When they saw the small cabin-like structure after the thick and bulky door, they were slightly disappointed at the anti-climax. Why didn't they guard it more? It was only some pills after all. With a sour expression, they entered. Sanji flanked then left and Yuuki flanked the right. They worked their way through the mini shelves and after an unfruitful ransack, they left. They had three bottles of ability-enhancing pills, some bonedust and other useful medicines and herbs. Not much was useful but they were greatful that they could find a good amount of battle items. This would help them considerably.
"Let's go now. We should get to Kira before dawn." Sanji stated hurriedly, averting his eyes from scanning the shelves.
Yuuki made a simple nod in agreement.
A few moments later, they arrived at the hospital. They both looked up at the tall block of stone.
"I find myself standing in front of this building a lot these days...I wonder why," Yuuki commented in a sarcastic manner.
"Me too,"Sanji replied unenthusiasticly. Yuuki silently gestured to Sanji the three white masks that were hanging off her backpack.
He took the act as 'put one on and give me another one,' He took them off and handed her one. They didn't wear them just yet though.
Once they were ready, they jumped up to window. Luckily, Kira was waiting for them so the window was open and they could make a simple entrance without a sound. When Kira saw her two 'heroes' her ears perked up. She hadn't expected them to come this early. After a week of lying down on the hospital bed pretending to be unconscious, she had explored the inside of the hospital so well she knew where the armoury was, where they had taken her belongings. Currently, she was in the clothes the hunters had found her in with her backpack and precious bow. Thankfully nothing had been removed or stolen.
Yuuki vaulted in first, however she saw a different girl than she had seen for the past three nights. Kira's dark green themed outfit, her backpack and beautiful bow seemed to contrast to last night. She looked more sharp and beautiful as well, as her wavy chestnut brown hair was cascaded over her shoulders, making her brilliant green eyes shine even in the dark of the night. Bow in hand, and sharp arrows by her side, Kira resembled almost a heroine, not someone who had to be saved. 'Looks are deceiving, I guess.' Yuuki thought.
When Sanji finally saw her, his mouth gaped open at the goddess situated in front of him. She was so much more different than yesterday. Kira looked powerful and confident, unlike the damsel in distress from last night. Though, he quickly picked up his jaw, he didn't need anyone knowing that he suddenly found her extremely attractive. Kira silently watched them infatuated by her and didn't understand what was so shocking to look at.
She initiated the conversation first, to get out of this awkward scene, "Thank you for coming. It would probably be best if we get going now. I need to see master as soon as possible. Are you sure you still want to help me?" She inquired politely. She raised her brow to back up her speech. Kira still didn't know these guy's capabilities and persona so it was best to be kept on good terms.
"Umm..huh?" Yuuki straightened her posture, "Oh, yeah sure. Yeah... We're sure. Oh, by the way I made something for you. This is an aura-suppressing mask, self explanatory." Yuuki handed one mask to her, clumsily trying to hide her shock.
"Thanks. Let's go now." Kira expressed her gratitude and placed it on her face.
Sanji just watched the girls' interactions by the door. He also put his mask on. Just when he waltzed over to the window to end this tiring night, his eyes opened wide, looking at the door. He immediately knew something was up. An icy claw of uneasiness crept up his spine. Someone was behind the door. He figured they were either eavesdropping or getting ready to ambush them. Suddenly darting his eyes to Yuuki, he spewed out the signal of alert. Yuuki, obliviously continued walking in front of the windowsill. Seeing his attempts where in vain, Sanji shrieked, "Yuuki! Behind me! Kira, get down!" Hearing the sudden commotion, Yuuki understood what was happening and instinctively whipped out her cross-bow. Kira also chimed in and immediately proned. Just when Yuuki loaded her weapon, Sanji fell to the ground and with precise timing, she shot an arrow at whoever was opening the door.
A guard with dog-like characteristics entered and tried dodging the arrow dashing at him. He only managed to move a bit to the right, causing the arrow to scratch his left shoulder. Another guard had opened the door fully and leaned on the wall beside the door. He called out for help and the other three guards that had quickly entered went on high alert. Kira stood up from where she crouched and pulled two arrows from her quilt. She shot with great reflexes, like she was tracking them with her bow. Like a machine. She shot one arrow straight into one guards chest and the other into the other guard's arm. The runes on her hands each had a power. She used her rune of poison and laced the arrows beforehand, making them go numb and lose their consciousness. The first guard and the other guard sat outside of the door, waiting for a time to strike.
However, Sanji and Yuuki were two steps ahead of them. They nodded at eachother and Yuuki played her flute.
Guards Perspective;
The corridor had gone dark, they both looked through the door at once, to see a red eyed Sanji infront of them. Echoing footsteps surrounded the area, they had nowhere to go. Two more versions of Sanji appeared and both waved menacingly.
Yuuki struggled to keep 3 clones of Sanji visible to them, and Sanji was pushing his body to overload their ears and make them fall unconscious due to the noise. Eventually, the two guard fell to their feet and fell into their deep slumber. Yuuki put her hand on her head and bit her lip in pain. Sanji fell back onto the wall and slowly slid down it. He bled out of his nose so much you could see it going down his neck. Those noises were much harder work it seemed. Yuuki threw a bottle of the Enhancement pills at Sanji and Kira. Sanji opened it and downed two,Yuuki did the same and Kira popped one in her mouth. "Bloody hell those guards were quite a bit of work," Sanji sighed, he got back up onto two feet and looked down at his hands, "When are these pills supposed to kick in?"
