Young Writers Society

"All right!" Ivy said. "Everyone form up, we're going to start sparring now."

"Except for Alex, Brittney, and Harry," Kai said. "I'm going to be in charge of their training tonight."

Ivy nodded, a sign that she was okay with it. Kai and Ryukin led the three and their Tsurekin away from the group. He stopped when he was almost out of earshot. Skylar couldn't help but wonder what kind of training he had in store for those three.

"Why can't we fight, too?" Harry asked. "Fang and I want to make some metal fly."

"You'll have your chance another night," Kai said. "There's something more important you have to focus on first."

"If it's strength, then we already have it," Brittney said. "What else could we possibly need in order to use Soul Fusion?"

Kai bent down to the ground and picked up a rock. He tossed it up once in the air before saying, "Trust." He reared his arm back and threw the rock at Brittney. She let out a surprised shriek and shielded her face with her arms. Arachnia jumped in front of Brittney and blocked the rock. The metal spider stood in front of her master, hissing at Kai.

When Brittney realised she hadn't been hit by the rock she dropped her arms. She frowned hard and yelled, "What the hell was that for!?"

"Why did you flinch?" Kai asked.

"Why did I flinch? You threw a god damn rock at me!"

"There's no need to be angry. Arachnia stopped it from hitting you."

"Of course she did! Her job is to protect me, her master!"

"Then I ask again, why did you flinch?" Brittney opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. There was nothing she could say.

"Trust is the foundation on which the means to obtain Soul Fusion is built. The reason we beat all of you is because we trust each other with our lives. A master must be able to trust that their Tsurekin will protect them, and their Tsurekin must trust that their master will tell them what to do during a fight. You flinched because you didn't trust that Arachnia would react fast enough to protect you, and if you can't trust her to protect you from a puny rock, then what reason should she trust you for anything else?"

"So, basically you're telling us we have to get all lovey-dovey with our Tsurekin in order to get even stronger?" Harry asked.

Kai merely glanced at him. "Your task for this week is to learn more about each of your Tsurekin. Spend time with them, bond, in other words go out and do something fun with them. After that, we'll see if you're ready to move on." Kai and Ryukin turned and walked away, toward the sparring group.

Brittney started mumbling angrily to herself. She picked up the rock Kai had thrown at her. "Let's see how much you trust that dragon of yours." She threw the rock as hard as she could at the back of Kai's head.

Ryukin's tail was nothing more than a blur when it whipped up in the air and literally cut the rock into two. Kai didn't even so much as flinch when the two pieces flew around his head.

Kai stopped walking for a moment to look over his shoulder. "I trust Ryukin to stop a bullet from hitting me. I won't break a sweat over a rock." He left the three to join the rest of The Aushalten.

Skylar looked over as Kai walked over and stood next to her watching Sean and Ty sparring.

"That was short." She said looking back at Sean and Ty.

"I did what I had planned and there was no sense in staying longer." He replied with a shrug as Sean flew back against a tree hissing. "He needs to relax."

"You know Sean. He'll get into the groove in about a minute." Skylar replied with a smile.

They all sparred for another hour or so, while Alex and the other two had gone off to spend some quality time with their Tsurekin. When everyone went back inside Kai and Skylar immediately went back to their rooms to get cleaned up for their date.

Kai had finished getting ready first. He tried to look the best he could with what he had. He had on a dark red dress shirt with black jeans. The jeans were the closest thing he could find to dress slacks that would go well with the shirt. Unfortunately, the only shoes he had were his running shoes. He wished he could go out and buy something more presentable to wear, but the money from his parents' life insurance was for school and life expenses. If he started spending it on other things he would run out before he could get to college.

Kai came out to the living area to wait for Skylar. Sean was sitting on the couch watching T.V. He looked over the back of the couch and smiled at Kai. "Lookin' sharp. Going on another date with the time bomb?"

"Yeah," Kai chuckled. He looked at the T.V. and asked, "What are you watching?"

"The news."

Kai got closer so he could listen to the reporter.

"...and in other news, sightings of strange metal animals have continued to rise over the past few months. When the police first heard of these sightings they had believed it to be a hoax. However, after the incident at the carnival a few months back the authorities are now taking the situation more seriously. I'm sure we can all remember that giant monster from that night. If it hadn't been for the help of a group of teens, accompanied by smaller metal creatures, I'm sure the downtown area would have suffered heavier costs."

The station cut to a clip of the four of them fighting that night. Apparently someone had recorded the whole thing with their cell phone. Thankfully the quality wasn't very good, so the picture was too hazy for their faces to be recognized.

"However, even though this group seemed to be trying to help the situation by stopping it, the reports we're receiving are of other creatures like these fighting each other, and in some cases innocent bystanders. This begs the question, are these things here to help us, or harm us?"

Skylar looked in the mirror again at the only dress she owned. It stopped at her knees and showed her curves off nicely.

"I think I should just wear jeans." SHe said walking to the closet.

