Shike's Encounter

As soon as I hit the floor, Boo jumped out of my arms and the illusion faded away.

We attracted the attention of many people who were just trying to continue their days as they normally would, which caused a small group of guards to jump to the occasion, and surround Boo and I before we could run anywhere else. Luckily, this was part of our plan.

"Are you supposed to scare me?" I asked the group. They clicked their tongues and went on the offensive, but before they could make a move, a red-haired girl walking with two younger girls turned toward us.

Just by looking at her, I could tell something was abnormal... she had a White Stone. How could she have had one of those?

"More intruders? I'm not even sure how you made it in without me seeing it. What are your names?" She asked us.

She had a very noble voice and stood with a confident stance, unwavering in how threatening she seemed.

"It's been brought to our attention that two men from our city were taken by you... where do you have them?" I asked her, matching her energy.

The two girls beside her had brightened eyes when I asked, but the red-haired girl only stared up at me with an annoyed look.

"Charlie and Alex, was it? My two servants, Chi-Chi and Asoh, brought them to me because I thought they had information on Sky Asterio. You don't have to worry, I've already taken care of them," The girl said.

Before I could open my mouth to speak, she tilted her head toward Boo and chuckled.

"I promise you, you cannot beat me with your speed. I will humiliate you in front of your friend, Shike," The girl said.

I was dumbfounded. She shouldn't have known my name... nor Boo's ability... but she did? Can she read minds?

I can't think about...

"Belle and Lily? You think I don't already know about them?" She finished my sentence before I could open my mouth yet again... she can read minds!

"How the... what are you? You have a White Stone, how did you get it?" Boo asked.

The White Stones on our bodies resonated with hers, as they always did whenever we stood close to another member of the Seven White Stones.

"What am I? That's sort of a rude question, isn't it? My name is Ultima, but you can call me Queen Ultima. So, if you answer me right now, I'll have Chi-Chi spare your knees. Do you know Sky Asterio?" She asked me.

I made my head go blank.

"I've never heard that name in my entire life," I told her.

"Do you think I've been implanted with the ability to read minds, but not tell when a person is lying?" Ultima asked me once more.

"No, I just think you should wisen up before people start to get hurt," I suggested, taking a defensive stance.

One of her guards tried to hit me with a pathetically slow speed. I grabbed his wrist, bent it back, and forced him into a position of submission. He cried out, and I saw from the corner of my eye, the girl named Chi-Chi running around to my back.

Boo pulled out her katana hanging loosely from the sheathe on her back and blocked the hit, kicking her in the face, and planting it into the loose bricks in the ground.

"Listen bitch, I can promise you more than anything that I have nothing left to lose. I'll deviate from our peaceful approach to gut you in your own streets if you dare get close to him like that again," Boo said, walking at an angle while reflecting the dimming sunlight off of her blade.

"That conflict will be ended faster than you could start it. What do you guys want? To see Charlie and Alex?" Ultima asked us. Boo and I nodded with our weapons either drawn, or ready for combat, and Ultima nodded.

"So be it, I'll show you what's left," She told me.

With a slight hand signal, a guard threw her the bottom portion of a leg from either Charlie or Alex, and she put it on the floor and kicked it over to me.

"Here you go. Anything else you want? Otherwise, you can leave," Ultima said.

"See... I know that this is either fake or the only thing you took from them. You didn't kill them... you're not possibly that stupid," I said, crouching down beside the leg.

It appeared to be Charlie's skin tone... still a disturbing sight.

"You think it was a stupid call? Why's that?" Ultima asked. Her guards started to disperse around her and she pulled out a small wooden stick from her hip. Upon flicking it to the side, it extended into a bo-staff.

"You took in Charlie and Alex because they knew this 'Sky Asterio' guy that you're hunting, right? If they're allies to him, why would you kill them? Doesn't seem logical to me," I told her.

Boo kept a level head and joined in.

"Although, picking a fight with Shike and I doesn't seem all that intelligent, so I already don't have high expectations for you," Boo said with a smile.

"Hmph, I probably double your ages plus a little more. I'm too old to fall for slight provocations like that, but just to entertain your child-like brains, I'll bite your bait. Do you want me to come back with a quick-witted insult? Or, do you really want to put this to the test?" Ultima asked.

I noticed a small circular area clearing around us. The citizens seemed accustomed to this, as did her guards.

"Take us to see Charlie and Alex, and maybe we'll just leave after that," Boo said, preparing her katana for combat.

"Oh, I'll take you to see them, don't you worry about that..." Ultima said with a creepy smile, flipping her bo-staff around.

There was something about the way she moved that staff that made me worry. She was reading my mind... she would be a tough opponent.