ears, soothing to the heart¡ªa lullaby. A patch of melting snow plopped to the ground from the branches of a nearby tree. Steam rose from the pile as it broke apart, shrank in place, until the dead grass beneath it absorbed everything within the soil. Eri watched the display, dumbfounded. It was as if this woman¡¯s song was ¡­ warming the weather, itself. Her fingertips grazed against the warmth of the Fire Pendant around her throat. She looked back over her shoulder towards Mackenzie and the others, in the distance. They were busy canvassing the area around the old windmill, calling Eri¡¯s name. Searching for her. Couldn¡¯t they hear the song, too? Couldn¡¯t they ¡­ A flood of vertigo washed over Eri. She shook her head, turned her focus back towards the stage. The woman glowing there was so radiant¡ªboth in grace and in presentation¡ªwith long sunflower hair that flowed around an endless gown of summery wonder. She met Eri¡¯s gaze in mid-verse. The lullaby off her lips exuded the warmth of a hillside meadow on an Easter afternoon. It was almost like this illumination was singing for Eri. Almost like the song was meant just for her. Eri could almost smell the bitter sweetness of invisible dandelions on the wind. She took a hesitant step towards the middle aisle that parted the benches like the Red Sea in a path that led towards the stage. Her fingers curled around the Fire Pendant. Was this a ¡­ Monster? The Monster that Shinji told them all about? The Monster of Radiance? This was no giant stone ouroboros that burrowed up through the library¡¯s Borrower¡¯s Services. Nor was this was any fifty-foot blob of flying eyeballs that bulldozed through the treetops. This was ¡­ ¡°Seruma! Where are you?!¡± ¡°Yo, ¡®Ree! Girl, where you at?¡± ¡°Eddi-chan! Please! Answer me!!¡± She glanced back towards the main area of the park. Shinji, Evan, and Mackenzie were calling her name, louder now. Frantic. ¡°¡­You guys ¡­ I¡¯m right ¡­ here¡­¡± But it was no use. The other Star Warriors couldn¡¯t hear her, and the strength to yell out to them just wasn¡¯t in Eri¡¯s energetic roster. She took a deep breath as the realization panged anxiety in her heart. Sealing this Monster¡ªif this woman even was a Monster¡ªwas up to Eri now. The aftermath of fighting Kyupo still lingered on her nerves. But she nodded, taking on the responsibility. My birthright. The song ended. Eri turned around to face the theater. The woman remained where she stood, wavering gracefully in place¡ªa candle in the night. Nothing could be as bad as fighting Kyupo. Nothing. Sleepy warmth enveloped the Warrior of Fire as she started towards the stage, only pausing against a nearby bench to wait out another wave of menstrual cramps. She grimaced through the pain and pushed onward. At least there was no accompanying migraine, this time. No, instead, the wooziness from earlier had been replaced with a soothing calm. A soothing, drowsy, calm. It flowed through Eri head-to-toe. She found a set of steps along the flank of the stage that brought her downstage right. The woman faced her. Waiting for her. Eri hesitated. She could barely make out the woman¡¯s features, the illumination around her so bright. She squinted, could barely make out the shape of the woman¡¯s tender smile, the softness in her marigold eyes. This couldn¡¯t be a Monster. It was impossible. ¡°Are you a¡­¡± Eri let her fingers fall from around the Fire Pendant. She took another step closer. ¡°¡­Are you an angel?¡± The woman¡¯s faint smile widened. She reached an open palm out to Eri, her fingers like wavering flames. As Eri inched forward, waves of warmth lapped against her skin, as though passing through an invisible barrier. The smell of dandelions hung stronger in her nostrils. Summery arms scooped around Eri¡¯s body. With it, a sigh of relaxation that coursed through her. She looked up to find the woman¡¯s gaze, a maternal tenderness she didn¡¯t know possible. This woman loved her. It was a love so overwhelming, so foreign. This woman, a total stranger, whose adoration was so intense that it literally radiated. A motherly tenderness Eri could only dream of. It was all she ever wanted. She melted into the embrace and broke down into heart-whelming tears. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Eri started to ask¡ªbut then felt the beat of sunshine against the back of her head. Her cheek found itself nestled into the woman¡¯s bosom. Dreamy comfort found her there. Gentle kisses planted across her crown. She began to drift to sleep. ¡°Lady Terra¡­¡± Eri slipped back into semi-consciousness alertness. Lady Terra. Someone else had called her that, too¡­ ¡­Someone else within these woods¡­ ¡­Someone¡ªwith a porcelain face¡­ ¡°Get away from her!¡± She looked up. But the rake of warm fingers through her hair caused Eri to drift asleep with seamless ease against her protector¡¯s embrace. Shinji made a mad dash towards the stage, yanking free his necklace from under the folds of his turtleneck. ¡°Element Earth¡ªR E L E A S E ! !¡± A gust of air formed around him as the Earth Pendant glowed to life. Its gold chain vanished, leaving only its tree-shaped pendant spinning in Shinji¡¯s grasp. It emitted an invisible force that pushed away his hands, allowing the pendant to remain on the air, weightless. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The dry gusts that consumed Shinji erupted into bristling winds that did not scratch his face or tear his clothes. A clay-colored sword hilt with flowing green tassels stretched into existence out one side of the pendant. Out the opposite end gleamed a broad-edged blade. Shinji took the Earth Sword into possession and raced towards the stage. He leaped at the woman, but an invisible dome of heat around both her and Eri sent him flying backwards with tails of steam off his flesh and clothes. Shinji struggled to a stand at the bottom of the stage. He cringed from minor scalds and swung his weapon at the radiant woman. ¡°Creeping Restraint!!¡± A torrent of vines let loose from his blade. They struck the barrier and burst into flaming ash in an instant. Shinji swore, galloped up the theater steps to downstage right, and began to hack at the barrier. ¡°Let her go!!¡± But the attack was to no avail. He stumbled backwards, gasping for breath on a desperate mental overdrive. A slow fog of realization dawned. He lowered the weapon, wiped sweat from his cheek. ¡°¡­You¡¯re the Monster of Radiance, aren¡¯t you. Cloria.¡± The confident recognition from such a small boy startled the woman. She studied him, the embrace around Eri tightening. Her gaze fell to the Earth Sword. ¡°You¡¯re not Princess Arissa,¡± she said. ¡°No,¡± said Shinji, then continued on careful words, ¡°but I am here to protect the Child of Destiny. Just like you.¡± Cloria¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°You¡¯re a ¡­ a Star Warrior?¡± Shinji nodded. ¡°Mmhm. A descendant.¡± Relief washed over Cloria¡¯s glowing features. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you should know my brother is here, too.¡± Shinji stiffened alert. ¡°Zorfus?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Cloria, clutching Eri tighter. ¡°I beg of you, Star Warrior. Please, don¡¯t let him take her.¡± ¡°But¡ªhow did you both escape the Void? How are any of the Kenah¡¯dai escaping?¡± But before Cloria could answer the question, Shiara, the Guardian Beast of Water, swooped overhead from high above the treetops and let loose a breath of a thousand jagged glaciers. ¡°No, Shiara, don¡¯t!!¡± Shinji screamed. ¡°Seruma¡¯s¡ª¡± Cloria crouched, shielding Eri, as the outdoor stage tore to pieces all around them. The invisible barrier of heat that encased them glowed with impact, vaporizing every lance of ice that tried to pierce it. Shinji swore, dove off the stage before the attack could turn him into sliced pastrami. Shiara landed on all-fours on what remained of upstage right. She snarled at Cloria, shoulders shivering as she crouched to ready a lunge attack. ¡°Shiara, stop it! I command you!!¡± Shinji cried, pushing up off the grass. Doesn¡¯t she sense Cloria¡¯s willpower? Can¡¯t she tell that Cloria¡¯s on our side?! He froze with realization: Shiara wouldn¡¯t stop. Wouldn¡¯t obey Shinji. Not as long as her true master seemed in danger. ¡°Shiara, wait!!¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s understandable,¡± said Cloria. She carefully laid Eri over the stage apron and rose to a guard over her. She stared Shiara down with hands wavering like candle flames at her sides. ¡°Why should a Guardian Beast trust me? I joined the other Kenah¡¯dai willingly. Selfishly.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not like them¡ª!¡± ¡°Protecting Lady Terra is the sole reason Shiara exists.¡± Cloria turned a weak smile to Shinji over one shoulder. ¡°It is why you exist, Warrior of Earth.¡± Shinji stared up at her, stunned. ¡°Shinji!!¡± He threw a look back to find Evan and Mackenzie coming down the center aisle on hot heels, their Elemental Pendants brandished. ¡°Hang on, brother! We¡¯re coming!¡± Evan said. ¡°Element Water¡ªR E L E A S E ! !¡± A gust of air formed around him as the Water Pendant glowed to life. The gold chain vanished, leaving only the teardrop-shaped pendant spinning in Evan¡¯s grasp. It emitted an invisible force that pushed away his hands, allowing the pendant to remain on the air, weightless. The humid gusts that consumed Evan erupted into gushing torrents of water that did not dampen his face or clothes. An aquamarine rod made of dried coral bubbled into existence out one side of the pendant. A trio of claw-like tines stretched into existence on the opposite end. The Water Trident. ¡°Get away from my best friend, you prehistoric cow!¡± Mackenzie fumbled with her own elemental pendant. ¡°How do I¡ªAgghh!¡± She tripped on an ankle and fell face-first to the ground. The pendant went flying out of her hands, landing a few feet away¡ªrevealing itself to Cloria. The Air Pendant. ¡°The other Star Warriors,¡± Cloria said hushed, surprised. ¡°¡­All children? But why are there are only three of you? You¡¯ll be no match against the Black King¡­¡± ¡°Stay back!¡± Shinji ordered them. ¡°Stay back my ass!¡± Mackenzie pushed up onto her arms¡ªher makeup was smeared from wet grass and dirt. ¡°That thing¡¯s got Eddi-chan!¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± he snapped. ¡°Cloria¡¯s on our side!¡± Evan faltered mid-step. ¡°Our side? Shinji, are you nuts?!¡± Cloria regarded the Guardian Beast edging closer on growling steps, and lowered to her knees at Eri¡¯s head. She cupped the girl¡¯s face and placed a single kiss upon her brow. With the kiss came a river of light from Cloria¡¯s lips that lapped over the unconscious girl¡¯s body head-to-toe. The radiance lifted Eri into the air, carrying her through the heat barrier with a harmless sizzling effect. Shinji grunted alert from where he knelt before the stage, stretched his arms out to catch Eri as she settled into his embrace. Evan and Mackenzie fell to their knees at his shoulders. ¡°Shinji!¡± ¡°Eddi-chan!¡± ¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± Shinji assured them both, breathless. The radiance that enveloped Eri vanished, leaving her unscathed and fast asleep. Cloria gazed upon Eri with doting eyes. She then regarded Shinji. ¡°You must understand, child, for it is only Lady Terra who can release this world of its anguish and her Kenah¡¯dai from the Black King¡¯s embrace. To ensure Viktor Sufocus¡¯ defeat, you new Warriors must unite as the Original Five did, so long ago. But heed warning¡ªdo not let hate rule the choices you must make.¡± Shinji blinked up at the Monster. ¡°Hate¡­?¡± ¡°Hate,¡± Cloria repeated. ¡°Hate is why the Original Five failed to destroy the Black King. Hate is what burned upon the Star of the Elements that fateful night. Hate is what became a flame snuffed out in an instant of anger. Hate is what disjointed the Star Warriors and sent Lady Terra to your world in the first place.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Black King¡¯s own son. The Warrior of Fire,¡± Shinji whispered, bringing Eri closer against his body. ¡°But what do you mean, they failed? I don¡¯t understand! Sufocus and the Kenah¡¯dai were all Sealed away in the Void¡ª¡± Cloria gazed sadly over the four of them. ¡°And here you are today: Children, fighting a war that should have been already won. Together, you can protect Lady Terra, but without true unity, you have already lost. I beg of you, holy knights! You must rebuild the Star of the Elements and seek out that which burns within your own hearts. Doing so will unite you against the Black King¡ªand grant you the power to destroy him, once and for all.¡± ¡°Seek out what burns in our hearts?¡± echoed Evan. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Baka! Isn¡¯t it obvious?!¡± snapped Mackenzie. ¡°She¡¯s talking about love, you idiot!¡± Shinji¡¯s chest tightened, fearful. ¡°¡­Love?¡± Cloria continued. ¡°So long as the Star of the Elements remains disjointed, you will die in vain protecting She Who Will Restore the World. All of you will. Star Warriors¡ªdo not let this happen. Do not let the Black King prevail!¡± ¡°You can count on us,¡± said Shinji. ¡°But¡ªwhat about you?¡± Cloria regarded the fullness of the crimson moon that hung above them that night. ¡°My fate has already been sealed. I leave the rest to you.¡± ¡°Sealed? Oh ¡­ right.¡± He struggled to a stand with Eri cradled in his arms. But Evan marched past with the Water Trident ready. ¡°Cloria! Monster of Radiance! I command you! Surrender your power to me¡ªnow!!¡± A wind kicked up around him that encapsulated Cloria whole. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the incantation. ¡°Please, Star Warriors¡ªI beg you: find Zorfus. Find my brother¡ªand lay his tarnished will to rest.¡± ¡°We will,¡± Shinji promised her. ¡°Please ¡­ keep our Goddess safe ¡­ Star Warriors¡­¡± Cloria¡¯s body dissolved into wavering liquid strands swept up in the winds cast by Evan¡¯s incantation. The outline of a glassy orb took form from nothingness before the Water Trident and filled with her essence until there was nothing left of the Monster of Radiance except for a yellow Mon-Orb that hovered on the air before the weapon¡¯s tines. Etched into its surface was an image of a woman of flowing grace who prayed on fiery knuckles. The winds died. The theater began to repair itself in an instant. The new Monster Orb dropped to the grass with a thud. But when Evan leaned over to grab it, the Monster Orb rolled away. He let out a cry of surprise, ¡°Hey! What gives, man?!¡± and grabbed for the Mon-Orb a second time. But it rolled further away from his rightful claim¡ªand then lifted into the air on its own accord. The Mon-Orb levitated past Evan¡¯s shoulder. He turned, brow furrowed. ¡°Shinji, the hell is it doing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± Shinji said, blinking. ¡°None of the others floated away.¡± The Monster Orb bobbled towards where he and Eri rested with Mackenzie. It hovered over them a moment. Then nestled into place between Eri¡¯s limp hands. ¡°No way!¡± Mackenzie gawked at the sight. ¡°¡­It ¡­ it chose her.¡± Episode 10 - Moonlit Shadows: Zorfus, the Monster of Darkness ~ Episode Ten ~ Moonlit Shadows: Zorfus, the Monster of Darkness ¡°Did your brain fall out or something, Shin?¡± Evan scoffed. ¡°You actually want us to wait for another Monster to show up? Come on, man, be real! ¡®Ree¡¯s barely got enough strength left as it is after that fight with Cloria!¡± Shinji sat beneath a poplar tree with Eri in his arms. Evan and Macks stood over him, fuming about the situation at hand. His gaze fell away from them, giving way to deep thought. Was it really a fight if the Monster gave up willingly? ¡°We can¡¯t leave. There¡¯s still a job to do. The other Monster needs to be Sealed.¡± ¡°Eddi-chan shouldn¡¯t have even been out here with us in the first place!¡± Mackenzie snapped at him. ¡°I told you she wasn¡¯t feeling well! And now because of you, she almost got killed by that Cloria Monster! She needs to be home. In bed. Trust me!¡± ¡°Cloria had no intention of hurting her.¡± ¡°Hah! Your Guardian Beast sure had other plans, though! Don¡¯t be stupid, Shinji. I want to take Eri home! You guys can handle this Zorfus thing on your own!¡± Shinji closed his eyes, feeling the weight of their disbelief at him. ¡°¡­We can¡¯t risk separating the group.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡± Evan hooked a thumb back towards a coffee shop across the street. ¡°Y¡¯all want anything?¡± Shinji shot him a glare. ¡°What did I just say?¡± ¡°Brother, you want me to take a wiz right here? I¡¯ll do it.¡± Mackenzie gagged. ¡°Ew! Evan! Don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Fine, go.¡± Shinji said. ¡°But be quick. And yeah, get Seruma something to help wake her up. I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Evan waved him off and headed away with fists jammed in his khakis pockets. Mackenzie plopped down beside Shinji and studied Eri with deep-set worry. ¡°Please, Shinji. I want to take her home. Why is that such a big deal for you?¡± ¡°I understand your concern, Thompson. Truth is, I¡¯m not comfortable facing Zorfus with Seruma in this state, either. But I¡¯d feel better knowing she has the energy to fly home on Shiara.¡± ¡°Shiara?! Just call us a cab!¡± Shinji scoffed. ¡°And risk getting you both into a car wreck because the driver might forget where he¡¯s going the moment Zorfus is Sealed? I don¡¯t think so. You remember the memory charm is in effect, right? In any case, how are you going to explain sneaking out to Seruma¡¯s parents if you pull up in a taxi?¡± Mackenzie frowned. ¡°She¡¯ll be okay,¡± Shinji assured her. ¡°Seruma¡¯s stronger than she seems. I wish you were here for the fight with Kyupo. I didn¡¯t see it because of my injury, but the look on her face when she returned from the arboretum¡ªyou could tell she gave it her all.¡± Mackenzie considered this for a time and nudged strands of hair out of Eri¡¯s sleeping eyes. ¡°She said fighting Kyupo was awful. A nightmare.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it.¡± Shinji felt Mackenzie¡¯s eyes on him searching for elaboration. But there was none to give. He stole a look Evan¡¯s way towards the coffee shop across the street. Sealing Monsters was a nightmare. A nightmare where the risk of causing long-term pain was real, no matter how much of the world around that pain repaired itself afterwards. The night Evan Sealed his first Monster was a reminder of this. Mackenzie fumbled for a pack of cigarettes from inside her cardigan. ¡°Whatever. How do you think we did on those history projects?¡± Shinji shook his head, returning to the now. ¡°Uhh¡ªOh. I thought you guys did a good job. Personally, I would have used To Kill a Mockingbird for the movie. But that¡¯s just me.¡± ¡°Who cares, so long as it gives us a pass. I can¡¯t sit through those old movies,¡± Mackenzie confessed. ¡°They¡¯re so boring. Eri got the clip, so I gotta give her credit for watching the whole thing.¡± Shinji watched her slide the pack open and unwrap the foil that covered the cigarettes. ¡°What do you get from those, anyway?¡± ¡°You wanna try one?¡± She waved a cigarette under his nose. When he refused, she stuck it between her lips and fished around for a lighter. ¡°There isn¡¯t much appeal. They taste like crap and make me feel about the same.¡± ¡°Then why do it?¡± Mackenzie sent him a side-long glare. ¡°Not judging,¡± he said. ¡°Just curious. Seruma doesn¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Shinji. Why do dumb kids do anything?¡± The aggravation in Macks¡¯ tone softened over the next patch of words. ¡°And no. My smoking doesn¡¯t bother her, not that she¡¯s ever mentioned¡ªI, um, I took up the habit after my sister died.¡± ¡°Your sister?¡± This startled Shinji. ¡°What happened?¡± Mackenzie scrubbed the back of her head, looking away. ¡°She¡ªwell¡ªit happened when I was eleven. Um¡ªThanksgiving weekend. Yeah. We were driving behind Amanda¡¯s boyfriend¡ªRoads were bad, vision was bad. Uh ... Big ol¡¯ transport through a red light. My mom and dad and me saw the whole thing.¡± ¡°Oh my God.¡± Heavy waves of sickness rolled over Shinji¡¯s stomach. ¡°That¡¯s awful. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Mackenzie shrugged. She made a sort of wall with one hand to protect the precious lighter flame and took a couple of puffs off her cigarette. ¡°It¡¯s fine. But that¡¯s why I started smoking. Helped with the stress. Still does, I guess. Mostly steal them from my mom¡¯s stash. Half the time she¡¯s too stoned to notice anyway.¡± ¡°Seruma knows, right?¡± ¡°Obviously. I tell her everything.¡± But Macks¡¯ eyes glazed with a sheen of lostness. ¡°¡­Almost everything.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shinji asked. ¡°I dunno. Sometimes stuff goes a lot deeper, Shinji. Stuff that just¡ªsits there and rots. Stuff you dunno if you can tell anyone.¡± She took longer drag from her cigarette and stared off into the distance. ¡°Stuff I dunno how Eri would react to. If she¡¯d even understand¡­¡± Shinji¡¯s gaze dropped to Eri snoozing in his arms. The smell of her strawberry perfume lingered in his nostrils, a bittersweet reminder of an identity still so secret to her. Guilt hardened around the waves of sickness in his guts. He nodded, grasping Mackenzie¡¯s logic completely. ¡°She¡¯s so sheltered,¡± Macks continued. ¡°You know how nuts her family is¡ªall that religious and military crap. Apparently her dad makes Eri call him sir? Ugh¡ªGrosses me out.¡± ¡°¡­Have things gotten worse?¡± ¡°Worse? Shinji, it¡¯s like she¡¯s a walking porcelain doll! I¡¯ve been to her house maybe twice, and I¡¯m happy to never go back¡ªI get enough of an earful second-hand. If Eri¡¯s parents aren¡¯t constantly at each other, they¡¯re constantly hovering over her. But then they¡¯re never actually there for her when she needs them.¡± Shinji nodded. ¡°That sounds like her parents. I suppose you¡¯ve met Noah, too.¡± ¡°OH¡ªHer freaking brother, right? Acts like Eri¡¯s third parent¡ªGod, it¡¯s the worst!¡± Mackenzie shook her head, drew a thin breath between gritted teeth. ¡°And, like, stuff happened today with her mom and I just¡ªit makes me so mad.¡± ¡°Seruma¡¯s really important to you.¡± Shinji observed this with a pang in his heart that mixed both regret and gratitude into a single ache. ¡°Eddi-chan¡¯s very important to me,¡± Mackenzie murmured from behind the safety of her kneecaps. ¡°She means more than anything to me, Shinji. More than she can ever know. I just want her to be happy.¡± He nodded. It was a fair desire to want. Mackenzie then asked, ¡°You guys used to be best friends, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Our mothers used to babysit for each other. Believe it or not, we actually met here at the park as preschoolers.¡± Shinji pointed her attention to a nearby jungle gym over by the old windmill, that acted as a playground centerpiece. ¡°Right over there.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve known Eri a long time,¡± Mackenzie mused. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Her moving away must¡¯ve been really hard. Kinda funny that fighting Monsters put you guys back on each others¡¯ radars.¡± Shinji hesitated, becoming very aware of Eri¡¯s weight in his arms. ¡°Things with Seruma are¡ªcomplicated.¡± ¡°Figured. But I¡¯ve seen you sneaking glances at her in class. It¡¯s pretty obvious she¡¯s on your mind,¡± Mackenzie said. ¡°Listen¡ªEri cares about you, too. I know things are awkward between you guys, but¡ªI dunno, maybe it¡¯s time to bury the hatchet. Maybe take her out for a slushy or something and talk, you know?¡± A startled grunt escaped Shinji. ¡°I think she¡¯d really like that.¡± Mackenzie¡¯s stare lingered, almost uncomfortably. ¡°She misses you. Told me, herself.¡± Shinji frowned. He said no more on the subject. Some time later, Eri roused with a quiet groan and nestled against the crook of Shinji¡¯s elbow. She gazed dreamily up at her friends. ¡°Nnnmm ¡­ Whu ¡®appen?¡± ¡°Well, hello, you! Welcome back to the land of the living.¡± Mackenzie offered her a tired smile, cigarette smoldering between two fingers. ¡°Cloria¡¯s Sealed,¡± Shinji supplied. ¡°Now just waiting on Zorfus to show up.¡± Macks winked at Eri. ¡°And looks like you got the best seat in the house, Eddi-chan.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Eri wrinkled her nose, confused, then caressed her forehead with a wince. Shinji didn¡¯t understand what Mackenzie meant either and helped prop Eri up between them both. ¡°Evan¡¯s gone to get you something warm. You were right, maybe pajamas weren¡¯t such a good idea.¡± He darted a look in the direction of the coffee shop. His gaze instead settled on a hulking figure made of pure shadow, standing within a burst of trees away from the main path. Mackenzie saw it too and bolted alert. ¡°Is that¡ª¡± ¡°Zorfus!!¡± Shinji gasped. The Monster¡¯s legs barely moved as he came towards the trio at an impossible speed, carried forward purely by the light of the moon cast against the ground. Zorfus raised both arms. What appeared to be an inky wheat scythe bubbled into existence where its hands should have been. It swung down at them. ¡°Get out of the way!!¡± Evan appeared in time to catch the shadowy weapon with the tines of his Water Trident. The parry gave his friends the narrow escape they needed. ¡°Damn,¡± Shinji muttered as he tugged Eri along by the wrist. He looked over-shoulder to find Evan engaged with the Monster now, trading blows back and forth, dancing a majestic warrior¡¯s dance. ¡°That was too close.¡± Mackenzie, who was at their heels, stopped to catch her breath. ¡°Thompson, what are you doing?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do this!¡± she declared. ¡°I always wanted to be in a shoujo mahou, but this is getting crazy! First that snake-thing at the library, and now this? That guy just tried to kill us! Sorry, Shinji, but me and Eri are out!¡± ¡°Are you for real?!¡± Shinji stared at her, stunned. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later! Right now, we gotta pull together and Seal that Monster!¡± ¡°No! Shut up! You can¡¯t make me!¡± Eri, who was now fully awake, watched in horror past Mackenzie as the Monster dispatched Evan into a patch of bushes like he were mere litter. Zorfus turned with his wavering scythe weapon and came forward on hostile strides. ¡°Oh, shit.¡± Shinji stumbled backwards, pulling Eri along for the ride. Mackenzie took one glance over her shoulder and bolted past them both. ¡°Thompson¡ª!!¡± A ripple flowed through Zorfus¡¯s shadowy body as it made its way towards them on a motionless track. The Monster melted into an inky stream that left a trail of brown, life-drained grass in its wake. ¡°Macks, watch out!!¡± Eri unclasped her Fire Pendant. ¡°Element Fire¡ªR E L E A S E ! !¡± A gust of air formed around her as the Fire Pendant glowed to life. The Fire Hammer formed in an instant. Eri snatched the elemental weapon out of mid-air and brought it down upon the inky stream as it flowed by her slippers. ¡°Zorfus, Monster of¡ªhuh?¡± A puddle formed beneath the flat of the hammerhead. The torrent rushed onward through the grass. Eri lifted her Fire Hammer away. A few droplets trapped beneath squirmed away to catch up with the rest. ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Shinji uttered. ¡°Seruma, look¡­¡± The flow of darkness was following Mackenzie¡¯s flight at a steady pace. Eri darted after her. ¡°Macks! Behind you!!¡± Mackenzie slowed beneath the glow of a lamppost, turning at the sound of her name, stumbling through an unexpected puddle. ¡°Oh, gross¡­!¡± ¡°Get out of there!¡± Shinji shouted. But it was too late. An ogre¡¯s hand of liquid shadow rose underfoot and closed its fingers around Mackenzie¡¯s little body. It stretched high above Eri and Shinji and threw Macks far into the distance, her screams of terror echoing across the night sky. Episode 11 - Roots of Yggdrasils Wrath: The Upending of a Stable Ground ~ Episode Eleven ~ Roots of Yggdrasil''s Wrath: The Upending of a Stable Ground ¡°Mackenzie!!¡± Eri shrieked. Zorfus¡¯s shadow-hand dove back into the pool of lamp-glow with a splash and, seconds later, coalesced back into a humanoid form. ¡°Element Earth--R E L E A S E ! !¡± A sudden gust of bristly air formed at Eri¡¯s backside. Shinji beat past her, dashing towards Zorfus with his sword at the ready. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that, you bastard!!¡± Zorfus grabbed Shinji by the arms and threw him headlong into a swing set gravel pit. The Monster turned to face Eri, considering her with a tilt of the head. Eri found herself once again forced to face down a Monster all on her lonesome. She shivered at the sight of Zorfus¡¯ wavering shape. Radiant eye slits burned through clouds of darkness that roved across an otherwise featureless face. She backed away on fearful steps. But Zorfus drew towards her. Each stride he took quaked in tune with waves of anguish between her temples and within her uterus. Eri raised the Fire Hammer in shaky hands, an attempt at a defensive stance. ¡°S-stay away¡ªo-or else, I¡¯ll¡­¡± She winced, caressing her belly through a flash of cramps. ¡°I¡¯ll ¡­ agghhh¡ª¡± Zorfus shot an outstretched arm at her¡ªthen doubled over when the Earth Sword punched through his midsection. What appeared to be roots and vines gushed from the blade¡¯s edges, binding the Monster in place. An arm locked around Zorfus¡¯ throat. Shinji¡¯s face appeared off-shoulder. ¡°Quick, Seruma! Seal it!¡± he cried out, dangling off the Monster¡¯s back. ¡°¡­R-right!¡± Eri recovered enough to prepare the Fire Hammer a second time. ¡°Zorfus, Monster of Darkness! By the oath of the Original Five, I command you! Surrender your power to me¡ªnow!!¡± Strong winds exploded around Eri that encapsulated both Zorfus and Shinji. Despite its struggles and cries of anguish, the Monster began to dissolve into wavering liquid strands swept up by the winds of Eri¡¯s incantation. The outline of a glassy orb took form from nothingness before the Fire Hammer¡¯s spiked tip. It filled with Zorfus¡¯ essence until there was nothing left of the Monster of Darkness except for a navy blue Mon-Orb, engraved with the image of a wispy shadow figure. The winds died. The new Monster Orb dropped to the wet grass with a thud. So too did Shinji¡ªface-first with a croak of pain. ¡°Shinji!¡± Eri tossed aside her Fire Hammer and rushed over him. She dropped to her knees at Shinji¡¯s side as he pushed up on shaky arms. The bandages that kept his already-broken nose in place gushed with fresh blood that drooled down his chin in thin strands. ¡°Oh my gosh! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He met her gaze with a grunt. ¡°G-good job.¡± From anyone else, the statement could be read as pure sarcasm. But Eri understood Shinji¡¯s clipped forwardness enough to recognize the awkward compliment. She almost couldn¡¯t help a smile at her broken mentor, but grimaced instead, and helped him to a stand. ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go find our friends.¡± ~ After fixing his nose with a compact first aid kit Shinji carried in his backpack, the pair found Evan nursing some scrapes within the thistle bush Zorfus had thrown him into. He was okay, save for some thorns that needed to be tweezed, and for the next while the Star Warriors broke into a dedicated search for Mackenzie. They swept the main area of Grover¡¯s Mill, high and low, like a trio of bloodhounds on a desperate hunt. They dared even the edge of the arboretum, though it was unlikely she¡¯d been discarded that far. As time passed, the search became a hopeless one that stretched on into the night. And the longer they searched, the more fearful Eri became for the fate of her best friend. Shinji stopped beneath a patch of Douglas firs. ¡°If I were thrown a hundred feet into the air, where would I land...?¡± ¡°¡­Above you, maybe?¡± came a weary voice. ¡°Macks!¡± Eri darted forward with Evan on her heels. Shinji looked up to find Mackenzie almost sixty-feet above him amidst a coniferous blanket near the top of the tree. ¡°Oh my gosh! Don¡¯t look down!¡± ¡°Um¡ªtoo late.¡± ¡°Yo, Supergirl! You all right up there?!¡± Evan called up. ¡°N¡ªnot exactly.¡± Mackenzie seemed in desperate need for a blood transfusion, she was so pale. ¡°I, um, I¡¯d like to come down now.¡± Shinji backed away from the tree to get a better look. ¡°Just jump, Thompson. We¡¯ll catch you!¡± Eri gaped at him in disbelief. ¡°Shinji!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not jumping, baka!¡± Mackenzie snapped. Her voice echoed on the distant lull of nighttime town traffic. ¡°Call your stupid flying dog or something! Right now!!¡± ¡°Y¡¯know Shin, maybe just leave her up there,¡± suggested Evan. ¡°Teach her not to touch a black man¡¯s hair, y¡¯know?¡± Mackenzie answered with a shrill, ¡°You¡¯re still mad about that?!¡± ¡°Shinji, please! Summon Shiara!¡± Eri begged him. ¡°I have a better idea. ¡± He unclasped his pendant and called upon the Earth Sword again. ¡°Thompson¡ªLet¡¯s make you some stairs.¡± ¡°Stairs??¡± Mackenzie cried. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let go¡ª¡± ¡°Not! Planning! To!¡± ¡°This might feel a little weird at first.¡± With a few graceful swoops, Shinji pointed the Earth Sword at the center of the tree. ¡°Come forth--Roots of Yggdrasil''s Wrath!¡± The Douglas fir started to shift and uproot all on its own. Mackenzie succumbed to a fit of hysteria. ¡°Wait! Shinji! What''s going on, what are you doing?! No! Wait!!¡± ¡°Macks!¡± Eri started towards the tree. ¡°Shinji, stop¡ª¡± ¡°Get back!¡± Shinji shouted at her and Evan. They leapt away from a string of roots that sprung free without warning and whipped the air like angry, soil-dripping, serpents. Others wiggled in the dirt to heave the entire tree on a deep backwards slant. Mackenzie sobbed at the top of her lungs. ¡°Stop it, you asshole! Just get me down like a normal person!!¡± Eri groaned at the sight of her best friend being thrashed around against her will. She buried her face into her hands. ¡°Oh my goodness ¡­ I can¡¯t watch this.¡± Raising his Earth Sword like a conductor¡¯s baton, Shinji guided the first set of roots up to where Mackenzie clung for dear life to the branches around her. They folded within the tree and began to entwine. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Eri dared a peek that became an awestruck stare. A set of stairs had appeared, made from the tree¡¯s own resources for Mackenzie to descend. Evan nudged her, grinning. ¡°Cool stuff, huh?¡± ¡°Come on down, Thompson,¡± Shinji said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°A-are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± Mackenzie hesitated, but after some time stepped onto the first riser down and pressed her weight to test its strength. It seemed sturdy enough. Eri rushed to the base of the stairs to meet her. What felt like hours passed as Macks made her way down to the others, slow and careful. ¡°H¡ªhow did you do that?¡± ¡°It''s called a Sub Elemental Crash; part of the magic of being a Star Warrior!¡± Evan explained. ¡°Pretty sweet, right? We can bend all kinds of stuff!¡± ¡°You and Seruma both have a lot to learn,¡± said Shinji. With a flick of his wrist, the tree returned to its natural state in a matter of seconds. ¡°Not bailing when people need you is the most important lesson.¡± Mackenzie averted her gaze, embarrassed. She nodded. But Eri flung at her, arms wide open. ¡°Oh, Macks! I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re okay!¡± ¡°Eddi-chan¡­¡± She clung to Eri, shaking through fresh tears. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Eri whispered to her. ¡°We were all scared.¡± ~ ¡°Thanks for walking me home. You really didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Nn ¡­ Yeah, I did.¡± Shinji trekked with Eri up her driveway. The lights were all out save for the glow against yolk-yellow walls within a lone window over the garage¡ªEri¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Shorebrooke¡¯s not safe at night. Anyway, it¡¯s no problem. I don¡¯t mind.¡± They went around the side of the house where her mother¡¯s vine trellis awaited. Eri started to hedge up the wobbly latticework. ¡°Well¡ªgood night.¡± ¡°Hey¡ªSeruma, wait. I ¡­ I just want to apologize.¡± Eri blinked, surprised. She lowered herself to the ground to give Shinji her full attention. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. For being hard on you before,¡± he continued. ¡°Back at my house yesterday, you had every right to think we were lying to you. Any sane person wouldn¡¯t blame you. Nor can I.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s okay. I¡¯m the one who should be sorry ¡­ about tonight, I mean. Wandering off to fight Cloria and everything. Guess I put everyone in a lotta danger¡­¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± It was Shinji¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°If¡ªif I hadn¡¯t have let Cloria drain my energy, Zorfus wouldn¡¯t have come after us the way he did. We would¡¯a had a better chance if I just stayed put.¡± Eri frowned at herself. ¡°Dunno why I wandered like that. Her voice was just so ¡­ pretty. I did try to Seal her, though.¡± ¡°Seruma¡ªyou did what needed to be done. And anyway, Cloria was on our side. What¡¯s important is that Zorfus was Sealed and the Child of Destiny is still safe.¡± Shinji raked fingers through his hair and sighed. ¡°Listen, if anyone should be sorry, it¡¯s me. I shouldn¡¯t have yelled at you like I did yesterday. I¡¯m just¡ªnot used to any of this yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Shinji,¡± Eri murmured. ¡°How, um ¡­ how long have you been doing this for? Sealing Monsters, I mean?¡± He shrugged. ¡°About a month. Solo for part of it, until Evan got involved. Still pretty new. I guess trying to navigate this ¡­ new normal ¡­ is stressing me out more than I thought.¡± ¡°I mean, that¡¯s fair,¡± Eri justified for him. ¡°We fight otherworldly creatures that legit try to kill us and use magical weapons to try and turn them into Pok¨¦balls. Sure, every kid¡¯s dream, I guess. But I mean, this is real. Feeling stressed by it all makes sense.¡± ¡°Suppose so.¡± Shinji grunted. ¡°I just ¡­ want to do the right thing¡­¡± ¡°I think you are.¡± But he didn¡¯t seem so certain. ¡°Do you remember when I went to Germany a few years ago? Just before you moved.¡± ¡°Yeah. For Christmas, right?¡± Shinji nodded. ¡°German New Year, actually. I got the Earth Pendant then. My Opa gave it to me. I didn¡¯t know anything about it, or what it could do. I thought it was just a necklace¡ªa present.¡± Eri wrinkled her nose. ¡°Your Opa made you do this?¡± ¡°He¡¯s too old to do it,¡± Shinji said, a little too quickly. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡ªI want to help him. It¡¯s my birthright to.¡± Eri studied him behind quiet eyes. There was something sad in Shinji¡¯s tone that didn¡¯t read just right. ¡°Hey, uh ¡­ What are you doing this weekend?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing.¡± Eri unconsciously, nervously, stepped up onto the trellis. ¡°W-why?¡± Shinji shifted on awkward heels, caressed his arm like there was a deep itch under the skin. ¡°Do you, uh, wanna hang out Sunday? I still need to fill you in on a bunch of Kenah¡¯dai stuff. I mean¡ªif you¡¯re not busy.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± She offered him a tender smile. ¡°Well, I have church in the morning. And homework. But¡ªokay. Yeah. I wanna learn as much as I can.¡± Shinji returned the smile on weak lips. He stepped away on hesitant heels. ¡°Well ¡­ see you in class.¡± ¡°See you. Walk safe, okay? Or fly safe. However you get home.¡± ¡°Heh. Goodnight, Seruma. Thanks again¡ªfor your help tonight. It means a lot that you came out to lend a hand.¡± Eri giggled. ¡°Yeah, of course! I mean it¡¯s my birthright, remember?¡± A knowing darkness glinted in Shinji¡¯s eye. He nodded, then turned away with hands jammed in his jeans pockets. ¡°Yeah.¡± When he was out of view down the road, Eri started the slow and careful ascent up her mother¡¯s trellis. She hedged careful steps across the shingles towards her open window and straddled the sill, ducking her head inside. ¡°Where the hell have you been?¡± Noah demanded. Eri tumbled into her bedroom with a sharp cry. Her big brother was on the edge of the bed playing her Super Nintendo. Waiting for her. ¡°Noah! What are you doing in my room?!¡± ¡°Nana didn¡¯t want to disturb you.¡± He hooked a thumb over to a Do Not Disturb note Eri had earlier taped to the door. It now lay crumpled in a ball on her vanity. Beside it stood the pharmacy bag she¡¯d left there earlier that evening. From the look of its unsettled plastic folds, someone had nudged a curious peek inside. A sharp inhale diced up Eri¡¯s lungs at the realization. She glared at Noah. ¡°So, Nana¡¯s down in my room, instead. I came to see if you were all right. Mom said you had a rough day.¡± He paused to check his watch. ¡°A quarter after eleven¡ªI was just getting ready to wake everyone up.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Eri murmured. She climbed to a stand, using her desk chair for support. ¡°Won¡¯t happen again.¡± Noah barely heard her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you a second time, Eriya. Where were you?¡± He tossed the controller aside and rose from the bed to meet her. Eri shied away from his approach. ¡°¡­There was s¡ªsomething outside¡­¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t lie to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± ¡°You snuck out! Just admit it already! Look at you, your pajamas are filthy! Are those grass stains?!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Noah grabbed her by the shoulders. ¡°What were you doing, huh? Who¡¯d you go fooling around with, huh? The guy who gave you that necklace?¡± ¡°Ow! Noah!¡± ¡°Are you drunk? High?¡± He snapped her jaw up, gripping her by the chin. ¡°Is that what you did, went and got stoned with that white trash, Mackenzie Thompson?!¡± ¡°Mackenzie¡¯s not¡ªStop it! You¡¯re hurting me!¡± ¡°Exhale,¡± Noah commanded. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Do it!