AOAS-Ch. 6

AOAS-Ch. 6

Chapter 6- Magical Friends, Love Rivals, and Dark Warnings

Morning came too fast for the tired wolf. Though it WAS a peaceful one, the always expected call of Vincent was just around the corner to let Kyo know-his work week is beginning again. Kyo wasted little to no time getting up.

You'd be surprised at Kyo's effort and speed at 5:00am in the morning. With some coffee made on the automatic timer and a nutritious breakfast, He was already on his way. Before leaving he stole a glance at the ring. With L.T here, Zero wasn't going to take it as easily. The only problem was he was risking her life just by getting that ring back...

Shaking his thoughts away he left, leaving L.T his house and whatever is in it while he's gone.

L.T soon woke up to see that Kyo had gone and knew he was already gone to put up with his boss. She shook she sleepiness out of her fur and put on her glasses, ready to tackle this new day. She noticed the ring was near his mother’s picture and she picked it up so she could hide it in the best place she had; a secret compartment below the orb of her staff. Knowing Zero would try to take it while his son was away, she kept it safe and sound in that one place where he won’t find it or touch it, plus the ring won’t be effected by whatever magic of hers.

Feeling pleased with herself, she went into the kitchen and got herself some cereal with a glass of juice. As she was eating, the orb on her staff glowed and she grabbed it, knowing what was happening. Whenever a Spellcaster’s orb glows it meant another fellow Spellcaster was calling, almost like a cell phone but without losing the signal or paying an outrageous bill. She answered the call and her tails waved in joy to see a familiar orange-furred face with red eyes, yellow-tipped hair, and gold hoops on his ears, her love Firestorm.

“Hey L.T!” he greeted her with a warm smile. “Where are you this time?”

“Hey Firestorm! I’m in this world where I’m helping out this wolf named Kyo with some huge problems.”

“Uh-oh. What’s happening?”

She soon told him about Kyo, Zero, the ring, the threat, Raku, the training, and anything else that happened since she arrived. The fire user looked surprised.

“Sounds like you could also use some help. Plus I gotta tell you something.”

“Oh no…it’s about that hothead again, isn’t it?”

“Yes. She’s in the same world you’re in. You know what that might mean.”

“Yeah. Trouble, thy name is Volcana.”

At that moment, her orb glowed again to show a red furred face with a lot of blue eye shadow, black mascara, and lip gloss for her own good as well as the same 8 silver hoops; 4 on each ear with 2 on top and 2 on the bottom.

She soon spoke in her usual flirty tone, “Did someone mention little me?”

L.T replied through her teeth, “No we weren’t you little-”

“Oh hello tri-tail. I didn’t know you were on the same line as my little ember.”

“I’m not your ‘little ember!’” Firestorm added on.

*This is gonna be a long day,* L.T thought to herself with a frustrated sigh.

In the meantime, Kyo made his way to work. He felt weird seeing it to be a Friday... chances are, he won't have work over the weekend.

"Hey, Kyo!"

It was Nick. He had black messy hair-and was medium built.

"Hey Nick. What did I miss?" Kyo asked, now inside the building.

"I should ask you the same thing. Vincent got worked up the other day! He ended up mentioning you in his conversations."

"When doesn't he?" Kyo scowled.

"Relax Kyo...Let today be a good day for you."

Kyo walked inside his office and noticed that there was no paperwork, and everything was organized.

"...Nick?!" Kyo turned around to face Nick with a questioned-and a bit knowing look.

"Yeah...Me and the crew helped you out a bit. We all know how terrible Vincent is. Guess what?" Nick smiled brightly.

"Whaaat is it?"

Nick held out a small stack of papers. Alot of it saying for Kyo to...run the place. It was signed by nearly everyone in the whole business. Out of everything that's been going on...something like this happens. A streak of luck and a miracle.

