“Kaiiki…” Makkura whispered in her ear causing her to shudder. He smirked as they danced slowly. Kaiiki closed her eyes but made a small noise to say she was listening as she laid her head by his neck. Makkura smiled more and wrapped his arms tighter around her, “I have a question…”

“What is it Makkura?” Kaiiki asked quietly as she lifted her head and leaned back looking at him. Makkura smiled and kissed her gently on the lips and Kaiiki smiled responding with a gentle kiss back. Makkura pulled back and looked down at her.

“This might be too early to ask… but… would you marry me?”

Kaiiki blinked some and smiled faintly, “Makkura, I-” she started but Kashoku ran into Makkura giggling with rosy pink cheeks. She was holding an empty champagne glass and Kaiiki let out a laugh registering that, Makkura’s twin sister was drunk. Makkura, who also quickly noticed this let out a light laugh and messed up his sister’s hair.

“Oh Kashoku… We are twins yet so different…” He said and Kashoku snorted laughing.

“It not my fault this stuff tastes so good!” She snorted and wobbled off laughing.

“Thank goodness she isn’t on earth in a car…” Kaiiki laughed. Makkura smiled laughing also and he cleared his throat.

“Er… anyway… will you?”

Kaiiki opened her mouth to respond when Tsuta tapped her glass with tear streaked cheeks. Kaiiki then realized what was going to happen and a lump in her throat developed. She frowned and Makkura watched her circling an arm around her and holding her closely too him. She smiled gratefully as her eyes clouded over.

Tsuta let out a soft cough and sniffled, “It is now time… for Michael’s, I mean, Tatsumaki’s goodbyes…” Kaiiki closed her eyes tightly and she and Makkura headed up toward Tatsumaki.

“Harley… my dear do not cry…” Tatsumaki whispered quietly, “I promise, we will meet up again…”

“Papa…” Tears slowly rolled down her face and Makkura wiped them away.

“Shh… it’s okay Kaiiki,” Makkura replied softly kissing the top of her head. Tatsumaki smiled at Makkura kindly. Kaiiki stepped out of Makkura’s grasps and hugged her great grandfather tightly. She sniffled and stepped back as Makkura shook his hand and was pulled into a hug by Tatsumaki. He blinked in surprise before hugging the man who treated him like family back.

“Take good care of my great granddaughter Aaron…” Makkura’s eyes widened and he smiled.

“I’ll be sure too Tatsumaki.”

“Call me Michael son; I am no longer Tatsumaki…” Makkura nodded and smiled.

Makkura and Kaiiki stepped down and the others went to give Michael a hug goodbye, “Kaiiki…” Makkura said softly looking down at her. She was fiddling with her thumb. “She seems to take it well… she seems calmer…” he thought but saw a few tear drops land on the floor, “Kaiiki, don’t cry…”

Tsuta walked up to Michael and her eyes flooded with fresh tears, “It was nice to meet Michael…” She sniffled and wiped her eyes hugging him.

“Rachel… it was great working with you… Please take care of Harley and Aaron…” Tsuta nodded and smiled, “Also… train Arianna… She goes by the name of Juusanso… She’s getting the wind power…”

Tsuta nodded and stepped back, “We will always remember you Michael…” Michael smiled and turned. He stopped and turned back around.

“Harley,” He called. Kaiiki looked up at her great grandfather, “Please come with me…” He smiled and Kaiiki nodded looked at Makkura. He nodded and pushed her ahead and she walked to her great grandfather’s side.

“Goodbye Tatsumaki… Rest in peace Michael…” The people behind them called. Michael turned his head and waved before walking with Kaiiki to a back room.

“Papa… why did you want me to come?” She asked. They were in a cooler room with big doors on the walls. She looked around not recognizing the room, “Where are we?”

“Well Harley… When the Head Leader dies… they have the choice to be frozen… this is that room,” Kaiiki looked around more and her eyes locked on a name on a door, “Yes Harley… that is your mothers box…”

“But… she wasn’t a Head Leader!” She protested. She looked at her great grandfather in question.

“She was before she died Harley…” He smiled sadly, “Your mother was a Head Leader but when she died on Earth, the position went to your father. When your mother died soon after your birth, you were too young to take the spot… So your father was elected the Head Leader being the oldest and the closest relative… Then it was me…”

Kaiiki looked to the box next to her mother and clearly labeled on it was her mother’s name, “But… they didn’t have a choice… to be burned or frozen!”

“They told someone they would rather be cold and have a body, then be completely gone…” Michael said quietly.