¡± Another headache rippled across Eri¡¯s forehead. She needed to get away. Needed Noah to get away. Her mind flexed at the thought¡ªdesperate. A sudden force launched her brother across the bedroom. He stumbled backwards, bouncing his head against the door so hard he slid to a seat against the floorboards. ¡°Agh! Did you just¡ªdid you just push me?!¡± Noah winced, caressed the back of his crown. He inspected his fingers for blood, shook himself alert. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?! I¡¯m just trying to look out for you!¡± Eri stared at him, shaking and numb, unaware of what had just happened. How it happened. ¡°Get out,¡± she whispered. ¡°Get out of my room.¡± Noah struggled to a stand, grabbing for the doorknob, and made a hasty retreat into the darkened hallway. He turned a leer back at her. ¡°Watch yourself, kid. You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t tell Mom and Dad about this.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± The door slammed in Noah¡¯s face. Episode 12 - Hollyhock Flow: The Girl Who Changed Everything ~ Episode Twelve ~ Hollyhock Flow: The Girl Who Changed Everything ¡°Whaaaat?!¡± shrieked Mackenzie out over the National Anthem. ¡°You have a date? With Shinji?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a date!¡± Eri flopped down at her desk, late that morning after seeing Nana Ferguson off to the airport. She scanned the far side of the room, expecting Ms. Youse to be staring stone-cold death at her. But the teacher¡¯s work station was strangely unattended. ¡°He just wants to fill me in on Monster stuff. Where¡¯s Ms. Youse?¡± ¡°You and Shinji alone on a Sunday? Sounds like a date to me.¡± Mackenzie giggled at the thought, excited. ¡°Anyway who cares? Youse wasn¡¯t here when the bell rang. Looks like Shinji hasn¡¯t shown up yet, either. Maybe he¡¯s nervous to see y¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this anymore!¡± Eri snapped at her. ¡°Ugh ¡­ Anyway, do you think we¡¯re getting a substitute?¡± ¡°Pfft. Don¡¯t hold your breath. I doubt Youse¡¯s been sick a day in her life. She¡¯s like a Terminator or something. But it¡¯d be pretty sweet if she were sick today. Instant holiday, and after a night like last night¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. Last night was crazy.¡± Eri¡¯s thoughts wandered back to the incident with her brother¡ªinstead of the encounters with Cloria and Zorfus, like Mackenzie was referring to. She could still feel his clutch tight on her shoulders. What were you doing, huh? Who¡¯d you go fooling around with, huh? The guy who gave you that necklace? Eri shuddered and pushed the memories out of her mind the best she could, despite a dull ache that knotted up in her neck muscles. She glanced in the direction of Shinji¡¯s still-empty desk and caressed at the tightness in one of her shoulders. ¡°Um, anyway¡ªif Ms. Youse is sick, I hope we get a regular today. I hate it when new substitutes say my name wrong.¡± Mackenzie laughed. ¡°Oh, yeah. ¡®Eerie¡¯ Seruma!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not funny! Drives me up the wall.¡± Eri frowned. ¡°Especially, Evan! Feels like every time someone calls me ¡®Eerie¡¯, he busts a gut so hard it¡¯s like he¡¯s going to die from lack of oxygen.¡± ¡°Goes with the vampire motif, at least.¡± Mackenzie giggled, hovering an index finger before Eri¡¯s apple-red irises. ¡°Eerie.¡± ¡°Ugh. Don¡¯t even.¡± She swatted away Mackenzie¡¯s hand behind a dark glare. ¡°My name¡¯s not that hard to say: ¡®Air. Ree.¡¯ Maybe I should just change it. Something like Annie, or Cassie¡ª¡± ¡°Or Ursula.¡± Eri shuddered. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°I love your name.¡± Mackenzie gazed at her with a cheek cupped in one hand. ¡°It sounds pretty and looks nice on paper. Eddi-chan. Don¡¯t change it, ever. Okay?¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Eri blushed. ¡°I like my name, too. It¡¯s just annoying when people can¡¯t say it right. Hey, why do you pronounce it that way, anyhow? With the D-sounds?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Mackenzie smiled at her with sleepy warmth behind lidded eyes. ¡°I¡¯m a purist, I guess. The Japanese don''t really have a letter like ''R'' in their alphabet, so names and words we would say with that letter are pronounced differently.¡± Eri wrinkled her nose, rooting around in her messy desk for her school agenda. ¡°And you say I''m a nerd.¡± ¡°BE QUIET!!¡± Silence immediately spilled over the noisy room. Ms. Youse stood just inside the door frame with fists clenched at her sides. Disbelieving rage seeped from her pores. Outside, another classroom¡¯s door swung shut to block out the oncoming of a perfect storm. Ms. Youse snapped fingers at a number of kids sitting atop their desks. ¡°You! Get into your seats¡ªnow!¡± She stormed to the center of the room and went off on everyone: ¡°Just because I¡¯m not here when you arrive, does not mean you have free reign over my classroom. You stand quietly during National Anthem. You sit down and remain quiet during prayer and morning announcements. If by that point I am still not here, you do silent reading or study. This is grade eight, boys and girls¡ªwhen I walk in here after the morning bell rings, I expect to see respectful examples to the rest of this school. Do I make myself clear?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. A unanimous mumble acknowledged her order. ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re on the same page now.¡± Ms. Youse kept a thin frown as she spoke. ¡°We have a new student today, all the way from Vancouver, British Columbia¡ª¡± Eri perked at the announcement. Mackenzie yawned. ¡°New student?¡± ¡°¡ªAs ambassadors, I expect you to welcome her with open arms.¡± Ms. Youse headed back to the door and poked her head into the hallway. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. You can come in now.¡± In that moment, Eri¡¯s world froze to a complete halt when a girl with waist-length hair like flowing hollyhocks hedged into the classroom. She was tall, maybe five-foot-seven, and wore a baggy Ramones T-shirt over ripped jeans and grass-scuffed converse sneakers. She nudged back scarlet locks over one shoulder, revealing a number of hair ties wound within the two side fringes that cupped her long and slender face. Her feline-shaped eyes, outlined in perfectly-applied eyeliner, scanned the class with a steely gaze guarded by unruly bangs. Her mouth, applied in a faint bubblegum pink lipstick that blended flawlessly with her ghost-like complexion, tightened into a flat, unreadable expression. ¡°Whoa.¡± Mackenzie righted in her seat to get a better look from where she and Eri sat at the back corner of the class. She looked over at her best friend for a reaction and blinked. ¡°Eddi-chan?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Eri jolted alert. Without realizing it, she¡¯d been transfixed completely by the presence of Class 208-B¡¯s latest addition. Eri felt it in her chest¡ªa strange tightness that constricted her lungs, like caught air. With it, a swell of nervous warmth she¡¯d never felt before¡­ ¡°That girl looks like bad news,¡± said Mackenzie. ¡°Why would she transfer so late into the school year, anyway? Grad¡¯s only in, like, a couple of months¡­¡± Eri didn¡¯t have an answer, but instead let out a slow breath she had forgotten to exhale. ¡°Please welcome Isabella Keitel,¡± said Ms. Youse. ¡°Go ahead and introduce yourself, Isabella.¡± ¡°...Hi,¡± mumbled the transfer student. ¡°I''m ... Isa.¡± She said nothing else. Awkward silence remained on the air. Somebody snickered. ¡°Okay¡ªwell, thanks¡ªIsabella.¡± Ms. Youse cleared her throat and took a gander over the tightly-arranged classroom. ¡°Let¡¯s see. We¡¯ll have to get a desk for you, but today you can sit over there.¡± She pointed out Shinji¡¯s empty spot between Josh Hamilton and Evan. Without another word, Isa shifted a single binder tucked under her arm and headed over to the row of desks by the door that faced inward off the corner where Eri and Mackenzie sat. She plunked down with a heavy thud and promptly ignored Evan¡¯s patented ear-to-ear grin. ¡°Is Shinji not coming today?¡± Mackenzie wondered aloud. ¡°All right, class,¡± Ms. Youse started right off the bat after she sent away the attendance sheet with Dana Gardner. ¡°Shorebrooke¡¯s been selected to take part in a community event to raise money for the Walk for a Cure, hosted by the Canadian Kids With Cancer Foundation. It¡¯s not happening until next month, but, it¡¯s important we get sign-ups going immediately.¡± She lifted a clipboard with two sheets attached to it. ¡°The first page here is for donations. The second is for students interested in participating. I expect to see the donation page filled with all of your names by the time this clipboard makes it back to me. Even if you don¡¯t want to participate in the actual walk, there¡¯s no reason you can¡¯t convince your parents to donate. Cancer is a serious illness that effects us all.¡± She handed the clipboard off to Evan. He signed the first page, passed it to Isa, who promptly passed it to Josh Hamilton without even a glance. When the clipboard made it to the back of the class, Mackenzie nosily read all the names written down so far on both pages. She sighed, jotted her name down on the donations page, and tossed the thing unceremoniously onto Eri¡¯s desk. ¡°Getting money from my mom will be fun.¡± The slap of the landing clipboard startled Eri. She shook away the tendrils of Isa Keitel sitting at Shinji Izuma¡¯s desk that clenched around her lungs, and signed her name on both pages without a second thought before sending the clipboard on its way with Suzie Arnold, beside her. Eri¡¯s gaze lingered back to the new girl, now busy doodling in her binder. She was at a loss for what, but there was something about Isa¡­ Something that made her feel ¡­ so weird¡­ Eri took in a deep breath. The swell of warmth in her lungs returned. ¡°All right, class¡­¡± Ms. Youse turned to the blackboard behind her. ¡°Who here can tell me what Confederation is?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Mackenzie sent a hard shove against Eri¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What do you keep staring at?¡± ¡°Aah! Mackenzie!!¡± Ms. Youse raised her voice. ¡°Miss Seruma, would you like to inform the rest of the class who Sir John A. MacDonald is?¡± Eri blushed. ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Exactly. You don¡¯t know. Quit yakking and pay attention, or I¡¯ll have to separate both you and Miss Thompson. Again. I don¡¯t understand how you girls have so much trouble focusing in my class!¡± ¡°Sorry, Ms. Youse,¡± Mackenzie piped up. ¡°I asked Eri a question.¡± Isa looked up in their direction. Eri froze. For a split second, their eyes met. It was a split second that completely stole her breath away. Episode 13 - Shinji’s Affliction: A Family of Three, Painted in Oils ~ Episode Thirteen ~ Shinji¡¯s Affliction: A Family of Three, Painted in Oils ¡°Psst, Evan!¡± Evan looked up from his Game Boy, nearly on the verge of catching Mewtwo with only Ultra Balls. He noticed Shinji staring at him past a group of soccer-playing sixth graders from behind a chain-link fence that separated the schoolyard from an undeveloped field, soon to be a residential block. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked, meeting Shinji at the fence. ¡°I thought you were sick.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stay long.¡± Shinji glanced in both directions. ¡°I need you to pass on a message: we¡¯re meeting at The Dreaming Tree tomorrow at lunch. I can¡¯t stop thinking about those four Monsters that hit us. Four in two days. Things are happening faster than we thought, Evan. We need to get our act together.¡± ¡°Yeah, I hear you, man,¡± he agreed. ¡°It¡¯s on my mind, too. Last night¡ªlast night was crazy. What are we gonna do about ¡­ you-know-who?¡± Shinji chewed his tongue, considering his friend¡¯s concern. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot we don¡¯t know about her.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Evan asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys used to be like total besties? How do you not know¡ª¡± Shinji cut him off. ¡°For now, it might be better this way¡ªlet her think she¡¯s one of us.¡± ¡°¡­One of us¡­¡± The words hung on the air like a sour skittle on the tongue. Evan frowned and scratched an itch caused by the scar across his cheek. ¡°Think so? You talk about doing the right thing. But I¡¯unno, man. Is what we¡¯re doing here really the right thing?¡± Shinji didn¡¯t reply, distracted by Evan¡¯s fingertips at work against the scar. Evan continued, ¡°I mean¡ªI get that you wanna protect her, keep her safe, and all that. I get it. But last night with Cloria and Zorfus? Shin, that was too much. Too close¡ª¡± ¡°I told you, Cloria was protecting her¡ª¡± ¡°I hear you, but I¡ªI still¡ªI can¡¯t get the thought outta my head, man. That, and like, you letting her fight Kyupo alone. Shinji, that was¡ªwas that really a good idea?¡± ¡°My nose was broken.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still broken.¡± ¡°And Seruma¡¯s still here.¡± Evan sighed. ¡°How did you even know she could use the Fire Hammer? You¡¯re such a¡ªa hypocrite, you know that?¡± Shinji grunted, taken aback by this. ¡°Do you even know what that word means? I should go. Before someone spots me.¡± He pushed away from the fence and started across the field towards a small row of houses in the distance. Evan called out to him. ¡°Yo, Shin!¡± Shinji stopped and turned at the hip. ¡°What? You¡¯re going to get me caught.¡± ¡°Come on, brother. Don¡¯t be like this.¡± ¡°What do you want me to say, Evan? I¡¯m doing my best.¡± ¡°I know. I know you are. But you¡¯re not alone in this though. You don¡¯t¡ªyou don¡¯t have to make all the decisions, on your own, all the time.¡± ¡°This, from the guy who waited around for me and Seruma to show up before making a plan against Cloria?¡± Shinji grunted again, started to walk away. ¡°Whatever. Hypocrite.¡± ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Evan called out to him again. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We got a new girl in class today.¡± ¡°¡­New girl?¡± Shinji raised an eyebrow. He considered this and returned to the fence. ¡°What new girl?¡± ¡°A real lone wolf type, I think. Moved here from Vancouver¡ªcan you believe it? She¡¯s sorta cute, y¡¯know, in a heavy metal kinda way? But man, Shinji, I¡¯m telling you she¡¯s got a real mean look to¡ª¡± ¡°What color are her eyes?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Her eyes,¡± Shinji said again. ¡°Did you see what color they are?¡± ¡°N-no? Why?¡± Shinji stared at his best friend for an eternal moment. A warm breeze gusted through the long chocolate bangs that seeped over his emerald irises. Then without another word, he turned away and trekked back across the undeveloped field. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°S-see you¡­¡± Evan said, surprised by the abrupt departure. He watched until Shinji was but a speck that wavered on the pre-suburban horizon. The bell rang in his ears, ending recess. On his trek back across the schoolyard, Evan merged with packs of kids heading up past the circular bus lane in front of the main doors. Around back, he spotted Mackenzie and Eri within parallel lines of students being herded inside by yard monitors. Evan pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and started after them, ready to pass along Shinji¡¯s message. Hopefully they¡¯d be in attendance this time¡ªfor Eri¡¯s sake. He noticed the new girl, Isabella, leaning against the pole of a basketball net nearby. She was intently listening to a Walkman folded within crossed arms, a wary gaze upon the cacophony of students she was not a part of. Evan couldn¡¯t get over just how tall Isa was for a girl their age. Could probably play a mean game of basketball, herself. Until now, Evan had been the tallest kid in their class at five-foot-six, and he almost wanted to challenge her to a one-on-one match, just for fun. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. It was then that the new girl noticed him staring at her. Evan beamed and gave her an animated wave. Isa frowned and replied by flipping him off. ~ Shinji stood within the portal between the living room and kitchen later that night, phone receiver nestled against his jaw. His shadow was a seamless silhouette of darkness cut across the outpour of kitchen light. ¡°Yes,¡± he murmured into the phone. ¡°I accept the charges.¡± A click sounded in his ear. Then a ragged breath, an old man¡¯s voice: ¡°Shinji.¡± No hello. No how are you. Just a gravelly German accent, broken up by bad reception. Just a single purpose for the long-distance call. Shinji cut to the chase: ¡°Four Kenah¡¯dai arrived in the last couple days. We¡¯ve secured the Child of Destiny, but¡ª¡± ¡°Is Terra aware of who she is?¡± ¡°Well¡ªno. Not yet, but¡ª¡± ¡°And why not? Shinji, I don¡¯t believe you comprehend just how grave this situation is.¡± ¡°No, I understand.¡± Shinji peered out the bay window across the living room. Libra Road was a lifeless stretch tonight amidst the glow of streetlamps. ¡°Things are getting worse. Monsters are coming after her at a greater frequency for some reason. I think Sufocus is starting to make his move.¡± ¡°So why are you stalling? Tell Terra she is the Child of Destiny so she can prepare.¡± ¡°I¡ªshe¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s not¡ªit¡¯s more complicated than that. We have prepared her. Are preparing her.¡± ¡°All I hear are excuses.¡± His grandfather¡¯s words boomed through a flicker of shoddy reception. ¡°You forget I am the reincarnation of Jarem Sufocus, as well as a descendant of Earth. I don¡¯t care about your petty teenage anxieties. This is my sister we¡¯re talking about.¡± Shinji flinched. ¡°I ¡­ I understand.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you do. Common sense has always been a difficult thing for you to grasp.¡± A sigh like a cement mixer crackled in his ear. ¡°What of Spade? Ghetta?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing. There¡¯s been no activity.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Shinji folded an arm against the door frame and rubbed his forehead against the crook of his elbow. ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡­¡± ¡°Hmph. Does Terra know yet about her ¡­ powers?¡± ¡°Her¡ª? Oh. I don¡¯t think so.¡± Shinji considered the question and shook his head no. ¡°She would have mentioned, if so. She¡¯s been pretty exhausted recently, however. Fainting a lot the last couple days. From migraines, mostly. They¡¯re consistent. She mentioned bad dreams and abdominal pains¡ª¡± ¡°Then that can mean only one thing,¡± said his Opa. ¡°Her connection to the Kenah¡¯dai is starting to blossom. It will only grow stronger from here on out. So too will her powers when they reveal themselves. Be mindful of this.¡± ¡°Okay. Evan and I will pay closer attention. We¡¯re holding a meeting tomorrow. She¡¯ll be there, too. I¡¯ll update you then.¡± ¡°I look forward to it. It is very late here, so let me end our conversation with this, to the point: Terra¡¯s fate rides on your shoulders. As does the world. Shinji¡ªDon¡¯t screw this up. Prepare. Make a clear, well-organized, plan. You¡¯re a descendant of Arissa Lockhart, a once decisive leader for a whole country. Act like it.¡± A click sounded in his ear. Then, dead tone. Shinji exhaled the tension that lived in his back muscles. He hung the phone back on the wall-mounted cradle and reclined his head against the fridge. Preparation. A clear, well-organized plan. These were things already important to Shinji. Facets of stability, instilled in him as a child. It was how his parents tackled life. He glanced over at the stack of homework Evan dropped off earlier that afternoon, neglected on the kitchen table. The sight of schoolwork made him queasy. Recreational reading wouldn¡¯t cut it, either. Protecting Lady Terra is the only reason Shiara exists. It is the only reason you exist. Grabbing a can of Coke from the fridge, Shinji wandered into the middle of the living room. The glow of the waning moon peeked through the bay window curtains behind the leather sectional. He cracked open the drink, took a long swig. An eerie stillness carried through the rest of the darkened farmhouse, now renovated and surrounded by the affliction of modern suburbia. Coldness lingered on the wood panel walls. The floorboards were quiet with spite. Homes were filled with warmth and comfort. Where Shinji lived was but a house. A hollow and loveless shell. Empty. No longer a home. The bristly energy off of the Earth Pendant scratched against his throat. Shinji stood with the feeling for a time, set the drink on the coffee table with a sigh, and unclasped the necklace. ¡°Element Earth¡ªR E L E A S E ! !¡± A gust of air formed around him as the Earth Pendant glowed to life. The Earth Sword took shape in an instant. Shinji held out the weapon vertically, examining his broken-nosed reflection in its gleaming edge. ¡°This is who I am, now.¡± He sucked in a deep inhale, nodded at the fact. He wielded the Earth Sword in both hands and fell into a prepared stance in the middle of the darkened living room. He exhaled and let the flow of all his exhaustion, all his frustration, all his guilt and sorrow to drain from his muscles. He began his devoted practice, a nightly ritual¡ªKunst des Fechtens. The art of German long sword fighting. Shinji lunged forward. His arms came down in a graceful arc, pretending to catch an invisible enemy¡¯s weapon by the edge of his Sword¡ªZwerchhau. He spun at the heel, then lunged again at another invisible enemy to deliver an up-thrust, striking them by the ear. He followed up with absetzen, a form of downward parrying from thrusting attacks, and finally nachreissen, a deflective maneuver that opened enemies for a direct overhead strike. These were the basic techniques of any medieval sword fight. Shinji had mastered them all. Unnecessary, really¡ªas all Star Warriors were born attuned with their ancestors¡¯ assigned elemental weapon. Shinji trained only because he had been instructed to. Because the fate of Terra Leigh Sufocus was his responsibility first and foremost. For her sake, he needed to be the best guardsman possible. A better warrior than prescribed by the DNA that flowed through him. Or else. After a time, Shinji took a break from practice to grab for the can of Coke off the coffee table. He wiped his brow of sweat and turned a gaze to a large portrait over the fireplace. There, the moonlight shone against the only dreg of belonging he understood anymore: A family of three, painted in oils. The father, of Japanese heritage, wore a brown suit jacket and trousers. The mother, German with radiant blonde curls, wore a striking red dress that would have sparkled in reality. Between them both, with a parental hand on each shoulder, stood an eight-year-old boy. A mix between the two cultures, wearing a toothy smile Shinji barely recognized anymore. He shot back another gulp of cola. The portrait cringed so much of 1994. The original eight-by-twelve from Sears was lost away in a box somewhere in the basement¡ªprobably a victim of humidity and mouse scat by now. Not that it mattered. Not anymore. There were bigger things to worry about. Things like preparation, a clear and well-organized plan. Things Shinji felt at a complete loss over. Episode 14 - Welcome to the Dreaming Tree: The Star Warriors’ Official First Meeting! ~ Episode Fourteen ~ The Star Warriors¡¯ Official First Meeting! ¡° ¡°What¡¯s with you and last names?¡± Mackenzie demanded when the boys caught up. ¡°So formal.¡± Shinji ignored her. ¡°Just a reminder, our meeting is today at lunch.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we have our meeting after school?¡± Eri asked. ¡°No can do,¡± said Evan. He leaned forward on bended knee, extending an arm, and sang at the top of his lungs: ¡°I have ¨C choir-r-r-r-r practi-i-i-i-ce!¡± Mackenzie shoved him out of the way, laughing. ¡°You¡¯re such a weirdo.¡± ¡°You got that big recital coming up soon, don¡¯t you?¡± said Shinji, shouldering past as well. ¡°That¡¯s right! You still coming?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. I wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world.¡± ¡°But you would miss it to Seal Monsters if you had to. Right?¡± ¡°¡­Shut up.¡± Eri giggled, following at Mackenzie¡¯s heels. She threw a look at Shinji. ¡°Has the Monster Dowser been acting up at all?¡± Shinji flicked an annoyed glare from Evan to her, eyes softening. He tugged the straps of his backpack tight against his shoulders, shifting the weight. Eri couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he carried the Monster Dowser everywhere with him. If it was in his bag now, as they walked to class. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°And it¡¯s got me nervous.¡± The remainder of Class 208-B amassed around the Star Warriors and laid siege upon the coat rack outside of their classroom¡ªhanging jackets and backpacks on plastic yellow pegs; throwing anything else onto the flat metal shelving just above; switching outdoor shoes with indoor shoes. Ms. Youse was waiting for everyone atop an empty desk at the front of the class, the attendance folder splayed open over her crossed knee. Silent and military-grade authority gleamed in her eyes as her students entered single-file straight to their desks. She checked off names as quickly as she counted heads. A single glance in their teacher¡¯s direction stated the obvious to Eri: the solitary desk Ms. Youse sat upon was brand-spanking-new¡ªready to find a home among the already-crammed setup. ¡°The heck are you glowing about?¡± Mackenzie asked as they headed to their desks at the back of the class. ¡°Eddi-chan!¡± ¡°N¡ªnothing!¡± ¡°And I see Shinji is here today,¡± Ms. Youse stated, mostly to herself. She paused to scribble something in her notes. ¡°Isa Keitel¡¯s not here. That I already know¡­¡± Whatever glow Macks thought Eri carried with her suddenly died like a smashed out light bulb. She sank into her seat with a disappointed sigh. Shinji, however, perked alert at the sound of the new and unfamiliar name. After the National Anthem played alongside the regular song and dance of morning prayer and announcements, Ms. Youse crossed to her desk to gather a stack of graded papers into her arms. ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Mackenzie shuddered and looked away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Eri. ¡°I think those are rubrics from our history presentations.¡± Whenever Ms. Youse was finished marking work, she always had this sort of dark look in her eyes¡ªlike a starved shark in bloodied waters. Silent and graceful, she passed by the rows of desks¡ªdropping rubric after rubric with each pair of students. Eri watched Shinji¡¯s expression as he read the sheet of paper that had danced into place upon his desk¡ªa little taken aback, but otherwise unreadable. Evan rested his chin on Shinji¡¯s shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief. A whole decade passed before Ms. Youse finally came to Eri and Mackenzie. She handed off the rubric to Mackenzie without a word and moved right on. ¡°Not fair...¡± Mackenzie fell against her desk, face buried against her arms. 68% sneered at her off the page, written in Ms. Youse¡¯s infamous red sharpie marker. Eri¡¯s eyes dropped to the Teacher Comments section: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD WOULD HAVE BEEN A MORE APPROPRIATE CHOICE. ¡°knew we forgot something!¡± exclaimed Eri. ¡°¡­Wait¡ªUmm¡ªwhat¡¯s addled mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mackenzie moaned into the sleeves of her cardigan. ¡°I don¡¯t get it! We always work so hard, but she always, always, gives us a bad mark! Stupid Shinji. Stupid for being right all the time¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Macks,¡± Eri cooed, raking fingers through her friend¡¯s blue-black hair. Doing so always seemed to calm Mackenzie down. ¡°At least it¡¯s a pass¡­¡± ¡°Hey, careful!¡± Shinji grimaced, taking his basket of fries from her. ¡°You¡¯re going to cramp up again if you don¡¯t slow down.¡± Eri cringed at the enormous home-burger placed in front of her. ¡°I dunno if I can eat this whole thing. Macks, you wanna split it?¡± ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Mackenzie eyed it with revulsion, forking through her chef¡¯s salad. ¡°No thanks.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I¡¯ll take half.¡± Shinji offered her a knife. Eri beamed at him and awkwardly sawed the monstrous hamburger down the middle. ¡°Just plop it on here.¡± He held out the basket of fries to her from across the table. ¡°Mmkay. Um, how¡¯s your nose?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh. Getting there, I think.¡± Mackenzie watched them both, thoroughly amused, while Evan grazed on his meal like a goat in pasture, one knee bouncing out into the aisle. He scrubbed at his cheek, an unconscious act. She asked him, ¡°Hey, what¡¯d you guys get on the project?¡± ¡°Oh, eighty-something,¡± Shinji casually replied, squirting ketchup everywhere. ¡°Eighty?!¡± Mackenzie screeched. Eri fought to restrain her from diving across the booth to strangle both boys. ¡°Macks, chill!¡± marks aside, let¡¯s get to business. So, as we know, Sufocus sent four Monsters after the Child of Destiny within the span of two days.¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°Nagamani, the Monster of Bastion. Then Kyupo, the Monster of Velocity¡ªboth on the same day. Night before last, we faced both Cloria and Zorfus, the Monsters of Radiance and Darkness.¡± ¡°Are we even counting Cloria?¡± Mackenzie asked. ¡°I thought you said she was a good Monster.¡± ¡°Yes, but technically she was still acting on Sufocus¡¯ behalf. She joined his army willingly, remember?¡± Shinji reminded her. ¡°This surge in activity is unprecedented. Before now, Evan and I fought a Monster maybe once a week¡ªif that. The most obvious explanation is that the Black King is getting impatient. We¡¯re winning, and he¡¯s scared.¡± ¡°We¡¯re winning?¡± Eri asked, her attention perked. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Evan pondered this. ¡°That makes sense. So, you think he¡¯s trying to wear us down, you mean?¡± ¡°Or kill us,¡± Mackenzie muttered. Eri stuck her hand in the air. ¡°This isn¡¯t school, Seruma, you don¡¯t need to raise your hand.¡± ¡°Ah ¡­ Um, why does this Black King guy, Viktor Suf ¡­ Sufocus? Why¡¯s he keep sending Monsters after this ¡­ Child of Destiny? Why doesn¡¯t he just go after her himself?¡± Eri exchanged looks with Mackenzie, who shrugged in mid-chew. ¡°I mean, doesn¡¯t it make sense to do that, since he¡¯s supposed to be like this powerful sorcerer or something?¡± ¡°Does he even know what she looks like now?¡± Mackenzie added. ¡°You said Child of Destiny, Shinji. What exactly does that mean, anyway? Who are we looking for here, a baby?¡± ¡°The Child of Destiny was sent forward seven centuries from the year 1286,¡± Shinji explained. ¡°I think it¡¯s a safe bet we¡¯re looking for a kid our age.¡± ¡°A kid our age? That¡¯s crazy!¡± Eri said, astonished by the thought. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Mackenzie blinked. ¡°Shinji, you¡¯re saying she could be someone from our school?¡ªOh, there¡¯s that new transfer student, what¡¯s her name again?¡± ¡°Isa!¡± Eri eagerly supplied¡ªthen froze. ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t think¡ª¡± Mackenzie shrugged again, taking a bite of salad. ¡°Just a thought. I mean, her moving here works out, right?¡± Eri¡¯s chin dipped as she considered this. Shinji and Evan eyed her in silence from behind forgotten plates of food. ¡°Hey¡ªhow¡¯ll we even recognize this kid?¡± ¡°Our bloodline,¡± Shinji answered Mackenzie, plainly. ¡°What I mean is, our elemental connection to the Child of Destiny¡ªand to each other, by extension. I assume we¡¯ll just naturally gravitate towards her.¡± ¡°...You mean, like a magnet?¡± ¡°Exactly. Her innate magic combines all elements. And each of us carries the magic of a single element, carried down through our ancestry: Water. Air. Fire. Earth. Spirit. Our families ending up in the same town isn¡¯t total coincidence.¡± ¡°No wonder Dad wanted to move back here¡­¡± Eri murmured. ¡°Sounds like a bad harem anime.¡± Mackenzie snorted, reclining against their booth. ¡°Well, whatever. If it works, then that¡¯s all that matters, right? I¡¯m assuming the Monsters are drawn to the Child of Destiny in the same way?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say for certain. It could be that, considering they¡¯re literally divine elemental manifestations. But it could also be due to the Black King¡¯s influence. Who¡¯s to say?¡± They all pondered this for a time. Shinji piped up again: ¡°Seruma, to answer your question, I¡¯m not sure why the Black King hasn¡¯t shown up yet. What I do know is the Kenah¡¯dai are all trapped in an alternate dimension with him, under his control. Makes sense he¡¯d send them in lieu of a direct strike, even if it is a distraction to wear us down.¡± Evan nodded. ¡°Yeah. But, I mean¡ªthe guy¡¯s human, right? He¡¯s gotta come after our girl himself sooner or later.¡± He laughed. ¡°Everyone¡¯s got their limit for incompetency.¡± ¡°So either this Sufocus Black King guy is really patient or really stupid,¡± Mackenzie clarified. ¡°Thompson, this is serious stuff, okay?¡± ¡°I am serious!¡± ¡°Naw, you don¡¯t really understand yet,¡± Evan said to her. ¡°He¡¯s like¡ªI dunno¡ªlike, you know when there¡¯s an annoying itch in your butt you can¡¯t scratch, because it¡¯s so far in?¡± Mackenzie choked in mid-swallow. She pounded on her chest. ¡°Evan!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like that!¡± Evan said, snapping his fingers. ¡°You know what I mean exactly, ¡®Kenzie!¡± ¡°Shut up while you still can,¡± she wheezed, glaring daggers at him. Eri slid her a glass of water. ¡°Are you both done?¡± Shinji asked. ¡°I think the best thing we can do is just keep a lookout. You know, like a patrol? The Monster Dowser is basically a medieval mine detector. Why not use that to our advantage?¡± ¡°Yeah, that makes sense,¡± Evan said. ¡°Why us, though? This feels like something for the military to deal with, not a buncha kids,¡± Mackenzie said. Eri wrinkled her nose at the thought. ¡°The only people who can stop Sufocus are sitting around this table,¡± Shinji said. ¡°We were born to fight against the corruption of the Kenah¡¯dai. We¡¯re the only ones able to defy the memory charm invoked after the Monsters are Sealed. The fate of the Child of Destiny rests in our hands.¡± ¡°God, Shinji¡ª¡± ¡°Macks!¡± ¡°¡ªDo you at least know this kid¡¯s birth name? Constantly calling her the Child of Destiny is giving me lock-jaw.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± The bell over the diner entry jangled to life. Eri¡¯s heart fluttered with immediacy away from the conversation when Isa Keitel appeared in the lobby, heading straight for the take-out counter. A woman followed her in¡ªmost likely her mother from the tall height and scarlet hair they shared. Both wore beat-up, paint-smeared, clothes. It looked like they were ready for a six-hour nap. ¡°Isa!¡± Eri craned over the table, waving. ¡°Eri, oh my God, what are you doing?¡± Mackenzie buried her face in her hands. Shinji pushed up to gander over the booth¡¯s backrest. ¡°Who¡¯s that? New girl?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± said Evan peeking around the seat. ¡°The heavy metal chick I told you about!¡± ¡°You guys, don¡¯t stare!¡± Mackenzie hissed at them between her fingers. Isa turned, startled by the sound of her own name. She found the Star Warriors all considering her with varying levels of interest and curiosity from the booth they shared at the back of the diner. She studied them behind cautious eyes and raised a hand just high enough to offer Eri a timid twitch of a wave. The cashier handed a large paper takeout bag to Isa¡¯s mother, who forked over some money from the butt pocket of her ratty-looking blue jeans. She gently urged Isa out the door. But Isa hesitated. She was spying Eri with rosy cheeks. ¡°C¡¯mon, Izzy.¡± Mrs. Keitel took her daughter by the shoulder. Together they left The Dreaming Tree¡ªbut as the door swung shut behind them, Isa sneaked another glance over-shoulder. ¡°Anyway,¡± Evan said behind a yawn, ¡°I think patrolling is a good idea, ¡®cause who really knows when another ¡­ uh, Shinji?¡± Eri, who¡¯d been lost in confusing thoughts of Isa surrounded by blossoms, blinked alert to the sight of Shinji still staring out past the backrest. ¡°¡­Shinji?¡± ¡°Shinji!¡± Mackenzie hammered him in the arm from across the table. ¡°Oww!!¡ªSorry. Did anyone catch the color of her eyes?¡± Episode 15 - Noah Has a Girlfriend?!: A Knight in Teacher’s Armor! ~ Episode Fifteen ~ A Knight in Teacher¡¯s Armor! ¡° Her parents wouldn¡¯t have answered¡ªHelen was at her weekly sewing class and Ken wouldn¡¯t be home from the shop until after six. Noah was the only one she expected this afternoon, considering he had Wednesdays off from school. She let her backpack fall to the bench in the hall. As she slipped out of her windbreaker, one of the many framed photos hanging in the foyer caught her eye. It was a snapshot of the two siblings together on their old front stoop, taken in the early ¡®90s when Noah was around ten years old and Eri just a preschooler. The photo was taken over Noah¡¯s shoulder. In it, he was happily sharing an ice-cream cone with her. Eri sighed with an ache of sadness. Nostalgic longing. Back then, Noah always there to look out for her. To share his ice cream. To let her play his favorite video games. To teach her how to practice the drums. To introduce her to new music. To help pick up the pieces whenever she needed him. To kiss all the cuts and scrapes, both outside and inside. He had always been there. Always. Noah, after all, was single-handedly responsible for her love of Garbage, thanks to a fateful Sunrise Records visit with him when she was nine years old. But then the move to Base Borden happened. And things changed so much. Everything changed. ¡°You have nothing to prove to him, you know.¡± Mackenzie¡¯s dismissal from the previous Sunday morning on the way to meet Shinji and Evan at the library rang in Eri¡¯s memory. So much change in such a short time. ¡°I know,¡± Eri murmured, gaze lingering the photo of her and Noah from so long ago. Of course she didn¡¯t have to prove anything to him. ¡°But I want to.¡± Needed to. Beating Final Fantasy II was just a stepping stone in that direction. Beating all the Final Fantasy games was necessary. Doing so was non-negotiable, even if it meant losing sleep and being under fire from Mackenzie¡¯s over-protective scolding. She would do anything if it meant being able to play video games with her big brother again, just like when she was younger¡ªbefore the move to Borden. Before he stopped being proud of her. She was sure Final Fantasy would bring them closer together again. It had to. At least, she thought so¡ªuntil¡ª ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, huh?¡± ¡°Who¡¯d you go fooling around with, huh?¡± Tightness formed in Eri¡¯s shoulders where Noah had grabbed and shaken her. She caressed an aching neck muscle while still studying the old photo. Around it hung other happy family memories that spoke of superficial normalcy. A candid shot of Eri taking first place for her team against St. Peter¡¯s in Orangeville made her flash a brief smile before saddened reality sank its hooks back into her heart. No matter how much she wanted things to go back to normal, life with Noah would never be the same. It was a fate she and Shinji were already facing. A fate that hurt far too much to even think about. A fate already in place even without the addition of Monster Sealing. ¡°Eriya¡ªwhat do you mean you have to move away¡­?¡± A sick feeling burned her guts up. Maybe hanging out together this weekend would start to repair the frays in her now-established ¡®work¡¯ relationship with Shinji Izuma. Eri prayed so. But ¡­ things with Noah, however¡­ Eri¡¯s hand fell from her shoulder muscles. Maybe if he knew she was a Monster Sealer¡ªand that¡¯s why she was sneaking out at night: to save the world from some guy named The Black King and protect a girl called The Child of Destiny¡­ ¡­Whatever any of that meant¡­ Pain further flexed around Eri¡¯s heart. Maybe if Noah knew who she was¡ªwho she really was¡ªnot some little girl he didn¡¯t trust and bossed around, but a fully-fledged Star Warrior risking her life night-after-night¡­ Would Noah look at Eri differently if he knew the truth¡­? Would he ¡­ be proud of her? With another sigh, Eri kicked off the pain she felt under the hallway bench alongside her converse sneakers and headed towards the kitchen for a much-needed after-school snack. But then a woman¡¯s laugh sounded from downstairs. Eri froze in mid-stride at the door that led to the laundry area and Noah¡¯s basement bedroom. The laugh didn¡¯t belong to their mother. Then she heard Noah speak: ¡°¡­and so I say to the guy, ¡®hey buddy, you gonna pay for the drink I¡¯m wearing, or are we gonna have to settle this outside with pool cues?¡¯ and he just gives me this look, you know?¡± ¡°Oh, no-o-o!¡± The woman laughed again. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Ha! It was intense. I thought Pat Swayze was gonna jump out from the shadows with a round-house kick or something, you know?¡± Eri inched towards the open basement door. She leaned forward, listening to the conversation. Underfoot, a low groan exhaled from the floorboards. ¡°Eri, that you?¡± Noah called up. She hesitated. ¡°Ahh ¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°Can you come down here a second?¡± Sharp fear gored through Eri¡¯s heart. Caught spying, red-handed. ¡°C¡ªcoming¡­¡± She started a slow descent down into the basement, dreading the worst. She couldn¡¯t tell by the sound of his voice¡ªbut the thought of Noah coming at her, angered by the invasion of privacy, prickled her skin. And yet, docile obedience carried her down the creaking steps, anyway. Her tongue felt dry and heavy. Eri touched down on cold concrete and headed past the laundry area. Her nervous gaze flicked for the millionth time past the homemade sign over the washer and dryer that read, Helen¡¯s Work Space. The door to her brother¡¯s bedroom stood wide open at the end of the hall. She hesitated again, caressing a tight shoulder. ¡°Eri,¡± her brother called out. ¡°What¡¯s the hold up?