Chapter 1 - Kuro's Quest

Kuro's Quest

Chapter 1

Kuro begins

“I've got to find you-” the girl screams.

A dark creature's voice spoke, “To save the girl you must travel to the Witches' Lagoon….”

I woke up covered in cold sweat, breathing heavily. The Witches' Lagoon, no one ever returns from that place. But the girl-I had to find her, whoever she is. I've never met her, but no one deserves-

“Kuro!” Mom calls from downstairs.

“Yes, Mom!?” As I sit up and fling the covers off me.

“Time for breakfast!” My nose became aware of the smell of food.

“Ok!” I replied as I dressed. I remembered I begin my travels today and grinned. I went downstairs and ate breakfast.

Let me tell you who I am. I am Kuro Kitsune. I am 18 years old and 5'2” covered in black fur except on my head where it is blue and my tail which is also blue with a flame pattern to it. My mom was from the Arctic regions and my Dad was a charcoal grey color from this region. They died when I was very young. I live with foster parents; they were my parents' friends. They are the only parents I remember, so to me they are Mom and Dad.

“So, Kuro, what do you plan on doing today?”

“Begin my quest to the Witches' Lagoon.”

Dad choked on his water. (Seriously, is that possible?) Mom gasped.

“What?” I asked.

“The Witches' Lagoon is a place of death, that's what.”

“I will have armor and a sword. I am good at kendo. I'll be fine.”

Dad gave me a skeptical look. “Oh?”

“The villager's know me. I have made arrangements for armor and a sword and should be able to get food supplies, too” I lied. I had made no arrangements but didn't want to give him any excuse to keep me from going.

“He does have a point, ya know,” Mom backed me up, knowing how much I had been looking forward to completing my Ascension quest.

An Ascension quest occurs between the 16th and 18th year of life. It begins with the Dream that tells what the quest is to be and where to begin it. I have had twice before last night, each time remembering more of the dream and finally seeing the girl that needs my help.

“Fine.” Dad went back to eating breakfast.

I walked into the village, to the armor shop. As I entered my aunt greeted me from behind the display counter.

“Kuro! It's been ages.” She came around the counter and gave me a hug. “Why are you here?”

“I am beginning my quest. I am heading to Witches' Lagoon.”

“Of course, I will get you some armor.” She took out a measuring tape and sized me, then went into the back and returned with a full body suit of armor. I put it on and could barely move but knew Auntie would never let me leave without the whole set. I paid for the armor and wore it outside. I waddled down the street until I was out of view of her shop and turned into an alley. I promptly stripped off most of the suit, keeping the breast and back plates, elbow pad, knee pads and the boots. I stuffed the rest into a sack and left it in the alley.



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Chapter 2

Shiro

“Wh-where am I?” I looked around I was in a dark, dank cave. There was a lit torch beside me. Then I remembered.......

I am Princess Shiro Neko; I am the youngest of four sisters. I was training to be a healer when my father became ill. I am 17 years old and 4' 10”, covered in sleek white fur. The envy of my sisters is my bushy white tail, but not if they could see me now covered in mud. My father is a charcoal long hair with a flat nose and Mother was an angora white cat who looks much like me. Murasaki the eldest is white and grey mix with Mom's nose, Midori is all white but with Dad's nose, and Ki is grey without the flat nose.

I had come here looking for the gold veined moss that would cure Father. I had heard from my healer teacher that it was once found at the Witches' Lagoon, back before it was a dreaded place to come. But I was in the forest, “How did I get here?”

“Hello, I am Jikas the-”

“Extremely idiotic, stubborn, pathetic-“

“Overdoing it...”

“Strange, exotic-“

“Okay, okay”

“Stupid, thick skulled-“

“Oh, I give up...”

“Yet brilliant witch?”

“Yes, have we met?”

Although I had never met Jikas I didn't like the reputation he had.

“Why am I wearing these bracelets with chains on them?” They were most inconvenient as the short chain attached the bracelet on each wrist to the other.

“So you don't run away” as he spoke I saw the moss I needed in a jar on the other side of the cave.



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Chapter 3

Kuro

“Hai Ke! Ke! Hai Ke get out here or so help me-!”

“Okay, okay! I'm here!” Hai stopped hiding from me and ran to meet me. Hai Ke is a silver wolf of near six foot. He is older than me by about two years. His “hair” was green and matched his right eye, his left was blue.

“I need a weapon, a strong one,” I said as Hai inched towards his counter.

