5

5. Open Your Eyes to Reality pt. 2




A brief but bright flash would explode inside the clearing of a forest. Karu fell to his knees on the pad that set below them. One of his hands came up to rub his forehead.

"Short distance is alright but this continent must be enormous if after that second we were sent off, I had a major headache..." he complained looking around him.

During his speech Zsenith and Izzy appeared behind him. Both of them stepped off the pad.

"Fricken androids trying to act cool," Karu got up, "Where is this anyway?... Is this that island Aaron was talking about?"

Zsenith replied in his usual staunch voice as he walked onward, Karu appearing to his side.

"This is the twin breed's territory. Home to beings who have superseded human characteristics and taken on additional body configurations one or more various creatures..we're about to go talk to the Queen, whom Aaron mentioned to you once already," Zsenith explained.

Karu looked around them curiously as they walked entering a plentiful forest of many trees.

They hadn't walked far before they were confronted by a pair of human looking tigers approached them with staff shaped weapons, sharp crystals mounted upon the ends.

"We welcome you to our home, guests from Seilku," one welcomed with his deep but friendly sounding voice.

The other bowed slightly before following up with his statement.

"Do you have some special business with Nekuila today?" He asked, contrary to his partner, voice much higher in tone.

"Correct, we've been sent by Aaron to meet with the Queen for an urgent matter that's recently arisen," Zsenith replied.

Both of the tigers looked to one another and nodded back toward Zsenith.

"Please follow us then, we shall get you to her as quickly as possible," the tiger's spoke simultaneously as they turned and began running.

Karu watched them dart off, followed by Zsenith and Izzy.

"But I..." he started, beginning to run after them.

In his school one could consider him athletic but not to this level they were running at.

"Guys?..." he stated as he ran down the forest pathway.

A few moments passed and Zsenith would show up ahead of Karu. Once close enough Karu stood there panting for a bit holding his knees.

"You guys are too fast for me..." he managed to speak between wheezes.

"Perhaps you are too slow. You should say you're not physically inclined sooner," Zsenith commented.

Karu looked up at him with a dumbfounded appearance on his face.

"You know, for an android you seem like a dick," he retorted bluntly.

"As someone incapable of feelings, I'm unsure what you mean. All that was implied is that you could mention that you would fall behind," Zsenith stated.

Karu was about to say something in response but was interrupted by Zsenith who pulled him up over his own shoulder hurrying down the path to meet up with the others.

After about a minute or so of running the five of them would reach a rather large building composed of rock, wooded plant and some synthesized material. The group of them would approach the rear entrance of the building. The two tigers paused there.

"We shall stay here, you there with bright yellow hair should remember her highness' building well so I'll leave to you on finding her," one of them stated while the other opened the door.

Zsenith nodded setting Karu down walking forward. Izzy followed behind shortly after. Karu entered last holding his gut, having received a major stomach ache and sore on his abdomen from being carried over the shoulder. Behind them the door closed. On the inside of the building they stood inside of an auxilary room that had a door shortly before them. To either side of them on the wall with portraits of the Queen on them. Karu, curious walked over looking at one of them closely seeing most of her general features: natural beauty, mid-length purple looking hair, a mostly average looking build maybe a bit on the bigger side and blue eyes. Upon closer examination he would notice some things that seemed only a little off: her ears were that of a feline's, a long exceptionally bushy looking tail and a face that also resembles a cat. Lastly the one feature that completely caught him by surprise: her breasts.

"Ho-holy crap!" He exclaimed.

About to say more he was thrown off balance, the room they were in was actually an elevator. Once he heard the ding he looked at the door as it slowly opened.

Behind the door a girl probably the same height as Karu blinks looking them all over. She looked over at Zsenith, recognizing him first she jumped toward him.

"Zsenith! No one told me you were coming, what brings you over?" She asked confused. Her arms, covered by concealing sleeves, wrapped around him.

"We're here on urgent business, where's your mother?" He asked looking down at her.

The feline looking girl lowered herself from Zsenith to think for a moment. As she did this she looked over seeing Karu.

"Hey...you're that boy from Miss Sabrina's house," she walked over to him, "Momma's been waiting for you!"

Karu looked at the girl, finally remembering. This was Snow from when they met out on the plains the other day.

"This...this is your house here?" He looked at her, then around himself, "You live like a freakin princess!"

Snow, the feline human hybrid, giggled. From behind her another woman would appear.

Karu stopped freaking out long enough to realize they'd been accompanied by a fifth person. Upon looking the first thing to catch his eyesight was the ridiculously sized orbs upon her chest.

"What seems to be all the commotion, honey?" Asked a mothering voice.

Snow turned around having not noticed her mother had appeared behind her. A gleaming expression appeared on her face as the younger girl hugged the older.

"Momma~, Zsenith came by to visit with that boy I was telling you about," Snow responded.

Behind split curtains of violet hair the older woman peeked, before taking it upon herself to pull her hair out of her face.

"Is that so?" She looked over.

Surely enough she recognized Zsenith from the organization and her eyes shifted over to Karu first.

"You must be the young one my little girl's been telling me about, care for a hug sweetie?" She asked holding her arms out to him.

Karu looked at her confused as he pointed to himself.

"Wait...aren't you like...the queen here? Are you sure it's okay for me to just do that?" Karu asked being interrupted by the matriarch.

"Aw, no hug then? You have a good conscious about you, that will come in handy one day for you," she replied, "I am Nekuila, and yes, I do rule over this land. It is a pleasure to have you as guests in my home."

Zsenith stepped forwards to Nekuila.

"I beg your pardon mistress for interrupting but we have an urgent matter, may we head somewhere a bit away from the entrance?" Zsenith cuts to the point of them being there.

Nekuila closed her eyes holding her cheek.

"Snow, sweetie, go take Karu to play, grownups need to talk, okay?" Nekuila commented.

Karu huffed throwing his hand in her direction as he scowled.

"Hey, I'm in this as much as they are, I deserve to know since I'm in the middle of all this," he explained.

"My my, a very hot tempered one also. That just won't do," she replied with a light sway of her hips, "I've come to understand that you're the one I was foretold about, you youngster."

"Y-youngster?..." he repeated after her.

He looked down at the floor before being met by the older woman's arms being set on his shoulders. Looking up he nearly fainted from the close up of the woman's enormous breasts.

"What's wrong you act as though something is wrong," Nekuila stated leaning in closer to him.

Karu held her shoulders to keep them arm's length apart from each other. He kept his eye's closed, also turning his head away, hoping to prevent this woman's appearance from subjecting himself to the sight of her chest.

"I'll go play with Snow, jeez..." he complained letting her go.

Snow giggled watching him with her mother. Nekuila simply watching him, confused as he spoke. Behind her a curious tail curled and twisted about.

"Are you sure you don't want to tag along, honey?" She asked, not sure what was going on.

Karu nodded and stepped away, heading off. Snow followed close behind him waving to Zsenith, Izzy and her mother. Nekuila waved them off turning back to Zsenith, walking away with him. Karu couldn't help but watch them as they head their opposite ways.

Snow swung her arms idly as she looked at Karu in interest.

"So how did you get here? Momma's been really wondering how you got here and stuff," Snow stated as she stepped out before him.

Karu's head lowered before his response.

"I honestly wish I knew, I wouldn't be on this world I know nothing about," he replied, stopping once she had taken position before him not wanting to walk into her.

"Aw, but then you wouldn't have met me or momma or the others!" She complained to him, "I think you were supposed to come here."

Karu looked up at her wondering what she meant, this felt familiar to him. He folded his arms around having a slight change of mood.

"You wouldn't mind showing me around would you?" Karu asked.

Snow's face seemed to light up at the question.

"Would I? I'd love too!" She exclaims to him grabbing his hand.

He glanced at her before being dragged off.

Meanwhile, Nekuila, Zsenith and Izzy all make their way to what could be considering a living area. Zsenith and Izzy both stand by the seats placed about while Nekuila sets herself down with an ungraceful plop onto the cushion, her breasts would bounce right up upon immediate settling. After she was set her right leg would cross over her left.

"So he was the child then, huh?" She wondered as she flipped her hair from her face, her pair of feline ears leveling out flat.

Zsenith nodded folding his arms over his chest.

"Affirmative, the boy known as Karu, was brought here via a possible inter-dimensional rift. The result of which was an energy spike strong enough to reanimate the Helio Crystals, is what Aaron believes. He requests your assistance in seeing if this boy might be harboring something that may aid in finding the Crystals," Zsenith explained.

Nekuila leaned her head back her with a sigh escaping her mouth as she stared at the ceiling.

"That boy, I swear. I'm going to bring him over here for spiritual training one day. I will see what I can do with him, in the meantime please enjoy your stay okay, dears?" Nekuila replied to him not seeming to mind much.

Zsenith and Izzy both bow to her, in respect.

"We thank you for your kindness, your highness," Zsenith spoke as he bowed.

"Oh please, please, you're making me blush, baby," she replied waving her hand, "Has Aaron spoken of me lately? I feel he's been steering away from me for some time now."

Zsenith stood up, unsure of what she was talking about.

"I don't believe he's spoken about you for the last few days since you're last visit, Miss Nekuila," he answered.

After answering her, he would watch the anthro stand up exhaling a sigh.

"Come, we must head to the rooftop balcony...I won't know for sure without contacting my goddess for further insight to this event.

