32 Emotional Safari

The device that was counting down suddenly stopped, with the door of it opening. Bit had hacked his way through it, releasing Myde and Shockz. "There." He took a breath, looking back to Cravic. "Cravic!?" He gasped, warping over to the red haired boy.

Myde and Shockz could see the darkness of Cravic's dama circling around from their position.

"Cravic is... part Necroden?" Myde was surprised, and somewhat unsure in her tone.

"That, and man, his eye... I hope he's alright. (I'd hate to had been on the blunt end of that rage.)" Shockz says, quivering a bit.

"Cravic, you gotta calm down... Don't let the DD take over. You don't want anyone else to know, remember?" Bit was trying to calm Cravic's darkness.

"..." Cravic was silent, but trying to get to his feet.

Bit grabbed Cravic's sleeve. "Cravic!"

The red haired boy's remaining yellow eye peered down to Bit. Blood was rolling down the right side of his face, from the gaping wound of his missing eye. The dark dama was getting thicker, taking a partial monstrous form of a beast with many eyes, looming behind him. Cravic pulled away from Bit, harshly. "... Get away from me."

"..." Bit looked scared.

Shockz walked closer, stopping behind Bit. "Oh shit! The DD is taking over him!" Shockz gasped.

"We need to do something, but how do we stop this?" Myde asked, urgently. She was immobilized by the sight of Cravic.

"I...I don't know..." Bit was clearly unnerved.

"We need A LOT of light dama, which we don't have. We're screwed if we stay here!" Shockz said, becoming anxious.

Cravic leered over to them, his eye glowed, before he turned off with a growl. The monstrous dark dama howled at them, right before his body fazed off into darkness.

"Cravic!!" Bit cried out, rushing to where he was standing before.

"Phew, at least we're safe for now." Shockz says sitting on the ground.

"...." Bit was shaking.

"Shockz, get up. Bit, snap out of it." Myde commanded. "We need to pursue him, immediately, before things get out of hand!"

"If you mean by pursue, to follow him,trail him, track him down? NO. I'm not getting close to that stuff. My mission ends here, I'm going to make my way back to HQ." Shockz says, standing to his feet. "Besides, it's not like we have enough power to deal with that anyways."

Myde formed her sword staffs, blocking Shockz's pathway. Her stern gaze focused to the boy. "Do as I say, or you may face dire consequences, child."

"Alright,alright! I'll follow your orders ma'am!" Shockz says, holding his head, shivering.

"Good choice." She said harshly, glancing back to Bit. "Bit!"

"... I... I can't do it... I don't know what to do... It's not working like before..." He said, shaking still.

"You leave him to me. Understand?" Myde stated to them.

Elsewhere, in the savannas of Taino. Barret was walking with Katinka, Cynder and Dylan. "Alright, so we're to be looking for any suspicious activity. Given how vast this location is, spotting something like that, shouldn't be too hard." Barret states, stopping ahead of them.

"Well duh, it's flat doofus." Katinka scoffed.

"Heh heh, well noted." Barret says, rubbing the back of his head. Some birds fly over them making their way to some trees nearby. Barret looked their direction. "My, when I get some time I'll have to remember to make another trip out here. (Quite a lot to document in this region.)"

Cynder walks up beside the shorter girl, using on hand to force Katinka to look her way. She poked into her cheek with her index finger, looking to the green haired girl, with a sly grin. "Someone's in a bad mood. What, missing some boy back back at the base? Or do you prefer girls? Such a grumpy little thing, aren't you?" Cynder provoked.

"Get your hands off me, bitch." Katinka glared.

Cynder shoved Katinka back to her butt in the dirt. "I hope you get lost out here." Cynder sneered.

"...." Katinka glared back, her eyes twitching in irritation.

Dylan walked up beside Barret. "Psst. Pssssst!" He snickered.

Barret looks to Dylan becoming aggravated, "Yes, Dylan?"

Dylan looked back to the girls, pointing in a silly manner. "Cat fight."

"Uh, Katinka? Are you okay!?" Barret walks over, looking to Cynder as well. "Honestly, what's going on, you two?" Barret says, holding out his hand to help Katinka off the ground.

Katinka slapped away Barret's hand, getting up. "I'm sick of you people." She stated, with anger in her voice. She got up, rushing ahead of the others, to get as far away as possible.

