• In the dark cores of space, the brunette carried an unconscious Shiri. She beaten her wings continuously, keeping them both safe in the air. There was no doubt in her mind that she had gotten herself into trouble for kidnapping this blonde but it didn’t stop her. Rather finished what I started, she thought. Carrying Shiri on her back, she continues to travel among the cosmic air, flying near a planet. Shiri slowly opened her eyes. It took her only a second to realize that she wasn’t at home. She slid herself out of the young girl’s grip. The gravity in space kept her floating in the air. It didn’t occur to her to assault the girl at the moment, her gaze was fixed on the black universe around her. Bringing her hands to her neck, she shivered. How is she able to still breathe and she’s in space? What made her insides tremble more emotionally, she spotted planets around her. She should be dead… yet she’s alive? As if the young girl had read Shiri’s mind, she spoke to her calmly.

    “Relax. As long as we’re near the planet below us, we’re fine. It’s the planet, Neira.”

    Shiri stared downward at Neira with a perplexed look. Neira had mixtures of gray, blue and green in it. The planet shaped like Earth but its colors was oddly shady. She looked up back to the brown haired girl, stunned and amazed by her knowledge of what effects Neira had.

    “Who are you and how do you know this?” said Shiri.

    “I am Rika. Lets just say that I know many things beyond an average person’s knowledge.” Rika replied, giggling as if she knew Shiri’s reaction.

    “Well… Rika. Why did you kidnap me? Why do such a thing?”

    “I need help from you to fight someone. A certain individual sent me to seek you out.”

    “Who might that be?”

    A dark haired man with piercing blue eyes was beating his wings in space without a care in the world. He was heading in Shiri and Rika’s direction. Unfortunately for them, they were meters away from Neira. His eyes locked on them, slight sadness hit him hard at the sight of Shiri. Like a predator, he closed in on them. Before Shiri thought of a way to respond to Rika, she sharply sensed something near. At that moment, she knew, they weren’t alone anymore. As he came closer to them, Rika took out her scythe from her back. Tension leaked from her eyes.

    “What are you doing here?” said Rika.

    “You’re in no state to be asking me that, young one,” said the dark haired man, staring at her as if she was a disgusting creature, “thanks for bringing her to me. I didn’t even have to search for you two.”

    “You’re not taking her, Sinja!”

    Shiri mounted her way in front of Rika, each step felt like she was stepping in steep grass. Glaring at Sinja, she clanged her hand to the hilt of her katana and muttered,

    “Rika, get out of here.”

    “But what about you?”

    “This man wants me, I’d rather confront him. Now go! Make me more madder and it’ll be me trying to kill you next.”

    “How right, you are. But I’ll kill you both. ” Sinja snarled.

    He quickly unsheathed his blade resembling a dagger, carved in a dragon’s shape. Swinging his sword in an upper motion, a gust of wind escaped and rushed towards Rika and Shiri. The blaze flowed like a river of heat in their direction. Shiri crossed her arms, shielding herself as the storm of fire raced her way. Sweat and fear was reaching to a boiling point in her. The heat waves swarmed pass her, leaving its temperature to haunt her. She thought she knew who the attack was aimed for yet she wasn’t prepared for what was happening around her. Rika yelled loud enough to pierce anyone’s hearing. She clutched her stomach tightly, barely concealing the red liquid that dripped from her. The brunette’s right wing were fractured causing her to descend lower into Neira. Shiri turned around to catch Rika’s fall in her eyes. She barely knew this girl yet she felt it was wrong for someone to hit a girl. Looking back her to Sinja, she growled angrily. Rika caught a glimpse of Shiri as she drifted helplessly in the air. She muttered low under her breath and her hand glowed a curing white light over her stomach. The wound gradually closed up. Within a minute, she turned around in mid air and beaten her wings, disappearing in Neira.

    “How could you kill that girl like that?” said Shiri.

    “She was in my way. I was only disposing the trash.” Sinja replied.

    “What do you want with me?” Shiri pulled her blade from her sheath.

    “Don’t you remember me, kiddo?”

    The word “kiddo” echoed in her mind. She slowly widened her eyes. She was staring at someone that she hasn’t seen in over four years. Shiri muttered words that came to mind,

    “Father?”