Zsenith nodded and moved aside, out of Nekuila's way, as she begin walking.

Karu walked behind Snow trying to keep up with the girl as she excitedly showed him around.

"H-hey, slow down I can't keep up with you," he complained.

Snow laughed as she stopped to let him catch up.

"You need to run more, Mister Karu. It'll help you keep up!" She nodded.

Once he was close enough to her he sighed and panted, catching his breath. He leaned over holding his knees as he wheezed for air.

"Do you run in the mornings or something?" He asked looking at her tiredly.

"Mhm!" She replied, "Come on I'll show you my room next and we can relax there."

He grinned and nodded following behind her again.

Only a short minute passed as the two came up to the door of Snow's room. She would push the door open and welcome him inside, heading in herself after he was well past the doorway. Karu curiously looked around. Her room, for someone who was daughter of a queen, was surprisingly plain with the exception of a high abundance of cat shaped teddy bears.

“What's with all the cat toys around the room?” Karu asked a bit creeped out by the number of stuffed animals sitting around the bedroom.

Snow walked past him and took a seat on her bed, gathering a group of the cat shaped toys into her arms.

“What's not to like about kitties? Would you like one or two?” She asked holding out a pair to Karu.

Karu shook his head holding his hand up as he made his way to the bed also. Careful not to sit on any of the stuffed animals he sits down himself.

“Well, I do like cats, but meeting someone like you and your mother is something like out of a comic book,” he explained looking at a cream colored stuffed animal beside him.

He'd suddenly feel weight on his lap. Snow had taken his lap to lay on as he was talking.

“Aww, so cats like me you don't like?” She questions, pulling her arms up over her chest.

Her petite fingers held the long sleeves over her hands while she stared at the boy with big curious eyes. The simple gesture made Karu uncomfortable which also troubles his response to her.

“Well, I mean there's nothing wrong with you being a cat too...it's just different for me. It's not everyday I meet a girl who's got the ears and tail of a cat,” he replies, sure to keep his eye contact from her.

Snow smiles and reaches a hand up to tap his nose in a teasing manner.

“Would you like to feel?” She asks.

Karu looks down at her, silent for a moment.

“Would you like to feel my ears?” She asks again, more specific this time.

Hesitant, Karu just stares at her. Eventually though he comes through with her offer and moves his right hand up toward her head to rub the girl's ear.

“So do you purr like a real cat, too? If you're pet enough or something like that,” Karu states while rubbing Snow's ear.

Answering his question for him, Snow lets out quiet purring noises as the expression on her face grows into a satisfied one.

Karu can't help but grin some as he moves his other hand to rub both her ears then.

“I can see you like having your ears rubbed a lot,” Karu comments.

As Snow has her ears rubbed by her new friend, her body writhes subtly in his lap.

As Karu provides the feline with satisfying ear rubs, Nekuila enters in on the two.

“My oh my, Karu. Treating my little girl to ear pets but I can't even get a hug?” She jokes with him as she enters in.

As if he'd committed a crime of the highest level he stops and puts his hands behind his back.

“I-I swear it wasn't on purpose! She asked me to do it and I figured I'd go ahead cause I didn't know!” He exclaims.

“Calm yourself, sweetie, calm yourself, I'm only toying with you,” she laughs after her statement and finds her way onto Snow's bed.

Snow opens her eyes as if she'd waken up from a hour long nap.

“Ma-Mama?” She called out.

A simple turn of her head allowed Snow to see her mother had joined them.

“Karu gives good ear rubs...” she continued on to say.

Nekuila pet her daughter on the head as she looked at Karu now.

“Now what's all this about, makin' the mother feel so envious of her daughter,” Nekuila sat up looking at Karu.

Karu turned to face the mother himself, a look of worry in his expression as he watched her.

“I think before we get things under way I need to feel how good this ear rub is,” she declares.

Karu turns back around feeling Snow had gotten up and was now rubbing her head. Just as soon as Snow got up Nekuila took her seat on Karu's lap.

“Uhh..Miss Nekuila Queen. I don't think this is how you're supposed to act with me,” Karu comments.

The older of the two felines side-straddles Karu's lap and wraps her arm around his neck. A playful grin on her face as she rubs her nose against his cheek.

“Now now, what would someone like myself have to do with a young man like yourself?” She asks, “I only came here to give you and my precious kitten some company.”

Snow, the daughter of the older anthro, gave a content grin. She climbs back onto her bed looking at her mother who so casually made Karu her seat.

“Mama, don't you have something you have to do with Zsenith and Aaron?” Snow asks.

Nekuila nodded as her previously cheery expression turned into one of a bit more concern.

“Right, Karu, sweetie. Do you think you could come with me?” Nekuila asks, turning to face him.

Karu looked up at her with a distant expression on his own face before nodding up at her in realization of what was happening.

Nekuila got down from Karu's lap and walked toward the bedroom door, Karu following behind her.

“Do you want to come along, honey?” Nekuila asked Snow who remained on her bed.

“No thanks, Mama, I'll come find you if I need something,” Snow replies before laying back in her bed.

Nekuila nods and exits with Karu.

Once in the hallway outside her daughter's doorway, Nekuila turns to face Karu.

“We're heading up to the balcony to undergo a little ritual. We need to find out if you have something of value inside you that will assist in getting you back home,” Nekuila explains.

Karu nodded. There wasn't going to be much reason for him to go against it, he had to find a way home one way or another and if this method was a step in finding that out, so be it.

“I'll do whatever is necessary,” he simply replies.

Nekuila smiles and pats Karu's head. She turns and starts walking. Karu, stumbling at first, gets to following behind her.

“You're an optimistic boy aren't you?” She says a bit of her mothering side starting to show.

“What do you mean? I'm not optimistic at all,” he replies, “I'm very much the opposite.”

Nekuila continued to walk as she listened to Karu speak.

“Back home where I come from, I was always the average or the lower than average. I don't have a whole lot of hobbies. I have mediocre grades in school. My friends are limited but as far as I know they're good friends,” He finished explaining as he looked toward the ground while he walked.

Karu, still walking ends up bumping into Nekuila's back almost falling back himself. He looks up at her curious as to why she stopped walking.

“Karu, sweetheart, you should never think down of yourself. If you do that, you can never expect things to turn for the better,” Nekuila explains to him before walking again.

Karu sighs and starts back up walking with her.

After another few minutes of walking and a bit of stair climbing they end up getting to their destination which has led them to a white door.

“Where I have taken you is my spiritual chamber which actually happens to be on the outer balcony,” Nekuila explains to Karu as she lifts her hand and places it on the door.

The area around her hand begins to glow with a bright light and that same light expands itself to the rest of the door eventually hitting the door frame before coming back in suddenly, focusing around her hand prior to dying out.

She lowers her hand down to the door handle and opens the doorway to the balcony. It still appeared to be mid-day and things, for the most part, were quiet around Nekuila's fortress-like manor.

“Come, Karu, my dear. We're going to see what your spiritual calling is,” she explains, pointing her finger toward a specific area on the balcony.

Karu begins walking toward the marked spot on the balcony. Upon actually looking he'd notice that the area was rather strange and intricately designed markings in specific areas and circles making it all the way around his person.

“Was this design on purpose?” He asks her as he looks around himself.

After a short wait he looked up to see what was going on with Nekuila. The feline had her arms up in the air, having already started things off. She was standing just outside of the circle with her hands raised toward the sky and, based on what Karu could hear, she was mumbling words in a language he wasn't familiar with.

Moments after this chant had begun, Karu notices that the rings the symbols and all the engravings on the ground begin to glow in a bright pink color as well as his clothing seeming to float in the air as if there were a controlled wind current coming from below.

Nekuila lowers her hands as she looks down toward the teen.

“Karu, I want you to close your eyes and relax. Let the light take it's effect on your body and show you what you must do,” she explains.

Karu nodded hesitantly as she details what he's supposed to do. He then closes his eyes and relaxes most of his body.

Nekuila watches as the rings on the ground begin to close in around Karu's position. Once tightened around his position the light creates a column that rises up toward the sky.

Karu felt almost weightless as his mind is flooded with images of random and completely unrecognizable events. Suddenly the images stop showing him a picture of what seemed to look like a range of mountains. After having the image burned into his thoughts the light fades and the weightless feeling he had was gone as he was dropped back to the floor.

After regaining his consciousness Karu held his head as if he had a headache.

“Ow...I feel like that place was literally carved on my brain...” he mumbles.

Nekuila approaches him and holds his arm and shoulder with her hands.

“What place, Karu?” she asks, leaning her head some to look into his eyes.

“There were mountains...lots of them. I think there might have been a cave on one or something along that line...” he tried to explain to the best of his ability what he was shown.

Nekuila nodded, knowing where he was talking about.

“We must go inform the others quickly, the sooner Aaron can start his search the better,” she declares with seriousness in her voice.

Karu blinks in confusion as Nekuila spoke. Within that same moment Nekuila let Karu go and walked for the doorway again.

“Aah, wait for me!” Karu exclaims rushing toward the door.

Nekuila headed straight for Zsenith and Izzy who hadn't left the living area on the ground level floor.

Zsenith and Izzy both look toward the feline who approached them with urgency.

“By the way you're moving, it seems like you've found out some helpful information?” Zsenith asks.

Nekuila stops within feet of the pair and nodded.

