The Tejina Chronicles: Remembrance

By: Kioko the pirate

Chapter 1: Memories

It was a typical day on the island of Kauai, the sun was shining and every thing seemed peaceful. But that peace was suddenly interrupted by a massive explosion that tore through the forest, shattering trees like glass and filling the area with a dense cloud of smoke.

As it began to settle two figures burst out of the smoke, running as fast as they could and breathing heavily. The first figure was a boy, about 16 or 17 years of age wearing regular blue jeans and an orange T-shirt. His brown hair was slicked back into a spiky style. In his left hand was a reddish-orange spell book.

Running along beside him was a small red furred creature. It had 4 legs not including the two it used as arms. It had a rather large horn on its head with antenna on each side of it. Its biggest feature however was its large cannon like nose.

Both of them were breathing heavily as they sprinted away from the cloud of smoke. They had burns and scrapes all over their bodies and the boys' shirt was slightly torn.

"Don't slow down Splody, we can't let them catch us." Said the boy as he looked over at his partner.

"Oh please Jason, do you really think I'm going to slow down? You're the one who should be worrying about getting tired." Growled Splody.

"That doesn't matter… just keep on running." Said Jason with a determined voice.

At that moment two more figures appeared form the smoke, which was almost completely gone. "Why do they always run?" asked Kioko as he watched Jason and Splody run.

Angel gave a deep sigh as she walked up next to her partner with her arms folded over her chest. "I don't know, but it would make it a whole lot easier if they would just stay and fight."

"So then why don't we just slow them down a bit? Aim for that tree." Instructed Kioko as he pointed towards a tree in front of Jason and Splody's path.

Angel nodded with a smirk on her face; she raised her paw towards the tree as the black book under Kioko's right arm began to glow. "Darko!"

The orb of black and purple formed in front of her paw and suddenly blasted towards the tree. Jason and Splody didn't even notice the orb fly past them, only when it slammed into the tree trunk do they realize it. The tree topples over in a cloud of dust and pieces of wood, slamming down in front of them. But neither Jason nor Splody slowed down as they charged towards the massive tree. Jason quickly opens his spell book after realizing that the trunk was far too thick to leap over.

"Segair!" yelled Jason as his book began to glow with reddish light.

Suddenly two balls of orange colored plasma shot out of Splody's nose. The balls slam into the trunk, blasting it in two. Kioko and Angel both give a sigh as they watch the two run right through the cloud of dust left from their spell.

"Well… you must admit that was some fast thinking on their part." Said Kioko as he stared down the path.

"Fast thinking won't save them. Come on… we don't want them getting away from us." Said Angel as she began to walk away.

"We're on an island… where is there to run?" Said Kioko as he followed after her.

"It doesn't matter where they run too. What matter's is that we catch them and defeat them before they get a chance to rest and regain their strength."

Kioko smiles as he looks down at his furry pink partner and begins to chuckle. After a moment Angel finally got irritated and looked up at Kioko with an annoyed look. "What's so funny?"

Kioko just shook his head. "It's just that you've changed so much since the time we first meet." Said Kioko as he gave a warm smile.

Angel just gave him a confused look, raising her eyebrow slightly and folding her arms over her chest. "What do you mean I've changed?"

"You're not scared any more. You're not afraid to face any challenge, you're confident of yourself." Said Kioko as he looked forward again.

Angel lowered her eyebrows as she looked away. She did not want Kioko seeing her slight smile of embarrassment; her cheeks were also beginning to burn with a crimson glow. "I still remember that day as if it were yesterday." Said Kioko as he looked up towards the sky.

FLASHBACK

It was an unusually warm day on the island of Kauai as Kioko ran along one of the island many hiking trails. He ran past a few tourists, waving as he past. Sweat was running down his face and chest, soaking his black t-shirt and dripping off of his hair. The moist tropical air felt heavy as he took deep breaths, it wasn't making his run any easier. After a few minutes he finally reached the end of the trail, coming to a stop in front of a bench and taking a drink from his sports bottle.

