Dragon Flames

Chapter 9

By: Malaca

"So, you want me to teleport you all to Toyama, Japan?" Warlock asked uncertain.

"Yeah."

"Why are we going to Japan, and why aren't we all goin?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," was the collective reply from all that was there.

All of the Hunters had been collected in the street alley not to far from the warehouse they were based at. They all were in battle gear, and had packed lightly for the trip to come. The Hunters stood ready to follow their leader to the end, that is if they could figure out where the end was. Waiting was the hard part for them. Akira was in front pacing nervously. He wasn't a leader; how would they react to the Guardian of Ice's message. Akira smiled slightly. At least now he knew how hard it was for Malaca and the one before her to make decisions for the whole group. Diagon stood not to far behind watching his friend and leader carefully. Akira made no move to answer the small force. They grew nervous.

Diagon stepped forward, "The Guardian gave Akira a message that he was to assemble a small force of fighters to help other Hunters in Toyama, Japan with an evil force. This is a mission to stay quiet in our ranks."

Akira nodded at Diagon in gratitude, "That's right. We are leaving as soon as Warlock is capable of taking us all. We will destroy this evil quickly and return as soon as possible."

The roar of the Slayers was deafening. Diagon winked at Akira, who returned the look. They would follow them to Japan with little questions asked. Warlock made motions with his hand, and muttered spell words in ancient Latin and in other languages long forgotten by the tongues of man. A glowing portal of fire and ice flashed there individual colors. The whole in time and space widened and stretched to fit larger objects. Warlock's brow was frowned in concentration. Sweat poured down his face in rivulets; he struggled to hold the uncontrollable matter open long enough for the others to pass through. Akira nodded at the small band. The Hunters jumped through the portal willingly; this was nothing new to them.

"HEY, DIAGON, YOUR NEXT!" Akira shouted over the roar of the portal.

His hair wiped around wildly as he look at his close partner. Diagon nodded and jumped after the remainder of the troops where through.

~Better go now before the portal closes, Leader. I'll follow close behind.~

Akira gave a thumbs up sign in Warlock's direction, letting him know that he received his message. Warlock nodded in confirmation. Akira jumped through the portal, and landed in the mists of a bright light.

Malaca sighed placing her head in her propped up hands. She succeed in escaping school for two days before Mia insisted in her and Sage coming back. Malaca recalled her words.

"You wouldn't want to miss any more school would you?"

Malaca had snorted at the time, and she snorted them. She had to be dragged off to school, not willing to come back. She watched the door for someone she knew to enter the class. Malaca sighed again, totally bored. Sage entered the room holding his head against a headache. Malaca's face brightened.

"Hey, Sage!" she yelled waving her hand at him.

Sage smiled in response. Several girls crowed around him. Sage waved back signaling her that he needed to talk to his 'fan club' before he could sit down in the seat she had saved him.

"Ohhhh, Sagey! Where were you for our date yesterday? I was soooo lonely!" a black haired bubbled head exclaimed, wooing over Sage.

Malaca rolled her eyes and sighed. At least Sage didn't have to worry about tagging her as a target. She frowned suddenly.

'I wonder why he leaves me alone? At first he seemed to flirt a lot. Especially when we were in the forest; always peeking over my shoulder! Geez, it gave me the willies. I'm so glad he leaves me alone now. But when they asked me about my picture, I could feel the old fear roll up on me! I made up some stupid lie about the Dragon and my pictures. Ha! My pictures being the window of my soul! That's a good one.'

Malaca huffed, 'Yeah, and Kento. He makes my fears re-light again as well. I'm so scared, but I can't let them see. They'd just laugh at me if they found out how afraid I am of males. I couldn't tell them the real reason. That my father beat me like a dog, and rapped me every chance he took! I was so afraid then, and I am now! And yet, I'm not. I know that they would do almost anything to protect me, and I them. I guess it's not so bad now.'

"Yohoooo! Malaca, are you awake or what?" a voice asked.

Malaca jumped in fright as she saw a hand wave in front of her face. She looked up to see Sai and Rowen standing cheerfully over her. Malaca moaned.

"What's up guys?"

"Are these seats for us?" Rowen asked.

