++Smooth Criminal++

[DemonicFox99]

He had forgotten about his wounds. "Nothing..." He held her much smaller hand gently with his own leading her out to the stables. Lance followed aswell saddling his little red pony and Sylryl her white mare. The streets where all ready humming with the voices of people scattering the streets shopping and conversing with one another.

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi carefylly mounted her horse with Kette's help, pulling her cloak tightly around her and sighing deeply. Casticus did the same, mounting his horse without a word. They carefully wound there way in between the people on the streets until they reached the edge of the city, entering the forested area beyond. The softly drizzling rain calmed the kelpie down, the small droplets clinging to his hair like beads. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing his horse to take control, and simply enjoyed the coolness of the water.

[DemonicFox99]

Kette lifted himself onto the horse to sit behind Myfi and followed Sylryl out of the stable. They rode out of the town along the thickly wooded forest. The woods grew thicker and thicker and after a hour riding signs began to litter the trees and nooses with skeletans hanging by their necks. Kette didnt like the look of this wrapping one arm around Myfi and placing his hand on his gun. Sylryl did the same rubbing the bar of her halbeard with her thumb. "We're in bandit territory."

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi looked up at the skeletons, frightened and snuggling up to Kette nervously. She gasped and let out a small squeal as she turned and saw another row of corpses, fresher this time. Flies swarmed the bodies as if it was a feast as a crow cawed, attempting to pull an eye from the owner's loose socket. Flesh hung down in hunks from bones as the stench of decomposition permiated the air. Casticus gritted his teeth, placing his hand on his sickle. The selkie turned, shutting her eyes tightly and burying her face in Kette's chest.

[DemonicFox99]

Lance rode his nervous pony closer to the group so as not to get left behind. Kette growled holding Myfi tighter, "Worse.... they're demons." Sylryl slowed her horse.

"Lets turn back-" Before she could finish her sentence an arrow peirced her shoulder knocking her off of her mare. Kette took another shot in the shoulder protecting Myfi from the arrow. Several men leaped from the trees tackling Casticus and Lance pinning them to the ground with daggers and knives. Another grabbed the elf and held a sword to her throat. Kette held tightly to the selkie but was yanked off of the horse by a powerful arm. A huge man slammed him into a tree and pinned him there grabbing the arm that held the gun. Kette struggled trying to get away.

"Myfi!!" Another man approached the selkie still perched on the horse. The tall slender man who featured a hook for a nose reached up to drag his fingers across her pelt.

"A selkie...." He smiled devilishly "the boss will love this girl. Take her but be gentle. And do NOT take her pelt away from her." Kette scrambled and slammed his fist into the larger man's jaw.

"Dont touch her!!" He lept for the slender man but was met with a sword to the gut as he fired a round into the man's stomach. Blood gushed from his wound as he fell to the ground. The man smiled holding his stomach.

"This one is a demon as well. Take him to the special holding tent."

[Rikku_Feline]

"KETTE!" she cried, reaching towards him but being hindered by one of the bandits. She struggled for a bit as one of the men pulled her from her horse, but was eventually restrained by the much larger man. Casticus lept from his horse, sickle drawn and was about to bring it down on her captor as an arrow struck down on him, grazing his hand and knocking the weapon from him.

[DemonicFox99]

Kette fell to the ground clutching his stomach coughing up blood then blacked out.

Lance growled as his sword was taken away. "Let go of Miss Myfi!!" Another bandit slammed his hand into the back of the knight's neck knocking him out. Another whacked the kelpie across the back of the head with a club.

Sylryl remained still trying not to get clubbed incase she needed to help Myfi. The tall slender man barker orders for which tents to take each prisoner to.

"And take the girl to the boss."

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi was practically shaking in fear, crying out the demon's name desperately. The large man simply grunted, dragging her away to what she assumed was "the boss".

Casticus spluttered, blood leaking down his lips as the blackness slowly crept up from the corners of his eyes. He disorientledly looked around for the selkie before blacking out. A man picked him up by his coat, dragging him across the ground to his destination.

[DemonicFox99]

The demon awoke with his arms tied behind his back and a thick collar latched around his neck that connected to the cuffs on his wrists. He suddenly remembered where he was and struggled wriggling around in the dirt trying to get out of the chains. The slender man entered the tent glaring down at Kette. "So you're finally awake?"