His ears perked up at that ,“Well, we have weapons for mages, assassins, archers and any other weapon needers!”

“Weapon needers?!” I burst out laughing.

“Hey, it was the only thing I thought of.” He kicked at the dirt on the ground, “So what cha need?” He tried to change the subject.

“A sword.”

Hai brought out a few swords. I tried to look knowledgeable as I balanced them and swung them about. I settled on one that seemed right to me, paid him and headed to the potions shop.

“Oi, Kusama,” I yelled as I entered the shop, choosing her native language's greeting.

“Yes!” she replied as her head jerked up from her arms. She had fallen asleep again in the warmth of the sunlight coming through the window, coupled with the air being thick with incense; I was beginning to feels drowsy myself.

“Kuro, here for potions?” She blinked several times, pushing back the haze of sleep.

“Yeah.”

“Alright, what do you need?” She chose her words carefully as she had a tendency to revert back to her own language when rushed.

“A couple healing potions and one that changes an adult into a child.”

“Alright.” She turns and goes directly to the potions. Her mind may drift from time to time but she never misplaced a potion or ingredient.

I stepped outside and was glad to breathe fresh air again. But by this time the food places had begun preparing for mid day meals and the air was perfumed with various foods cooking. My stomach rumbled loudly.

I headed for my other aunt's shop for lunch and supplies. I entered the crowed establishment and went over to the corner where the supplies were.

“Kuro-Chan! Good to see you. Be with you in a minute.” She hustled into the kitchen with empty plates.

“Hi Aunt Yaki,” I got out before she disappeared. She was back in a flash with full plates balanced on her arms and tail. How she remembered who got what amazed me as she deposited them before hungry customers. Her daughter Etsuko rushed out tying on her apron, she took over getting hot food for the customers and Yaki came over to help me.

“I guess you're here for supplies for your quest?” She stocked the shelf next to me. I was surprised she already knew, which must have shown on my face.

“I talked to your mother this morning when I delivered some groceries,” She chuckled.

“Of course,” I chuckled too, “Yes I need enough to get me to KamiSoroNeko City.” The first leg of my journey, after all Witches' Lagoon was hundreds of miles away.

“So, enough for 8 days journey.”

So long! I hadn't thought it was so far. “Eh, yeah.”

She loaded my satchel, rewrapping the potions in thicker cloth to prevent breakage. She also made sure I had a hot meal before leaving.

I was glad she had made me eat. I had put a great distance between me and the village by the heat of the afternoon. But all I could think about for the last half an hour was my feet.

“Ow, ow, ow,” I repeated with each step. Blast, these armored boots.

I heard a crack behind me and turned to see Hai running at me with a stupid grin and club raised and waiving it about.

“Kuro! Kuro!” Hai yells when he sees I have seen him. “I have come to join you; your father wants you to have extra protection.”

“Ke?”

“Ya?”

“Who's running the shop?”

“My....my sis...”Hai blushed.

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Chapter 4

Shiro, The Royal Pain

“Oooo what's that? And who's that?” I looked at a pool on the ground that reflected a fox and wolf in a forest, I suddenly noticed lots of interesting things on shelves and cupboard in the cave as my eye grew used to the dark “oh and that?”

“Shut up will you,” Jikas yelled at me. I knew there was a reason I disliked Jikas, he had no manners.

“Answer my questions!” As a princess I was not used to being ignored.

“Fine, that is a Visupool where powerful sorcerers as myself can watch the goings on of your type.” Jikas pulled himself up to his full 4 feet height. “That is Kuro the boy that will attempt to rescue you.”

“That is my servant, Kuso.” The shadow suddenly moved at the mention of its name.

“Why are you holding me against my will?” I asked realizing that these bracelets were actually restraints of some kind. “Do you have a grudge against my father?”

“Will you just shut up, and say something intelligent!”

“Well, which is it shut up, or say something intelligent, I can't do both?” I thought my question was smart enough.

“Just shut up!” He turned and left the lit area of the cave, his little servant creature following behind.

I curled up in a ball, physically and emotionally hurt. I cried myself to sleep.

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Chapter 5

Two New Friends

Hai found a lake so we took a rest. I relieved my feet from the evil boots. Then the silver wolf raised his head.

“What is it Hai?” I asked.

“That wasn't my stomach growling...” Hai said terrified, “Gah!”