Dylan watched her blow passed him, "Meow?" He tilted his head.

Cynder crossed her arms. "What's her problem anyway?"

Barret sighs, "Regardless of what it is. We're all on the same team. We have to work together. (I'm annoyed as it is, but I can't have them killing each other.)" Barret thinks to himself.

Cynder pats Barret on the back, "Well, have fun with that. I don't have to listen to some chump like you." She said, walking off from him. "You're a human anyway, we're not even in the same league. It's your fault my toy got put on some other bitch's team in the first place."

"Excuse me? First this is A MISSION, second that kind of talk has no room here. I'll have to talk to Luke about this. Lastly, perhaps it was good you were placed here, it keeps your hands off my friend's private region!" Barret shot back to Cynder.

Cynder prodded her index finger to Barret's chest, giving him a look of authority. "You think that scares me? The commander is too busy staring at Myde's ass to give a damn what I do. Besides." Cynder pulled her hand away, crossing her arms, with her back slightly arched to Barret. "How would he feel about you moving in on his pussy? I don't think things would fall into your favor there, blonde. I bet you're just jealous, you haven't lost your V-Card yet. Later." Cynder started, walking again.

Barret shakes his head. "So, where are you going?" He inquired to Cynder.

"To my sex toy, of course." Cynder scoffed, furthering their distance.

Dylan looked to Cynder from next to Barret. "I gotta drop some kittens off at the pool."

"Excuse me?" Barret gawked.

"Gotta take a dump, duh." Dylan jested.

Barret sighs to himself, "...You didn't go before we left? You have to find a tree or something."

Dylan gawked, "Human's go doodie on trees? How does that work? I thought you'd use the potty the same way as the Elementar at least."

Barret holds his head. "WE DON'T POOP ON TREES! Use your head, any living creature, that isn't a bat, or some wall dweller, uses the ground. Then you use leaves, or other soft objects to clean yourself with. Why I'm even explaining this to you, is beyond me."

Dylan pokes at his tongue. "Oh, so humans lick their bungholes too?"

"You know? Never mind, just go find a tree, and however you do it. Do it. Then come along, we have to catch up to Katinka." Barret says, walking ahead of Dylan.

"Tee-hee-hee! I'm on to the poop deck then!" Dylan scurried off.

"(To the poop deck...urgh what a day.)" Barret grumbles, looking off to where Katinka had walked. "Dylan? After you finish, go find Cynder, alright? I'm going after Katinka." Barret says walking off.

A hand stuck out from a bush with a thumb up. "OKAY!"

Barret was now traveling, and spots Katinka, she was sitting on a rock not far from him. She was resting her chin to her palms, staring out to the grass of the location. "There you are. I know they're hard to deal with, but hopefully we can finish this up soon. Are you okay?" Barret asked to Katinka.

"I'm fine." She muttered, quietly.

"What's the matter?" Barret asked to her.

"It's the way Cynder's been talking about her 'boyfriend'. It's just, when other girls get all boy crazy..." Katinka spoke briefly.

"Oh, I understand. Cynder and Issac aren't a thing though...but, yeah I don't blame you honestly. I can't say too much on the issue.Thank goodness though, after this we won't have to put up with her. I'll make sure to place it down in the mission details, when things are taken care of." Barret states, ruffling his hair.

"I don't think you get it... but where is that fur ball anyway?" Katinka sat up.

"Oh, well Cynder took off, I sent Dylan after her, but they're likely not coming back." Barret says, crossing his arms. "It's as if they literately placed me with idiots to begin with. Not implying you Katinka, you're really mature for your age." Barret says, looking back to Katinka.

Katinka got to her feet, "Good, she was pissing me off anyway. Surprising for a girl to do that." She muttered.

Barret laughs, "I have to agree honestly, there's only been one other, but I guess I can't hold it against her."

"For a guy, you're fairly tolerable." Katinka walked ahead of him.

Barret coughs a little. "Oh? Heh, I'm glad I don't annoy you."

Katinka glanced back, raising a brow. "What's wrong with you? Don't tell me I'm making you get like that." She seemed surprised.