“I have. I need you to tell Aaron that the first crystal has revealed itself probably within the mountains to the north of here. It seems the boy is capable of locating them but he only has capacity to do it one at a time.” Nekuila explains.

Zsenith simply nods as Karu comes up from behind Nekuila.

“Perhaps it's because he's not inclined to readings that you're used to doing, Miss Nekuila,” Zsenith deduced.

Karu walks around to where Zsenith and Izzy stood.

Nekuila shruggs and walks forward to rub under Karu's chin a little.

“All I know is he's a good little guy. Make sure you two keep a good eye on him. If someone gets a hold of him things could go pretty far downhill,” Nekuila comments.

Zsenith nodded some, as did Izzy. The three of them then turn to return back toward the portal to take them back to the organization building.

On their way back to the portal to return to the Seilku building, Karu stops. Noticing him stop, Zsenith and Izzy also stop and look back to him.

“Is something troubling you, Karu?” Zsenith asks after turning around.

Karu stands there, staring at the ground before looking to the skies.

“I guess it's nothing. Let's get going before something happens,” he comments.

Zsenith simply nods in agreement.

“The sooner we can get this information to Aaron, the better off we shall be,” the android responds.

Karu nodded his head slightly and follows with them. The group of three use the teleporting pad that got them there to transport back to the organization building's main lobby. Upon returning, Zsenith wastes no time heading for Aaron. Karu, the last to recoup after appearing, shakes his head a few times before realizing that Zsenith is heading for Aaron.

“H-Hey wait for me!” He exclaims rushing after Zsenith and Izzy.

Karu busts in through the doors to Aaron's main office finally caught up.

Aaron looks at him from behind his desk and then stands walking around.

“Karu, it seems things have taken a slight turn for the better. With you on our side we should be able to acquire these crystals without problem,” Aaron explains.

Karu freezes in confusion as Aaron spoke.

“Does this mean we can work on finding a way to get me home?" The boy asks a bit of hope shimmering in his eyes.

Aaron nods turning back for his desk as he grins.

“Indeed Karu. You'll be able to go back to your real home. Zsenith, go get ready, I want you to accompany Karu on his journey, seeing as he's the only one able to feel these crystals. We'll need top guard over him,” Aaron speaks following up with a further question, “Karu, how adept are you to fighting?”

Karu remains quite for a brief moment. In reality he wasn't really much of the fighter type. He had barely any real athletic background.

“Uh...well...I guess you could say I'm less than beginner,” he answers, lifting his hand to scratch his head in embarrassment.

“Ah, not a problem. Zsenith here will be accompanying you, maybe you can get some defensive techniques from him in some training,” Aaron laughs, “but for now, I want you to pack some supplies. You will leave in the morning.”

“What!? I just got back though!” He protests.

“What's the big deal? You're young, I'm sure you'll be good and ready come morning,” he replies in a humored way.

Karu let out a aggravated breath as he folds his arms together over his chest.

“Why can't it be a week or something?” He asks, irritated.

Aaron lifts his hand up as if in presentation of options.

“Simply put: If I allow that much time to pass, who knows how much of a lead our adversaries may gain. That's simply not allowable. Unless you want to stay here on this world and assist us with preventing our certain doom,” Aaron explains, a more serious look appearing on his face.

Karu keeps silent, as Aaron was right, Karu didn't belong here, no matter how much it really fit his fantasy world descriptions.

“Alright, alright... I get it. Can you take me back to Nina's place for now?” He asks going quiet after that.



Aaron hums softly to himself watching Karu as he exits the room. Moments later he follows behind.