"…"

"We really want Vincent out of here Kyo…and you deserve the title he holds more than anyone else here. You're always doing things to help this corporation beyond belief. And what surprises us the most…You don't take any of the responsibility for it. You always say its a team effort, when we know you're the true strong heart to SyncTech. It IS also true that it was you who started SyncTech too. You're the reason for it all- we seen your files and your plans; Blueprints and inventions."

Kyo didn't know what to say. He could barely believe what he was hearing.

"So..." Nick walked over and puts the stack under his desk so Vincent couldn't see it. "Take today off too. Vincent is gone today."

Kyo left. No words to say-and Nick knew it. He knew Kyo was torn between alot of emotions.

Kyo's only words spoken on his way to his house

"Wow..."

Light Trainer was still trying to get Volcana off of her line, then an idea came up.

“Hey Volcana, my new friend Kyo is a WATER manipulator. You don’t want me to get him involved.”

The other vixen looked shocked and then she said, “Uhh…I think my dad is calling soon. Bye!”

After she hung up, the other two breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m glad that is over with, L.T.”

“For sure,” she replied and then she heard Kyo’s footsteps near the door.

*Strange, Kyo is home a lot earlier. I hope he didn’t get into trouble with his boss.*

Kyo opened the door-and walked right in. He looked a bit zombified. He still couldn't believe all of what was said.

He decided to snap out of it once he saw LT talking to her staff.

"...LT, you ok?" Kyo grinning.

“Yeah. I’m just talking to Firestorm who called me with his staff. They’re a way of communications between Spellcasters as well as using magic.”

At that moment Firestorm whispered, “Is that Kyo? He looks like he saw his boss struck by lightning or something.”

L.T whispered back, “Yes that is Kyo and I’ll ask what’s up.”

She turned back to Kyo. “What the heck happened? You look like someone who’s about to get rid of their own boss or something!”

“I agree, and I’m only seeing this through my staff!”

Well, it depends on what kind of boss your getting rid of. If you had a nice boss who knew what he was doing-your guess would be oh so way off."

With that, Kyo smiles. "But you are right. Someone IS going to get rid of my boss, Vincent."

He paused and frowned rather looking a bit touched than sad. "But, there's a bit more to it than throwing a boss away-wait, who are you talking to?"

There were reasons for Kyo asking and he snatched L.T’s staff away-getting rid of the bound magic from LT to Kyo, stopping the communication.

"L.T! Zero can sense all outgoing magic and power! Worst of all, he can trace it..." Kyo's ear ended up flattening to his head. He was half expecting Zero to come crashing in now.

L.T smacks her face, "Thanks for hanging up on my crush. And don't worry about Zero, I secretly put up protective spells all over the place before I went to bed on the couch last night just incase one of my friends did call."

She snatched back her staff, "And PLEASE be careful with this! Not only is this special to me and my magic, but I hidden your ring in it!"

Kyo doubted the strength of the spells and still thought it was to risky to be doing so. "I know about your sta-wait, what about my ring now?"

He quickly shook his head. "Listen, I got a computer, use it. You put spells around our area-but its still just like a phone. The magical trace still has to go out SOMEHOW. LT, listen. I don't want to risk anymore lives than I have already."

“You’re underestimating me again Kyo,” she replied un an annoyed tone. “Nothing, I repeat, nothing of my magic can get out with the spells I put up. Plus a lot of my friends can’t be reached by computer. They are also in different worlds and our staffs is how we communicate.”

“Although…” she trailed off, looking more frustrated when something caught her eye out the window and she growled.

“Why that little…” she muttered when they both saw Volcana.

Kyo turned around and growled. "Who's she?…LT, I said you could stay…Don't take advantage of t-"

He stopped and stared for a moment. "wait... isn’t that…Volcana?"

He couldn't help but to laugh. "OH what a day. WHAT. a. day. and no, don't you even THINK about coming inside."

“Kyo…your laughing isn’t helping the situation any!”

Soon Volcana showed up INSIDE with a small flame show that, thankfully, didn’t scorch the floor.

“Well hello there, Tri-Tail,” she said with her usual smirk.