Malaca nodded, "And for Sage too. When he gets his pampered little butt over here!"

"I heard that!" Sage raised his voice.

Rowen snickered, "Good!"

Sage eventually untangled himself from his fan club and made his way over to his friends. He winced slightly as he sat down. Malaca noticed it from the corner her eye.

"How's the head?" she whispered over the screaming kids surrounding them.

Rowen and Sai sat down next to them. Sage shrugged in response.

"How's the wrist?" he answered her question with another questioned.

Malaca winced as she bumped the bandaged wrist. With Sage out of commission for a while, they had placed her wrist in a protective splint.

She rubbed it slightly, "I've had worse."

Sage gave her a skeptic look. Sai and Rowen exchanged looks. Malaca rolled her eyes in response, throwing her uninjured hand in the air.

"Men!" she huffed turning around.

The Ronins stifled giggles. The Sensei walked into the room and glared at all of the teenagers.

Malaca rolled her eyes, 'Here we go, another day at the funny farm!"

Ryo brushed his curly hair away from his face and sighed. His pencil trailed along the paper making intelligible signs and figures on his paper. Ryo's vision got suddenly blurry, and Ryo rubbed his eyes with a free hand.

'How do I unite the Ronins? There's got to be something that we can do to make us work together, but what? Sometimes I hate being the leader.'

Malaca sat up straight. She could have sworn that she heard someone's thoughts enter her mind. She frowned again, as the Sensei proceeded to explain the life cycle of a worm.

'I'm so confused!'

Malaca jumped; there it was again! Who was so distressed to leave their barriers wide open? Malaca slouched down in her seat so the Sensei wouldn't notice her as much. She closed her eyes and concentrated deeply.

~Who's there?~

Ryo jumped this time, his eyes wide in surprise~Malaca?~

~Ryo? What's wrong?~

~I'm trying to figure out how to unite the Ronins so we can fight better.~

~Warlords too?~

~Yeah~

~Hmmm- why don't you build something?~

~Like what?~

~I don't know, maybe somewhere to train in?~

~Good idea, but what could we build to house training?~

~A barn maybe?~

~That's a great idea. I have to bring it up to Mia tonight. I'm sure the warlords would want to help build something that would help them train for the Dynasty!~

~Agreed~

~Let's bring this up at lunch today. We can see the rest of the guys opinion.~

~Yeah, good luck in getting them to listen. What with Kento eating, Sage hunting, and Rowen I don't think much will be discussed!~

Ryo snorted~That's true, but we always can try~

~Yeah, it can't hurt~

~See ya' at lunch~

~See ya'~

Their mental link was snapped. Malaca shook her head vigorously in an attempt to clear it. She felt a paper ball hit her in the head. Malaca turned around to face a grinning Sage. He waved at her nonchalantly, and then pointed to the board. Their teacher was writing formula's on the board. Malaca groaned.

'I hate Math!'

Rowen chuckled slightly at Malaca expression.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

Malaca shot him a glare which he met with his own, "Don't like math."

Sai rolled his eyes at the last part of this. He returned to his doodling his in notebook. There upon his paper were drawings of dolphins and other sea life. Sai smiled vaguely as he remember how he swam peacefully with the whales after he got his armor. That had always been a dream for him, especially when he lived in Britain. Britain, he so missed his home country. Even more of late. His father still lived there, that is had still lived there. Before he died that is. Sai shrugged the feelings off, slightly confused about why they were bothering him now.

"Malaca stop it!" whispered Rowen hotly.

"What am I doing?" she replied also at a whisper.

Rowen huffed in reply, "Your going to get in trouble!"

Malaca shrugged, "So?"

"Just save it for later! Ryo will be pissed off if I just stood by and let you go through with it."

"That's Ryo's problem!"

"Malaca!"

"All right, all right. I won't do it. Does that make you feel better now?"

"Not much," Rowen muttered going back to his book.

Sage smiled over at the group of girls in the front of the classroom. The giggled in response, waving back wildly. Malaca rolled her eyes; talk about bad taste. Horo glanced nervously around the classroom.

'I have to find the chosen before Ashira and Korin do! He's got to be around here somewhere!'