"That'll do it for today." Said Kioko as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He sat down on the bench and pulled a stop-watch from his pocket. "Let's see here… 10:00 minutes. Not bad for two miles."

Kioko took a deep breathe and leaned back on the bench. He took a minute or two to catch his breathe before getting back on his feet. He grabbed his drink and started to make his way towards town. The streets were practically empty as he entered the center of town, nobody in their right mind would willingly go out on a day like this. The heat was rising off of the asphalt, making Kioko's walk even less enjoyable. He had reached the center of town when he finally came to a stop in front of Luki's shaved ice.

"I think I owe myself a little something." Said Kioko to himself as he looked into the store.

Without hesitation he walked into the store, receiving a refreshing blast from the air conditioning. "Hey there Kioko!" greeted Luki with a smile.

Luki was an older man, probably late 60's. His face was wrinkled and had a few dark blotches on it. His hair was grey and was still pretty thick considering his age. He was a rather large man, but he always had a smile on his face.

"Hey, Luki." Replied Kioko with a friendly smile.

"So what will it be today?"

"Just a medium chocolate shake. I really need a cool drink right now." Said Kioko as he walked up to the counter.

"Coming right up. So what are you up to today?" asked Luki as he began making Kioko's shake.

"Oh nothing much, I just finished my run for today."

"You ran in this heat! Your one crazy guy." Said Luki as he turned and placed the shake in front of Kioko.

Kioko placed the money for the drink next to it and took the shake. "Well, you know me." Said Kioko before taking a sip.

"Yeah, I know you. So… did you see that little light show last week?" asked Luki as he leaned over the counter, as if what they were saying was secret.

Kioko gave the man a curious look. "You mean that multicolored meteor shower? Yeah, I saw it… of course who didn't."

"Don't you think it's strange? It's as if the heavens were telling us of a coming danger."

Kioko gave a small laugh as he looked away. "You and your superstitions, you're the one who we should be calling crazy."

The man just shrugged and stepped back from the counter. "Think what you want… I just know that meteor shower wasn't just a pretty sight. It was the beginning of something."

Luki returned to his work, wiping off the counters and machines, leaving Kioko just standing there. 'Maybe the old man's right… maybe it was the start of something.' Thought Kioko as he looked out the front of the store.

After a few minutes Kioko finally left the store, waving goodbye to Luki as he went. The sudden change from cool to hot sent a shiver down Kioko's spine as he stepped back out onto the sidewalk.

'If that shower was the start of something… I wonder what exactly it started.' Kioko just shrugged and pushed the thought from his mind. "What ever it is it can't be that big of a deal." Said Kioko to himself.

Suddenly something caught his eye; a group of kids were standing in front of an alley way picking up rocks and other small objects and throwing them down the alley. All while cheering and hollering. "Hey, I think I got it in the head!" cheered one of the kids.

They were three teenage boys, dressed in baggy pants and oversized shirts. All of them had head bands on their heads and large necklaces around their necks. "Hey grab that bottle, I think I can get a clear shot." Said one of the boys.

Kioko's eyes narrowed as he watched the group. He set his drink down on a nearby bench and began walking towards the group. "Hey! What are you doing?" asked Kioko in a very forceful tone.

The boys stopped what they were doing and looked towards Kioko. "None of your business, man." Snapped the nearest boy.

"I think it is my business." Replied Kioko as he reached the group.

"Man, we weren't doing anything." Said one of the boys.

"You were throwing things at some one. I saw you."

The boys just shrugged. "So what, what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm not going to do anything, but you're going to stop throwing things at whoever is down that alley." Said Kioko as he folded his arms over his chest.

The boys laughed a little before surrounding Kioko. "Why don't you make us." Threatened one of the boys as he cracked his knuckles.

Kioko gave a sigh as he let his arms fall to his side. He lowered his head and closed his eyes; there was a moment of total silence. In the next instant Kioko opened his eyes and elbowed the boy to his right in the face. Kioko turned and to his left and sent his fist slamming into the next boys face. In one final move Kioko spun around and slammed his heel into the last boys face. The whole thing happened so fast that all of the boys hit the ground at almost the same time.

