A bright sunny day... Peaceful surroundings... A small wood house sits on top of a small hill... Sitting on the roof is a girl with a pony-tail, wearing a hooded cloak. With eyes closed, she plays a beautiful tune on a metallic flute.
Suddenly, two small figures zip out in front of the house from the back... A guy runs after them and takes a stance between them and the house. The two figures are short snarling dark brown furred monsters with pointy ears. A guy has several long bangs on the right side of his head, and holds a long metal rod. He rushes at them attacking with the rod by using it like a sword, and knocks them both out in a flash. But then, several more of the creatures appear surrounding him...
Guy: Annoying little pests...
Suddenly, another one of the monsters leaps at the girl from behind.
Guy: Shit! Kari!
Just as the monster is about the strike, Kari leaps into the air, backflips, and lands feet first on the creature. They slide down the roof together and on to the ground with a thud and a crunch. Kari is unscathed and steps off of the creature with a smile.
-= Kari =-
A young ponytailed woman wearing a hooded cloak. On her feet, she wears low heel mid-ankle length boots. She wears a suit where her top has a thicker piece of fabric wrapping around the shoulders in a slightly tilted fashion. She also wears a red gem, diamond shaped, but elongated bottom, which looks more like a crudely cut rock. A string wraps around its edges, and she wears it as a necklace, but the gem hangs all the way down near her waist. She always carries a silver metallic flute. It's a simple looking thing, basically a one foot pipe with a few holes in it. Her weapon is strapped to her back, strap goes diagonally down her front.
Kari: How was that Shade?
Shade: Geez, don't scare me like that!
-= Shade =-
A young man with a few large hair bangs on the right side of his face, short hair every where else. He wears cargo pants, with a short sleeved shirt that also covers the neck. He wears a pair of fingerless gloves, and the right one has a circular orange gem embedded into it, which also looks crudely cut.
Kari: Heehee! It's reasurring... How bout I make it up to you by taking care of all of them with Jegen...
Kari pulls out the weapon that was slung on her back, and swings a few times.
-= Jegen =-
Kari's weapon. A thin blade with metal sheets surrounding it making it look a little conical. It has a round handle long enough for only one hand, and there are a few buttons on it. To be honest, it's a freakin umbrella! Except that it has a blade sticking out from the top, and the canvas is metal with sharp edges. This weapon has several forms for combat.
Kari leaps into the group of monsters and starts attacking with Jegen in her right hand, and the flute in her left. She slices through the first few, and twirls in midair striking down a few more. Shade and a few of the monsters stand motionless in admiration.
Shade: Wow... She's good...
One of the monsters nearby growl in agreement. Shade's eyes fix on it with a cold stare. He then hits the monster with his weapon knocking him far away.
Shade: Well, I shouldn't let her do all the work... Time for Infinity to get some action.
Shade swings the metal rod he holds down, and the gem on his right hand glows... Two-thirds of the rod starts to liquify, then the the liquid metal contracts down into the handle revealing a thin orange crystalline blade.
-= Infinity =-
Shade's weapon. At first glance, it basically looks like a four foot metal rod. Except a third of it is covered in a gripping material, so that part is used as the handle. The bottom couple inches of the handle is thicker than the rest, and the bottom of the handle itself is a hole. The jewel on Shade's hand controls various features, like unsheathing the top part to reveal the orange crystalline blade. This weapon holds many secrets.
Shade holds Infinity with both hands, and starts hacking away at the monsters. Then, he points the handle at the monsters and as the gem on his hands glows, bolts of energy are fired from the bottom hole of Infinity. Shade starts striking them down one by one.
Kari: Show off.
Kari hacks at a few more creatures, but then one of them spits venom at her. She presses a button on Jegen, and it springs open like an umbrella protecting her. Then, pressing another button, the canvas flattens and she swings Jegen making the canvas detach and fly at the monters as a spinning disk. The disk slices many of the monsters up then returns to Kari and she catches it with the Jegen, which is just a rod at the moment, and they re-attach back into one. Then, she closes Jegen and pushes another button, which fires the entire canvas out like a bullet and it rips through the hoard of monsters. Kari now holds a thin rapier-like blade in her hand, and starts thrusting it into the monsters.
After a while, the carnage leaves the field in front of the house full of corpses...
Shade: Whew... There were a lot more of them than anticipated...
Kari: Don't tell me you're already tired.