Two larger men dropped the selkie inside a larger open tent that was supported by large beams and littered with priceless treasures and glittering jewelry. A younger man stood with his back to Myfi at the other end of the tent sorting though the pile of things setting on a table. He was shirtless wearing comfortably fitting black pants tucked into his boots. A large tattoo of a tiger decorated his slightly scarred back and he had dark swept hair. He turned to look at Myfi and a smile crept across his face. "Leave us." He ordered his men.

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi landed on her knees, looking up at the man with her large, frightened chocolate eyes. She whimpered, trying to scramble back as far as she could away from the man. "Please...please..." she whispered, too scared to form complete sentences. Her pale skin had gone sheet white and her pupils had shrunk twofold. She was trembling, her eyes darting around the room wildly. "W-we have not done anything wrong-..."

[DemonicFox99]

As soon as the men left the tent he peaked out of the slit to make sure no one was around. "Hush girl... I wont hurt you..." He walked back to the table he had been sifting through. "Where did I put that..." He was mumbling to himself while he was looking. The lights in the tent cast lights across his face revealing the stuble along his jawline that stretched into a smile as he found what he was looking for. "Uh huh... I knew it was over here." He pulled out an old dusty bottle with an amber liquid inside. He scrounged two small gold cups and pours a little of the liquid into each then knealed next to Myfi placing one in her hands. "Whats your name?"

Kette struggled violently with the chains swearing to kill the tall man standing before him. "What did you do with Myfi!?!?" The man smirked.

"She's with the boss now. You can only imagine what the lord of the tiger clan is doing to her at this very moment." He got mockingly close to the demon's face which proved to be a mistake. Kette leapt up and slammed his head into the other's chin knocking out one of his teeth. "You stupid little..." Kette didnt give him time to finish his insult before he slammed his shins into the calves of the other knocking him to the ground. He leapt up and slammed his foot into the other's throat. His arms began to burn white hot quickly heating the metal of the chains making them soft and pliable allowing him to easily bend the metal off of his wrists and neck.

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi nervously glanced from the glass to his face before slowly wrapping her fingers around the cup, taking it from him but not drinking. "Myfi," she answered, looking down at the liquid, brushing her thumb up and down the glass. She slowly lifted the cup to her mouth, the cool rim pressing between her soft lips. The amber liquid slid down her throat, warm like soft embers, sliding down to her stomach. She shivered slightly before looked back at the man. "M-my name is Myfi..." She looked up at him shyly, asking, "Who are you?...What do you want with us?"

[DemonicFox99]

He drank deeply of his cup and tossed it to the side then looked at her smiling with a smile that seemed insanely familiar. He looked into her brown eyes with his own vivid sky colored eyes. Suddenly the tent erupted into flames as the furious young demon slammed his shoulder into the wooden frame causing it to crumble and snap. Quickly the man scooped Myfi into his arms and fled from the blazing tent. "What the hell?!" Kette caught sight of the man holding Myfi and raced towards him. He set Myfi down. "Get some where safe!" He raced towards Kette grabbing him by his fists.

Screaming in anger Kette's fists burst into flame, "What did you do to her!?" Not waiting for an answer he threw the leader of the clan into the nearest tent and chased after him only to have a fist slam into his jaw. He skidded to a hault in the dirt then leapt forwards again as the other did so as well his boots lighting with brilliant white flames that slammed into Kette's ribs. The two fought on the same level slamming into nearby trees and tents while the men watched in amazement.

"No one's ever been able to last this long against Lord Keifer." The two fought nearly causing the entire settlement to go up in flames when the elder stopped it by slamming him into the ground pinning his arms to his side.

"Calm down boy..." He was panting and sweating but slowly calmed down when he recognized that the boy below him was extremely familiar. One of the men whispered to another and soon they were all whispering it.

"They look exactly the same."

"K.... Kette." Kette suddenly calmed down at the sound of his name and he was able to look at his opponent through clear eyes. He suddenly gasped and stared at the man sitting on top of him.

"D...Dad?"

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi simply stood in her spot, watching in amazement at the two. She had backed up to a safe distance during the fight, but now took several steps forward towards the pair. She knelt beside Kette, asking worriedly, "Are you alright?" She looked between the two, connecting the similarities in their features and mannerisms. "Kette...?"

[DemonicFox99]

Anger suddenly filled the demons mind and he kicked the older off of him. "Get off me you b*****d!!" Rage filled his thougths and he stormed off into the woods ignoring every one. Keifer stood up to chase after his son.

"Kette wait!!" The demons tore through the woods, the father chasing his son.