The boys quickly recovered from the attack, scrambling to their feet and running off down the street. Kioko watched as the boys disappeared around the corner, a moment later he turned his attention towards the end of the alley. At the end of the alley was a pile of old boxes, trashcans and a few black trash bags. A large blue tarp covered the pile of garbage, hanging over the side of it as if to conceal something. Rocks, broken bottles and some empty cups littered the area around that portion of the tarp.

Kioko turned and began to slowly walk towards the blue tarp. But as he neared it he noticed a small creature peeking out from under the tarp, quickly darting back under as he approached. When he got within 5 feet of the tarp he noticed that it was shaking slightly and small whimpers were floating up from it. He stopped and slowly knelt down near the tarp, it was now very clear to him that it was not a person under the tarp.

"It's ok, come on out. I won't hurt you." Said Kioko in a soft and caring voice.

For a moment the tarp stopped shaking and was slowly pulled back, revealing a small pink furred creature. It had a lighter shade of pink on its stomach and chest, with a white "V" shape on its chest. But before Kioko could say anything the creature darted back underneath the tarp.

"Don't be scared… those boys are gone. You're safe now."

There was another pause before the tarp was once again slowly pulled back. This time the creature slowly crawled out from under the tarp, revealing its large ears, the long antenna that protruded from the top of its head and its short stubby tail. Kioko also noticed that it had dark pink markings on its back and the black book that it had tucked tightly under its arm. But Kioko did not give it a second thought as he extended his hand towards the creature.

"That's it, see there's nothing to be scared of." Said Kioko softly as the creature hesitantly grasped his hand with its paw.

Kioko slowly led the creature away from the tarp, guiding it by its paw until it was right next to him. The creature had a few scratches all over its arms and legs and its fur was covered in dirt and other filth. Kioko also took note of the creatures' feminine look.

"Those boys really messed you up didn't they? It was very rude of them to pick on a little girl huh?" The creature looked up at him with a slight look of surprise on its face. "You are a girl right?" asked Kioko, he wasn't really expecting the creature to nod in response. "Tell you what, how about I take you home and get you cleaned up. How's that sound?"

A small smile appeared on the creatures face as she looked up at Kioko. Kioko smiles back and then stands up; he turns and motions for her to follow as he walked back towards the street. But as he neared the street he heard a small yelp from behind. He turned to see the creature sitting on the ground holding its ankle and clenching its teeth. Kioko walks back over to the creature and kneels down in front of her. "Those boys really got you didn't they? Here let me take a look." Said Kioko as he placed his hands on the creature's ankle.

After a few seconds the creature gave out a small yelp and quickly pulled her foot away. "It's only sprained; you'll be fine in a few days. But until then you should stay off of it." Said Kioko.

Without another word Kioko picked the small pink creature up and cradled her in his arms. The creature gave a timid gasp as she was lifted up, but kept a firm grasp on the black book in its paws. Kioko looked at her curiously as she held the book up against her chest.

"You must really like that book." Said Kioko as he raised his eyebrow. "Come on, let's get you home."

PAUSE FLASHBACK

"You were such a mess, and you smelled awful." Said Kioko with a small laugh.

The two of them were making their way down a steep, rocky hillside. Angel was in the lead, hopping from rock to rock with ease. "Yeah, well you didn't exactly smell like flowers either." Growled Angel.

"I smelled better then you. But neither of us stayed that way long… I got you cleaned up pretty well." Replied Kioko as he slide down to a near by boulder.

"Yeah, and I must admit… it felt good to have a warm place to stay." Said Angel with a sigh.

UNPAUSE FLASHBACK

A few hours had passed since the incident at the alley; Kioko had gotten his new guest back to his house and had given her a good scrubbing down. She was now sitting on the couch, a towel wrapped tightly around her; Kioko was wrapping a bandage around her hurt ankle.

"There… that should take care of that for awhile." Said Kioko as he finished tying the bandage. The creature looked at the bandage curiously, scratching at it and trying to remove it. "Don't take it off. Your ankle won't heal if you do."

