A New Dilemma

Zane wasn't really sure why they'd left the Unknown, he just knew that he should followed Syndryl, like he'd always done over the past 800 or so years. The closer they got to Dantes and the girls, the more the black and white head of the badger would slowly raise into the air and then it's nose would give a small sniff. There was a familiar scent in the air, but it was faint, very faint, just like the memory of the scent's owner.

Nora started to cry even more when her sister ignored her. She was crying so much that she hadn't noticed Kiara get the kunai and cut herself free. She only stopped long enough to hear what sounded like a different voice outside, followed by their kidnappers angry accusation. "Told ya someone was here to rescue us."

Dantes looked at Syndryl and the badger that accompanied him. "You're the one ruining my plans," he asked. "Who are you anyway, I've never seen you around. I expected Thomas, or Kuriyama, maybe even Hunter, but I've never seen you before. What is Serenity playing at?"

Syndryl's blank eyes seemed to scan over the man in front of him, but he was really just analyzing the guy's energy signature. It was fairly dark. He'd seen darker in the Unknown, but he'd never seen a human with a signature like that. "It wasn't my intentions to ruin your plan, but a friend of mine would desperately like her children back," he said plainly. His senses went to the house behind Dantes. "They're in there then?" He didn't want to fight this guy, but if he had to, he would. But he would not stay in his human form to do it.

Kiara blinked when she heard someone's voice outside. She didn't know who it was, but Nora had been right. Someone really was there. Looking at her palm, her eyes started tearing up when she saw the cut, but she wiped her eyes with her clean hand, going over to Nora, cutting the ropes on her feet before the ones on her hands. "Don't move," she said. When she finished, she tossed the kunai away. That thing was scary, and hurt. "You okay?" she asked, sitting in front of her sister.

"No, I'm not okay," Nora stated through her tears. "I wanna go home." She stood up and dusted herself off. Her dress was ruined. She tried dusting it off, but it'd need to be put into the dryer first. She looked to Kiara. "Let's get out of here," she said with a small whimper.

Dantes smirked. "Tell that witch to come to me and maybe I'll let her kids go, but until then, they're like hostages. Time is ticking," Dantes said as he started back into the house.

Zane growled when Dantes made his threats. The badger would have gladly shredded the guy if Syndryl would allow it.

Syndryl blinked once when Dantes said they were hostages. "Unfortunately, I'm bound by contract to protect Serenity. And that includes all that is precious to her." He looked at Zane when the badger growled. "Do as you please," he told the large creature. Once Dantes turned his back though, Syndryl paused. The guy wouldn't get away so easily. Turning into his dragon form, Syndryl gave a light growl, walking towards the enemy as casually as he would have a friend. "Don't think telling me such things will let you off easily," Syndryl spoke telepathically. He was only waiting for the guy to turn around. Whether he attacked Zane or the dragon himself didn't matter. Syndryl didn't show mercy.

Kiara wanted to go home too. Standing up, she offered Nora her hand and pulled her up. When it sounded like Dantes was coming back, Kiara swallowed and pulled Nora behind her just in case. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she wouldn't let him touch her sister.

(Kiara is Felix's daughter. No doubt about it.)

Her eyes round with fear, Nora waited for their kidnapper to return as his voice drew near. Thankful for her sisters bravery, she hid behind her. What came through the door was something much less frightening, in a sense. She looked at the large black creature with it's partially white face as it neared them. She took a cautious step back as the creature bent down and sniffer her sister. "What is it," she whispered.

Zane growled and raced past Syndryl towards Dantes, but instead of attacking the blue haired man, he leaped over him and went crashing through the doorway. Sniffing the air it walked towards the faint scent that he remembered. It was only when he saw the girls did he let out a small huff of disappointment. Sniffing the first girl, Zane paused then backed away. These were not the scents he remembered. Then again, Syndryl had come here for these two, hadn't he. The children were small enough so that they could ride on his back, so he crouched down and waited.

Dantes was confused when he heard a voice in his head. That couldn't be possible, could it? He frowned heavily and turned in time to see Zane running at him. He threw a kunai but missed as the creature leaped over him to get to the girls. Instead of attacking Zane a second time, he turned back to make sure he'd seen right. Was that a dragon? Dantes backed away, but then stopped. "Just an illusion, dragons don't exist. Is that supposed to scare me?"

Kiara looked at the creature as it burst through the door, taking a step back on instinct. When it came closer and sniffed her, Kiara paused. It didn't seem evil. It wasn't dark. So when the big...Kiara could only assume it was a weird dog, crouched down, the older sister was visibly relieved. "It's a good guy," she told her sister. "I think...we can ride it back to mommy and daddy," she said, looking at Nora.

