Ninm CoA - Ch2-3

-/ NINMENJUSHIN /-
/ CHILDREN OF AETHER /

-> CHAPTER 2-3 <- Finding Kozo

(May 16, 2024)

Early that morning in an old town in the Spirit World, Kozo the Rainsprite was trying to keep up with Mura and Masa.

Kozo: W-Wait up! We need to stay together while on patrol!
Mura: I'm just tryin' to get this over with as soon as possib – hey!

Masa tugged Mura back by the collar of his shirt, giving Kozo the time to keep up.

Masa: Mura! You know that patrol is not ranked by completion time.
Mura: But - !
Masa: No excuses! We can't set a bad example for the readers, can we?

Mura paused for a bit, then let out a low frustrated sigh. He continued Masa slowly, with Kozo tagging behind.

Kozo: (They're just fresh recruits, and yet they're already ahead of me...Oh boy, I hope I didn't make a bad choice in this...)

As he walked, Kozo sensed something slinking away in the back alley.

Kozo: Hm? Uh, guys? I think there's someth –

Kozo paused himself. He could probably get the drop on this figure if he went at this alone.

Kozo: ...

So, he hurried off into the back alley...

Wakeme: Say Kao, let me ask you something.

Later that day, Wakeme (in Splitsune Yin form) was reclining in Umibe Fields, with Kachi and Kao nearby. The Tanuki was resting his feet in the water's edge, and Kao was reading a book.

Wakeme: I've always seen you accompanying Hanchou.
Kao: And? What of it?
Wakeme: I'm just wondering – are you two...you know...?
Kao: ...Hm? Oh! No, of course not. I only assist him as a researcher and physician.
Kachi: That all?
Kao: Well...Sir Hanchou has asked me to check up on his Chi's strength now and then.
Wakeme: His Chi strength?
Kao: Sir Hanchou used to be a stronger warrior before, but an enemy force managed to strip him of most of his Chi several years ago. As he described it, it was some sort of weapon Akumashi in the works.
Kachi: Weapon Akumashi? What's that mean, it's got turrets for arms?
Kao: I'm not sure...Just that he recalls it to be a traumatizing experience.
Kachi: {gulp} If that's the case, I hope WE don't run into whatever the hell it is!
??????: B-Bad news!

At that moment, the yellow Kitsune boy from the other day, Saffron came running from Noctmind Woods. He was carrying Yukendama. Noticing this, Wakeme hopped to her feet and met up with him.

Wakeme: Saffron, I thought you two returned that to –
Saffron: Yeah, we did, but...Mz. Meka told me to bring it to you. She figured it might come in handy for you.
Wakeme: Me...?
Saffron: Also, she needs you to come over to Morphville, pronto!

Saffron handed Wakeme the Yukendama. As she gripped this hammer-like weapon's handle, a watery aura formed on the hammer faces, making them more blunt with a star jutting out at each end.

Saffron: Anyway, let's hurry! I had to run past a bunch of possessed Yokai just to get here!
Wakeme: Okay. Stay behind us, Saffron. We'll get you back to Morphville safely.
Kachi: Darn...just when I was relaxing...

Wakeme, Kachi, and Kao went through the Noctmind Woods, following the same path as before. After much traveling and several Akuma-exorcising fights with host Yokai, the group reached Morphville. There, a concerned Hakka was observing a portal on the side of her house.

Saffron: Mz. Meka? She's here!

Saffron led Wakeme and her partners over to the portal and Hakka.

Hakka: Ah, Wakeme! You're just in time.
Wakeme: I guess I am, but for what?
Hakka: Well, Hanchou sent me a message via snail mail. Earlier today, the young Rainsprite Kozo went off from patrol in Reimachi and vanished.
Wakeme: He what??
Hakka: That's not all, - recently, any and all portals leading to the district of Nakasu have been walled off! As you can see here...

Hakka pointed to the portal. Its inside was blocked off by a strange fuschia wall with magic seams coursing through them.

Hakka: I don't think it's a mere coincidence. There was a portal to Nakasu in Reimachi as well. Hanchou fears that Kozo might have wandered into Nakasu, and given the bizarre magic used to create this wall, there may be an Akumashi there.
Kachi: Geez, Kozo just had to get himself kidnapped...!
Kao: That doesn't matter – what matters now is that we try to break up this wall. Stand back!

