"Okay, here we are," Bunka announced as he docked the canoe at a port. Miriea Kingdom of Silverwald Country. Well, good luck in your search for Niji."
Thank you for your help Bunka!" Sato yelled as Bunka paddled away in his canoe. "Okay so now that we're finally in Silverwald Country. How do we find out where Niji is?"
"Oh, I know!" Ai raised her hand. "I know the Princess of Miriea. We're really close. So we can get in the castle and ask the king if he's seen Niji around here."
Sakura nodded, "Sounds like a good idea to me."
Arashi sighed, "Just what we need. Another annoying little Princess."
Ai huffed, "Hey! That's mean Arashi!"
"Let's go." Arashi ignored her as he started walking towards the castle.
"You wouldn't even be able to get into the castle if it weren't for me," Ai mumbled.
Ai walked up to the guard. "I am Ai, Princess of Sihalia. I request permission for my friends and I to enter the castle. In addition, I am a friend of Princess Mizuki."
"Princess Mizuki! The guard yelled. "Princess Ai of Sihalia and her friends are here. Should I allow them to enter?"
"Friends?" A soft but elegant voice spoke through the castle walls. "Let them in."
"Very well." The guard opened the doors to the castle and escorted the four inside.
"Ai! It's been a long time." Mizuki ran up to hug Ai. She was a little older than Ai, about Arashi's age. Her long blue hair flowed as she walked, revealing her blue bat wings. "So who are these friends of yours?"
"Oh, this is my big brother Sato, Sakura, and Arashi," Ai answered.
"Oh well, it's nice to meet you all." Mizuki waved and smiled brightly.
Sakura waved back. Sato and Arashi both blushed awkwardly. Sato's blush was way more obvious.
Sakura sighed, "Men."
Ai nodded, "I feel you sister."
"Ai, do you even know what I'm talking about it?" Sakura leaned down to Ai's height as she asked her that.
"Of course I do!" Ai blatantly lied.
Mizuki chuckled, "You're as funny as ever Ai. And you've made some pretty nice friends as well. So why'd you come all the way out here?" The green-eyed Water-Bat Bakemono asked.
"Oh right!" Ai remembered. "We need to speak with your dad."
As if on cue, a large man with a blue mullet, claws and bat wings to match stepped into the room. "What do you need to speak to me about?"
Sakura began to speak, "King Goro." My friends and I would like to know if you know the location of the Warrior Bakemono Niji."
King Goro rubbed his chin, "Niji?" The king laughed, "You just missed him. He passed by here a couple of hours ago."
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Arashi grabbed him by the collar of his azure robe. "How can you say that with a smile on your face asshole?! I have to catch up to Niji to get my revenge!"
Goro grinned, "So then you're the survivor huh? So young. Oh, but can you please put me down?"
Arashi grunted as he let go of Goro, plopping down on his butt. "Ouch. Silly me. Hahaha!"
"He's so different from King Akio." Sato thought to himself.
"We have all the information we need. Let's go." Arashi started to walk off.
Goro extended his arm, "Now hold on there, speedster. It's getting late. Why not wait until tomorrow?"
"I already told you! I can't waste any more time!" Arashi yelled. "I have to get my revenge!
Mizuki placed her hand on Arashi's shoulder. "Please, listen to my father. It' s dangerous in this kingdom at night."
Arashi blushed slightly, "Uh sure."
Sato was looking steamed. "Damn pyro," he muttered.
"I'll show you all to your rooms then." King Goro led everyone through the castle.
Later on, Ai walked into Sakura's room, "Sakura? Are you awake?"
Sakura sat up in her bed. "Yeah. Why? What's going on, Ai?"
"Remember how earlier I asked you what we were all gonna do once Sato left?" Ai questioned. "You still haven't answered."
Sakura put her finger to her lips, "Well Arashi said he was going to kill Sato after he got his revenge on Niji. But I doubt he still feels that way. As for me, I'll probably go back to my old home in the greenfield. And what about you Ai? What are you going to do?"
Ai frowned, "I…I don't know. I want all of this to last forever. I don't ever want to say goodbye to you, or big brother, or Arashi. I love you all so much." Ai started to cry.
Sakura hugged Ai and let her cry on her shoulder. "It's okay, Ai," she whispered. "It can last forever. In our memories. Always remember that, okay?" She softly kissed her on the cheek.
Sakura saw a giant scorpion-like creature surrounded in sparks of lightning rampaging outside her window. "Ai, you stay here. I have a Scorpion Bakemono to deal with."
"But what about big brother and Arashi?" Ai asked.
"No time. Besides, they're probably asleep." Sakura jumped out the window, rushing across the moist grass for the Scorpion Bakemono. She threw her punch for its head. It quickly shocked her with lightning. "Damn it. Using my bare hands won't work."
"Kill Yamagata Satoshi!" The scorpion shot a bolt of lightning from its mouth. Sakura quickly leaped out of the way. She lifted a tree out of the ground, roots and all. "You're going down!" Sakura swung the tree at the Scorpion Bakemono flipping it over. "Take this!" The pink-haired girl slammed the tree onto the Bakemono's belly.
The scorpion released a discharge of lightning before disappearing. Sakura gasped, "It's gone! Where'd it go?" The Scorpion Bakemono snuck up behind Sakura ready to stab its electrically charged tail at her.
An airborne lance suddenly cut it off. Sato jumped in front of the Scorpion Bakemono, his silver sword ready.
Sakura turned around, "Sato!"
Sato smirked, "Well, it looks I saved your life this time, Sakura." Sato leaped into the air, thrusting his sword at the Scorpion's Bakemono's head. He landed on his feet quickly dashing for another attack. He hopped from left to right dodging its tail climbing up the Scorpion Bakemono.
"Kill Yamagata Satoshi!" It screeched.
Sato sighed, "Not this one too." He stabbed the scorpions back with his blade, its blood spurting out. "Phew! Finished." Sato jumped down from its back. "Sakura, need some help?" He lent Sakura his hand to help her up.
Sakura took Sato's hand, "Thanks, Sato. You really saved me there. You've gotten a lot stronger."
Sato smiled, "Thanks. But I doubt it's enough to take on Niji. Let's go back inside now." Sato yawned, "I'm tired."
The next morning everyone was eating breakfast except for Arashi. "Hey, where's the orange-haired one?" Goro questioned drinking his fifth cup of beer."
"You mean Arashi? He hardly ever eats with us." Sakura answered.
Mizuki frowned, "Well that's not very good. Come on! If he won't come to us, we'll just go to him."
Sato sighed, "You're way too nice, Princess Mizuki. But okay..."
When they all get into Arashi's room they notice that Arashi isn't there. "Where'd the pyro go?" Sato looked around the room.
"Hey, guys look what I found." Ai motioned for everyone to gather around her. "It's a letter. It says:
Dear human, Sakura, and Ai. I have decided to set off for Niji by myself. I will let you know if I find the whereabouts of the Heiwa no Jigen. But I have decided its better if I go in search of Niji alone. Going in a group was only slowing me down. Also human, after I get my revenge, I won't kill you. Instead, I'll revive the Fire-Bat species. I wish you all the best of luck.
Sincerely, your former ally, Arashi."
There was a brief silence before Sakura spoke up. "Arashi left to fight Niji on own. So now what do we do?"
Sato scowled at the letter. "What do you mean what do we do? It's obvious. We're going after him!"