"No no, heh, it just surprised me. Normally people get tired of me being subtle with things. (Thinking, I wonder how Myde is doing? I need to keep my interest in tact.)" Barret thought to himself.

"Uh-huh. Sure thing, boss man." Katinka teased, making her way forward. "Coming?"

Barret's eye twitches, "(She has a way with things.) Y-Yeah." Barret says, laughing nervously.

"Uh, what is THAT?" Katinka stopped, pointing ahead.

Barret looks ahead. "Hm?"

Ahead of them, was an electrical barred cage, Inside was a girl, laying on the ground.

"Come on, let's see if we can them out of that!" Barret states, rushing over to it with Katinka.

Katinka hurried after Barret, and soon the two got close enough to the cage. Inside was a girl that Barret immediately recognized. A quick flashback crossed his mind, of the girl who had saved both Issac and himself from Kaos robots some time ago. Her brown and pink hair still looked the same as before, and Barret definitely recalled Issac's jokes about her being Barret's 'girlfriend'.

"A girl?" Katinka looked around, "Does that mean there's a Kaos worker nearby?"

"I know this girl... Stevonne. She helped Issac and I sometime back." Barret states looking back to Katinka.

"So, what do you want to do about it? We could have eyes on us, right?" Katinka looked to Barret.

"Yeah, we have to get her out of that cage, but I'm not sure of how to go about it." Barret states, pondering to himself.

"Um, well, if you want to." Katinka looked to the cage. One of the wires from the back of her neck,reached for the bars.

"Wait, are you crazy? That could fry you!" Barret gasped.

Katinka smirked, "Oh, would that upset you?" She teased, her wire wrapping around the bar.

"KATINKA!" Barret shouted in fear.

Katinka smiled to him, but was unharmed. The electricity was being absorbed into her wires without any effort. "I'm a living lightning rod, you dork."

"Huh....Well I'm shocked. I'm happy you're alright, but my goodness don't scare me like that. That's amazing though...(Lightons, amazing technology they have, I mean what is she? A battery?)" Barret thought to himself.

"Haha, 'shocked'? Shouldn't I be the one making the electrical puns?" She glances to the bars, watching the electricity flow. "My teacher taught me pretty well, huh?"

Barret nods smiling, "He sure did!"

The electrical bars died out. "So much for that recharge." Katinka exhaled, releasing her wires from the bars.

"Well, at least the electricity is out now. Let's get this open." Barret states, opening the cage.

The door swung open, with Stevonne still on the ground. Katinka stood behind Barret, peering in. "You're not going to be some creep now, are you?"

"No!" Barret shouted to Katinka, blushing. "I will have to pick her up though...."

Katinka looked to Barret with narrowed eyes, "Peek up her skirt, and I won't like you anymore."

"Where did that come from!? I was only stating having to pick her up, because well, I don't want you carrying her." Barret says, nervously.

"Afraid I might like it?" Katinka inquired, in a provoking manner.

"Might like it? I'm sorry, I'm not to sure where you're going with this. I just think it's right for woman not to have to carry a lot, especially out on missions this way. (I sound like a complete hypocrite right now... with how I treated Sandra before.)" Barret says, crouching down to Stevonne.

"Get a clue, and stop being so dense.. Urgh, whatever. Besides that, I'm not a meek little girl. I can handle myself better than you think. I'm tough as nails." Katinka grumbled.

Barret laughs uneasily, "I think I finally understand." Barret says, as his hand neared Stevonne. She wakes spotting Barret, scrambling back instantly. Barret pulls his hand back quickly. "Oh...I nearly forgot. No touching heh..." Barret says, smiling to Stevonne.

"O-Oh, you needn't worry." She says, standing to her feet. "Tis good to see you once again, I don't believe I have learned your name?" She says, looking into Barret's eyes.

"Uhh, heh...(Well, I guess it would alright now.) My name is Barret Aldric." He states, getting back to his feet. "This is my comrade Katinka, if you're wondering about Issac, he's currently off on another location."

"Hm, I see, well very nice to meet you Katinka. Of course, you again as well, Barret." Stevonne says, walking passed them.

Barret looks to Stevonne, "So, how did you get out were you out here?" he asks, crossing his arms.

"While I was back in the city, I was doing some research. Then, I awoke, and here I am." Stevonne says, turning to the two of them.