Kao ushered the others back from the portal as she launched Jolt Force and Psych Flare spells into the portal. However, the wall inside it didn't even tremble from their impact.

Hakka: We've all tried breaking the wall...but all our efforts couldn't even faze it.
Saffron: But Hiense got an idea – Mz. Meka told us how your Chi abilities tip heavily into whatever form you're in, so he figured...
Wakeme: I could use a kind of Chi magic more efficiently?
Saffron: Yeah!
Wakeme: Okay...easier said than done, though. I'm not even sure where to start with this.

Sensu's charm then fluttered from Wakeme's scarf and examined the wall closely.

Sensu's Charm: Hm...this seems to be formed of stone blessed with Moon-element magic.
Kao: So it's a moon rock barrier? Reinforcing that stone with lunar binding makes for a strong wall...
Sensu's Charm: Yes. However, it can be broken with the power of focused aura.
Wakeme: Focused aura?
Hakka: That's the specialty of the Force element. Thankfully, this Yukendama is equipped with that element. It also houses magic for Earth, Wind, and Flower elements.
Wakeme: And this...? {holds up Touhen}
Hakka: Hm...it seems this only uses Fire, Ice, Thunder, and Water magic.
Wakeme: Huh. Guess I can only use certain elements with certain weapons.
Kachi: Well, let's see if this mallet can bust that wall! Give it a hard smack!
Wakeme: Right.

Wakeme focuses the Yukendama, its faces now blazing with blue/orange aura. Those around her noticed that the aura seemed to be quite strong.

Saffron: Wh-Whoa...!
Kao: I've never seen Force aura this strong before...!

Wakeme reared the Yukendama back and slammed its aura-blazing face into the wall in the portal. The impact shattered the lunar binding of the wall, breaking up its moon rocks. Wakeme withdrew Yukendama from the now-open portal, catching her breath.

Hakka: Oh - !
Wakeme: {huff} I think...that did it.
Hakka: Pace yourself, dear. You may be more proficient in each side's magic, but abusing either side of magic too much will wear you out faster than most of us.
Wakeme: Good to know...
Kao: {to Kachi} Kachi, perhaps you should...
Kachi: Now? But I wanted to surprise her later!
Kao: {stern} Kachi...
Kachi: {flinches} Okay...

Kachi dug into his pocket and drew out a small blue ball-like canteen.

Kachi: Here ya go – a little side-project I've been working on...with Doc here's help, of course. I call it...the Switch Canteen! There's these special beads of dew around the Spirit World called Chidrops – you can store 'em in here and drink 'em later to reenergize either form. Just, uh...turn the knob on top to recharge a different form with Chidrops.
Wakeme: Okay...thanks...

Wakeme set the drinking knob on top to the Yin emblem and drank a bit from it. Pretty soon, she felt refreshed.

Wakeme: Well...let's go in. Nakasu's waiting.
Kachi: Yup!
Kao: Very well.
Hakka: Whatever's in there, try not to overexert yourselves, okay?

Wakeme, Kachi, and Kao leaped into the portal, heading into...

Guide Wakeme: Nakasu! It's one of the biggest red-light districts in Japan – oh, but there's more than just adult entertainment centers here. There's also a number of stores and fancy restaurants. At night, the place literally lights up – even the Fukuhaku Deai Bridge!

By now, it was dusk in Japan. In Nakasu, at a road near one of its surrounding rivers, there were many moon rock barriers erected, blocking out whoever was in the streets. Near a portal's exit point, Nazo Kagemusha was trying to figure out how to bust the wall down. He brought a finger near it, but the lunar binding magic in the wall sparked on his hand, making him jump back and flinch.

Nazo: Nngh! This is definitely strange...What kind of wall sparks like that? Maybe I should call for a demolition crew to...

While Nazo was facing away from the wall, Wakeme and her partners came to Nakasu from the nearby portal.

Kao: Oh my - ! There's moon rock barriers everywhere!
Kachi: And hey, isn't that the detective from before?
Wakeme: Hm?

Wakeme noticed Nazo nearby. However, he was deep in thought while gazing at the wall.

Wakeme: Okay... (I kind of wish I didn't have any human witnesses.)

In any case, she looked to the wall opposite of where Nazo was.