“Hello Volcana,” L.T muttered through her teeth, trying her best to refrain herself from strangling her rival.

“And I guess this is your new friend, Kyo. He doesn’t look at all like a water manipulator, like you mentioned.”

"Looks can be deceiving." Kyo growled. "I warned you not to come in my house-and now, you can leave."

He opened the door and walked out-only to get moisture from outside and the ground. Once he did, with a swift movement a rope of compressed water whipped around her and bound her a bit tight.

“EEEEK! Now I believe you!” Volcana screamed for her biggest fear was water.

“Then do us and the world a favor,” L.T started as she grabbed the water binds and moved her towards the door, shouting as she tossed out her rival, “AND GET OUTTA HERE!”

Kyo slammed the door shut and L.T replied, “Kyo I am SO sorry for that! But you can see what that hothead is like! She almost acts like she rules over anyone she THINKS is weaker than her! Plus she always tries to break up Firestorm and I and failed!”

She took a few deep breaths and added, “I think I’m gonna help you out by cleaning up the mess Zero left.”

"Hmm? Oh...ok"

Kyo looked a bit sad again. He still had his own problems besides Zero...but at least one of his problems is about to go away.

"well…what now?" Kyo said-having nothing better to do.

“Well we could-wait a minute!” she replied as she was picking up some stuff, “How did you manage to break my communication to Firestorm anyway?!? That’s supposed to be a trade Spellcaster secret!”

Kyo tilted his head. "A secret?..."

He is always wondering how weak he is, and even his dull powers. But the more he hangs out with LT...he realizes how rare his powers must be. "Well...I know the staff is bound to you. But here's something you should know. Putting that ring where you did..." With that, he grinned. "The staff is a bit bound to me now. The magic of the ring sensed my worries and done exactly what I was hoping for."

She stares at him a minute, then, picking up a board off the floor and taking her glasses off, she bangs her head a few times. “STUPID! *BANG!* STUPID! *BANG!* STU-*BANG!*-PID! *BANG!* Why didn’t I put that into consideration when I hid it!”

Just then, her staff glowed again and Firestorm’s voice perked up, “Hey L.T! Is everything alright over there? I just arrived to this world and I saw Volcana freaked out up a tree!”

“Oh everything is just peachy, Fire. If you count on me doing a stupid thing. I hid the ring in my staff and now Kyo can hang up on you because of it! Ugh! *BANG!*”

“Ouch.”

"Firestorm, could you give us a second?" Kyo said while he snatched the board from LT- and held his paw out so she doesn't bang her head again. He touched the staff lightly and actually used his connection to the ring to stop the communication.

"LT, listen. I can't control it anytime I want. a matter of fact- I don't see how I am controlling it now. That ring..."

He sighed and sat LT down. "Remember me telling you its considered the ring of love? That’s because...Well, the ring wasn't meant for me...It was meant for whom ever I grown close to. If I gave it to anyone...They'd have two choices. For them to keep it and understand what it means, or for them to hand it to another person they may love. I do not know how you were able to touch that ring without it rejecting you. But that ring regardless..."

He frowned at this. "Whoever holds it can control alot of me. Not what I do... but they can influence my orientation. That’s why its power is so great when i-" He was cut off after he heard a slight noise.

"...Are you sure Volcana left?"

Shaking off the dizziness, she answered, “Yeah. I can guarantee she won’t come back. Why?”

Kyo shuddered. "I heard somethin-"

And it sounded like someone crashed into glass. It came from the kitchen.

Kyo ran in the kitchen to see nothing but broken glass and containers. Odd-he put everything away neatly, let alone it being a bit too empty for anything to be shoved out. He didn't like the feelings he was getting so he decided to grab L.T’s hand and walk outside-to get some fresh air and to know no one is spying on them.

L.T was surprised at the sudden event that happened and as they were walking they heard a voice call out, “L.T! Is everything alright?!?”