Syndryl was inwardly glad that Zane had gone on to the children. While he'd plenty of experience fighting by the badger's side, it would be easier to convince the children when he was in human form. "Don't they though?" After saying it, Syndryl crouched down and gave a light snarl, before firing a ball of white fire at Dantes. He was careful to make sure that if it didn't hit Dantes, it wouldn't go inside the house. Maybe he could scare the guy into giving the children back without a fight. As much as he loved fighting...actually, no. What would be the fun in that?

Dantes didn't know why this thing was speaking in his head, but he was sure it was an illusion. He did however jump out of the way when the fireball came at him. The heat from it felt as real as ever. Was this an illusion, or was this thing real. Dantes swallowed. Okay, this was getting weird. He'd been in a coma for a while now, but surely things hadn't changed that much, could it?

Nora looked at her sister as she spoke. "But...it's so...scary...." Her eyes watered. She looked at Zane as he waited patiently for them. "You go first," she told Kiara. "If it doesn't bite, then I'll climb up with you and we can go home, but you have to go first."

When Dantes moved out of the way of his fireball, Syndryl shot another three at him, but ran right behind them, so the light would blind him for a moment, and Syndryl could swipe sharp talons at the man. It had been a while since he'd fought a human, but he didn't expect this to take long.

Kiara was a bit confused when her sister called the thing scary. She thought it was kinda cute. "Okay, I'll go first..." she said, looking at the large creature. What was it, really? It didn't seem like it was bad, at least. Swallowing lightly, Kiara moved closer to Zane, slowly putting her hand on it's fur, looking at it's face before trying to climb on. To be honest, she was nervous about it biting too. That's why she didn't want to grab it's fur too hard as she climbed up.

Zane's ears twitched when Nora said he'd bite. Would not. These girls carried a familiar scent. A scent that he knew never to harm, so he should harm these little children either. When Kiara climbed up, he tilted his head to Nora who cautiously followed her sister. Climbing up, she too in a small breath when the thing didn't bite her. Zane slowly stood up and then headed outside, a second after Syndryl attacked Dantes. Moving out the way of immediate danger, Zane was anxious to go find the owner of the fading scent, but he was bound by contract to remain at Syndryl's side.

Felix didn't understand why the Executioner was having such a hard time locating his children. It was only making the former shinobi more and more agitated. "What is your problem," Felix snapped at the yellow and black summoning. The Executioner turned orange eyes on Felix and growled, it's fur bristling. It caught Felix off guard. Something was wrong. "What's up boy," the silver haired man asked as he smoothed out the yellow fur of his summoning. Although he could not communicate verbally, the Executioner pointed his head towards the woods, where he smelled blood, Felix's children, and something he'd never smelled before.

Dantes dodged one of the three fireballs that came his way, and could not manage to dodge the other two, nor the sharp talons that knocked him into the air, spilling blood across the side of the house walls. He landed on his side, daze and confused. This was no illusion, nor a summoning. This was a real dragon. It couldn't be, but it was.

Syndryl hadn't really been able to place the smell that Dantes gave off until he'd flung the guy into the wall of the house. It made the dragon give a light sneeze. The guy smelled of evil and dust. Old, aging dust. When Syndryl felt Zane come out with the kids, he'd been pondering what to do with Dantes. It would've been simpler to take his head off, but if he did that in front of the children, Serenity would have his head. Damn that woman and her restrictions. "You go find their parents," Syndryl told Zane. "I'd like to finish with this human."

Kiara helped her sister climb up, holding onto the creature's fur as it stood up and started out of the house. When they were out, she gave a gasp when she saw some big blue thing with wings and dark blue eyes. That thing was darker than the man who'd taken them! Did that mean the thing was trying to hurt them too? Kiara swallowed, but when the creature looked towards them, she froze in place. It...it was scary...but, it didn't move. And though Kiara could tell that the thing was dark, it didn't seem...bad. She couldn't really explain it, but at a second glance, she thought maybe the thing was there to help them like this giant dog was...

Zane nodded when Syndryl told him to find the parents of the children. The black badger was almost excited when Syndryl didn't even let him know who the parents were. He figured the scent would guide him right to them. Hurrying off without a second thought, he quickly made his way towards the original scent and it was very powerful. When he nearly crashed into a black and yellow creature when he turned the corner, he gave a low growl. But then he saw silver hair and everything changed. He crouched down and practically tossed the girls off before launching himself at a grown up Felix. It had been so long, so very long.