Nazo: ...Damn, the phone won't work here! Is it these...walls? I gotta get a distance from these things and then make the call –

It was then that Nazo was startled by the noise of a wall being broken. He quickly turned and saw Wakeme standing over a decimated moon rock barrier, holding Yukendama.

Nazo: (!) Er...wh-what??
Wakeme: ...

Nazo just walked up a few steps, surprised at what he saw.

Wakeme: I...think I got that wall down. There don't seem to be any more up ahead.
Nazo: Really? Well, uh...thanks. That's a weird costume you got...
Wakeme: Is it? I think it's rather... {stammers silently} rather fashionable.
Nazo: Okay, but...how in the world did you break that wall down? The witness that called me here said one of his friends tried hitting it with a mallet and got nothing but a broken hammerhead.
Wakeme: Er...

Now she was in a tight spot. How could she explain that it was because she used a magic hammer...without spoiling her secret?

Wakeme: Well, you see –
Nazo: Know what, never mind. I'll go ahead and make the call. Oh, and...try to be careful. Witnesses also said that some guy in a dark-blue cloak's been leaping about the rooftops lately. Might be some nut, but a pretty lithe nut if you ask me.

With that, Nazo walked away from the area. Wakeme took the time to notice that there was more than just moon rock barriers lining the street – there was also some sort of electric grid extending up from the fence aligning the river. Nazo didn't notice it, so maybe it was something only Yokai could (painfully) interact with.

Kachi: I'm surprised he let you off like that...Think he knows?
Wakeme: ...Doesn't seem like it.
Kao: But what's that about a man in a cloak, exactly?
Wakeme: ...
????: Wakeme! Is that you?
Wakeme: (!) That voice...is that...?
????: Oh, thank the stars someone found me...!
Kao: Is that you, Kozo?

The three turned to the next wall. It seems that Kozo was on the other side.

Kozo: Can you hurry and break this wall down? I can't possibly get past that electric fence without frying myself!
Wakeme: Okay, but stand back!

Wakeme then slammed an aura-blazing Yukendama into the wall, breaking it to bits. Good thing Kozo already stepped back from it! With it down, Kozo ran up to the three.

Kozo: I-I'm sorry! Please don't tell Sir Hanchou!
Kao: Kozo, what in the world were you doing out here?!
Kozo: Sorry...We were patrolling, but I noticed a shady type slinking into an alley. I thought I could handle it on my own, so I went after him. He went into a portal going to this street. I tried to chase him, but then...
Kachi: Wait – I'm guessin' this figure set up these moon rock barriers and the electric grid, right?
Kozo: {nods} I couldn't catch up to him...If Dad were here, he'd get mad at me for jumping into a losing situation like this...
Wakeme: It's alright. You did what you had to. Besides, it just might have caught our attention to this shady type. Did you notice anything about him?
Kozo: Hm...? Well, it looked like he had a cape with a bunch of eyes on the back. And he was carrying a knocked-out boy, too – red hair, bit of an ahoge, some magenta shirt with...I think it was a maze design?

Wakeme became more alert at this description.

Wakeme: (!) Gaido! That shady type must have Gaido!

Kozo looked out further down the street. There was some sort of dark sphere floating slightly above the water's surface.

Kozo: In there, maybe? He might be in there...
Wakeme: Alright, we'll check it out. You should probably head back and explain to Hanchou.
Kozo: Wha - ??
Wakeme: I'm sure he'll understand. None of us got strong without making mistakes, you know.
Kozo: Really...? I thought mistakes were bad...
Kachi: {modest laugh} Nah, we've made a few mistakes so far, and we're still standin' – and more prepared, at that!
Kao: ...I can just say that...this could be your first step to becoming strong like your father.
Kozo: ...Okay then. I'll...head back.

Kozo headed toward the portal to make his way back through the network.

Wakeme: Ready?
Kachi: As ever!
Kao: Of course.

Busting through each moon rock barrier, the group got closer and closer to the dark sphere. Finally, they reached it. Stepping back, Wakeme made a running leap into it, sinking in. Kachi and Kao followed suit.

The three entered the dark barrier. Inside, they stood on a dark-gray stone pathway, with red water(?) lightly caking the inset. The skies appeared a dark red, with a few whitish clouds. Hanging high above is a spherical red barrier, containing the red-haired boy described by Kozo – Gaido! He seemed to be pounding against it, but no sound escaped through it.

