"Kasumi? Kasumi?" Step. Step. Step. "Kasumi? Kasumi?! Where are you?!" Step, step, step, step... * "Chikoriita, tsuru no muchi!" "Togechiiku, sutemi takkuru." Two vines were released from the chikoriita, and they lashed furiously at the togechiiku as it flew forwards with an arch. Togechiiku bashed its head onto the small leaf monster, but was charged back in the air with a backfire as the vines started to burn on its fiery body. "Chikoriita, quick, happa katta!" shouted Nanako. It immediately brought back its burnt vines and started to throw its head forwards in a circular motion, shooting out numerous leaves on each turn. Yet the fairy-like monster stayed still, letting each leaf burn and disintegrate. Why was this battle going so quickly? Nanako bit her lip in worry. "Come on, Nanako," said Taichi, "you can do this! You can beat Kasumi! You really can!" Nanako shook her head. "No, I can't... I can't..." "Yes you can!" shouted Taichi. "You can beat her!" "No, I...." "You have to!" said Seiyou and more of the leaves started to turn to ashes. "For all we know our very lives depend on it!" Nanako made a small growl under her breath, and shot her head up. "Chikoriita, giga dorein!" "Chiko!" it replied. It lowered its head and closed its eyes, and it started looking for its energy target. "Sora wo tobu," said Kasumi. Togechiiku flew up to the ceiling, and started to prepare for an aerial attack. Chikoriita finally aimed straight forward at the main energy source, and a small ball of energy started to surround its target. It surrounded Kasumi. "Ah... wha-?" Kasumi stuttered and she took a step back and her site was suddenly tinted with green as the ball of energy started to become brighter. Kasumi squirmed around in pain, shutting her eyes closed as she felt a sharp pain all around her body, and she started to feel weak. * "Where could she be?" Hiroshi turned his head around a little. He opened one door that led to their bedroom, but she wasn't there. Hiroshi backed away a little, and he suddenly heard a scream. "Nn? Kasumi!" he shot his head up and started running towards the heart of the castle that held both Kasumi's meeting places, and the battle arena. -- Togechiiku dived down at the fully recharged Chikoriita, knocking it down on the small raised tiles. Kasumi fell on her knees, clenching her sides and shoulders in pain. The platforms suddenly started to lower down and the railings disappeared. The water was drained into the cracks in the tiles as the green light slowly blinked away from her. "We have you now, Kasumi!" shouted Seiyou, and she ran towards her with Nanako and Taichi running after. She reached behind her and took out one of her arrows with one hand, and positioned her bow with her other. Hiroshi burst in through the doors at the side, and Seiyou let down her arrow. "Kasumi!" he shouted, his light blue cape whipping in back of him like the wind. Two tears streamed down Kasumi's face and she began to fall over on her side. Hiroshi rushed over to her, and caught her in his arms. He held her close to his chest, and she hugged back tightly. Hiroshi quietly shushed Kasumi in comfort. "Hiro...Hiroshi," she mumbled. "Out of the way, sprite!" shouted Seiyou and she aimed her arrow once again. Hiroshi turned his head around, gently setting down Kasumi. He stood up, facing the Yosei Kokoro. His eyes started to water and he spread his arms out wide. "I-if you're going to kill Kasumi, then I guess I'll have to join her," he announced with determined eyes. "Try if you must, but you'll never get passed me." Seiyou lowered her arrow again. 'I can't do that... it's against our regulations. If we didn't record any crimes by him, I can't do anything about it.' Seiyou looked down at him and moistened her lips a little. 'He probably has killed before... maybe he was the one who sent the minions out. But we still haven't sighted him, nor has anybody mentioned working for an electric sprite.' "Miss Seiyou? Are you sure we should...?" started Nanako, but trailed off when Seiyou ignored her. 'But isn't he... isn't he that that electric sprite that gave Kasumi legs? It has to be! He's been missing for over three years, and here he is in love with the very girl he had cast a spell on?' "Miss Seiyou?" repeated Nanako. "You," said Seiyou to Hiroshi. "You're really the one who started all of this, didn't you? You're the one who gave Kasumi power, so it's your fault she even started a crime wave! You have caused a felony!" Seiyou raised her arrow once again, pulled back, and aimed at Hiroshi. She let go of the string, and the arrow was shot forward. Though Hiroshi stood still, except for his arm, and he caught the arrow in front of him. He dropped it on the floor, keeping his stilled determined face. "Leon," he said and threw a monster ball out. A pikachu jumped out. "Kaminari." Hiroshi quickly picked up Kasumi, who had already fallen asleep from her lack of energy. He ran out the room, leaving his pikachu to attack. Hiroshi quickly set Kasumi down in their bed and left her Togechiiku to care for her during his absence. Hiroshi rushed back inside the main room, finding Nanako and Taichi burnt out and fainted on the floor. He returned Leon to his monster ball and set it away in his pocket. Seiyou was left standing with her Karakara in front of her with its bone club raised over its head, draining in what was left of the bolt. It had absorbed every bit of electricity in front and around Seiyou to protect her. She returned it into a black monster ball. Hiroshi narrowed his eyes and held out his arms, throwing out sparks of electricity at her, but each one was drained into her. "I'm an earth-element nymph, you idiot!" she spat at him. "You can't blame a guy for trying," he retorted. He lashed his arm around across him, releasing two bright lights shaped as lightning bolts at her. They bounced off her arm, but she winced a little and pivited back. "I still have some tricks for you," he said as he leaped behind her and swung his leg under her, making her fall to the floor on her side. "What kind of trick was that?" "One that worked." Seiyou didn't have any time to stand up. She raised her arms so her palms were facing him and let out two vines from her hands that wrapped around his neck. He burst out with a bolt of lightning that surprised her with intense heat and she immediately let go. Seiyou slid her leg across the floor, knocking him over and she stood up, reversing sides. "Well, here's my little magic trick..." Nanako and Taichi started to struggle a little and their eyes slowly cracked open. Their vision was blurred and doubled at first, but it cleared and they could see Seiyou posed to the side, her bow and arrow directed at Hiroshi. "No!" cried out Taichi and he forced to get up. "He doesn't deserve that!" yelled Nanako, and she propped herself up on her elbow. Seiyou brought back her arrow, just a little and Hiroshi kept still, his face still serious. His breathing was hard, and he glanced down at the floor for a second, then to Nanako and Taichi, who took one step forward before he returned his glare back to Seiyou. She released her grip on the bow, and the arrow was shot at Hiroshi. There was a split second of nothing but the sound of quick footsteps and the spatter of blood against the smooth tiled floor. They heard a small moan escape and Nanako rushed over. "Taichi!" she screamed, her voice cracking in horror. Seiyou dropped her bow and gawked. What had she done? She killed her own employee? "I..I..." she stuttered. "I didn't mean...." Tears flowed steadily from Nanako's eyes, and she lifted Taichi in her arms. "He saved Hiroshi just in time. But... but nobody deserved to die," said Nanako shakily. "Not even Kasumi... and he saw that." Wet, salty tears dropped onto Taichi's uniform, slowly soaking into the material. She let her head down, crying louder with her back hunched over. She held him closer, hugging him tightly. And for a second, the world seemed to stop turning.