Chaptire Thirteen

The group moved out early the next morning, Lali still half asleep and riding on Chihiro’s back- yes, she was that big- and sleeping at the moment. Nicky and Sam were on either side of Chihiro, ensuring Lali wouldn’t fall off in the middle. Kuro was leading the way with Kana beside him and Bubbles staying behind, she didn’t want to be too close to these heathens. Kuro suggested they leave early to avoid questions from the other people of their old town. They walked down the path leading up a hill where the nearest bus stop was with the things they could get out of their now demolished house.

            “Thank god for insurance.” Kuro finally said, reaching the hill. Kana yawned widely, revealing her cat like fangs and saying “What’s insurance?”

            “Something that covers you when something dreadful happens to your house, car, family, ect.” Kuro explained. Lali mumbled in her sleep, Bubbles glaring daggers at her. Chihiro seemed to notice and sent a glare back at Bubbles, warning her it seemed. Bubbles averted her gaze and walked passed them.

            “So where’re we going?” Bubbles asked.

            “We’re going to Oregon.” Kuro replied.

            “Oh that’s a nice place.” Nicky chimed in, Sam only nodding. Kana and Bubbles looked greatly confused.

            “What’s an Oregon?” Kana asked.

            “A place, you’ll learn don’t worry.” Kuro said.

            “Wait, this planets divided?” Bubbles asked.

            “Yup, it’s not just one big kingdom.” Kuro said.

            “Well that’s stupid.” Bubbles said.

            “They haven’t been able to set aside their differences yet.” Nicky said. Lali moved in her sleep before settling again. Sam was stroking her head to sooth her. They arrived to the bus station and Nicky sat down on Sam’s lap, who wrapped his arms around her waist securely. Kana remained standing, Kuro checking the bus schedule and Bubbles observing the sleeping Lali.

How did the great Suro give birth to something so weak? Bubbles thought negatively.  Chihiro had sat down, Lali sliding off but still leaning on her as she laid down on the grass.

            “How long is she gonna be asleep?” Bubbles asked impatiently.

            “What, waiting for her to wake up and kill her?” Kana spat curtly. Bubbles shot a glare at Kana who smirked. Lali moved around in her sleep, suddenly sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She blinked a few times before looking around.

            “Wh-where are we?” Lali asked.

            “We’re moving.” Kuro replied.

            “Where?” Lali asked.

            “Oregon.” Nicky replied brusquely.

Lali continued rubbing her eyes, seeming to be too tired to really think. Chihiro licked her cheek and nudged her softly. Lali wrapped her arms around Chihiro’s neck and cuddled into Chihiro’s fur again.

            “Your going back to sleep?” Bubbles asked. Lali’s only reply was a yawn before returning to sleep. Chihiro remained where she was, allowing Lali to lean on her and sleep peacefully.

            “You’re gonna let a human sleep on you?!” Bubbles asked Chihiro. Chihiro only gave her a look till Bubbles translated “What do you mean she’s more then a human?!”

            “You can understand her?” Nicky asked.

            “Well she is a mutt after all; she can understand even the most beautiful of languages such as the wolf.” Kuro replied, getting punched in the shoulder by Bubbles. The bus appeared soon; the six teenagers boarded the bus and found some seats. Chihiro managed to get Lali back on her back and easily board the bus, Kuro telling the man that she was Nicky’s ‘sight’. They sat next to each other, Nicky sitting on Sam’s lap and Lali in the seat, Chihiro sprawled on the three of them. Kuro and Kana were beside each other but Bubbles stayed a distance. They traveled the bus from California to Oregon, remaining on the bus for several days.

* * * *

            Lali woke up with the sunlight streaming down on her eye lids. She rubbed her eyes and looked ahead; they were arriving to a city. She found herself in the bus and the others ready to board off.

            “Well sleeping beauty is finally awake.” Nicky teased.

            “Slept well?” Sam asked.

Lali nodded, not really accustom to hearing Sam’s voice but allowing it to pass. Chihiro hopped off her lap and led them out, Kuro paying the man and getting out last. Lali looked around, lushes green trees and a lake not to far away.

            “Oregon?” Lali asked.

            “Yup.” Kuro said. “Come on, our house some time away.”

 

            They arrived to their new home located in a cul-de-sac, a two story house painted beige and with a brown roof top, a large front yard with a fence encircling it and bushes in front of the windows. Lali raced towards it, Chihiro racing beside her. They ran into the empty house, looking around excitedly. Lali ran up the stairs, picking a room that was close to the staircase.           