¡± ¡°C¡ªcoming¡­¡± Eri slunk towards her brother¡¯s bedroom¡ªmuscles stiff, breath tight with shards of fear caught in her lungs. She hedged careful steps into the threshold. Noah¡¯s walls were covered corner-to-corner with posters. Some, of heavy metal and rock bands which featured shots of his favorite drummers. Others included movies and old Nintendo promotional pin-ups. A well-used drum set stood nestled in one corner of the room. It was surrounded by noise-cancelling foam that didn¡¯t actually do much to stifle the sound. These were the things Eri generally noticed first whenever she found herself in Noah¡¯s bedroom. Today, her fearful gaze had fallen upon a freckled young woman in half-moon glasses sitting on his pullout couch. She wore a slim-fitted pastel pantsuit that had a strange glowy effect on the tight blonde curls that spilled past her shoulders. ¡°Hi!¡± She smiled at Eri like they were old friends. ¡°H¡ªhi.¡± The sight of her made Eri¡¯s guts stir nervously amidst a wave of cramps. ¡°Eri, I want you to meet Heather McKnight,¡± said Noah from his gaming chair¡ªa beat up old La-Z-Boy recliner in the opposite corner of the room with his television and PlayStation, both hooked up to an audio equalizer. The menu screen for Final Fantasy VIII glowed off the TV set, the sound muted. Eri wilted at the sight. Noah continued, ¡°She¡¯s a friend¡ªfrom school.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Eri.¡± Heather¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°Noah¡¯s told me so much about you. Oh, I love your contacts! They really bring out your hair!¡± Eri blushed, averting her candied-apple gaze from the curious stare of her brother¡¯s guest. ¡°Um ¡­ I¡¯m not wearing¡­¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°They¡¯re a birth defect,¡± Noah interjected. Heather threw him a wide-eyed glance. ¡°A birth defect?¡± ¡°No¡ªwah!¡± whined Eri. ¡°Well they are.¡± He dismissed her with a shrug. ¡°Gingersnap¡¯s not wearing contacts. Those are her eyes, for real¡ªif you can believe it.¡± ¡°Are they, really? I¡¯ve never seen anyone with red eyes before.¡± Heather leaned forward to have a better look. ¡°They¡¯re so vibrant, beautiful. I¡¯m a little jealous.¡± The compliment startled Eri. She offered Heather a shy smile. ¡°They¡¯re something, alright,¡± Noah agreed, sounding almost bored. ¡°We thought it might be a pre-birth infection or something, but her doctor says there¡¯s nothing wrong with them. Perfect twenty/twenty, everything. Nobody can figure it out.¡± ¡°Huh. Well, they¡¯re a pretty awesome birth defect, if you ask me.¡± Heather froze, then let an embarrassed chuckle pass. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ªthat was rude.¡± Eri shook her head, blushing. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Heh ¡­ So, Noah tells me you¡¯re going into high school next year! You excited?¡± ¡°For the track field, sure,¡± Noah spoke for Eri again. ¡°It only takes a minute-eighteen to run. Timed it myself in grade ten.¡± Eri tried not to roll her eyes. Heather perked again. ¡°Oh, Eri, so you¡¯re a runner?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get her started,¡± Noah warned. ¡°Eri¡¯s a junkie. She¡¯d run circles around the world if there was a road long enough. Some of those photos upstairs are from events she¡¯s won. Mom¡¯s got all the kid¡¯s trophies in a hutch up in her craft room.¡± Eri felt the heat radiate off the Walk for a Cure permission slip Ms. Youse had provided to anyone interested in participating, still crumpled in her bag upstairs. She nodded confirmation, her rosy cheeks deepening their shade. ¡°That¡¯s so cool.¡± Heather grinned. She leaned forward again, this time with chin balanced on a row of knuckles as she studied Eri. Admiration radiated behind her half-moon lenses. ¡°Track¡¯s great. I used to run, too. Did all kinds of sports, loved flag football. I kind of miss it, actually.¡± It was then that Eri realized she was still standing within the threshold between Noah¡¯s bedroom and the basement hallway. She took a tender step towards her brother¡¯s guest. ¡°Um ¡­ what do you do now?¡± Heather beamed, proud. ¡°I¡¯m a teacher¡¯s aide.¡± ¡°And she supplies on the side,¡± Noah added. ¡°Granted, Heather¡¯s gotta do at least a year before the board puts her somewhere permanent.¡± ¡°Almost there,¡± Heather said. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to get into the secondary system. That¡¯s where I want to be. Need to be.¡± Eri nodded, smiling brighter than before. ¡°That¡¯d be cool.¡± Noah cleared his throat, twisting in his recliner a mite. ¡°Mom and Dad won¡¯t be back ¡®til late¡ªbible study again. It¡¯s your turn to cook dinner tonight, Gingersnap.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Eri¡¯s shoulders sagged. ¡°I¡¯m really tired. Still got ¡­ um, not feeling well.¡± ¡°You look fine to me,¡± Noah said, barely glancing her way. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re cooking tonight. I¡¯ve got company over.¡± Heather studied him with a thin expression, but said nothing on the matter. Chop-chop-chop-chop. Chop. Chop. Scrape. Scrape. Ssssssssssszzz¡­ Eri gazed over the freshly-diced celery now sizzling alongside mushrooms and sweet peppers that topped marinated chicken strips left over from a meal on the weekend. She closed her eyes and let the sweet richness of the cooked vegetables intermingle in her nostrils. The smell of her handiwork was a delicious reward amidst a respite for the menstrual boulders that churned her insides to ash. ¡°¡­Stupid Noah.¡± With a sigh, Eri stirred the veggies around her father¡¯s prized wok and turned down the stovetop heat. She grabbed a small pot from the warming drawer, where all the other cookware was kept, and started to fill it with water from the kitchen sink, distracted by thoughts of the Minute Rice she¡¯d forgotten to prepare beforehand. A sudden spike of pain punched through her abdomen. Eri lurched forward, hissing as she clutched the edge of the counter. She stayed there, still and silent, hoping for the cramps¡ªand sudden wave of nausea they brought on¡ªto quickly pass. But another followed right after. And worse. ¡°Ah¡ªahh¡ªoww¡­¡± She let go of the pot of water. It clattered to the countertop. Her grip dug into the granite as the rushing faucet acted as white noise to the intensity of Eri¡¯s unwanted segue into womanhood. She cringed against tears that pattered her knuckles. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Another wave of nausea overcame her. She tried to push away from the sink with thoughts of the nearby powder room in mind¡ªbut the boulders in her guts were too much to bear movement on. She dropped into a slow and deliberate crouch against the cupboard doors, holding herself tight. ¡°Go away. Please¡ªgo away¡­¡± There was a creak in the floorboards behind her. ¡°Eri? Are you¡ªoh, my God!¡± Someone¡¯s arms were around her then, the faint smell of lavender perfume in her nostrils. Blonde curls tickled her face, and when she looked up, Heather was there. ¡°Noah!!¡ª¡± she started to yell out. ¡°No, don¡¯t,¡± Eri whispered, cutting her off. She sobbed quietly through a smaller wave of cramps. ¡°Please, don¡¯t.¡± Heather blinked confusion down at her. But then her expression softened into compassionate understanding. She nodded. ¡°Here, sweetie. It¡¯s okay. Come on, come sit down with me.¡± Heather led her over to the Serumas¡¯ kitchen table, a dinky round thing that stuck out between the hall entrance and the archway into the dining room. She ushered Eri into a seat, went to grab her a glass of water, and pulled up a chair. ¡°Gonna be okay?¡± ¡°I ¡­ Yeah¡­¡± Eri gazed into her lap, face hot with shame. ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Heather assured her. A moment of silence passed as she sat there with Eri, caressing her hands. ¡°Is, um¡ªis this your first one?¡± Eri gave a weak nod and let her chin dip against her chest. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°Mmhm.¡± ¡°Really scary stuff, the first time,¡± Heather said. She smiled. ¡°But I bet your mom is taking real good care of you, huh?¡± Eri exhaled a scornful breath. Her drooped gaze wandered across the kitchen floor and settled on a small handbag Heather had dropped when she¡¯d rushed in to the rescue. She shrugged. Heather leaned out of her seat, grabbing for her handbag off the linoleum. Eri watched her briefly root around inside it. Their eyes met. A knowing sympathy gleamed behind Heather¡¯s glasses. With it, another smile of reassurance. She pushed a bottle of Midol into Eri¡¯s hands. ¡°Here. These help me a lot. Boy howdy, they help.¡± Eri tapped out a couple pills into her palm and downed them with a few large gulps of water. She wiped her mouth, then eyes, on the back of her sleeve. ¡°Um ¡­ Thank you.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Heather caressed her arm. Eri felt herself start to flinch, but then met the safety of Heather¡¯s gaze. ¡°Us track stars gotta look out for each other, right?¡± This made Eri giggle. She wiped away more tears, nodding. ¡°Keep the rest, okay? I got plenty at home.¡± Heather¡¯s fingers dropped to Eri¡¯s knuckles. ¡°I know we¡¯re like total strangers, but I can tell you¡¯re a really sweet girl. What you¡¯re going through is really scary and confusing at first. Especially when you¡¯re not prepared for it. But having your period is also a natural thing. A beautiful thing. Please know that.¡± Eri disagreed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel beautiful.¡± Heather squeezed their hands together. ¡°Sweetie, I need you to know this isn¡¯t a bad thing, okay? Having your first period is a big deal! If anything, it¡¯s a time to celebrate! You¡¯re a woman now, Eri! And that¡¯s awesome.¡± ¡°¡­Awesome?¡± ¡°Yeah. Really awesome. Your body¡¯s going start to change, and boys are gonna start noticing you¡ªmaybe you¡¯ll start noticing them too. You¡¯ll be a few steps closer to being a grownup and, I mean, what girl doesn¡¯t want that, right?¡± Heather flashed her a tender smirk. ¡°But you¡¯re not going through this alone, okay? I¡¯m here for you, okay?¡± ¡°But ¡­ I don¡¯t even know you,¡± Eri murmured. ¡°So? You¡¯ll get to know me,¡± said Heather. ¡°And me, you. And that¡¯s really exciting for me. I was so looking forward to meeting you today, and you know what?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Not disappointed in the least.¡± Eri¡¯s face started to tingle. Her heart swelled against her ribcage. ¡°I¡¯ll be around for awhile, looks like,¡± Heather said. ¡°Listen, someone¡¯s gotta whip your brother into shape, right? But, I mean it¡ªany time you wanna talk, I¡¯m here. Okay? I mean that.¡± Eri nodded, sniffling. ¡°O¡ªokay.¡± ¡°Do you want a hug?¡± Eri nodded again, faster. Heather drew her into a loving embrace. Eri let herself melt into it as blossoming warmth flowed. She nuzzled against Heather¡¯s ear and felt all her pain and sadness start to drift away. ¡°Heather?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna make a really good teacher.¡± Heather¡¯s embrace tightened around her. Moments later, heavy thumps sounded up the basement stairs. ¡°Hey, Gingersnap! Is dinner ready, yet?¡± Tendrils of fear ripped at Eri¡¯s muscles again. She started to pull away from Heather. But Heather¡¯s clutch remained enveloped around her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Noah poked his head into the kitchen and peered at the girls with a dour expression. ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Heather broke from Eri to regard him, smiling. ¡°Everything¡¯s great.¡± Noah studied them, uncertain¡ªthen moseyed the rest of the way into the kitchen to check on Eri¡¯s stir-fry. He clicked off the stovetop element that kept the veggies all simmering. ¡°The rice isn¡¯t ready yet,¡± he noticed. As the words left his mouth, annoyance flared through Eri. An invisible muscle in her forehead unexpectedly flexed. Glass shattered out in the foyer. Noah jumped at the sound. He wandered into the hallway to investigate, returning with an annoyed sigh to retrieve the broom and dustpan from beside the fridge. ¡°Something fall?¡± Heather asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± He re-entered the kitchen after sweeping up the mess and nudged the contents of the dustpan in the girls¡¯ direction. ¡°One of the pictures, that¡¯s all. No biggie. Weak nail or something.¡± He carefully tugged the photograph out of its obliterated frame and tossed it onto the table between Eri and Heather so he could dispose of the glass and splintered wood. The sight of the picture startled Eri. It was the snapshot of Noah sharing his ice-cream cone with her on their old porch. ¡°Hey, Gingersnap¡ªyou get that Mackenzie Thompson broad to cast a spell on me or something?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Eri blinked away from the photo to find Noah scrutinizing her behind narrowed eyes. ¡°Yeah. The other night I trip and hit my head in your room after I had to have words with you, and now a picture of the both of us gets wrecked when I ask about dinner?¡± He tapped the edge of the dustpan against the garbage can beneath the sink and straightened. ¡°Just saying, it¡¯s weird. You got a hit out on me, squirt?¡± ¡°Mackenzie¡¯s not a witch!¡± snapped Eri. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my best friend that way!¡± ¡°Yeah, well, she might as well be a witch. Mom doesn¡¯t like her and neither do I, so¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know her!¡± Heather giggled. ¡°Watch it, Noah. Maybe Eri¡¯s the witch, getting revenge on her big, bad, bro, huh? Ever think of that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a witch!¡± Eri shot her a horrified look. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Noah kicked the cupboard door closed and scoffed, passing with the broom and dustpan in tow. ¡°Could¡¯a fooled me, Broom-Hilda. Explains why your eyes are red.¡± Eri¡¯s horror shifted from Heather and wheeled onto her brother in a blast of sudden anger: ¡°Noah, shut up!¡± ¡°Hey¡ªbe nice. Don¡¯t tell me to shut up.¡± He put everything away, then leered a bored look at his sister past the edge of the fridge. ¡°Anyway¡ªwouldn¡¯t surprise me if you did end up a witch. Like I said, it explains your eyes, at least.¡± Eri glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Noah frowned at her, then added, ¡°It would explain a lot.¡± Episode 16 - A Source for Oblivion: Eri, and the Old Oak Tree ~ Episode Sixteen ~ A Source for Oblivion: Eri, and the Old Oak Tree ¡°Izuma-san! There she is!¡± Mackenzie pointed Shinji¡¯s attention to a red Ford Explorer SUV pulling up alongside the entrance to Grover¡¯s Mill. Eri hopped out of the rear passenger seat before the vehicle came to a complete stop. ¡°¡­¡®Izuma-san¡¯?¡± Shinji asked, confused. ¡°You keep calling me by my last name. I¡¯ve decided to cater to your formalities.¡± Mackenzie winked at him. ¡°Mr. Izuma.¡± ¡°Is that racist?¡± Evan asked. Shinji shrugged at him, bewildered. ¡°Hey!¡± shouted someone from the SUV¡¯s driver¡¯s side. It was Eri¡¯s brother, Noah. Beside him sat a woman with blonde curls and half-moon glasses, smiling Eri¡¯s way as he spoke. ¡°Be safe, okay?¡± Eri turned, hesitating up the hill towards the Star Warriors. ¡°Noah! We¡¯re just going to the coffee shop to work on a project¡­¡± He stared at her, silent. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at nine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only like an hour! I dunno if we¡¯ll get done by¡ª¡± ¡°Nine,¡± Noah stated. ¡°It¡¯s a school night. I love you.¡± ¡°Bye, Eri!¡± sang the woman in the passenger seat. ¡°So nice to meet you!¡± Eri¡¯s prickliness softened with a big farewell wave. ¡°Bye, Heather! Thanks again!¡± The passenger-side window rolled up with a light hum. The Explorer rolled away on slow wheels. ¡°God, I hate that guy,¡± murmured Mackenzie. She flicked away her smoky cigarette butt, watching the SUV vanish around Colborne Street as Eri trudged up the hill to meet them. Shinji grunted, unable to recall a current opinion of Noah Seruma. All he knew was that the siblings were close at one point in time. Eri looked up to her big brother a lot¡ªor, at least, used to. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, you guys. I had to make dinner¡ª¡± Eri unzipped her windbreaker, heading towards the trio. A black-and-purple Game Boy fanny pack was hidden within the folds of her coat, hugging her narrow hips. ¡°¡ªand somehow got stuck washing dishes, too.¡± ¡°Forget it, Seruma.¡± Shinji waved it off. ¡°You¡¯re here now, and that¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡± Evan cooed at the sight of her fanny pack. ¡°Whoa, you got a Game Boy, too?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± said Eri in passing. ¡°But mostly I just use the adapter to play on my TV.¡± His jaw dropped. ¡°The¡ªthe Super Game Boy?! That thing¡¯s so cool! Aw, man! Luck-eee!¡± ¡°Eddi-chan loves video games.¡± Mackenzie lit a fresh cigarette and blew a plume of smoke skyward. ¡°She¡¯s obsessed.¡± ¡°Wh-a-a-at?¡± Evan threw glances between them both. ¡°No way. Girls don¡¯t play video games! For real?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Hey, what¡¯s that one you¡¯re playing now?¡± ¡°Final Fantasy II.¡± Eri gave a shy smile. ¡°A, um, an RPG on Super Nintendo.¡± Evan grinned at her. ¡°Yo, we got so much to talk about! You play Pok¨¦mon? Smash Bros.?¡± ¡°Guys. We only have an hour.¡± Shinji called everyone¡¯s attention back to the task at hand: Monster patrolling. He nodded to Eri¡¯s fanny pack. ¡°You have all your Mon-Orbs in there, right?¡± She nodded. ¡°Good. We¡¯re going into the arboretum.¡± ~ The group wandered the woods in a tight unit led by Shinji studying the neon innards of the Monster Dowser. Its manipulation of multicolored light trails provided the group a dim guide along the way. Eri, who brought up the rear of the group, tried to make out any recognizable areas where the battle with Kyupo could have taken place¡ªthe last time she was here in the arboretum. But nothing familiar came into view. She clutched tight around the Fire Pendant against her throat and tried to focus on the sound of the group¡¯s footsteps through snow, mud, and snapping twigs as a distraction. ¡°What are we looking for?¡± Evan asked, flanking Shinji¡¯s right. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I know,¡± Shinji replied, his gaze lost within the Dowser¡¯s cloudy orb. Mackenzie stretched up on her tippy toes to steal a curious peek. She made a sour look. ¡°How can you tell anything in that mess?¡± ¡°Practice,¡± Shinji said. ¡°And a lot of Advil,¡± Evan added. ¡°Y¡¯know, for the headaches.¡± Headaches. Eri let her eyes trail along the gnarled trees that leered at every turn. She listened to the light shake of Heather¡¯s Midol in her jacket pocket. A headache was trying to brew that moment, actually. She did her best to ignore it¡ªand the fact that the waning moonlight gave off a semblance of maliciousness in the trees they passed by. Any one of them could be a Monster in disguise, waiting to jump out in their path. The Monster Dowser turned a reddish glow that ringed the top of Shinji¡¯s head like a crimson halo. It then turned lavender, and then blue, and finally a shade of green. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting somewhere here.¡± For the first time since the group entered the arboretum, he lifted his head to see where they were. He peered off to the right when they came to a fork in the path. ¡°Over there.¡± The Star Warriors travelled for a little longer until a clearing with a ravine came into view. Eri lifted her heel as a patch of soft dirt underfoot started to sink into the rush of water. ¡°Okay, looks like this is the spot,¡± Shinji announced. ¡°Thompson, give us some light. Call out your element, like I told you about before.¡± Mackenzie removed the golden-winged pendant from around her neck. ¡°Element Air--R E L E A S E ! ! ¡± A gust of air formed around her as the Air Pendant glowed to life. The gold chain vanished, leaving only the wing-shaped pendant spinning in Mackenzie¡¯s grasp. It emitted an invisible force that pushed away her hands. The pendant remained on the air, weightless. The healing gusts that consumed Mackenzie erupted into a feather-scored squall that did not tangle in her hair or clothes. The pendant extended into a vertical rod double her height with angelic wings that flexed into place on either end. With the wings came a shining ruby orb that churned into existence upon the head of the staff. ¡°Agghh! What the hell?!¡ª¡± The sight of the new elemental weapon startled Mackenzie so much that it dropped out of her hands and the bottom-end of the rod plummeted directly onto the exposed sock of a thrift store Mary Jane shoe. Macks hopped around, screeching at the top of her lungs. ¡°¡ªOWWIE, OWWIE, OWWWW!¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°The Air Staff,¡± Shinji said, approvingly. ¡°Oh, wow! So pretty¡­¡± Eri lingered a gaze upon the staff¡¯s long, semi-sentient, angel wings. The ruby crystal nestled between them gleamed in the darkness. Mackenzie frowned at the thing, leaning against it for support as she eased off her injured foot until the sting went away. ¡°It¡¯s so big. Can I get this thing in a size small, maybe?¡± Eri giggled. ¡°No way, Macks! It¡¯s the perfect size for you! Think you can use that thing to fly with?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mackenzie blinked and exchanged a glance between Eri and her Air Staff. ¡°What, like in Cardcaptor Sakura?¡± ¡°Ha, ha! Yeah! Exactly.¡± She blanched at the thought. ¡°How bold of you to assume my Air Staff can fly.¡± ¡°It has wings, right? Why wouldn¡¯t it fly?¡± ¡°And you say I watch too much anime.¡± Evan adjusted his glasses. ¡°Kinda looks like the Staff of Hermes or something, you know?¡± ¡°The whatnow?¡± ¡°You know, the symbol in medical offices,¡± he elaborated. ¡°That wand with the wings and snakes, and stuff?¡± ¡°Thompson. Cast some light for us, please,¡± Shinji asked her again. ¡°Oh, right. Sorry. Um ¡­ how do I do that?¡± ¡°Easy. Hold your Air Staff upright and produce the image in your mind. When you¡¯ve got a clear picture going, summon a Sub Elemental Crash. Remember when I made those stairs for you out of that tree you were stuck up?¡± Mackenzie frowned. ¡°How could I forget?¡± ¡°Just like that. Just focus,¡± Shinji told her. ¡°Remember, you are one with your element. You are Air. You can do this, Thompson. Know that the light exists, and it will.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Mackenzie straightened, held her Air Staff with its ruby crystal pointing skyward. She dropped her eyelids and let out a deep exhale. "Air! Come forth and crack the sky wide open to help show us the way!" The Staff¡¯s wings stretched out wide¡ªand then bent inward like elbows, before letting off a couple heavy-thumping flaps that scored the air with loose feathers. Its ruby crystal glimmered to life. Mackenzie called out at the top of her lungs, "I beg of you--Heavenward Sight!!¡± A sudden pillar of light shot skyward, blinding the three other Star Warriors in a brilliant flash that manifested in the form of a Sub Elemental Crash. Eri lowered her arm, blinking away the speckles that danced before her. The hard radiance softened enough to invoke an illusion that she and her friends all stood in the gleam of a winter afternoon in the woods. Mackenzie¡¯s eyes fluttered open. The sudden change in incandescence startled her with a shrill yelp. She caught her breath, realizing what had happened: she¡¯d done this, herself. With her very own magic. ¡°Oh, wow¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me!¡± Evan winced, mashing fists into his eyes, bobbling his glasses frames against both sets of knuckles. ¡° ¡®Kenzie, next time you want it that bright, warn us, okay, man?¡± ¡°How was I supposed to know it was gonna be so bright?!¡± she demanded. ¡°Gimme a break, Evan, it was my first try!¡± ¡°And you did great,¡± said Shinji, squinting around like he had just woken up from a nap. All he needed now was to be wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, his feet clad in slippers. ¡°Perfect. Thank you, Thompson.¡± ¡°Hey, you guys! Look!¡± Eri pointed their attention to the far end of the clearing. A few yards ahead stood another grassy patch between a pair of maple trees whose branches formed an archway before it. There, in the middle of the little enclosure, stood the grandmother of all oak trees. It was the largest one Eri had ever seen, and stood under the soft glow of Mackenzie¡¯s magical light with branches extended skyward to greet the kids. It was an old tree, the wrinkled bark rife with clefts and knob-like bubbles. Just how old¡ªEri doubted anyone could guess. ¡°So pretty¡­¡± She marveled at the sight. The other Star Warriors soldiered on past her, towards it. ¡°Hey, this place looks familiar. I think I¡¯ve been here before¡­¡± ¡°When?¡± Shinji asked. ¡°During the fight with Kyupo, you mean?¡± Evan made a sour sound under his breath. Eri nodded. ¡°Mm. I think so, yeah.¡± Mackenzie froze in mid-stride. ¡°You guys hear that?¡± ¡°Hear what?¡± Shinji asked. He and Evan slowed. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything,¡± said Eri. ¡°Shh!¡± Mackenzie waggled a hand at her with a firm scholarly gaze upturned. The corners of her eyes crinkled, twitched with concentration. ¡°What the heck¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, wow. Yo! What is that?¡± Evan asked. ¡°You hear it too, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, now I do.¡± ¡°Guys, quiet.¡± Shinji gazed upon the woods around them, ears flexing. His fingertips grazed the Earth Pendant around his throat. ¡°¡­Where¡¯s that coming from?¡± Eri watched her friends, confused and curious by what they were hearing. A low creak from somewhere among the treetops startled her alert. Mackenzie noted her gasp of surprise. ¡°Now you hear it, Eddi-chan?¡± A stiff groan eased within the trees that lined where they all stood. The sound was barely anything, almost impossible to pick out. Eri doubted they would have notice the sound at all if it wasn¡¯t for Mackenzie¡¯s sensitive hearing. ¡°What is that?¡± Shinji asked. ¡°Whatever it is, I don¡¯t like that sound, man.¡± Evan yanked the Water Pendant from around his neck, snapping the chain. ¡°I¡¯m getting bad vibes right to the bone.¡± ¡°Look!¡± Eri took a few large steps forward. Above her, the branches of every single tree she could spot had started to bend towards the clearing that housed the old oak tree. ¡°Wha-a-a-at...?¡± Evan murmured. ¡°They¡¯re not going to break off, doing that?¡± Shinji shivered from the sight. ¡°It¡¯s almost like they¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Spaghetti!¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s like they¡¯re¡ªthey¡¯re pointing! Like, the trees want us to go over there¡­¡± ¡°Did I do that with the magic?¡± Mackenzie asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Shinji said, still frowning at Evan. He raised the Monster Dowser eye-level with both hands and gazed within strands of neon light. ¡°Whatever caused this ¡­ it wasn¡¯t because of us.¡± ¡°What then?¡± Eri reached up to brush her fingertips along a stray branch of the nearest tree. It quivered to the touch. ¡°Magnetism?¡± Shinji offered. Mackenzie scoffed. ¡°Wood can¡¯t be magnetized.¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s a gravitational pull of some kind.¡± Evan laughed. ¡°Guys, you¡¯re forgetting we¡¯re carrying magical weapons, on our way to fight magical creatures from another world, right? Can we just pin this down to the obvious?¡± ¡°Drugs?¡± Mackenzie asked. Eri let her eyes wander back towards the old oak tree waiting for she and her friends with eternal patience. Maybe it was because of the glow from Mackenzie¡¯s invocation. Maybe it was a trick of the eyes caused by her internal aches and pains. But she could have sworn the tree was sparkling. ¡°It seems to be coming from that other clearing,¡± Shinji confirmed. He dropped to one knee to stuff the Monster Dowser away in his backpack. ¡°Seruma, Evan¡ªget your weapons ready.¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the boss-man, brother.¡± They both called upon their Elements¡ªforming the Fire Hammer and Water Trident, respectively. Shinji followed suit, calling forth the Earth Sword. Together, the Star Warriors hedged careful steps towards the old oak tree. The creaks and groans of stiffened branches sounded louder the closer they got. And the closer the Star Warriors got, the worse Eri¡¯s body throbbed. She braced a palm against her forehead, as if doing so would help keep her brain from vibrating straight out of her skull. Her fingers then dove for the Midol in her coat pocket. A thunderous clap tore through the air. A tiny green orb suddenly appeared between her friends and the oak tree. The dot flattened against the craggy bark¡ªand then stretched a thin, horizontal line along the trunk. A hissing icy wind spewed from it, a breached airlock. ¡°What the hell is that?!¡± Mackenzie cried. The gash then widened vertically, forming an oval-shaped mouth over the face of the oak tree. This caused the wind to become a screaming hurricane that blew out at the Star Warriors, engulfing them whole where they stood. ¡°Oh, damn!¡± Evan dug his heels into the dirt. ¡°Incoming! Time to rock and roll, you guys!!¡± ¡°Get ready!¡± Shinji shouted. ¡°Get ready for what?¡± shrieked Mackenzie. ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± Eri uttered a grunt of pain, her menstrual cramps radiating against her pelvis like a brand. She winced back tears against the scream of the wind. She raised the Fire Hammer like a horizontal wind visor. ¡°¡­Can¡¯t ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± It took almost all of the strength in the world to keep a fresh migraine from bringing Eri to her knees. The bottle of Midol dropped from her outstretched fingers and rolled in an arc between her converse sneakers. She gazed upon the open Void. There appeared a white outline within the depths of the unholy vortex. It was the shape of a four-legged beast. And it was coming straight for her. Episode 17 - Fight For Those You Love: Evan, and the Guardian Beast of Air ~ Episode Seventeen ~ Evan, and the Guardian Beast of Air ¡°Eddi-chan!!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°¡­ ¡° ba¡ª¡± ¡° Book of Lodoss. Kenah¡¯dai was Eldrom, the Guardian Beast of Air. ¡°Evan! You have to do it! There¡¯s no other choice!¡± ¡°No way, man! You¡¯re my bestie! I¡¯m not gonna¡ª¡± ¡°You have to! Or else there¡¯ll be no one to protect her!¡± Kuurb, the Monster of Influence¡ªthe whole thing felt so ironic, considering how the Kenah¡¯dai were possessed by an even stronger mind-control magic. was in search of, just another victim to the intoxication of that so-distinct strawberry perfume. loved video games. The Child of Destiny¡ªnearby and out of sight in Mackenzie Thompson¡¯s arms. If Eldrom managed to break through their ravine-side refuge, Mackenzie was basically defenseless. She didn¡¯t have first-hand experience Sealing Monsters, like Evan, or Shinji, or Eri did. Monster Sealer. Doing so nearly got her killed. Mackenzie wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against a Guardian Beast. only him, to keep Eri safe and end this fight. Sebastia, the Monster of Expulsion. He sent a breathless glance past the Eldrom, worried for Shinji¡¯s undetermined fate. He gave the Mon-Orb a firm squeeze and shot to a stand. ¡° Sebastia! Please lend me your power! Nobody messes with my bestie and gets away with it.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°¡­every time he and Shinji petitioned a Sealed Kenah¡¯dai¡¯s influence. He wondered briefly if the same happened for Eri, in the fight against Kyupo, when she summoned Nagamani¡¯s help. How much it hurt, doing so. Kenah¡¯dai essence whipped to life and darted straight into his chest to make a direct connection with him and the Monster Orb. A sharp flood of painful warmth flourished from Evan¡¯s heart. It spread to the rest of his body¡ªfilling him with Sebastia¡¯s divine power. aura of the Monster within him. He shuddered ¨C and when he took up the Water Trident, it began to glow, too. ¡°Arrow Score!!¡± ¡° Hurricane Roar. ¡° Kenah¡¯dai was Sealed. The Child of Destiny was safe again for another day¡ªand so, too, was the world. ¡°Shinji!¡± all too real. ¡° broken noses. ¡°¡­need you...¡± check his pulse, check his breathing. In such a frantic state, all he could do was shake Shinji¡¯s limp body and beg him not to die. Izuma-san? Izuma-san!!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡®hospital!¡± ¡°how are we going to get there?!¡± Mackenzie snapped. ¡°On a giant flying ice-dog? How do we even get him up onto Shiara¡¯s back? I saw what happened, how do you know Shinji¡¯s spine isn¡¯t broken?! We can¡¯t mess around with that!¡± is broken?¡± probably already back at the park laying on the horn like the world¡¯s ending. Evan ¨C we have to act now. Please. Let me try this. If it doesn¡¯t work, then I¡¯m the asshole. This is on me.¡± Air!¡± You are Air¡ªYou are Air. Project the image in your mind ¡­ project the ¡­ Okay--Cherub''s Kiss!¡± ¡° ¡°baka! You¡¯ll break my concentration!¡± second Sub Elemental Crash from Mackenzie wash over his bestie''s body in a faint glow. ¡° ¡° ¡°¡­ ¡° ever letting go. Episode 18 - Heavy Metal Chick: The Girl Who Was Forged From Iron ~ Episode Eighteen ~ Heavy Metal Chick: The Girl Who Was Forged From Iron She¡¯d been staring at her own reflection for a good, long, while now. All essence of time had fleeted. She stared deep into smoky-gray eyes. That¡¯s all there was. Eyes upon eyes. Eyes upon shoulders, upon torso, upon arms. Eyes upon everything. Not an ounce of her body showed fat. All of her was iron strong. She knew her strength and her body proved this, though no one knew ¡­ nor did she care for them to. Toned core and biceps, defined thighs and legs¡ªall stashed away, hidden beneath baggy t-shirts and ripped skinny jeans. Hand-me-downs from her older brother, back home. An old life. Isa Keitel stood in the tiny bathroom of her new apartment, staring at her reflection in the elongated mirror that hung off the back of the door. The air was still foggy with steam. The tile walls were grimy and perspired from her morning shower. Isa and her reflection sighed. For a moment, their eyes studied each other, and then dropped to their toes. They were calloused, nails painted punk rock black. Memories of the past few weeks flooded her. Sadness and anger, too. Voices and images that were snared and crudely-stitched like old-fashioned filmstrip. ¡°Izzy...¡± ¡°Yeah, Sensei Oji?¡± Master and Student both faced each other long after class had ended for the day. The other black belts had already gone home. Isa was waiting to be picked up. She and Sensei Oji stared at each other¡ªeyes upon eyes. The evening sun was a blaze of ruby-orange that cast them both in shadow through the front windows of Lotus Arts School of Karate¡ªIsa¡¯s second home ever since she was nine years old. ¡°Izzy, you have excelled so much in the five years you¡¯ve been a student under my instruction. You show grace and determination. You show restraint, yet equal repercussion. You show empathy and leadership.¡± Isa blushed. Her eyes dropped to her bare feet. She wanted to thank Sensei Oji. But he hadn¡¯t yet finished. ¡°You have transformed so much in that time. Into a fine young woman. Into a fine warrior. And I am proud to consider you my finest student. In the twenty-five years I¡¯ve taught karate, no girl has ever paralleled you. Izzy, I¡¯ve not known you to be a girl who has ever backed down from a challenge. So allow me to present you another¡ª¡± Sensei suddenly took her by the shoulder¡ªa gentle caress that made Isa¡¯s heart skip on a caught breath. Butterfly warmth fluttered against her ribcage as she studied the mat between their toes. ¡°¡ªI see promise in you to become a capable mentor in your own right, a councilor-in-training,¡± he said. ¡°Izzy¡ªI¡¯d like to offer you the position of Sempai here at our dojo.¡± ¡°S ... Sempai?¡± Isa looked back up, eyes upon eyes. Sensei¡¯s smile at her broadened. It warmed Isa from the inside out. ¡°What do you think? If you¡¯re up for it, I think you would make a great leader,¡± he said. His affectionate caress squeezed her shoulder. Then fell away. ¡°Think about it, at least.¡± But Isa didn¡¯t have to think about it. ¡°I ... I would be honored!¡± She bowed for him without hesitation. ¡°Sensei, thank you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure,¡± Sensei said. He straightened, proud of her¡ªhis finest pupil. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t let me down.¡± The scene swirled. The reds, blacks, and oranges of the memory became hybrid with a flood of new memories that took precedent. Memories that filled Isa with an unforgivable brackishness. ¡°What?! No way!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Izzy. I know it¡¯s a big move,¡± said her father. The two of them sat at the kitchen table, their backs to Isa¡¯s mother. He patted Isa¡¯s wrist. ¡°But the company offered me the promotion to Regional Manager at no contest...¡± ¡°Way to sell out, Dad!¡± Isa yanked her arm out of his grasp and pushed away from her seat with a loud screech. She stormed past her mother, out of the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m not moving!¡± ¡°Isabella Eve!¡± her father snapped. Isa stopped in her tracks. ¡°That¡¯s no way to speak to me,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I took the promotion, and we¡¯re moving to Ontario, and that¡¯s it!¡± ¡°Frank...¡± Her mother sighed and leaned into Isa, caressing her tight shoulders. ¡°Izzy, it¡¯ll be okay...¡± ¡°When?¡± Isa asked, trembling. ¡°Close to the end of the month,¡± he replied. ¡°Two weeks.¡± ¡°And you just found out today?¡± ¡°I accepted the promotion today, yes. Your mom and I have been talking about it a while now. Everything¡¯s settled.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Isa¡¯s chin drooped. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t stay with Brandon?¡± ¡°What? No, Isa¡ªof course not. Your brother¡¯s got his own plate to fill¡ªthat¡¯s not fair to him.¡± ¡°Not fair. Right.¡± She shifted out of her mother¡¯s clutch and snapped through the hallway, towards her bedroom. ¡°Izzy!¡± her mother called out. ¡°Honey¡ªplease, try to see the bigger picture. Look at this like¡ªlike¡ªa new beginning. The new beginning you deserve.¡± ¡°¡­I deserve?¡± Dumbstruck, Isa turned to face her, fighting back tears that dared to fall. ¡°How can you say that? How can you rationalize my feelings that way?! I don¡¯t want this! I don¡¯t need this!¡± ¡°Izzy?¡± Her father appeared at her mother¡¯s side and approached on tentative steps. ¡°Why are you being so dramatic? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡ªHow can you make that decision for me? You both of all people? How could you?!¡± Isa asked, concealing her tear-streaked face in the shadows cast across the unlit living room. ¡°I hate you!!¡± The memory swirled and faded. Isa found her smoky eyes in the bathroom mirror of a new and tiny apartment she now shared with her parents and little brother. ¡°H¡¯¡ªyaa!¡± With sonic reflexes, she and her reflection snapped a leg up at each other in a clean and graceful high kick. Their gazes stared each other down the whole time. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Izzy, everything all right in there?¡± Her mother, voice muffled. Isa sighed and lowered her leg. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± She caressed her forehead, eyes closed. ¡°Get dressed, okay? You¡¯re going to be late. There¡¯s some oatmeal on the table for you. Don¡¯t forget your meds!¡± ¡°¡­I won¡¯t forget.¡± Isa stared into an open palm and squeezed her hand into a tight fist. She listened to the sound of her mother¡¯s footfalls down the hall, then looked up at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Eyes upon eyes. A lone tear began to fall. ¡°Forgive me, Sensei.¡± ~ ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m dying for a smoke. Eddi-chan, you¡¯re coming to The Dreaming Tree, right?¡± ¡°Nope. I brought a lunch.¡± Eri stuffed her pencil case and Social Studies notebook into her desk and smiled up at Mackenzie, stretching beside her. Macks wilted at the news. ¡°But Shinji and Evan are going. It¡¯ll be weird without you.¡± ¡°Shinji didn¡¯t mention another meeting.¡± ¡°No meeting¡ªjust lunch. Evan¡¯s treat, if you can believe it. But knowing our beloved Izuma-san, it¡¯ll turn into one¡ªprobably about the Eldrom thing that almost killed him.¡± Eri shuddered at the thought, secretly glad she hadn¡¯t been conscious for that part. ¡°Well, he¡¯s not dead¡ªthanks to you.¡± ¡°Pffft. So being the Warrior of Air makes me the apparent healer of the group, or whatever. Big whoop. Shinji¡¯s too stubborn to die.¡± Mackenzie studied her, suddenly looking grave. ¡°To be honest though, you had me pretty worried. Scared you had a concussion or something.¡± Eri smiled, gently rapping the side of her head. ¡°Nope! Fit as a fiddle!¡± ¡°I dunno what¡¯s luckier: your gray matter or your butt¡ªI don¡¯t think your brother¡¯s ever been late before to pick you up. Maybe last night¡¯s the start of a new trend.¡± Mackenzie studied her, hopeful. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t wanna come? Like I said, Evan¡¯s treat. I wouldn¡¯t be going, otherwise.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°No, go. Enjoy!¡± Eri urged her. ¡°Honestly, after last night, I just need a break from all the Monster stuff.¡± ¡°Come on, Eddi-chan! You¡¯re not gonna leave me alone with a pair of dumb fourteen-year-old boys.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just Shinji and Evan.