Wakeme: (!) There's Gaido!
Kao: Hold on...there's someone else here, too!

Up ahead, a figure was chuckling. This figure indeed wore a tan cape with four eye-like marks on it (though they did blink) and had a large white spiral-shaped curl of hair on the top of his spherical head. He seemed to be twirling a long old cane with a small skull-shaped handle.

Caped Figure: Welcome, ladies and gentlecoon. Tonight, you will witness the grandeur of twisty paths and risky roads in this little labyrinth of my own design! Thrill as you wander here and there, left and right, up and down...

The figure then turned around to Wakeme. His very pale-white form looked smooth and rounded – a spherical head with two plain half-open circles for eyes, a slender torso, and a ghostly tail for legs. His arms were draped in large mahogany-colored sleeves, which had black linings. And, like Naiyume, he had an Akuma core jutting out of his chest, its eye gazing at Wakeme.

Caped Figure: And our guest of the hour is...THIS reckless lady! Congratulations~!
Wakeme: Enough of the circus act. Now release Gaido!
Caped Figure: Patience, savvy one. What fun is just zipping right to the prize? Ohhh, no. You should at least EARN your keep, am I right? Which brings us to tonight's attraction – the lost path! Oh, but forgive my lack of manners, miss. You may refer to me as Meiro, the Labyrinth Master.
Kachi: Geez...what's this clown's deal, anyway?
Meiro: {camp laugh} What indeed, sir gentlecoon? You see, I observed your battle with my...unfortunate associate Naiyume. I must say, you've a lot of issues, dear Wakeme.
Wakeme: Why do you care about my issues? My biggest issue is you Akumashi jerks kidnapping my family! Now give Gaido back!
Meiro: See, that's exactly what I mean! Your serene persona, your aggressive devotion...These conflicting traits are setting you on the road...to nowhere. You were already lost before you came here.
Wakeme: {low growl, clenches Yukendama}
Meiro: Ever since we took your family away, you've been so utterly distraught. I can see it clearly – you miss seeing their sunny faces, yes?
Wakeme: ...Of course. I'd risk my life just to ensure everyone's safety.
Meiro: My my my, you get more interesting by the second, dear Wakeme! But...I still have my orders to...ahem, subjugate you. So why not keep this interesting?

Before anyone could act, Meiro vanished in a plume of beige smoke.

Kao: (!) Wakeme, he's...!
Kachi: That clown just bailed!

Meiro's voice then boomed in the barrier.

Meiro: Listen well, Wakeme! If you want the insightful young man that desperately, then come after me! Try and strike me down...before my maze wrenches the throbbing Chi out of you! In places, everyone~!

Wakeme swung Yukendama to the side.

Wakeme: Alright...showtime!

The platform in the barrier that Wakeme stood on became circular, surrounded by what looked like four sliding doors, each with a number of eyes and a fanged smile.

Kachi: The hell's up with these doors? I don't see anything behind 'em...
Kao: Hrm...They certainly aren't benevolent at all. Steel yourselves!

Sure enough, the five-eyed door began spitting darts of ice at the three. Kachi and Wakeme dove to the sides and Kao leaped above them.

Kao: Ice magic? The door was element-less at first, but now it's...
Wakeme: Ice-element! What's that weak to again?
Kao: Fire and Force magic.
Wakeme: Got it.

Wakeme got to her feet and came at the five-eyed door with Yukendama in hand, launching a wave of aura from it into the door (Dizzy Wave). The impact seemed to dizzy and stun the door. Kao added hits with Psych Flares. These attacks shattered the door to pieces. The other doors solidified as a magenta portal appeared in the destroyed door's place.

Kao: A portal...leading to someplace else within the barrier!
Wakeme: Good, let's go in!

Wakeme and her partners entered the portal...and were transported to a smaller isle in the barrier.

Meiro: Ohhh, too bad! That was an incorrect door. Tsk tsk, perhaps this will reprimand your ignorance!

Suddenly, five large wide spears appeared above the isle, rocketing down at Wakeme.

Wakeme: (!!!)

She dove away from the first four spears' breaking impact into the isle, and nearly got hit by the fifth one. Suddenly, the isle broke beneath the three, sending them falling down.

Kachi: OH NO! That loon set us up!!
Kao: (!) Hold on...

