'' This is all your fault, '' I muttered with annoyance, frowning at my ginger hair that was now all messed up and sticked together, smelling like fresh watermelons. There were squished oranges still attached to my arms, legs and in a really awkward way on my ass too. '' Why is this still on my head?! '' I suddenly yelled and grabbed the peel of the watermelon that was placed on my head like a helmet and threw it at Nai.
He screamed with surprise and staggered away, then he began apologising again: '' How many times do I have to say that I am sorry? I know that I am supposed to be an air magician, but my flying skills aren't the best... Natsu, please forgive me. If you do, I swear I'll buy you a lime cake that they sell in an amazing pastry shop that I know! ''
I instantly raised my head and looked at him with excitement. I didn't really want anything, I was just in a really bad mood, but I wasn't going to complain about the cake. '' Really? Lime cake? '' My eyes sparkled with excitement and I began drooling at the thought of the pastry shop that Nai was talking about. The people that we were passing when we were walking down the street stared at me weirdly, but that was obviously because I looked so attractive, not because I was drooling and staring somewhere in a creepy way. '' Do they have a fig and almond cheesecake? I can't find it anywhere... '' I sighed and lowered my head with disappointment. '' My sister and I didn't have the typical relationship, but we knew each other well and I listened to her every time she wanted to talk about something, while she always brought me fig and almond cheesecakes from a pastry shop in Tokio. ''
Nai suddenly grabbed my hands and looked at me, grinning widely. '' They do! '' he said with happiness. '' I've definitely seen the fig and almond cheesecakes on their menu, Natsu! ''
I blinked, then I smiled at him, a little because I was happy that they actually had the cake that I wanted to eat and because he looked really funny with red stains on his blonde hair because of the strawberries he squished when we landed in that fruit stand in level 24.
'' We can all go together there sometimes! You, me, Tsuki, Mero, Waru, Karoku and even Kei if he won't be too busy! I've discovered that pastry shop only a while ago and I've always wanted to bring all of my friends there! '' he continued, tossed his head on one side and showed me a closed eyed smile.
I stared at him for a few moments, feeling really touched about the way he always stayed like that, so excited about life and always looking at the good things in everything, different from me that instantly remembered what we were actually doing in level 1. But I still nodded and showed him a thumbs up. '' We'll surely all go there once, Nai! '' I happily told him. Then I suddenly heard a familiar sound and instantly got serious, slowly narrowing my eyes with concentration. The next moment I pulled my sword out, raised it over my head and sliced with it through the air, killing the wasp that was flying closer to me, attracted by the smell of the fruit that I was covered with it. Nai jumped back and stared at the dead wasp with shock while I put the sword on my back again and casually smiled, like it was nothing: '' Not today, wasp. Not today... Anyway, if you really want all of us to go that pastry shop, Nai, we must do something else first. I have no idea where to start looking for Arashi, so let's ask the people on the streets. ''
He nodded. '' Consider it already done! ''
We both rushed in different directions, describing the way Arashi looked to the people on the streets. For the first hour we had zero luck and I was starting to get worried, I felt strange, like we were running out of time. Then Nai and I went to the opposite side of town and there actually the first person that we asked instantly confirmed seeing Arashi with two different people that fit the description of Kaito and Renshou.
'' Where did they go? '' I asked the woman that confirmed seeing them.
Her eyes widened with surprise at the look on my face, then she nervously pointed at a smaller street that leaded away from the main one. '' In that direction. ''
'' Thank you, '' I muttered and nodded at her before turning around and running in the direction of the street with Nai hurrying behind me. When we reached it I instantly stopped, noticing the way there were no doors or windows on either side of it. '' Nai, quickly check the walls for hidden entrances! '' I ordered and hurried to the end of the street, ending up in another main one that was full of people. There I stopped again, looking around and scanning the area until my eyes stopped on an old woman that seemed to be just finishing sweeping the ground in front of her shop. I ran closer to her, not even minding to be discrete again. Earlier I felt like Nai and I were running out of time, but now it finally seemed like we were getting closer to finding out what we wanted to. '' Excuse me! '' I spoke up, catching the woman's attention. I quickly described Arashi, Kaito and Renshou to her, asking if she saw them.
She leaned on her broom and thoughtfully frowned. '' Let me think... '' she murmured and narrowed her eyes. Then she looked at me again and shook her head. '' I haven't seen anyone that would fit your description today. I wasn't outside the whole morning, but I can see the street well from inside the shop and I'm sure I would notice someone like the people you're looking for... But there was... ''
My eyes slowly widened. '' There was what? '' I instantly asked, trying not to get my hopes down too fast.