¡± ¡°Your old best friend and his new best friend? That¡¯s not awkward.¡± Old best friend. A rake of guilt tore across Eri¡¯s heart. New best friend. ¡°Sorry, Macks. I¡¯ll make it up to you¡ªI promise.¡± ¡°Free fo-o-o-od!¡± Mackenzie sang to her. She let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°Fine. You suck.¡± ¡°I know. Bring me back a snack, okay? Surprise me!¡± The girls merged into the line of students that seeped out into the noisy hallway. Eri waved goodbye to her trio of friends and headed to the coat rack just outside 208-B, to fetch her Hello Kitty lunch bag from her matching backpack. Only a handful of kids remained in-class to take their meals or play quiet rounds of President and War. On the opposite side of the classroom, Ms. Youse was bent over her work station reading a memo from the principal¡¯s office, spooning down tomato soup from her thermos. A glance to Ms. Youse¡¯s left revealed the transfer student, Isa Keitel, at her new desk within the row that spanned across the second-floor window. Nervous warmth bloomed in Eri¡¯s chest at the sight of her. The new girl nestled a cheek against the crook of her elbow, busy dragging a fingernail along the desktop¡¯s wood-patterned finish as she listened to music off her Walkman. Eri let out a long exhale and hedged brave steps towards her. ¡°Um, hi! Isa, right?¡± Isa blinked. She looked up at Eri, now looming over her on the opposite side of the desk. Her sleepy-sad gaze became almost frightened at the sight of her. ¡°Or¡ªIzzy?¡± Eri clarified. ¡°I heard your mom call you that when we saw each other the other day¡ªat¡ªat¡ªthe Dreaming Tree.¡± It was a struggle just to get the words off her tongue. What was she doing? ¡°Um¡ªis¡ªthat what you wanna be called?¡± Isa''s wide-eyed stare didn''t budge. Eri couldn''t take her eyes away from how feline-like Isa''s eyes were. And grey, too¡ªat least, they seemed grey. Isa just stared at her. It was like she wasn''t even breathing. Then, her eyes narrowed into steel. Her mouth curled into a frown. ¡°Isa,¡± said Isa. ¡°My name is Isa.¡± Eri brandished a polite smile, a shield against the impact of irritation that sounded in Isa Keitel''s otherwise bored-monotonous tone. The once-or-twice Ms. Youse had called on her for an answer, Isa had always seemed so sad¡ªdistant. Then Eri''s attention fell to the Walkman laying on the desk, next to Isa''s slender hand. Her long fingers curled into a loose fist, like she were about to knock-knock-knock on the faux wood of where she sat. Eri hadn''t seen a Walkman in ages. Most everybody she knew their age had a Discman or MP3 player. Eri, herself, still liked to listen to her favorite Go-Go''s and Joan Jett cassettes from time to time, but that was only because her personal CD player at home was a two-in-one, with an obligatory radio feature that she never switched on. Eri watched the pair of little black spindles churn whatever tape Isa currently listened to in a slow loop. The sound was low, but Eri could hear a male singer wailing away in Isa''s ears alongside angry or passionate guitaring. Definitely punk rock. Noah was a big punk rock fan, too¡ªor, at least he used to be, before he started university. ¡°Um, what¡ªum¡ªare you listening to?¡± Isa snapped her thumb against the stop button. Her hardened gaze dared Eri any closer, a lioness protecting her territory. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said. ¡°O-oh...¡± Eri felt herself start to back up. Coming over here had been a bad idea; a big mistake. Why had she thought it smart to approach this new girl in the first place? Isa clearly wasn''t interested. Why would she be? Isa was too cool to associate with a girl as plain and painfully shy as Eri. An apology was already forming on her tongue, for bothering this girl¡ªfor¡ªfor¡ª Eri''s backside caught against the edge of a desk behind her. She froze solid. In that moment, it was clear now that Isa''s eyes were grey¡ªdefinitely grey. There was no question about it as they glared deep into Eri, a pair of gleaming ice shards ready and aimed to kill. Then she remembered why she''d come over in the first place, why introducing herself to Isa was so necessary: ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have a lunch,¡± Eri quietly observed. The lioness dare around Isa''s eyes softened a moment, then hardened again. ¡°I have one,¡± she said. ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like eating.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The trembling clutch on Eri¡¯s Hello Kitty lunch bag slowly tightened against the folds of her pastel violet-print skirt. Then Isa gestured at her with an impatient chin shake. ¡°So-o-o, are we done here, or¡ª¡± A sudden flood of panic directed Eri to grab the nearest chair from the row of unoccupied desks behind her. She let out a sharp breath and sat down in front of Isa¡¯s desk. Isa stared at her, startled. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Eri unzipped her lunch bag and started to unpack the meal her father prepared that morning: a diagonally-cut bologna and cheese sandwich on white (with the works); a little dish of seedless green grapes; a Sunny D juice box¡ªand two Chips Ahoy! rainbow chocolate chip cookies wrapped in saran, for dessert. She unwrapped the wax paper that contained her sandwich and scooped up one of the sagging halves, offering it to Isa. ¡°Um, here¡­¡± ¡°Why are you...?¡± Isa started to retort, but hesitated, eyes darting in the direction of their teacher. Ms. Youse sat not ten feet away, still busy looming over whatever notes the main office had sent up that morning. She sighed, relenting, and took Eri''s offering, grumbling, ¡°¡­Kid, you don¡¯t have to give me your lunch. I told you, I brought one.¡± ¡°I don''t mind. There¡¯s too much food for me, anyway.¡± Eri offered a shy smile, her face feeling suddenly warm for some reason. Isa considered the luncheon peace offering, seemingly stunned by its mere existence. Slow rosiness tinted her cheeks as well. ¡°Well¡ªThanks, I guess,¡± she said. Eri replied with a quiet, ¡°Welcome.¡± The girls sat in awkward silence as they ate, sharing the spread of food in equal parts. It was strange for Eri¡ªshe¡¯d never been this kind of outgoing before, more used to keeping to herself. Mackenzie did most of the talking for the both of them, and Eri was more than happy to react or interject, accordingly. She nibbled on a grape, doing her best to not make direct eye contact with Isa¡ªfor fear of the horde of butterfly cocoons lining her guts that dared to erupt at any given second. Being an extreme introvert, often mistaken for an alleged vampire, with a love for alternative rock music and old Nintendo games, instead of the current pop boy band trends or makeup and jewelry, didn¡¯t land a girl many friends or great first impressions. Eri wrinkled her nose at the thought. Her ears weren¡¯t even pierced yet, the gun scared her so much. Then Eri''s eyes betrayed her with a quick peek at the new girl. Isa''s ears were pierced. And her makeup was flawless. Instantly, the cocoons began to crack a little. Isa stated, suddenly, ¡°You''re not Japanese.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Your name. It¡¯s Japanese, right? You¡¯re clearly not Japanese.¡± ¡°I¡¯m, um, not,¡± said Eri. ¡°My dad named me. Um, after a cadet he served with, who died. Dad¡¯s Italian. Mom¡¯s Irish.¡± Isa chewed on this alongside her half of Eri''s sandwich. Then she uttered, ¡°Must¡¯ve been some cadet. So¡ªyou¡¯re a military brat.¡± ¡°Yeah. Reserve Force.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rough.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± ¡°My mom¡¯s Italian,¡± said Isa. ¡°Dad¡¯s German. Anyway, what¡¯s up with your eyes? Red contact lenses?¡± ¡°Oh ¡­ no. I¡¯m not wearing contacts.¡± Eri paused to sip at her juice, feeling awkward. ¡°My eyes are red for real.¡± ¡°You an albino or something?¡± ¡°No.¡± Albino. That was a new one. ¡°I dunno why they¡¯re red. Neither does my doctor. They just ¡­ are. Born with ¡®em, I guess.¡± ¡°Looks like you jumped out of a photo or something. Bet they freak a lot of people out, huh?¡± ¡°¡­Sometimes.¡± ¡°Hm. Thought I heard some kid call you a vampire the other day. Makes sense now.¡± Isa suddenly leaned in across the desk to have a better look at them. Doing so sucked the air right out of Eri¡¯s lungs. She nearly choked on her grape, fully consumed by the deep and smoky pools of Isa Keitel¡¯s intense scrutiny. The new girl¡¯s nostrils flexed, wolf-like. ¡°What is that? You wearing Strawberry Dreams?¡± ¡°Um¡ªyeah.¡± Eri preened at her hair, nervous. She¡¯d purposely worn a few extra squirts today. ¡°S¡ªso, what¡¯s Vancouver like?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh.¡± Isa frowned, settling back into her seat with arms crossed. ¡°Better than this crappy place. There was stuff to do, at least. Shorebrooke doesn¡¯t even have a skate park.¡±¡ªShe scoffed.¡ª¡°The dojo here looks like a joke.¡± Eri blinked. ¡°Dojo?¡± ¡°Yeah. The karate place. You know, across from that diner ¡­ Tree, something? Anyway, nobody looks like they know what they¡¯re doing in there. It¡¯s embarrassing. A total McDojo.¡± ¡°Do ¡­ do you¡­?¡± ¡°I have my black belt,¡± Isa supplied. ¡°I was supposed to¡ª¡± She paused, the steely look in her face drooped into distant sadness¡ªbut only for a half-second before the hardness she radiated returned. ¡°What about you?¡± Eri shook her head. ¡°I run track.¡± ¡°Track.¡± Isa chewed on this for a time. She threw a dismissive look across the class room, scratching an errant itch on her bicep. The sleeve of her oversized Iron Maiden shirt hiked up the arm just enough for the shadows to hint at a kind of muscle definition attained only by intense discipline. ¡°Cool.¡± Eri smiled, mid-chew. The cocoons in her stomach stirred alive from Isa¡¯s affirmation. ¡°So¡ªdo you play any instruments?¡± asked Isa. ¡°Instruments?¡± The question caught Eri off-guard. No one had ever asked her that before¡ªnot even Mackenzie when they first started hanging out. But that was probably because Macks didn''t play any instruments, herself. The first question she''d asked the first day they''d met was, of course, about anime¡ªand which Sailor Scout was Eri''s favorite. Instant memories from before the move to Base Borden flooded Eri''s consciousness. Some of her most favorite memories were playing the drums¡ªNoah, enthusiastically teaching her on his own prized set. Back then, Eri had nearly perfected the percussion notes to the Darm Tower level in that old Ys: Book 1 & 2 game she loved, on the Turbografx-16 that both siblings had been given dual-custody of by Santa. That is, until Noah eventually went and traded it in¡ªalong with all the games¡ªfor his current and solo-owned Sony PlayStation and a copy of Syphon Filter 2 that she wasn''t allowed to play, because of its M-rating. Eri pushed away an unwelcome throb of sadness when that memory decided to resurface. She bit into another grape and murmured, ¡°Um, yeah. I played the drums¡ªwhen I was a kid.¡± ¡°Drums?¡± Isa''s jaw went so slack it almost clattered against her desk. ¡°You play the drums?¡± ¡°I used to,¡± Eri repeated. Then, feeling suddenly self-conscious, asked, ¡°Why? Is¡ªis that weird, or something?¡± ¡°No!¡± exclaimed Isa, wide-eyed again. Then, like a total reset, she scooped her jaw back up and settled back into a veil of aloofness without the slightest hint of interest in Eri. ¡°No¡ªI just wasn''t expecting an answer like that. Girls like you play piano, or flute, or¡ªor usually nothing at all. That''s all.¡± Eri blinked. Girls like her? What did that mean?¡± The lunch recess bell rang overhead. Eri placed the last bit of sandwich into her mouth and crinkled up the wax paper. She then quietly started to gather her things and placed the chair back where she found it. When she turned around, Isa was gone. ¡°Hey¡ª¡± Eri grabbed her bag and darted out into the hallway. ¡°Wait up!¡± She found Isa at the coat rack, swapping the cassette in her Walkman with something else from her backpack. Eri hedged nervous steps towards her. ¡°Hey, um¡­¡± Isa turned, shooting a glare of daggers at her. She slapped the flap of her Walkman''s tape deck shut and came forward with breath-taking whirlwind speed. ¡°Thanks for lunch, but I don¡¯t need you to be my friend. Just because I¡¯m new doesn¡¯t mean I need your sympathy, okay?!¡± Eri stumbled back on surprised heels. ¡°Wh¡ª¡± Isa shouldered past her with a hard shove. ¡°I can take care of myself. Got that, Red-eye?¡± Stunned into silence, Eri watched the new girl storm down the hall towards the first floor stairwell. She touched fingertips to a cheek, scalding hot with embarrassment. ¡° ¡®Red-eye¡¯¡­?¡± Episode 19 - Within the Soul of the Eyes: A Definition of Love ~ Episode Nineteen ~ A Definition of Love He scanned the diner. Among the afternoon crowd of rowdy teenagers, tired farmers and truckers, and the quiet or sociable elderly, he spotted Isa Keitel in a booth at the far end of the eatery. She was gazing out the window into the street, listening to music through a pair of flimsy walkman headphones. ¡°Hiya, hon!¡± ¨C Shinji was greeted by a young server caked in cheap makeup behind the order counter. She smiled down at him, chomping toothily on a wad of gum. ¡°What can I get¡¯cha?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± He looked up at the chalkboard menu above her head. ¡°Uh ¡­ I¡¯ll just get a small citrus tea, please ¨C milk and two sugars. Oh, and can I get a pizza bun, too?¡± ¡°Sure thing, sweetie. Not with your friends today?¡± ¡°Uh ¡­ no.¡± $4.86 flashed up on the register display. Shinji¡¯s gaze lingered on the number while he reached into his jeans pocket for whatever loose change he¡¯d brought along. April 1986 came to mind. Aries. Fire. He tried with no luck to remember Eri Seruma¡¯s birthday. It definitely wasn¡¯t in April. Shinji¡¯s fingertips whispered against a chain necklace intermingled with the collection of quarters and loonies in his pocket. The chain belonged to an Elemental Pendant meant for the fifth Star Warrior. The final Star Warrior. The Warrior of Spirit. He shot another look Isa¡¯s way. When his pizza bun and tea were served, Shinji took his food over to the booth diagonal from her. Isa seemed oblivious to his presence, too focused on the sight of the rainy street ¨C specifically Lee¡¯s Dragon-Tiger Dojo, a martial arts place directly across the road from The Dreaming Tree. He could barely see through the storefront glass a lesson in session; a line of after-school students standing before their teacher, all committed to stiff but swift punching drills. He lifted the steamy tea mug to his lips, studied Isa¡¯s reflection in her booth¡¯s window. She looked so sleepy, sad, the color of her eyes obscured by unruly scarlet bangs. Shinji needed to be sure Class 208-B¡¯s new transfer student was, in fact, the Warrior of Spirit. He was sure of it already. But in order to confirm such suspicions, he needed something to cement his intuition. Something only she could provide¡­ The color of her eyes. So far, it¡¯d been impossible to get a good look at Isa¡¯s eyes at school. Her hair was either always in her face or her chin was downturned, too focused on things that didn¡¯t involve the company of others. There was the other day though, when Isa came into The Dreaming Tree with her mother the first time the Star Warriors met as a team. She looked right at them. Shinji thought her eyes looked grayish ¨C the color of the Spirit element ¨C but he needed to be sure. Isa¡¯s shoulder sagged against the window pane. The Elemental Pendant dug into Shinji¡¯s thigh. Lots of people had gray eyes. Lots of people had greenish eyes like he and his mother¡¯s side of the family. Or bluish eyes like Evan and his mom¡¯s side, or yellowish eyes like Thompson and her father¡¯s side. For Isa Keitel to be a confirmed candidate to help rejoin the broken Star of the Elements, Shinji decided her eyes had to be a smoky gray. He didn¡¯t know why, exactly. Just what his gut said. But he needed to get a closer look to be sure, first. Evan didn¡¯t believe that this inconsequential identifier marked them Star Warriors, but it was true. The colors of all their eyes marked them descendants of the Original Five: Earth ¨C the war princess Arissa Lockhart; Water ¨C the seafaring minstrel Faran Coyne; Air ¨C the psychic healer Relina Weiss; and Spirit ¨C the tender-hearted mercenary Obiere Laroche. But then there was the Warrior of Fire ¨C the Black King¡¯s own son. Prince Jarem Sufocus. The man who would be reborn as Shinji¡¯s own grandfather. Perhaps the reason for his resurrection was because Jarem had no descendants when he died. No one with copper-colored irises to carry the Bloodline of Fire into the new millennium. Only a single younger sibling. A messianic being known by mortals as the Child of Destiny; known by Kenah¡¯dai as the Devil Goddess. A girl with all the power in her mind¡¯s invisible muscle to bring Restoration to the world. Or, Annihilation, if she so choose. Eri Seruma may have taken up the mantle for the Warrior of Fire, but her irises weren¡¯t an impossibly natural shade of candy-apple red because she was the descendant of Jarem Sufocus. Eri¡¯s eyes were red because she was¡ª Just then, someone covered by a purple umbrella walked past Isa¡¯s window. They stopped, moon-walked back center-frame, and rapped dark knuckles against the glass, startling her. The umbrella upturned to reveal Evan Williams¡¯ patented ear-to-ear grin. Isa frowned at him. Evan waved hello despite her indignation ¨C then blinked, someone else catching his attention. He peered Shinji¡¯s way, grinned wider, and backtracked on fiery heels towards the diner entrance. It was then that Isa finally noticed Shinji sitting in the booth across from hers. She grunted surprise at the sight of him. Annoyance reddened her cheeks. A bell jangled to signal a new customer¡¯s arrival. Shinji took a long sip from his tea and tried to ignore the flutter of butterfly warmth between his lungs. ¡°Hey, brother.¡± Evan slid into the bench seat across him. ¡°Happy Friday!¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Shinji murmured. He nudged his plate of what remained of the pizza bun towards Evan. ¡°Just getting back from choir practice?¡± ¡°Yeah. Becky¡¯s got my diaphragm in a vice, man. This recital¡¯s making her so stressed. It¡¯s nuts.¡± Evan took a crescent moon-shaped bite out of the bun and craned a look over to Isa, waving hello a second time. ¡°Hey, Isabella, right? Come hang out!¡± Isa glared at him, fumbled for her walkman and school bag, and struggled out of her booth. ¡°Hey¡ª¡± ¡°Piss off,¡± she snapped, storming away. Evan leaned out into the aisle, bemusement flexing at the corners of his mouth as he watched her go, knee bouncing. The bell over the diner entrance jangled again. Isa was gone. Shinji exhaled into his tea mug. ¡°Yo, isn¡¯t that the booth we were sitting at, couple times before?¡± Evan nodded to the now-empty seating that looked out across the dojo and grinned. ¡°Maybe we should reserve it for all Star Warrior meetings, huh? ¨C Heh, heh ¨C So, you really think she¡¯s one of us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± Shinji admitted. The Pressure to Complete the Star panged in his heart like a chest cramp ¨C Cloria¡¯s warning of failure to unite the Star Warriors would inhibit their success against destroying the Black King, once and for all. Without the Warrior of Spirit, their efforts would be in vain. ¡°¡­But, her moving to Shorebrooke lines up with everything else. Lives down the road from me, too, and that can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡± Evan chewed these words with his meal. With a swallow that should have lodged hunks of bread down his throat, he said, ¡°Then, that¡¯s it, huh? What that Monster of Radiance chick said about the broken star or whatever? What about ¡®Ree, though?¡± ¡°What about her?¡± ¡°Cloria said we can¡¯t beat Sufocus without the other Star Warriors. If Isabella¡¯s our girl Spirit, that leaves¡ª¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Seruma is the Warrior of Fire. She completes the Star.¡± ¡°No she doesn¡¯t,¡± Evan said, jaw hanging. ¡°Shinji, man, what are you talking about? Just because she can use the Fire Hammer doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s the¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, it does. She¡¯s still Jarem Sufocus¡¯s biological sister. If you had siblings, they¡¯d be able to use the Water Trident, too.¡± ¡°Because they¡¯d be descendants just as much as me! That¡¯s not who ¡®Ree is! She¡¯s no descendant of anybody, except for the guy behind this whole mess. Shinji, this is a dangerous game, man. Don¡¯t.¡± Shinji snorted. ¡°Then you tell me: why can she use the Fire Hammer?¡± ¡°All right. Okay. Nope.¡± Evan popped what was left of the pizza bun into his mouth, clapped his hands together. ¡°We gotta talk.¡± ¡°Evan¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re our leader. I know that. You¡¯re doing what you think is right. I get that. I respect that. Listen, you¡¯re my bestie and I¡¯d consider walking into traffic with you¡ª¡± ¡°You mean the edge of the world. You¡¯d walk off the edge of the world with me.¡± ¡°¡ªI¡¯d consider it. But as your bestie, I can¡¯t let you walk into traffic anymore. I gotta speak up, man. I gotta level with you. This is getting outta hand.¡± Shinji eyed him, started to speak, but was immediately shushed by the raising of a single index finger. ¡°You¡¯re being delusional,¡± Evan stated. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°This whole thing is a big mistake, you don¡¯t see that? Do you really think this is fair to our girl? Shin, she deserves to know who she really is, and keeping it back from her puts us all in so much danger. Especially her. You know that, right?¡± An uncomfortable truth shivered through Shinji. He didn¡¯t reply. ¡°To be straight with you, man, I¡¯m surprised she hasn¡¯t figured it out yet.¡± Evan folded his hands together over their table ¨C almost close enough to graze Shinji¡¯s knuckles cupped around a near-empty tea mug. An electric charge skipped between untouched flesh, sent a rush of tingles straight through Shinji. Uncertainty, too. His starving fingers unclasped the mug, drew into the safety of his lap. He cleared his throat. ¡°¡­Not even Thompson knows.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised she hasn¡¯t figured it out yet, either. ¡®Kenzie¡¯s quick, and after that whole chat with Cloria? Cat had to be out of the bag.¡± ¡°I think she was more worried about Seruma than actually paying attention to what was going on,¡± Shinji said. ¡°Anyway, Thompson will lose her mind if she figures it out first.¡± ¡°When,¡± Evan corrected him. ¡°She¡¯ll kill us both too, and rightly so. And tell ¡®Ree. Listen man, I get it ¨C You¡¯re scared. You¡¯re scared of telling her, it¡¯s a big deal. A real big deal. But if she¡¯s gonna find out, it¡¯s pro¡¯lly best if she finds out from someone she trusts. Someone who actually knows the stakes.¡± Shinji sighed, gaze averted. His hands folded together in his lap, kneaded at each other, nervously. ¡°¡­I know the stakes.¡± ¡°You know the stakes.¡± Evan nodded. ¡°And, you¡¯re our leader.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Shinji let out a slow, mind-centering, exhale. ¡°I just ¨C I don¡¯t want to make her feel ¡­ I don¡¯t want to ¡­ hurt her.¡± ¡°Hurt her?¡± Evan reclined in his seat, hands raised and rinsed. ¡°Think of it this way, man. What¡¯ll hurt her more? A heart-to-heart talk with a friend who loves her, or realizing it¡¯s been a secret this whole time?¡± ¡°¡­Love?¡± An uncomfortable dryness formed on Shinji¡¯s tongue. ¡°I¡¯m not playing around anymore, brother,¡± Evan said. He slid out of the booth and wiped down the dampness left by his umbrella. He offered Shinji a look of sympathetic sternness. ¡°I mean it.¡± ¡°Okay, fine ¡­ I¡¯ll tell her,¡± Shinji promised. ¡°I¡¯m seeing her Sunday, anyway.¡± Evan furrowed his brow. ¡°A date?¡± ¡°What? No. I¡¯m going to show her the Book of Lodoss! It¡¯ll be the perfect segue. I¡¯ll tell her then.¡± ¡°All right, man.¡± Evan sang the words like he didn¡¯t fully believe the admission. He caressed Shinji¡¯s shoulder in passing, a touch that produced a shiver of warmth. ¡°I mean it: you tell her ¨C or I will.¡± ¡°I DID IT!!¡± Eri leapt off the edge of her bed, Super Nintendo controller in-hand. She danced circles in front of her TV, singing the Final Fantasy II battle victory theme ¨C ¡°Na-na-na! Na-na! Na-da-daaa!¡± ¡°What are you doing?! Save! Save!!¡± Mackenzie¡¯s voice screeched from Eri¡¯s clear-plastic telephone, left neglected on the nightstand. ¡°Okay. Okay.¡± Eri giggled. She thumped back onto her bed and hammered the controller¡¯s A-button to speed through all the post-battle text. She scooped up the handset and nestled it against her jaw. ¡°Sorry about that! Haha!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry!¡± Macks cheered her on. ¡°Save your game!¡± ¡°I am! I am! Just gotta get through all the story stuff.¡± ¡°Hee-hee. So, how¡¯s it feel to finally make Bahamut your bitch?¡± ¡°Ahh ¨C umm ¨C I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Eddi-chan. You can swear. You¡¯re allowed to! Celebrate! Admit it ¨C you made Bahamut your bitch. Revel in that!¡± Eri blushed. ¡°Well ¨C I guess I did, um, kinda kick its butt!¡± ¡°Pffft. Puritan!¡± ¡°But, it feels good. Really good.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too adorable. I¡¯ll corrupt you yet.¡± Mackenzie¡¯s voice tickled in her ear. ¡°So, did you beat your game?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Eri navigated her on-screen character back to the world map to save her progress. ¡°Still got the final dungeon and end boss to go. Fighting Bahamut was optional, but totally worth it.¡± ¡°WHAT?! You mean this boss you were stuck on for like two weeks was completely unnecessary this whole time?!¡± ¡°Well ¨C not ¨C completely unnecessary,¡± Eri said, embarrassed. ¡°Um ¨C I get a new monster summon magic for my mage, Rydia, from beating it¡­¡± ¡°A Monster Sealer in real life and in your video games. I knew you were obsessed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk, Cardcaptor Mackenzie¡­¡± Mackenzie went quiet all of a sudden. ¡°¡­I¡¯m no Cardcaptor,¡± she murmured. ¡°I¡¯m barely a Star Warrior.¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t say that. Shinji would be dead if it wasn¡¯t for you!¡± ¡°I guess. But out of everyone, I¡¯m the only one who hasn¡¯t Sealed any Monsters yet.¡± Eri frowned. ¡°And that¡¯s a bad thing?¡± The line went quiet again for a time. Eri took the opportunity to shut off her game and wrap her controller up, finished for the afternoon. She leaned out her open window, arms folded over the sill, and gazed out past the rain-pattered shingles into Castle Court¡¯s coul-de-sac. Finally, Mackenzie replied. ¡°Honestly, I have more in common with the Cardcaptor¡¯s best friend, Tomoyo-chan.¡± Eri took in great whiffs of the drizzly spring air amidst the sound of distant birdsong. She readjusted the phone against her jaw. ¡°You think so?¡± Another silence passed. ¡°Definitely.¡± ¡°Well ¨C you do have really pretty hair like she does. Maybe you¡¯re not as, um ¨C elegant? But¡ª¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°¡ªyou do go a lot out of your way for the people who are important to you.¡± A light chuckle sounded in Eri¡¯s ear. ¡°¡­You¡¯re really important to me.¡± This brought a smile to Eri. She nodded, even though Mackenzie couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°You¡¯re really important to me, too.¡± ¡°Heh. So-o-o-o-o, your date with Shinji is coming up.¡± ¡°Ugh. Please stop calling it a date.¡± ¡°Sunday, right?¡± Eri sighed into the phone. ¡°Yeah. Sunday. Oh! ¨C It¡¯ll be our one-week anniversary as Star Warriors, Macks. Congrats!¡± ¡°Congrats ¨C big whoop. Hey, too bad your mom doesn¡¯t let you wear cosmetics, eh? I¡¯d love to doll you up before your big day, hehe.¡± ¡°Double ugh. I¡¯m serious, he just wants to catch me up on all the Monster stuff you guys went over after the library incident. That¡¯s all. It¡¯s not a date.¡± ¡°Pfft. I don¡¯t understand why you deny your feelings for him¡ª¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t have feelings for him. He¡¯s just a friend.¡± ¡°¡ªThis is your chance to go in for the kill, though!¡± ¡°Macks¡­¡± ¡°Fine, fine, fine. But riddle me this, Eddi-chan! If Shinji¡¯s just a friend to you, what do you call that stunt you pulled last Valentine¡¯s Day?¡± Eri¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°What stunt?¡± ¡°The stunt. I saw what you wrote in the card you gave him: ¡®love, Eri¡¯!¡± ¡°¡­And?¡± ¡°Really?! You spelt it L-O-V-E, not L-U-V!¡± ¡°So? ¡­ Wait, that was ages ago, how do you even remember¡ª¡± ¡°Eddi-chan! There is a distinct difference between those variations of the spelling!¡± Eri rolled her eyes. ¡°If you say so. Why are you so obsessed with me and Shinji, anyway?¡± She snort-giggled, withdrawing from the window back into the safety of her bedroom. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re the one with the crush on him, and are just trying to pass it off, huh?¡± The snarky reply she expected didn¡¯t come. ¡°Because I¡ª¡± Mackenzie¡¯s voice suddenly cut short. An almost inaudible huff of a sigh crackled over the line. ¡°¡ªI ¨C I just ¨C You¡¯re my best friend. I just want to see you happy. That¡¯s all.¡± Eri smiled at this, settling into her desk chair as she wound the phone cord taut around her forearm. ¡°But, I am happy. I have you in my life.¡± Further silence lingered in her ear. ¡°¡­Eddi-chan?¡± ¡°Yeah, Macks?¡± Hesitation trailed for a time. Birdsong echoed on the air outside Eri¡¯s bedroom window. Then, a draw of breath in her ear. ¡°I ¡­ Me too¡­¡± Episode 20 - Time Alone With Shinji?!: Eri’s Anxious First Date ~ Episode Twenty ~ Eri¡¯s Anxious First Date Eri tied her hair back in a favorite red scrunchie and strode up the driveway on brave heels. She sighed through knots in her stomach as she approached the house. Ghosting memories of Mackenzie¡¯s voice teased her: ¡°It¡¯s super adorable how you act when he¡¯s around ¡­ It¡¯s so obvious you like him.¡± Truth be told, she didn¡¯t know how to feel about Shinji Izuma. Slight guilt hung in Eri¡¯s heart ¨C Her parents didn¡¯t know she was here. Noah didn¡¯t know she was here. As far as anyone was concerned, Eri was at Mackenzie¡¯s house working on another school project. The knots in her stomach tightened around a dull wave of fresh cramps. The Lexus she thought Shinji¡¯s parents drove was nowhere to be found. Her gaze found the stoop ¨C the curtain in one of the sidelights rustled as somebody peeked out. Moments later, the front door swung open to reveal Shinji within-frame. Mackenzie¡¯s pre-recorded obnoxiousness resumed playback: ¡°You have a date? With Shinji?!¡± Eri recalled how nervous he¡¯d been after the encounter with Cloria and Zorfus. The way he shifted on his heels, rubbing his arm. The way he was too embarrassed to meet Eri¡¯s gaze when he asked her, Wanna hang out Sunday? ¡°Hey,¡± he called out to her. Eri swallowed hard, waved. ¡°Hi.¡± Was this a date? Shinji stepped out onto the stoop and closed the door behind him, locking it with a set of keys from his pocket. There was a large plastic tote bag folded under one arm. He jogged down the steps to meet Eri along the drive. ¡°You feeling any better?¡± he asked. ¡°I was worried about you after that fight with Eldrom.¡± ¡°Oh ¨C I¡¯m okay,¡± Eri said, doing her best to play everything off. It was nothing! Just a migraine, just bad cramps, just a giant magical wind-wielding beast that tore its way out of an oak tree from another world. The perfect recipe to make any weary teenager faint in the middle of the forest. ¡°So, um ¨C you wanted to talk to me about Child of Destiny stuff?¡± Shinji flicked her a hesitant glance. ¡°Uh, yeah. We gotta do something, first.¡± He headed past her, towards the end of the driveway. Eri turned, watching him with the sound of an approaching car in her ears. A banana-colored taxi sporting Shorebrooke YELL-OH! signage pulled up next to the curb. ¡°¡­Where are we going?¡± she asked. Shinji opened the rear passenger side door for her. ¡°Grocery shopping,¡± he said. ¡° Eri nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t had another chance. Been pretty preoccupied with ¡­ a new lead. And patrolling. And homework. Anyway, this works out. I don¡¯t have to guess what you can eat if we¡¯re shopping together.¡± Shinji looked almost relieved about it. ¡°Uh ¡­ so, how are your migraines? Thompson said you¡¯re getting them a lot recently.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not wrong.¡± Eri frowned. ¡°They just started coming out of nowhere, like I wanna say maybe a few weeks ago? They last like anywhere from a few minutes to like an hour.¡± ¡°Really? I thought migraines lasted longer than that. Your headaches are just as intense?¡± ¡°Like I¡¯m going to throw up sometimes. Real bad dizziness. The night with Eldrom, I thought my head was gonna split in half.¡± ¡°It almost did. You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t crack your skull open when you fainted.¡± Shinji¡¯s hard-set gaze on her softened. ¡°Are they always that bad?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Eri thought back to how intense her cramps had been the previous Wednesday. Their worst so far. The pain would have obliterated her if not for Noah¡¯s girlfriend swooping in to save the day. ¡°The other night was different.¡± ¡°Different how? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Eri shook her head, looked out the window as the streets passed them by. How could he understand? ¡°I dunno. Just worse.¡± The taxi pulled into the No Frills plaza at the edge of town. Shinji paid and got out, Eri following him across the seat. He shut the door behind her and together, they trekked across the parking lot towards the cart corral in front of the grocery store. ¡°What¡¯s your doctor say about your migraines?¡± ¡°My doctor? You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± Eri watched Shinji fumble around for a quarter to use in the coin-lock mechanism that kept the carts all chained together. ¡°My parents would tie a leash around my waist if they knew something was wrong with me. I never get sick.¡± ¡°It could be serious, Seruma.¡± Shinji reflected on this with an almost distant look in his eyes. ¡°Sounds like they really care about you.¡± Eri snorted. ¡°Care isn¡¯t quite the word that comes to my mind. But, okay.¡± When they entered the store, Shinji withdrew a small checklist and handed it to her. ¡°I have everything memorized. If you spot anything before I do, just go for it.¡± ¡°Um, ¡®kay.¡± Eri thoughtfully read over his graceful cursive. She remembered a time when Shinji¡¯s penmanship was nearly impossible to read ¨C just jerky squiggles on a page that instigated derogatory ire from their peers. The handwriting she read now ¨C it was immaculate, so concise ¨C so grownup. Like Shinji was a tiny adult of some kind. The thought was an endearing one, and made Eri giggle.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. They maneuvered through a few narrow aisles, picking up items as they came by. At one point an icy shiver went through Eri, like someone was watching them ¨C following them. She dared a peek over her shoulder and found only the notice of an old hunch-backed man on dual canes by a shelf of breakfast cereals. He watched the two kids shop together without supervision, a wild grin on his face. Something familiar about him tickled at the back of Eri¡¯s memories. Something lingering in the shadows there ¨C something that had always been, yet never seen. She narrowed her eyes at him and turned away, barely aware of the headache that began to form. ¡°So, um, how are you doing? You know, beaten-up-by-Monsters not included.¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± The question startled Shinji. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, I¡¯m doing okay. Just stressed. You know.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate. Eri tried to study his forward-set gaze. They offered her nothing except a hunt for packaged tofu, fresh celery and mushrooms, and garlic bread. For Shinji to be stressed out ¨C probably about this whole Child of Destiny thing ¨C made total sense. A bump against Eri¡¯s hand left her thoughts like ash on the wind. She looked down, taking in the unexpected jolt that came with the graze of Shinji¡¯s knuckle against her flesh. He flinched from her. ¡°Sorry.¡± It had just been a graze, but touching Shinji¡¯s hand ¨C it felt so cold, clammy. Was he ¡­ nervous? Did he mean to bump hands with her? Was he trying to maybe ¡­ reach for hers, and got scared? Eri felt her face grow hot, the ghosting whispers of Mackenzie in her ear again. ¡°Maybe this is your lucky day.¡± Eri¡¯s chest tightened, fearful. Was this a date? An even scarier question plagued her: did she like him? In the way Mackenzie assumed so obsessively? In the way other kids their age were just starting to experiment with liking each other? Eri struggled to find an answer when Shinji stopped midway down the aisle to inspect different flavors of pasta sauce. ¡°Which do you like?¡± he asked. ¡°Spicy tomato and peppers, or zesty garlic pesto?¡± Eri honestly didn¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t know if she liked anybody in that way. Being around Shinji brought on feelings of anxiety. Not the kind of butterfly feelings she¡¯d come to expect from the daytime soaps her mom watched while cross-stitching ¨C nor the angst-ridden romantic confessions from the bootlegged fansubs Mackenzie sobbed over after school. And not at all like how the characters in Eri¡¯s favorite Regina Lepue book series felt about each other¡­ She had never really considered it until now. Wasn¡¯t attraction supposed to feel warm? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to make her heart swell and flutter and make her feel all light-headed, almost like she were floating? Kind of like ¨C maybe how it felt to be around Isa Keitel? The way Eri felt now, just thinking about her? ¡°I don¡¯t need you to be my friend.¡± The sting of Isa¡¯s words from Thursday still seared like fresh coals. ¡°I can take care of myself. Got that, Red-eye?¡± Eri sighed. ¡°Seruma, pass me that block of cheddar, will you? Oh ¨C you¡¯re not lactose, right?¡± This other feeling though, about Shinji, however ¨C this anxiety Eri always felt around him ¨C was that supposed to signify attraction to another person? She massaged a tense shoulder with idle strokes, curious. Regardless, she couldn¡¯t deny that the attention Shinji showered over her this past week did, indeed, feel nice¡­ Not to mention their time spent fighting Monsters together. The way Shinji came to her aid in the library when Nagamani tore through Borrower¡¯s Services. The way Shinji tackled her out of the way when Kyupo¡¯s speedball struck their path in Grover¡¯s Mill with the blast radius of a landmine. The way Shinji risked his life leaping onto Zorfus¡¯s back, all to give her a chance to Seal it into a Mon-Orb... The way Shinji believed in her wholeheartedly. Doubtless. ¡°You can do this, Seruma. I know you can.¡± At one point in time, Shinji had been Eri¡¯s best friend. They¡¯d known each other since preschool ¨C inseparable until the summer of 1996, when Eri¡¯s dad moved her family to Base Borden on the off-chance he might serve in Kosovo. When that didn¡¯t happen, and the Serumas returned to Shorebrooke in 1998, things were different. Shinji was different. He was cold. Distant. Devoid of the laughter and the wide toothy grin Eri always remembered him wearing. It was like Shinji Izuma had become a completely different person in the two years she was away. A tiny adult trapped in a child¡¯s body. It wasn¡¯t until this whole Monster stuff happened that he¡¯d started warming up to Eri again. Noticing her again. Talking to her again. It was almost funny in a way ¨C the conservation grounds where they¡¯d first met as children had since become home to the Monsters they fought now as teenagers. The giant god of Grover¡¯s Mill had brought them together again. Did this mean they were best friends again? If so, why did Shinji keep acting like Eri was more than that? She had her own magic, her own elemental weapon to wield against the Kenah¡¯dai. She didn¡¯t need Shinji¡¯s protection. They were teammates, tasked to find the Child of Destiny together, with Macks and Evan. The psychic friction between their unhooked hands intensified, dared her to ponder this louder and longer with every aisle they wandered through. Was Mackenzie right? Was Shinji into her more than just as friends? And was Eri attracted to Shinji this whole time, and just didn¡¯t know it? And, if this was supposed to be a date with Shinji, wasn¡¯t holding hands a thing people on dates were supposed to do? With those thoughts came an almost unconscious pull that drew Eri¡¯s slender artist fingers towards Shinji¡¯s stubby labor fingers ¨C all nicked by paper cuts that marked his voracious reading habits. Despite her irrational fear of Shinji, she wondered if holding his hand might feel nice, too¡­ With a sharp breath caught in her lungs, Eri nudged her fingers against his thumb. A static charge emitted between them. ¡°Hang on, I need milk.¡± Shinji pulled away and made a sudden beeline for a wall of refrigerators by the back corner of the store. Eri blinked, confused. She wheeled the cart after him. ¡°Hand me a couple cans of orange juice. The concentrate stuff.¡± Shinji reached into one of the refrigerators for a couple of bags of two per-cent. He dumped them into the cart when Eri pulled up beside him, and started to inspect nearby egg cartons. ¡°Couple more things and we¡¯re done here. There¡¯s a lot to go over when we get back.¡± ¡°W-we¡¯re going back to your place to make lunch, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. You getting hungry?