Humility and Harry wasted no time locating Red, who was now back on his feet, trying to convince Tanken to let Gabby go. But to no avail.
In her mind, it was all fixed. The delusion of a happily ever after. Of her, finally having an eternal partner. She was willing to get into a relationship, filled with lies and magic, although she knows that in his heart, he only loved one woman.
Jinko smirked when he saw that his target arrived.
Jane's death kept him going this far. And he was sure that none of his efforts would go to waste.
JINKO: Tanken, I need you to be a good girl, and go after that gray haired guy.
TANKEN: Hi-him? He...I don't know, Red mentioned once he was rank 2.
JINKO: I'm sure you're way stronger. Considering your age. If you want to succeed, this is the last thing you need to do. But here.
Jinko hands her the everstone, placing it carefully on her cold white hands.
JINKO: If you manage to be close to him, make sure to use this. You know how to activate this, right?
TANKEN: I do...but, are you sure that I'll manage to get close to him?
JINKO: Of course. You're strong, right?
Tanken simply nods her head, and began attacking.
Humility, even on half his power, was able to dodge her snow releases. But since Tanken is a better combatant on close range positions, she wasted no time in getting nearer. Eventually succeeding to do so.
Humility uses his whip, which in turn hurt her very much. It was very heavy, and it felt sharp on every edge.
TANKEN: Go easy on me, I'm a woman.
HUMILITY: Equal rights, honey, equal rights.
Humility smirked, and by that moment Tanken knew that he wasn't rank 2 for no reason.
As quick as she was, he was beyond comprehensible. And in a desperate attempt to end it, she locked him with her body and attempted to stab him the everstone. But before she could even do so, Humility jerked her out of him, with the impact breaking the shards into five different pieces.
Tanken, panicking and already weakened, gathered the shards and shoots it randomly.
Humility managed to reflect two, one of which Tanken dodged, shooting Gabby at the back, and one which went directly at her, making her scream and shrink a bit.
Humility didn't noticed that he too, had been pricked. So as Red and Harry. And soon, they all began feeling the same sensation. They felt weakened, like parts of them were being sucked by an invisible force, and Humility realized what was about to happen, so he summoned a butterfly with his last bit of strength to store some information, so that when they wake up...they'll at least has a chance to go back.
Weak and unconscious, they dropped as mere children.
The everstone, to be exact, stole most of their strength as a reaper.
Red lost his fierceness, and his body was reduced into his 7 year old self.
Harry lost his cooperativeness, and focus, while he was converted back to his 6 year old self.
Humility, lost his cool, calm and humility, eventually back to his 7 year old self.
All lost some main parts of their memories, but thanks to the white butterfly, they were able to survive for the meantime.
But the problem was simply far from over.
Gabby too, was knocked unconscious.
Tanken was the only one up, as the shard which pierced her skin was the smallest. Although it still affected her greatly.
The butterfly, knowing that they'll be in trouble if not protected, teleported the sleeping boys on a faraway part of the winter themed forest, which left Gabby to fend for herself.
Jinko felt very angry at Tanken. For letting the everstone, which he spent months to have just wasted off like that.
In frustration and desperation, he commanded her with a loud voice to at least kill the human girl, who is much more defenseless as ever.
After looking at the sleeping child however, Tanken felt moved and saddened, remembering her daughters from previous life times and as a mother, not being able to kill the poor child.
JINKO: What? What's with that look? At least kill her to make up for this stupid mistake! Do it!
Tanken, without a word took Gabby in her arms, and despite despising her before, she understood what jealousy did to her, and looked at her as a mere victim.
In a hush tone, she whispered something, asking the sleeping child for an apology, and with her last bits of strength, covered herself in snow.
Blinding Jinko's sight as they make an escape.
JINKO: Damn it!
Now without the everstone, Jinko tried to trick Fia to helping him locate them.
He finds her, resting on her cave whilst finishing her last meal.
Her features were still in her spider form, and Jinko, felt quite creeped out because there were many bones greeting him on the entrance.
FIA: What's the matter? You looked a bit stressed.
He looks at her quickly, walking towards her while shoving the bones on his feet.
JINKO: She...she used the everstone and overpowered me! You need to help me!
FIA: But that everstone was supposed to be...mine!!! How dare she??!
JINKO: But she's weakened, we can defeat her and the reapers after her. Then we'll get revenge! This is the the best opportunity we have, you must help me!
FIA: Of course, I'll help you. Just let me burn the human down...I still feel heavy.
JINKO: Thank you! That...that trator, she should surely suffer!
FIA: Easy, easy...but...what happened? Ain't the everstone only for one use?
JINKO: It got split...but it still affected them on some way...but maybe it will wear off sooner.
FIA: I see...so we need to hurry!
JINKO: Truly.
But while Fia has great tracking skills, the lost of flare made the targets nothing more but a very faint scent to her.
JINKO: What's the matter?
FIA: I can't smell them.
JINKO: What?! Why?! They're not that far, I'm sure. They're weak after all.
FIA: That's the point. I can't track their scent because they're not giving much due to their already frail bodies. It's like spotting new people. I really can't smell anything.
JINKO: Fine, fine. I'll fly around to look, and you'll be here looking for them on the ground.
Jinko attempts to fly but the snow and the cold burned his feathers to a halt.
He eventually changes his mind and comes back to where Fia was.
FIA: Hurts, eh?
JINKO: Tsk, stupid winter.
FIA: Hey, don't be so sad, we'll eventually find them.
JINKO: Ugh, all those hard work for this crap! I've had it!!! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
FIA: Hey, don't give up yet.
Jinko remembers his dear friend, and how many attempts he already set in motion for this to work, to which all proved to be useless.
JINKO: What if I fail again?
FIA: Then, we'll try again.
JINKO: F*ck this, I'm losing it.
FIA: Don't give up yet, we can still do it.
JINKO: I'm tired of losing.
FIA: That's why people lose. It's because they give up. So just stand up, chin up, and let's do this! Who cares how many times we fail, if we don't keep trying, we might miss the chance to actually win...