4

4. Open Your Eyes to Reality

        "A number of different problems," Karu stated to himself.
        Currently, the teen was outside the household in which he resided, thinking over what Aaron had said the previous day. If he was understanding everything right, then something threatening to not only this world but to his own life was going to happen. He knew he would have to get to the bottom of this if he wanted to figure out what was going on at the least. He dug into his pocket for the little device Aaron gave him and held it before himself. As he held it he did as he was instructed, bringing Aaron to mind before putting it up to his ear. Surely enough he would hear a ringing noise.
        "Hello?" Aaron answered on the other end only a brief moment afterwards.
        "Hey Aaron, it's Karu, I wanted to ask you something," Karu responded holding the little cellphone-like object.
        "What's up Karu? I hadn't thought after only a day something would come up," Aaron replied with a brief laugh.
        Karu offered a brief snicker of his own before talking again.
        "You said one of your friends told you all this was going to happen. You wouldn't be able to tell me who it was and where I could meet them, would you?" Karu asked, scratching the back of his head somewhat.
        "Why are you interested in that, Karu? I can handle all the hard work, you just relax," Aaron replied promptly.
        Karu waited a moment, looking up ahead of himself now. He turned around to see that a familiar face was peeking at him from one of the windows of the house. He would blink a few times as the girl in the window waved to him. He would idly wave back before speaking back to Aaron.
        "Well I wanted to see if I could help, I have the feeling that staying here in this house isn't going to help much. Plus it's been a dream of mine to visit another world so I wanna explore some," Karu grinned.
        Karu could hear a sigh through the device before Aaron replied back.
        "Well I suppose it wouldn't kill you to enjoy yourself at least. Her name is Nekuila, she's the leader of an anthro society that resides on the east coast of the continent. You'll need a ride over there it's a good two day drive from the city and then once you leave town its pretty much nothing but plains until you hit the coast. It's not the fastest way but I can't have you using our teleportation system out of hand, it uses far too much power. I will warn you though..." Aaron paused briefly.
        Karu looked to his side as if trying to look at the device.
        "Warn me of what?" Karu asked hesitantly.
        "Unless you have a strong will, it's best not to look directly at her," Aaron replied.
        Karu was speechless for a few moments as he thought about the possible outcomes of what this person was like. Supposedly she must have been appalling to the eye, or maybe she had a stare similar to that of the fabled Medusa from the history of his own world.
        "I'll keep that in mind..." Karu replied, "Thanks for your help, I'm gonna get going then."
        Aaron replied with a simple 'OK' before closing the line. Karu looked at the ground from the porch he sat on. From behind him the front door of the house swept open.
        "So this is where you were," shouted an angry Nina.
        Karu spun around in surprise looking up, being met with the view of a rather nice, in his own mind, sight of seeing Nina's lace underwear.
        "So mature underneath..." Karu dazed a moment.
        Nina, who had her arms crossed at that moment blinked pushing her skirt between her legs.
        "Karu, you jackass pervert!" She scowled, winding her hand up for a punch.
        Karu blinked looking at her raising his arms in retreat.
        "W-wait, I didn't do that on purpose you just appeared out of nowhere, damnit!" Karu protested.
        Nina stopped herself mid swing and glared at him. After rationally thinking the situation over she calmed.
        "Anyway, I came to tell you that in a couple days, momma's taking us on a retreat to the east. And because I don't trust you in my house alone, I'm making you come with us," she hissed at him.
        Karu looked up at her confused for a couple seconds before a grin smeared over his face.
        "Just you, huh?" He laughed under his breath, "Fine by me, it works in my favor actually because I need to head that way."
        Nina cocked her brow when he finished speaking.
        "Why do you need to go to the east?" Nina asked.
        Karu looked at her, holding himself silent. Nina tilted her head confused.
        "You wouldn't care so why does it matter?" He answered her getting up.
        Shortly after standing he would stretch and head toward the exiting gate of the front yard, near the street.
        "I'm just gonna go for a walk for now, I figure if I'll be stuck here, I should know my way around at least," he stated.
        Nina stood there in the doorway to her house folding her arms together and sighing. From the side window the black haired vixen peeked from the window watching as Karu disappeared around the corner, her ears slowly lowered and she vanished from where she stood.
        "Momma, I'm gonna get you! Give me back my underwear!" Snow screamed as she chased her rambunctious mother through the manor.
        "Ha ha haaa! You have to rescue them from me if you want them back!" She teased, making a turn down a separate hallway.
        As she did Snow realized that her mother had gone down another hall at the last moment and attempted to turn only to misstep and slide on the hard floor. This miss step quickly took her to the floor. Nekuila peeked back around the corner to see her daughter laying in a daze on the floor. A brief laugh escaped her mouth as she walked over and placed her hands on her hips, the younger feline's underwear hanging from a finger on her left hand.
        "Now, dear...you can't be laying like that on the floor, you'll get sick," Nekuila sighed some.
        "You're one to talk momma, walking around butt naked all the time, even in the winter..." Snow retorted as she sat up rubbing a sore spot on her head.
        Nekuila snickered some, and in respect to her bouncing her heaving chest would do the same.
        "Well, well, for someone so trained in combat you sure are a klutz yourself to just trip from running like that," Nekuila spoke as Snow rose to her feet.
        "Well if it wasn't you I was chasing..." she whispered walking up to her mother.
        As she approached Nekuila welcomed the young feline into her arms. Snow leaned in against her mother's large bust, relaxing there.
        "Don't sweat it, honey. One day when you're older, I'm sure you're training will have paid off," Nekuila whispered, rubbing over the back of Snow's head.
        The feline smiled, the long extension protruding from her lower back waded from side to side over the floor.
        "Also, I smell a new person from you...is it another boy?" Nekuila asked.
        Snow looked up at her mother, a bit confused for a moment.
        "O-oh, yea, Miss Sabrina has a boy staying with her, he's from another planet, I should have asked sooner, but do you think you can help him?" Snow asked.
        Nekuila thought for a moment, having known Sabrina for a while now it was strange she had a boy in her household, but then it hit her.
        "From another world you say? I wonder if he's anything like that first boy who came here," Nekuila wondered, folding her left arm under her breasts as she rubbed her chin with her right hand.
        Snow looked up at her mother in a bit of confusion as she stood there.
        "More than one person has come here from another world?" Snow asked.
        Nekuila nodded, walking down the hallway, Snow following close behind her.
        "What were the other people like, I want to meet them, momma!" Snow exclaimed excitedly as she pulled on the mother's arm some.
        "Settle down, sweetie, settle down. Besides, one of them you've already met, but I'll let them tell you when its necessary," Nekuila finished in a whisper as they entered the foyer of the building.
        Snow sighed but then realized what she said.
        "I've met one already?..." she questioned.
        Meanwhile, back on Earth at Karu's middle school, class continued on like usual. Carra, Karu's secret love obsession, continued to look toward the seat where her crush sat. Empty, Karu's desk set there.
        "I hope he's okay he's been gone three days now...if he isn't careful the school's gonna get on him about it..." she thought to herself.
        Suddenly the bell rang and the students all began hurrying to gather their supplies together and start their class chores.
        Carra was putting away books when Karu's only friend, Alex, approached her.
        "Hey, you're Karu's secret girlfriend right?" He asked plainly.
        Carra's head jerked up to look at him. Embarrassment smeared all over her face.
        "I-I wouldn't say I'm his g-guh-guh-girlfriend..." she started before being interrupted by Alex.
        "Well that aside...you wouldn't happen to know where he is would you? We were supposed to meet a few days ago and he never showed," Alex explained.
        Carra could only shake her head briefly before facing her desk's surface.
        "I do believe it's weird that he hasn't been around lately...do you suppose all the bullying he's gotten pushed him to far?..." she wondered.
        Alex shook his head.
        "Nah, he's too hardheaded for that," he said with a brief moment of confidence.
        "Yea, I guess you're right. There's no way he'd do that," she reassured herself with that statement.
        Back at Karu's household, his father paced impatiently back and forth in the living area. Suddenly the phone would ring, and as if his very life depended on it he rushed for the phone to answer.
        "Karu! Are you okay?!" He exclaimed into the receiver.
        There was a brief moment of silence before speech came back to him.
        "Sir, this is the city police. We have no leads on the whereabouts of your son, yet. We can only continue investigation another four more days before calling off the search," spoke a woman.
        The father sighed and nodded, trying to relax as he stood there.
        "Understood, please let me know if you find anything," he said calmly.
        The receptionist on the other end replied with a quieted 'OK' before getting off the line.
        Karu's father, Justin, sighed yet again after setting the receiver back on its dock. He walked back to the couch in the living area setting down before putting his head in the palm of his hands.
        At the end of the day, Karu would find himself laying out on the couch as his new official location to stay at. Midnight was just passing by and he was idly staring up at the ceiling as he laid there. A familiar face would suddenly appear over his own. A small but inviting smile within the faint light of the night told him it was Yuri. She would rest her hands over his shoulders and he just lay there still.
        "Hey, Karu, I heard you were going to meet someone on the east of the continent," the fox stated leaning over the couch's back.
        He simply nodded as he glanced up at her. He would spot her eyes, appearing almost black in the dark room.
        "One of Aaron's friends says they know whats going on best, so I'm going to go and check it out for myself," he explained.
        Yuri nodded slowly and leaned over the couch, a bit intrigued.
        "Do you plan on going with the others? The east is a pretty long walk from here," she whispered as she reached her hand down playing with his side idly.
        Karu lay there flinching a bit as she pushed and rubbed his torso with her finger. He then sat up to move himself some.
        "Well I hadn't thought about it really, Nina was saying something about how the family was going there and I figured I could use that to get there, but if there's a faster way, I'm all ears to suggestions," Karu replied rubbing his now slightly sore side.
        Yuri smiled some as she moved around to the couch to set beside the boy.
        "Well, I could always rush us there, I'm much faster than any vehicle you'll find," she leaned against his shoulder.
        As she spoke and moved simultaneously, Karu shuffled in his seat as she sat next to him. Soon he would feel her body against his own, in his head his sense of touch focused on that soft feeling of her breasts being squeezed between their bodies.
        "So what is it you're trying to find out?" She asked curiously again pressing her finger up against the boy's chest.
        "W-well, I was told by Aaron that this person probably knows what's.. gonna happen.." he started to explain before his eyes wandered.
        Eventually his gaze wandered down into her cleavage for the moment before he fell back.
        "S-sorry!" He exclaimed covering his eyes with his right arm.
        Yuri snickered some as her ears flickered about, leaning in closer.
        "Quiet, someone might hear you if you aren't careful~" she whispered, "As for what's gonna happen, well, we should definitely find out, I'll make sure you get there fast."
        Karu smiled looking at the vixen with an assured expression.
        "Yuri, thanks. I don't know what'll happen with the family here, though," Karu stated, "I'd like to make it there as fast as I can, though."
        The vixen moved herself over onto his leg, her body laid up against his right side as he lay against the couch at an angle. Her dark blue eyes, once again blackened by the shade of the night as she stared at him with a hint of her affection toward him. She would take notice to his hand falling onto her back as she lay over him.
        "Say, Karu, I know it's a bit soon to ask because you just got here and all, but is there anyone you love right now? I was hasty to make you mine but I must ensure you feel the same way," she whispered.
        Karu's face wasn't far away from being completely bloodshot due to the situation, he would answer with uncertainty in his voice.
        "W-well, I wouldn't say there's anyone I love right n-now..." he replied, though he knew subconsciously he was denying his crush on Carra from back home.
        The vixen smiled, a sigh escaping her mouth.
        "That's good to know, I would like to know if it's possible for you to consider me," she whispered in his ear.
        "There's no harm in that I suppose, but I need time before I take a leap like that okay?" He replied, looking up into her deep ocean colored eyes.
        The vixen nodded and sat back up, fixing her hair as she settled on the chair.