A large blue portal appeared beneath the three as they fell into it. This brought them back to the first isle with the four doors.

Wakeme: That didn't go well...
Kachi: Uh, we're still surrounded by monsters doors. What now?

Sensu's charm then activated.

Sensu's Charm: (!) Hold on – one of these doors is greatly different from the others!
Wakeme: Greatly different? Surely, you don't mean number of eyes, because –
Sensu's Charm: Something else about the eyes. Most of them have blue eyes, but one has...

Kao notices a four-eyed door, with different-colored eyes from the rest.

Kao: Red eyes! That must be the door we're after.
Wakeme: Really? Well, let's hope so...

The blue-eyed doors began shooting icicles at the party, and the red-eyed one spat fireballs.

Kachi: I'll block off the projectiles!

Kachi assumed his Wheel form and rolled into the icicles and fireballs, blocking them. This gave Wakeme and Kao the opening they need to rush to the red-eyed door and assault it with hammer and Jolt Force. Their efforts destroyed this door, conjuring another red portal in its place. Also, the remains of the door left a couple of Chidrops, which the Switch Canteen took in.

Wakeme: All or nothing...

Wakeme and the partners jumped into the portal, warping to another isle – this one had Meiro himself waiting on it. When he saw them come, he was surprised.

Meiro: Oh my! You've finally solved my first door puzzle! N-Not that I will restrain my power against you!

Meiro came at Wakeme, swinging his cane at her. She just blocked it off with Yukendama and whacked him back. Kachi-Wheel and Kao also did damage to him by rolling onto him and singing him with Psych Flare. After enough damage...

Meiro: Oww!! V-Very well! Next challenge!

Meiro warped away, summoning four new doors to the area. This time, all the doors have red eyes, but one has three mouths.

Sensu's Charm: The three-mouthed one!
Wakeme: Right!

Wakeme charged at the three-mouthed door, but it began shooting fireballs at her – at a faster rate, with its three mouths and all. Wakeme, unfortunately, couldn't get close enough without getting blasted back.

Wakeme: This...isn't working.
Kao: Wait, I know how you can reach it!
Wakeme: How...?
Kao: The Switch Canteen. Drinking a Yang-infused Chidrop will also change your form!
Wakeme: Really?

So, Wakeme hopped to her feet, set the Switch Canteen to Yang, then drank a bit of Chidrop from it. Just like that, she changed to her Yang form. She also noticed a change to the Yukendama – the Yokaiblade hammer faces disappeared, and a large ball appeared atop the weapon.

Wakeme: Aha...!

With this, she swung the ball from the Yukendama into the door while keeping a safe distance. She then harnessed Yukendama's Wind magic within and launched a tornado toward the door (Hurricane). Its impact was critical to the Fire-aligned door, destroying it and leaving another portal. Wakeme collected the floating Chidrops from its remains and entered with her partners. They were warped to another isle with Meiro on it. Again, Meiro was flustered.

Meiro: Hachhh...! I was certain that door would be too intimidating to approach...{sigh} Oh well. For Dr. Soroban!

Meiro began conjuring orbs of darkness from the tip of his cane and launching them toward Wakeme. Kachi-Wheel got in the way of these orbs, rebounding them away.

Sensu's Charm: He's now Shadow-aligned...That's weak to Flower magic, milady!
Wakeme: Flower...? Oh yeah!

Wakeme focused and cast a cluster of nature energy in the shape of a spinning lotus (Blossom Top), which rushed after Meiro, striking the Akumashi critically. In his brief moment of flinching, Wakeme charged Chi energy into Yukendama's ball and ran toward Meiro.

Wakeme: Bloom!

She then launched the ball forth into the ground around Meiro, setting off a burst of petals from below. The burst itself hurt Meiro greatly.

Meiro: How could you!! Alright, enough! You're not going anywhere this time!

Meiro warped away, conjuring four doors. This time, they all had five red eyes, two mouths, and were all metallic.

Kao: (!) The cheat! He's made those doors near-impenetrable!

Before anyone could act, the doors began spewing a barrage of fireballs upon the group. They had to run and dive low to avoid the flying flames.

Wakeme: This is impossible...!
Sensu's Charm: Hold on! I'm...getting a message from...Gaido!

Sure enough, Sensu's charm glowed a bright red.

Kachi: Hey, just like when we fought Naiyume, and Kangae called us and - !

