Collision

*~Chapter 2: Strange encounters~*

The crest has been glowing for a few hours. Koru kept walking until he found himself in a dark alley in Oracle City, across from Miracle Town. Two figures were walking silently in front. As he looked harder, they appeared to be a cat and a small girl with a cane. Why would the crest lead me to them? More importantly, why are they out in the middle of the night? Red Band will get her if she's not careful... Just as he was about to speak, the child raised the walking stick and it was glowing exactly as the crest. "So, this is the Crest of Life." The girl examined it. "Is this your most prized possession?"          

   "Why do you want to know? I'm not selling it," he said, a guarded expression staining his voice. "Hand it over and you won't get hurt."          

   "Are you deaf? I just said I'm not giving it away."

If looks could kill, Koru would be dead. The strange girl glared at him with a frightening intensity Why do guys always seem to screw up in a really big way? Koru gawked as the cat walked forward; the cat was glowing brightly and he watched as it transformed itself into a huge black panther. He grew until he was dead even as some of the looming skyscrapers above. Koru took a few steps backwards. Fear shook his body, but he refused to give into it. Someone, help me please, he thought. I don't want to die yet! His eyes snapped shut tightly of their own accord, and Koru was already cringing, anticipating the pain. When nothing happened, Koru’s eyes slowly slid open. A woman appeared in front. She blocked the panther's slashes with her spear.           

  "Go! I'll hold them off. Go home!" She screamed. Something in her voice made you want to listen to her; it commanded submission. He was shocked to find the woman similar to his older sister. He had so many questions about this mysterious lady. "Who-"            

"Ask questions later, Koru Riga! I can't hold him much longer!" The mystery lady was struggling with the creature's claws. He did as he was told. With each step that pounded against the pavement, more questions ricocheted in his head. How does she know me, but I have no idea who she is… Who is she? When he arrived home, Ana was fast asleep. He went up to his head and couldn’t shake the unsettling feelings about Oracle City and the strange mystery woman.

-----!@#$%^&*()-----  

In a realm where the human world is being watched, the leader sat, waiting for his servants to return to him. The girl and the cat suddenly appeared in a black mist before him           

  "I assume you failed to receive the crest?" The leader said, looking at their injuries with disapproval.

"That one woman, Sunoco had interfered with our plans, my lord," the cat answered, bowing its head in respect. The man stared at them.

"You used the Panther's transformation again didn't you?"

"Lord Hemnos, I can explain! He refused to give us that crest and-"

            "No excuses! We need that crest! The future of the human world depends on it." He sighed. "No matter, she'll eventually come around. Do not fail me again Ponopon." "I will not fail you my lord."            

"And Meiko, you'll soon have what you long for..." When Lord Hemnos was alone once again, he made his way over to his globe. He peared into the glass orb and watched the human world. Don't fail me again Ponopon, we need that crest...

-----!@#$%^&*()-----  

The week had passed by quickly with no sign of the mystery woman or mystical cat. Koru walked around the town and stopped by the bank to think. "You plan on robbing the bank?" A familiar voice said from behind him.

            "No way! Im not getting in more trouble!"

"Hm. That's not the Koru I know..."            

"And what do you – “ He stopped short as he recognized the girl. “Oh, it's just you Tsugumi." She gave him a fake smile. What's that supposed to mean, she thought. "Would you like me to do it for you? I heard you got expelled again."            

"Aoru, you blabbermouth..." Koru muttered under his breath.

"Koru?"            

"What's it to ya? "

"I really like you. I..If you feel the same way, come back to the band. Back to me. And forget the robbery."

She is so annoying, and I just said I'm not going to steal anything, he thought. "If you didn't know that you were one reason that I quit, then you're stupider than I thought you were." She froze as she could feel her heart break. As Koru was leaving, he added, "It's no secret. You’ve told me a million times already." Tsugumi watched as her "lover" left. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why doesn't he like me back?" She yelled to no one in particular

. -- Koru arrived home, still frustrated from earlier. Pushing open his bedroom door, he was startled to find a wounded girl lying on his bed. His sister heard him scream from across the room.            

"ANA!! Why is there a girl in here???"

"I found her in the alleyway with her pet wounded in the middle of Oracle City where I do my errands."            

"Wait, did you say she owned a cat?"

"Yes a black one. You're not going superstitious on me are you?"          

   "No." He took a good look at the girl lying on his bed. Wait a minute! He thought. Those were the two who assaulted me before! He saw the cat resting on his basket. For a second, he thought he heard it mumbling in its sleep. While the girl was still sleeping, Ana convinced him to go to Oracle city and buy the wounded girl a pair of crutches. Later in the day, the girl woke up finding herself on a stranger's bed. She saw Ponopon sleeping on the basket on the floor.            

"You're awake. I was starting to think that you wouldn't ever wake up." The girl was surprised to see someone being nice to her. She jumped back in fear to see the similarities from Ana and Sunoco. "Why are you two alone?" Ana asked, trying to make some sort of conversation with her. When the injured girl didn’t respond, Ana pressed on. "Did you see who hurt you this bad?" When the girl refused to respond, Ana gave up and left her alone in Koru’s room. When Koru returned home with the crutches, he went straight up to his bedroom. Maybe this girl could answer some of his questions. Upon his entrance, Ponopon woke up and saw the crest hanging from Koru's neck. As he was about to get it, the girl shot up, grabbed the cat and her staff and desperately ran out the door leaving blood marks behind. Koru grabbed the crutches and ran after her.            

"W…what are you doing Meiko? Don't you want your voice back??" Ponopon tried to convince her to go back, but it was no use. She backed away when she saw Koru coming towards her. If they had been paying better attention, they would have realized that they were being followed. Tsugumi peered around a building and watched the exchange take place, envy clouding her vision. Tch. He never cared for me that way... How dare she try to take him away from me! Even if she has a cool looking staff! Adrenaline pumping, she punched the wall as hard as she could, cracking the smooth surface. Chunks bounced off of the wall and hit her in the head, knocking her unconscious. Meiko was cornered and covered her face. Koru looked at her in a strange way. "Here you might want to take these. What you did was pretty reckless." She looked at him and saw his crest dangling over his neck as he was trying to help her up. I can't get it now, Meiko thought. It will be very risky to take...Whatever you do Ponopon please don't-            

"Will she be okay mister?" A strange voice asked. "Who said that?" Koru whipped his around, trying to find whomever was talking to him.            

"Down here!" She shook her head in disappointment. Damn it Ponopon! Koru looked down to find the cat. A talking cat...Koru thought. Somehow that doesn't surprise me... But wait a minute! Was it talking instead of the girl?Lately, nothing was surprising Koru. The crest started to glow again, but brighter than last night, matching the cane that Meiko was holding as it, too, began to glow. Meiko was about to get the crutches from him, but then the same woman from their last encounter appeared before them.

"Did you call me?"