Yuuki stared at him, "Mine took affect immediately, don't tell me you are immune to it or something?" She put her hand infront of her eyes, "and oh boy do these make me feel powerful."
"I fully agree with you" Kira complied.
"I hate you," Sanji wiped the blood from his neck.
"Oh why would that be? I'm lovely!" Yuuki teased and shot a too-genuine smile as him.
Yuuki and Kira stood near the door as they heard three more approaching. Sanji touched the side of his head and sensed them too, but... What was this potent Mana? Using his knowledge, the guards on the right and left were average guards, but the one coming.. they were.. too powerful for them! "YUUKI, KIRA!" They looked back at him. He saw a sudden spear of ice pierce the wall, directly on where Kira slept ever since she came here. They both jumped backwards and watched the huge man infront of them walk through the door. Compared to him, the door frame was nothing. He crossed his arms at the doorway.
"Seems they got the security devision in the palms of their hand." Kira smirked, trying to hide her uneasiness with a comment. She added,"His aura is off the charts."
"You can sense it too?" Sanji replied shakily.
Yuuki pointed the flute at the man and sung. Kira pulled back her bow's strings and fired. He was stuck in Yuuki's illusion but right before Kira's arrow hit, he broke out of it. Just then, for Sanji, everything went slow motion. The guy grabbed the arrow and snapped it and particles of mana seeped out the inside of the pointy arrow. He threw his arms infront of him and blasted them with ice. The girls put their arms infront of them and protected their face. They awaited their doom.
Surprisingly, they opened their eyes and saw Sanji infront of them, so many shadows and their state was so stable. He looked back at them and they sensed his smirk through his mask, "Hello ladies, it seems the pills finally decided to join us!" One of his shadows grabbed the two girls and covered their ears. He put his other hand through the shadow infront of him and burst the guard's earrdrums. The big guy looked away and covered his ears. He looked back at them but there was no one there but a few teddy bears. Where they stood, labelled, "The shadows are alive."
A silver crescent shone in the white speckled night sky. KirYuuki and Sanji were trekking deeper into the depths of the Illusion Forest. They saw dark green leaves the size of their whole bodies and mystical flowers that looked too beautiful, mystical even, to be real.
Kira also recognised the fruit that led her to ultimately meet these two troublemakers. It was the Void Berries. For the girl, they had a bitter-sweet memory. She had soon taken some interest in Yuuki and Sanji after they helped her and the way they fought. She decided that she definitely liked these two kids.
Oblivious to Kira's positive thoughts about them, the boy and the girl continued arguing about random topics so they didn't fall asleep. Or get bored.
"Hey, I told you, that guy was a mix between a Zacian and Xato. There's no way that he can use ice like that and be so fast..no. Its not possible." Yuuki told him.
"No he's definitely a mix but not a Zacian and Xato. It's Nekomia and Xatu. And plus, why can't the poor man work out? Why would you say that? It's not like anyone's stopping him. I personally think he was pretty okay-looking if it weren't for him viciously bombarding us..." Sanji replied.
"No I'm telling you Sanji, the size of this body was not possible for a Nekomia. He had to have Zacian blood in him, that makes his manipulation of ice because Zacians have an affinity for water, but the Xatu part explains his muscles and the cold infused with the water from the wind affinity- which makes ice. A mix of two heritages that rely of strength and magic can only make that."
"Yuuki you should really read less books." He shook his head.
"Sanji you-"
"Anyway, moving on, Miss Void Berry here hasn't said a word since we ventured into the wild unknown known as the Illusion Forest. Mind you, it's been almost three hours. I was thinking you might say at least a few words but it seems the cat got your tongue. Care to prove me wrong?"
"I- well, yes but I really don't know what to say." Kira smiled apologetically.
"Well, you could start off with introducing yourself?" Sanji said with a soft smile.
"Uhh.. Well, I'm Kira Aera as you know and I'm 10. I don't really know what else to say" She said shyly.
"Back there, on the first few guards, you knocked them out cold before I could even do anything. How did you do that? And if you don't mind me asking what are those marks on your knuckles?" Yuuki inquired.
Kira knew that this was going to come up so she was mentally prepared but she seemed to have somehow lost all brain cells during that encounter. Right now she was...frankly, as blank as an empty vase. She still tried to say something at least.
"My runes..I was born with them so I actually don't know why I have them but they help me use certain abilities. Just like how Sanji uses shadows and you use Celestial magic-at least that's my theory- I use these ten runes to help me. They all have different attributes. Actually, I also have darkness and Celestial magic in my runes but they probably aren't as powerful as yours because they are your birth mana. I also have other stuff like Psych, Lighting, Light and Poison. I can use them to merge with my arrows from my bow or any weapon. But it's only at its best potential with my bow because my master especially forged it for me and my runes."
After Kira explained, both Yuuki Sanji were rooted to their spots.
"What?!" They both said it unison.
Yuuki's mind was racing. How could one have runes that each had different powers? It was not possible. So how? There had to be some reason how Kira was this way. There had to be a logical explanation...
"Wait so hold on. You're telling me that you can use ten different powers and they're all even more powerful with that bow? Doesn't that make you a God or something?!" Sanji expressed in utter disbelief.
"No, not really. Only some of them are stronger than the others. My Poison, Lighting and Summoning are more powerful than the rest. I can also summon some beasts according to the amount of mana I use. My Darkness and Holy attributes clash a lot so I can't use them or I lose control." She added, sheepishly.
Yuuki, meanwhile was still processing all this information....
It was a tick too much for her to comprehend.