            “I call this room!” Lali called.

            “Sure, pick any room.” Kuro said his hands deep in his pockets.

            “But the mutt sleeps outside.” Kana said, pointing at the backyard. Bubbles glared, going outside and slamming the door behind her. Kana exhaled happily and went upstairs as well. Kuro followed Bubbles out and found her looking at an abandoned dog house that was probably left by the people who used to own the house. Bubbles was looking at it from all angles, as if she wanted to put something inside it.

            “You’re really gonna sleep in there?” Kuro asked.

            “Yeah.” Bubbles said bluntly.

She crawled inside and seemed to be looking at the inside. Kuro only shrugged and returned inside the empty house. He pulled out a sharpie and began writing protective charms on the walls.

            “Deflect, deflect and deflect.” Kuro mumbled under his breath. Lali was sliding down the staircase, Chihiro following by trotting down the stairs. She watched Kuro write along the walls in a language that she wasn’t familiar with. She looked around the house, it was bare of anything.

            “What’re we gonna do with the house?” Lali asked.

            “Hmm, we’ll just fill it up.” Kuro replied, putting the marker back in his pocket. “Nicky and Sam went out to get some furniture.”

Lali twiddled with her fingers, leaning back against the wall and sliding down to the floor. Chihiro was there, sitting beside her so Lali could lean her head on her side. Kuro saw Lali’s face, it looked gravely confused.

            “You want answers now?” Kuro asked. Lali nodded her head, Kuro finding a place next to Lali.

            “Well, a super long time ago your mother roamed the planet like a human.” Kuro explained. “Until a certain man came along, flirted and soon took her away.”

            “Your uncle?” Lali guessed Kuro nodded.

            “Yup, my uncle Kygore.” Kuro replied. “He was sealed away in the sky by the Grim Reaper, Bubbles’s father, along with his two other brothers.”

            “Two other brothers?” Lali asked.

            “Yup, Inferno and Raimon.” Kuro said. “But let’s leave that story a mystery for you to find out. Any who, Kygore waited till the water spirits were asleep before slaughtering every single one and kidnapping your mother Suro.”

            “So she wasn’t always a demon?” Lali asked, she sounded a bit relieved.

            “Yup, my uncle turned her into one which is illegal in the galaxy.” Kuro said. “They had sex and that’s how you came along, you’re the key to one Suro’s freedom and power and second the key to peace.”

            “Peace, between what?” Lali asked.

            “Between Kana and mine planet, Sarunia and Bubbles’s planet, Jared.” Kuro said. “We’ve been at war for fifteen years and its getting old.”

Lali twiddled with her fingers and replied “I can’t do this.”

            “Yeah you can’t.” Kuro replied but leaned into her. “But not now, not the weak human you are now! Training starts now!”

            “Training?” Lali asked.

            “Yeah, I’ll be your teacher in the basics of magic and water bending.” Kuro said. “I chose this place specifically for you, with all the wild life and such.”

Kuro rose from his spot and extended a hand to Lali, waiting for her to take it. Lali took his hand and Kuro hoisted her up, leading her out the door. They two arrived to a bus stop, boarding it once the bus arrived and came to a packed forest. Kuro led the way, helping Lali through the dense forest of towering trees till they came to a wide pond.

            “Wow, how’d you know about this place?” Lali asked.

            “Remember when I disappeared for five days?” Kuro asked.

            “Yeah.” Lali asked, dreading the memory.

            “Well I was here, training myself and bracing myself for the most stubborn student in all humanity.” Kuro said. He stood in the stance of serpent, moving his hands and legs in a harmonious motion, the water soon following. He twirled and put his palms out, the water shooting towards Lali, knocking her over from the force and returning back into the pond. Lali spat out the salty tasting water and got up.

            “First lesson, how to dodge and block.” Kuro said, the water twirling around him like snakes.  “In a battle against any opponent, including other elemental spirits, you’ll be depending on the water to block. Our weakness is air; you can’t really attack air when it’s hurled at you. Throwing attacks will only come back at you. To block you hold up your arms, like so.”

Kuro held up his arms, bending them at the elbow so his forearms were facing him, his body was scrunched close and his fists closed. Lali mimicked the motion.

            “When attacked, the water will act as a shield in front of you.” Kuro said and stood up straight again. “But you can also just put our hand out.”

Kuro put his hand out, standing straight and the water responded by wrapping itself around his arm and shooting out, attacking the tree near by.

            “That was a counter attack.” Kuro said.