Barret nods, "I will say this, your speech has improved since our last encounter."

"Oh? I'm glad you've noticed! I've been practicing my English for the last couple months. I will say, I feel I've settled into quite the texture of speech." Stevonne says, smiling to Barret.

"Really? It's fantastic! What was your native language, if I may ask?" Barret inquired quirking a brow.

"....It's Spanish. Most definitely Spanish." Stevonne says nodding.

Katinka watched between the two, seeming annoyed. "(Doubt that.)"

Stevonne looks to Katinka. "You don't believe me?"

Barret scratches his head, "Huh? Katinka didn't say anything."

Stevonne looks to Barret, "You didn't hear her?"

"Are you some Esper or something?" Katinka crossed her arms, with a raised brow.

"No, I'm Spanish. I don't believe that's an Esper." Stevonne retorted.

"No no, an Esper is a person that has psychic powers. We think you read her mind." Barret explained to Stevonne.

"Oh? So that's what that is... Quite interesting!" Stevonne says, getting happy.

"Uh..." Katinka leaned to Barret, "Kind of an air head, don't cha think?"

Barret laughs nervously, "Well...She is learning."

Stevonne had turned away from them, looming off ahead. "Are you two coming? I feel we should leave this location quickly."

"Say what?" Katinka scoffed.

"Maybe you should stay close to us, we'll leave, but we have a mission to finish first. Hmm...Though leaving you out here in harm's way, isn't smart..." Barret thought out loud.

Stevonne smiles to Barret, "Oh? You're caring for my well being? How graceful of you."

From the distance, came Dylan. He halted, nearly falling forward when he spotted Barret and Katinka. "Uh... I totally went the wrong way, didn't I?..."

"Wait, DYLAN! WHERE'S CYNDER? I Sent you after her!" Barret gawks, his expression becoming angry.

"I HAD to PEE!!" Dylan got frustrated.

"PEE!? I THOUGHT YOU WENT TO-...Urgh never mind. Can you take miss Stevonne back to the ship?" Barret inquired to Dylan.

"Uhhh, Okay? Should I still look for Cynder? I might be able to draw her out with armpit farts." Dylan held his finger to his lips.

"Whatever you want to do Dylan." Barret says, in annoyance.

"If I may be frank...I don't really like him, Barret...But I will abide, until we are able to leave...Dylan is your name, correct?" Stevonne asked to Dylan.

Dylan looked to her, making an expression as he tried to look cool. "Yeah, but you can call me Dil, Tootsie-pop."

"Oh how funny! You know, you remind me of this thing called a dill-weed." Stevonne joked.

"A what?" Dylan gawked.

Barret shakes his head, "(Ouch, but Stevonne, she shouldn't waste her energy. That's a good burn gone bad.)"

"Anyhow! Let's be off, and find Cyndy! To the....uhhh..." Dylan looked behind him. "East?....Uh...."

"North, dumb ass." Katinka muttered.

"RIGHT! I knew that." Dylan stuck out is tongue, taking Stevonne's hand. "Ready to go?"

Stevonne pulls back from Dylan, "First off fur ball, don't touch me." She then turns to Barret, "Please don't take too long...This boy scares me..."

"We'll try to make it back as soon as we can." Barret assured Stevonne.

Stevonne smiles, nodding, she then looks to Katinka, and turns, walking ahead of Dylan.

"AND! We're off!" Dylan exclaimed, rushing after Stevonne.

Katinka crossed her arms. "Something seems fairly odd about that chick."

Barret rubs the back of his head. "Hm? The fact she can learn new languages so fast?"

"No moron. Like she only looked at me, and said nothing. Unlike to you. I don't like her." Katinka said, as she turned walking. She grabbed Barret, by the back of his shirt collar, dragging him with her.

"Oh, I'm sure she had some things on her mind. She did just wake up out here, right?... I dunno." Barret states, as he was dragged off.

"You're just saying that because she's pretty..." Katinka muttered.

"Huh? Now hey, I don't play favorites like that. You're pretty too, don't you ever think you're anything less, alright?" Barret states, trying to cheer Katinka up.

Katinka quickly let go of Barret, covering her face. She looked away from him, blushing crazily. "D-D-Don't say stuff like that!"