They turned around to see Firestorm running up the sidewalk, in his usual red t-shirt with a yellow phoenix on it, blue jeans, red and yellow sneakers, and aqua beaded bracelets on each wrist. He would have the phoenix-topped staff in his hand, but it was put away.

L.T was doing her best to resist the urge to tackle-hug him and said, “Yeah, but someone broke into Kyo’s home!”

“Say what? Who did it?”

Kyo let go of L.T’s hand and looked at Firestorm-and for the first time looking rather annoyed. "Who's this?"

"This is the one who you keep hanging up on. *Sigh* Firestorm, meet Kyo."

"It's nice to meet you and don't worry about the calls, I get worried about her because of this Zero guy she mentioned to me before."

Kyo stared in a bit disbelief. He thought having LT over was going to be rather fun...but now the company is just stressing him out. Plus, he felt rather odd around Firestorm.

"Zero's my problem, not hers or yours." The tone was not without a low growl.

"Idiosit" L.T muttered and Kyo looked at her with confusion.

"She said "idiot" in the ancient Spellcaster tongue," Firestorm explained. "I think she's trying to say that you're an idiot to handle Zero on your own and...WHAT IN THE NAME OF KITSUNO IS THAT?!?"

"Oh how kind of you t- WHAT?!"

Kyo practically jumped out of his fur when Firestorm yelled, “THAT DARK SPHERE!” and what Kyo saw was rather a huge dark sphere in the sky above-it wasn’t that big, but it was shadowing over a block or so.

His eyes twitched.

"DAMN IT ALL- YOU TWO, LEAVE. I got enough distractions as it is!" he roared.

Kyo's anger grew. Why he got so frustrated so fast...it was unknown, and unusual.

L.T and Firestorm didn’t move at all. They stayed so they can help him.

“We sure aren’t moving Kyo!”

“Light Trainer’s right! Us Spellcasters have a special code, and part of that code includes helping others whenever there’s some unusual magical activity! I’ll send a message to the others!”

“Good idea! I have a feeling Zero’s gonna either back down from his end of the deal or send a warning! Either way we need all the help we can get!”

"You guys are rather foolish! Do you even know how strong Zero is?"

Kyo stared at LT. "LT, Even with our training, we could still be in for it. Even if we had a whole army."


Just as Kyo finished, a voice was heard. "You have one week left. If I do not have the ring by then, You'll suffer the same fate as the people in your town."

An outward pulse that was north of Kyo's spot knocked him and the others right off their feet.

The dark sphere left the sky with one last warning. "And I hope your friends know how to control real well..."

The sphere was gone, but the dark magic still lingered in the area.

"Teras idiosit!" L.T shouted while Firestorm translated it to be "That idiot!"

"Thundershocker! What was that?!?" a voice called out as more Spellcaster foxes came running behind the three.

One of them was a snow white vixen with light blue eyes was wearing a blue shirt with a snowflake on it, a jean skirt, a pair of white boots that went up below her knees, blue fingerless gloves and her staff had something like a blue crystal or ice on top. Another one was a mint green vixen with dark green eyes wearing a green long-sleeved shirt, brown pants, gloves and sandals, a leaf pendant around her neck, and her staff had a wind pattern on top. Another one was a yellow fox with yellow eyes and black thunderbolts on the sides of his tail wearing black jeans, a light yellow top with the sleeves cut off, black runners with yellow lighting bolts on the sides and his staff had a black orb with a yellow lightning bolt in it. There was also a male fox that was gray with light blue specks all over his body like raindrops, has blue eyes, wearing a jean suit with a gray shirt under the jacket, blue shoes, and his staff had a blue raindrop inside the gray orb. The last two were obviously twins. One of them was a male light yellow fox with amber eyes and an distinctive orange sun pattern around his right eye, wearing white pants with black stripes, a yellow shirt with the same sun pattern, and his staff had something like an orange sun on top. The other was a black vixen with dark blue eyes and a distinctive white crescent moon pattern over her left eye and was also wearing white pants with black stripes, a dark blue top with the same moon pattern and her staff had a white crescent moon in the black orb.