        "Well you know not to hesitate to ask me if you change your mind, okay?" She started to say, "It's interesting, you were only here a few days and already you've been thrown into a fire it seems like."
        Karu looked at her as she got up from the couch then realized what she was talking about.
        "You don't happen to know what's going on do you? Everyone's speaking in riddles and all I'm gathering is that my being sent here was bad...and I mean really bad," Karu sighed.
        The vixen looked over him from behind the couch, her finger rubbing her chin some.
        "Well, all I do know is that if if your coming here by this unknown force caused something big to happen. It's probably related to the Helio Crystals," she explained.
        Karu looked at her as if she were speaking a foreign language.
        "Helio...Crystals?" He asked, wondering what she meant.
        "Yes. I can't give you a lot of details...I don't know much about them myself. If that man you've been seeing knows, I'd ask him," Yuri stated with a smug grin.
        Karu nodded in confirmation.
        "That helps a lot actually. I'm going to find out what's going on...especially if I'm going to be a part of it," he stated, laying down.
        Yuri simply grinned and wandered off back to her own bedroom hidden within the house.
        The following morning, Sabrina wandered into the living area. Passing by the couch she spotted Karu laying down, asleep still. Grinning she walked around to the front of the couch she sat next to where his torso was. Looking at his face she thought out loud to herself.
        "How cute it would be if you were my little brother," she stated out loud.
        As she sat next to him, her hand stroked over his cheek. His head would roll away somewhat from the feel, a look of discomfort on his face. Iruka could only laugh some. Scooting down the couch she would lean over his torso to lay on him for a bit simply to relax as she played with his messy red hair. After she laid on him Karu would fidget some, breathing harder due to the additional weight on his chest. It was only moments afterwards that he would awake and see the black hair out of the corner of his eye.
        "I definitely need to find somewhere else to live or I'm gonna end up somewhere weird... aren't I?" Karu asked plainly as he stared at the ceiling.
        "Nonsense,  I was just thinking about having a brother...you would be a great little brother to have, Karu. Fun to tease but also nice to be with," she whispered as she stroked his hair back.
        Karu was silent for a moment. Hearing her say that got him thinking about his own brother that had disappeared from his family some years back.
        "You don't want me as a brother. I'm a pain in the ass," he commented with an assuring grin, "Besides, you have Sarthe right?"
        Iruka tapped him on the head as she sat up, pushing her hair back behind her head.
        "Well he's never around and he always acts like he never needs anyone around him, plus he gives off a creepy vibe unlike you," she stated.
        Karu thought back to his own brother for a moment, his own brother seemed the same way always having defiant glares and not really caring for much of anything. Though when he met Sarthe, Sarthe definitely talked a bit more than his brother.
        "Karu?" Iruka called him as she watched him space out.
        Karu shook his head and looked at her.
        "Is there anything I can even do?" Karu asked again, it seemed like no matter where he turned he was going to end up back on that square.
        Iruka looked at him with a bit of concern, unsure of how to answer his question. Karu looked over at her with a grin on his face.
        "It's alright, you don't have to worry about me," he commented as he got up from the chair brushing himself off.
        "Are you going out?" Iruka asked abruptly changing the subject.
        Karu nodded and fixed his jacket, he hadn't realized until now he was wearing his school uniform. This meant he'd need a change of clothes now.
        "Well...I guess I can ask something of you Iruka," he turned around to her.
        Iruka looked up at him, straightening up in her seat.
        "What is it?" She asked him, curious.
        "You wouldn't know of any clothing shops would you..I kinda need a change of clothes," he replied looking at his slightly battered uniform.
        Iruka chuckled softly as she jumped up from her seat.
        "I'll take you shoppin' for some clothes this evening okay? It'll be fun just the two of us!" She exclaimed as she hurried over to him, "I'll even get some things myself for you to see."
        Karu stared at her in shock as she rushed to him and as she whispered into his ear.
        "I'll even let you pick out a few if you'd want to," she taunted, running her finger up his chin.
        All he could do was grin, not minding that.
        "I'll look forward to it," he replied throwing her off slightly, not prepared for that kind of response.
        Iruka sighed some fixing her her from the surprise and leaned in to kiss the boy's cheek.
        "Anyway, Mr. Hotshot, I need to go run some errands. I'll be back in the evening waiting for you okay?" Iruka stated as she headed into the kitchen.
        Karu nodded, figuring the best task for him was to head to the organization to find out about the Crystals he was told about at night.
        "I gotcha, I'll try and be back this afternoon after I do what I need to," Karu nodded to the oldest sister.
        Iruka pulled a few bottled drinks from the fridge and Karu simply relaxed wondering about what he'd heard. After a brief silence both of their heads perked up to the repeated blowing of car horns coming from outside.
        "Who in the hell is doing this at this hour in the morning..." Iruka scowled moving to the front door.
        Out of curiosity Karu followed her to the front door.
        When she opened the front door she was confronted with the visual of a bright red sky. Aaron was sitting in his personal car window down as he yelled out to Karu.
        "Come get in the car! We have to get you to the organization quickly!" Aaron exclaimed from his car.
        Iruka looked down at her brother-to-be as he stared, confused.
        "Go Karu, you're needed, obviously," Iruka stated giving him a gentle nudge.
        With that nudge, Karu snapped back to reality and ran toward the car. Turning back to wave at Iruka.
        "We'll definitely go out shopping if not now, a bit later!" He yelled back to her.
        Iruka simply grinned as she waved to Karu. Somehow though she knew it was going to be a while before she saw that boy again.
        Karu ran around to the passenger side of the car and got inside quickly.
        Aaron waited until he was inside before kicking the gas, the tires on the ground began screaming as the car pulled away.
        "Woah! Wh-what's the problem Aaron!?" Karu asked grabbing onto something as he feared for his life.
        Aaron remained quiet before one of his hands rose to his forehead for a brief scratch.
        "It's begun and we need your help Karu...you're the only one who can do this..." Aaron spoke calmly yet with a hint of urgency.
        Karu, still grasping onto the nearest bolted things stared over at him.
        "Starting?" he stuttered.
        Aaron nodded as the reached the organization building in record time.
        "This red sky you see right now? A phenomena is going on and we need you to participate without question...afterwards we will...I will explain everything up to what I know," Aaron stated as he disregarded where he simply parked near the main entrance, "Will you help us?"
        Karu tried to settle himself from the car ride itself a bit before he was able to answer.
        "I...I guess if it'll really mean something..." he answered.
        With that reply Aaron got out of the car. Karu followed shortly after him.
        "It would appear that what we were hoping wasn't going to happen, has happened. In that regard we've assembled a small team that you, Karu, will have to trek with. I know you've said before how you want to know what's going on. Well, I hope you have strong shoulders because you're going to be the epicenter of this whole thing," Aaron explained as the two walked into the main building.
        Aaron seemed to aimlessly wave around to people as he heard greetings. Karu looked at the CEO with a confused, shocked and disturbed expression on his face. Obviously what was going on now seemed to be of highest importance to him and to hear that he was the main focus point of it all unsettled him.
        "A team? Like body guards?" Karu questioned, thinking that he was going to be the lead of this group of people.
        As the two of them boarded a teleportation pad, Aaron nodded waiting until they were launched to their destination before explaining again.
        "Correct, we suspect that within a short period of time you will be subjected to a high level of power similar to the one that brought you here. If that's the case, my teams will be able to both work on a way to get you home but also aid our search for the Helio Crystals," Aaron stated.
        As soon as he heard the words 'Helio Crystals', he nodded.
        "Someone told me you might know something about them, are they really that important?" Karu asked.
        Aaron paused wondering who he could have known that knew about the crystals as well, but shrugged it off, it was probably one of the girl's he was residing with.
        "Yes, it seems that the activation of these crystals has occurred. Now that they have, a notorious group, better known as RF, will be searching for them. We are  still unsure as to what their intentions are at this time. We hope to find out before it's too late," Aaron stated as he moved toward his main office.
        Inside his office stood a group of people who all turned to face the pair. Karu glanced at them all wondering what was going on.
        One of the group approached the two of them with a wide ecstatic grin on her face.
        "Hi you two! Aaron you took so long to get here I was super sad!" She exclaimed.
        "Easy, Maria, easy. I'm only one man. I can only do but so much," he replied, hands shaking in front of him.
        Maria puffed up her cheeks in a displeased manner then pulled back folding her arms.
        Aaron made his way across the room to his desk.
        "Thank you all for coming here, as you may have guessed, a pretty big job has come up and Karu here will be who you're working with," Aaron stated.
        The group all looked toward Karu. Some of them of disgust, some of interest, others just uninterested.
        Behind the group the door would part open and another male would walk in but something was different, each step sounded like metal was hitting the floor.
        "Apologies for being late, I had an issue I needed to deal with," spoke a familiar voice.
        Karu turned around to Zsentih walking in. His hand then rose, pointing awkwardly at the android.
        "H-he's gonna be one of my body guards?" Karu asked looking back at Aaron.
        Aaron glanced at him wondering what was wrong.
        Karu rushed up to Zsenith, poking against the android's abdomen.
        "If he's gonna be watching over me, I'd like to request he be the only one. Also I'm going to meet that woman you were talking about so I think one tagging along will be fine," Karu stated.
        "You just want Zsenith with you?" Aaron asked leaning back against the desk.
        Zsenith stood there seemingly un-phased by having his gut jabbed at by the teen's finger.
        "Yea! I mean whatever's happened so far hasn't really started yet...so I figure I wont need this many people watching over me," Karu explained.
        Aaron looked at the rest of the group who looked to one another, most of them not wasting a moment to forward their desire to exit the plan.
        "Well whoever would like to stay on the operation shall stay those who want to go, may do so now," Aaron held his arms out to his side.
        As soon as he said that the room began to clear until only two people remain, Zsenith himself, and a female clad in a uniform similar to Zsenith's.
        "Well, they didn't seem enthusiastic to help," Karu folded his arms looking back at the woman who decided to stay, "And what might your name be?"
        The female turned her gaze to Karu's before looking away immediately. Zsenith walked over and put his hand on the girl who seemed nearly half his own height though, she would actually be about Karu's height.
        "This is Izzy, she's a subordinate of mine in the fighter's division. Don't let her timid expression get to you, she could put you down in an instant," Zsenith commented.
        Izzy's head nodded forward as Zsenith held her. Her hand would clench the cloak that flowed around her hips.
        "Teacher, he seems rude," she spoke softly as she moved to Zsenith's side.
        "You'll be fine, he's harmless, if a bit clumsy," Zsenith replied.
        Karu felt insulted after hearing this and turned back to Aaron, who was laughing under his breath.
        "Well now that the introductions are done. Karu, Zsenith and Izzy, you three will have the task of heading out to the eastern island to see my friend, there she will fill you in on what all is going on. Zsenith, I need you to take double duty and watch over Izzy, as I recall she's still in training with you?" Aaron stated.
        Zsenith nodded as Karu's jaw dropped.
        "Wait you're gonna send me off with only two people, one of which is still in training?!" He exclaimed in complaint.
        As soon as he finished a bullet whizzed past his head.
        "Don't you underestimate me, human," Izzy commented.
        Karu sunk his head some.
        "Tch...spiteful, so when are we going?" He stood back up.
        Aaron smirked holding up a remote.
        "Right, now, have fun kids!" He answered as the three disappeared off in a flash of light.
        As they disappeared Aaron stood upright only to be crossed with a black edged and white bodied sword against the front of his neck as he felt one of his arms being held behind his back.
        "And who might this be?" He asked in a calm manner.
        "You have been invited by Qkuill  to show up on Mackai for a negotiation. Be there five days from now at high noon. If you refuse, I've been given orders to bring your head on a platter to her highness," spoke a woman with a lower than usual sounding voice.
        "Geez you guy's can't just knock can you?" Aaron asked calmly. "I guess I have no choice but to come then."
        "Wise choice. I shall see you regardless," she replied darkly before disappearing.
        "Haah, I just never get a break," he walked over to his desk, "I suppose I should start getting things under way."