“Papa…” She looked back at Michael, “Why’d you bring me here? I know it wasn’t just for this!”

“Well Harley… I’ve chosen to be frozen…” Kaiiki nodded, “And who controls the water here?”

“I do…”

“And what is ice?”

“Frozen water…” Michael nodded and Kaiiki’s eye grew wide, “No, no, no, no, no!!” She said loudly.

“Harley,” Michael persisted, “Please Harley!” Tears dripped off of her cheeks, and she shook her head, “Harley… you wanted me to promise to be frozen and this is the only way!”

Naiiki cried and she looked down, “F-Fine…” She whimpered looking at him. Michael smiled and he limped to a close bed. He sighed and looked at his great granddaughter.

“Thank you Harley…” He smiled his breathing becoming shallow. Naiiki frowned but smiled some.

“Anything for you Papa…” She whispered and got a bowl out raising her hand over it. Water rushed from her hand to the bowl and spread it evenly over Michael. He smiled and closed his eyes, “I’ll freeze it… when you sleep…”

Michael nodded and smiled at her opening his eyes, “I love you Harley…”

“I love you too Papa…” She smiled and she wiped away her tears. She could hear her great grandfather’s ragged breathing soon fade to a calm rhyme telling her he had fallen asleep. She sighed and her hands glowed as she places them over his legs freezing them in a block of ice. She moved up his body until she reached his head. His beard, machete, and long hair was already frozen in blocked of ice.

“I promise… I will find a cure… and try to bring you back” She whispered and kissed her great grandfather’s forehead crying. She sealed the block of ice and noticed his forever frozen smile of finally being able to rid of his pain.

~*~

Makkura was waiting out by a table for Kaiiki to return. Everyone else had left except for him and Tsuta. They heard quiet footsteps and looked back to see Kaiiki, tear stained, walking towards them. The immediantly jumped up and Makkura hugged her tightly.

“He… was smiling…” She laughed in her sob and hugged onto Makkura. She sobbed loudly in his chest and Tsuta’s eyes watered.

“He’s… dead?” Tsuta chocked out. She fell into a chair and held her head in her hands with her elbows propped up on the table. Tears landed on the table and she could hear Kaiiki’s sobs clearly through Makkura’s shirt.

Kaiiki calmed down and pulled away, “I’m going to find a cure…”

“What?” Makkura asked confused.

“I’m going to find a cure for his disease and bring him back!”

“Kaiiki… that’ll take months… possibly years!” Makkura said in protest.

“I promised him, before I finished the freezing procedure, I would find the cure and try to bring him back!”

“Wait, you did it to him?” Tsuta asked looking at her. Kaiiki looked away.

“I was the only one who could…” She muttered.

Tsuta frowed, “He… made you do it didn’t he?”

She nodded, “He made me a promise… and the only way he could keep it… was if I did the procedure…”

Makkura frowned some and stroked her hair softly hugging her. Kaiiki sighed some and pulled away.

“I… need to get away… get some rest… this is all too much…” She muttered and kissed Makkura before hugging Tsuta, “I’ll see you two in the morning…” She said quietly and ran off. Makkura looked over at Tsuta.

“I’m going to head to bed… can you check on Kaiiki later tonight and make sure she isn’t trying anything? Knowing my luck, I’d walk in when she was changing…” He smiled. Tsuta smiled weakly.

“Yeah… I will after I visit Michael…”

“Don’t stay up too late Tsuta… We have a battle to fight in the morning against the Fog Demons… They tried to steal from us a few days ago…”

Tsuta nodded and sat there, “Goodnight Makkura…”

“Goodnight Tsuta…” Makkura stood up and walked out of the room leaving Tsuta in the semi-dark room alone. She sighed and stood up walking into the cooler room slowly. She looked around the room and saw the low-lying door that read, ‘Tatsumaki/Michael’ She slide the door open and pulled out the box a little. She sniffled seeing her old leader’s face and sure enough, there was the smile on his face.

“You silly old man… Smiling even though you know you are going to die…” She muttered. She sighed and touched the ice gently, “Why’d you make Kaiiki do it? Why your Harley?” She asked.

The voice rang in her head and she blinked in surprise, “You… knew…” She smirked, “You brilliant man… you knew she would promise to find the cure… You want her too…” She smiled and kissed the ice, “Have a nice sleep old man…” She whispered and slid the ice back in the compartment closing it tightly leaving the room.