    Sinja nodded with a twisted smile. His cruelty began to be unmasked in his gaze. He had thought that his meeting with Shiri wouldn’t be violent. The spark in Shiri’s eyes told him at once that she was angry. She tightened her grip on the katana’s hilt. It what she remembered from him seeing him, which changed her mood. The unknown redhead, she saw was connected to her and the sight of her father killed her inside, knowing that he had cursed her.

    “If you are my father,” said Shiri, glaring at him, “then you must die.”

    She dashed in the air, finding her way to Sinja. Moving her sword diagonally at his direction. The sword met opposing metal. He pushed his strength against her sword. She managed to find herself flying backwards in the air, overpowered by strength. The last thing that was in her sight was several feathers floating and a fist ramming hard onto her jaw. She gasped as she spat blood from her lips. Gaining her awareness again, she swung the blade vertically. He flew backwards, lowly grunting, trying to avoid the damage but took action too late. A deep cut opened in his left arm. He looked at his wound then at Shiri as if there was still hope.

    “That’s more like it.” Sinja smirked.

    He twirled his dagger rapidly building up fire. With each swing, the blade was surrounded in flames. Shiri could feel his pace slowing down. Her own blue eyes took a glimpse at the spinning metal as concentrated portions of fire into her katana. The sword faded into a silvery red. She motioned her sword in a rough upward wave. Four massive fireballs hurried out of her blade, the same time, a dragon-shaped blaze appeared to head her way. The two attacks collided with each other, creating a blinding white light. She lifted her arm near her eyes, avoiding to see most of the shining light.

    In at least, three minutes, Shiri lowered her arm. She tilted her head, bewilderedly. A glowing orb floated between her and her father. Before the two could react to it, a strange light coated around them. The orb morphed into a divine blonde female with glowing green eyes, wearing an elegant white dress that end over her knees. She grimaced and shouted angrily at both of them.

    “Stop this fighting right now!”

    “Stay out of this. She’s my daughter. Its between me and her.” Said Sinja, glaring at the mysterious female.

    “You’re hurting her! I won’t allow you to harm her anymore.”

    The woman stretched both of her arms over her head. A golden mist lingered in her hands, forming into a silver bo-staff. She zoomed in towards him, spinning her staff while golden light shone upon it. Continuously, the shine grew great until the staff’s movement came to a halt and a beam shot from it. He flapped his wings, proceeding towards the deadly beam. It didn’t scare him to continue to go closer, knowing that it can cause him death. There was an oddness about the beam that warned him that it would stay targeted on him if he didn’t stop it soon.

    The blonde woman glanced at Shiri in the corner of her eye, still watching Sinja’s actions from afar.

    “I’ll distract him. You just leave here.”

    “I don’t know you but I can’t leave you alone with him.” Said Shiri, gazing at the woman as if she was familiar to her.

    “I can handle him, Shiri,” The heavenly female formed her lips into a piercing smile, “ I’ve seen what he had done to people like yourself.”

    “Fine, I’ll leave but it’ll take me too long to get to Neira.”

    “Its ok, I’ll give you a push.”

    “Wait! I need to ask you one more thing.”

    “Go ahead, its not much time left.”

    She pointed towards Sinja’s direction. He sliced across the beam with his blade, enduring the gut-wrenching pain that washed over him. He wondered, was it worth to injure himself. Breathing heavily, he clutched his left arm in pain and looked up to both of the two blonde women.

    “How do you know my name? I feel like I’ve seen you before.”

    “You have. In time, we’ll meet again. Beware of the shadows around you, Shiri. They seek danger but the person you hate will become your greatest ally against it if you let people in your mind. ”

    Shiri looked puzzled at the woman’s choice of words. What did she mean by ‘the person you hate will become your greatest ally?’ It was so strange to her that Shiri didn’t noticed the woman gliding behind her. The female thrust the end of the staff to Shiri’s back. A tunnel of wind erupted around the staff, hurling Shiri downward towards Neira like a hammer. With intense speed, she drifted into the air. A small wound developed from her back. Feeling only a pinch of pain, she continued to fly uncontrollably in space. Clashes of weapons’ meeting each other filled the black sky above her. Her vision became fuzzy as she managed to find her eyes closing. The surroundings around her was a sandy shore which had an ocean that seen endless. A soft breeze blow against the water’s current, swaying with the trees. Shiri flew further down and splashed against the water.