¡± Lunch with Shinji. At his place. Eri¡¯s stomach growled around what felt like a thousand more knots tying together. She remembered there hadn¡¯t been any cars in Shinji¡¯s driveway. His parents worked at the Magna plant just outside of town. From what she remembered, weekend shifts were a thing that existed for them. Eri would be alone with Shinji at his house. No parental supervision. No older brothers walking in, taking over, ordering her around. No one to hover about like police helicopters with all-encompassing spotlights. Just the two of them. Alone. Her mouth felt cotton-dry with the realization. Surely, partaking in such a risk would put her before The Seruma Court. She¡¯d be found guilty without trial, sentenced to carry out her days shackled to the dungeon walls of her bedroom until the age of thirty-five, at least. But, still. What Shinji offered her today was a kind of freedom Eri didn¡¯t know of. A kind of freedom that in many ways felt ¨C so wrong. And yet felt so equally right in all of its intuitive wrongness. Alone with Shinji. A boy. Making lunch together ¨C alone. Eating lunch together ¨C alone. A date. The thought of it was paralyzing. ¡°Seruma?¡± He called her back, concern in his eyes. ¡°Is ¡­ is that a problem?¡± Eri forced a weak smile at him, but then shook her head with a confident defiance she¡¯d never felt before in her life. ¡°N ¨C no! No problem.¡± The thrill of it rushed through her like nothing else. Like bliss. Episode 21 - The Book of Lodoss: Lessons From A Lost War ~ Episode Twenty-One ~ Lessons From A Lost War ¡°. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t eat a lot of meat much.¡± She took in great the steaming wafts of garlic pesto and melting shredded cheddar. ¡°Mmm ¡­ Shinji, this smells so-o-o-o good!¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± he murmured, blushing, and went back to the stove to spoon out a helping for himself. ¡°My mother used to tell me the quickest way to a girl¡¯s heart was through a love for food.¡± He suddenly froze, mortified by the words that had just tumbled off of his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to say it like that ¨C I just ¨C what she meant was ¨C I mean, obviously, you¡¯re not¡ª¡± Eri giggled. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I know what you meant. Good food is the best.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± He offered her a shy smile, nodded. ¡°Dig in.¡± She smiled back at him, then made the sign of the cross over her food and did just that. When the first forkful touched her lips, Eri nearly melted into a heart-shaped puddle in her seat. Shinji¡¯s cooking was to die for. He appeared at the table with his own plate of spaghetti and pulled up a chair next to her. ¡°This is my mother¡¯s recipe.¡± ¡°Did she teach you how to cook?¡± Eri straightened in her seat and reached for the basket of garlic bread between them. Shinji got to it first and ushered it towards her. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°But, mostly self-taught. I use her old cookbook a lot.¡± ¡°Oooh. So, do you make all your own school lunches, then?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, wow! They all look so yummy! I never would have guessed. But knowing how to cook must really help when your folks work such crazy hours, huh?¡± An almost distant gleam appeared in Shinji¡¯s eyes when she said that. He nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are they working late tonight? There¡¯s enough time to go over what you wanted to talk about, right? Before they get back?¡± ¡°¡­I guarantee it.¡± Eri paused in mid-chew, eying the sudden haze of sadness that had come over him. She swallowed in one big gulp. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± The question reeled Shinji back to the present. He offered a weak smile, nodded again. ¡°Sorry. I guess my mind wandered off just then.¡± ¡°It happens.¡± Eri twirled her fork around in a goop of noodles. A sudden thought made her giggle. ¡°Hey! Remember in the woods before we fought Eldrom? When Evan thought the magnetized branches looked like spaghetti?¡± Shinji snorted. ¡°He¡¯s ¡­ got an interesting imagination. I¡¯ll give him that.¡± Eri studied him with a smile. ¡°You guys are really good together.¡± ¡°Thanks. You and Thompson, too.¡± ¡°I mean it,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you have each other.¡± She took her time to explore the main floor with hands folded against her back, like she were on an art tour through the interiors of the Izuma-Reinholdt estate. She took in the cushy semblance of warm and wealthy country life Shinji and his parents occupied in the dead center of Libra Road¡¯s more suburban evolution. Yet, the air here was so cold. Prickly and cold. Eri stopped to study an old grandfather clock out in the foyer. In the glass, she spotted Shinji¡¯s reflection past the sliding doors into his father¡¯s den, behind her. She threw him a tight-lipped smile over her shoulder, but Shinji didn¡¯t see it, instead too focused on a search for something he¡¯d casually mentioned during their meal. Something called the Book of Lodoss. She crossed into the parlor, on the opposite side of the grandfather clock, and settled into the leather sectional that backed against the bay window into the street. A giant portrait that went previously unnoticed caught her attention from over the fireplace mantle. A family of three, painted in oils. The father, of Japanese heritage, wore a brown suit jacket and trousers. The mother, German with radiant blonde curls, wore a striking red dress that looked like it might have sparkled in reality. Between them both, with a parental hand on each shoulder, stood a little boy wearing a toothy smile Eri hadn¡¯t seen in years. Shinji. A mix of both Japanese and German genes. He, within the work of art, was a work of art. Eri tugged free the scrunchie from her hair as she found herself transfixed by the grinning version of her friend she used to know. The painting of Shinji at such a tender age ignited her to try and remember the look of that toothy smile in real life, what his laughter sounded like. Sadness panged in her heart for him. Guilt, too. They¡¯d been best friends all through childhood until her family moved to Borden. Until that point, all they had was each other. They were inseparable. And Eri had abandoned him. The guilt around her heart clutched tighter. There was nothing she could have done about the move, Eri knew that. The decision wasn¡¯t hers to make, but she still carried the weight of it, anyway. An impulsive decision made by her father that did nobody any good in the long run anyhow. Two years of socially-isolated homeschooling. Two years of a straining bond between she and Noah that only became more one-sided and controlling with each day that passed. Two years of intense passive-aggressiveness between a pair of grown caretakers who acted less like adults than either sibling did.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The two years at Base Borden were lonely and stressful years for Eri, who found herself trying to navigate the beginnings of puberty alone and confused, with parents who scolded her for asking questions about her body, about their bodies. Parents who sent her to bed without supper, simply for uttering the words, penis and vagina, like they were foul things to say. The two years at Base Borden were wasteful years for her family that resulted in an honorable discharge for her father ¨C unresolved military-grade PTSD that took the form of sudden explosive outbursts and unfounded accusations from a place of projection and deflection ¨C fearful inadequacy as both a frontline soldier and the Seruma patriarch. The two years at Base Borden marked two years without Eri¡¯s former best friend when she needed him most. Just to return home with nothing to show for her time away except for a new house, attendance at a new school, a separate seventh grade homeroom from his, and no one to turn to except for the nurturing gaze of a loud and comically-short girl behind her in class who was obsessed with Sailor Moon. Eri sighed, considering the oil-painted image of a boy she used to know. A toothy smile she used to know. ¡°You can do this, Seruma. I know you can.¡± Shinji never called Eri by her last name before this semester when they were finally reacquainted under Ms. Youse¡¯s tutelage. Before now, he never called anybody by their last name. Something had clearly happened to Shinji while she was away. And Eri hadn¡¯t been there to catch the fall when he needed her most. It explained why Shinji acted so distant with her now. Why he stayed away, ignored her, until now. Why he relied on the extroversion of Evan Williams, his new best friend, to carry him through the loneliness of introversion and the playground¡¯s rules of societal rejection that came with it. Much in the same way Mackenzie Thompson had done, for her. Words Shinji spoke to Mackenzie the night they fought Cloria and Zorfus burned in Eri¡¯s ears: ¡°Not bailing when people need you is the most important lesson.¡± She sniffled against a sting of tears, wiped her eyes with a knuckle. ¡°Shinji ¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± ¡°Sorry for what?¡± he asked. Eri yelped surprise and found him considering her with a hard-set gaze on the other side of the coffee table. A giant leather book was cradled in his arms. ¡°Oh! N-nothing! I was just looking at the painting.¡± Shinji turned his attention to the family portrait. ¡°I think I was nine or ten there,¡± he said. ¡°Can¡¯t remember.¡± He plopped down next to Eri and slid the book into her hands. It was heavier than she expected, the front and back covers bound together by a strap of cow hide and encrusted with a golden twist lock in the shape of a lion¡¯s head. ¡°What is this?¡± Eri asked. Her fingers trailed over the lock, noticing that it had been released. She set the tome onto her lap and tilted back the front cover. ¡°This is the Book of Lodoss,¡± said Shinji. ¡°The Book of Lodoss?¡± Eri wrinkled her nose against the thick layers of mustiness and ancient incense that emanated off its pages. ¡°It¡¯s an appendix, a grimoire, of all things related to the Kenah¡¯dai and the continent of Atrea before its eventual merge with the rest of Europe,¡± Shinji explained. ¡°The author was Eric Lodoss, the Black King¡¯s royal priest. Father Lodoss is the one who gathered the original Star Warriors in the first place and helped lead them against the Black King, with the Warrior of Fire.¡± Eri blinked at him. ¡°Warrior of Fire?¡± Shinji gave a grave nod, his penetrative gaze upon her. ¡°That¡¯s right, who you¡¯re related to. The Warrior of Fire was their leader. His name was Jarem.¡± ¡°Jarem¡­¡± The name had a familiar ring to it, though Eri couldn¡¯t place exactly where from. She chewed on this for a time, then turned her attention back to the grimoire and flipped through pages of scratchily-drawn maps and diagrams, mystical articles, and countless bestiary entries. A crude portrait of Kyupo, the Monster of Velocity, sent a shiver through her in passing. ¡°When Father Lodoss realized the Child of Destiny had been sent through time, he hid this book and other artifacts away ¨C the Monster Dowser and our pendants ¨C with the royal family of Earth, to prepare for Sufocus¡¯ return. That¡¯s how I have all this stuff.¡± ¡°Shinji, this is really neat!¡± Eri flipped past an entry on alchemical botany, and lingered on a portrait of a young boy sitting on a boulder, with the Fire Hammer leaned against a nearby tree. The boy was clad medieval garb with a long cape flowing across his lap. Cradled in his arms was a runty-looking baby, fast asleep. The caption beneath read, ¡°Jarem with Terra during Harvest Equinox ¨C September, 1286.¡± ¡°Terra¡­?¡± Eri murmured the name, taken aback. ¡°That¡¯s what¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s Jarem, there.¡± Shinji pressed the pad of his index finger against the musty page. ¡°The Star Warriors were kids, like us, when this all happened. Jarem was maybe sixteen, or so.¡± ¡°Then he wasn¡¯t a kid,¡± Eri informed him. ¡°He¡¯d be an adult at sixteen in that era. Most people didn¡¯t live for very long back then.¡± ¡°Oh ¨C Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right. Forgot you were the medieval history buff. Guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± Shinji rubbed the back of his head and quickly added, ¡°The amount of medieval video games you play, I mean. You still play those, right?¡± ¡°Um ¡­ yeah.¡± The truth was that Eri never stopped playing them. From the moment Noah had stuffed a Nintendo controller into her grubby little toddler hands, Eri was addicted to turn-based RPGs ¨C Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior, and others of similar ilk. ¡­ They filled a void that made her homesick for a place she didn¡¯t know. The name Terra called her attention back to the open page before them. ¡°Umm ¡­ who¡¯s that baby he¡¯s holding? His kid?¡± Shinji peered over the image of the girl in Jarem¡¯s arms. ¡°No. That baby, uh, she¡¯s ¨C that¡¯s ¨C his sister.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Eri, and moved on to the next page without question. ¡°Weird.¡± The following sketch showed a woman with long-pointed ears and flowing dandelion hair, sipping from a flask. She was draped in a cape that spilled around a hard-leather one-piece that left only her arms and legs exposed, with sagging field boots up to her knees. Leaned against her was a wiry-looking Irishman playing a pan¡¯s flute. He looked like a man who should have been on a maiden voyage somewhere off in the Pacific, instead of trotting around with a bunch of knights. ¡°That¡¯s Lakmir, an Elf of the Highlands,¡± Shinji noted. ¡°An Elf? Like, for real? I thought those were only fantasy!¡± Eri shot off a nervous chuckle when Shinji¡¯s already-trademark flat expression soured deeper at her. ¡°S-sorry. I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, either.¡± ¡°Lakmir was a Monster of the earth element. She helped Father Lodoss and the Star Warriors during the final battle against the Black King.¡± ¡°You mean she didn¡¯t get brainwashed?¡± ¡°The willpower of some Kenah¡¯dai was stronger than in others. Just like in humans.¡± Shinji shrugged. ¡°Some refused outright to bend the knee, and were slaughtered for it. Others bargained with the Black King and joined his forces willingly ¨C like the Monster of Radiance, when her brother fell to Sufocus¡¯s influence.¡± What were you doing, huh? Who¡¯d you go fooling around with, huh? Eri shivered. Instinctive fingers darted to massage a tightness in her shoulders. She shifted away from Shinji a hair and continued to read from the tome as he spoke. ¡°The Elves refused to aid Sufocus in sequestering the Child of Destiny from Jarem and the Star Warriors ¨C and suffered the consequences for it.¡± Shinji didn¡¯t seem to notice Eri¡¯s sudden discomfort as he observed the portrait splayed out before them. ¡°Lakmir was the last of her kind. Oh ¨C that¡¯s Faran Coyne, the first Warrior of Water, beside her.¡± ¡°My mind is officially blown.¡± Eri folded the book shut on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch cushions. A long yawn escaped her. ¡°Oh, man. That spaghetti¡¯s got me ready for a nap. Thank you again, lunch was really yummy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put the kettle on,¡± Shinji suggested. He started to rise from his seat. ¡°I realize this level of information is a lot to take in. But it¡¯s important.¡± He froze to the spot, staring down at the Book of Lodoss. Eri gazed dozily at him. ¡°Mm, everything okay?¡± Something like regret flexed across Shinji¡¯s features. ¡°No,¡± he admitted. His chin bowed, eyes closed. With a sigh, he sat back down next to her. ¡°Seruma ¨C I have to tell you something.¡± Episode 22 - A War Within the Mind: Shinji’s True Feelings ~ Episode Twenty-Two ~ Shinji¡¯s True Feelings ¡°This whole thing is a big mistake. You don¡¯t see that?¡± He did. ¡°Do you really think this is fair to our girl?¡± He didn¡¯t. ¡°Brother, she deserves to know who she really is, and keeping it back from her puts us all in so much danger.¡± Shinji knew that. ¡°Especially her.¡± Oh, how he knew that. ¡°You know that, right?¡± Shinji stared at the Book of Lodoss where Eri had set it down on the coffee table. He was frozen to the spot by the sight of it, all the secrets kept within its ancient pages. Secrets about the Original Five and their companions in an age so long ago. Secrets about the Black King and his influence over the once-esteemed deities of their world, the Kenah¡¯dai. Secrets about Eri Seruma and her true identity ¨C Terra Sufocus, the messianic Child of Destiny ¨C and the war waged between Humans and Monsters, just for her. A war that continued to wage today, seven centuries later. ¡°What¡¯ll hurt her more?¡± The truth. ¡°A heart-to-heart talk with a friend¡ª¡± A total stranger in the skin of a boy she used to know. ¡°¡ª who loves her?¡± The Book of Lodoss taunted him with Evan¡¯s words, those words, alongside a pain that squeezed apart Shinji¡¯s lungs with an icy-steel claw ¨C Viktor Sufocus¡¯s own gauntlet. With the pain formed an acidic lump of apprehension that curdled at the base of his throat. There was no getting around this. ¡°You tell her. Or I will.¡± Shinji¡¯s knees buckled. He sank back down on the couch next to Eri, took a deep breath, and counted backwards from ten. It was time. ¡°Seruma ¨C I have to tell you something.¡± He hesitated, running a dry tongue over chapped lips. ¡°The truth is, Jarem ¨C he was more than just the first Warrior of Fire. He was the Black King¡¯s own son. He, uh ¨C Jarem didn¡¯t have any children when he died. No one to continue his bloodline, like the rest of our ancestors did. There was only his sister.¡± Shinji stared deeper into the ancient secrets that whispered off the sealed-away pages of the Book of Lodoss. He grimaced through burlap sacks of gravel that stacked the pits of his guts. ¡°Seruma ¨C I don¡¯t ¨C I don¡¯t know how else to put this. But, the truth is that¡ª¡± But, the words didn¡¯t come. They wouldn¡¯t come, refused, blocked off by the acrid glob of anxiety lodged in his throat. Shinji took another deep breath and searched for solace in the image of his mother, her oil-painted gaze looming from over the fire place mantle. ¡°¡ªYou¡¯re not the Warrior of Fire. Not really. The fact is ¨C your ability to wield the Fire Hammer in the first place is a miracle ¨C because ¨C well, you have the power to harness all elements at will. And that¡¯s because ¨C Jarem¡¯s sister, Terra ¨C it¡¯s you. You¡¯re the Child of¡ª¡± But his words were cut off when Eri suddenly bumped against his shoulder. Shinji sucked back his surprise from the unexpected weight of her, the strawberry sweet softness of her hair against his cheek. A sigh sounded in his ear on quiet, stable, breaths. She was asleep. ¡°Seruma¡­¡± Unwanted warmth flooded Shinji as he tried to shift away, but her body tipped against him the more he tried to wriggle free. He grunted, embarrassed, and steadied himself against the backrest of the couch they shared. ¡°Hey, wake up¡­¡± But she didn¡¯t. Shinji rolled his eyes, more so out of helplessness than annoyance at her. He couldn¡¯t blame Eri for being exhausted. It was because of her innate connection with the Kenah¡¯dai: the headaches and vertigo that reacted to the Monsters¡¯ divine existence, an intuitive radar for danger, as well as the eventual awakening of her mind¡¯s muscle ¨C all things he was warned would start to happen now. All things that must have been taking its toll on her body. And, considering they¡¯d faced five Monsters in less than a week¡­ It had to be the reason why she kept fainting in battle. Shinji¡¯s heart ached for her. And here he was ¨C hosting a meeting that would forever change their relationship as Star Warriors, would forever change their relationship as friends ¨C only to find himself used as a crutch for the Child of Destiny to drool on as she slept off his mother¡¯s favorite pasta recipe.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He imagined Evan¡¯s face, scrunched into a quake of restrained laughter at such an absurd outcome. Or maybe he would wear scorn, instead. A look of frustration, despondency, for the boy Evan depended on to lead them to victory against the Black King ¨C Eri¡¯s future. The boy Evan called his bestie. ¡°I¡¯m not playing around anymore.¡± Evan Williams ¨C Shinji¡¯s best friend. The boy who had always encouraged affection and open communication between them. The boy who had always encouraged honesty and emotional vulnerability between them. The boy who was always there when Shinji needed him most. The boy who made Shinji¡¯s heart flutter. The boy who, after so many encounters with Monsters together, Shinji found himself starting to develop new feelings for¡­ ¡­Feelings he didn¡¯t quite understand yet¡­ ¡­Feelings that terrified him. His chest tightened around the thought of Evan. Then, even tighter around the thought of Evan wearing an expression of disappointment, disgust, disownment. ¡°You¡¯re being delusional.¡± Shinji launched the thoughts away with a shudder and took in a deep breath through his nose that brought drowsiness intermingled with Eri¡¯s signature perfume. A meditative calmness lapped over him in slow waves. The weight of stress, anxiety, fear ¨C all the things Shinji carried on his shoulders like that of the world ¨C lifted from his muscles, leaving behind the tingles of relaxation. Eri shifted against him, the flesh of her cheek against his cheek, the weight of her body against his weight, the smell of her lung-swelling strawberry fragrance in his nostrils ¨C her little snoozing gasps in his ear. Shinji struggled to swallow. Despite the fact that she was only asleep, the sound of her ¨C the sound of her voice, doing that ¨C stirred alive something inside him that set his face on fire, numbed his brain with an electric tingle he couldn¡¯t comprehend. He looked for guidance in the oil-painted eyes of his parents that leered at and judged him no matter the angle he stood in the parlor. Shinji stared into the darkened pools of his father¡¯s eyes, the radiant emeralds of his mother¡¯s. With every breath he took, there was the strawberry intoxication of Eri Seruma. A girl he used to know. A girl who owned his life. A girl whose fate balanced on his very shoulders until she rightfully had no longer a use for him. Shinji sank with nervous rigidity into the couch cushions, unable to disengage from the chemical influence Eri had over him. His dozy eyelids fluttered closed as he dared to listen, to feel, the warmth of her gasps and shudders in his ear. The heat in Shinji¡¯s face started to swell involuntarily down the length of his body, activating sensations, urges, he never expected to feel for her before ¨C arousal. Desert-dryness formed on his tongue, alongside searing claws of shame that tore his insides to ribbons. He wanted to move, wished he could move. Desperately needed to shake Eri awake, to get her off of him. But, it was no use. He had no voice to rouse her. He had no strength to move. The devil inside him yearned for the girl he used to know to stay asleep sidled against his trembling body. The devil inside him yearned for this, the excitement of her feel, her smell, her sounds. Shinji tried to swallow again, desperate to reclaim any ounce of willpower to repel the Child of Destiny¡¯s unconscious and involuntary influence over him. Her power over him. ¡°S ¡­ Seru¡­¡± But, it was no use. Shinji was losing the everyday war he so carefully waged within himself. Shinji was losing control of himself. His hands folded together in his lap, clammy and jittery, kneading at the knuckles with nervous desire he had no idea what to do with, except to let it wash over him. It was a struggle just to breathe against Eri¡¯s sweet strawberry fragrance, the swell of butterfly warmth in his lungs it induced. She nestled into the crook of his neck, mumbling things about elves and war hammers. Shinji shivered with eyes closed, leaning into the burn of drunkenness for the girl he barely knew anymore, the girl he disallowed himself to reacquaint with outside of his prophetic obligations to her. The girl who Shinji, at one time in an ancient age, considered his only friend. His best friend ¨C his life line. The first girl he ever fell in love with. The only girl he could ever fall in love with. But, even if things were different¡­ ¡­Even if she wasn¡¯t who the prophecy said she was¡­ ¡­Shinji¡¯s love for Eri Seruma was too painful to bear. Just then, an electric graze coursed across his thigh. Shinji¡¯s eyes shot open to find her hand there. Mere centimeters from his own hands, cupped together, sweat-dotted. Psychic electricity sparked between untouched flesh. An invisible warmth emanated off of Shinji¡¯s fingers that encouraged them, with ribs-crunching palpitations, to glide towards hers. The urge to caress Eri¡¯s fingers¡­ The need to graze her knuckles with his thumb¡­ But the oily stares of his parents were watching him. His mother was watching him. And behind her emerald gaze radiated Shinji¡¯s duty as the Warrior of Earth ¨C appointed leader for the Star Warriors. He knew what needed to be done. Knew what could not be done, and refused to give in. Opa¡¯s warning lingered: ¡°You¡¯re a descendant of Arissa Lockhart, a once decisive leader for a whole country. Act like it.¡± And yet shame still hung in Shinji¡¯s piston-pounding heart as he simply sat there in silence ¨C aching, terrified, silence ¨C as the girl he was in love with, the girl he¡¯d loved since childhood, slept soundly against his shoulder. His clammy hands tightened together. But, it was no use. Face and brain on fire, Shinji let himself nuzzle against the lushness of her ginger hair, shuddering through a bout of shallow breaths as the flood of intoxication, budding excitement for her, drowned him whole. ¡°E ¡­ Eriya¡­¡± Weakness for the girl he inhaled on every breath was the only thing that made sense anymore. The sky-cutting walls around his heart began to fall. The Mithril fortification that kept his hands clasped began to crumble. He kissed across her temple in slow and tender pecks, placed his forehead against her crown. ¡°Eriya ¡­ I ¡­¡± She stretched into him, shivering from his gentle kisses. ¡°Mm ¡­ Shinji¡­¡± Shinji shuddered at the sound of his own name, urged onward as he breathed Eri in as much as possible on labored gasps. Drunken needfulness became a conduit that dared his stubby labor fingers across his thigh ¨C a quivering pilgrimage towards where her slender artist fingers awaited his caress. The thrill of it rushed through him like nothing else. Like bliss. Episode 23 - Weaving a Story: A Lucid Theater For the Mind’s Eye ~ Episode Twenty-Three ~ A Lucid Theater For the Mind¡¯s Eye There was the smell of the woods, too ¨C the purest she had ever smelled them before, with the richness of cedar and pine, the bitterness of the soil and bark. Somewhere above, a bird twittered in mid-flight. Eri jerked her head up to find the bird ¨C but it was already long gone, never to be seen again. There was only the breach in the backwards-moving treetops above her now, where the sky smiled down. Such a blue sky ¨C the bluest sky she had ever seen, with cotton-candy clouds that looked good enough to sleep on. ¡°Ohh, she¡¯s awake!¡± Eri¡¯s attention fell to meet the adoration of a woman with long-pointed ears and flowing dandelion hair. The warmth in the woman¡¯s features broke into pure radiance as soon as Eri had acknowledged her. She was Lakmir, an Elf of the Highlands ¨C the last of her kind. A troupe of warriors and seers walked alongside Lakmir: the mercenary Obiere Laroche and psychic healer Relina Weiss to her right. Sea-faring minstrel Faran Coyne and war-princess Arissa Lockhart, to her left ¨C with Father Eric Lodoss, the Sufocus Family priest, bringing up the rear. Eri knew these people. She loved these people. These people were her world ¨C and she was theirs. There was one other person, too. The person who caused Eri to sway the way she did, rolled the forest on a backwards-set track the way it did. The person who carried her in a pack over his shoulders this whole time ¨C her brother. ¡°Prince Jarem?¡± Impulsivity guided Lakmir to speak up, her summery gaze an unbreakable wonder for Eri. ¡°Um, might I hold her awhile?¡± ¡°What?¡± The sight of her and the others swung away from Eri to give way to the wooded path she and her brother¡¯s comrades trekked today. ¡°If ¨C if it¡¯s all right,¡± Lakmir said. ¡°I would truly cherish to hold her awhile.¡± Jarem hesitated. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not comfortable with that.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, Sufocus.¡± Obiere¡¯s disdain for him sounded over the hiss of the forest. ¡°What¡¯s the worst that can happen? It¡¯s Lakmir.¡± Jarem scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re seriously asking that, Obiere? Exactly¡ªIt¡¯s Lakmir.¡± The world twirled back around, leveling Eri face-to-face with the Elf a second time; she had started to fall behind the others on heavy steps, her chin dipped, eyes quivering sadness. ¡°¡­If paying tribute to my Goddess is forbidden, then why am I here?¡± Relina gave a sympathetic squeeze to Lakmir¡¯s shoulder and stepped up to fill the void. ¡°Prince Jarem, Lakmir may be nothing more than a Kenah¡¯dai to you, but she is not a threat to any of us. This war is hers, just as much as it is ours ¨C you know that. What does she have to gain from betraying us? She has nothing else, nowhere else. She is exactly where she wants and needs to be. Why is this such an issue for you?¡± Relina¡¯s glare broke to meet Eri¡¯s gaze, considering her. ¡°Lady Terra adores her ¨C is the trust of a child not enough?¡± ¡°Especially that child,¡± mumbled Faran in mid-stride. ¡°For Poseidon¡¯s sake, it¡¯s just a snuggle, Jarem.¡± Princess Arissa agreed. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like a good snuggle?¡± ¡°I sure do,¡± said Obiere. ¡°So long as I¡¯m not overcharged for it.¡± The anger in Relina¡¯s face flushed into an involuntary laugh. She pressed a hand to her lips, trying to hide the blush in her cheeks. ¡°Oh, Obiere, you¡¯re awful¡­¡± He flashed her a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m honest. That a problem?¡± Father Lodoss grunted indignation at the lot of them, doing his best to keep up with their strides. ¡°Lord, forgive them.¡± Jarem sighed. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s about time we make camp, anyhow ¨C but I¡¯m watching you, Monster. The moment you try something, the Elves will be extinct. Understand?¡± He slowed, and the Star Warriors came to rest for a time. Lakmir scuttled closer to Eri, bright-eyed and giggling, and scooped her little bundled body from within the pack over Jarem¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Ohh ¨C Lady Terra! My, you are just too precious!!¡± Eri let herself be carried off by the Elf, trilling with delight. Obiere sent a knowing nudge against Relina¡¯s side. She was leaned against her staff, gazing sleepy-eyed at the sight of Lakmir doting over Eri with all the love in the world where they snuggled together on a tree stump. Father Lodoss sat on a rock beside her, scribbling away in his grimoire. Beyond them, Faran plopped down with a grunt beneath a tree and began to flute a nautical favorite. Relina sighed. ¡°A priestess can only dream, Obie.¡± A longing palm fell against her belly. ¡°One day,¡± Obiere promised her. ¡°If this war ends.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anyone left alive, after it,¡± she murmured, lingering on Eri. ¡°So much oblivion ¨C over a three-month-old¡­¡± Shf-shf-shf-shf¡­ Faran looked up from his pipes. ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± It was coming from the treetops. The leaves and branches rustled to life ¨C like the whole forest was stretching ready to greet them, like treants. Shf-shf-shf-shf¡­ ¡°Ahead¡ª¡± Arissa nodded their attention up the road from where she and Jarem cooked everyone¡¯s lunch. ¡°¡ªWho¡¯s that?¡± Two cloaked figures had appeared in the road where sunrays spilled into the woods from the break in the shade. They considered the Star Warriors with arms crossed, almost as though having waited for their arrival.Stolen story; please report. ¡°Border patrol?¡± asked Faran. ¡°You really don¡¯t dock much on land, do you,¡± Obiere grunted. ¡°That¡¯s no border patrol. Grip your money bags, friends.¡± Arissa glided a gauntlet over her sheathed sword and broke away from Jarem¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯ll scout for others. I¡¯m in no mood to be robbed today.¡± ¡°Arissa, don¡¯t¡ª!¡± Jarem commanded her. But she was already gone, a whispering rustle in the brush. ¡°Sufocus, I got a bad feeling about this.¡± Obiere notched his composite bow ready, looked to Relina for psychic guidance. She met his steely gaze with one of her own and nodded with grave intuitiveness. The sunlight shifted through the trees, guided by the overhead cloud cover, revealing the figures¡¯ identities. The first was a court jester in a grinning porcelain mask, enveloped in a hooded cloak that dripped an impossible sight of roving stars and galaxies. A pair of yellow-glowing orbs leered at the Star Warriors within the darkness of his mask¡¯s eye-slits. Beside him was a woman, who tilted back her hood to reveal herself hairless and clover-skinned. Two curling horns pointed towards the Star Warriors alongside a stare of pitch-black eyes, marked only by a pair of radiant quill-dots for pupils. ¡°They¡¯re Kenah¡¯dai!¡± Jarem realized. He grabbed for where his war hammer rested against a tree. ¡°Not just any Kenah¡¯dai,¡± Father Lodoss warned them. ¡°I know those two! Spade and Ghetta ¨C Monsters of Illusion and Dominion. The Black King¡¯s own First Guard!¡± ¡°First Guard? What are they doing here?!¡± asked Faran on choked words. He rose to a stand, plucking his trident from the earth. ¡°What do you think?¡± Obiere swore, took steps backwards with Relina to form a protection around Lakmir and Eri, and Father Lodoss. He drew his bowstring tight. The Black King¡¯s First Guard remained in place awhile as the leaves rustled, birds chirped and sang, woodpeckers drilled. They gauged the Star Warriors¡¯ guard over a coveted infant prize. Then, the porcelain-faced jester spoke: ¡°Ghetta, darling.¡± ¡°Yes, my love.¡± The clover-skinned woman stepped forward, vanished into thin air. The Star Warriors jerked alert, surprised by the suddenness of the act. Faran¡¯s grip on his trident faltered. ¡°Where¡¯d she go?¡± ¡°Everybody, you know what to do!¡± roared Jarem at his companions. ¡°Protect Terra at all costs!¡± Shf-shf-shf-shf¡­ ¡­Shf-shf-shf-shf¡­ The trees shimmered to life again around them. Eri felt Lakmir¡¯s protective clutch nestle her into flowing dandelion locks. She whined in slight protest, but the Elf¡¯s voice on a summer-sweet lullaby soothed her in an instant. ¡°¡­Prince Jarem, I can sense more,¡± Lakmir admitted. ¡°Others ¨C of my kind.¡± Lodoss, Relina, Faran, and Obiere shot her looks of confusion, alarm. ¡°Elves?¡± Faran asked, hopeful. Lakmir shook her head, no. ¡°Not Elves. But¡ª¡± Just then, a flood of leafy-skinned humanoids descended the treetops on fingers made of thorn-wrapped vines. They were men, women, children ¨C all unclothed with hair the color of lilacs, eyes that of daffodils ¨C more Kenah¡¯dai. ¡°Herbions!¡± declared Father Lodoss. ¡°It¡¯s an ambush!!¡± Obiere grunted, quickly counting heads. ¡°Fucking knew it.¡± Jarem threw a glare at Lakmir over-shoulder. ¡°Is this your doing?!¡± ¡°W ¨C what?¡± The Elfin Monster stumbled backwards on shocked steps as Eri nestled dozily against her. ¡°Give me back my sister, now!¡± Just then, the air between the Star Warriors suddenly rippled like water. Ghetta, the Monster of Dominion, reappeared between them all out of the din with claws diving for Eri. ¡°The Devil Goddess is mine!!¡± ¡°Not if I can help it!¡± Arissa shot down from the treetops overhead. Doing so, she summoned the essence of the forest around her. ¡°Spirits of the Woods! Answer my call!--Yggdrasil''s Wrath!!¡± A sheen of leaves detached from their branches, fluttering around her on strong gusts. The warrior princess descended the clearing with her sword drawn, glaring into the radiant quill-dots of Ghetta¡¯s pitch-black eyes. Hate flowed through Arissa, and the leaves around her reacted accordingly. They stiffened in an instant and rained down upon Ghetta like a hail of arrows. But Ghetta grinned up at her ¨C and warbled out of existence, without Eri, before the ground ruptured from a devastating attack that dismembered and trisected whatever Herbions were caught in the blast. Arissa landed cleanly on steel heels, brought her sword up in a defensive stance, growling. ¡°Dammit!¡± ¡°Father Lodoss! Prince Jarem! We must leave this place at once!¡± Lakmir turned on a heel with Eri cupped against her shoulder. ¡°Please, we must fall back!!¡± But then the porcelain-faced jester appeared before her in the distance ¨C Spade, the Monster of Illusion. He regarded Lakmir with a grinning, downturned glare, what looked like a handful of playing cards gripped between the digits of his pale claws. ¡°Prepare for your extinction, pestilence!¡± Spade threw back his galaxy-dripping cloak and, with a winding arm, threw the cards like razor-thin daggers. ¡°¡ªRoyal Flush!!¡± In a trailing crimson flash, the cards all struck Lakmir, lacerating her arms and legs, her face ¨C they lanced right through her cape and hide armor like knives through warmed butter. She collapsed to the dirt with a yelp, Eri still bundled in her arms. ¡°Lakmir!!¡± Faran screamed. ¡°Protect the Child of Destiny!¡± Father Lodoss¡¯ voice echoed on the hiss of leaves, the clash of combat, somewhere nearby. He stumbled into Faran¡¯s view, wrestled Eri out of Lakmir¡¯s wilting grasp, and hobbled away without even a moment to consider his dying comrade. ¡°Cherub''s Kiss!!¡± A radiant glow suddenly gusted over the Elf, lasting a moment until her wounds became healed, seamless. She exhaled a breath of life renewed and pushed up onto her arms, retching. Beyond her, Relina lowered a palm, breathless from the magical energy depleted to summon the act. She nodded a gasping, sweat-dotted, reassurance to Faran. With a nod of his own, Faran charged in to help Lakmir to her feet. Neptune''s Barrier!!¡± In an instant, a bubble of ethereal protection enveloped them both before the Herbions could swarm them. He threw a scowl Lodoss¡¯ way. ¡°Damn him¡­¡± Jarem splattered one of the Herbions¡¯ heads against a tree with his hammer, turned around in time to spy a second leaping at him from the branches. "Tongue of Salamander!!¡± He outstretched a glove and, with a single spark from his fingertips, immolated his attacker into fiery ash motes on the wind. ¡°There¡¯s too many!¡± Obiere shot the last of his arrows, tossed away his bow, and unsheathed a dagger to use against an oncoming swarm. ¡°Sufocus! We¡¯re trapped!¡± The forest path warbled before Father Lodoss as he fled from combat with Eri in his arms. In an instant, Ghetta appeared grinning from the folds of thin air ¨C her claws ready. ¡°Good to see you again ¨C traitor.¡± With a slashing uppercut across the old priest¡¯s face, the Monster of Dominion vanished with Eri in her embrace. The pair rippled back into existence beside her counterpart, Spade. Eri craned her head, puffing confusion, and found the people she loved huddled together, cowering helplessly, with all eyes on her. Father Lodoss struggled to a stand in the distance, cupping his gushing face. Around the Star Warriors, what remained of the Herbions ascended back into the treetops, as silent as they¡¯d laid siege. The battle was over. The prophecy for the Kenah¡¯dai would commence. ¡°Let my sister go!¡± Jarem cried out. ¡°Tongue of¡ª¡± ¡°No, you fool!¡± Obiere tackled him to the ground. ¡°You¡¯ll hit her!¡± ¡°Spade, stand down!¡± Arissa drew towards the Monster of Illusion on slow, civil, steps. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing. Things don¡¯t have to be this way!¡± ¨C She tossed her blade aside to prove it. ¨C ¡°Lady Terra is our savior, too!¡± ¡°What a foolish thing to say to me, Princess of Demoria,¡± said Spade. ¡°Look at you. The heiress of a kingdom forged in battle. You are a warrior-ruler, begging me for truce?! How pathetic. Ghetta, my love ¨C take us away from here.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jarem broke free of Obiere¡¯s clutches, stumbling towards Eri, screaming for her. A desperate glove stretched out at his sister ¨C copper eyes wide with horror as her fate as the Devil Goddess became realized. ¡°No¡ªLet her go!!¡± ¡°Star Warriors! ¨C If you wish to fulfill what is spiritually-contracted of us all, then you know what must be done next.¡± A deep-echoing chuckle resonated from behind Spade¡¯s frozen, porcelain, grin. ¡°The Cathedral of Lions awaits.¡± ¡°No¡ªTerra!! ¨C TERRAAA!!!!¡± Episode 24 - Intimate Crossfire: The Secrets That Keep a Family Whole ~ Episode Twenty-Four ~ The Secrets That Keep a Family Whole With wakefulness came an immediate flood of forgetfulness. All that remained was a cold and drafty farmhouse draped in total darkness. The ticking of a nearby grandfather clock. The shadows of a family of three, painted in oils. With these things, also, was a sickness in Eri¡¯s heart to match the soreness that flared across her tender chest, the muscle aches and pains that weighed her body to Shinji¡¯s couch. But there was also a weight against her soul, too. Of loss and regret for a home she didn¡¯t know. A home she¡¯d never really known, but ached for. Somewhere, a phone started to ring. Beside her, Shinji breathed to life on a sharp inhale. His hand drew away from Eri¡¯s knuckles as he rocketed off the couch and into the kitchen to answer the call. It was then that a flood of nervous realization roused Eri. They were holding hands. ¡°Um ¨C umm ¨C I¡¯m g-gonna use the bathroom,¡± she announced. Shinji nodded, snatching the handset off its wall cradle by the fridge. ¡°Izuma residence,¡± he uttered, almost slurring. Eri pushed off the couch and headed into the foyer with his voice in her ears. She looked over-shoulder at him, face hot with flustered thoughts. Shinji¡¯s back was to her in the portal. He murmured away into the mouthpiece, unintelligible. We were holding hands. Snatching up the Hello Kitty backpack from beside her converse sneakers at the door, Eri searched for solace in a powder room built into the side of the main floor stairway. She settled down onto the toilet with a sigh and tried to mash the sleep-stars that sparkled in her brain. She made a face, scrounging around inside her knapsack for a fresh tampon, careful not to be too noisy about it. She unwrapped the crinkly package with the discretion of an FBI stealth operative and took her time to swap sanitary plugs in begrudging silence, doing what needed to be done, fumbling through the recall of technique Macks had taught her. She grimaced through discomfort until everything got settled into place. Then, when finished up, balled up that morning¡¯s used tampon into a giant wad of toilet paper that went straight into her bag¡¯s side pocket, with the applicator back in its wrapper, for later at-home disposal. Eri leaned forward on her thighs, exhaling embarrassment like her cheeks were a fireplace bellows. Outside the door, it sounded like Shinji was wrapping up his conversation over the phone. He wanted to hold hands after all¡­ She caressed a hot cheek while chewing on the realization. The earlier excitement to be here, alone with him, had now fleeted into guilt for lying to her family about where she was today. ¡°...I should go home.