3

3. Calm Before the Storm

       "So you let the target get away yet again," a child's voice spoke.
       Before the figure in shadows a man kneeled, his head hung and his hair draped over his face. Without saying anything he clutched his hand against the reddish brown earth beneath his hand.
       "I suppose I could always punish you but without subordinates, what would become of me...in any event, please explain why your mission was a failure this time," the young voice scolded.
       As the man stood up he nodded as his overseer stepped forward. The person he had to look up to was no taller than about his abdomen and appeared very frail in appearance with a very slender form. Her unusual voice was coupled with her child like appearance. Parts that threw it off would be her long raven hair as well as the pale blue tinted skin she had. Other parts would be that she was completely bare as far as clothes, with the exception of gloves and stockings. The most bewitching trait on her was the cold lifeless stare she owned. With it, she possessed the power of easily breaking composure of others.
       "Well. I couldn't see exactly, but it appeared that he wasn’t alone. There were two others that he escaped with. I could sense one was that princess girl from the island continent but the other..." the man stopped looking at the lifeless rock below him that dully colored the terrain reddish brown.
       The girl while near emotionless changed her expression to one of disgust and question. She then approached the cloak shrouded subordinate.
       "Do not tell me that some kid and this girl managed to throw your hunting off, you were supposed to be my best," she scolded.
       She would reach up to the man's chest to grab his shirt, pulling him down to her height.
       "Faen, you ignorant, useless waste of my energy, why is it whenever I send you out, you can never give me what I want?" She scolded more pushing him back and walking back to her alter.
       Faen looked up at her from his hunched position again. His pupils narrowed to slivers as he watched her.
       "Sincerest...apologies, mistress..." he whispered some.
       She looked back at him, detest in her expression.
       "I have a new task for you. You will be taking Stormie this time," she started to speak before being interrupted by Faen.
       "Mistress, I beg your pardon, but Stormie isn’t the most competent of people to be sending on missions..." Faen stated showing obvious protest to the plan she was about to explain.
       "I don't want to hear it from someone who can't carry out a simple task. You will take Stormie with you and your mission is to bring back something off of that man. Because  Stormie is more adept than you are in civilization. You will escort him to Sarthe and get and of his DNA. If I can't have a perfect subordinate, damnit, I will make one to replace you," she explained to him.
       Faen stood silently and nodded. Beside him another figure started to manifest from the ground, first was silver spiked hair followed by his body which was clothed with what appeared to be a white dress shirt designed with irregular designs of black electricity. Under it he wore nothing which revealed his torso, covered in scrapes and cut wounds.
       "Yo, yo, what's up mistressy lady!" Stormie spoke as leisurely as he could as he bowed.
       The girl simply stared at him a moment, obviously it annoyed her some when he was around.
       "Faen here is taking you on a little...field trip. He will detail the contents of your mission to you. I'm hoping you will bring success to me, Stormie," she spoke.
       Stormie nodded and looked over at Faen who by now had a frustrated look on his face.
       Faen turned to faced the rather laid back ally of his and turned away, walking off.
       "Be sure not to fail me this time, Faen," the girl spoke out before disappearing in a dark mist.
       Without giving any form of a response, Faen departed as well. Stormie shrugged some making his own leave.
       Back on Keiroy, Karu found himself facing a promiscuous vixen yet again. It seemed that the foxgirl he'd met with on, now counting, three occasions, had comfortably made herself comfortable on his torso on her back. His hands, from what he could feel, were on her stomach and from what he could tell his hands were also right up under her breasts. Unable to help but embrace his male instinct in the heat of the situation, he shifted his hands until he was sure he had her breasts cupped in his hands.
       In his head he thought about how many different tasks he'd achieved just from this one action. While he believed he had the upper hand he carefully slid his hands up the large mounds thinking to himself over how soft they felt.
       This all came to a stop when he heard her mumble in her sleep. His body instantly freezing as he watched her arm raise and clasp her chest, locking his left hand down against her breast now.
       "Oh man, if the guys back home heard about this, I could never hear the end of it....It'll be so great," he whispered to himself.
       Caught up in his moment of victory the vixen had since awoken. Not wanting to startle him she laid there silently with a grin growing on her face.
       "I probably should try and wake her up though," he spoke quietly looking at the top of her head.
       She smiled a little bit, unable to hold back yawning as she turned around to face him.
       "Did you have somewhere you needed to go?" She asked him, stretching until her arms wrapped loosely around his head.
       "Yea, I was hoping to meet up with that Aaron guy," he stated, not seeming to mind what she was doing at the very moment.
       She simply nodded and removed her arms from around his head as she turned over to face him. An expression of concern on her face.
       "You just be careful with those Seilku people, I have suspicions about them..." she said calmly.
       Karu was quiet, while he didn't want to entirely believe her, at the same time he had to heed her words as well, since she was from this world.
       "I'll keep that in mind for later," he said.
       After that she got up off of him and looked his features over some.
       "Yuri," she stated suddenly.
       "Huh?" Karu replied curiously wondering what she was talking about.
       "That's my name. Make sure not to forget it, okay?" She continued on, a grin on her face.
       He froze only for a moment as he looked at her. Now that he thought about it he hadnt really gotten her name up until now.
       "It's a honor, Yuri!" He responded taking her hand, "I look forward to spending time with you again."
       She smiled as he got up and began to leave the room.
       As he exited the room and closed the wall back she stared toward the exit of her room her smile sinking into a frown as she got up from her bed to get dressed.
       Karu walked toward the kitchen where he would expect to see the two girls from earlier, Nina and Iruka. Surely enough, the two of them sat at the table enjoying a light breakfast of meat and poultry.
       "Look who's up. Did you go for a stroll last night or something?" Nina started turning about in her chair to face him directly.
       Iruka looked at her sister confused, but didn't say anything to her.
       "Karu did you sleep well last night at the very least?" Iruka asked, showing almost the opposite level of concern for her house guest.
       Seeming to easily ignore the unruly of the two sisters, he walks over.
       "I slept pretty well. Thanks. Hey...this might seem a bit out of my place to ask, but do you live with parents?" Karu wondered finding an open seat.
       Iruka laughed some as he sat down. It wasn't until then she realized he hadn’t seen her yet.
       "Oooh where are my manners. If you wait another few minutes or so, mom will be coming back from dropping Eli off," the older sister responded.
       Karu nodded and waited figuring he'd have time to kill since he really didn’t have much else to occupy himself with.
       A few minutes passed by slowly, Nina fumed over him sitting at the table with them and Iruka minded her own business as she ate freely. The three of them moved to face the living area as the door was heard opening.
       "Whoo! I tell ya, it is just a beautiful day out. You two should go do some running- oh..." she peeked over to the kitchen seeing not two but three faces, stopping herself mid sentence.
       Walking over she eyed Karu curiously.
       "And who might you be, dear?" The older woman asked in the rather pitched and scratchy voice.
       Karu blinked, leaning back some to get some distance between them.
       "Name's Karu, it's nice to meet you, I hope?" He replied waving a hand in the air.
       She looked at her daughters with wonder. Nina shook her head and turned away. Iruka smiled and gave a thumbs up to her mother.
       "Hm...fifty-fifty, eh? Well, Karu, I will allow you to stay here. I take it Aaron allowed you to stay here?" She asked standing up right.
       Karu nodded as he watched her settle her hands on her hips.
       "At least you are more forgiving than this girl over here. I have to say I'll promise to at least be of assistance around the house for my own sake if I hope to have somewhere to live," Karu replied.
       "Oh, dear me, settle down there, tiger. I could never throw someone out. What gave you that silly idea?" She asked holding a hand to her cheeks as she looked him over with her bright red eyes.
       He hadn't noticed before now the resemblance that her daughter, Iruka, had to this woman that spoke to him, similar skin complexion, deep red eyes and long shining black hair. Among other assets, primarily body shape. Snapping from his thoughts on her looks he scratched his jaw with a finger as he thought. The only person who had really given him a hard time here was Nina.
       "Well...nothing. I guess it's just my imagination. Thanks for allowing me to stay though," Karu replied to her, "I hate to cut things short but I have to meet with Aaron today to discuss something, he said it was important."
       The mother looked at him confused but nodded.
       "If you need a ride, I'm heading that way, dear. Can't have you walking and wandering without knowing where you're going," she grinned, spinning what looked like a key around her index finger.
       Karu was silent but he knew she was right. He hadn't the slightest idea where to even start looking.
       "Well alright..." Karu answered hesitantly as he walked over.
       "Alright kids, I'm heading out then and I guess I have Karu here with me," the mother stated.
       Both Nina and Iruka nodded waving them off as they exited.
       Meanwhile within the city Stormie walked with an irritated Faen, whose head hung in irritation.
       "Explain one reason why I shouldn't destroy you here and now..." Faen hissed under his breath.
       Stormie, who walked with an unpleasantly high disposition of carefree attitude stopped to turn back toward Faen.
       "Weeell, dude. The mistress boss lady wouldn't approve of that, since you gotta escort me to this target guy," he replied.
       Faen stared at the blue haired being, biting his lip. His hand clenching around the hilt of a sword that settle on his hip.
       "Tch...well anyway. I'd sensed Sarthe's signatures around this area so we can't be far off," Faen spoke.
       "So what's this dude look like anyway?" Stormie then asked.
       Faen exhaled a held breath as he held a gloved hand up in his palm a swirling mass of black smoke began to manifest displaying an image to Stormie.
       "He looks like he would attract all kinds of attention, bro," Stormie commented pointing at the image.
       "Don't call me that. And don't predict things like that you imbecile. He's incredibly talented at concealing himself. If you do spot him however, we've, of course, been given full permission to conduct an attack regardless of where," Faen explained as he walked ahead.
