In The Crowned Princes Courtyard.
Rai Shen paced back and forth impatiently.. he turns abruptly facing the person about to walk into his room. "Has that bastard gotten a response yet?"
Rai Shen looks at his younger brother, Rai Akuma as he sits down.
"Not yet, Father said he's expecting a response by noon. Don't worry First Brother, Kiyoshi and ... that man have the ability too keep her safe."
"It's not the lack of skill that troubles me, they have the ability but lack the intellect. What if those two lead Little Shin'er astray." Rai Shin turns away and continues pacing lost in thought.
"I don't understand how Father can be fine with her left in his care. What if his ...other side hurts her-" Rai Akuma thought out loud.
Rai Shen gazed coldly at Rai Akuma.
Akuma swallowed the remainder of his word as the surrounding air around chilled and involuntary him made him shiver.
Rai Shen looked out his window and then at his brother. "I trust you know what to do?" Then opened the window and jumped out, riding Asui towards the capital.
Akuma sighed in relief after a while when the atmosphere returned back to normal.
"Don't worry I'll deal with Father till you come back." He shouted into the distance.
——
Back in the Town SwayLeaf.
"Hmm nothing bit me? Hey did you bring an empty cage by mistake." Rai Shinah retracted her wigging fingers and cupped her hands by her eyes trying to look at the beast inside with a playful expression.
-silence-
Everyone stoped in fear and shock. Even Hue LuoQing stopped unlocking the second metal lock.
'Hey Little ShiiShii.. you really cant tell what this Little Fella is?'
'It has the scent of Ancient decent and something else ... I believe ..panther but it's blood seems to be masking or mixed with a third race.. I can't tell what cross breed it originated from. It's familiar but has an oddly sweet scent almost close to yours.'
'Woah an Ancient-mixed panther! I would've paid to see that bed scene.'
'... you ... are such a pervert...why would you want to see another male doing those things!'
Rai Shinah skipped innocently to the other side of the cage ignoring Little ShiiShii's scolding.
'I wonder which species was dominant.. my money's on the ancient, Aww I feel pitty for the poor mother panther-mixbreed. Unless .. do you think the mother was the ancient and seduced the father panther.. good for her! She sought out what she wanted and took it!!'
'...'
Shinah poked her fingers through the cloth ripping a new peephole. "Ahh ..There you are...come on out of that corner and let me see you. Mmm.... Don't feel too bad about appearances.. my mother reigns over my father as well, no need to be ashamed of your lineage."
"You ..Eww you know Zolina's parents? How disgusting you must be one of those mixed-things. Zolina kill this disgusting slut!" LuoQing screeched in disgust.
"Aww little fella I pitty you. I'm sure it must be a burden to have such a foolish Master that's all bark and no brains."
A soft laugh and rustling was heard from the cage.
'Kitten be careful..'
Rai Shinah pushes away Hue LuoQing and pulls down on the last lock breaking it free from the chains.
She smiles as she rolls her eyes at Little ShiiShii.
"Are you mad! That lock was made of Daten Sea Coral do you know how expensive that was! Quick someone go call my Father!" LuoQing shouted.
"You amaze me, you truly are as dumb as you look.
Do I look mad?
I was perfect fine enjoying some shopping with my Sister Blue and Little ShiiShii until some mad dog showed up, irritating everyone with its insufferable barking." Rai Shinah walked to the front of the cage pulling the door open.
"What are you doing! Don't release that Monster!"
"Quick someone call The Chief!"
"Run Zolina's about to destroy the town again!"
"Quick let us in! It's just me and my child please! We can pay!"
The towns people panicked as the cage door opened and rushed to hide behind stalls and inside stores.
"Wow little fella you cleared the streets. Now I'm awfully curious to see your appearance." Shinah pulls the cloth off the entire cage.
The cage rocked and creaked from the force the cloth was pulled off by.
"..."