She shrugged. '' Sometime this morning... I don't know what that was, maybe just my imagination, but I'm pretty sure that for a few seconds... I heard a really strange buzzing sound in the sky. Like... ''
'' Bees, '' I whispered and quickly nodded to her a few times. '' Thanks so much, you have no idea how much you've helped me. ''
'' Natsu! '' Nai yelled at the same time and reached me and the old lady that seemed to look more confused every second. '' There is no hidden doors in that street. ''
I looked at him and grinned. '' It doesn't matter. And you can catch your breath a little, because I have another job for you. I don't know exactly where Arashi, Kaito and Renshou went, but I know that it's somewhere up in the sky. ''
'' We're flying again? '' Nai asked and lowered his head with sadness. He sat on the sidewalk, surrounded by a gloomy dark aura. '' I'm going to start hating flying because of you, Natsumi... '' he muttered, looking depressed. '' Arashi, Kaito and Renshou probably went to the place where Arashi was maintaining the game, right? ''
I nodded, serious again. '' Yeah... '' I muttered and already wanted to add something else when I remembered that the old lady that I was asking for information was still standing next to us and looking at us with wide eyes, full of confusion, but also curiosity.
'' Maintaining what...? '' she slowly spoke up after we kept looking at each other for a few moments.
I flinched and my eyes widened with shock, then I smiled innocently. '' That's... That's our code word for... bird watching! Yeah, we are going bird watching! '' I quickly said, thought for a second and then nodded again, thinking that the excuse wasn't so bad.
The old lady seemed even more confused at first, then she smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. '' Whatever you say, girl... I hope that you two crazy kids won't get hurt during your... bird watching! '' she told me and patted my shoulder. '' Good luck with whatever you are actually doing, '' she added after that, a little more quietly and smirked at me and Nai before going back to her shop, carrying her broom with her.
I stood there, a little confused, then I turned at Nai. '' Well, that was a little weird, but okay, '' I muttered and shrugged before looking at him again. My eyes narrowed and I glared at him. '' Get up, you lazy ass. I said that you can catch your breath, but I didn't mean that we'll take an hour break with that! '' I snapped and raised my foot, already planning to kick him. When he squealed and covered his face with his hands, trying to protect himself I froze and grinned. '' Just kidding! '' I said and held my hand in his direction.
He looked at me with his purple eyes, shining with confusion. Then he slowly smiled, grabbed my hand and stood up. He wrapped his long arm around my waist and happily cheered: '' Three! Two! One! '' The next moment he already flew up in the air at super speed, with me, holding on to him.
I was looking down at Nakisaka, the lively town of level 1 and at the way it was quickly disappearing under the clouds. Soon Nai and I were so high that there was nothing around us anymore, nothing but the wind in our hair and the endless blue that was surrounding us, making it look kind of like we were flying through the ocean. I couldn't help it but to smile a little and look at Nai who's eyes were facing the sky on top of us. After a moment when he realised that I was staring at him he faced me and frowned with confusion.
I smirked and said: '' About our earlier conversation, how could you ever hate flying? I mean, I am not an air magician and I don't fly often, but still... Maybe that's the case, you got tired of flying? Which is strange, because people were still obsessed with flying since the beginning of time. ''
Nai laughed and caused both of us to spin while still flying higher up in the sky. '' The skies here in Kingdom of battles are endless, I could never get tired of flying through them... '' he said with happiness, then he sighed and lowered his head. '' It's just that to me it gets a little depressing because lately the only time that I fly is to dangerous missions and things like this... ''
'' You're right, '' I muttered and frowned. It sucked because before my life in this world used to be fun, well, at least kind of. I was always going on different adventures with Riku and saving him out of trouble. Sometimes it was even the other way around, he had to save me from something. But then everything changed and suddenly all that we were doing was fighting against Masashi and trying to stop him and his plans. It was hard and often dangerous, but I knew that we couldn't let ourselves lose hope and keep dreaming about the days when everything'll go back to normal, maybe even about when we'll all be able to go home again.
I was just starting to get all emotional, thinking about life here in general when Nai and I suddenly flew in to something. '' Agh! '' I cried out in pain and grabbed my head, frowning and gritting with teeth. Then I screamed when I realised that Nai dropped me and I began falling. '' Nai! '' I shrieked with fear and he quickly flew down again, grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him.