Gaido's voice spoke up within Wakeme's mind.

Gaido: Man, you're still fumbling around? That's okay, really, but...lemme give you a direct path!
Wakeme: Alright, Gaido...show us the way!

Wakeme hopped to her feet and held Yukendama up, channeling Gaido's innate power. The doors glowed red and dissolved away, leaving Chidrops behind to collect. This also created a blue portal in the center of the isle.

Kao: Another portal!
Wakeme: Thanks, Gaido...Now, let's finish this!

Wakeme and co. entered the portal, which brought them to another isle in the barrier with Meiro on it, trying his best to stay calm.

Meiro: {huff} Okay, there's no chance that they'll make it out of that alive – much less escape at all. All is good! Yes, all is –

He then turned and saw Wakeme and co. standing there, readying their weapons. He jumped in astonishment, his eyes going wide.

Meiro: (!!!) {flustered} No...how did...?! That cannot be right!!
Wakeme: Sorry, this show's starting to bore us, so let's close the curtains!

With that, Wakeme pegged Yukendama's ball into Meiro several times, then finished with a fast swing of the ball into Meiro's Akuma core, breaking it within him.

Meiro: Ack - ! How could you?! I haven't even set up more of the moon rock barriers around this city...! I'm...confused! How did I get to this point? What was the right path to take?? Where am I even going??? G...Good night, folks!!

With that, Meiro dissolved into dissipating Chi. At that time, the spherical barrier holding Gaido in it drifted down just a few inches above the isle, vanishing. Gaido fell down onto a foot and knee, shaking his head from dizziness.

Gaido: Ugh...thought I was gonna suffocate myself in there...
Wakeme: {happy} Gaido...!

Wakeme ran up to and hugged Gaido, surprising him.

Wakeme: {trying to hold back her tears} Thank goodness...

Kachi and Kao observed the scene, endeared by the reunion. However, the top of the barrier began dissolving.

Gaido: (!) Wakeme! Up there!

Sure enough, the barrier's sky was breaking away, revealing the night sky above Nakasu.

Wakeme: (!) Um...where's this barrier at again?
Kachi: A...Above the water?
Wakeme: Oh great...Right, we gotta be ready to swim to the edge!
Kao: Very well!

As the barrier around broke away, something edged closer to Wakeme from behind. It was...Meiro's cane! It hopped up quietly and then speared at Wakeme's tails, morphing into two tight metal shackles around two of the tails, chained to a metal ball.

Wakeme: (!) What the - ??

She turned and noticed the shackles and ball – but the barrier had just vanished, and its isles with it. Wakeme, Gaido, Kachi, and Kao remained comically suspended in midair as they looked down, noticing the river beneath them. Startled, they then plummeted down just as comically into the water! Dunked into the drink, the four tried their best to swim up to the surface. Kachi and Kao (toting Gaido along) didn't have any problem, but Wakeme couldn't even ascend in the water – not with that chained ball weighing her down.

Wakeme: (!!!)

She tried desperately to slip the tails out of the shackles, but with no luck. Alarmed, Kachi went down to try and pull Wakeme upward, but couldn't swim after her fast enough as she sank down into the water's depth. She was starting to lose her breath, too! Just then...a beam of lightning shaped like a harpoon shot through the water and into the ball's chain, breaking it away from Wakeme.

Wakeme: (?)

The source of the harpoon beam came swimming toward her quickly in a dolphin kick. It seemed to be a humanoid navy-blue dragon with an azure jaw and underbelly, with spiking yellow hair forming bolt shapes on the bangs, each sidebang, and his ponytail, and a long finned tail. He was wearing some sort of loose red kimono top (he only had an arm through the left sleeve) with zigzagged white linings, and cerulean hakama (samurai-style pants with large pleats) with black wave patterns low on the leggings. Strapped onto his right arm is some sort of Yokaiblade cannon decorated with a pink cockle shell on each side.

Wakeme: ...

Unable to speak underwater, Wakeme could only gaze wide-eyed at the dragon. He came near and grabbed Wakeme, then spiraled up toward the surface, rocketing toward it swiftly. Kachi was startled to be eating this dragon's bubbles.

Kachi: {shocked} (!!!)