Finding not match to his mental search, Horo slumped back into his chair rubbing his medallion lightly. The crossed swords were glittering with a dangerous glimmer. Horo glanced down at the silver medallion.

'At times like these, I wish I was a tracker.'

Twirling her hair between her fingers Ashira waited for the one man she wished to see arrive. The crowd had parted around her still for, with several admires staring in the distance. Ashira ignored all of them. She snorted to herself as they continued to stare.

'Humans, what do they know?'

Just then a blonde head emerged from the crowed hallways. He didn't seem to notice the band of girls that followed his every movement. Ashira smiled wickedly. He is the link she needed to connect with the chosen. She moved up to him silently. Sage looked down and noticed the transfer student smiling pertly at him. Sage smiled back.

"Well, hello beautiful. What are you up to?" Sage questioned the girl flirtously.

Ashira smiled back, 'Humans.'

She answered, "Nothing tonight, and you?"

"How about you come home with me and my friends after school? Do you know where to find us when classes are over?"

"I can guess. See you tonight Sage," Ashira walked away swinging her hips intoxicatly.

Sage smiled one of his false smiles and walked off to the lunch line. He had to get there after all, before Kento. Ryo laughed at Sage's dreamy look.

"Another date tonight Sage?"

"Of course Ryo, you?"

Ryo looked over the room uncertainly. She wasn't in sight.

"Not yet," Ryo answered.

Sage rolled his eyes, "You better hurry up before someone else grabs her!"

"You wouldn't!"

"Nah, I wouldn't do that to you Ryo," Sage smirked back.

Malaca entered the lunch room in a huff. She cringed. The roar of the lunch room was deafening. Malaca looked around for an empty table to sit down at, for she wasn't really hungry. She found one with enough seats for all of her friends to sit at. Malaca jumped in surprise.

'Did I just say friends? Do I really consider these guys to be my friends? I haven't really had any guy friends to do things with me. Only friends that I had that were guys had been apart of the Slayers. Even then, I wasn't conformable around them. Damn, why does everything have to be so confusing!'

"Hey, Ryo, what ya' lookin' at?" Rowen poked his friend.

"Huh?" Ryo said blinking in surprise.

"I said, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

"Sure!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothin'!" Rowen laughed walking over to the table Malaca had saved them.

"Hey, Malaca! How's ya' day?" Rowen asked sitting down.

"Okay so far Rowen, you?" Malaca asked awakening from her musings.

"Pretty good. I aced Sensei Robert's Calculus test," he answered happily.

"Calculus!" she yelled out before slapping her hand over her mouth.

Rowen raised his eyebrows, "Yeah, Calculus."

"Damn, your good!"

Rowen shrugged, "I need help in English class though. Foreign languages like that are always a little tough."

"Now that I can help you with," Malaca laughed.

Rowen opened his milk and took a chug of it. He whipped is mouth clean of the white substance.

"I can't figure out some of these noun things," Rowen told her pulling his English book out.

"Noun things? Now Rowen, we are getting a little technical aren't we?" exclaimed Malaca.

"Hahaha, that was really funny. Now, are you going to help me or what?" Rowen asked showing her his book.

"What's going on?" asked Sai as he sat down with his tray.

A large pile of food followed close behind. Stacked full of school lunches, so many that Malaca didn't even try to count how many. Malaca raised her eyebrow.

"Is that Kento underneath all that food?" she asked.

"Yeah believe it or not, it is," answered Sage coolly sitting down across from Rowen.

"That's Kento for you!" laughed Ryo sitting on Malaca's other side.

"I heard that!" exclaimed the pile of food.

"Excuse me, Rowen?" a male voice said from behind.

Rowen turned around to face the new transfer student, Horo.

"Yes?"

"*Cough* Yes, the teacher Sensei of our English class told me that you were one of his best students. I just wondered if you can help me understand today's lesson," he asked Rowen polietly.

Malaca turned to Rowen who sat on her other side, "You were saying?"

Rowen blushed, "Well, you should really ask Malaca. She knows more about that language than I do."

Horo nodded and turned to Malaca. His eyes lit up in confusion. Malaca did the same when she noticed the medallion around his neck.