    The sun reflected against her as she floated on the water. Calm tides pushed Shiri towards the shore. Blood colored sandy floor around her, dripping from her clothing. Rika was standing west in the shore. She stared out at the ocean, guilt build inside her. She wondered, did Shiri make it? Or did Sinja finished Shiri off before she had a chance to know her. A splash broke the silence in her thoughts, when she looked up and discovered the blonde resting on the shore. Rika moved up’ the mixed trail of the sandy water. Seeing her there revived her happiness. When she managed to make it near the unconscious body, she gasped at the sight of the bloodstained sand surrounding Shiri.

    “No! She can’t be dead.” Rika muttered, shuddering.

    It was when Shiri’s chest raised up and back down, Rika realized that she was ok. Still, the amount of blood loss didn’t stop. Shiri’s face started to lose its pale color, turning from white to gray. Rika’s green eyes wandered towards from the red sand to Shiri’s sides. She struggled to flip Shiri over on her back. A medium sized wound was visible on the middle of her back. She placed both of her hands to Shiri’s back. Thinking of a curing shell, the word, Heal was trapped in her thoughts before her hands glowed to slowly recover Shiri’s wound. The wound closed up and stopped more blood from pouring out.

    Rika smiled, relieved that Shiri was still breathing. She picked her up and struggled to carry her. Moments later after, perfecting her grip, she walked north of the beach leading up to the edge of the ground floor. Mounting along the ground, she hurried inside a town ahead. It was a place that Rika had known well, Asdrainia Town. She continued passing through the town, ignoring the stares of people of all sorts. Their thoughts of what they saw was didn’t concern her. Walking around the water fountain statue that seem sacred, she head near the end of the town. A dark haired boy passed them, holding a bag full of metal parts. He didn’t seem to be in a hurry but wasted time.

    “Guy!” shouted Rika.

    The boy stopped walking and turned around, staring at Rika with his red eyes. He nodded with approval.

    “Sis, who is that you’re carrying? Its unlike you to kidnap people.” Said Guy.

    “Its mother. I finally found her.”

    “Are you serious?” He walked closer to her, “Put her down so I can have a closer look.”

    Rika bend down on one of her knees, placing Shiri in front of her. Shiri was lying on her back, half unconscious. Guy narrowed his red eyes and looked at Shiri then Rika with shock.

    “It looks like her, Rika. But again, I don’t know.”

    “Guy, it has to be her. This is the only person that met her descriptions perfectly. Besides, we’ll have to stick with her for now.“

    Hearing words around her, she slid her eyes open a little and seen Rika and Guy. She’s still alive? Fire did hit her yet she’s not dead. She opened her eyes widely and gotten up from the floor.

    “Y-You’re still here.” Shiri stuttered.

    “Shiri, this is my brother, Guy. The person that we had seen earlier was—“

    “Sinja, my… father.”

    “Well, yes. That’s one reason why we need you and the another reason is because you’re our future mother.”

    Shiri looked at both of them as if they were crazy,

    “You’re joking… right? I’m 17, I can’t have kids. Not when I’m a ninja. Besides, who would bother with little twerps?”

    Guy saw what Shiri was getting at. Irritated yet tried to be on Rika’s side. But he had his doubts especially when its when someone he just met.

    “We’re not twerps. Your name’s Shiri, right?” said Guy, unsure to continue but his fear of losing his pride was at sake. “Well, we do want to help you.”

    “No, kid. I just can’t… not when I’m in somewhere I don’t know.”

    Shiri rushed towards the exit of the town, confused. Surprises sprang out at her today. It was the first time in her life where she had the need to go back for help while she was in a foreign land where help wasn’t an option. Guy stared at Shiri running away and then to Rika.

    “Still think she’s our mother, Rika?”

    “Of course. Just proves that she’s as paranoid as Trevor. C’mon, we got to catch up to her!”

    They traveled out of the town as well, chasing after her. It had been more trouble to bring her to Neira but catching her was more like a mystery. The distance between them and Shiri was half a meter away. Can they reach her or will she outrun them? Chasing her proved to be exhausting, almost an impossible mission to complete.