'' Sorry, '' he murmured, crying, while there was a red bruise appearing on his forehead. I had to admit that it began turning purple fascinatingly fast. '' But don't be mad at me! This time it's your fault that this happened, you're the one that distracted me after all! ''
I sighed and frowned. '' Fine, fine, '' I muttered and looked up, narrowing my eyes. '' Now fly us closer, I want to see what the hell did we bump in to. ''
Nai was slowly flying higher and I kept my arm raised in the air until I felt how it touched something. I frowned with confusion, it was strange because the truth was that it looked like Nai and I bumped in to absolutely nothing. There wasn't anything there, but I was definitely touching something, so I guessed that whatever it was, was invisible. Suddenly it was like the thing became extremely hot and I shrieked with surprise when my palm burned, then I quickly moved it away and began blowing on it.
'' Shit, '' I hissed, starting to get annoyed. '' Whoever the fuck did this is going to fucking pay. ''
'' How cool! '' Nai happily said, looking at me with a satisfied smile on his face. '' We have matching bruises on our foreheads, Natsumi! Yay, whatever is blocking our way knows us! '' Her raised his hand in the air and cheered: '' It approves our friendship! Best friends forever! ''
I sweatdropped and my eye began twitching with annoyance. '' You gotta be kidding me... '' I muttered, then I took another glance and the sky on top of us. It looked normal, but it deffinitely wasn't. Even if in a way it was still good that Nai and I bumped in to it, because now we at least knew that we were on the right way. This was deffinitely here to stop whoever would try to go any further. My eyes suddenly widened with realization.
I quickly raised my hand, causing a small screen to appear in front of me. I scrolled through my inventory and made a small mirror appear. Then I held it, careful so it was facing the way the sunlight was coming from. The next moment Nai already muttered something and covered his face with surprise because the light that I directed up with the help of the mirror bounced back to him.
I grinned and made the mirror disappear again. '' You know, I'm actually kind of offended because they think that a simple invisible barrier is going to stop us. Come on, Nai, do you thing. I know that I've been asking you for a lot until now, but I swear that this is the last thing. ''
'' How am I supposed to destroy an invisible barrier? '' he asked and tilted his head on one side with confusion.
I facepalmed and muttered with annoyance: '' Nai... You're a wind magician and a druid... Which means that you can heal people and also cancel magic... ''
'' Oh, right! '' he said and laughed. '' Forgot about that! ''
I sweatdropped and my eye twitched. '' How can you forget something like that- '' I began, but just shook my head after noticing the clueless look on his face. '' Never mind. Just do it... ''
'' Okay! '' he said, raised one of his arms up in the air and began concentrating. I watched with curiosity how the veins on it bulged out and how he narrowed his eyes with frusration. He began gritting with his teeth and sweat gathered on his forehead. I already thought that he wasn't going to be able to do it and wanted to tell him that we'll find another way to destroy the barrier when his purple eyes met with mine. He smiled at me while I blinked with confusion. '' Don't worry, I am not weak, '' he calmly said. My eyes slightly widened, then he clenched his fingers in to fists. There was a loud cracking noise, then the barrier on top of us shattered in to what looked like shiny dust that began falling down from the sky like rain.
I watched it with amazement, remembering the night when Karoku showed me something similar, only with the dust from the enchanting stones, then I felt how Nai tapped my shoulder.
'' What is it? '' I asked and raised my head. I instantly noticed how the air on top of us began gathering in some kind of whirl. '' What the hell is that, '' I whispered, staring at it with shock.
'' I don't know, but it looks like we're going to find out, '' Nai said and held on to me tighter before I felt how our bodies got carried up. I looked at the shiny dust that was falling on Nakisaka, the town of level 1 before I got sucked in the whirl that was behind the barrier together with Nai. The pressure of the winds that were caused it was trying to throw us apart and I really did get ripped from Nai's embrace. I already thought that I was going to fall in to the darkness that suddenly surrounded us, but my friend grabbed my hand and wrapped his fingers around mine.
'' Nai! '' I screamed, while we flew through the darkness. '' What the hell is happening? ''
He just pointed to something in front of us and when I looked at it I noticed some kind of light that we were flying towards to. '' I don't know, but it looks like we're going there. In the meantime hold on to my hand! If I lose you then it would be really hard to find you considering that everything is dark! ''
I smiled after hearing Nai's comment, then I noticed how we suddenly began moving faster. I raised my hand and covered my eyes when we got closer to the bright light that we were flying towards too. The next moment it was the same as before, we when got sucked in the whirl, except that now we were thrown somewhere else. A groan of pain came out of my mouth when my body hit the solid ground and I rolled away, still holding on to the hand of Nai that landed next to me. I stayed down for a few moments, then I slowly sat up and looked around with confusion, wondering where the hell did we end up. At first I didn't even see everything well, then my eyes slowly widened and I couldn't help it but to whisper: '' Wow. ''
I slowly stood up, looking around with amazement. Nai and I were at the beginning of a long road made of blue light that was floating in the air. If you looked over the edge you could see nothing but darkness, but that wasn't what interested me the most. The walls that were surrounding us were black and completely covered with screens, letters, numbers and different writing that never stopped moving.