Lali tried it but the water moved flimsily in the air then fell to the ground. Lali tried again, this time the water making it to her arm and snaking around it, only to fall apart when she tried shooting it out. Kuro walked towards her and said “See your not really making your movements strong and firm.”

He helped position her better at he arms and pushing her feet apart a little.

            “Now try again and don’t try to fight it.” Kuro instructed. Lali tried again, the water quickly slithering over her arm and shooting out. Lali was stiff for a minute or two but she soon jumped up and down with glee. The water in the pond bubbling till it shot into the air like a gauzier into the air and showering down on the two. Kuro spat out the small bits of water in his mouth and said “Moving on then…”

* * * *

            Kana and Nicky were positioning and repositioning the sofa that had just come in. Once finally satisfied where it was, they sat in it rather tired from moving all the furniture in the house. Sam sat in the middle, Nicky and Kana leaning on a shoulder.

            “God I hate this.” Kana said curtly. “We have people for moving furniture on my planet.”

            “Well this isn’t your planet now is it?” Nicky countered. Kana glared, getting up and heading to the kitchen where she grabbed the phone and asked “What sounds good for dinner tonight?”

            “Chinese lets eat Chinese food.” Nicky said.

            “Chinese?” Kana asked, raising an eyebrow.

            “In the many lands on earth, there’s a place called China which we call the Chinese.” Sam said. “We Americans are stereotypes so we mimicked their foods for our own need for verity and money.”

Kana looked down at the phone, trying to digest everything Sam said.

            “He’s saying that the stupid humans steal each others ideas!” Bubbles said, she had appeared inside now and was resting on the couch. Kana glared at her and retorted “I thought you enjoyed that little house of yours.”

            “Even I need to come in the get food.” Bubbles said and looked around. “Where’s the food?”

            “We got none.” Nicky replied. “We just moved in so we’re eating out tonight.”

            “What galaxy?” Kana and Bubbles asked in unison. Nicky only face palmed and thought This is gonna be an interesting relationship.

The door opened and Lali along with Kuro enter the house. They were both covered in scrapes and a few bruises from the water training. Kuro had Lali on his back because her legs were sore.

            “Had fun?” Nicky asked.

            “Tons…” Kuro said and dropped Lali so she landed hard on the floor and found his place on the sofa. He sat down, kicked his legs up and instantly passed out. Lali got up, leaning on the sofa and making her way towards the others.

            “How much did ya learn?” Nicky asked.

            “A lot, Nicky I’m so excited for what’s to come now!” Lali said. “Kuro has taught me the basics of water bending. We learn more fighting moves tomorrow.”

With that, Kuro rose and went straight to his new room. Lali only giggled as she took Kuro’s place on the couch, Nicky throwing an arm over her shoulders and allowed Lali to lean on her shoulder. The door than rang and Sam got up and answered it, finding their food already there. He paid the man with out a word and returned with the food. They pounced on the food, Kana looking at her food skeptically.

            “It’s okay Kana.” Nicky said as if reading her mind.    

            “But it looks like worms…” Kana said, lifting the chow mein up and watching it slip off her fork. She gave a face of disgust and pushed her food away. Bubbles watched from the window, drooling. Lali caught her stare and suddenly felt guilty, but knowing Kana’s pure hatred for Bubbles meant Bubbles would most likely starve tonight. As everyone ate away their food, Lali rose from the table and grabbed a spare bowl filled with food. She snuck out into the backyard and towards Bubbles’s small doghouse. The door was closed so Lali knocked.

            “Who is it?” Bubbles called from the inside.

            “You must be hungry, so I brought you food.” Lali said.

            “I’m not hungry!” Bubbles growled, only to be over powered by the sound of her rumbling stomach. Lali smiled and set the food outside the dog house door, soon rising and leaving. She returned inside and watched, soon seeing a sneaky hand grab the plate of food and bring it back in. Lali giggled, till she heard “Don’t spoil the mutt.”

Turning, she found Kana who scowled down at Lali; her stare was very intimidating. Lali flinched at the intense stare and said “What?”

            “Oh Lali, your too sweet.” Kana said, pinching Lali’s cheek rather harshly. Lali’s eyes squinted at the dull pain slowly erupting in her cheeks. Kana released her cheeks and strolled around the kitchen, saying “Don’t give the mutt too much attention.”

With that, Kana went up the stairs and disappeared to her room. Lali looked at her in wonder, and then turned to Bubbles’s doghouse.

            “Wonder what she meant by that…” Lali said and retired to bed.

Author's Note

ok i'm starting this story again