Felix looked at the Executioner and then started to walk past him, when something black came skidding around the corner. Felix stepped back kunai in hand, but the thing stopped and put his children down....well, tossed them off was more like it. Felix dropped the kunai when the badger jumped at him, licking his face with a sticky tongue. Memories that had been erased came flooding back to the blue eyed immortal in bits and pieces. "Zane?" Felix gave a grin when the creature started to lick him some more. "Alright, alright, I get it, it's good to see you too, but where's Dantes?"

Dantes had escaped Syndryl and headed after the girls. He was wounder, but he managed to get there in time for Felix's question. "Right here," he said with a mischievous smile. "Missed me?"

Nora rolled off of Zane when he threw them off. At least they were low to the ground. She then watched as the badger attacked her father, scratch that, hugged her father, sort of. She gave a small giggle, but it was wiped away at the familiar voice of the enemy. Nora quickly ran behind the scary yellow and black beast to get some distance between her and the scary man.

Syndryl gave a low growl when the human man took off running. He hadn't expected such a fast opponent, considering the guy had been hit by most of his attacks. He'd underestimated the guy, and now he was after Zane and the two children. Syndryl ran after the guy, only to find that he'd stopped to talk to someone with a familiar aura. The dragon wasn't too interested in the aura of the newcomer though. It was moreso irritated that it's prey had gone and completely ignored it. Feeling around, Syndryl found a medium sized rock and kicked it at the side of the guy's head before sitting down with a huff. Figuring he'd stop himself from scaring the kids anymore than they were, Syndryl returned to his human form, and was sitting cross-legged on the ground before he spoke without looking at anyone in particular. "It's been a while, Felix."

Kiara rolled to the ground when the giant dog threw them off, blinking as the creature ran over to someone. She was more than a little relieved to see it was their dad. She didn't even care that the big dog had jumped on him, she was just glad to see him. That was wiped away, however, and replaced with fear, when she heard that one guy again, and she ran with her sister to get behind the big black and yellow thing. What was with all the strange dogs today?

Felix had expected a sort of standoff when Dantes made his appearance. Kunai in hand, the shinobi moved between his children and the opposing threat, only to blink in confusion when a rock hit Dantes in the head, knocking him unconscious. He then looked to the side and grinned. "You're a lot smaller than I expected. Then again, I think I've been missing a few of my memories." Felix shrugged and walked over to Syndryl, holding out his hand. "Thank you for protecting my kids, and bring Zane with you." Felix would smile if he could. "Thanks, Syndryl."

Nora was so confused as to what happened in the next few moments. Dantes was awake, then he was asleep. Her father was serious, now he was grinning. The Executioner was standing with black spikes coming out of it's back, now it was looking at Zane, clearly engaged in conversation with the other summoning. "Where's my mommy?"

(Well that was anticlimactic.)

Syndryl nearly huffed when Felix called him small. "You've grown up, what did you expect?" It wasn't that Syndryl was trying to be unfriendly, it was just that he hadn't been in contact with humans for quite sometime. Serenity never took him from the Unknown anymore, and he wasn't sure why. Not that he cared. Humans were troublesome creatures, what with their strong emotions and ambitions and that stuff. He turned his head towards Felix, his blind eyes on the guy's hand as he held it out, before he shook it briefly. "I told you I'd bring him back to you some day. I'm fairly relieved I was able to keep the promise." He paused when one of the two girls asked where their mother was, then pushed himself up. "Right. She sent me to find you two. She's back at the house worrying herself half to death," he said bluntly. "Which is ironic when you consider what she is," he spoke. Syndryl was about to say something else, but felt a sudden movement, coming from one of the two girls.

When Kiara saw the bad guy fall over, and not move, and then her father talking to some man who'd came out of nowhere, her eyes started tearing up. It was safe to move now, right..? Her tears finally spilling over, Kiara ran over to her dad and clung to him, suddenly crying heavily. "D-daddy...daddy, i-it was so scary..." she cried between small sobs. The fact that her hand was still bleeding only spurred on her tears, though she didn't even remember why it was bleeding to begin with.

(Yes, yes it was. But he'll be back. Dun. Dun. Dunnnn!)

Felix looked at Syndryl with a grin. "How'd you know I'd still be alive after all this time. It's been years," Felix stated with a raised eyebrow. When he felt someone clinging to his pants leg, he looked down. He half expected to see Nora, but instead he found Kiara. Picking the blond child up, he patted her on the back. "Hey, it's okay," Felix said softly. "It's over now and he's never going to bother you again." Felix looked to the unconscious Dantes then to Syndryl. "He's not going to go much farther than unconscious, what should we do with him?" Felix's eyes narrowed when he saw blood on Kiara hand. Good thing he'd gotten all his supplies before leaving. Shifting her to his right side, he pulled out a few bandages and wrapped her hand. "How about we get you back to your mom so she can heal you all up, I don't know how to play doctor very well." He looked to Syndryl. "Care to go see Ser?" He then placed Kiara on the Executioner and then picked up Nora and put her on Zane. "Alright boys, back to the house."