Kyo turned around to notice all of L.T’s friends. Just by their color and patterns, he could distinguish what their abilities were.

He couldn't believe himself. Why does everyone have to try and rescue him? Isn't this his war?

"That was one of Zero's most destructive moves..." Kyo gets back on his feet. He knew the town is probably in ruins now...

“HOLD IT!” the lightning user called. "You are not thinkin' of goin' there alone? You must have a thick head doin' so!"

"Thundertail's right," the speckled male said as the others nodded.

"Kyo let me introduce to you my friends," L.T said as she pointed to each one. "The ones who spoke up are Thundertail and Raincloud. Thunder's main techniques are lightning based while Rain uses water, like you!"

"Nice ta meetcha and sorry for the insult but I was needin' to get my point across!" Thunder replied while Rain just did a polite, "Hello."

She turned to the white and green vixens. "And these two are Icia and Mint Wind. Icia is obviously an ice user while Minty not only uses wind spells but is an excellent healer with her knowledge of herbs."

"Hey there!" Icia said cheerfully and Minty blushed as she nodded shyly.

"And last but not least, Sunwhisker and his sister Moontail. They use techniques of light and darkness and can synchronize them so well, everyone in the village dubbed them the 'Eclipse Twins' plus they can read each other's minds."

"It is an honor-" Sunwhisker started as Moontail finished, "-to meet you Kyo."

"Come on guys!" Firestorm said suddenly, "We need to see the damage done to the city!"

"Damage..."

Kyo looked up again to see normal sky, wondering about the last thing Zero said. Zero knows something Kyo doesn’t.

The others didn't expect the next reaction he took-and that was an unbelievable boost of speed. Kyo ran about 100 feet away to build speed to jump; and he did. He wall-jumped two buildings street length apart. The buildings were flat sided and around 6 stories high.

Once he got to the top edge of one of the structures-he knew Zero wasn't playing around anymore. What Kyo saw was collapsed buildings from explosions and the outward pulse. not a single thing stood. To notice the power of the blast, a deep and wide crater was made where the center of the blast was caused.

“By Kitsuno’s name…” Minty gasped as soon as the others caught up and saw the carnage that Zero left.

“This is terrible!” Icia shouted.

They soon saw some rubble move and Volcana poked her head out nearby, surprisingly unhurt.

“What in the blazes was that?!? I’ve could’ve been killed!” she shouted as she caught up to the others.

“That,” L.T replied grimly, “was a sample of what Zero can do.”

“Zero?” the twins asked.

“Zero is a vampire human who thinks he’s a god. He has manipulation rings that give him this power, but he is missing one.”

“‘Missing one?’” Raincloud repeated. “Which one.”

“This one,” she replied as she took the ring out of its hiding place in her staff before continuing. “With this in his hands we can’t stop him!”

“How did you get your hands on that?” Thundertail asked.

“This was retrieved by his son who left it with someone he once loved, but now broke his heart yet he took it to protect her and keep the ring away from Zero.”

“Who is-” Moontail started and her brother finished, “-his son?”

L.T paused as she put the ring back where she hid it and then replied as she turned her head towards Kyo, “My new friend who is locked in this war with both Zero and his own inner emotions, Kyo Shiomi.”

They all looked at him in surprise and saw that she was right as he looked at the destruction in disbelief.

All of a sudden, something came up in her head, “Hey Kyo! Didn’t this feel like something that happened before?! Remember when your friend Nick called you to your office the day after we met before that vampire broke into your house?!”

Kyo jumped straight off the building and compressed the moisture in the air to follow him down, softening his landing.

"Kind of... but we have the ring- so its no lure."

he shook his head... in one instant, over ten thousand lives have been lost just for that ring. He knew if they don't stop Zero, there would be more.

"L.T...If we don't do something with that ring soon, Zero will continue to destroy the place!"

