Welcome to Gaia! ::

Arlen was enveloped in the Crimson Blaze as he launched a furious assault against Crystal.

Crystal continued to laugh as she dodged the first few strikes, and then began blocking them with a giant icicle as she had during their last encounter. "It's no use boy," she taunted, her voice shrill.

Inside the Muffin, more correctly inside Lily's room, the emerald flame in her necklace began to flicker violently.

"Oh.." Kaden was quiet, before smiling at the door, "Ah, Yeah! I'm Kaden." He snickered softly, stepping back confused at the sudden jumpy noise he heard just beyond the door. He didn't want to get Run over if she was excited or worried or in a hurry or something stupid like that.

River listened outside, she rather enjoyed the sound of people fighting but didn't enjoy the conflict it created. What a damn stupid world this had to be. " Gosh.." She groaned leaning forward with closed eyes. "Kaden...What the hell are you doing up there? I said I'd tell you a story and you just bail on me you little brat." River stifled a yawn out of boredom.

Lily wrenched open the door, giving a brief look to Kaden. "Excuse me... Arlen is..." she shook her head, deciding she didn't have time, and sprinted down the stairs, ears twitching madly as she shouted Arlen's name.

"Lily?" Arlen said, looking up and away from Crystal for a moment. "Lily stay ba-!" He was interrupted as the icy club on the ground shattered into jagged shards that flew into Arlen cutting him deeply and sending him flying backwards several feet.

"Always the fool," Crystal sneered again, ignoring the searing pain in her arm. "I'll make you and your girlfriend pay for what you did to me!"

Arlen tumbled along the ground a bit before springing back to his feet. The shards of ice fell to the ground as they were forced out of his body by the healing wounds. Panting slightly he started forwards towards Crystal.

"No you don't," Crystal said, forming a sizable wall of crystal clear ice between her and Arlen. "You're not coming anywhere near me pretty boy."

Crystal sneered at Lily through the wall and with a simple gesture, sharp spikes began to protrude from it towards her.

"Leave her alone!" Arlen screamed as he launched himself at his wall, clawing at it with little effect.

"Or what?" Crystal asked snidely. "You'll never get past that wall to stop me."

"Lily!" Arlen cried out, turning to face her again. He ran over to her wall and began slashing at it with no better success than before.

"Poor little birdie is trapped and can't help his precious little bunny," Crystal teased while she watched Arlen's futile efforts. "Perhaps I should just end it now?"

Arlen's eyes flashed with anger and in one fluid motion he turned back towards Crystal as his shirt was ripped away by the harness's extending frame. The wings of Verdant Flame flared into life and hurtled Arlen at the wall with breakneck speed, his hands extended ahead of him and burning hotter than ever with the Crimson Blaze. As he struck the wall there was a blinding flash that subsided to reveal an Arlen shaped hole burned clear through the ice and Arlen standing beside Crystal, one hand firmly in her stomach.

Crystal staggered backwards from Arlen as he let go, her good hand ineffectively covering the gaping wound in her gut. She retched violently as she coughed up a relatively large quantity of blood and the remaining ice melted away harmlessly, the temperature around the Muffin slowly returning to normal.

[You know, that really sounds painful...]

River paused in her story when Kaden wiggled around, " And then? Then what?!" He asked giggling helplessly unaware of what was going on outside. "Well, The boy reached the tree and when he looked up to it he asked, 'oh, wise tree, show me your wisdome grant me my wish, my one wish.' There was silence but the boy continued even though the tree seemed lifeless. ' Let me be free!' The boy shouted and then there was silence, birds chirped and nothing seemed to be happening." River again paused to watch as Kaden held himself shaking with wonder and excitment. "Then?!" He asked watching her with intent. " Then, there was a flash of light! and he was again in the room where he lived with master. But master was no where to be found- oh no this little mouse did not belong to the evil cat anylonger." As she spoke to him he seemed over joyed elated that this story was ending happily, he always liked when they did. "And he was, and forever on, Always free." She flicked his nose with a snort and he giggled like mad hugging River tightly. "That was great Toto-san!"