~~~Episode TwentyThree~~~
Haku narrowed his eyes as he heard a rustle of wings. He sped up, keeping up with the group of girls as Hiroko led the way through the forest. She stopped for a split moment as they came to a bend in the path, turning and heading down the left path. Yuri was still angry at Haku, shaking her head as she thought silently to herself.
'Why does he always have to be like that?'
she asked herself. Hiroko stopped again,
"Yoshi! Yumi!" Sakura called out. Yuri came up beside Hiroko,
"Which way?" she asked. Hiroko looked around,
"I...I dont know...somethings wrong. The forest, it shouldn't be this dark."
she said.
"No duh, the heartless are following us in enourmous groups." Haku said. Yuri and Zeph looked back to see yellow eyes flickering in and out of the trees.
"Oh man, this isn't good." Zeph said, tensing. Hiroko suddenly unsheathed her katana, "Guys, they're up ahead!" she said. They all backed up slowly, back to back as the heartless continued to creep in. More Nightscreamers were flittering through the air, yowling faintly as they got closer to the group.
"We cant take on this many heartless." Haku said, unsheathing his katana in a flicker of movement. Kiyoshi nodded slightly, but Sakura narrowed her eyes,
"We'll just have to see about that." she said. The heartless attacked yet again, but this time their numbers had increased. The group quickly attacked, Haku and Hiroko leaping into battle with their katana. Zeph cracked his whip, sending shards of ice crystals blasting out into the swarm of heartless and piercing the wings of Nightscreamers. Yuri sent a blast of fire out across the ground, Sakura throwing her needles close enough to the flames to catch the needles a flame as well. Kiyoshi screamed loudly as a Nightscreamer came down on her, grabbing her by the shoulders with its claws. Zeph turned, and reacted first, running and lashing his whip. The whip wrapped around the heartless' leg, and he gave it a violent yank. Kiyoshi was dropped as ice spread up the Nightscreamer's leg and eventually it fell to the ground, frozen. Zeph quickly helped Kiyoshi to her feet as the battle around grew.
"Thanks." she said, blushing faintly. Zeph nodded,
"No prob. Lets work together Kiyoshi - you blast and I'll freeze." he said. This wasn't the only team up happening in the battle. Haku and Hiroko were leaping and dashing past one another, confusing heartless as they slashed with their katanas, the blades flashing in the flames that Yuri kept blasting out. Sakura grinned, throwing more needles and letting them catch fire and piercing through the wings of Nightscreamers with their searing heat.
"Man Yuri, your a great fighter!" Sakura said as she readied more needles. Yuri smiled,
"Thanks Sakura, your really good too!" she said as she aimed her fire attack up this time. But the group was being over run with heartless. Though they weren't strong, they were everywhere. You would take one down only for three others to take its place. Before long, Yuri was out of breath, her energy spent from using so much magic. Haku was breathing heavily, back slashing heartless to keep them away from himself and Hiroko. Zeph and Kiyoshi were out of it as well, their attacks weakening.
"We cant keep this up!" Sakura shouted, tossing needles at a shadow as it came near her. The shadow kept coming though, leaping. Sakura stepped back, ready to punch the heartless, when two shots ripped through the fighting. The heartless was hit in the face with bullets, and hit the ground. Sakura and the others turned as Akina leapt down from the trees, her guns smoking faintly.
"You dont have to. You've done well - all of you." Akina said. A man stepped up beside Akina, narrowing his strange eyes.
"But we can handle it from here." Jiro said. He held a scythe firmly in his grip, spinning it with a simple twist. Without warning, the heartless near him were slashed, dissolving. Haku's eyes widened as Jiro and Akina entered the battle. Bullets whizzed through the air, always hitting their mark, and slashes blurred as Jiro twisted his scythe. He stopped for a moment, seeing them staring.
"Dont just stand their gawking! Go find Yoshi and Yumi!" he ordered.
Hiroko nodded, "Yes sir! Come on!"
she said, turning and leading again. The others watched the two assistants fight for a moment more before following her. Up ahead, they could hear more fighting. They came upon Kazuki, who was bashing heartless left and right with a large sword. He turned to them, smiling.
"Hey guys!" he said. He leapt, flipping back over a Nightscreamer and stabbing it in the back. He landed, still smiling. Hiroko nodded to him before continuing on. Kiyoshi ran beside her,
"Things must be worse than we thought if all of the teachers are out here Hiroko!" she said, worried. Sakura nodded,
"I agree. Somethings up."
"Relax guys, we need to focus on finding Yoshi and Yumi." Hiroko said, trying to keep a level head. Yuri looked at her,
"Hiroko, let me go ahead. I'll find them, then shoot flames up into the air." she said. Hiroko slowed, "What?! How will you find them?"
"Trust me, I can do it." Yuri said. Haku narrowed his eyes,
"I'm going with you Yuri."
Zeph nodded,
"Me too."
"No, I dont need any help. I'll zip ahead and use my magic to find them. I dont need you guys to slow me down." she said. Hiroko came to a stop,
"Fine, but be careful. We'll keep looking though."
Yuri nodded, "Thanks, I wont be long." she said before taking off by herself. Haku watched her go, clenching his fist slightly.
"Yuri..." he said silently to himself. Hiroko turned to them,
"We need to keep looking. Yuri will be fine." she said before running again. Haku stood there, the others running ahead. He then turned, following them.
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