“3 times by the square root of 144 divided by the result of 67 times 32 is…” Kaiiki muttered out loud looking at a piece of paper placing a mechanical pencil in her mouth. She heard a light knock and removing the pencil from her mouth she muttered, “Come in…”

The door slowly opened and Kashoku walked in, “Hey Kaiiki…”

“Oh hey Kashoku… Are you uh… sobering up?” She asked smiling.

Kashoku let out a laugh but winced, “Yes… hang-overs are horrible… never drink!”

“I can’t anyway Kashoku…” She laughed and leaned over grabbing a box out from underneath her bed and opened it take out a cup and some aspirin. She waved her hand over the cup and it filled with water and she handed her the cup and medicine.

“Aw, you have an awesome power Kaiiki…” She smiled and took the medicine, “So… Makkura told me about last night…”

Kaiiki frowned and looked down, “Yeah…”

“He told me how you want to find a cure…” Kaiiki nodded and looked down at her homework for college, “I’ll help you…”

“What?” Kaiiki looked up quickly at Kashoku.

“I said, I’ll help you… we all cared for Tatsumaki… or Michael… But only a few would help with finding the cure… I’m one…”

Kaiiki smiled in gratitude and Kashoku stood up, “Anyway, thanks for the medicine… I’ll tell Makkura that you are dressed… he has this thing on like always begin afraid you are naked when he goes to walk into your room…” She shrugged and Kaiiki laughed.

Once Kashoku left, Kaiiki took out a different book and flipped through it, “Injury to the Spinal Cord… Injury to the Spinal Cord… No, it doesn’t have anything to do with being paralyze! GOD! What were his other symptoms?” She cursed.

“Uh… Kaiiki?” Makkura said quietly opening her door. She looked up and closed the book tucking it under her bed.

“Hey Makkura…” She smiled as Makkura entered her room.

“Uh… nice room…” He said and sat down next to her. He jumped as he heard Kaiiki’s door shut on it’s own.

“You’re jumpy…” Kaiiki joked and smiled at him. He smirked at her and shrugged, “Maybe you are just nervous…”

He raised an eyebrow, “About?”

“About being alone in my room with me…” She smiled and looked down at her homework as Makkura blushed.

“Anyway…” He coughed and looked at her, “Have you… decided yet Kaiiki?”

“Hmm… decide what?” She asked working on her math problem.

Makkura watched her and took out a small box putting it on her homework. Kaiiki looked at it and opened it to reveal an engagement ring with a light blue sapphire in it.

“Makkura…” She smiled and looked at him.

“I need your answer Kaiiki… The rest of us have to go out and fight the Fog Demons… You can’t come though…” He said smiling slightly.

“Why can’t I? I’m the Head Leader…” She said quietly.

“You are still injured Kaiiki, Tatsumaki… Michael… didn’t want you to go out and fight for a few weeks…”

Kaiiki looked away and sighed, “Fine…”

“So what’s your answer?”

Kaiiki looked at the ring and gently grazed it with her finger. She smiled and took it out the box. Makkura smiled and was filled with excitement when she slipped it on her left ring finger. She looked at him and smiled wrapping her arms around him gently kissing him.

Makkura kissed her back and pulled back staring into her deep black eyes, “Thank you Kaiiki…”

Kaiiki kissed him again and pushed him off of her bed, “Go out there and fight… That’s an order Makkura…”

Makkura laughed and stood up, “Fine, Madame…”

Kaiiki smirked and Makkura left the room. She grabbed the book from under her bed and flipped through again and searched for the illness her great grandfather suffered from.

“Damn it Tsuta!” Makkura griped as he pulled on his black cloak.

“Watch your language Makkura! We don’t want this girl to catch your nasty habit!” Tsuta barked.

“F… Whatever!” He snapped and grabbed his staff. Tsuta’s short green dress shimmered as she grabbed a hold of her small dagger shoving them into a hidden pocket.

“So, Juusanso… this you’re first battle and most likely the only training you’ll receive…” Tsuta looked over at the young girl. The one who replaced Tatsumaki,. Kaiiki’s great grandfather and the only left family. Tsuta didn’t mean too… But she would always hold a grudge on this woman.

Juusanso frowned some, “I don’t even have this power under control…”

“Then use you’re arrows…” Makkura responded looking the girl over. He shook his head. “She is nothing compared to Kaiiki… she’ll never be as great as Tatsumaki…” he thought.

Juusanso sighed and she looked around, “Where’s the Head Leader?”

“Today kid, I am… Kaiiki is injured… Wait… where is fire boy’s replacement?”

“No one has found him yet… either that or he is stuck in a space ship…” Makkura muttered, “Kashoku!”