'' What is this? '' Nai asked, looking over the edge of the road made of blue light that we were standing on.
I sighed and grabbed the collar of his funny looking green shirt to stop him from falling in the darkness under us. My eyes were still travelling from one screen to another, at the writings that were spreading across the walls and the numbers. A grin slowly appeared on my face. '' This is the database of the Kingdom of battles, where all information is kept and where the game is maintained, '' I explained, completely amazed by our surroundings. I pushed Nai back to the middle of the road, intertwined my fingers and looked around with sparkly eyes. I just couldn't help it but to instantly get interested in this, no matter how evil Karoku's brother was, he was still a genius. '' This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen! Look over there! '' I pointed at a couple of screens on the left, full of blue letters, numbers and symbols. '' That's the program that is changing the colour of the sky in level 1! Then that long line next to it is the temperature and some more screens after that are the program that controls the weather! '' I kept jumping around and pointing at different screens that I understood what represented, with sparkles dancing around me and a happy look on my face.
'' Natsumi? '' Nai called me after a few moments, but I just ignored him, staring at a screen with amazement. '' Natsumi? Natsumi! '' Suddenly he grabbed me by my armour, raised me in the air and slapped me, causing me to blink with confusion a few times and look at him. He quickly dropped me on the ground again, took a step back and began waving with his hands in front of him. '' I wasn't trying to be mean, it's just that we have a mission and you were getting distracted... ''
I looked around again, then I sighed and nodded. '' Yeah, yeah, you're right, it's just that I wish I would have more time to look at all this programes... Anyway, let's go, '' I seriously said and ran down the road made of blue light, with Nai following me close behind.
We ran between the walls that were covered with different programs that were the Kingdom of battles world. When I looked at one of them one more time I couldn't help it but to think about something. What exactly would happen if someone would delete one of those programes? Arashi could probably easily delete this whole world if he would want and I was sure that the only reason he didn't do that was because with that he would disappear too.
Nai and I ran around a corner and reached a crossroad. Nai looked at me quiestioningly and I pointed at the left road. '' You go there, I go right, okay? If you reach another crossroad leave something there so you won't get lost in here, '' I yelled and made my way to the right road. '' If you find Arashi, Kaito and Renshou scream, send me a message or something like that! ''
Then Nai disappeared from my sight and I was already alone, running down the road made of blue light. After an hour of running, taking different ways in crossroads, turning away from dead ends and so on I finally reached a place that looked like what I was looking for. I slowly stopped and took a few steps to the edge of the blue road, my eyes slowly widening with shock. '' Amazing, '' I whispered, staring at the centre of the database of the Kingdom of battles.
There was a huge opening ahead of me, with black walls, covered with programs and writings. It was also full of other blue roads that ended here, while some continued to the centre of the opening. My eyes quickly travelled through them until they stopped on one of the platforms at the end of the roads, with countless screens floating around it and two people that were standing in the middle of it. I frowned, recognising Arashi and Renshou that was just typing something on one of the screens.
Then I suddenly heard something and raised my head. My eyes widened, then I quickly dodged the long sword that was thrown in my direction from a road that was a little bit higher than the one I was on. I staggered for a few steps, pulled my sword out and raised it in the air in front of me. '' Katio, show yourself! '' I yelled, staring at the road on top of me.
At first nothing happened, then a small scythe flew to the other side of the opening. The chain that it was attached to wrapped around one of the blue roads. A moment later Kaito jumped from the road on top of me and flew through the air, holding on to the chain from the chain scythe. I watched how he let go of it, making the weapon turn in to dust, did a few flips in the air and landed on a blue platform.
He slowly raised his head and turned around, making his blue eyes meet mine. I quickly scanned him, instantly noticing how there were two pouches made of brown leather attached to the belt that was wrapped around his waist multiple times. At first I had no idea why would he carry something that looked so heavy around when he knew that he would probably have to fight with somebody, then he pulled three rocks and a red enchantment stone out of one of the pouches. I watched how he clenched his fingers around them and grinned wickedly when the rocks shined in a bright colour before turning in to a long spear.
Then he looked at me again, still grinning. '' We finally get to finish the fight that we started the last time, strategist girl... '' he said, tossed his head on one side and snickered, while spinning the spear he created a few moments ago between his fingers. '' This day just became a lot more entertaining than I thought it will be. ''