Sun City, Kasumi’s apartment

Shion took Uriel and Tiwa to Kasumi’s apartment…

(KNOCK KNOCK)

“Come in…” Shion opens the door and says; “Senpai, I brought Uriel and Tiwa…”

Kasumi, wearing a pair of jeans and an orange blouse comes out of the kitchen; “Sorry for the mess...I was just baking some cookies…”

(BOING)

Tiwa notices her large breasts and compares them to hers; “Damn it, I lost…”

“I know how you feel…but we have each other to support” Shion says as she makes thumbs up with tears in her eyes. Tiwa with tears in her eyes also gives a thumbs up; “Thank you…”

Kasumi looks at them confused; “What are they talking about…” Kasumi looks at Uriel and blushes; “I see that you are all better, good job on taking down the Shadow tamer…”

“Thank you, I’m sorry about Jairo...I didn’t spend time with him but still...a lost life is something you never get back…”

Kasumi makes a warm smile; “It’s okay, he is now resting in peace...thank you…” Kasumi points at the table; “Please sit down, we have things to discuss…”

They decided to sit down at the table. Uriel tries one of Kasumi cookies; “They’re good…” Kasumi blushes; “Really, do you think I would make a good housewife?”

“Senpai, that’s being too forward…”

Tiwa only looks at her thinking; “What the hell?” Uriel looks at Kasumi and asks; “So, what do you need to discuss?”

“Please look at this…” Kasumi takes out her tablet and lends it to Uriel. Tiwa begins to chuckle. Uriel closes his eyes, embarrassed and gives it back to her; “You have the wrong image…” Kasumi’s face turns redder as she sees that the tablet has Uriel’s picture surrounded by a heart; “I-I-It’s a misunderstanding...I-I-I…”

“Senpai, I’ll take over from here…” Shion grabs her tablet, Kasumi puts her head on the table as she thinks; “Someone kill me now…”

Shion begins to explain; “Please look at this video...on the night of the dance, a portal opened in this city and something came out…” Uriel and Tiwa see how a canine attacked a man. Tiwa looks with shock; “What was that? That thing wasn’t a Sombra…”

They see that the beast turns into a human. “I see...a shapeshifter, or a mage…” Uriel comments to Shion; “That’s right, but please see this...on the following night...the beast appeared again but this time...it contacted him…”

Uriel and Tiwa look in shock as they see the man/beast speak with Alejandro. Tiwa looks in shock; “Alejandro, what is he doing there? and Anastasia?”

“Alejandro Sanchez made contact with the mage but please look at his clothing…”

“That pattern...I know it...he is from the Navajo tribe…”

“Navajo tribe?” Uriel asks Tiwa who nods in agreement; “The Navajo tribe was a proud tribe that lived in the northern prairies...they had Shamans who managed to shape-shift into beasts...the other tribes had a name for them…”

“A name?” Shion asks Tiwa,Tiwa looks at the hand and replies; “Skinwalkers…”

“Skinwalkers? Why are they called like that?”

“Because they need to eat flesh in order to take the form of their victim...they were so fierce that it took the Ysleta, Apache and Cibola tribe to take them down...however, they were extinct for hundreds of years, why is one here?”

“Where was the portal open?” Uriel quickle asks Shion. “In a cemetery, located between the mountains…”

“I see...that place again…”Uriel makes a fist. “Do you know that place?” Tiwa asks Uriel. Uriel nods in agreement; “It’s a cursed place that no one should go near…Tiwa, what else do you know?”

“The Skinwalkers usually tried to use necromancie and summoned the dead back to the world of the living...however, I don’t know why he would make contact with…” Tiwa opens her eyes widely; “The Golden Key, he is after the golden key right?”

Kasumi who came back to her senses nods in agreement; “That’s the hypothesis that we came up with…”

“This is bad, the golden key has tremendous power, if the Skinwalker gets a hold of it...then, he would be invincible…” Tiwa comment with a frightened expression.

(BBBZZZZZZZ)

Kasumi receives a message. Her expression changes as she looks at the message that says:

M.I.S.T, Attack, Tomorrow night….

“Damn it, why now of all times…” Kasumi feels anger. Uriel looks at Kasumi; “Kasumi, I know that it is difficult for you, you must take care of M.I.S.T, and now the situation with the Skinwalker.”

Kasumi looks at Uriel with a worried expression, Uriel stands up and walks to the window; “That message you received was a warning right?”

Kasumi nods in agreement, Uriel turns around and looks at her; “Kasumi, leave Alejandro to us...Tiwa and I will make him come back to his senses. Please focus on taking care of M.I.S.T”

“But Uriel…”

Shion stands up; “Senpai, I agree with him, right now we can only focus on one situation at a time...however, if you want...I can just turn myself in...if I do that then…”

(SSLLLAAAPPP)

Kasumi slaps Shion. Tiwa and Uriel look surprised, Shion touches her cheek; “Senpai, why?”

“Why, because you were about to offer your life...right?” Kasumi replies, Shion nods in agreement. Kasumi continues to speak; “Don’t be stupid...offering your life to some strangers just becuase they claim that they will leave us alone is not an option...don’t ever suggest something like that, ever again…I would rather fight against them and start a war to let someone else die...”

“But Senpai...it’s the easiest way…and fighting a war, you could get yourself in trouble...”

“No, it isn’t...Jairo died and now you want to die as well? Shion, please don’t leave me alone...I can’t stand losing another subordinate…” Kasumi hugs Shion, Shion also begins to cry; “I’m sorry...I will never say or think of dying ever again…”

Uriel walks towards them; “A leader should always look for their subordinates, that’s what I like about you Kasumi…” Uriel grabs her shoulder; “Take care of those invaders of M.I.S.T and leave Alejandro to us, we have an alliance afterall...Good luck...Let’s go Tiwa…”

Uriel and Tiwa begin to leave. Kasumi blushes so hard that “smoke” comes out of her head. Shion looks at her worried; “Senpai, snap out of it…”

“Hey, Uriel, what’s our next move?” Tiwa asks with a face full of confusion. Uriel begins to explain; “Have your familiars look around the mountains...we can’t just go there blindly, we must know first what the Skinwalker wants to do…”

“And how are we supposed to know that?”

“I think I might help you with that?” Uriel and Tiwa hear a voice behind them. They turn around and see a beautiful woman with red hair.

“When did she arrive there, and I couldn’t detect her…”

“Who are you?” Tiwa asks the woman who smiles and says; “I am part of the HISTOREA Alliance as well…”