Hai ran and hid behind me, and I thought he was supposed to help protect me. A young blue cat like creature stepped out from behind the bushes. She looked like a cat with bat wings and a squirrel tail. She wore a brown robe.

“Hi, I came from KamiSoroNeko City; I heard a boy was coming to our city I came out to find him.”

“Who are you?” I asked

“What are you?” Hai asked.

“I happened to be a rare Nequat, my name is Kasi and I am also a witch,” She answered.

Hai gulped in fear.

“My brother's name is Kushi but he prefers to be called Koosh.”

“Why do I need to know your brothers name?” I asked since he was no where to be seen.

“You'll see,” She replied in a sing song little voice.

Then I remembered something. “Hai.”

“Yeah.”

“Didn't you say something about something growing?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Sorry that was me,” Kasi said, “I am kinda hungry.”

I invited her to join us for dinner. She accepted. After the meal was finished it was too dark to continue our journey. We bedded down for the night.

I woke up to the sounds of traffic, and in a comfortable bed. I sat up.

“What the-?” Hai was snoring away in the next bed but Kasi was no where to be seen. I heard a strange crackling and a pop and a boy much like Kasi appeared in a cloud of dust. Instead of wings he had a cloth over his left eye.

“Hi, I am Koosh,” he threw a stack of clean clothes on the end of my bed and on Hai's. “You might need these as yours are pretty dirty.'

“How did we get here?”

“I brought you in last night. Kasi said it would rain and thought it best we just bring you here.”

“Where is here?”

“Red Drum Hotel in KamiSoroNeko City.”

“What!” My shout woke Hai, finally.

“Hmm. Quiet! I was in the middle of a good dream and would like to get back to her- eh, it.” He rolled over not even noticing the change of scenery.

Both Koosh and I stared at Hai for what seemed minutes before he bolted up in bed and looked around.

“Where- what?” He backed up to the wall behind his bed and was standing on the bed looking around wildly.

I began to laugh, and Koosh did too.

“We have already covered that,” I explained everything to him as best I could. Hai began to relax and sat on the bed.

“So we are good?” Hai confirmed, “Great where is the toi-eh lav- mm restroom?”

“Second door on the left down the hall,” Koosh directed just before he poofed away.

After showering and taking care of business, we dressed in the clean clothes offered us and followed our noses downstairs where breakfast was being laid out.

Koosh was already seated and beckoned us to join him. Kasi was still no where to be seen.

I was about to ask Koosh where his sister was when she came out from the kitchen in a frilly black maids outfit. She asked what we would like for breakfast and Hai rattled off a list of foods and I asked for bacon, eggs and toast.

“And you?” she asked Koosh, who seemed to think about it for some time.

“Banana pancakes.”

Breakfast was very filling. When we returned to our rooms both Hai and I sat on the beds and began talking of our trip plans, then next thing I knew I awoke and it was dark. And I could smell food cooking again and felt very hungry. Hai was already waking at the smell of food. We went down again to find Koosh sitting at the same table.

“Ready for dinner?”

“We slept the day away?”

“Sorry `bout that, if you're not used to teleporting it can drain your energy.”

“Great.”

Kasi came out and took our orders again. Even I cringed when Koosh ordered snails for dinner.

After dinner Hai and I grabbed our bags and headed to Koosh and Kasi's house which was a ways out of the city. We were to spend the night there since we had lost a days travel, but we were still ahead since teleporting cut 2 days off the trip.

Kasi and Koosh began arguing just before we left the city and did not stop even after we reached their house. Even after we bedded down in the parlor, we could hear them going at it. So I wasn't really asleep when the knock came at the door.

“I'll get it.” I called up the stairs, during the lull in the bickering.

I cautiously opened the door. The figure was wearing a cloak.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

“Neotomi, the city, in danger.” The cloak fell from his body and I saw a human, his face scarred beyond recognition and his clothes were torn and bloody. I could tell he came from a battle, and then he fell to the ground dead.

I called to everyone; they came running to the door and the man outside.

“Koosh, can you teleport us to Neotomi City?”

We were there within the hour. The city was devastated, fires burned everywhere. We heard the sound of marching and we hid. I saw masked soldiers, torching houses. As we tried to get out of the city I was attacked by one of these masked soldiers.

I pulled my sword and fought him off, disarming him. I held the point of my sword to his throat.

“Who are you,” I panted.

“Stay out of this Kuro, you still have to save Shiro.” That voice it was the same as my dream.

“Jikas!” Koosh yelled from behind me. It was not a friendly greeting.