Shade: Heh... Don't bet on it...
An old lady steps from the house.
Old Lady: Oh thank you for getting rid of them! You freelancers are really good. Here's your payment.
The old lady hands Kari a small bag of gold coins.
Kari: Thank you ma'am.
Shade: Contact us again if you've got another job for us.
Old Lady: Actually... I do have one more job for you... Would you mind cleaning up my yard?
Shade: What? Hey, we're not
Kari: We'll do it!
Shade: What? But
Kari: (to Shade in a low voice) We're taking the job! We need the money!
Kari turns back smiles at the old lady, who also smiles. Shade puts on a weak smile.
Later in the day, Shade and Kari are washing their weapons in a river.
Shade: Now I am tired...
Kari: Oh quit complaining... We were paid quite well.
Shade sighs.
After they finish, they resheath/restrap their weapons and start heading down a path together...
Shade: Hmmm... But you know... You were pretty good back there. I'm impressed you've improved so much.
Kari: You mean it?
Shade: Yea. I better not slack off myself, or you could wind up surpassing me...
Kari: I think I already have...
This instantly stops Shade in his tracks.
Shade: (turning slowly to Kari and not looking happy) What?
Kari: (walks right by Shade) Don't worry... I'll be here to protect you when you get in trouble. (big smirk)
Shade: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait a minute! You think you're stronger than me?
Kari: My, my Shade... I never thought you were this slow as well... (giggles)
Shade points the sheathed Infinity at Kari.
Shade: Oh now that sounds like a challenge!
Kari arms herself with Jegen, and crosses it with Infinity.
Kari: Challenge accepted.
They start the clash, Shade wields the sheathed Infinity with both hands, while Kari uses Jegen with her right hand, and her metal flute in her left (holds it so it sticks out from the bottom of her hand). Shade slices downwards at Kari, but she blocks it with Jegen. Repelling Infinity, she thrusts at Shade with Jegen, but he parries that, and counters by swinging around and tries to slice horizontally at Kari. She jumps back to avoid that, and lunges staight back at Shade and attacks with Jegen again. Shade parries the attack again, but this time, she swings at Shade with her flute. He easily blocks with Infinity, but Kari follows through thrusting Jegen again at him. Shade leaps to flip over and land behind Kari. He taps her on the shoulder with Infinity. She quickly turns around. Shade draws Infinity back and now holds it so it goes up and behind his right arm.
Shade: Hehe... Train more. You may yet be able to challenge me.
Kari: Grrr...
Kari launches a series of rapid thrust attacks, but Shade easily dodges all of them by shifting from side to side.
Shade: Too slow!
Kari stops and holds Jegen in front of her.
Kari: Too slow? Hmph!
Kari swings Jegen around and points to the ground behind her. She thrusts Jegen into the ground, and pulls out the rapier, leaving the shell stuck to the ground.
Kari: We'll see about that...
Kari attacks again, this time with faster thrusts. Shade continues to dodge.
Shade: Better, but still too
Kari: Oh!
Shade: Ow!
Kari's blade has been stuck into Shade's left shoulder, and blood starts trickling down. Shade falls to his knees.
Shade: Ow. Ok, you win.
Kari: Sorry! I didn't mean to... I didn't think... Sorry!
Shade: Heh, um, would you mind... (points to the blade)
Kari: Oh, of course! Sorry!
Kari pulls the blade out, then goes onto her knees, putting the blade on the ground beside her...
Kari: Here, let me fix that for you...
Kari cups her hand around the stone she wears and lifts it to Shade's wound. Shade puts his hands under Kari's supporting her...
Shade: I'm in good hands...
They smile, they blush... The rock in Kari's hands starts glowing red, and Shade's wound starts to heal up...
Kari: There, all done!
Kari pats the healed area, then gets up and collects her weapons.
Shade: (up and flexing out the shoulders) Ahhh, all better.
Kari: What would you do with out me... (swinging her gemstone around)
Shade: Are you forgetting that you're the one that did this?
Kari: It's your own fault for challenging me.
Shade: Heh... I can't win can I?
Kari: Nope! (big smile) So you better know your place in our little operation.
Shade: Yes ma'am! Shall we head for the city now? (gestures for her hand)
Kari: We shall. (takes his hand)
Shade and Kari walk together along a path towards a large walled city...
End "In the Midst of Things"