"Hm? Well, it's the truth, I don't want you going off feeling like the world is against you, or something." Barret says, rubbing his head. "Come on though, we should keep going, so we don't loose sunlight."

Katinka turned, looking to him. She let out a deep exhale, before socking him hard in the shoulder.

Barret turns to Katinka with a disturbed expression. "Ow! What was that for?"

She was staring his way, her breathing a bit spastic. She was still red in the face. "You're seriously dense!" She turned, running off from him.

Barret rubs his shoulder, then sighs to himself. "(I honestly wish Issac were here, he'd help me understand just a little, wait...I've been openly talking to her all this time? Not holding back a thing?...Could she think? Oh urgh.." Barret's face turns red. "(Idiot! Well...I suppose I'll just roll with it, but take it a little easier...Listen. But first, what am I doing!?)" Barret looks to Katinka. "KATINKA! WAIT!" he says running after her.

Katinka had gotten a distance from Barret, and had stopped under a tree. She was breathing heavy from her running.

Barret catches up to Katinka, "Katinka! I finally get what you were saying! I was an idiot...I'm sorry." Barret pleaded.

Katinka glanced back to him, she was fighting back tears.

"Oh Katinka...." Barret says, moving close. "Don't cry, okay? I'm sorry..." He places his arms around her, to give her a hug.

Without warning, a course of electricity sparked at Barret. However, Katinka shoved him away from her, making him fall back on the ground. "Don't... Don't..." She turned away from him, sparking.

Barret grips himself off the ground. "Urgh...(Katinka.....)" Barret states, looking to her seriously.

"Don't look at me...." She kept her back to him. "No one is supposed to see me like this." She continued to spark. "My limiter can't handle my electricity right now... You'll hurt yourself..." She wiped her face.

"...Hey, it's okay...If you have to open up you do...I'm just sorry I caused you all this....I'll respect your wishes however...I'm sorry again, Katinka..." Barret says, turning away from her.

Katinka looked back to Barret. "Barret..."

Barret had his back turned from her still. "...Yeah?"

"Why are so you nice to me?..." She inquired, as the electricity settled down.

"Because you're as special to me, as anyone I save out here. No one should have go around thinking being 'liked' is a choice. I'm sorry men have been jerks to you." Barret says, still keeping his gaze away from Katinka.

Katinka was staring to him, blushing again, as she was still tearing up. "..."

"Maybe after this, we can -" Barret's back was half turned to Katinka, he spots the expression on her face which made him stop in his speech.

"We can what?" Katinka was still crying a bit, but smiled to him.

Barret seemed surprised at Katinka's smile. He smiles himself and takes a step forward to her. "Well..-"

There was a rustling above the two, forcing them to look up. They noticed a holo-cat tail peeking from the branches. "Nya, how cute.~" Spoke a female voice.

"Huh? What is that?' Barret says, reaching for the tail.

The tail is pulled before he could grab it, and out from the tree dropped a Ferline with the holo-tail. She had pink hair, and dressed much like a wild woman. "Nya." She had hearts floating around her.

"I beg your pardon? Nya....What are you?" Barret asked, to the wild woman puzzled.

"Mew?" The ferline peered over, bewildered. "I'm a neko-neko, nya!"

Katinka was staring at her, dumbstruck. "......"

"Well if you're looking for the carnival. I think it might be a little more to the north of here...You know? The city? You seem very out of...Place.." Barret says, still trying to grasp what he had encountered here.

The ferline tilted her head. "I would get in trouble if I went to the Carnival, nya." She blinked twice, a cat jumping down to her shoulder. It stared to them, with a blanks expression

"Honestly I'd think you'd fit right in, you even have a cat that thinks it's a parrot." Barret mocked.

Her ears went back, "I have orders, Nya. You can't override what the master told me to do. Nya."

"Master, orders...Wait, you're a Zodiac, aren't you?" Barret asked, his eyes turning sharp.

The ferline struck a cat type pose, "Bingo! I'm Catzaka, the neko-neko, nya! This is my little friend Earnest! Our title is Cancer, like the tasty crab." She drooled a bit, holding her hands together, but then struck a battle pose, engaging her laser claws. "You two released my prisoner, nya. Now you shall pay! Tee-hee! ~<3"