¡± When Eri exited the powder room, she spotted Shinji puttering around in the kitchen from the portal that saw out into the foyer. He briefly met her gaze, glanced away with what looked like scarlet shame in his face, and vanished unto sounds of clinking mugs and running tap water. Eri hedged towards the glow of the kitchen, caressing an arm. ¡°Hey, umm ¨C thanks for lunch and everything. I, uh, I should probably get¡ª¡± The phone rang to life again. ¡°Hang on¡ªIzuma residence.¡± There was a pause. ¡°Oh, hey. Yeah, she¡¯s here.¡± The words were javelins of ice through Eri¡¯s chest. She slunk backwards on anxious steps, dreading the worst ¨C her parents. ¡°Okay ¨C hang on.¡± Shinji appeared in the doorway again. He ushered the receiver towards Eri, the cord taut to its limit in his extended grip. ¡°Your friend ¨C Thompson.¡± ¡°Mackenzie?¡± Eri furrowed her brow, confused, and took the phone into her hands. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Eddi-chan?!¡± Mackenzie¡¯s voice was a screeching fowl in her ear. ¡°What are you still doing over there?!¡± ¡°Ow! Uh ¨C we fell asleep, and¡ª¡± ¡°You ¨C you what?! N-never mind that! You need to get over here, pronto!¡± Eri blinked. ¡°What? Why, what¡¯s going on? Is everything okay?¡± ¡°No! Your stupid brother called, freaking out, wondering where the hell you were! You had me worried, too! I was scared, thinking you guys got attacked by Monsters again!¡± ¡°Ugh ¡­ no.¡± Eri caressed her forehead, eyes clenched shut. ¡°Nothing like that. We just fell asleep studying Monster stuff, that¡¯s all. I¡¯m really sorry for worrying you.¡± There was a long silence on the other line. Eri shivered at the lack of a response. ¡°So, um ¡­ what¡¯d you tell him?¡± An angry huff sounded in her ear. ¡°Only what he wants to hear: that you¡¯re over here, with me, studying. Now, move it! He¡¯s on his way to pick you up from my place right now!¡± The golden number 68 glinted from the crumbling stoop of one of the middle-sandwiched homes. Beneath the number hung a pair of beat-up wood clogs, a forgotten relic to years of oscillated weather. Noah jogged up the steps and rapped knuckles on the front door. He stepped back and waited, fists jammed into his jeans pockets. Just up the street was the Four Corners, Shorebrooke¡¯s affectionately-named main intersection. There, he spied a handful of patrons and dancers milling about outside the local watering hole, sharing cigarette smoke and small-town gossip. Somewhere, a dog barked. The old parts of town, parts like here on Simcoe Road, were rough and dirty. Crossing into these woods never failed to make Noah feel grody all over afterwards. He swung a glance back to the car, wondering if he should grab the keys and lock up. The houses here all looked decades out-of-date and falling apart, in need of a landlord who actually cared. Living here at the rough end of town explained Mackenzie Thompson¡¯s personality ¨C why Eri wasn¡¯t allowed to have her over at the house. ¡°You can do better than a friend like that, dear,¡± he once overheard their mother say. ¡°Someone ¡­ nice. You know.¡± Noah agreed that his baby sister could do better in her choice of friends. But it always confused him why Helen never forbade Eri from coming here, to Mackenzie''s house, instead of arranging all dates at their own home to keep an eye on things. Regardless, whatever it was his little sister saw in Mackenzie Thompson, Noah had no idea. As far as he was concerned, Mackenzie was bad news: an eighth-grade chain smoker with the mouth of a sailor ¨C and who knew what else. He was willing to bet she was responsible for Eri¡¯s little star-lit adventure the other night with the guy he suspected gave her the flame-shaped necklace. Just the thought of that note on Eri¡¯s door, Do Not Disturb, only to catch his baby sister returning mid-way through her bedroom window made his blood boil. He knocked again, harder. ¡°C¡¯mon¡­¡± Eri was just a kid. A good kid. The fact that she¡¯d vanished after Mass this morning, failed to mention spending the day on any school projects, except for a quick goodbye out the door¡­ That wasn¡¯t like Eri. This recent deceptive behavior ¨C it wasn¡¯t like her, at all. The whole thing made Noah queasy with a dread that only left him angrier at the kind of influence now over his sister. Eri was a nice girl. But she was also na?ve, and a people-pleaser ¨C sheltered from the storms of the world, to a fault. He thought of the two boys waiting with Mackenzie Thompson in the park when he¡¯d dropped Eri off the other night. The four of them, together. Working on a school project together. At the coffee shop across the street.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Right. A probable much-needed talk hadn¡¯t happened when he had picked Eri up that night. She was drowsy, had fallen asleep on the drive home. But it was a talk that should have happened. Noah regretted not having it. But he had been drowsy, too. For different reasons. Post-coital reasons. Not in the mood to talk. To even think. The faces of those two boys in the park flashed in his memory. Two boys, staring at his baby sister as she trekked the hill to meet them. Two boys Noah didn¡¯t know. But Eri seemed to. And the thought of that made him feel even worse. He assumed one of them had to have been the gift-giver of the new necklace she always wore now in place of her old crucifix. The new necklace she refused to take off, even to bed. The dread in his guts stirred faster. Noah had known nice girls like Eri in high school. Good, sweet, kids who¡¯d gotten mixed up in the wrong crowds: country bumpkin delinquents comprised of wanna-be skaters, potheads, skids, grunge kids, and punk rockers. He saw first-hand what the meat-grinder of Podunk Life did to a budding teenage girl desperate for approval and affection. He knew girls like Mackenzie Thompson, too. Broken girls in denial of their personal problems, chasing all the boys in a five-mile-radius because daddy was no longer in the picture. Only to get pregnant and drop out, anchored by the ankles to their home town, ready to serve a life sentence at the local Tim Hortons or McDonalds, or worse. Oh, how he knew. The fact that Eri dared to get mixed up with such a girl made his skin crawl, let alone any gift-giving, cherry-picking, boys. He feared for the inevitable mistakes that could very well ruin the goodness of his baby sister. The thought of it, the possibility of Eri getting mixed up in the wrong crowd ¨C his crowd ¨C scared Noah like nothing else. He banged on the door a third time, even harder. She was just a kid. A good kid. Barely a teenager yet. Just a little girl. A little girl who, to this day, was too scared to get her ears pierced and had an obsession with Hello Kitty. A little girl who was the family pride, a school track star. A little girl who took after her big brother¡¯s love for video games. A little girl he used to teach playing the drums. A little girl who prayed the Hail Mary before bed every night, who dutifully took the Body of Christ on her tongue every Sunday. A little girl who never talked back, who always did her chores, who rarely ever needed to be asked twice. A little girl ¨C an infant, covered in blood that wasn¡¯t hers. Wailing for a mother who didn¡¯t exist. An infant with eyes the color of candied apples, who he¡¯d discovered beneath the shade of a glimmering old oak tree, thirteen years prior. September, 1986. The sound of locks clicking came from the other side of the door. It swung inward to reveal a sickly and disheveled lady with dark bags under her eyes that sagged with all the world¡¯s woes. The distinct smell of marijuana and Vertigo cigarettes strangled Noah from off her very presence. She grimaced at the sight of him ¨C or maybe it was a smile. He couldn¡¯t tell the difference. ¡°Uh, hi.¡± He offered a half wave. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up Eri.¡± A little girl who didn¡¯t know she was adopted. The woman, presumably Mrs. Thompson, eyed Noah with wariness. ¡°She just got here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Noah stared at her, dumbly. The dread in his guts flared hotter. Mrs. Thompson didn¡¯t elaborate. She shuffled aside, grunting and wincing on a quad-footed cane to let Noah into a foyer-kitchen combo. He blinked away the equivalent of a sensory punch to the face left by the obvious smell of cat urine. ¡°What do you mean she just¡ª¡± ¡°Mackenzie!¡± The near-skeletal woman leaned on her cane to gurgle out a rasp of a yell. ¡°Your friend¡¯s gotta go!¡± Noah frowned at her, took a nosy peek around the filth-ridden eating area that comprised the townhouse¡¯s foyer, and noticed a flowery odor from an Everest-high collection of dirty dishes in the kitchen¡¯s dual sinks across the way. What should have been a table beside him instead resembled a monument to a pantheon of fast food deities, with four busted chairs worshipping around it. ¡°Mackenzie Anne-Barbara Thompson! Now!!¡± In an instant, two sets of thumping heels descended the stairs at the rear of the kitchen. A little black cat that looked about ready for death¡¯s door followed Mackenzie and Eri on riser-wary paws. ¡°Hey!¡± Eri sprouted a nervous smile at Noah. Her face looked flushed, sweat-dotted, with exertion. From running, no doubt. He frowned, offered a curt and silent wave hello. ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯m not done with you!¡± Mackenzie snatched Eri by the wrist when she rushed past to get her stuff on. Giggling, Eri eagerly leaned down to slip into her friend¡¯s comically-short embrace. They held each other for ages. Mackenzie murmured something in Eri¡¯s ear, standing on tippy toes. Noah didn¡¯t catch the sentiment, but thought he saw her flick a furtive glance at him over his sister¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You too,¡± Eri whispered. ¡°Thank you for being there. Thank you for thinking of me.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Mackenzie cooed with a smile, eyes closed, and grazed an affectionate cheek across Eri¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We take care of each other, Eddi-chan. That¡¯s what people who love each other do.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Eri squeezed her tight, then broke from the hug to meet Noah by the door. ¡°See ya tomorrow!¡± ¡°See you.¡± Mackenzie backed away on hesitant heels to meet her mother by the living room, arms folded tight. Silent worry quavered in the girl¡¯s yellow-amber eyes. Noah studied her, disgusted by the smell of menthol Vertigos she left on his sister¡¯s clothes. Eri said the last of her farewells and headed out onto the stoop. Noah was on her heels, closing the door behind him without so much as a hospitable thanks to the Thompsons. ¡°You have a good time?¡± he asked on their way back to the car. ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± Eri waited for him at the idling Explorer¡¯s passenger side with an aloof interest in the grass-roots smoke-n¡¯-gossip between tavern dancers and patrons, up the street. Noah shuffled along, fists balled tight in his jeans pockets. He let the pain that came from it attempt to soothe his nerves. Eri dared to spy him, her apple-colored eyes almost glowing in the evening sun. She was never good at hiding her emotions; a realized tremble of ¡®I¡¯m in deep shit¡¯ radiated off of her semi-averted attention, like emergency lights. And now that she was on the rag, things would only get worse. The image of two staring boys in the park flashed in Noah¡¯s memory again. A talk that should have happened. He squeezed tighter into his palms. Tight enough to draw blood. Tonight would be different. ¡°It¡¯s unlocked.¡± With a click of his tongue, he popped open the driver¡¯s side and ducked inside. Hesitation followed. Then the passenger door swung open on creaky hinges. Eri took her time to slip into her seat. A green mile walk. ¡°Pretty late visit, huh?¡± ¡°Um, yeah.¡± She placed her Hello Kitty knapsack at her feet and clicked her seatbelt into place. ¡°Sorry I didn¡¯t call. Lost track of time.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± Noah cleared his throat and pulled away from the curb. ¡°You remember my friend, Heather? Who came over the other day for dinner?¡± Eri perked immediately. ¡°Y-yeah?¡± ¡°I was talking to her tonight. Seems she¡¯s taken a real shining to you. Can¡¯t say I blame her. Anyway, she wanted to say hi. So, hi ¨C from Heather.¡± The nervousness in Eri¡¯s features softened into a rosy smile. ¡°Cool.¡± Noah continued, ¡°I think you can learn a lot from Heather, actually. She¡¯s a pretty cool broad. Smart, really good at everything she does. A bit on the liberal side, but I guess we¡¯ll see where it goes. Anyway ¨C a real role model. Can¡¯t say the same for your little white trash friend, though.¡± Eri¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Seriously. I know an unhealthy environment when I see one. That house was disgusting, and so is your friend and her mother. I don¡¯t want you spending time in an environment like that. It¡¯s a bad scene and they¡¯re a bad influence on you.¡± ¡°Bad ¡­ influence? Noah, what the heck? What are you talking about? Macks¡¯ room is like the cleanest place ever! You don¡¯t even know her!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to, and neither should you.¡± He wheeled the Explorer through a three-point-turn in the middle of Simcoe Road and headed towards the Four Corners. ¡°So, uh, lemme ask you, Gingersnap ¨C where¡¯d you really go today?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± A long silence came from the passenger seat. Noah dared a glance Eri¡¯s way, found her gazing out the window with hands busy preening at her fingernails. She didn¡¯t reply, but instead slipped a hand under her shirt collar to massage a shoulder ¨C what appeared to be totally bare flesh. She wasn¡¯t even wearing a training bra, yet. What was she doing sneaking around with boys? ¡°Eriya. I asked you a question.¡± ¡°I was¡ª¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡ªI was at Mackenzie¡¯s all day,¡± she mumbled, almost inaudible over the sound of the engine. ¡°I told you guys I was going.¡± ¡°Cut the crap already!¡± The anger in Noah¡¯s blood boiled over with a sharp tone that made Eri flinch in her seat. But Noah set his eyes back on the road and went on, frustrated. ¡°You leave right after Mass today ¨C no notice, no nothing, just a quick goodbye. Then you don¡¯t come back and leave us all worried sick?! Eri, come on, dude.¡± ¡°¡­I ¡­ I¡¯m sorry. It¡­¡± ¡°So ¨C no, wait a second. If you were with Mackenzie all day, why did Mackenzie sound so confused when I called to see where you were tonight? Oh yeah, and what was that she was whispering in your ear about taking care of each other?¡± Eri turned a look at him, confused. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. You were with a boy today, weren¡¯t you. That kid who stopped by for a visit the other night? He the guy who gave you that necklace?¡± Confusion shattered into guilty fright. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s him, Eriya. I heard you guys mumbling the other night before I caught you sneaking back into the house. You were with him today, weren¡¯t you.¡± ¡°I ¨C I¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, kid. I was thirteen once, too, you know. Oh, not to mention Mom¡¯s trellis starts in the garden just beside my window. Or did you forget that? I saw you both coming and going clear as mud the other night while I was drumming. So, who is it?¡± Eri stared at him in slack-jawed silence. Noah glowered for a moment as darker thoughts clouded his assumptions. ¡°Eri, are you having¡ªNo, don¡¯t answer that. Forget it, I don¡¯t want to know. But I am telling Mom and Dad about this as soon as they get home.¡± ¡°I ¨C we ¨C we¡ª¡± Eri¡¯s voice quavered at him, on the brink of a tearful breakdown. ¡°I just ¨C we were studying! I promise ¨C I swear! That¡¯s all it was!¡± ¡°Oh, so you were out with a boy today. Thanks for being so honest.¡± ¡°Please! You can¡¯t! Please, I¡¯m telling the truth! Don¡¯t tell Dad, please, please, don¡¯t tell Mom and Dad!¡± ¡°Just watch me. I don¡¯t know who the girl is sitting next to me, but it¡¯s not you.¡± ¡°Noah!!¡± The steering wheel suddenly jerked out of his hands, setting his palms ablaze with peeled skin. The Explorer swerved a hard right, barreled up over the curb, towards those who lingered outside the tavern. Noah swore, clamped a grip over the wheel, and yanked the car back into the empty left-hand lane. He made a clean recovery in time to drift a sharp curve around the intersection on a red light. He tore across Holland Street West with the screech and smell of burning rubber behind them. Episode 25 - Let Us Cling Together: Eri’s Last Stand ~ Episode Twenty-Five ~ Let Us Cling Together: Eri¡¯s Last Stand ¡°¡­saying is that Dr. Collins makes a fair point.¡± ¡°What point? Ken, all you did was talk over me. If he thinks good communication starts with letting me sit there, be constantly interrupted when I have something to say, then what point? These sessions are such a boys¡¯ club.¡± ¡°Come on, Helen. What are you talking about, no one talked over you. These sessions are just as much a benefit for you as for me, for us to voice both our concerns.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing it right now! Interrupting me! Fine. Wanna to know what my concerns are? That we¡¯re paying a quack to let you verbally abuse me when you can do it for free from the comfort of your own home.¡± Rapid heel-clacks went up path. ¡°Helen!¡± Eri flinched against an explosion that echoed across the coul-de-sac, caused neighborhood dogs to bark. Her father sighed on softer words, ¡°Helen ¨C I¡¯m sorry. Come on, let¡¯s ¨C you¡¯re not being fair.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being fair. Ha! From the man who takes-takes-takes and expects the rest of us to just go along with whatever you whimsy!¡± ¡°Hey¡ª¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s my turn to take. I¡¯m not going anymore. You¡¯ve had your fun. This isn¡¯t working.¡± A sharp pause followed. ¡°Is that my trellis?!¡± Fearfulness pounded against the prison of Eri¡¯s ribcage. Her cross-legged reflection stared back at her in the closet mirrors ¨C her irises gleaming rubies in the darkness that enveloped her whole. Downstairs, the front door opened on a hollow inward creak ¨C a spike of anxiety through her. Tinnitus rang between her ears on drums that awaited to blow at any moment. ¡­Here we go¡­ ¡°Hello?¡± her father¡¯s voice boomed up the stairs from the foyer. ¡°We¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Hey¡ª¡± Eri could hear Noah, albeit muffled, from the living room. His resonance became louder, clearer ¨C movement into the foyer to meet their parents. ¡°¡ªHow was bible study?¡± ¡°Is Eri home from Mackenzie¡¯s yet?¡± ¡°Yeah ¨C uh ¨C I had to shovel it out. Listen, there¡¯s something I gotta tell you guys¡ª¡± Eri squeezed her eyeslid shut. ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s about the kid.¡± Her knees drew up against her chin. ¡­I¡¯m so dead¡­ Their voices became unintelligible as everyone traveled into the living room. The next few skin-prickled moments of silence proved some of the most torturous Eri had endured up to this point in her soon to be short teenage life. Of all the nightmares to face, she begged for that of the faceless hooded man of her nightmares, a million times over, if it meant a free pass from her father¡¯s wrath. Queasiness formed in her throbbing guts at the thought. Hanging out with Shinji today hadn¡¯t been worth the risk, after all. ¡°What?!¡± Not in the least. The light in the hall outside Eri¡¯s bedroom flicked on. Heavy footfalls pounded up the stairs. The door to Eri¡¯s bedroom flung open. Her gaze tore away from the reflection of ruby-gleaming irises to her father within the threshold, a wild-eyed madman whose chest heaved with deep-set rage beneath his sweater vest. ¡°What¡¯s this about boys climbing through your window?!¡± Eri flinched again, wordless breaths caught in her throat. ¡°Answer the question.¡± ¡°That was ¡­ It was ¡­ just a friend. It ¨C it happened l-like one time.¡± ¡°One time too many!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Helen cracked the whip from out in the hall. She squeezed into the bedroom, clicking on the overhead light. ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s just¡ª¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s not okay!¡± Ken wheeled on her. Eri exclaimed on brewing tears, ¡°I didn¡¯t even want him in here!¡± ¡°You watch yourself, young lady!¡± Ken waggled a finger at her. ¡°You still snuck off, and that¡¯s a whole other issue.¡± Helen interjected. ¡°Eriya ¨C Who were you with today? Did you leave after Mass to meet a boy? Don¡¯t lie to us.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Mom¡­¡± ¡°Did you or did you not? It¡¯s a yes or no question!¡± Eri hesitated. Her soul left her lungs on a sigh of defeat. She nodded. ¡°Great! Oh, that does it.¡± Ken paced around her room, tugging at his hair. ¡°Just what more I needed tonight!¡± Helen crossed arms, leaning against her daughter¡¯s vanity. ¡°Who were you with today?¡± ¡°Um ¡­ Shinji Izuma?¡± ¡°Who the hell is Shinji Izuma?¡± Ken demanded. ¡°Izuma¡­?¡± All anger drained from her mother¡¯s face at the sound of the name. ¡°You don¡¯t remember Shinji Izuma? Ken, I babysat him. You don¡¯t remember that? He and Eri used to be¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s ¨C just a boy from my class,¡± said Eri. ¡°He helped Macks and me on our history project. I ¨C I went to his house today to work on more school stuff. That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, at his house?!¡± Ken echoed. ¡°Were his parents home? Were you supervised?¡± Eri quickly nodded on a stiff gulp. ¡°I believe her.¡± Helen massaged her forehead and uncrossed her arms. She turned away. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡± ¡°What?! Helen, are you serious right now?! That doesn¡¯t resolve the other issue.¡± She threw a scoff at him. ¡°There is no other issue.¡± ¡°Are you drunk?!¡± Ken pushed his glasses along the bridge of his nose. His pointer finger trembled the whole way up. ¡°Some boy sneaking into my daughter¡¯s bedroom at night doesn¡¯t seem like an issue to you?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t sneaking!¡± Eri blared. ¡°He¡¯s my friend!¡± ¡°Hey! Where¡¯s this attitude coming from?! I don¡¯t care what he is. It¡¯s the principle of the matter, Eriya! He was climbing the roof to go into your room through the window. At night. Do you know how that looks?¡± ¡°Can we please drop the emotional volume by a couple octaves?¡± Helen begged them. ¡°Ken, you¡¯re overreacting. Shinji¡¯s not ¡­ like that.¡± ¡°And what is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯s ¡­ you know¡­¡± She struggled to get the words out. Clearing her throat, Helen waved a hand up and down at the wrist to try and make her point. ¡°A little ¡­ you know.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got autism,¡± said Eri, trying to help. ¡°Well ¨C That, too.¡± Helen caressed her collar with a look of discomfort. She cleared her throat a second time. ¡°Anyway. You¡¯re freaking out over nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing, huh?¡± Something across the bedroom caught Ken¡¯s attention. The Game Boy fanny pack hanging off the back of Eri¡¯s desk chair. ¡°Noah said he smelled marijuana at Mackenzie¡¯s house tonight.¡± He crossed the room and snatched the fanny pack off the backrest. ¡°Dad! That¡¯s private!¡± Eri shrieked. She launched off her bed to grab it. But Ken¡¯s height over her allowed him to easily maneuver away. He flicked on the desk lamp and tore open the flap to have a look inside. ¡°Am I going to like what I find in¡ª¡± His expression changed from outrage to bemusement. ¡°¡ªWhat the hell?¡± Eri¡¯s shoulders sagged. She slumped down onto the edge of her bed. ¡°I ¡­ I can explain.¡± ¡°Ken,¡± Helen whispered, afraid, ¡°what is it?¡± ¡°Eriya, what¡¯s this?¡± Ken withdrew a yellow Monster Orb. Etched into its surface was an image of a woman of flowing grace, praying on fiery knuckles. Eri hesitated. ¡°¡­Sh-Shinji gave it to me.¡± ¡°Yeah, but what is it?¡± ¡°It looks like a paperweight or something,¡± Helen said. ¡°Shinji gave this to you when he came over the other night?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Eri watched intensely as her father placed Cloria¡¯s Monster Orb onto a small stack of Hilroy notebooks on her desk. He tossed the fanny pack beside it ¨C Zorfus¡¯ Mon-Orb rolled out and clinked against the side of Eri¡¯s pen cup. ¡°Well, then. I suppose we¡¯ll have to have a chat with Shinji Izuma about these paperweights,¡± Ken mused. He stormed out of Eri¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Helen asked. ¡°The Izumas¡¯.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Eri cried. ¡°Ken, don¡¯t!¡± Helen begged. ¡°For gracious¡¯ sakes calm down! You¡¯re not being rational right now! Remember your breathing exercises!¡± ¡°Woman, don¡¯t tell me to calm down!¡± The walls shook against the thunder in Ken¡¯s voice. He marched back into the bedroom. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t think this is a problem!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± Helen blasted him. ¡°Don¡¯t put words in my mouth and then twist them around for your own stupid childishness!¡± ¡°Oh? Because you sound a little too relaxed about this, dear!¡± Ken roared, louder. ¡°Wake up, Helen! Your daughter¡¯s finally on the rag. Your little girl isn¡¯t so goddamn little anymore!¡± Helen stared at him with wide, unbelieving, eyes. Ken stared right back, chest heaving even deeper than before. ¡°Wow,¡± was all Eri could muster. Silence filled the room as husband and wife stood off against each other. Finally, Helen spoke on hushed words. ¡°You walk out that front door and I¡¯ll lock it right behind you. Go sleep at the Legion ¨C anywhere but here, if that¡¯s your choice.¡± Ken reached into his pants pocket and withdrew his ring of keys. He lifted them up to eye-level and smugly jangled them at her. ¡°Okay then.¡± Helen nodded. She shoved past her husband before he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°This is done.¡± ¡°Helen¡­¡± Ken called out after her in a half-beg. The door to the master bedroom slammed with another wall-shaking tremor. Eri massaged her face with scalding shame. ¡°You can¡¯t go. Shinji¡¯s parents work¡ª¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Ken threw a pointed finger at her. ¡°You¡¯re in no position to negotiate! You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t bar up your window, young lady!¡± ¡°Bar up my¡ª¡± Her forehead ached with a dull throb as bemusement gave way to an emotional magma flow. ¡°What, so it¡¯s my fault my friend doesn¡¯t know how to use a doorbell?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Without warning, Ken launched across the room, ducked in behind Eri¡¯s night table, and yanked the telephone cord clean from the wall-jack. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this back talk. Other than school and meals, you¡¯re by no means allowed outside of this room until three Mondays from now. That includes no track meets.¡± ¡°What the heck? I¡¯m grounded?!¡± Eri cried. The throb of a mind¡¯s invisible muscle faded on whirlwind thoughts of stunned confusion. ¡°But I didn¡¯t even do anything!¡± ¡°Right.¡± Ken nodded, wrapping the cord around his daughter¡¯s clear-plastic telephone. ¡°And let¡¯s keep it that way. Three weeks.¡± With that, he tucked the phone under one arm and headed out of the room. ¡°Dad!!¡± The flex of Eri¡¯s mind¡¯s muscle returned on a rush of anger. With it, a flare of pain against her pelvis. An invisible force left the space between her eyebrows like a rush of wind across the bedroom. Ken spun around, ready with lips parted to further rebuke her. But then he stumbled backwards into the hall with a sudden grunt. Eri¡¯s telephone shattered to pieces in his grasp. Episode 26 - A Precious Cover: Walls of Sky-Cutting Emeralds ~ Episode Twenty-Six ~ Walls of Sky-Cutting Emeralds ¡­Herbions normally dwell in packs within forests or swamps. They prefer damp areas, and receive nutrients from other flora-based resources. Despite their humanoid appearances, I¡¯ve found most Herbions shy away from the company of others, unless provoked. From my own experience and study, Herbions will hide ¨C quite well, actually ¨C among trees and shrubs if they feel afraid or threatened (Incidentally, a natural advantage in combat). Shinji flicked a page in the Book of Lodoss. Their fingers can extend into a vine-like state which can be used to cling to branches when travelling long distances or hibernate. In battle, these appendages can be used to lash and restrain foes. He knew most of the tome by heart now, but reading back through random sections usually did some good if his mind found itself in a hopeless loop of over-analyzed obsession. And tonight, obsession weighed heavy. Shinji couldn¡¯t get Eri Seruma out of his head ¨C and not for the obvious reasons. No, his thoughts tonight were filled with the lushness of her ginger hair. The softness of her alabaster skin. The strawberry smell of her body¡­ The way she made him feel. ¡°Stop. This isn¡¯t right.¡± Shinji exhaled frustration. ¡°You¡¯re her friend. Her guardian.¡± What would Opa think? Opa ¨C Crippling shame knocked the Book of Lodoss to the floor as Shinji launched to a stand. He needed a better distraction. Something productive. Kunst des Fechtens. ¡°Element Earth--R E L E A S E ! !¡± Shinji summoned the Earth Sword and fell into a fighting stance in the middle of the living room. On a deep exhale, he let the flow of all exhaustion, all frustration, all unwanted feelings for a girl he used to know to drain from his muscles. A girl he swore an oath to protect. Shinji lunged forward. His arms came down in a graceful arc, pretended to catch an invisible enemy¡¯s weapon by the edge of his sword ¨C Zwerchhau. He spun at the heel, lunged again at another invisible enemy, dove to strike the foe by the ear¡ª Her warm smile. How Eri¡¯s shoulders shook when she giggled. The way her eyes crinkled shut whenever she basked in gleefulness. ¡ªShinji followed up with absetzen, a form of downward parrying from thrusting attacks¡ª Her dualistic nature. How Eri could be so timid and shy, yet direct and honest when necessary. The way she was so in-tune with her emotions. ¡ªAnd then fell into nachreissen, a deflective maneuver that opened enemies for a direct overhead strike¡ª Her unapologetic tenderness. How Eri so purely loved everything. The way she wore her heart on her sleeve, unafraid to be vulnerable with those most important to her. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Shinji lowered the Earth Sword and raked fingers through his bangs, eyes squeezed shut. But she was there, waiting for him ¨C smiling. ¡°Why is this happening to me?¡± Out in the foyer, the grandfather clock came to life with its usual slow-hollow jingle to mark the hour. Shinji let the sound of it relax him, counted with the clock as it donged its way to nine. It was nine ¡®o clock at night. He hadn¡¯t heard from Evan all weekend. Returning his weapon to pendant form, Shinji headed into the kitchen and snatched the phone from its wall-mounted cradle next to the fridge. His thumb pad mashed instinctively into the most frequently-used speed dial button. On the fourth ring, a familiar voice buzzed in his ear. ¡°Yo, wassap?¡± ¨C In the background, his mother yelling over the sound of the TV, ¡°Evan! That¡¯s not how we answer the phone!¡± The sound of Evan¡¯s voice made Shinji¡¯s insides tingle. He shuddered through a hopeless sigh of conflicting thoughts and feelings. ¡°Hey, uh ¨C it¡¯s me.¡± Silence fell in thick billowing tension over the other end of the line. ¡°Did you tell her?¡± Shinji hesitated. ¡°¡­Uh, no. I tried, but¡ª¡± A ragged breath sounded in his ear: ¡°Man, don¡¯t even talk to me right now! I can¡¯t believe you!¡± ¡°I can explain¡ª¡± ¡°Naw, listen. You made a promise. You told me you were gonna commit. And surprise, surprise, you did no such thing. You know what happens now, right?¡± ¡°Evan. You can¡¯t tell her! I¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t, huh? That so, huh? Only the fate of the world depends on it, right? You heard what that Radiance chick said!¡± ¡°Please ¨C please, just listen to me. Something happ¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick of this game, man. I¡¯m sick of your scaredy-cat crap. Forget this. Make like Dennis the Menace and scram! I don¡¯t wanna see you, I don¡¯t wanna know you!¡± Shinji¡¯s heart shattered. Then in an instant, he sucked up all the pain in his chest and roared into the mouthpiece, ¡°Evan, you¡¯re making a mistake!¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Naw. I told you, brother, I¡¯m done playing.¡± A click sounded in Shinji¡¯s ear. Then, dial tone. He punched the redial button. Someone picked up, only to disconnect the call. When Shinji dialed a final time, all that played on the other end was a busy signal; the phone had been left off the hook. He sighed, regretfully placed the handset back on the cradle. The name Seruma Family caught Shinji¡¯s downturned gaze from the speed dial list. Written so elegantly in his mother¡¯s trademark cursive ¨C unlike Evan¡¯s name, written in Shinji¡¯s own brand of fluid handwriting. A brand of handwriting that imitated his father¡¯s signature with flawless precision every time school forms and permission slips came home in his backpack. Shinji¡¯s gaze lingered on the speed dial button. ¡­Seruma¡­ Warmth began to swell in his heart for her. ¡°Stop it.¡± But the warmth didn¡¯t stop. And as the ghost of her fragrance hung in his nostrils, as did her gasps of breaths in his ears, the warmth for Eri began to swell in other places too. ¡°I said, stop!¡± Shinji squeezed his fists into tight balls at his sides, tight enough to pierce the skin of his palms. He shuddered through a hiccup of revulsion at himself. At what was happening to him. ¡°¡­Please ¡­ stop¡­¡± A shaky hand lifted before his eyes, obscuring the speed dial. He gazed into the deep nail marks that seared the skin there. Fresh tears pattered against the lines in his achy palm. What he¡¯d done after she left. ¡°You¡¯re the monster,¡± he convinced himself on quiet words. ¡°You are.¡± Shinji sniffled, wandered back into the living room. The oil-painted gazes of his parents loomed with knowing disgust at him. He stopped to regard the portrait. Jittery fingers dared to spelunk for the strawberry sweet treasure stashed away within his jeans pocket: a red scrunchie Eri had left behind when she fled to Mackenzie Thompson¡¯s house on smoking heels. Shinji rolled the hair tie around in his fingers. It smelled so much like Eri. It was impossible to not get intoxicated by its fragrance ¨C her fragrance ¨C and everything about her ¨C all over again. The image of his mother stared him down ¨C her emerald eyes basked in wavering shadows cast by the roar of the fireplace. Oh, how the image of his mother stared¡­ Pain flexed around Shinji¡¯s heart like Eri¡¯s scrunchie did around his fingers. Wherever in the world Leene Izuma-Reinhardt was now, there was no doubt in her only child¡¯s mind that she¡¯d felt disgraced and disappointed in him. ¡°She¡¯s safe,¡± Shinji murmured to her against the glow of lapping flames. ¡°I want her to know just as much as Evan wants her to. And I tried. You know I tried. But ¨C right now, she¡¯s safer not knowing ¡­ Isn¡¯t she?¡± The painting didn¡¯t know. Had no answers. But that was nothing new for Shinji. For him, the painting was but a looming reminder of all his failures. All his insecurities. All his shame. All his dishonor to the Izuma-Reinhardt name. Of parents who picked up one summery Thursday night in 1997 and never returned. Parents who no longer loved him, nor needed him. The painting was a reminder that built walls so high around Shinji¡¯s heart that the mere accidental graze of a girl¡¯s hand in a grocery store had absolutely terrified him. Her hand, of all hands. ¡°The only reason you exist is to protect the Child of Destiny.¡± And now, he and Evan were at odds. Shinji rubbed wet eyes against the back of his sleeve and looked up at image of his father. Makoto Izuma regarded his son with smug certainty against the glow of the fireplace. ¡°I just want to do what¡¯s right,¡± Shinji tried to rationalize with him. Makoto¡¯s hard-set oil-painted stare bore into him¡ªBut are you? The phone rang. Shinji jerked his head in the direction of the kitchen. He stomped through the portal and snatched up the handset midway through its third ring. ¡°So, you ready to talk, or are you still intent on being an idiot?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± The boom of a man¡¯s voice hollowed out his ear. ¡°Do you know who this is? This is Eri Seruma¡¯s father! You stay the hell off my roof, you hear me? Do your parents know that you¡¯ve been sneaking into girls¡¯ bedrooms at night?!¡± Shinji froze. ¡°Uh ¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, boy?¡± ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m so sorry ¡­ I¡ª¡± Shinji took a deep breath and said, ¡°I used your trellis for brief visitation only. Please know your daughter is innocent in my actions. Nothing happened between us.¡± Ken Seruma roared in his ear, ¡°You better pray nothing happened to my little girl, you pint-sized pervert! Next time I catch you entering my house through a window, so help me, I¡¯ll beat your little ass purple and kick you right back to the curb! You¡¯re lucky I won¡¯t do worse!¡± ¡°Mr. Seruma, you don¡¯t need to speak to me that way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll speak to you however I damn well want to! Son, I served this country twenty-five years! Don¡¯t test me! Put your father on the line, I wanna talk to him.¡± Shinji wobbled in place. ¡°My ¨C father? He, uh ¨C My parents aren¡¯t here right now.¡± He quickly added, ¡°They, uh, they¡¯re on a cruise.¡± ¡°Well let me talk to your guardian!¡± ¡°Guardian?¡± Shinji blinked. ¡°Yes! Whoever is staying with you! Let me talk to them!¡± ¡°There¡¯s nobody else here right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you lie to me, Izuma! Put whoever else is in your house on the line, or I¡¯m going over there to talk to them in the flesh!¡± All blood in Shinji¡¯s face drained to his toes. He slammed the phone onto the cradle with both hands¡ªAnd then, realizing what he¡¯d just done, yanked the handset back to his ear. ¡°Mister Seruma¡ª¡± A dial tone sang to him. Shinji hung up the phone on shaky muscles. Slowly, he backed up against the fridge with wide-eyed terror. Ken Seruma enters this house, sees my parents don¡¯t live here, he goes home and calls the police. The police enter this house, see that my parents don¡¯t live here they call CAS. CAS workers enter this house, see that I live alone, then drag me away to protective custody. Icy realization slumped him to the floor. I get dragged away to protective custody, leaving Evan and Thompson without a leader. Monsters kill them and take Seruma away to the Void¡ªThe Void, where the Black King sacrifices her and sets the world on fire. ¡°I can¡¯t let Ken Seruma past that front door.¡± Shinji darted to the foyer, flicking off all the lights along the way. He twisted the deadbolt, swung into the parlor and dove across the sectional to flick off the lamp used to read earlier with. He scrambled to a stand to extinguish the fireplace, nearly tripping over the Book of Lodoss where it lay neglected on the floor. The house was draped in darkness now. For the final time that night, Shinji snatched up the phone. This time, his thumb mashed into the speed dial button directly above Evan¡¯s. The line connected almost immediately. ¡°Opa. I ¨C I screwed up, bad,¡± he said. ¡°Please, it¡¯s urgent. No, she¡¯s safe. But ¨C I need your help.¡± Episode 27 - Blossoms of the Heart: A Soul-Wrenching Revelation ~ Episode Twenty-Seven ~ Blossoms of the Heart: A Soul-Wrenching Revelation ¡°grounded,¡± said Mackenzie, applying cherry-flavored lip gloss in a mirror over a sink in the upstairs girls lavatory at school. She spied Eri¡¯s reflection slip inside the handicap stall with her backpack in tow. ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ you, for shit¡¯s sakes. Have you ever been grounded before?¡± ¡°Never,¡± said Eri over the sound of her bag unzipping. The crinkle of wax paper melted Mackenzie¡¯s scorn into confusion. ¡°Wait¡ªAre you still on your period?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°Eddi-chan¡ªIt¡¯s been more than a week.¡± ¡°So?¡± Mackenzie swung around to face Eri¡¯s stall with disbelief. ¡°So¡ªThis is your first one, it should¡¯ve only lasted two days. Three, at the most! This is what, day eight?! Are¡ªis everything okay? Maybe¡ªmaybe we should take you to the nurse.