Nora felt bad when he sister started to cry. Was it her fault for stressing Kiara out, making her take all the responsibilities. When her dad put her on the black creature, she let her it take her towards the house in silence. She wondered how she'd apologize in the most sincere way.

Kiara's crying died down to a whimpering that she just couldn't help as she was put on top of the black and yellow dog. When it started walking, she laid down on it, holding lightly onto it's fur, sniffling. She wanted to see their mommy too. Make sure she knew they were safe. But it wasn't long until the thought faded and she started drifting to sleep as the Executioner walked.

Syndryl looked at Dantes when Felix asked what to do with him. "Let's throw him into the Unknown. It's been a while since I've encountered a human with his speed," he mused. Clearly he just wanted the guy for a play toy. He was always bored, with nothing to chase about. Even a dragon needed something to do aside from horde treasure once in a while. When Felix asked if he wanted to go see Ser, the dragon paused for a moment. Things really had changed. This little kid was calling Serenity 'Ser'. Or at least, little kid was the only visual that Syndryl had of him. "Sure. But is it alright to leave him here?" he asked, glancing to Dantes. The guy would probably be awake in a few hours.

Felix looked his shoulder, watching the girls leave on his summonings. "We can leave him here for now," Felix said. "I'll just put him somewhere where he isn't in the way." Felix walked over to the blue haired man and dragged him into the woods and left him behind a bush, binding him there with a jutsu. "Alright, let's get to Ser's house before she starts panicking. I'm sure she wants answers." With that he started for home. By the time he arrived, The Executioner and Zane were coming to stop at the front door. Felix walked past them and went into the house. "Serenity, Kiara and Nora are safe, Syndryl is outside, and Dantes is taken care of."

Nora wasn't sleep, she was wide awake. She was just waiting for her mother to run outside and wrap them in hugs and kisses. She didn't see how Kiara had gone to sleep, but she wouldn't question it. She wanted to get off Zane, but the badger wouldn't let her down. "Hmm," she mumbled.

Serenity had been sitting on the couch, anxiously tapping her finger on her knee. Which was better than what she had been doing, which was pacing the floor. No one was in the house with her, so when the door opened, she immediately looked up. She was beyond relieved at the news Felix brought. Quickly getting up, Serenity started outside to her girls, one of which seemed to be slowly waking up. That just made her worried again. Had something happened to her? Taking the girls down fromeach of their individual creatures, Serenity hugged them close. "Oh god...are you okay?" She was tearing up. She'd been so scared, and now she was so happy and relieved to have them back, and safe.

Kiara wasn't sure what'd woken her up, but she heard her dad say their mom's name, and she started coming to, pushing herself up on the Executioner and rubbing her eyes a bit. They were kinda sore, maybe from crying so much. When she saw their mom come out of the house, Kiara felt like crying all over again when she remembered what'd happened, but only sniffled instead, hugging her when she took them from Zane and the Executioner. "Hi momma..." Another small sniffle. "We're okay..." At least, she was. Except for her hand, which she'd forgotten about. She wasn't sure about Nora. She didn't remember her sister getting hurt...

Syndryl waited outside with the two summonings, laying his hand lightly on Zane's fur when the badger stopped. Whether he could sense his surroundings or not, the dragon in human form didn't like standing still without touching something from his surroundings. It gave him a sense that he wasn't lost, so-to-speak. When Serenity came out, he 'watched' her hug her children. The woman was so sentimental. Then again, weren't most humans when it came to their offspring? He didn't say anything, andjust sensed his surroundings instead. He didn't remember ever being to this place.

Felix moved out of Serenity way as she went to the kids. "Kiara's hand it cut," he added in as she hugged their daughters. Felix walked over to Syndryl. "So, how's it been," he asked. "I never dreamed of seeing you again." He paused. "Then again, I don't remember ever meeting you, or at least I hadn't until Zane here came along." Felix petted the badger, running his hands through the soft fur of the creature. Zane happily licked Felix's face. "It's good to see you too boy." Zane was his very first summoning and would have been his last had he not had to fight off Madness.

Nora hugged her mom happily. "Kiara protected me, you should let her have ice cream," she told her mother. "It was so scary there, but then the black and white creature came up and saved us. And there was a dragon too, like in fairy tails, or at least I thought there was." She gave a shrug. "I'm so glad to be back home. I love you mommy."