The creature gave an uncomfortable moan as it leaned back and folded its arms over its chest. Kioko just smiled and gave a small laugh. "I know it's not the most comfortable thing to wear, but you need to. Hey, you hungry?"

The creature's ears suddenly perked up and a smile formed on her face. Kioko just smiled back and then headed for the kitchen. A few minutes later he had prepared a couple microwave meals.

"Sorry it's not a feast but… money's a little tight right now." Said Kioko as he placed the food in front of the pink creature. Sitting down across from his new house guest he watched as she carefully sniffed the food. "You're not from around here are you? Go ahead and eat, it may not taste that good but it will fill you up." Said Kioko as he began to eat his own meal.

The small creature looked up at him curiously and then back down at the food. Before long she managed to begin eating the food, realizing that it wasn't that bad she began to shovel it into her mouth as if it were her last meal. Both of them finished in only a few minutes, Kioko cleaned up and then fetched some blankets from a nearby closet. He spread them out on the couch and then kneeled down in front of the creature, who had been watching him with a constant curious gaze.

"You can sleep on the couch, I'll just be down the hall if you need anything." Said Kioko as he patted the creature on the head.

He helped her climb under the covers and then after turning out the lights headed off to bed himself. 'If you need anything? What was I thinking, that thing can't talk. Or can it, it seems to understand what I'm saying.' Thought Kioko as he walked into his bedroom.

"But then… what exactly is it? It's not a dog that's for sure." Said Kioko aloud as he removed his shirt. "But if it's not a dog… then what the hell is it?"

Kioko decided to push the thought from his mind as he slid under his own covers. He turns out the light and falls asleep, but it wasn't long before he was awakened by a small whimpering sound. He slowly gets to his feet and leaves the room. As he entered the living room the source of the noise became apparent. Sitting up on the couch, illuminated by the soft moonlight shining through the window, was the small creature. She had the blankets clutched tightly in her paws and her knees were up against her chest. Small whimpers escaped her as she nervously looked around, from Kioko's stand point it looked like she was waiting for something to happen, but did not know from where it would happen.

Kioko stood in the hallway watching for a few minutes before slowly making his way over towards the couch. He quietly walked over to the couch and crawled over the back of it. The small creature gave a startled yelp as she felt him sit down beside her.

"What's wrong? Are you scared of the dark?" asked Kioko as he looked at the small creature with a concerned gaze.

The creature lowered her ears and looked away, after a moment she looked back at Kioko and slowly nodded her head. To her surprise a small smile formed on the boys face and he began to laugh a little. He looked around the dark room for a moment before looking back at the small creature.

"There's nothing to be scared of, as long as I'm here nothing is going to hurt you." Said Kioko with a warm smile. To her surprise the boy reached over, picked her up and set her on his lap. "Nothing would dare touch you while I'm around. You're safe with me, that I promise you."

Once again the boy surprised her boy holding her tightly and resting his cheek on the top of her head. But she did not deny his actions; it felt nice to be held, to be hugged tightly. For the first time since they meet, the small creature let out a small pure of content. She was enjoying the moment and that's all there was to it.

PAUSE FLASHBACK

"I don't know what came over me that night… I still don't know." Said Kioko with a smile.

Kioko and Angel were once again on a dirt trail in the middle of the forest. Neither of them were showing any signs of fatigue, despite their quickened pace.

"I only know that for the next few weeks… whenever I was scared you would hold me until I fell asleep. I learned to trust you more, that's one of the reasons why I chose you as my partner." Said Angel as she continued to stare straight ahead.

"And I'm glad you did." Replied Kioko as he smiled at her.

Ok, that's the end of this chapter. I know I could end it right here and I know it could have been a one-shot. But I did not get everything in that I wanted, plus I'm a little pressed for time at the moment. So I will be updating as soon as possible. Please review… this wasn't my best work but I'm a little off right now. Also, could you please read and review ReaderPals story "An Innocent Phantom", thank you. Later.