       Not even a moment passed before his eyes caught glimpse of his target. Sarthe was seen walking down the opposite side of the street, among a group of people who walked with and against him.
       A grin smeared over his face as he looked to Stormie.
       "Our prey is here. Stormie, it's all you," Faen commented.
       Stormie turned his head glancing across the street and sure enough he noticed him as well. A grin would appear on his face as well for a moment before it turned to a frown. He lifted his hand and pointed his finger at the man they were after and at the tip of his finger a sphere of water shot, spearing through the air at the man across the street.
       "That's not a real person," Stormie spoke as he watched his liquid projectile impact the man, which disappeared shortly after causing a group of people to stop and stare.
       "He's as crafty as I thought he might be...I'm sure he has an idea we're still after him now though," Faen quietly stated as he looked around suspiciously before walking again, "Let's go."
       The two of them began walking again. The group of pedestrians, while confused began to continue on their paths.
       Shortly afterwards, Sarthe himself walks out of a shop nearby where his clone was. A small breath was exhaled as he walked away from the scene. Soon he makes his way down a nearby alleyway, standing at the corner as he watched people pass by. Looking down at the pavement before him he thought to himself a moment.
       "Well it's obvious they are still after me. I have yet to find out even their intentions. I'll have to make sure to watch my back double time..." he whispered to himself.
       Moving away from the sidewalk, he went further into the alley until he was far enough to wall jump to the roof of one of the buildings nearby.
       "So there you are," Faen's voice rang through the air.
       Hearing this Sarthe stopped in his tracks looking ahead and spots the duo standing near the ventilation shafts.
       "I had a feeling you wouldn't be that easy to catch...but you can't suppress your location that easily. You see...because you possess something we want, the Dark Miracle," Faen spoke as he folded his arms.
       Stormie jumped from where he stood  toward Sarthe, his jacket fluttering in the air as he began his descent.
       Sarthe twinged his lip some as he pulled his hand from his side.
       "I hate to ruin your mood but you aren't about to beat me...Day Breaker..." he whispered.
       In his hand at his side a dark spiral formed and as he pulled his hand forward a large thin and black sheet of metal began to form and would continue to form until it had reached a length equivalent to his own height.
       "Ah the famed Breaker...our mistress would be pleased to also get a hold of that as well." Faen spoke.
       As he spoke, Stormie put the sleeves of his jacket together and upon pulling them apart he holds a pair of batons in his hands. Sarthe looked up at him as he lowered his weapon for a rising strike. Surely enough he swung the sword from its resting state, pushing it up into the air when his opponent was close enough. Grinning he watched as his sword swiped through the body with extreme ease. It was this ease that unsettled him as he watched the two halves hit the ground and splatter apart like water.
       "It wasn't enough that you couldn't beat me, but you had to call in a buddy to help huh?" Sarthe spoke as he settled his sword at his side.
       As he stood there he glanced behind him watching as the water took on the appearance of the man that charged him.
       "Normally, I wouldn't need assistance taking someone like you down but I'm on supervision duty now... My- Our task is not to defeat you today," Faen commented as he watched.
       Stormie had manifested behind Sarthe now. Just as he did, Sarthe jumped forward to turn around, putting some distance between them.
       "Just what are you exactly?" Sarthe asked as he stared at the being who was coming fully into shape once more.
       "That blade of yours seems to have screwed me up, dude, not cool," Stormie ignored his statement pulling another set of batons out.
       Sarthe didn't say anything back as he charged this time holding the Breaker in his right hand while his left hand began to conjure up another sword to his aid.after he did he quickly engaged in a parrying fight with the pursuer. Each time one of his swords collided with a baton, sparks would fly. While they contested to see who would make the first hit on the other, Faen watched with a smirk on his face.
       "Just one drop is all we need," Faen whispered leaning forward, "Why don't you just let us beat you. The easier it is for us the better off you'll be."
       Sarthe clashed finally with all four weapons locked in stalemate. This was his sole moment to glance at Faen as he stood there. His gaze would return to Stormie, who was grinning as well. Not liking this he jumped back after knocking Stormie's stance wide open. Obviously a decent time to make a move but something wasn’t right. Suddenly his eyes widened and a sharp pain had come to his back. He glanced behind him only to see another Stormie had manifested and attacked from behind. He panted under his breath as he felt an obstruction being removed from his body.
       He felt his knees hit the ground as he began to lose consciousness only to fall face first afterwards.
       Faen jumped down from where he stood next to Stormie.
       "Interesting trick there," Faen declared, holding his hand out to the clone, "Our job here is done."
       Stormie looked curiously at him.
       "Aww dude, we don't get ta kill the guy? I mean he's already halfway there," he complained before getting hit in the jaw.
       "This is all we need, we can't risk any unnecessary comebacks from him, Sarthe is just bluffing I'm sure," Faen replied vanishing in a puff of dark mist.
       Rubbing his jaw, Stormie looked at Sarthe on the ground and disappeared as well.
       Sarthe coughed a few moments later and lifts his head. Looking around through hazy eyes.
       "I've gotten careless..." Sarthe mumbled to himself as he struggled into a sitting position.
       "I'll say, I noticed a high spike of energy around here...I shouldn't be surprised you were involved with it," spoke a stern yet settled voice.
       Sarthe turned around to see who was talking, he would see another man with sharp, bright yellow hair and pale almost solid white skin donning what looked like a skin tight, purple, black and white top and pants with a type of waist and below cloak.
       "And just who might you be?" Sarthe stared at him.
       He walked forward until he stood before Sarthe.
       "I am Zsenith, I belong with the Organization. As per regulations any unusual activities within the city are to be dealt with by us Chasers. Seeing as you were involved I expected bodies to be around but it appears even you had trouble," Zsenith stated.
       "So it would seem..." Sarthe commented, getting up.
       A decent amount of blood was spilling to the floor as he stood there. Panting in a soft and controlled manner he started walking off.
       "Shall I summon one of the Healers?" Zsenith asked, never turning around to view his condition.
       "It would just be a bother, I'll make it on my own," Sarthe replied jumping down from the building.
       Zsenith remained silent watching the street below spotting a particular car that moved down the street. Unfolding his arms he lept from the roof top back toward the Seilku building.
       "So Aaron told you to stay with my family, right?" Sabrina asked as she cruised down the street in her car with Karu.
       Karu looked  over at her letting his eyes wander down her form as he answered her back.
       "Yea, he said something about me staying there since the residents know me better than anyone else since my arrival," he answered.
       Sabrina turned to face him, easily catching that he was examining her body rather than making eye contact, but says nothing of it as she places her hand on his shoulder.
       "Well Karu, I want you to feel at home so if you have questions or need help you know I'll try my best to be there for you," she replied.
       To that Karu smiled. His head had turned back toward the dashboard. Sabrina chuckled some and pats her hand on his head.
       "I know you feel really out of place being here on this world," she started to say as she turned down another street, "I believe you'll like being here though."
       Karu looked through the glass before him to see an enormous building they were approaching, dubbed with the word "SEILKU" along the front. This was where he would meet Aaron at. And contrary to what she was saying he believed things were about to get worse. Though he put faith in her comment. As they got closer and closer the road before them seemed to tunnel beneath the main front of the building to reveal a conglomeration of different buildings.
       "I didn’t know there was this much to the building... When Zero escorted me it only took five or ten minutes to get out," Karu stated peering out of the passenger window to look at the various buildings.
       Sabrina chuckled a little bit as he stared awestruck.
       "Well this is the employee entrance. All of the big higher up guys have access codes to get around with ease," Sabrina explained.
       Karu nodded not saying anything more.
       Soon the car came to a stop and Sabrina exited the car. Karu following soon after her. Together they entered the medical division of the entire complex.
       "Well Karu, here is where we must go our different ways, I'll get a hold of Aaron or someone who can take you to him okay?" She said to him.
       Only a moment passed before Karu found himself hugging the mother. Sabrina blinked and stuttered a bit as she looked down to see him holding her. Standing there a moment she looked about, a few nurses and doctors in the area looked at her, wondering what was going on. Sabrina smiled sarcastically but looked down at him with a look of concern. Her arms finally rose and wrapped around his back, rubbing it softly.
       "Sabrina...thanks. For everything and anything that might happen in the future," Karu spoke muffled by her shirt some.
       After saying that he let go of her finally to step back only to feel retaliation as she held him to herself. His cheek was now squeezed up against her chest.
       "Karu, it'll be fine, go see what Aaron had to talk to about," Sabrina leaned into the top of his head in a motherly fashion everyone around them resumed what they were doing.
       Karu nodded softly as he felt her grip around him loosen. He would step back as she spoke into the panel next to one of the transport stations.
       "You wait here, someone will come to pick you up shortly okay?" She asked looking back to him.
       He simply nodded and stood there as she walked off. A few moments later the transport pad before him began to illuminate and shine brightly with a white light and from it Zero was revealed standing before him.
       "Karu, do you have some business with master?" She asked curious as to why he was there.
       "Well he had something he wanted to tell me," Karu replied stepping onto the pad with her.
       "I understand. I shall take you to him then," she finished allowing the transport to send them to Aaron's office.
       After teleporting, Karu saw they were inside of a long corridor filled with doors. Hopping down from the pad he turned to watched Zero step down behind him.
       "You are certainly full of energy, Karu. I hope it will one day come in use for you," she stated, a grin forming on her face.
       Karu blinked a few times, staring at her as he whipped his body back around again.