"NO!" Tala growled getting in her way. "That is fine. Long as he isn't in school clothes it'll match and it looks great." Skylar sighed and nodded readjusting her hair then walking down to the living room.

"However, even though this group seemed to be trying to help the situation by stopping it, the reports we're receiving are of other creatures like these fighting each other, and in some cases innocent bystanders. This begs the question, are these things here to help us, or harm us?" The TV reporter said.

"Obviously they can't figure out for themselves that just like any race or group of beings there are good and bad. Ones that are there for trouble and ones that are there to help." She said. Kai and Sean spun around and looked at her. "What, didn't hear me coming?" She asked putting her hands on her hips and bending one knee slightly. It actually made her feet feel better in the heels.

"No, we didn't," Kai said. He couldn't help but give her body a full once-over with his eyes. "You look great."

Skylar actually smiled. "Thanks, so do you."

As they left the room, Sean said, "You two love birds have a good time tonight." They ignored Sean's comment. Knowing him any kind of reaction would make him laugh.

Ryukin and Tala followed them down the hall. Kai looked over his shoulder and asked, "So, are you guys going to keep an eye on us again?"

"We'll be out of sight," Ryukin said. "Just focus on having fun tonight."

When they got outside they saw Ivy's limo parked in front of the mansion waiting for them. "I thought we were just going to take a car?" Skylar said.

Kai scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "Ivy found out about our date. I told her I was going to pay for everything myself, but she insisted she would take care of everything. So, now we have a reservation at the most expensive restaurant in town."

Skylar smiled as his cheeks got just a tad bit pink. "That was nice of her." She smiled. "But I have to warn you, I've never really been to a fancy restaurant."

"That's alright. Just be you and you'll be fine." He smiled as he opened the door to the limo for her and she slid in.

"Oh, I will be, but I'm just saying I might sit with my jaw dropped for little while in aw." She smiled.

They drove for about ten minutes before arriving at the restaurant. It was fancy, all right. It was one of those kinds that had french waiters serving the food. Kai opened the door for Skylar and they both walked in.

They stopped in front of the table server's station. The man looked at them and asked, "Do you have a reservation?" His voice had a slight french accent to it.

"Table for two under Ivy Stone," Kai said.

The man scanned through his book before saying, "Ah, yes. She told us you two would be coming. Please, follow me." They followed the man to a table by the window. He gave them their menus after they sat down. "Someone will be with you shortly to take your order."

When the man left to go back to his station, Skylar said, "So, Ivy is paying for everything?"

Kai nodded. "I know, the guy is supposed to pay for everything on a date. But she insisted. I guess I am a little grateful, though. This place is way out of my price range." He opened the menu and started looking through it. "So, what are you having?"

Skylar looked down at the menu and bit her lower lip as she looked over it all. "Um, I'm not sure. What are you going to be getting?" She asked as she looked back up at him. He smiled and looked at his scanning it over.


*Sorry. Tired, and all I could think of. Like Skylar I've never been to a fancy resturant, well I have once. But yeah. *

(Instead of writing every little detail about their date, why don't we just cut back to the mansion and do a little character development with some of the other characters?)


Brittney walked down one of the mansion's many hallways with Arachna in tow. She was still ticked off about earlier. "What does he expect me to do, make friends with a machine?" Brittney asked to no one in particular. "And what was with all that crap about trust? Of course I trust my Tsurekin to protect me, that's its job!" She looked over her shoulder at her Tsurekin and said, "Isn't that right, Arachna?"

"Of course, Brittney. I will protect you with my life."

"That's right. Why should I have to trust something to do the one job it's supposed to?"

Brittney stopped when she saw a little girl poke her head out from one of the empty rooms. With her was a little rabbit Tsurekin. The girl stayed there for a while, staring at Brittney.

Brittney frowned. "What do you want, twerp?"

"I heard you talking," Becky said. "Everyone who lives here treats their Tsurekin like friends. Why don't you?" The question sounded purely innocent, something only a child could pull off.

Brittney frowned and looked at the little girl. "Because how can you be friends with a machine?"

"Easy." The girl smiled. "They're our best friends, they're always with us and they love us."

"They are a machine, they can't feel." Brittney replied.

"Yes they feel pain just like we do, love too."

Brittney scoffed. "Love? Don't make me laugh. Machines can't love us. They're no more alive than a rock."

"That's not true," Becky said. "Just because something can't breath, or doesn't have skin, doesn't mean it doesn't have a heart. Our Tsurekin protect us from anything that would try to hurt us. Why would they do that if they didn't love us?"

***My life has been flipped upside down. I've nothing. I'll try and post when I can think of something but mentally I'm drained. Sorry.***

(Take your time. Getting your life sorted out takes priority. I hope you start feeling better soon.)

(Have you thought of anything yet? Would you like me to double post?)

Things just got worse today. :@ I've lost offically at least one more friend if not two cause he's dating the girl. :@ Oy vey. If I don't post tonight go ahead and post. But I'ma try.