Kiara looked to her dad when he said that her hand was cut, then looked at it, as if to make sure. She'd forgotten about that. Now she remembered she got it from that one ninja knife when she was trying to cut her ropes off. She didn't say anything when Nora said that she'd protected her. She guessed so. But that man had been going after her sister...And that's when Kiara remembered. That little star that had driven the bad man away. She also remembered that she'd forgotten her shoes there. Oh well.

Serenity looked to Felix when he said that Kiara's hand got cut, then to the slightly older of the two sisters, who'd looked at her hand as if just remembering. "Let me see," she said softly, unwrapping the child's hand. "I think we'll all go out for ice cream later," she told Nora with a small smile. She paused after she started healing Kiara's hand. "Felix? What happened to him? Dantes, I mean?"

Syndryl kept his hand lightly on Zane's fur as the large creature licked Felix. He shrugged at Felix's question. "Decent." He glanced at Serenity, then back to Felix. "Never really expected you two to end up like this. You never really liked her when we all first met," he said with a light chuckle.

Felix looked at Serenity. Had he not told her that the guy was taken care of? Why did she want details? If he'd know the guy would come back he would have dismembered him the first time, but the past was the past and there was nothing he could do about. "Syndryl knocked him out with a rock," Felix said. "He's going back to the Unknown once Syndryl heads back." Felix shrugged and looked to the blind dragon. "I don't recall her being as nice as she is now," he commented secretly. He would have said more, but knew Serenity wouldn't want the kids around to here the whole story, and he was sure she didn't want to be reminded of her mistake. He looked down to Kiara. "How you holding up champ?" His blue gaze much softer than when he'd encountered Dantes.

Syndryl nearly chuckled again at Felix's comment. "I don't ever recall her being as she is now," he said, just as quietly as Felix. He turned his attention to the girl who'd been injured when Felix asked the child how she was doing.

Syndryl knocked him out with a rock? That was unlike him. She would've imagined he'd set the man on fire. Though to be honest, she was glad he hadn't. She paused when Felix said he was going back to the Unknown, looking at him for a moment. He'd already gotten out of there once. She didn't trust that he wouldn't again. But she'd talk with him about it later. For now she returned to her daughter's hand, which was just about finished healing.

Kiara was watching her mom heal her hand while everyone else was talking. When her dad spoke to her, she turned her head to look up at him. "I'm feeling better," she said, sounding almost embarrassed. She was more embarrassed about having broken down earlier. She looked down at her feet for a moment. "But I lost my shoes."

Felix smirked when Syndryl spoke. So the two of them were on the same page after all. Felix looked down to Kiara as she spoke. "Don't worry about the shoes, I'll get you a brand new pair of ninja shoes in any color you want." He knelt down and gave ruffled her hair. "Besides, what's one pair of shoes compared to all the spending money you guys have, courtesy of me." Felix smirked and looked to Nora. He wouldn't leave her out. "And how about a new dress or two for your. That one needs to be thrown into the washed, but he who needs a washer when you have an endless supply of clothes?"

Nora's eye watered lightly as she watched Kiara get all the attention. Maybe she should have been braver. She lightly dragged her foot through the sand until her father spoke to her. "Oh, yes sir, I'd very much like to get a new dress," she said with bright blue eyes. She was glad she hadn't been forgotten.

Kiara looked up at her dad when he said he'd get her a pair of ninja shoes, and her eyes brightened a bit. "Ninja shoes? I can be a ninja like you?" she asked, her blue eyes practically glowing. She smiled a bit when their dad told Nora she would be getting a new dress. Or...dresses, rather. Kiara didn't care, she'd be able to be a ninja like her daddy!

"All done," Serenity said finally, letting Kiara's hand go. "Know what...what do you two want for dinner today?" she asked them with a smile, standing up. They'd be having ice cream later. Actually, now that she thought about it, today was the opening day of a festival. They could take the girls there. She then looked to Syndryl. "Want to stay for dinner?"

Syndryl was silent until he was spoken to, but when Serenity asked him, he blinked twice. "You may have forgotten, but I don't eat the same food as humans." In fact, he wasn't sure there was anything edible outside of the Unknown for him unless it was humans...

Felix nodded. "If you want to and if your mother says yes." He then stood up and looked at Syndryl. "Aww come on Syndryl, don't leave me here with all of these girls," he said. "No offense to my lovely daughters, or you either Serenity." He gave an innocent grin and then looked to Nora as she jumped on his leg.

"Daddy, I don't wanna be a ninja like you or Kiara, I want to be a healer like Mommy." She looked over to her mom with a big smile. She then looked at Syndryl. "What food do you eat then?"