       Zero could only laugh some as she began walking down the corridor. Karu could only follow from behind trying to hide an embarrassed face. As they walked down the corridor, Karu couldn't help but stare at the android before him, wondering why other civilizations would explore humanoid technology. Though to be honest he couldn't deny that it was something he liked as well. Sighing some he let his eyes wander down her backside; overall the android appeared to have a slender build and skin tight outfit to accent every part of her body below her neck. It was odd though also, she had more of a country style behind like girls back home.
       "Aaron must have a lot of fun with you, huh? With an ass like yours it's no wonder he keeps you around," Karu commented as he stepped up beside her finally.
       "I beg your pardon?" She questioned looking to him.
       "Eh-heh...nothin," Karu muttered.
       By then they had reached Aaron's office and Zero entered the pass code to allow them entry.
       "Master Aaron, Karu has come as you requested. Shall I leave the room for you two to talk?" Zero asked, her hands meeting at her front as she awaited his response.
       For a moment there was no answer as the chair slowly turned.
       "Aaron?" Zero asked in follow up.
       As the chair turned around it finally got to the point where they could see no one was in it.
       "Oh dear this is not good, the master is not here," Zero looked around then to Karu, "May I ask you to stay here while I locate him?"
       Karu looked at her, confused but shook his head shortly afterward. Zero watched him as he shook his head while she did not sincerely express emotion herself, a grin grew on her face.
       "You really are just a child when it boils down to it. Shall we wait here then?" Zero asked.
       When she did, Karu rushed around the desk to sit in Aaron's chair. Zero watched him of course approaching the desk herself. She would now stand across the desk in front of him.
       "So, with a body like yours does Aaron do things like, grope or rub or something?" Karu asked bluntly.
       Zero stood silent for a moment before she answered.
       "I am afraid I do not understand the question, Karu. What do you mean?" Zero asked, a bit confused.
       Karu got down from the chair sighing. He walks around the desk to stand to her side only a moment before she turns to face him. He rose his hand up to her chest and began subtly rubbing over her breast. His other hand wrapped around her waist to do the same to the androids backside.
       "Stuff like this. Aaron doesn't do this with you?" Karu asked her again, this time a bit more clearly.
       "Intimate rubbing and fondling... I cannot say that he has before, I do not mind this though," Zero replied while Karu continued to fondle her.
       Karu stopped once she said that but kept his hands in place for the time being. Eventually his lower hand would make it up to her other breast as well.
       "How can you have boobs like this and be okay with him ignoring them," Karu protested.
       Only in his mid teen years, the boy obviously enjoyed being able to openly fondle the android before him. Zero watched him curiously as he did this to her. An event like this being a first for her she studied him thoroughly.
       "I have not had Aaron do this to me, but I can not see anything wrong with not intimately caressing my cooling tanks, Karu," she responded.
       Karu stared up at her with awe. Was this a new form of wordplay that he could have only dreamed for, and from a girl so openly inviting.
       "How come they are held here? The cooling system that is," Karu asked her continuing on with his grabbing.
       "Well the concept works about the same way as your respiratory or your circulatory system, its just a means to keep heated areas as cooled as possible with a water supply kept in my chest," she began to explain.
       Karu looked up at her with a hint of wonder, his hands finally coming off her breasts.
       "Well that explains why they feel so natural and warm..." he muttered, exhaling shortly after.
       He then looked over to the doorway wondering when Aaron would show up. It was on that note that the door spread open revealing Aaron behind it.
       "Oh you're here already, I just went looking for you," he laughed walking over, "I hope you two haven’t been waiting long."
       Zero shook her head bowing slightly to him in greeting.
       "Karu here was just showing me a few things that seem to be customary on his home world," she explained to him, "Aside from that, Karu appears to have been summoned here for you?"
       "I'll have to see what our planetary guest here taught you after we're done here then, and yes, I did ask him here to meet with me, he must be informed of whats going on as I don't want him to be out of the know," Aaron answered moving over to his chair to sit.
       Karu watched him with a heightened level of concern but didn't speak since he was about to be told. Zero nodded and moved over to the side of the desk remaining silent for him to begin talking.
       "Now Karu as you and I both know, we can't detail what phenomena brought you here, but whatever it was, required a great deal of power which has triggered a chain of events to begin happening. I asked a colleague over to see if she could tell me anything due to her great prowess and knowledge on energy, both spiritual and elemental. She told me that there was definitely something amiss and that if we don't act fast, we'll have a number of problems before us. Karu, we need to make sure that you are as well protected as possible," Aaron spoke.
       As he came to a brief pause the door to his office opened once again, and another male stood at it, his face had a much more stern and hostile appearance to it than most he'd seen so far.
       "Sir, I have some urgent news you would be wise to hear," he spoke, as he walked forward.
       Each step made sounded like the tapping of metal surfaces together. Hearing this, Karu turned around seeing the man there in the odd uniform, but what really drew his attention were this man's feet that sounded as if they were made of metal. As Karu looked down he would see that his feet really were metal. Karu looked back up to the man's face as Aaron began to respond.
       "Oh? Has something happened, Zsenith?" Aaron asked as he leaned on one of his hands.
       Zero looked over to Zsenith waiting for his reply.
       "Sir it would appear that they've began mobilizing, I do not believe they are aware of the power surge however," Zsenith explained, "I was on patrol and noticed that Sarthe was being tag teamed by them just a  bit earlier."
       Karu blinked, flashing back to the previous day when he'd met the person they were talking about, remembering the man clad in black.
       "Man, that guy's just getting in all kinds of trouble. I'm sure he can handle himself though. Zsenith, since you're here, I'm assigning you and one of the defense units to protect this young man here," Aaron spoke.
       Zsenith turned his attention to Karu, his unnatural glare putting Karu in submission rather quickly as the redhead shrunk back.
       "...Understood. I shall go seek out a defense unit to assist me," Zsenith replied heading to exit the room.
       "I would love to introduce you to your new buddy, but I need to inform you of what's happening first," Aaron resumed, "As I said earlier, this whole event of you being transported here has caused or is going to cause a chain of different events. And more than likely this huge spike of power has caused something to start that I'm hoping hasn't yet."
       As Aaron explained to Karu Zero watched the two of them over, her stance relaxing a little bit.
       "So Karu, I have to say that if something out of the ordinary begins happening please inform me as soon as possible," Aaron commented, rising from his chair, walking around the table to Karu.
       Karu looked at Aaron as he walked around toward him. He then saw the man reach into his pocket for what he believed to be a cell phone of sorts.
       "For now that is all, if I find any more information I'll be sure to inform you as well Karu," Aaron spoke stepping forward more until he was behind the teen.
       "I have a question, Aaron..." Karu mumbled looking at the floor.
       "What's that?" Aaron replied plainly as he turned his head.
       "Why tell me this, shouldn't you be telling the city this, too? What possible importance do I play in what's going on, I mean, I understand it's a big deal that my being transported here the way I was seems to have unsettled a lot of things but I can't do anything about it," Karu wondered, his hands clenching subtly.
       Aaron remained silent a moment as he turned to the side enough so he only had to face Karu by only having his head turned. Zero watched Karu from the front, his expression one of discomfort.
       "Karu, while I do not understand human emotions fully, I want to try to assure you that, as our planet's guest, we wish to ensure your safety until you can return home. I would like to say that I would be devistated if something were to happen to you," Zero spoke walking over.
       Karu lifted his head some to glance at Zero. His expression lightened up some but his  mind still raced on what this all meant. Aaron came up beside Karu shortly after and stopped.
       "Well, Karu, that's up to you. I am not the one who governs this town but I do hold a lot of say in matters like this. If you wish we leave you be until we find a way to send you home, that's fine, but I can half guarantee that something's going to happen that we could have prevented," Aaron commented walking to his desk to lean against.
       Karu looked back to the floor, thinking hard about this. The man was right, he didn't know what people here were capable of. He'd already seen swords manifesting and of course his transporting here as well as human animal hybrids.
       "I see you’re not objecting, so we'll continue on like this. Like I said, if you see something, let me know with that piece you have, you can set it over your ear like a headset. Just think about the person you need to talk to and hit the button on it before talking," Aaron explained.
       Karu nodded looking at the device, this would give him something to play with in the meantime. For now though he silently made his leave exiting the room without a word in response. Zero watched as the door closed behind Karu and then turned her gaze over to Aaron.
       "So what's this little tidbit that our other-worlder taught you?" Aaron asked the android, propping his hands on the edge of the desk.
       Zero walked around from the side of the desk in front of Aaron and extended her arm to his own.
       "I believe it was called 'rubbing' and 'groping'. He wonders if you have ever had the urge to perform this rather peculiar form of activity," she explained to him, maneuvering Aaron's hand to her chest.
       Aaron's head figuratively began to spin as he watched the android move his hands over her breasts. After a brief moment of awkward groping he began stuttering his words before finally getting a legitimate sentence out.
       "I-I-I-I can't do that to an android it's not meant for that!" He exclaimed pulling his hand back.
       Zero looked at her hands as he freed himself from her hold. Quiet and unresponsive she placed her hand on her own breast.
       "I see," she finally spoke, staying before Aaron who watched the android closely.
       "Are you malfunctioning? Did he do something to your body's operational controls?" Aaron asked standing upright.
       Zero took a step backward to widen the distance between them, she shook her head in response to him.
       "All systems are functioning normally, no detected errors in any sectors," Zero replied.
       Aaron turned his head a bit only to look suspiciously at Zero, only to sigh afterwards.
       "Anyway, we have work to do," Aaron changed the topic heading for the room's exit, Zero close behind.