    “What’s with the bag, Guy? It’s slowing you down.”

    “It was my turn to buy the airship parts, remember? Trevor refused to leave that airship again.”

    “That gives me an idea—-You’re thinking what I’m thinking?”

    “If Trevor’s not sleeping.”

    The shouts of ‘Trevor’ echoed in the air. Not too far from them, a blue and white colored airship was parked on the sand. It were well constructed from the interior to the exterior. A dark haired boy with red eyes was on top of the airship. He stood on the deck, looking down below, 15 feet from the ground.

    “What is taking him so long?” Trevor murmured, “This can’t even take off without those—-“

    He turned his head, hearing his name being shouted out. Placing the goggles from his forehead to his eyes, he adjusted the view to his heart’s content. The goggles worked as binoculars, giving him the ability to see closer. Through his goggles’ vision, he saw Rika and Guy chasing a tall blonde girl. It was rather strange for his siblings to be following a stranger, he thought. Raising his eyebrows at the sight, he put his goggles over his forehead and focused his eyes a few inches in front of Shiri, vanishing from the airship to the desired spot. Shiri staggered and caught her step just in time to stop herself from tripping over Trevor.

    “Wait… wasn’t you just behind me?” said Shiri, staring at Trevor then turned back around to face Guy.

    Trevor and Guy’s resemblance was identical. She widened her eyes, seeing double.

    “We’re twins. Why are you two chasing her, anyway?” said Trevor, “You got tired on living with only Rika, Guy?”

    “Me and Rika thinks this is our future mom,” Guy rolled his eyes.

    “If you’re thinking she’s coming 5 feet near my baby. Then forget it.”

    “Your baby?” said Shiri, both annoyed and confused.

    Trevor motioned his left thumb to the airship behind him.

    “Either that or you won’t get the parts, Trevor. We need her, your choice,” said Rika.

    Boiling blood seems to flood his brain, making his current thoughts disappearing and creating one to call Rika several names. As Shiri observed the siblings’ argument, it reminded her of Shadow. He was the closest to her, but now being away from him felt bizarre. It made her wonder if she should go with these kids. Then, she remembered that Rika brought her here for help and the person she was after was Shiri’s father. If she hoped to kill her father and return home, she thought it would be giving in to these kids.

    “Rika, Trevor, Guy. I’ll come with you.”

    “What?” Trevor and Guy said together.

    “I will travel with you three. We all after the same guy, right?”

    Rika beamed. She and her brothers exchanged expressions of shock. They didn’t suspect her to accept the offer so quickly. Rika stepped in front of them.

    “Really, Shiri? What made you change your mind?”

    “I have a conscience. Lucky, she’s on your side on this.”

    “You heard the lady, Trevor,” Rika looked at him then Guy, “you know what to do.”

    “I brought the parts, you’ll fixing the engine, Trevor.”

    “With pleasure,” Trevor said, snatching the bag of metal parts in his grip and head towards the airship. Guy followed his brother, ruffling his hair and sighed.

    “You’ll get use to them. This airship, the Balamb had been wrecked badly when it was overpowered. If Trevor and Guy weren’t good at working on the airship, I wouldn’t know what we’d do.” Rika said, walking towards the Balamb, traveling by Shiri’s side.

    They continued to sped into the airship and halted in front of a rope ladder. Shiri waited for Rika to climb up and went right after her. Both of them head down the north dark corridor at the far end to reach the engine room downstairs. The blonde curiously spied the mechanic surroundings around her.

    “Are they really that—”?

    Shiri’s mouth dropped opened. Parts of the engine were tore apart, bolts and screws were holding on the exposed engine. Trevor and Guy felt the girls was in their presence but stayed put and steadied a dark colored protection metal part onto the engine.

    “You wasn’t lying, Rika.”

    “Told you. They’re the Balamb’s fixer-uppers.”

    “Hey, we can’t take all the credit.” Guy grinned.

    Shiri replied back with a smirk and turned around, heading out of the engine room. By examining these kids, she could tell that they knew what they were doing and she had made the right decision. She was far away from the world, she had called home. It would be a miracle for her to get back and maybe she had found it. Being with the three of the youngsters just brought her on the ride of her life.

    “Let’s take off, when you’re ready.”