Cassie walked home from karate practice, outfit in her bag and nice and warm under her yellow umbrella. Dressed in a yellow shirt, white pants and gold jacket, she was humming to herself, until she spotted a street fight with the local gang right in front of her apartment building.
�Great�� she muttered. �I�ll never get past.�
She noticed an unfamiliar figure among them, defending with one arm and both legs. Then she realized it was that strange girl from school�that Kinsei girl. She was holding her bird in the left arm, the creature looked hurt.
�What the heck is she doing here?� Cassie muttered, brushing her bangs back. �Oh well�Guess I better help �er.�
Selene looked up at some unfamiliar thumping. That strange blonde-haired girl from school was calmly knocking one goon after another down. It was welcome help, but not a welcome sight.
Cassie knocked her sixth or seventh one out, then looked around. Most of them were lying sprawled out on the ground, clutching their stomachs and moaning in pain. �I think�That�s everyone��
There was a huge crash from behind her. She spun around to watch the gang�s leader, Fang, crumbled to the ground. There was a heavy lead pipe in his left had. Kinsei stood behind him, setting down a wooden board and bending over to scoop her bird up.
�Thanks.� she finally sighed, smiling at Cassie. The rain was slowing up, but she was dripping wet. �I would�ve been dead.�
Cassie tossed her hair back. �Keep movin�, kid.� she muttered, heading for the door of the apartments. �I don�t have the time.�
Selene frowned. �Can�t you be nice, just once?� she asked.
�You�re one to be lecturing about �being nice�.� Cassie snapped.
�You don�t even know me!� Selene exclaimed, angry.
�I don�t need to know a stuck-up little rich girl like you!� Cassie yelled in her face. �I just saved your butt to get into my apartment.�
�Why you�� Selene growled, when their fight was cut off by the opening of a door.
�Cassie!� a voice exclaimed. The two girls looked up to see a young woman, not much more than 30, with frizzy, golden-blonde hair and bright blue eyes. �I�m glad you�re home, dear. Dinner�s ready. Come in.�
�Yes mama.� Cassie nodded.
Selene watched her climb up the stairs and enter the building, feeling a pang of jealousy. Then she coughed, her throat suddenly feeling tight.
Ms. Tokimono was surprised. The girl�s long, black hair had a bit of purple in it, but she was so soaking wet it was hard to see, she�d blended in to the night. �Oh dear�� she hurried out, putting her arm over Selene�s shoulder. �You poor thing, you�ll catch you death. Come on inside, we�ve got enough to share��
�No�� Selene croaked. �I�m fine�Really, I�m okay��
�Mom!� Cassie cried. �What�re you doing?!�
�Oh, Cassie, be nice!� her mother chastised. �The poor dear�s soaked through! Oh my, is that your bird?�
�Yeah.� Selene was still cradling the black bird�s half-conscious form in her arms. �He�s name�s Cyprus. He�s okay, really, he just needs to rest.�
�Well, you�ll get plenty of that.� the mother smiled. �Come on in and let�s get you dried off.�
~ * ~ * ~
The figure of a young woman leapt from rooftop to rooftop in the moonlight. She had long, blonde hair tied back in a bun, and from that a ponytail flowed down to her waist. Her hauntingly dark blue eyes gazed around coldly, searching for just the right time.
�This place is perfect.� she snickered to herself. �Too many little pests, their spirit energy ripe and ready for the taking. Now for the proper treatment��
She dropped to the ground. There was a puddle of mud there on the ground, and this was her target so far. She pulled a small, black ball from her pocket and tucked it into the mud, at the same time whispering her incantation.
�You, you soulless object in this world of man. Rise and obey my every command! Be my puppet�be my slave!