Back up on the street next to this river, Kao had already gotten Gaido out and was joined by Kozo, who brought a towel for Gaido. It was then that the dragon came bursting out of the water with Wakeme in hand, launched high into the air with water droplets flying about in the moonlight. He then touched down on the street in front of the other three. Wakeme coughed out any water she may have inhaled in the river to the side.

Gaido: Wakeme!

Gaido got up (still wrapped in the towel) and ran to the dragon and Wakeme. He held her hand as she wearily looked over to him.

Gaido: {worried} Are you alright?? What happened??
Wakeme: {light cough} I...I'm not sure...
Dragon: Easy, now. Catch your breath.

The dragon let Wakeme touch her feet down onto the street as she regained her composure. She then looked back to her shackled tails.

Wakeme: Those shackles...where did they come from?
Dragon: {crosses arms} That seems to be a farewell present from that Meiro creep. {shakes head} Were you even paying attention when that formed?
Wakeme: What - ? {blush} Well, I...uh...erm...

At this point, a sopping-wet Kachi crawled up to the edge, coughing. As he got onto the street, he glared up at the dragon.

Kachi: {angry} H-Hey! What's the deal?! I could've gotten her out, Fishy-Face!
Dragon: {sigh} Maybe you should watch your mouth when addressing a Seadragon royal? You might end up back into the drink otherwise.
Kachi: Alright, c'mere! I'll beat you down and have a drink of your tea – (!) Wait, Seadragon royal? Uh...ohhh boy...
Dragon: {taunting chuckle} Well, lucky for you, I'm not fussy.

Wakeme looked over to Kao and Kozo.

Wakeme: Did he just say Seadragon?
Kozo: Yeah, they're the dragon Yokai that rule the aquatic zones of the Spirit World.
Kao: If I'm right, this boy is a prince of that kingdom...

The dragon turned away from the flustered Kachi and to Wakeme and Gaido.

Dragon: {flips his bangs back} You...don't have to refer to me as "Prince" or "Your Highness" or anything. Just Raiden will do.
Wakeme: Raiden?

The Seadragon, Raiden, aimed his Yokaiblade cannon upward, projecting a similar lightning harpoon from before from its nozzle.

Raiden: As in lightning, yes.
Wakeme: Oh, well... {bows politely} Thanks for saving me, Rai –
Raiden: DON'T get used to it, Wakeme. I only saved you because I'm obliged to.
Wakeme: (?!)
Raiden: {sigh} You can't even stay alert at all times...Do you really think this is some game you're playing with the Akuma?
Wakeme: Game?! O-Of course n - !
Raiden: The Akuma aren't here to sing campfire songs! They're gathering to terrorize humans and Yokai alike, and they're twisting these kids' senses to do so. Anyone crosses the Akuma, those fiends will stop at nothing to try and take out the threat they face!
Wakeme: ...

Raiden turned away from Wakeme, looking up at the moon.

Raiden: Just stay out of this battle. It's for your own good.
Wakeme: {tense} My own good...?

Wakeme walked over in front of Raiden, glaring him in the face.

Wakeme: Don't worry about me! I'm not completely helpless, you know!
Kachi: Yeah, she's got us to watch her back!
Raiden: Well clearly, you two aren't doing a good job of that. Otherwise, you would have noticed those shackles.
Kao: That's not - !
Raiden: Wakeme...just don't get involved. I don't want to have to use my position as prince to have you restrained.

Wakeme couldn't take Raiden's put-downs much longer. Angrily, she rushed him toward the nearby wall, pinning him against the wall with her right hand against his shoulder.

Raiden: Nngh - !
Wakeme: {angry} I don't need you bossing me around like I'm weak!! If you were that worried about my safety, you should have been there when we fought that monster!
Raiden: I-It's not like that, Wakeme, I just –
Wakeme: Don't give me that! This is MY battle! And I HAVE to fight it! Nobody else understands what all's at stake here!!

With that, Wakeme pushed Raiden away and ran off down the street.

Kozo: Uh...!
Kachi: W-Wakem', hold up!
Gaido: Wakeme, wait!

Gaido ran after Wakeme. The Yokai just watched in shock. Raiden sighed and looked away, his eyes closed.

Raiden: {sadly to self} I just...don't want you to get hurt...

-----

Meanwhile, back in the Forbidden City, the same metallic screams from before were heard echoing throughout the abandoned citadel. Their source, unknown. Their anguish...indescribable.