Hello Again

The reunion of the Spirit Bender Sisters

The night had finally arrived. The Day of The Dragon Festival was about to start. Some people stood along the streets, while others watched from the roofs and balconies of their homes. The children ran in front of the approaching parade. People, dressed in costumes of glamour, walked behind, heads held high. Although they did not smile, nor did they speak, everyone knew that they were happy. These looks of sternness and severity were only an act. Up overhead, a rocket burst into flames, fireworks. The crowd went wild with commotion, shouts, and applause.

Unbeknownst to any, there stood one who was not like them. Skin as white as a sheet of ice, eyes grayer than a hazy day, and hair so dark it looked blue. This was the woman none seemed to notice. She didn’t hide like most. She stood out in plain sight, with double katanas tied to her waist by a white sash. In this time and era, it was unheard of for a woman to be carrying a sword, not to mention two. Too bad no one knew who this woman was. She was beautiful, educated, and ruthless. Oh, what's more, she was a demon. Her name?

Unaki the Horrid. No last name. She was one of the baddest demons around, especially in Tourmaline City.

Looking on, a feeling of unease came over her. She turned, gazing circumspectly from side to side. Something wasn’t right. Pushing through the crowd, she walked casually down an alley, making her escape. But alas, her attempt was flawed. As she reached the end of the alley, a figure stepped into her path. Bulky, tall, the figure loomed at least nine or ten inches taller than her five-seven.

“Where are you going in such a hurry, Phoenix?” he asked. He truly was a tall person. If you were to ask the average little kid what they thought of him, they’d probably say he was the boogieman.

“So you know who I am?”

“But of course. All of my kind knows who you are.”

“Why do you guys always say ‘my’, when we are of the same kind?”

“No longer. The Elders cast out you and your sisters when you eliminated Lord Dumas. And now you have a bounty on your heads.” He pulled two rather nice looking swords from his waist.

“Ugh! You’re one of those? Darn it, why can’t I ever meet a polite guy, huh?”

“Do not joke with me! Draw your sword or die.”

“It was nice knowing you.” Unaki crouched low. Unexpectedly, like a flash of lightning, she disappeared. “Hey!” At the sound of her voice, he turned around. She stood behind him, her sword drawn, pointed downward. “Tell your buddies something for me. The Phoenix has arisen. The Benders are coming.” With that being said, she turned.

“I’m not going to just let you walk away!” He yelled at her back. She stopped mid-stride. Turning to him, she flashed a witty smile.

“You have no choice.” She indicated downward with her eyes, his following.

That night, the people of Tourmaline City heard one of the loudest and most terrifying screams of their lives. His legs, both of them, were sliced open, leaving them attached by only the bone. The skin was gone. Where there should have been blood oozing, the wound was cauterized. No smell, no blood, no pain.

As she walked away into the night, he heard her mutter something about “Stupid assassins”.

 

*    *    *   *

She spotted her before she even got close. No human would have seen her, but a demon, a trained demon would have. Uncrossing her legs, she plunged from the top of the Tourmaline Tower, free falling. The ties on the back of her red halter flew out behind her. Landing in a squatted position, she stood, wiped the dirt from her blue denim jeans and smiled.

Unlike that of Unaki the Horrid, this demon’s skin coloring was a little peachier. Her eyes, strangely enough, were the color of ripe oranges.

“I was starting to think I was gonna be the only one here.” She sounded almost childlike. That was one of her advantages, sounding like a child. Standing at her full height, a whooping five feet three inches, she even looked like one.

“Huh?” Unaki looked at her in confusion. “Where’s Kesaru?”

“No idea.”

“Hmm. Do you think…is it possible she got caught?”

“Nice to see you have confidence in me.” The voice came from the left of them. Pivoting, they both stared into the face of their leader, as well as long time sister.

“Kesaru Kunikida.” Unaki smiled as she said the woman’s name.

“Unaki the Horrid and Mayoko Saki.” The new arrival, Kesaru, looked at them amusingly. Her black eyes showed no emotion whatsoever, but they could tell what she was thinking. It had been too long since they’d last seen each other. They had all changed. Unaki and Mayoko thought that now as they took in Kesaru’s new clothing. A black satin bustier and blue denim jeans covered her cinnamon colored skin.

“So, how was training at Triloow?”

“Training went rather well. It took a vast amount of time, as well as effort, but I learned how to control it.”

“Yeah, me too. Shimbala is never going to be the same though. Rumor has it a giant animal ate all of the food there.” Unaki smirked, as Kesaru only emotion was the rise of a brow. “I couldn’t’t resist, it was my first night there.”

“Hmm.” Unaki reached up to finger the wing of the phoenix tattooed upon her arm. “Rimbalro is still in one piece, and my spirit is functional as will.”

“Good. That means we’re ready.” Kesaru sounded almost sinister when she spoke. Her voice was low, dark.

“You’re really angry aren’tyou?”

“Yes. No one and I mean ‘no one’, does to us what they did, and lives. But they’ll get theirs soon. Soon they’ll know why we are known as the most powerful of the demons. Soon, they’ll pay.” Without another word or look, Kesaru walked away. Mayoko shook her head, as she and Unaki took up the rear.