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Eri, I¡¯m serious. That¡¯s not normal¡ª¡± ¡°I said, I¡¯m fine.¡± The stall door rattled on those words. Mackenzie blinked, expecting to see it pull back to reveal her friend¡¯s glowering expression. But it didn¡¯t. Eri started to urinate. ¡°Sorry, Macks¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°I¡¯m just really upset over this whole grounded thing. It¡¯s not fair. Dad drove me this morning and Noah¡¯s picking me up after school ¨C and it¡¯s gonna be like that until the three weeks are up.¡± ¡°Three¡ªthree weeks?! Are you serious? You¡¯re grounded for three weeks?!¡± ¡°They¡¯re treating me like a total criminal or something! I can¡¯t even do track after school! I¡¯ve missed practice twice now anyway because of this stupid period thing. And I¡¯m gonna miss the cancer walk, and I really wanted to do that!¡± ¡°Not to mention this puts a cramp in the patrolling-for-Monsters plan,¡± Mackenzie mused. ¡°Three weeks, just for hanging out with Shinji one day. Insane.¡± ¡°Well¡ªMonster Sealing is a huge reason why. Noah caught me sneaking out last week. He was convinced I was smoking drugs, or drinking, or whatever, with you.¡± ¡°You? Drugs? Get drunk?¡± Mackenzie burst out laughing. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? Little miss altar girl?¡± ¡°Ugh, please. I haven¡¯t been an altar server since I was a kid. How did you even know that? Anyway, Noah figured out Shinji gave me the Fire Pendant and lost it.¡± ¡°Of course he lost it.¡± ¡°And he saw Shinji climbing through my window when¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, Shinji did what?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to!¡± said Eri. ¡°It happened like twice, about Monster stuff. The first time after I stormed out of his place, and then again when Cloria and Zorfus attacked. Remember when we showed up on Shiara, that water Monster fox-thing?¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Numbness flooded Mackenzie as puzzle pieces started to fall into place within her anxious mind. Shinji sneaking into Eri¡¯s room. Eri and Shinji going on a date. Eri at Shinji¡¯s house¡ªalone. She¡¯d woken them up with her call¡­ ¡°Oh, and that¡¯s not even the best part!¡± Eri flushed and took her time to finish up, exiting the stall on a sigh. She headed over to the line of sinks to wash her hands. ¡°So, Noah blabs to my parents about all this, and my dad calls Shinji¡¯s house to tear him a new one, and after Shinji hangs up on him, goes over there! Ugh. I hope Shinji¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine. Whatever. I mean, I get your dad going crazy, he¡¯s a control freak nut-bar, but your brother?¡ªReally? Noah¡¯s such an idiot. He¡¯s so frigging over-protective and crap, but he doesn¡¯t know a thing about you except maybe that you like Garbage and video games.¡± ¡°¡­We used to be close.¡± ¡°Amanda was like that, too, kind of. Never took me seriously.¡± Mackenzie watched Eri scrub away on distant thoughts. A poisonous anchor sank within her guts for knowledge she didn¡¯t wish to know, but yearned to. ¡°Face it, hon¡¯, you¡¯ll never stop being Noah¡¯s imouto-chan.¡± Eri gave her a flat stare. ¡°His what?¡± ¡°Little sister! Get with the program.¡± She forced a weak smile at Eri. ¡°¡­Baka.¡± Eri shut off the taps and wiped damp palms on the back of her jeans. ¡°Well, hey. On the bright side, your Japanese is getting better. I think.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Mackenzie hesitated. Her freshly-glossed lips parted like a cherry-flavored Red Sea for what else she dared to say. Something important. Something she was afraid to ask. ¡°Eddi-chan¡­?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°¡­Did¡ªyou and Shinji ¡­ do it?¡± ¡°Do what, Seal another Monster?¡± ¡°It,¡± Mackenzie pressed, nervous. ¡°It?¡± ¡°Yeah. It.¡± Eri stared at her, blankly.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Sex, Eri!¡± Mackenzie snapped. ¡°Did you and Shinji have sex?!¡± ¡°What?! Oh¡ªEw!!¡± Eri shuddered with such revulsion, that it was like watching a snail shrivel up under a downpour of table salt. ¡°No! Why would you ask me that?! Gross!¡± ¡°Well! Let¡¯s see! Your brother calls my house late last night wondering where you are. I call Shinji¡¯s house to check in, scared out of my mind you¡¯re getting slaughtered by Monsters¡ªand you tell me you both fell asleep together? While ¡®studying¡¯?!¡± Mackenzie glared at her. ¡°How do you think that looks, Eriya?¡± ¡°Are you serious right now?! I don¡¯t even like Shinji that way!¡± ¡°Oh, come on¡ª¡± ¡°Will you stop it already?!¡± Eri exploded. ¡°Macks, I keep telling you, I¡ªdon¡¯t¡ªlike him¡ªthat way.¡± ¡°Eri, please. Stop playing the goody-goody Catholic. You were alone with a boy yesterday. Admit it¡ªyou and Shinji fooled around! The whole saving yourself for marriage thing is such a load! Nobody does that.¡± ¡°Macks, this has nothing to do with my faith! I¡¯m just not into that kinda thing! Not with Shinji¡ªnot with anyone! And even if I did, why are you acting so weird about it?¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Mackenzie cried. ¡°I see how he stares at you all the time! Shinji Izuma never paid any attention to you until like a month ago, and now all he wants to do is spend his time with you¡ªalone?? You don¡¯t think that¡¯s weird?¡± ¡°We¡¯re Star Warriors! We¡¯re Monster Sealers! Why wouldn¡¯t we spend more time together¡ªthat¡¯s what we do. And anyway, he¡¯s my friend!¡± ¡°Nuh-uh. Shinji Izuma has a complex over you the size of a¡ªa¡ªthe Pacific Ocean! Oh-ho-ho-ho! And he¡¯s not the only one¡ª¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Evan,¡± Mackenzie said, pointedly. ¡°They¡¯re obsessed with you. They wanna date you!¡± ¡°Oh, whatever!¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious! Be grateful! You think I got a lineup of guys following me at recess? I¡¯m short and I¡¯m fat. Boys think I¡¯m a hobbit! Just admit it, already: you like the attention.¡± ¡°I said, stop it!¡± Eri blasted her. ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous. I don¡¯t ¡­ I don¡¯t feel that way about either of them¡­¡± She leaned against the wall with a helpless sigh. ¡°And don¡¯t ¡­ don¡¯t say that. Nobody calls you a hobbit. You¡¯re not fat.¡± ¡°Then who do you like?!¡± Mackenzie demanded. ¡°I know it¡¯s someone in our class, Eri. You¡¯re so distracted all the time recently!¡± There came a sudden click from another stall. Isa stepped out from within, music faintly audible from her walkman headphones. She headed past the girls without acknowledging either one. Mackenzie craned a look over one shoulder¡ªand then straight up¡ªat the five-foot-seven monolith that was Isa Keitel. She stood over a running faucet down a couple sinks from them, pumping liquid soap into a palm. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the new kid, right? Hey!¡± Isa darted a quick side-eye Mackenzie¡¯s way but ignored the question. She instead focused on scrubbing her hands in slow, methodical, strokes. ¡°Hey!¡± Mackenzie frowned and turned to face Isa, fully. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you!¡± ¡°I heard you, hobbit-girl,¡± Isa replied. She snorted back laughter. ¡°Hey, is it true you got hairy feet, too?¡± Mackenzie glared at her, steam whistling out her ears and nostrils. ¡°N-no! Of course not!¡± Eri suddenly piped up. ¡°Hey, um, Isa¡ªAre you gonna do the Walk for a Cure thing?¡± Mackenzie flashed Eri a surprised look. ¡°Ehh?!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh. That cancer thing Youse tried to guilt us into signing donations for?¡± Isa twisted the sink¡¯s taps shut, flicked her wrists to rid dots of water from her fingertips. They were calloused, nails painted punk rock black. ¡°Dunno yet. Anyway, what do you care, Red-eye?¡± ¡°You got a problem, city girl?¡± Mackenzie demanded. ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Isa scoffed, pushing away from the basin. ¡°Go chase some dwarves, Bilbo.¡± Mackenzie sneered at Isa¡¯s departure. When the new girl had vanished out into the hall, she thumped back against the sink with arms crossed. ¡°The hell was that about?¡± Eri let out a deep exhale. ¡°¡­I¡ªI, um, I think she was joking. I think.¡± ¡°No, baka-chan, I¡¯m talking about you.¡± Mackenzie glowered at her. ¡°Why do you care if she¡¯s gonna run in that dumb cancer thing?¡± ¡°What? I¡ªjust want her to feel welcome here ¡­ I guess.¡± Eri averted her gaze, rosy-cheeked. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know, okay? Whatever. I don¡¯t think she likes me, anyway.¡± ¡°A girl like that¡¯s never going to like anybody. Trust me, you don¡¯t want her liking you. She¡¯s rotten news, I can feel it. Your dumb family thinks I¡¯m the bad influence? They¡¯re in for a surprise, compared to her if you both start hanging out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to,¡± Mackenzie snapped. ¡°I know that type. She¡¯s a skid-row wannabe skater punk. Black shirts with electric-guitar-playing skeletons and guys in leather jackets on them? Ripped jeans and shoes falling apart at the heels? How is she not suspended yet? This is a Catholic school, after all.¡± She then yelled at the washroom door, ¡°What would Jesus, think you freak!¡± ¡°Macks, be nice.¡± Eri sighed. ¡°She¡¯s supposed to be the Child of Destiny, right?¡± ¡°Says who?! Shinji never confirmed that¡ªand anyway, I mean it, Eddi-chan. That¡¯s a girl who does drugs and parties and crap, not me. Screw your stupid brother. Urgh, I can¡¯t believe she asked me if I had hairy feet.¡± doesn¡¯t like me. And, anyway, you¡¯re the one who called yourself a hobbit¡­¡± defending her now?! God¡ª¡± ¡°Macks.¡± ¡°No, shut up! I mean it, what¡¯s your deal, anyway? You¡¯ve been acting like a total weirdo ever since Isa Keitel¡ª¡± A sudden realization birthed within the cranking gears in Mackenzie¡¯s brain. The cogs began to slow, settle into place. ¡°¡ªgot here.¡± Eri scuffed the toes of her converse sneakers against the linoleum, barely paying attention. ¡°Wait¡ªNo way,¡± Mackenzie whispered, shocked. ¡°Are you kidding me? It¡¯s her, isn¡¯t it? You like Isa?¡± Eri blinked at her, confused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡ªyou like Isa.¡± The poison in Mackenzie¡¯s guts rolled up into her lungs and overflowed. She backed away on unsteady heels, breaths tight. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you. I¡ªI can¡¯t believe this. How did I not know ¡­ this?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± Eri furrowed her brow. ¡°What did I do?¡± But Mackenzie backed off completely, shaking her head against the threat of nausea. ¡°How could I be so stupid? All this time, you¡ªyou liked¡ªlike¡ªg¡ª¡± But the word was too sharp in her throat to get out. A hiccup formed around it with tears that began to flow. ¡°Macks? Is this¡ªis this because I got mad about the whole Shinji thing?¡± Eri asked on quiet words. She inched forward, genuinely confused, and sniffled back tears of her own. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to get so¡ª¡± ¡°I¡ªI need to go.¡± Mackenzie shoved away from her, stumbling backwards on numb ankles. Sharp pain throbbed in her chest¡ªthe feel of her heart splintering into pieces that slipped within the bloodstream, carving her open from the inside out. ¡°Macks, wait!¡± But Mackenzie didn¡¯t wait. She bolted out of the bathroom, sobbing. Episode 28 - On Windborne Feathers: Grandar, the Monster of Flight ~ Episode Twenty-Eight ~ Grandar, the Monster of Flight ¡° Eri squinted up at him from where she sat against the school¡¯s utility garage, directly across the airlock where he¡¯d come from. She¡¯d been half-paying attention to a sixth-grade soccer game when Shinji accidently startled her. ¡°Don¡¯t you do recycling at lunch recess?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡ªOof!¡± he grunted, sitting down with an awkward plunk. ¡°I was. Saw you out here through Mr. Hughes¡¯ window. Your father called me last night.¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± Eri squeezed her eyes shut. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my dad went after you. I¡¯m really embarrassed.¡± Shinji frowned. ¡°Please, don¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Well, I am,¡± she countered. ¡°No matter what I do, it feels like I keep messing everything up for people. Macks and me worked really hard on that history project and we ended up getting a bad mark anyway! Everyone got hurt fighting Zorfus because of me. Isa probably hates my guts, even though I just wanna be nice to her. I¡¯m grounded because my stupid brother caught me sneaking around during Monster stuff. And like, just two seconds ago, I hurt Macks¡¯ feelings ¨C and I¡ªI don¡¯t even know what I did to¡­¡± Eri trailed off, face buried in her hands. Her shoulders began to tremble. ¡°Seruma¡­¡± Shinji¡¯s heart broke for Eri. He reached to gently squeeze her shoulder. ¡°Hey¡­¡± But Eri flinched from him. ¡°No, don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Wh¡ª¡± He froze, alarmed by her reaction. ¡°Please, don¡¯t touch me there,¡± she whispered. Shinji blinked at her cowering, his jaw hanging with confusion. And then in that moment, the cold truth settled in the pit of his stomach where all other calloused, rotten, things resided. She was afraid of him. ¡°Do your parents know that you¡¯ve been sneaking into girls¡¯ bedrooms at night?!¡± Shinji was the reason Eri was grounded. And now she was afraid of him. This, like all other revelations, was nothing new. This was rejection. This was honesty. This was but a fresh reminder for Shinji, and he knew it right away. All of his failures and shame. All his of dishonor. Both, to the Izuma-Reinholdt name and to Eri¡¯s integrity. He was no leader. He was an embarrassment. To his parents. To his grandfather. To the boy he was falling love with, the best friend who¡¯d stood by him since the beginning, who hated him now. To the girl he¡¯d sworn an ancient family oath to protect. The girl he loved for as long as he could remember. The girl who owned his life. The girl who was afraid of him now. You¡¯re the monster. You are. ¡°I did this,¡± Shinji murmured, rising to a stand. ¡°I caused this to happen. This is all my fault.¡± Eri blinked, looked up at him from between her hands. ¡°What? Shinji, no¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªHey, what¡¯s that?¡± The nearby sixth-graders playing soccer stopped their game with eyes raised to observe a wave of shadow that suddenly overcast the schoolyard in large patches. The darkened sky nabbed Shinji¡¯s attention, too. But what at first appeared to be clouds revealed themselves as mourning doves, crows, cardinals, grouse, gold finches¡ªseemingly every species of bird in the vicinity. Some landed among the sod, daring to peck and waddle furiously after anyone who dared near. Within the eye of the feathered storm hovered a winged creature, a cross between an eagle and an angelic monstrosity. It looped above the school, a vulture awaiting its chance to scavenge. ¡°We need to get inside. Now.¡± Shinji tore free the Earth Pendant from around his throat. ¡°Is¡ªis that a Monster? What¡¯s it doing here?!¡± Eri climbed to a stand beside him, massaging her forehead with a grimace. She froze with a sharp gasp. ¡°Oh, no ¡­ The Child of Destiny¡ªIsa!¡± ¡°Hey¡ªyou guys!!¡± Evan appeared with Mackenzie amidst the students and yard monitors alike who scattered in mass panic. The pair were running towards Shinji and Eri from the nearest school airlock. ¡°You good?!¡± The sight of Mackenzie made Eri¡¯s heart hurt. Shinji nodded to Evan, hesitating to meet his gaze. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re up against a Grandar. Get Seruma out of here. I¡¯ll deal with this.¡± ¡°Me?¡± This startled Eri. ¡°Why me? We have to find Isa!¡± The sound of Isa¡¯s name made Mackenzie flinch. But evidently she agreed with Eri¡¯s confusion. ¡°What are you talking about, ¡®Get Eri outta here¡¯?¡± Evan frowned. ¡°Shin, you¡¯re not gonna try to fight that thing on your own, are you, man?¡± ¡°I¡¯m right behind you,¡± Shinji assured him. ¡°It¡¯s imperative you find Keitel now. Go on, I got this.¡± But Eri protested. ¡°Shinji¡ªWhy can¡¯t we¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me, just go!¡± ¡°Come on, girl.¡± Evan urged her. ¡°Let¡¯s make tracks.¡± But Eri hesitated, eyes glistening worry at Shinji. ¡°Everything will be okay, Seruma,¡± he promised. ¡°I¡¯ll fix this mess.¡± ¡°¡­Mess?¡± Uncertainty flexed across Eri¡¯s features. ¡°What do you¡­?¡± But Evan gently pulled her away, back towards the school. ¡°C¡¯mon. We gotta go!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Promise.¡± Shinji watched the trio leave, then turned to face what was obviously a feathered distraction for the Monster¡¯s true purpose here at the school. He squinted up at Grandar as its aviary smog cast the sky into further darkness. He brought the Earth Sword up in a readied stance. ¡°Come on, you bastard. I¡¯m right here...¡± ¡°Shinji!!¡± she screamed. baka¡¯s gonna get pecked to death!¡± ¡°I¡ªShinji knows what he¡¯s doing,¡± Evan assured her. But the worry in his tone indicated different. ¡°Come on, we gotta¡ª¡± ¡° ¡°so many!¡± ¡° ¡°Eddi-chan?¡± Mackenzie touched her friend on the wrist. ¡°Hon, are you okay?¡± Shinji, in danger ¡­ Hurting Mackenzie in the bathroom ¡­ Stupid Noah ¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t breathe. I can¡¯t buh¡ªoh, gosh, I need¡ª¡± ¡°stupid plan of his!¡± Mackenzie wrapped Eri in a secure hug and shouldered through the crowd to gain access within the school. ¡°I have to get Eddi-chan outta here. Something¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡° ¡° Eddi-chan! Breath, hon, talk to me.¡± ¡°everything¡­¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°brought them?!¡± Evan clapped, overjoyed. ¡° ¡°on the roof?!¡± Mackenzie¡¯s jaw hit the center of the Earth. ¡° ¡°Eddi-chan¡­¡± ¡° ¡°not stupid. I really hurt your feelings over something, and I wanna talk about it later. Okay?¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°after we Seal the Monster?¡± said Evan. ¡°Shinji kinda needs us right now??¡± ¡° thought of uttering what pounded in her heart. What needed to be said. ¡°So, before you go¡ªin case anything happens¡­¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° ¡°guys!¡± Evan begged. ¡°¡­love you,¡± Mackenzie told her. She froze, hearing the admission out loud, face-to-face, for the first time, though she had thought it¡ªhad felt it in her heart¡ªevery single day since the very moment their eyes met the first day of grade seven. ¡°I love you, Eddi-chan¡­¡± so much¡­¡± ¡° ¡° Eddi-chan. I know you will. You¡¯re Eri, the Monster Sealer, after all. The best Monster Sealer.¡± ¡° ¡°¡­ Evan eventually caught up to her, panting for dear life. ¡°So¡ªwhat¡¯s this¡ªplan?¡± ¡°That Guardian Beast you Sealed¡ªShinji taught you the incantation to release Monsters, right?¡± Eri clicked the pouch into place around her narrow hips. ¡°If Eldrom can fly like Shiara can, maybe we can lure Grandar half way. Get up high enough to Seal it somehow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Evan wiped his brow on the back of a sleeve. ¡°I¡¯unno what Shin¡¯s thinking. He does this, you know? Puts on a big ol¡¯ brave act, like he¡¯s gotta save the world all by himself. Thinking that way¡¯s gonna get himself killed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Graveness befell Eri. ¡°And I¡¯m not gonna let that happen.¡± They found a roof access further up the hall by the bathrooms, beside Mrs. Dupont¡¯s grade four classroom. The door was locked. ¡°What are we gonna do now?¡± Evan wailed. ¡°I got this.¡± Eri snapped the chain of her Fire Pendant from around her neck. ¡°Element Fire--R E L E A S E ! !¡± The warm gusts air that consumed Eri erupted into fiery winds that did not burn her skin or sear her clothes. A long grey rod, tipped with a golden spike, stretched into existence out one side of the Pendant. An orange dual-faced hammerhead took form on the opposite end. With it came another, longer, golden spike that surfaced from between the hammerhead¡¯s bell-shaped curves. ¡°Here goes¡ª!!¡± Eri swung the Fire Hammer hard into the access door. The impact left a perfectly rounded dent that caused her to grimace at the sight. ¡°I really hope this fixes itself when the Monster is Sealed¡­¡± With a few more strikes, the door broke off its hinges and fell forward into the darkened room. Eri and Evan now faced a ladder bolted to the far wall that led straight up. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Hold up a sec.¡± Evan stopped her with a heaviness that gleamed behind his glasses frames. ¡° ¡®Ree¡ªbefore we go back out there. Girl, there¡¯s something you gotta know.¡± Eri shook her head. ¡°Can¡ªcan it wait until¡ª¡± ¡°No. It can¡¯t,¡± Evan cut her off. ¡°It¡¯s about the Child of Destiny.¡± Eri blinked. ¡°Wha¡ª? What about her¡ª¡± ¡°Listen. Real talk here.¡± He paused with lips tight between his teeth, struggling to find the right words. ¡°The, uh¡ªthe Child of Destiny¡ªGirlie, the truth is that¡ª¡± ¡°Red-eye, what the hell are you doing?¡± Eri froze. Slowly, the Fire Hammer lowered in her arms so its spike touched the linoleum. She turned at the hip to find Isa peering out at her and the Fire Hammer from the safety of the girls¡¯ washroom. Eri went beet-red. ¡°Uh¡ªIsa! Hi!¡± ¡°Um, hi. What¡¯s with the sledge hammer, kid?¡± Isa nudged back one of her walkman headphones, releasing the faint noise of punk rock out into the hallway. ¡°Getting called a vampire all the time finally push you over the edge?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± squeaked Eri. ¡°It¡¯s good we ran into you, because¡ª¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Isa let a wary expression linger at the both of them, then edged the rest of the way out into the hall over to a nearby window that saw out the side of the school. ¡°What birds? The hell are you nerds talking ab¡ª¡± everywhere. The sky was almost black, they were everywhere. And tearing into everything. Everyone. Her headphones clattered to the floor. ¡°¡­What the hell¡­?¡± Up the hall, Mackenzie stumbled into view from the first floor stairwell. ¡°You g-u-u-u-u-u-ys!!¡± She huffed and wheezed towards Eri and Evan, Air Staff in tow. ¡°Wait¡ªoof¡ªwait up!!¡ªOh, God, I gotta stop smoking¡ªurghh¡ª¡± ¡°Macks!!¡± Eri cried out, relieved by the sight of her. Evan gave Eri a double thumbs-up and jogged backwards down the hall to meet Mackenzie. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about the Child of Destiny thing later. You go ahead, man. We¡¯ll catch up. Take Isabella with you!¡± ¡°Right.¡± Eri turned to the new girl and said, ¡°Come on, Isa¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± Isa blinked at her. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain¡ª¡± ¡°But there¡¯s plenty of time to smash down doors? Where¡¯d you get the hammer, anyway? That thing¡¯s gotta weight a ton.¡± ¡°I¡ªcan you¡ªjust¡ª¡± Eri shook her head, flustered. ¡°Please, just listen! You gotta come with me. I can protect you! There¡¯s a Monster that wants to kidnap you and bring you back to its world so your dad can¡ª¡± ¡°My dad?¡± Isa stared at her. And then burst out laughing. "Kid, what the hell are you talking about?" ¡°I¡¯m being serious¡­¡± Eri¡¯s shoulders wilted. ¡°¡­You¡¯re the Child of Destiny¡­¡± ¡°Child of what? Red-eye, what does that even mean?¡± Whatever horror had been on Isa''s face had been quickly covered up by an unreadable aloofness. She pushed off the windowsill and stooped to grab her headphones. "I''m not going anywhere." "But Isa--!" "Whatever drugs you''re on, leave me out of it." Isa shouldered past Eri, giving the Fire Hammer a snort of indignation in passing, and headed down the hall towards their classroom. She didn''t notice the glare Mackenzie shot her in passing with Evan. ¡°Good luck bashing birds, or whatever.¡± Eri sighed. ¡°Eddi-chan, forget her!¡± Mackenzie snapped. ¡°That orokana na gaijin is safer here inside the school than anywhere else right now!¡± ¡° ¡®Kenzie¡¯s right, man,¡± Evan said. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry about us! We¡¯re right behind you!¡± ¡°O¡ªokay.¡± Eri nodded at them. With a shake of her head, she pushed away all thoughts of Isa and vanished up the ladder with the greater issue of Shinji''s wellbeing at the forefront of her priorities. "What the hell? ... Did she Seal it already?" Mackenzie blinked confusion at the clear sky overhead. Just then, a hollow bang in the distance led her across the roof until she had a clear view of the school¡¯s utility garage where all the recycling bins and dumpsters were located. ¡°Eddi-chan?!¡± The lid of a nearby dumpster raised and collapsed to the side. Shinji hoisted into view with a massive intake of fresh air. He looked up at Mackenzie and frowned, folding his arms over the edge of the bin. ¡°Well? Did you Seal it?¡± Mackenzie shook her head. ¡°Have you seen Eri? She came up here to help you!¡± Shinji¡¯s eyes hardened. ¡°No. I was in here.¡± ¡°Damn it! Where¡¯d she go?¡± Mackenzie threw a look back to Evan, who was stumbling over grates and ventilation tubes on his way towards her, when a whistle cut through the air. Evan fell backwards with a yelp when something hit the roof with explosive impact. The cloud of debris wavered to reveal Eri¡¯s Fire Hammer between both kids. Its rod pointed skyward, the hammerhead leaving a shattered web-like pattern embedded in the roof. ¡°Oh, hell!!¡± Evan shot to a stand, staring up into the clouds. High above the school soared a winged monstrosity, fleeing from the scene. Eri was clutched in its talons¡ªlimp and unconscious. ¡°Eddi-chan!!¡± Mackenzie shrieked. She started to straddle the Air Staff when Evan grabbed her by the arm. ¡°¡®Kenzie, what are you doing? Aren¡¯t you¡¯re afraid of heights? How do you know that thing can even fly?!¡± ¡°What else am I supposed to do?!¡± she demanded, pulling away from him. ¡°That thing¡¯s got my best friend!¡± Shinji shouted, ¡°If you¡¯re gonna do something, hurry up and do it!¡± He flew past on Shiara¡¯s back, in hot pursuit of Grandar. The Monster of Flight realized Shinji¡¯s presence at once. A string of winged torpedoes shot out from the trees between him and the fleeing Monster. But with a deep snarl, Shiara exhaled upon the birds, leaving ice sculptures to drop out of the air like bricks. ¡°It must be heading back to Grover¡¯s Mill,¡± Shinji realized. ¡°Seruma, I¡¯m coming!!¡± He charged off of the Guardian Beast, leaping across the open sky to tackle Grandar from behind in mid-flight. It made a sharp dip from the added weight and threw itself into a barrel roll. Shinji grabbed around the Monster¡¯s neck for dear life. Another onslaught of birds, this time a murder of crows, swooped up from the parking lot like shotgun spray at Shinji. A sudden Hurricane Roar sent them all scattering. ¡°Huh?!¡± Shinji found Eldrom galloping through the sky, behind them. Mackenzie glared ahead from the safety of the Monster¡¯s air-kissed mane, with Evan clinging around her cardigan for dear life. ¡°Let go of my Eddi-chan, orokana kaibutsu!!¡± Shinji grunted, surprised. ¡°You guys are nuts, you know that?!¡± ¡°We¡¯re nuts?!¡± Evan snapped. ¡°What are you doing?! Who¡¯s gonna be the standing ovation at my recital if you splatter all over the schoolyard?!¡± ¡°Izuma-san, just frigging Seal it, already! We¡¯ll catch you!¡± Mackenzie cried. ¡°The Monster¡¯s getting weak from how heavy you are!¡± She was right. Grandar was encumbered by the combined weight of both Shinji and Eri. It weaved with struggle to remain airborne. Without a second¡¯s hesitation, he shouted the incantation: ¡°Grandar, Monster of Flight! By the oath of the Original Five, I command you! Surrender your power to me¡ªnow!!¡± Grandar let out a final screeching caw before its grip around Eri slacked. Evan made a desperate dive to catch her in outstretched arms. She stirred awake in his embrace, groaning. ¡°¡­Evan? ¡­Wha¡­?¡± He grinned at her. ¡°Heh. Nice of you to, uh, drop in!¡± Behind them, Mackenzie started to gag. ¡°Ugh, gross. Leave the dad jokes at home!¡± Above, strong gusts encapsulated both Grandar and Shinji. The Monster dissolved into wavering liquid strands, bringing forth the outline of a Mon-Orb. It filled with Grandar¡¯s essence and solidified. Shinji caught the prize in his arms¡ªthen immediately realized what he had just done. ¡°Oh, crap¡­¡± ¡°Shinji, no!!¡± Evan shrieked. Shinji plummeted to the schoolyard and fell face-first into icy-warmth. He grunted, grasping gingerly at jagged fur, and lifted his head to realize what had just happened. ¡°¡­Shiara? Thank you¡­¡± The Guardian Beast of Water growled in reply, carrying him between her shoulders. Together with Eri, Mackenzie, and Evan on Eldrom¡¯s back, Shinji soared on Shiara through a magenta sky amidst the smog of dazed birds now released from the Monster of Flight¡¯s influence. He caught sight of Isa Keitel, staring slack-jawed out the window of Class 208-B as the Star Warriors rode the elemental Guardian Beasts to the safety of the basketball court. She was leaned so far against the pane to take in the sight of them, that Shinji wondered if she¡¯d break right through the glass. For a moment, their gazes locked. Isa¡¯s irises were smoky gray, for sure. Shinji saw them clear as day through her wide-eyed confusion. Isa Keitel¡ªThe Warrior of Spirit. The final Star Warrior was none other than the transfer student, after all. Through the realization came Eri¡¯s voice, a faint echo on the air: ¡°Hey, Evan¡ªremember when you thought all those tree branches looked like spaghetti?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah!¡± Evan laughed. ¡°Spaghetti!!¡± ¡°Spaghetti!!¡± cried Eri with glee. Shinji watched as Mackenzie disengaged from steering Eldrom to throw herself around them both. She nuzzled a rosy cheek against Eri¡¯s hair, relieved. ¡°Eddi-chan¡­¡± ¡°Macks¡­¡± Eri grasped for her hand. ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­¡± A small smile crept across his lips. Evan then waved for Shinji¡¯s attention. ¡°Wait ¡®til we get back to class! Man, you should¡¯a seen it, Mrs. Murphy was barking orders at people through a megaphone! It was nuts!¡± Shinji pondered this. ¡°You know, she¡¯s probably worse off now, wondering what everyone¡¯s suddenly all doing inside during recess! No one¡¯s gonna remember a thing since we Sealed that Monster!¡± The thought made him laugh. A sound that totally caught him off-guard. Shinji had forgotten what his own laughter sounded like¡ªwhat a real smile felt like. Evan nodded at him, encouraging. All three felt so good. Episode Twenty-Nine - A Change of Hands: The Fears That Define Our Existence ~ Episode Twenty-Nine ~ The Fears That Define Our Existence ¡° ¡°Yeah,¡± Mackenzie said. ¡°We¡¯re right behind you.¡± With a nod, he turned to head into 208-B, pausing for a half-second to realize Evan hadn¡¯t waited for him. Shinji sighed and trudged past the threshold, alone. ¡°Close call out there,¡± Mackenzie murmured, coolly. Eri nodded from where she leaned against the doorframe hugging herself in wait for Macks to switch out of her outdoor shoes. It was all she could think about. Grandar snatching her in mid-fight. Flying off with her. Shinji¡¯s declaration to Evan before the battle even begun. ¡°Get Seruma out of here!¡± And the obvious question that begged to be asked: Why? Movement turned her attention up the hallway. There, she noticed Isa Keitel hedge careful steps towards the roof access door near Mrs. Dupont¡¯s classroom. The sight of her stirred alive the butterflies in Eri¡¯s stomach. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Isa¡¯s the Child of Destiny¡­¡± ¡°Why do you keep saying that? Literally no one else thinks so.¡± She could almost feel the steam off of Mackenzie¡¯s ears. ¡°But if she is the Child of Destiny, then no wonder you¡¯re so distracted by her. Maybe you¡¯re just sensing her magic or something.¡± Eri blinked. ¡°¡­Her magic?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Shinji say something about that? That we¡¯ll all just naturally gravitate towards whoever the Child of Destiny is, because of how her magic works? ¨C Anyway, it explains your dumb little crush.¡± ¡­Crush¡­? Eri¡¯s face radiated, but she didn¡¯t take the bait to defend herself. Instead, her gaze lingered on Isa grazing fingertips along the now-unscathed face of the access door, where the Fire Hammer had earlier bashed it down. ¡°But ¨C you don¡¯t feel that way about her, do you?¡± ¡°Eh?!¡± Mackenzie froze, her face the color of Arctic daylight. ¡°WHAT. OF COURSE NOT. I¡¯M NOT ¨C WHAT ARE YOU IMPLY ¨C I ¨C I LIKE ¨C BOYS ¨C JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER D-DUMB GIRL IN THIS SCHOOL.¡± ¡°Why are you being so defensive? It¡¯s just a question. Anyway¡ªI don¡¯t know that I like boys that way. I don¡¯t know that I like anybody that way.¡± ¡°WELL, YOU¡¯RE JUST EXTRA DUMB.¡± Eri frowned at her, then looked back up the hallway and caressed a warm cheek, embracing the swell in her chest when Isa cast a sudden look their way ¨C almost like she¡¯d sensed Eri watching her. The new girl blushed, drew away from the roof access, and darted into the bathroom. If this really was a crush, and if this was what a crush really felt like, Eri couldn¡¯t help but to hope that it ran deeper than simply ¡°sensing magic¡±. ¡°What¡¯s with that Red-eye crap she called you, anyhow? She¡¯s so rude and obnoxious. I don¡¯t get what you even like about her, anyway.¡± Mackenzie shot to a stand and dragged Eri into class by the wrist. ¡°Come on, lover-girl. Ugh, whatever. Until Shinji says for sure she¡¯s the Child of Destiny, I couldn¡¯t care less about Isa Keitel. And neither should you.¡± Phys Ed capped the school day. Eri ¨C given permission to opt out of running laps and a game of dodge ball ¨C spent the time doing homework, tucked away within the shadows of the gymnasium¡¯s stage with everyone¡¯s bags and change of clothes. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. She had missed a lot of P.E. recently ¨C something Shinji noticed right away over the past week, since it was her favorite subject. Today the revelation gave way to worry that distracted him so much that he was knocked from his team¡¯s roster immediately by a blow from Josh Hamilton (who seemed to take great pleasure in the ¡°kill¡±). Strangely, Mackenzie hadn¡¯t been in attendance, either. She¡¯d been dismissed to the nurse¡¯s office shortly after the pop quiz, on claims of nausea. Shinji wondered if she¡¯d gone home early. When school let out for the day, Shinji found Eri waiting in the lobby for her ride as lower-grade kids spilled through the airlock past her towards the oncoming of busses and parental pick-up. Overhead, dark clouds swelled the sky with the threat of rain like a spider¡¯s egg sac close-to-burst. ¡°Hey.¡± He hedged careful steps forward, stopping a safe distance from Eri. ¡°Uh ¡­ You gonna be okay?¡± Eri found him over her shoulder. She offered a weak smile. ¡°¡­Yeah. I¡¯m fine. Just not feeling well.¡± Her gaze lowered, searching thoughts that swam in silence. ¡°Shinji¡ªWhy do you think that Monster went after me today?¡± The corners of Shinji¡¯s mouth flexed to answer the question. But the truth refused to present itself, instead dancing around an active bonfire on his tongue. He offered a helpless shrug. Eri studied him with a wrinkled nose, then let her chin drop as she mulled it over. A deep sadness hung behind her eyes. Confusion, too. The sight squeezed Shinji¡¯s heart into a bloodied, guilty, pulp. I¡¯m hurting her. ¡°Seruma¡ª¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good you¡¯re still here. I got something for you.¡± Eri rooted around inside her backpack. She presented her Game Boy fanny pack. ¡°Your Monster Orbs?¡± Shinji murmured, surprised. ¡°They¡¯re no good to me while I¡¯m grounded. You guys might as well use ¡®em for now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. You might be grounded, but you still need to protect yourself.¡± ¡°Protection from what? Not like I¡¯ll be going on patrol with you guys any time soon.¡± She slung her schoolbag over-shoulder and stepped towards Shinji with her fanny pack outstretched. He stepped away from her with a jolt of fear that came with the lingering memories of her rejection earlier that day. But Eri stepped closer. ¡°Please, they¡¯re no good to anyone stuffed away in my vanity with my Garbage albums.¡± She pushed the fanny pack into his hands. Shinji flinched from her touch¡ªfrom her pleading eyes, her signature scent. The innocence he felt he¡¯d stolen from her. With a shudder of guilt, he tilted back the flap. Nagamani, Kyupo, Cloria, and Zorfus gleamed up at him from within the black-and-neon-pink folds. Shinji regarded Eri with a bad feeling in his guts. ¡°Seruma¡­¡± ¡°I mean ¡­ um ¡­ you can use them, right?¡± She nervously tapped index fingers together. ¡°I know you said you have trouble undoing most Seals like you can with Shiara, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± He sighed. ¡°No. These will help a lot. Are you sure?¡± Eri nodded, rosy-cheeked. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Shinji looked up to find a red Ford Explorer that had just pulled up in front of the school. Noah Seruma was behind the wheel, peering right at them through the passenger-side window. There was an almost hostile intensity about Eri¡¯s brother as he tapped fingertips against the steering wheel with a steady, impatient, beat. ¡°Uh ¡­ I think your ride¡¯s here.¡± Eri took one glance out the airlock¡¯s double doors and shifted with discomfort. ¡°Shinji, I ¨C didn¡¯t get to say it earlier but¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°Seruma? What is it?¡± ¡°I ¨C Um ¨C Thanks. For saving my bacon today.¡± Eri flashed Shinji a weak smile and pushed through the airlock to meet her brother. ¡°Um, see you.¡± ¡°You too, Seruma.¡± Shinji waved goodbye. ¡°Hey, Shinji, by the way¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Eri offered another smile over her shoulder ¨C this time a sheepish one. ¡°What did you give up for Lent?¡± ¡°Lent?¡± The question stuck Shinji with an off-guard shrug. ¡°Chocolate, I think. Probably. The usual ¡­ Uh, what about you?¡± Eri started to answer when a sharp blare from the Explorer stole her attention. She glared at Noah, then threw a final look Shinji¡¯s way. ¡°Being scared,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna be scared anymore.¡± ¡°Scared?¡± Shinji chewed on this while Eri pushed past the doors to meet her brother. He watched her climb into the passenger side of the Explorer before it peeled around the bus-only lane and vanished up Northgate Drive. Being scared was all they knew. Fighting through fear was all they knew. The vow for Lent was a curious one. Because as far as Shinji knew, Eri had turned out to be one of the bravest kids he¡¯d ever known. He pondered this for a time, until out the corner of his eye, Isa Keitel appeared off the edge of the school where the utility garage and recycling bins all were. She looked deep in thought, head bowed and fists tight around the straps of her backpack. Waist-length scarlet hair fluttered behind her as she trekked down the small hill past the bus route towards Fletcher Street, off of Northgate. Shinji¡¯s gaze narrowed at the sight of her leaving the school grounds. The Spirit Pendant vibrated within the folds of his jeans pocket. He pushed past the lobby doors and headed that way, too. Episode 30 - An Impending Honesty: Isa’s True Feelings ~ Episode Thirty ~ Isa¡¯s True Feelings Blitzkrieg Bop. The combination of New-York-City-thick vocals mostly drowned out by the thumps and blares of heavy punk rock suffocated the unwanted new town around her. Suffocated the confusing thoughts in her head. Suffocated everything except for Isa¡¯s angry journey home from school. Just the way she liked it. Isa leaned into the high volume of song. It suffocated everything ¨C all thoughts and feelings ¨C except, of course, for the bliss of a beloved mix tape. A going away present. The Ramones ¨C her big brother Brandon¡¯s favorite band. Her idol¡¯s favorite band. And ¨C by extension ¨C hers, too. Isa shifted her backpack over a shoulder as the song¡¯s bridge came into full swing. The air felt wet with the threat of rain overhead. Not that it really mattered. She was used to damp, overcast days. The risk of getting caught in a shower, without an umbrella or coat, calmed her agitated nerves. She hated Shorebrooke already and hadn¡¯t even lived here a whole week yet. But the weather was like a piece of Vancouver had stopped by for a visit today ¨C as if to assure her everything was going to be okay. And maybe it would be. Hating Shorebrooke completely ¨C that was a heart-guarding lie. There was one thing about this place ¨C one person ¨C that made it pretty okay so far. Even if she did look like a vampire. Isa pushed through the swell of warmth between her lungs and crossed over to Holland Street from Fletcher, towards the Four Corners. She tried not to focus on strange memories that couldn¡¯t be more than just a fever dream: Cute girls wielding giant war hammers. Killer birds straight out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Kids swooping around the basketball court on the backs of magical flying dogs. She hit the fast-forward button on her walkman, stopping on I Wanna Be Sedated midway through its chorus. Just then, something rustled out the corner of her eye. Isa swung around in an instant with fists ready to deflect a jumping. But the shadow she meant to face down was nowhere in sight. Only a patch of trees between two century homes swayed before her in the cool wind. Their leaves shimmered like emeralds. Isa blinked. ¡°¡­Weird.