"Why don't you come home with us? I'm sure I could give you extra tutoring after school."

Horo smiled, "Thank you. I'll meet you out front after school?"

"Yes, that sounds like a good place to meet. Till then, Horo," she nodded in his direction while thinking to herself.

Horo left quickly. Ryo frowned at his retreating back. He didn't realize that Malaca could possibly be interested in someone else. Sage caught Ryo's frown, and gave him a knowing look. Ryo sighed.

'If only it was that easy.'

'A Hunter here? Why?'

Horo frowned as he waited outside for the girl, Malaca, to show up.

'Why did I go through with this assignment? I already know English, and yet I'm getting lessons on it. Just so that I can fit in. Huuhhhh-, this is so frustrating, and I'm no closer to finding the Chosen. I already know that Ashira and Korin know who it is, and yet I can't find out how they know.'

Horo was interrupted by a shadow covering his light from the sun. He looked up in a young boys friendly smile.

"Your the one that came to our table at lunch, right?"

Horo nodded in response.

"Good, then I'm at the right place. I'm Sai, one of Malaca's and Rowen's friends. We all live at the same place," Sai told him holding out a hand so Horo could get up.

Horo took his hand and was helped to his feet.

"Where is Malaca?" he asked.

"Right behind you," she answered.

Horo jumped with wonder and turned around to face her.

'How could a human child sneak up on me like that?' he wondered.

"Is everyone here?" asked Ryo.

"Now we are!" answered a breathless Sage with Ashira close behind.

"Who's the girl Sage?" asked Malaca.

"Just one of his usual followers!" laughed Rowen his arms full of books.

"Well, what are we all standing here for? I'm hungry!" exclaimed Kento eager to get home.

"Kento, your always hungry!" laughed Sai.

"Hey, what do you mean by that Sai? That I'm fat?" yelled Kento.

"Why would I think that fatty!" laughed Sai running away.

"Okay Sai, your going to get it!" Kento yelled chasing after his friend in the direction of Mia's house.

The rest except for Ashira and Horo laughed and walked off after them. Horo was watching the ground nervously trying not to let Ashira know that he knew who she was.

'If Ashira is here that means that one of them is the chosen, but who?' he pondered.

"Earth to Horo! Yo, Horo wake up!" yelled Malaca waving her hand in front of his face.

Horo snapped back to the present to notice Malaca. He also noticed that she had changed out of her uniform before coming out of the school. He pointed it out.

"Yeah," she said tugging on her jean belt loop, "I hate skirts."

She walked on next to Ryo and Horo. She dug into her backpack and pulled out a brush. She combed her hair and then pulled it back in to a pony tail. Horo eyed her slightly. She was pretty, he had to give her that. Horo you used his second sight to feel the emotions around them. He noticed that the guy next to her, actually gave a damn about her welfare, if not liked her. Horo hastily put his second sight away, afraid that Ashira would have sensed its use.

Ryo watched Malaca from the corner of his eye. She was beautiful. Her dark blue jeans hugged her hips, but slightly flared out at the bottom. She had black, short boots on, for some reason. Ryo guessed that she also had her knives hidden away in them as well. She wore a white short sleeved sweater that had a square cut neck line instead of the typical circular cut most girls wore. On her neck, instead of the medallion she had normally worn was a golden cross, detailed magnificently. Diamond studs were in her ears, sparkled intriguing him to pull her in to his embrace. Malaca turned to him suddenly, as though she knew that he was watching her. She gave him a big smiled and ran forward.

"Catch me if you can!" she yelled back.

They had entered the forest marking Mia's property. The rest of the group watched as Ryo took after Malaca. Sai smiled dreamily.

"They would make a really good couple," he sighed.

Rowen looked up from his book, "Yeah."

Kento snorted, "Yeah, right. Her and Ryo! What a mix of weirdness. She would rather kick his ass than become one of us!"

Horo raised his eyebrow at the mention of us, "Us, what do you mean by us?"

"Nothing at all, right Kento?" answered Sage nudging Kento in the ribs.

Kento didn't seem to notice, "Yeah, nothing at all."

Horo frowned, 'They are hiding something, I know they are."