Shinah stares at the skinny little girl around the age of seven trapped in the cage, chained at the neck and covered in dirt. Her clothes were ripped into rags and her face sucked in from malnutrition.
'I...I thought you said it was a mixed breed.'
'She is.. but this .. I'm not sure why she has a human appearance.' He felt her sadness and tried to explain.
Shinah looked at the girl with displeasure, an oppressing feeling took her breath away, as she remembered the time she first reunited with her Second and Third Brothers after their kidnapping.
Both of them dirty and sickly like her.. beyond recognition.
Her heart felt as if it were stabbed by hundreds of needles as she was lost in emotion by the memory.
The girl in the cage looked at Hue LuoQing in fear and shook her head.
"Do it you stupid bitch! Kill her!" Hue LuoQing kicked the cage and grabbed ahold of Zolina's hair tugging her head forcefully.
Zolina's short blonde hair-oily and tangled dropped leaves pieces of mud as Hue LuoQing slammed her head into the cage.
"Just wait till Father comes.. I'll have him beat you again. Ugh your such disgusting dirty beast." Hue LuoQing tosses the girl down and wipes her hand off on her maids dress.
"Can you.. kill me." The little girl looked back at Shinah her pink eyes devoid of emotion.
"No Zo'er ..don't say that.. you promised we'd travel The Great Daten Sea together! I will become strong to save you!" Jingyu ran forward and held the cage bars crying. "I'm sorry Zo'er I'm still too weak, I've let you down."
"Darling ...Jingyu what ... what do you mean by this! Zolina's my property and I'm your betrothed! How dare you be seduced and want to run away with this disgusting beast! I'll kill her!" LuoQing clenched her sleeves in anger and slowly pulled out a black sea shell.
"LuoQing you're nothing but an evil girl! I'll never marry someone as ugly as you." Jingyu stood by the door of the cage and stretched out his hand to Zolina. "Zo'er let's run away. I'll grow big and strong to protect you. I won't let her take you away again."
Zolina looked at Jingyu with surprise and hesitation, her hand shook as she reached for his.
"NO!" Zolina's hand retracted suddenly and her body shook as if she were possessed. "AHHH Run..aw..way Jing runnn."
Her body collapsed and jolted with painful convulsions.
Light pink bolts of electricity shot out of her body.
"Zo'er what's wrong! What's happening-"
"Haha. She can't hear you. She's under my control now! Kill them.. kill them all. All who dared to defy me Zolina...." LuoQing laughed maniacally speaking into the black sea shell.
Zolina's body turned in an awkward angle and dragged forward stepping out the cage.
Her petite arms fell at her side, her dirty skin slowly transformed into small white holographic scales. Her small hands stretched unnaturally and formed into menacing claws.
Her bright pink eyes were clouded turning black, she jumped towards Shinah and Jingyu slashing with her claws.
Shinah was jostled out of her daze, suddenly in the strong and familiar arms of Little ShiiShii. His minty eucalyptus scent soothing her troubled heart.
'If you don't like this, then I'll destroy it.'
Little ShiiShii holds her gently like a princess while tossing Jingyu, which he snatched by the collar roughly towards his father.
Then gently puts Shinah down fixing the ruffled part of her dress.
People near by felt pity towards Jingyu and the preferential treatment from the young boy.
'Your right... If I don't like it then I'll just destroy it! You make sure that boy over there doesn't interfere.'
"I wasn't planning to seriously fight with a fool like you, but seeing how heartless and horrible you are to this town and people ... even those that follow you... I decided you definitely need to be taught a lesson today, Because.. It's people like you who warp things that are different into something worse off. It's people like you ..that I despise... you are the real monsters. And whatever I hate in this world I'll just destroy!" Shinah raised her head with resolve, her hatred couldn't be contained.
Her eyes changed from blue back to her original golden irises. Her glare pierced through LuoQing's arrogance causing her to tremble back with fear.