The figure began to pull a knife from somewhere, I reacted quickly slicing across his face, threw the mask.

With a scream of agony Jikas disappears, and the masked soldiers seem to melt into the darkness, just as the sun arose making the sky a blood red to match the ground on which we stood.

Koosh explained that Jikas was responsible for the loss of his eye. And Jikas was rumored to be at Witches Lagoon.

“Hooray!” said Kasi trying to raise morale, “Now we get to go to Noro, they have some fabulous shops.”

“Great,” replied Hai sarcastically. We hurried down the road to our next destination. We encountered no one until we were in Noro.

“Wow!” Kasi gasped,” This place is beautiful!”

“Wow, you were right; shops left and right!” I yelled

Hai groaned; he hated shopping. Too many bad memories of his sister taking him with her friends, a shudder ran down his spine. This explains why his clothes had always been made by himself.

“The map says-”

Koosh interrupted, “Who cares, let's go Kuro.” He led us into the center of town where we were engulfed in a sea of shops and shoppers. We passed through the market place and into a clearing. Before us was the tallest building I had ever seen. Five floors of rooms! The Golden Monkey Inn was luxurious; I wondered if we could afford such accommodations.

“Come on.” Koosh tugged at my sleeve, “Let's get rooms.”

“Hey!” I looked around, “Where are Kasi and Hai?” noticing they were missing.

“Oh Kas pulled Ke into a shop.” Koosh didn't seem at all concerned.

I laughed, thinking how much Hai hated shopping.



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Chapter 6

Kuro continued

I yawned and fell out of bed.

“Ow!” I hit my head on the bed as I stood.

“What?” Koosh pops out of bed; alert.

There were 3 vacant rooms when we checked in, so Hai, Kasi, Koosh and I had made a bet on 2 coins tosses. Koosh and I had lost the bet and ended up in the same room. Luckily it was a room with two beds. I also discovered that Koosh had inherited the family business and was quite wealthy. Kasi got nothing of it, which is why she had worked at the Red Drum and also why they argued frequently.

“Nothing, just hit my head.” Since I was up, I showered and changed as did Koosh, complaining the whole time how hungry he was, which didn't seem possible with all the food he ate last night.

We met our companions at the table and ordered breakfast. Koosh again amazed me on the amounts and variety of foods he ate. I had always thought Hai was a voracious eater. Koosh paid our bill and we continued with our journey to Nekana.

Half way there, in the forests, as we made midday meal, we were approached by a beargon (part dragon, part bear). It roared loudly and startled our troop. We drew weapons and prepared for an attack that never came. It took one look at us and ran in the opposite direction.

We got to Nekana early the next morning. We walked through the nearly deserted streets.

“Well, you're far from home.”

I knew that voice. I turned and saw a familiar figure.

“Toro!”

“Hey Little Bro!” He gave me a noogie.

“Hey gerroffa me!”



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Chapter 7

I awoke to the eeriest, maniacal laughter. I was still as I looked around, it was only Jikas.

“You laugh weird,” I told him as I sat up.

“I do not!” he snapped. “Besides soon you will be dead and my revenge will be complete.”

“If you're just going to kill me, why let those other try to rescue me.”

“I desire more servants like Kuso. And Kuro, Kasi, Hai and that pain in the neck, Kushi will do nicely. ” Jikas then launched into a litany of ways he could kill me.

“Wait did you say Kuro?” I knew that name.

Jikas grunted.

“Kuro is my cousin!”

Jikas busied himself with his preparations; I could not see what he was doing. After several hours of him ignoring me, I snapped.

“Help, I'm being bored to death!”

Jikas dropped a vial and I burst into a fit of giggles.

“Someone's here...I'll go meet them!” Jikas said.

I followed her, the bracelets, I realized, were to large too stay on.





* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Toro left and Kasi and Koosh came back and we ran to the Witches' Lagoon. When we got there I got the potion that changes an adult into a child. Then Koosh knocked on the door, and then ran behind me, as did everyone else. When Jikas came out, I jumped backwards and tripped, and the potion splashed on Jikas and turned him into a kit, then a girl ran out, it was the girl from my dream.

“Kuro! Cousin!” She yelled, “I'm Shiro Neko!” she told my friends.

We all departed for the places we wanted to be.

Kasi went back to her home, with Hai

Shiro went home, with the cure for her father, and her father soon got better.

Koosh and I continued traveling together.

The End

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