Chapter 36: Connections

“Really for the life of me I can’t see why their clan has such a reputation?” Marcus confided to Sugar.

Sugar just shushed Marcus, it was one hell of a fight and she didn’t want to miss any of it due to old swishy blade diverting her.

“My turn next, if she lives.” Marcus added, helpfully he thought.

Sugar-Ray, tried to calm herself and without turning to look, placed her charcoal grey Stetson over his eyes. He didn’t even flinch. He could still see perfectly well after all. He just wondered why neither fighters had used any abilities yet, well non-physical ones. It was almost like a proper sword fight.

He saw Klaus had a clear advantage or at least he thought he should. Not just because he was up against a human that wasn’t it at all. Klaus was clearly holding back. A lot.

But the woman dressed in some kind of Japanese gee moved like a demon possessed. Her movements left no openings and the force of her blows made shockwaves they could both feel from their vantage point, well over a kilometre away.

This was not his confusion however. It was how she contended with his blade that was puzzling. Klaus’ blades were famous. He was a blade nut and had spent many years buying up priceless blades and also paid for numerous to be made for him. He knew the blade Klaus was currently using, named stupidly, star cutter. He had fought against Klaus, sparred but was always annoyed at the clear advantage the sword gave him. But the Kitsune had managed to counter his every strike. Any normal blade would have broken under star-cutters onslaught. He wanted a closer look at that blade.

Klaus was enjoying the fight but it was starting to lose its appeal. If was quite frankly frustrating. The Kitsune would not allow him to use any of his abilities and basically it would be simply unfair. But he thought he might end it soon. He had come to the conclusion that one of the sword sects had given face to the Kitsune clan due to their sword fighting skills. Dumfucks.

The kitsune unleashed an ability. Yes, at last thought Klaus, excited to see that he had forced the Kitsune into actually using an ability, at last. She struck once, stabbing forward, then twice. Every faster her strikes came, with ever more penetrating force. Klaus moved back until the flurry of strikes was over. But he was again perplexed. It had been a physical attack, for real. This was dumb.

Klaus, increased speed turning his blade. He did not want to kill but he had finished probing. He did not want a vendetta, either. One slap on the wrist from his higher up was enough for the week. But he needed to stop the fight. His opponent seemed to disappear as he swung. It was in fact just fast. Very fast. She ducked under his suppression swing and dealt her own, blow. Sending him back a few feet. Dam. Klaus looked down over the edge of the building, the water below sparkling in the morning light. She had out manoeuvered, him.

Then something he was not expecting happened. In his distraction, again, the woman swung her blade at his chest but as she did so the blade shimmered and grew. She stopped bare millimetres from his chest, dead. She moved her head to the side as if listening to something then moved backwards and in to her original stance. Had she been toying with him all along and how had he goofed up, getting distracted twice. He got it, she had used some kind of dam mental technique.

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At this point, another Kitsune looking almost identical appeared, crouching, on the roof. Are now this might be a more reasonable counterpart. Or maybe two on one, a little better of a challenge, now I know their cheap tricks. The woman appeared before him with such speed that his eyes didn’t even have a chance to register with shock. She back handed him. Li’s eye was caught by the massive rainbow that appeared, caused by the spray, off the surrounding buildings, as Klaus disappeared beneath the watery depths below.

Iakesi passed a hat, to Li, who was prostrating herself, water slowly dripping off her gee. Iakesi coughed and Li straightened, blushing realising her master was waiting. She collected the objects her master provided wondering idly if they were perhaps a reward for her hard work. Maybe she would get a commendation. Iakesi just turned her head, clearly perceiving something Li could not see, then jumped to the next roof. As Li followed, as was her duty, her master couldn’t help but smirk, even in such dire circumstances, Li’s expressions never grew old.

Adam had only just got the kids to safety when two people clad in black, waltzed into the room. He was ready to fight or flee, when both dropped to their knees and lay low in front of him. In the hands of one were two, very nice looking swords, in the other a hat?

Without looking up, the woman with swords started to talk.

“I would humbly beg you, Adam to listen to what I have to say but I know you will disregard it all. As I have already foreseen this event occurring. Instead I will simply first repeat what you said in my vision. ‘If that is true I will eat my hat and as I don’t have a hat that’s not going to happen. If I did have one it would definitely by a Stetson,” quoted Iakesi.

She continued “The last bit was just a whisper but I picked it up after listening to the vision a few times. You were surrounded as you are now by Six spirits. I bring you the swords as a show of good faith, as I know you have joined a sword sect, the hat also. I hope this is acceptable.”

Adam quickly conferred with the others.

“WTF, Libby any ideas? She can see you guys it seems and she had a vision. Plus that sounds like the dumb kind of thing I might say. She hasn’t even said what she wants but I presume it’s no small favour if shes gone to all this trouble.” Said Adam expectantly.

“The Kitsune is a representative of Earth. I think for that reason alone we should listen to her.” Said Libby.

“How can I help you, representative of the Kitsune clan?” said Adam in continued bafflement.

The leader of the Kitsune Clan then proceeded to tell Adam her mission. She had been tasked with stopping Elios and by using her seerer powers many years ago. She was granted a vision of Adam, and his spirit souls. She did not know how he could help her accomplish her mission as she could not see any further than this point.

“Ok, it would appear our goals are aligned, we both want to save the human race. You appear to have the organisation to make that a reality. If I give you the key that is. A key that will help you combat Elio’s control.” Adam said thinking out loud.

“Do you have such a key?” IakesI asked quietly, expectantly.

“I do but have no idea how I can pass this key on to you” said Adam dejectedly.

He then related his experience of the Elios system and also his meeting with the cyborgs in the void.

At this point the Kitsune, raised her head, looking at him for the first time. She smiled.

“It would seem you have given me the ace in the deck I need. If one of your spirits will come willingly with me.” She announced.

Adam was thrown. How could she do that? However it seemed his AI team had already made a decision on this.

A voice spoke in his head “I will go. I will go forth boldy to where no AI has been before”

Bones.

Bones had been given all the knowledge that might be needed from the other AI’s to complete this ‘World Quest’ as he had decided to call it. He had volunteered. Who else could be chosen for such a dangerous mission? The others all agreed. They knew how cranky he had been since Libby basically took over as their leader. So they let him go forth.

“Are you ok with this?” Both Adam and the head of the Kitsune clan said at the same time.

“It would appear so.” Said Adam.

That is how Bones came to officially joining the Kitsune clan.