“Yes brother?” Kashoku called looking out of the window.

“Are you coming to help?” Tsuta replied.

“Uh… I thought someone needed to watch Kaiiki…” Juusanso whispered to Makkura.

“No one needs to watch her… She may be injured, be she’s an awesome fighter…”

“Then how’d she get injured?” Juusanso smirked. The girl received a blow in the face and Makkura stalked off.

Tsuta and Kashoku stared at Makkura in amazement on his actions. He would never hit a female. Juusanso rubbed her cheek and winced.

“I think I’ll come with you guys then… Just to keep Makkura out of trouble…” Kashoku replied and climbed out of her window.

“Good idea…” Tsuta muttered watching the irritated Makkura walk off into Tsuta’s woods.

“Hurry up…” Makkura called red in the face.

“You didn’t say anything about Kaiiki did you?” Kashoku asked Juusanso.

“Uh… yes… I’m sorry… was I not supposed too?”

“Kaiiki and Makkura are involved… Makkura won’t let anyone touch her or talk badly about her… He’s your perfect typical boyfriend…” Koshoku responded walking after her brother.

“Well… you are still new… so I’ll fill you in when we go to hunt down the Fog Demons…” Tsuta said and grabbed one of Makkura’s extra black cloaks tying it around her neck.

Juusanso nodded and walked with Tsuta. She stayed quiet as she talked, “So… why does everyone seem to hate me?”

“Well… the person that you received their powers… was our old Head Leader… He was Kaiiki’s great grandfather… the best fighter… great god… He was like… everyone’s family. He developed a disease called Internal Fungi… It is very nasty… It’s where fungi grow inside of your body and begin to slowly eat at your important organs. Kaiiki never knew what the disease was or how he got it… and no one is allowed to tell her…”

Juusanso looked over at Tsuta and she saw the frown clearly drawn on her face, “How did he get it?”

“When Kaiiki was born, Michael… or uh, Tatsumaki… went to earth when she received her human name. We he was driving back to the space port, he got into a car accident… he received spinal cord injuries which luckily didn’t affect his ability to walk… but a piece of glass infected him internally but it went unnoticed. When he was diagnosed with Internal Fungi, it was Kaiiki’s 1st birthday when her mother died…” Tsuta said softly.

“Is that why she can not know? She’s blame herself?” Juusanso said quietly. Tsuta nodded and sighed.

“She blames herself for everything… her ex-fiancée was banished because he abandoned her… Her mother died, because they wanted Kaiiki to have a beautiful birthday cake… When her mother went to pick it up, she was shot…”

“What about her dad?” Juusanso asked quietly.

Tsuta looked away quickly, “That one… is her story… not mine…”

“We are here…” Makkura replied coldly listening into the conversation. “Why do they have to talk about her past?!” he thought as tears welled up into his eyes, “Why, does Tsuta want Kaiiki to relive the way her father died… he did not die before her mother like she tells everyone…” he thought, “She only says that so she can hide the truth…”

They heard crackling and a deep fog well up around them, “Juusanso… you can control clouds and fog…” Makkura muttered, “It’s all in the wind… now use it…” He muttered and his eyes filled with a dark fog as he pulled his staff.

“I-I don’t know how!” Juusanso stuttered.

“Fine… I’ll deal with this fight than…” Makkura muttered. He saw a bright light flood past him and he smirked, “Thanks Kashoku…” he muttered.

Behind him Kashoku nodded as her hands reflected light. Makkura waved his hand as it suddenly went dark and Juusanso fired an arrow at a clearly visible target. It struck the demon and many more filled out.

“Too bad those with sudden light and darkness, you all are glow in the dark!” Tsuta called and she waved her hands as many vines shot up taking hold of the demons.

Kashoku smirked as she pulled out her wand and flicked it sending a powerful blast of white light to obliterate the demons. Makkura smirked and he twirled his staff as the darkness cleared and a light fog remained before disappearing.

“I’m heading home…” Makkura said turning. His black cloak ruffled in the wind and everyone watched him. Suddenly, a bloodied arrow shot past the girl and hit Makkura in the back. His eyes shot wide and he fell forward bleeding.

“MAKKURA!” Kashoku cried. She turned around to see an injured fog demon chuckling before falling dead.

Tsuta quickly lifted Makkura and looked at the arrow. She turned to Juusanso, “It was the arrow you used before…” She muttered and quickly picked up Makkura with the help of Kashoku and took off running back to headquarters with him. Juusanso stood there stunned before running to catch up.