He thought to himself *Besides...it was the power of love that stopped him before…*

Kyo started to get lost in thought and memories once again, but this time on his own. It wasn't that long ago when Kyo last encountered his father. He barely saved Catrina-because he was overwhelmed with spiritual powers. It was all because he knew his mother was with him, and the power of the ring and love combined. Of course he had very, very few powers. Water Manipulation, Healing through the water, and Purification. But it was the power of love that overcame more than 10+ elemental powers of his father.

Kyo could do the same all by himself all over again-except, he doesn't show the same amount of love anymore.


He looked back at L.T with some meaning in his eyes...but no one will know what that meaning is.

L.T was surprised at the look he gave her. *Is he, wanting me to do something with the ring? By myself? Or is it something else?*

Then an idea came up because she remembered something Kyo told her earlier.

“Kyo, remember when you told me that if the ring is given to someone they can choose to keep it or give it to someone they love so much?”

Kyo drifted off and was feeling rather crestfallen. "Yeah..."

There was more to the ring L.T would have to understand. but for now, L.T knew the basic information and what she said was correct.

Kyo simply walked away from the lot and sat against a crumbled structure-thinking really hard.

L.T followed him and continued, "Well, since I touched the ring without any problem, I have a feeling it trusts me. So I've decided to give it to Firestorm since I love him, despite his dominating fire element."

Kyo simply nodded. There was still way to much to say before she should do anything-but most of the things to be said will be shown the moment the time comes.

L.T looked at him with concern for a few moments before heading back to the others, thinking, *Something tells me this war will get worse if we don’t do something. And it almost feels like Kyo is losing.*

Then her determination rose. *No! He won’t lose! He’s not alone anymore! He’s got us!*

She soon took the ring out again and walked up to Firestorm.

“Firestorm, I would like to give you this ring to not only protect it but to show my love for you.”

He smiled, took the ring, and put it on his right middle finger, careful not to stick it up.

He soon said to her, “Thanks L.T. And I promise to protect it as well.”

They soon heard a stunned cry from Volcana, “Y-you are n-not…”

They both smirked and she shouted so loudly that even Kyo snapped out of his thoughts to look, “YOU ARE?!?”

They soon pulled each other in for a kiss to show their love was so strong and pure, they didn’t even care if the others were watching as they wrapped each other with their own tails, as if they didn’t want to be separated.

Kyo was only able to watch them for a few moments before turning back, looking up once again. *Zero, I know you're there...but I don't know what your up to-*

His thoughts stopped as he felt a burning sensation on his arm. A severe one.

It caused great pain-but not enough to make him cry out. He lifted his sleeve on his right arm to see that his marking that was previous in blue-now turned red. That made him turn back to the kissing couple.

He's unsure if he told L.T about the holder of the ring can control alot of him. But not to spoil the moment, he smiled-and disappeared.

Clouds appeared and rained right over Volcana.

"EEEAAAHH! Make it stop!" Volcana cried which caused the two lovers to stop kissing, break their embrace, and see that she was getting a small shower and everyone laughed.

L.T didn't know what was happening so she turned over to where Kyo was sitting before-only to find he vanished! She knew that he is the only one that can give more info of the ring, until Firestorm perked up.

"Hey L.T? Could this ring maybe, I don't know, let me control some powers in your friend?"

She stared at him for a moment before looking back at the rain-soaked rival and realized something, "Uhh...I don't think it's just SOME powers but quite a lot of his powers."

"Well let's find him before Volcana kills us!" Raincloud said as he recovered from laughing so hard, even though she wouldn't REALLY kill them, it did sound like a good idea.

"I think it's best to spilt up," L.T started. "Thundertail, you Minty and Volcana head back to Kyo's place incase he went home!"

Thunder nodded and the two girls went off after him, even though the hothead was complaining on how wet she was.

"The twins and Raincloud should head in the opposite direction while the rest of us go across the crater! We must find Kyo! And keep your orb-lines open!"

They all soon split towards the directions that was chosen, hoping to find Kyo before Zero did.