¡± She turned away, lowering fists, and continued along Holland Street. For a few days now, Isa felt like somebody had been on her tail wherever she went. Today was no different, and it was pretty obvious now who the culprit was. The pad of her thumb rolled along the volume dial to bring Joey Ramone¡¯s voice down to a near whisper. Isa¡¯s auditory senses flexed around high-pitched tinnitus to acknowledge the birdsong, the traffic, the lawnmowers around her. She then tugged a hair band free from the collection wrapped within the dual fringes that cupped her face and put the rest of her locks up into a quick ponytail. A strip mall plaza appeared about fifty feet ahead. Isa made calm strides towards it, without looking back. She crossed the street, into the parking lot, and ducked around the back of the plaza. Her number one fan wouldn''t leave her straying for long. Isa sidled up against the wall, nudging her headphones down around her neck to listen for nearby footfalls against the pavement. Her ears flexed against the sound ¨C long, purposeful, strides. Somewhere, a bird chirped. A shadow spilled around the corner of the building. Isa made her move. It was over in an instant: she grabbed him by the arm and wrist, flipped him clean onto his back. Her knee dropped into his sternum and she pinned both hands overhead in a single grasp. Isa¡¯s fist hovered inches away from Shinji Izuma¡¯s face. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± she demanded. He wheezed. ¡°You know martial arts. Wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡± ¡°Why are you following me?!¡± Isa repeated, sharper. ¡°You¡¯ve been tailing me ever since I got here, and I wanna know why!¡± ¡°You noticed.¡± ¡°Of course I noticed! We live on the same street! What do you think I am, stupid? Who are you, anyway? A sicko? You got the hots for me, or something, kid?¡± Isa ground her knee into his chest, causing him to yelp. ¡°What¡¯s your deal, huh?! Your girlfriend, the vampire, got you spying on me?¡± ¡°My ¨C who?? Aggh ¨C Please ¨C let me go ¨C I can explain¡ª¡± Isa¡¯s hold remained. ¡°So explain. What the hell happened at school today?!¡± ¡°The ¨C the birds that attacked us¡­?¡± Shinji cringed. ¡°Nnff¡ªWell, you know Eri Seruma, right?¡± ¡°Eri...?¡± Isa fought past the flood of heat in her face. ¡°What about old vampire-girl?¡± ¡°There was a creature ¨C a Monster,¡± Shinji continued behind gritted teeth. A drop of sweat rolled down his temple, into his ear, as he struggled to keep his head up to talk. ¡°It attacked the school because it wanted Eri Seruma. Nobody except us remembers, because when we defeated it an automated spell reversed all the damage and wiped the memories of everybody who saw it.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Then why ... why do you remember it?¡± Isa demanded. ¡°Why do I?¡± ¡°Be ¨C because we¡¯re supposed to. We remember everything. Too much.¡± ¡°Answer the question for real, or you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°I am!¡± He grunted, wincing. ¡°You remember because you¡¯re one of us!¡± ¡°¡­One of what?¡± ¡°Let me up and I¡¯ll tell you what you need to know.¡± Isa stared at him for a long while. Her grip on Shinji relaxed. Both kids rose to their feet. Shinji reached into his jeans pocket, eyes locked on Isa. He withdrew a folded piece of scrap paper and passed it to her. ¡°Here.¡± Isa looked down, surprised by the slight weight of it in her grasp. Hidden between the folds of what was obviously Shinji¡¯s phone number was a translucent pendant strung on a thin golden chain. The whisper of a perfume fragrance accompanied the gift ¨C Strawberry Dreams. She frowned. ¡°Listen, kid, I¡¯m not in the mood for any stupid crap. Go hit on someone else.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shinji blanched, busy fumbling with a red scrunchie that had fallen out of his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m ¨C no, it¡¯s not like that! You¡¯re¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jerk me around!¡± Isa snapped. ¡°I¡¯ll kick your ass.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it.¡± He flinched, hedging backwards towards the Four Corners. ¡°But I¡¯m not your enemy. My name is Shinji Izuma. Give me a call when you¡¯re ready to talk.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Isa called after him. ¡°I wanna talk now! This isn¡¯t some stupid prank, right? I¡¯m not going crazy, right? All those birds? Red-eye, with that giant hammer? You guys flying around on those dogs?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going crazy. Trust me.¡± Shinji turned away with hands stuffed in his pockets. ¡°I have to go deal with something now, but call me later tonight. I¡¯ll explain everything then.¡± ¡°Wait¡ª!¡± But, without another word, he was gone. She banged through the screen door on thoughts more confusing and invasive than ever before and dumped her stuff onto the nearby mat cluttered with recently-unpacked footwear. Isa trudged up steps that opened to resentment for her new home and paused at the top of the landing. The sounds of after-school cartoons came from the living room to her right. Her little brother Max sat in their dad¡¯s recliner in front of the TV, totally engrossed by an episode of Medabots. Isa formed a weak smile at the sight. ¡°Hey, Newt-face ¨C That crap¡¯s gonna make your brain ooze out your ears if you¡¯re not careful.¡± Max threw a glare at her over the armrest. ¡°Shut up! Medabots is cool!¡± ¡°Yeah. But so¡¯s toe jam, your favorite snack of choice.¡± ¡°Mo-o-o-om!¡± Their mother called out from up the hall behind Isa, ¡°Izzy, that you?¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s mail for you.¡± Isa sidled up against the recliner and kissed Max on the top of the head. His flinch of disgust made her snort with amusement. ¡°Hey, how was school? You make any friends yet?¡± ¡°I have lots of friends! Go away, you¡¯re making me miss my show!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Isa backed away on a gaze that lingered quiet affection. ¡°If anyone gives you trouble, let me know, okay?¡± ¡°Go away!¡± She headed up the hallway towards the bedrooms, where the scent of fresh paint ravaged any sense of smell. Her mother was in the master suite, painting the walls an obnoxious shade of Anne Rice Red. ¡°Here.¡± Isa tossed her parents¡¯ mail onto the bed and headed back out into the hall, towards her bedroom. ¡°Hey! Wait a sec!¡± her mom called out. ¡°Are you home the rest of the afternoon? I need you to watch Max so I can get your Androcur refilled ¨C Izzy, I¡¯m talking to you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± ¡°Baby, please don¡¯t start. I¡¯ve had a long day.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re not the only one, Deb.¡± ¡°Isabella Eve. That¡¯s enough.¡± Isa sighed, hesitating outside her bedroom. ¡°¡­Yeah. I¡¯ll ¨C I¡¯ll be around.¡± She ducked inside, clicking the door shut behind her, and leaned against the frame. Isa squeezed her face in both hands. Memories from that day¡¯s impossible reality opened up before her mind¡¯s eye. ¡°Isa! You have to come with me!¡± ¡­Red-eye¡­ The thought of that ginger-haired girl made her feel so weird. Something Isa hadn¡¯t anticipated, moving here. But the nervous warmth she felt had been present ever since they laid eyes on each other that first day of school. Just looking Eri¡¯s way, just the thought of her, made Isa¡¯s guts flutter. Kind of like how Sensei Oji always did. Isa squinted through a pang of sadness in her homesick heart. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Izzy. Only Sensei can ¡­ call me ¡­ urgh.¡± Her hands fell away to find rainfall outside a window across the clutter of an unpacked bedroom. ¡°I can protect you!¡± Isa crossed the room and slid the windowpane up to let the blast of fresh air hit her face. She folded arms across the sill and buried her chin in the crooks of her elbows. ¡°Protect me from what?¡± After a time of contemplation, she took up Brandon¡¯s old acoustic, the only unpacked item of her new room, and lowered to the foot of the bed with it cradled against her lap. She tuned the strings, strummed a few easy chords ¨C shifted her weight and felt something poke through her back pocket. Isa frowned. She scrounged around for the necklace Shinji had given her along with his crumpled up phone number. He was friends with Red-eye and Bilbo. There was that other kid, too ¨C the black kid who sang everywhere he went. Always calling everyone ¡°man¡± ¨C regardless of gender. Isa shuddered. She thought back to seeing them fly through the basketball court during lunch recess. Shinji had spotted her in mid-air through Class 208-B¡¯s window ¨C had stared at her. ¡­Because you¡¯re one of us¡­ The necklace gleamed between her fingers, the smell of Strawberry Dreams in her nose ¨C the same fragrance as Red-eye¡¯s smell. Another bout of nervous warmth swelled between Isa¡¯s lungs. She studied the translucent little pendant attached to the golden chain ¨C a dark orb enveloped by a spiral of silver tendrils. Like energy, almost. ¡°Spirit,¡± Isa murmured, intuitively. ¡­What did it all mean? Episode 31 - Rhythms of the Soul: Evan’s True Feelings ~ Episode Thirty-One ~ Evan¡¯s True Feelings ¡°Uaghh!!¡± Evan flew back against a tree trunk, cringing from the impact of tripping over his own feet. A thin whistle sounded, of steel through air. He let out a sharp gasp, eyes wide open now, and barely had enough time to dodge the Earth Sword as it thrust inches-deep into the bark behind his head. ¡°Evan¡ª!¡± Wood splintered on the air as the elemental weapon tore free. Shinji turned to face his bestie, bringing the Earth Sword up in a readied stance in both hands. Helpless revelation hung upon his face, despite muscles poised for another lethal strike.¡°¡ªPlease! You have to!¡± Evan stumbled away from him on hasty heels, the Water Trident brandished like a shield. ¡°No way, man! You¡¯re crazy! I¡¯m not gonna¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other choice! Do it! Or else there¡¯ll be no one to protect her!¡± Shinji sprang at him on involuntary reflexes, a flea against the moonlight, only for the edge of his blade to get lodged between the Water Trident¡¯s claw-like tines. ¡°No! I¡¯m not killing you!¡± Both weapons disengaged. ¡°It¡¯s the only way to stop the Monster!¡± A third strike came at Evan ¨C again sloughed off with a desperate defense. ¡°Y - you don¡¯t know that, y¡¯damn fool!¡± ¡°Quick, call out ''Neptune''s Barrier''! It''s your Sub Elemental Crash!¡± ¡°Neptune''s--Sub Elemental Crash?!¡± They passed beneath a break in the arboretum treetops when Evan saw a faint outline above Shinji¡¯s head. "Shin, man, what are you talking about?!" "Evan, you''re just gonna have to trust me! It¡¯s the only way you can protect yourself from my attacks!" But before Evan could utter a peep, a large arachnid creature appeared before him within moonlight that was otherwise unseen by an overcast sky. The creature hung on the air over Shinji, working his limbs on gnarled and jerky claws though he were marionette on invisible strings. This was the Kenah¡¯dai Shinji¡¯s Monster Dowser had led them to find here at Grover¡¯s Mill that night. The Book of Lodoss had dubbed this Kenah¡¯dai a Monster of Influence. The sight of it, fully realized in the lunar spotlight, was a thing of pure nightmares. ¡°Watch out!!¡± Shinji screamed. Evan saw him at the last second, jerked aside to evade the attack. Bristling pain seared across his cheek where the Earth Sword¡¯s razor edge split the flesh wide open. ¡°Yaarrgghh!¡± A set of stars and constellations Evan¡¯s parents had put up when he was younger. Not because he was interested in astronomy, but instead an attempt to keep his wandering, under-stimulated, brain in one place. An attempt to keep him out of trouble the best they could. ¡°Every time you see these stickers when you fall as sleep, quiz yourself on how many you know and can remember. Make a game of it. Better yourself, each night, the best you can.¡± His mother¡¯s words. ¡°These stars¡¯ll help you get educated. Remember, son, an educated black man may not have a lot of power, but he is a black man who stays mostly outta trouble. The least amount of reasons to let trouble to find you, the more you¡¯ll be able to scrape quietly by, the best you can.¡± His father¡¯s words. Evan frowned. Scraping quietly by wasn¡¯t a thing that came easy to a kid who managed to get sent out into the hall almost daily for laughing at his own thoughts in the middle of class, or for forgetting to hand in homework days on end, or for falling asleep in the middle of silent reading (or worse yet, drawn out Social Studies lectures). But, when it came to recess, scraping quietly by was a thing Evan did best. He kept mostly to himself, obsessing over the few Game Boy games he owned (These days, it was Pok¨¦mon: Blue Version) beneath the shade of school airlocks, fenced-lined summits of sod hills, or the alleyways between portable walls. Sometimes ¨C in a bathroom stall ¨C if he could get away with sneaking it the whole break while Shinji was off doing lunch recycling duty. In fact, Shinji often sat with him at recess, reading in silence. But it hadn¡¯t always been this way. Shinji hadn¡¯t always been there to lean on ¨C to scrape quietly by with. Until the boys met almost two years prior, Evan had spent most of his academic career alone, unacknowledged by other peers wary of his skin color. Most kids in Shorebrooke had never seen a black person before, except for on TV. Most had never talked to a black person before, wanted to talk to one before. Especially not a black kid whose teachers often wrote him off with report card descriptions of ¡°a class-clown¡±, ¡°a distraction to his peers¡±. ¡°Unfocused and lacking motivation¡± with ¡°unmanageable classroom behavior¡±. ¡°Unable to take direction or grasp basic concepts, despite countless explanations¡±. It wasn¡¯t that Evan was stupid. He came from pretty bright genes, attested by his mother¡¯s classier, high-brow, tastes. School was just hard. Staying focused was hard. Nobody at school took Evan seriously. Nobody at school wanted to take Evan seriously. He was the class clown, after all. A black class clown. And the more he struggled with the rigidity of academic expectation, the less anybody wanted to deal with him. That is, aside from the cowardly playground slurs thrown his way. The forcibly half-hearted apologies made by any kid within range of a tender-eared yard monitor. The same old one-sided lectures that followed from prickly VPs on the subject of mutual schoolyard race relations. But things started to change when Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary opened its doors. When droves of kids were transferred from all across town to a more central location. When a freckle-faced Japanese boy appeared at the desk sidled across Evan¡¯s that first day of Mr. Gianni¡¯s grade seven class. Shinji Izuma. Memories of that day made Evan grin. Made his heart flutter, sing. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The setting sun outside his window crept across the ceiling to stir the glow-in-the-dark astronomy stickers alight in their familiar yellow-green way. Evan got lost in them, lost in his thoughts of them. A stream of starlight. They were a reminder ¨C not just of the constellations, the suburban civility his parents worked so hard to maintain. The stickers were also a reminder of what Evan had lost. Innocence lost, all in the span of a single night, only a half-month ago. The night Evan felt pain, deep pain, for the first time. Not the pain of schoolyard segregation. Not the pain of classroom humiliation. Not even the pain of parental disappointment. Deep pain. In the eyes of someone who¡¯d truly liked and accepted him, just the way he was. For how he was, who he was. Someone he trusted and adored, who failed to uphold a promise to protect him. The pain Shinji bore when the Monster of Influence forced his sword to slash across his bestie¡¯s cheek. The pain of causing pain, against mortal will. Sure, Evan may have Sealed his first Monster that night. The destruction around them may have reverted like a jerkily-rewound movie scene that night. But there was still a scar left behind. A scar from dodging a sword thrust just a little too close to home. A reminder. How deep pain actually went. How it changed a person, for life. Evan turned a gaze over to his desk ¨C a field of unorganized school binders intermingled with unkempt video game boxes and manuals. Amidst them lay his Monster Orbs. Kuurb, the Monster of Influence. Sebastia, the Monster of Expulsion. Eldrom, the Guardian Beast of Air. Literal gods, trapped in colored glass balls. He shuddered at the sight of them. With the Mon-Orbs came a whole different kind of pain. An unfathomable kind of pain that altogether seemed to bring he and Shinji closer the more their Mon-Orbs were used. The more they Sealed other Kenah¡¯dai together. It was a kind of pain that progressed over time. A pain that made Evan look at Shinji with different eyes little by little with each passing day. A pain that made him feel for Shinji in a different way. ¡­Feelings he didn¡¯t quite understand yet¡­ ¡­Feelings that exhilarated him. A fresh itch across his cheek sent idle fingers in search to scratch it away. A dark and sunken line across the cheekbone of a mixed Trini-Quebecois heritage. The scar was a reminder. A reminder of pain caused by the boy he loved. The boy who had made a subsequent vow to never cause pain to those he¡¯d swore protection to, ever again. ¡°I just ¨C I don¡¯t want to hurt her¡­¡± Something else caught Evan¡¯s attention, this time off his dresser on the other side of the bedroom. A Valentine¡¯s Day card from last February ¨C One of only two Valentine¡¯s Day cards Evan hadn¡¯t immediately thrown in the trash after school that day. The card was a lone tower amidst a forest of random junk and song sheets. It called to him, and Evan pushed up out of bed to answer that call ¨C careful to wade through the mountains of dirty laundry, valleys of strewn comic books, and rivers of Lego, towards it. He plucked it up off the dresser, running a thumb over the rough texture of the cardstock. The front of it was striped with white and yellow glitter paper. Slapped in the middle of the cover was a cartoon sun wearing heart-shaped shades. He opened the card on a dopy grin and read: Have a sunny, funny day, my Valentine! feel every time he read it. The greeting was so cute. So playful, innocent. her, through and through. His gaze dipped to read where a more natural greeting glowed off the cardstock in swooping, hand-written, red-inked curves. Happy Valentine¡¯s Day, Evan! Luv, Eri Seruma Admittedly, Evan didn¡¯t know much about Eri on a personal level ¨C mostly just the prophetic junk Shinji had drilled into his memory. But even before Evan knew Eri was the Child of Destiny, he couldn¡¯t help but feel drawn to her. Like he¡¯d always known her. And now, with the revelation that she loved video games as much as he did, Evan only wanted to get to know her more. He remembered the first day he saw Eri. It was the first day of classes at their brand new school. She was alone under a tree, in wait for the morning bell to ring while most other kids were busy reacquainting over post-summer break gossip. He¡¯d meant to go up to her that first day, let her know she wasn¡¯t alone that first day. But shyness for cute girls with impossibly-natural red eyes, and the whispers of past dealings with other wary white kids, had stopped him dead. A regret that hung in Evan¡¯s heart, every day since. It came as a surprise when Shinji revealed he¡¯d known Eri Seruma from childhood, and even more so that Shinji refused to strike up old ties with her. Long lost nothing, they¡¯d been besties forever until she¡¯d moved away. But these days, everything Shinji spouted off about having no interest in her sounded like an excuse. Like he was trying to hide from something ¨C prophetic duties, or not ¨Cmostly from himself. That part made sense to Evan, in a way, and he chocked it up to fear. Shinji was afraid of her. Afraid of who she really was. Afraid of what she really was. But to Evan, that stuff didn¡¯t matter. Eri may have been the center of an invisible war between gods and mortals ¨C so what? She was still a person with her own quirks and likes and tastes. Hell, maybe it was a good idea to give her the Fire Hammer, after all. Now that Eri was involved in Monster Sealing, allowed to fight the Black King¡¯s army alongside the Star Warriors, she seemed to be a little more outspoken these days. Today, the fight against Grandar was evidence of that. She¡¯d taken the initiative, the full reins, of devising a plan to save Shinji ¨C against his orders. Evan grinned. That shit was awesome. Clearly, Shinji¡¯s friendship was important to her. Something she aimed to strike up old ties with. Something she desired to protect. True friendship was a commodity worth more than all the Pok¨¦mon trading cards in existence. This was something Evan understood, first-hand. Building these kinds of friendships couldn¡¯t be rushed, either. It was a friendship he and Shinji shared. And despite any shyness to chat her up in normal conversation, it was a kind of friendship Evan hoped, in time, to share with Eri, too. He adored that cute little track star more than anything else in the world. ¡°Hey, Evan! ¨C Spaghetti!!¡± Deep down, he prayed the feeling was mutual. But Evan¡¯s grin died. There was still the issue of her identity. Her real identity ¨C the truth. Shinji, too afraid to hurt an old bestie. Evan, too afraid to step up and take the full reins, himself. And now they were at odds over her. What to do about her. Today was the last straw. More so than the encounters with Cloria and Zorfus. With a sigh, he set the Valentine¡¯s Day card back on his dresser. She almost got stolen by Grandar, ¡®cause of me. Letting her go off alone, like Shinji did with Kyupo. Damn, he¡¯s right. I am a hypocrite. Pain raked across his heart. This is what Sufocus wants. All us pissed at each other. Just like how the first Star Warriors crapped the bed, breaking the Star of the Elements, or whatever. That¡¯s what caused this whole mess in the first place. Just then, a digitized rendition of Campenella played throughout the house. His mother¡¯s unmistakable-hasty heel clacks followed ¨C across the foyer downstairs, to answer the door. ¡°Oh! Why, hello! ¨C Evan, sweetie! You got a visitor!¡± Evan blinked, surprised by the announcement. Then instantly dreaded it. Episode 32 - Silence in Spoken Words: The Pounding of a Pair of Hearts ~ Episode Thirty-Two ~ The Pounding of a Pair of Hearts Shinji was waiting for him just inside the foyer, hands jammed in his pockets with the hiss of downpour over Colborne Street behind his shoulders. ¡°Yo.¡± Evan¡¯s first step downstairs to meet him creaked under-foot. Shinji struggled to make eye contact on what was clear discomfort in choosing to come here, a lion with his tail between his legs. Callyse Williams turned a bright smile at her son. ¡°What a pleasant surprise! Oop, gotta check the beef. Shinji, are you staying for dinner? It¡¯s pelau tonight!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think Shinji¡¯s staying that long.¡± Evan took his time the rest of the way down the stairs as his mother scuttled back into the kitchen and sidled up against the doorframe, arms crossed. ¡°Wassup?¡± ¡°Uh, hi.¡± Shinji shifted the weight of his backpack. He was such a slight boy. How he managed to carry a bagful of school books, a handful of Mon-Orbs, the Monster Dowser ¨C all the weight of the world ¨C upon slouched shoulders, Evan had no idea. Just then, his father boomed into existence within the kitchen from downstairs on a hearty Carl Williams laugh that always managed to shake the windows, no matter wherever he was in the house. ¡°Damn, that smells good! Mm-mm, Callyse, almost gettin¡¯ me impatient for dessert! Heh, heh, heh!¡± ¡°Carl! ¨C Carlton, st ¨C stop that! You¡¯re gonna make me burn myself!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just gotta kiss you better, all over¡­¡± ¡°Stop¡ª¡± Evan heard his mom giggle. ¡°Stop it, now. The boys are right in the hall.¡± Shinji blinked, intrigued by the new sounds, and peeked past Evan on tippy toes to try and see what was going on. Evan felt his face grow hot and cleared his throat to try and reclaim his friend¡¯s attention. ¡°Listen, man¡ª¡± ¡°No. You were right.¡± Shinji sank back onto his heels and regarded him with a trademark graveness, so wise and sad from unspoken heartbreak Evan could never quite figure out. ¡°What do you mean I was right?¡± ¡°About Seruma. About everything. I should have been honest with her from the start. Should have told her the moment Nagamani attacked the library. Maybe even before that.¡± The admission was a relief to Evan. Yet, he eyed Shinji, unconvinced by the inevitability of a certain someone¡¯s typical scaredy-cat crap. ¡°That so, huh?¡± ¡°Yes. Today proved that. I really messed up ¨C and probably made things far worse now. We almost lost Seruma today because of my actions this weekend. I take full responsibility, but ¨C you have to understand ¨C I wasn¡¯t lying when I said things didn¡¯t work out over the Book of Lodoss. I tried to tell her ¨C I really, truly did, but¡ª¡± A loud swat sounded from the kitchen, followed by a sharp howl of laughter from Evan¡¯s mom. Thundering steps into the foyer shook every possible wall available. Shinji¡¯s sturdy gaze cracked a hair, darted up past the top of his friend¡¯s head. Evan felt the doting weight of his father¡¯s elbow settle on his shoulder. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Mister Izuma,¡± said Carl Williams in his best professional tone. He snort-giggled, took a sip of his beer, and re-established business courtesy. ¡°Good to see you again, sir.¡± Shinji nodded a shy hello to Evan¡¯s father ¨C a towering and burly Santa Claus of a Trini man, clad in that day¡¯s work clothes consisting of paint-smeared jeans and earthy-toned plaid. ¡°You staying for the game, right? Our champ Kobe, versus the world!¡± ¡°Um ¨C I¡ª¡± A nervous look flicked Evan¡¯s way. Evan shrugged with a sigh. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re here. And if that means you¡¯re being real with me and wanna talk it through, we can talk it through. Ball¡¯s in your court.¡± Shinji nodded, tight-lipped. ¡°My man,¡± said Carl, oblivious to the context of their conversation. He then kissed Evan on the top of the head and vanished into the nearby TV room on a made up whistled tune. ¡°Sorry about him.¡± The act brought a crinkle of embarrassment to Evan. He shifted statures into that of smooth coolness in hopes to come across less excitable in Shinji¡¯s presence than his nerves declared. ¡°The man lives for beef pelau.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Shinji rubbed awkwardly at a bicep and struggled to meet his bestie¡¯s gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna fight you,¡± Evan told him, straight up. ¡°Fighting¡¯s what cost the Star Warriors the first time, you know? ¨C I mean, being the Warrior of Water is like the only thing I¡¯m good at, but I made bad choices, too. We nearly lost our girl today ¡®cause of me. You gave me one job, and I screwed it up. Like I screw everything up.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± This surprised Shinji. ¡°Evan, you¡¯re not a screw-up. Don¡¯t say that about yourself. What happened today ¨C a Monster¡¯s never attacked us at school before. Other than Nagamani at the library, all of our encounters have been secured within the confines of Grover¡¯s Mill. The incident with Grandar today was an unprecedented one.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Evan mulled it over, unconvinced. ¡°Anyway. Think it¡¯s safe to say we¡¯re all scared these days.¡± Shinji studied the welcome mat between his heels in silence. He nodded. A flutter of anticipation formed between Evan¡¯s lungs on what he wished to say, next. ¡°Listen, man. I ¨C I really care about you. About us.¡± This stole Shinji¡¯s attention. His freckled cheeks glowed scarlet. ¡°I ¨C I know.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± Evan sighed, mad at himself more so than at Shinji¡¯s agreeable reply. ¡°Listen, that crap I said last night ¨C forget it, okay? We both messed up, yeah? I was just mad. Not just at you, but this whole situation. I just want to do what¡¯s good, too, you know? But that Cloria chick was right. Hate¡¯s not a good game for us to play. ...I''m sorry for saying I didn¡¯t wanna know you anymore. It''s not true.¡± Shinji¡¯s gaze darted away again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too.¡± Awkward silence settled over the boys against the hiss of downpour out in the street. Evan continued, ¡°Shin, it¡¯s pretty clear you care a lot about our girl. I ¨C I think I do, too¡ªBut the way I feel about you ¨C what we got going on isn¡¯t a thing I dare take for granted. Truth is, man, knowing you¡¯s one of the best things that ever happened to me¡ªMonsters included.¡± Shinji¡¯s blush deepened. ¡°¡­Me too.¡± This brought a shy smile to Evan¡¯s lips. He pushed away from the doorframe. ¡°You wanna come in?¡± Finally, Shinji looked up. He started to smile. But then the joy across his face flexed into something completely unexpected. Confusion. Horror. ¡°¡ªYour mother ¡­ she¡¯s gone!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Evan turned away to a clear view directly into the kitchen. Sure enough his mother was nowhere in sight at the stovetop, where dinner popped and crackled on mid-heat. ¡°She¡¯s still there, pro¡¯lly just past the frame.¡± ¡°No, I saw it,¡± Shinji said on shaky words. ¡°Your mother literally vanished into thin air just now.¡± He entered into the foyer on urgent strides, Monster Sealer mode initiated, and headed straight for the kitchen. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The matter-of-fact statement froze Evan¡¯s blood solid. He watched Shinji click off the stovetop element to keep the food from burning, then drop to one knee to retrieve the Monster Dowser from out of his backpack. ¡°She gotta be there.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not, I told you. I blinked and she vanished. Gone.¡± ¡°Gone¡ª¡± Evan jerked forward on hasty steps and stole a look into the TV room, where his father was reclined on the couch watching the pre-game show. Carl Williams turned a look to his son, cheeks puffed with an un-swallowed intake of beer. And then he blipped out of existence ¨C can of Coors Light, and all. Episode 33 - The Agony of a Girl’s Aloneness: Mackenzie’s True Feelings ~ Episode Thirty-Three ~ Mackenzie¡¯s True Feelings Nothing. Especially not today¡¯s revelation in the lavatory. The knife that sent shards of heart-glass everywhere like shrapnel, the further the blade was pushed forward. The way she gazed in the opposite direction in the hall after the fight with Grandar that day ¨C longing for a different girl, when the only girl who should have made sense stood right beside her the whole time. Had always stood right beside her, when no one else would. ¡°How could I be so stupid?¡± The question passed over the decimation of a once spotless bedroom. A sacred escape from a reality she fought so hard to suppress. Now, just a scene to a slaughter of all things that used to make sense. Revolutionary Girl Utena. Lum the Invader Girl ¨C Posters that meant something deeper than Mackenzie could ever fathom. Women of counter culture ¨C guardians ¨C to a girl who didn¡¯t want to face or admit what they truly guarded over, now torn clean from their walls across a floor of obliterated shoujo mahou fantasies. Shattered-open Kodak tapes ¨C dislodged streams of VHS ribbon. Ripped-up manga volumes ¨C shredded images of Magical Girls in love and on adventures. Ruins of a sacred escape that had once carried Mackenzie through bottomless despair ¨C loss and familial chaos. Tangible things that now spoke of feelings she was too afraid to embrace. Bootlegged desires. Uncensored romances. All lies to a puritanical society. Impossible realities ¨C Cartoons, edited down for a younger Western audience. A decapitated Sailor Moon doll lay face down amidst the carnage, its dumpling-pigtailed head lobbed into the shadows beside a ransacked bookcase. Atop it, the hiss of a TV/VCR combo served as a static-ridden spotlight against the foot of Mackenzie¡¯s bunk bed. Where she lay curled up, humiliated and in hiding. How could I be so stupid? Amidst the flow of tear-stained cheeks and the ragged breaths for a release that would not come ¨C there was still the smell of Strawberry Dreams. A hopeless urge for a forbidden carrot dangling on the strings of a confused and broken heart. A heart that was too ashamed to want the carrot in the first place, yet yearned for it more than anything else in the world. Mackenzie closed her eyes against the shudder of fresh tears. The phone continued to ring. She lay in a mess of tousled bed sheets strewn across the bottom bunk. The sheets she never lay on. Hugging tight around a pillow her hair never pressed against. A bottom bunk that once belonged to her sister ¨C but now served as a shrine for who Mackenzie loved most. ¡°¡­Eddi-chan¡­¡± Her body curled tight around the pillow. She nestled into the tear-stained casing and took in great heart-melting whiffs of Eri¡¯s scent. With the strawberry fragrance came a butterfly warmth between her lungs too painful to bear. Mackenzie started to sob harder. Long-held guilt and shame for secret feelings consumed her. Secret feelings she tried so hard to divert. An obsession with pairing Eri with someone else ¨C anybody else. A former best friend. An attempt to make these secret feelings go away, no matter the cost. But, Eri had a crush after all. On someone else. Another girl. Mackenzie¡¯s muscles tightened around the pillow. But, isn¡¯t this what she wanted the whole time? A free pass? Liberation? ¡­So why do I feel even worse? The phone continued to ring. Mackenzie groaned at the sound of it over the hiss of white noise. A slow and shaky hand dared across the framed photo of her sister smiling over-the-shoulder at the camera on a summery day. A shadow of shoes to fill. Weak fingers struggled to snag the receiver off its cradle on the other side of the frame. ¡°¡­H-hello?¡± The greeting was quiet, hoarse, on a throat that burned from screams that echoed on the darkness around her. ¡°Thompson? Oh, thank God ¨C You¡¯re okay. We have a huge problem.¡± Another Monster. Her body sank into the depths of the mattress. ¡°I ¨C I don¡¯t feel well.¡± ¡°Go pick up Seruma and meet Evan and me at Grover¡¯s Mill. I¡¯ll explain everything once we¡¯re all there¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re the ones with flying dogs! Why don¡¯t you get her, Casanova?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Mackenzie pushed up onto an arm, letting the pillow she held slip out of her embrace. She roared into the mouthpiece, ¡°I know you guys had sex yesterday¡ª¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t even lie to me. If you¡¯re so willing to put it in her, then be a real man and go get her, yourself! Do like you did before! Climb through her window, you gross little pervert!¡± ¡°Wh-what are you ¨C Thompson, this is serious. We¡¯re on our way to Grover¡¯s Mill right now. Evan lives right around the corner from the park. The town¡¯s empty ¨C everyone¡¯s vanished. Seruma¡¯s alone right now, which puts her in a lot of danger, and you live the closest¡ª¡± ¡°Eri¡¯s not my responsibility!¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Yes! She is! Thompson, Seruma¡¯s literally the¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your shitty middle-man! Go get her, yourself!¡± She slammed the handset down on a hollow ri-i-i-n-n-ng. Not a moment passed before the phone rang to life again. ¡°Screw off!!¡± Mackenzie tore the line from the wall jack, killing the connection in an instant. She launched off the bottom bunk with seething thoughts that craved for a cigarette. She stormed downstairs into a kitchen lit only by moonbeams through the eating area window. She hooked a hand around the banister and swung towards the fridge with the hoopla of Wheel of Fortune a distant world away in the living room. No reply. No surprise. She sank to the linoleum, tugging open the fridge door. Her mother was probably asleep or lost in an OxyContin haze. Like usual. Mackenzie scanned over almost-empty shelves that housed barely even the essentials: nail polish and undeveloped film that¡¯d lived there for years, untouched. Less than a half-loaf of bread and a quarter-block of salted butter. A saran-wrapped bowl of half-eaten baked beans her mother must¡¯ve made for lunch that day. Whatever take-out leftovers they would struggle to ration for the remainder of the week. A mostly-full box of canned Coca Cola used for both drinking and whatever housecleaning was manageable. Mackenzie swiped two cans of Coke ¨C then hesitated and put one back. She noticed an open carton of her mother¡¯s Vertigo cigarettes sitting askew and lonely in the broken vegetable crisper, below. The need for them coursed through Mackenzie like nothing else. The can of Coke went set down beside her knees. A tentative index finger deployed to investigate the carton of cigarettes. She tipped it forward just a bit. About five unwrapped packs tilted forward into the refrigerator light. Mackenzie darted a nervous glance towards the living room. There was only glow of the TV that spilled across the kitchen floor. Pat Sajak¡¯s voice over the trademark sound of vowels appearing on Vanna White¡¯s letter board. There was a flash of feline yellows within the shadows under the kitchen table ¨C the shrine to trash-gods. Luna. Mackenzie made sad squinty eyes at the little black cat and pulled the carton of Vertigos forward to dole out a couple packs that went stuffed away inside the armpit of her sweater like prison contraband. She motioned to Luna, still hiding beneath the table. ¡°Come here, baby-girl.¡± Usually, Luna was the first to greet anybody who entered her kitchen kingdom. But tonight she stayed put. She watched Mackenzie with ears flattened, scrawny little body fraught with a quiver. Her oily tail stood bristled with fright. Mackenzie studied her, confused. ¡°Luna? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luna suddenly hissed at her. Mackenzie reeled with surprise that quickly turned into further pained rejection. ¡°Well, screw you too! Little asshole.¡± She shot to an angry stand and stormed into the living room with the can of Coke in tow. The glow off the TV cast the back of the couch in shadow as she approached what could be considered her mother¡¯s nest. Mackenzie shifted the stolen packs of cigarettes against the wedge of her armpit and prayed they weren¡¯t too noticeable. ¡°Here, Momma.¡± She cracked open the tab and poured fizzling cola into a small glass on the end table, diluted by an inch of old tap water that had been at the bottom. All the while, Mackenzie gazed in longing at the TV. It displayed a bald-headed black man in tweed who¡¯d ended the show by taking home the grand prize winnings. She shook whatever was left in the can and downed it in a few quick gulps. Mackenzie¡¯s soul ached for the winner¡¯s joy, the dancing-in-place he did, as Pat Sajak stood by on awkward heels saying goodnight to the studio audience. Jeopardy would be on, next. More winnings for Alice Thompson to dream of. ¡°Momma, did you take your medici¡ª¡± It was then that Mackenzie realized her mother wasn¡¯t on the couch where chronic pain usually rendered her. She blinked at the sight of a quickly-burning joint in the ashtray on the coffee table. An always-required quad-footed cane stood nearby. But Alice Thompson was nowhere in sight. ¡°Momma?¡± Fear sent Mackenzie on a hasty-heeled search throughout the rest of the main floor. The kitchen was empty. Downstairs bathroom was empty. Her mother wasn¡¯t upstairs either, even though that would have been an impossible feat to begin with. Even with her cane. ¡°Momma?! Where are you?!¡± Mackenzie barreled through the front door, stumbling out onto the stoop. But her mother wasn¡¯t there, either, having a smoke against the rail. And that¡¯s when Mackenzie heard it. Silence. Complete and utter ear-flexing silence. There were no cars on the street, except for a small pile-up up in the center of the Four Corners intersection. But there was no one to rush in aid to the victims. And as Mackenzie leaned out over the stoop to get a better view, it didn¡¯t seem like there were even any victims to be had, either. Literally nobody. It was like a giant child had smashed the cars together like Hot Wheels or Micro Machines. A dog wandered past the row of townhouses. Its leash dragged across the sidewalk with no owners in sight. ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± Mackenzie marched back into the house and kicked her coveted step-stool across the kitchen to bang in place beneath the wall-mounted phone by the fridge. She didn¡¯t remember Shinji¡¯s phone number. Nor did she have Evan¡¯s. But she did know someone¡¯s number. Off by heart. And even though it pained her to do so, Mackenzie obliged to what had to be done. She dialed Eri¡¯s number on automatic jabs, each button expressing a trill of digital praise from the handset in her grasp. The call went out on low-pitched rings. A sharp inhale, apprehension, cut past gritted teeth. She put the phone to her ear, digging around inside her sweater, and tossed her mother¡¯s stolen cigarettes to the floor. Mackenzie waited, breath tight on shards of shattered heart-glass. Brrrrng¡­ ¡­Brrrrng¡­ ¡­Brrrrng¡­ ¡°Come on-n-n-n! Pick up, pick up, pick up. God damn it, I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re grounded. Pick up!¡± ¡­Brrrrng¡­ ¡­Brr¡ª The call connected. Mackenzie exhaled on a thin hiss. A man¡¯s voice answered: ¡°Hi! You¡¯ve reached the voicemail of¡ª¡± She could have screamed at the top of her lungs. When the tone beeped, Mackenzie roared into the mouthpiece, ¡°Eddi-chan! Eddi-chan!! Pick up your damn phone! It¡¯s me! Where are you?! There¡¯s another Monster ¨C nobody¡¯s around. Pick up, for Chrissakes! Okay, whatever. I¡¯m coming over. With everything that happened with that dumb bird Monster today, you¡¯d better be at home, or else!¡± She hesitated, sighed. ¡°I ¨C I hope you¡¯re okay. Please, be okay. Leaving now. Lo¡ªum, bye.¡± Mackenzie gently placed handset back onto the cradle and hopped off the step-stool. She snapped free the Air Pendant from around her throat and marched back out the door. ¡°¡­Shit.¡±