The boys continue on the road, The area was a bit wet from... whatever had happened here before, though Dante seems much more silent then he was yesterday.
"Something wrong Dante?" Kaito asked.
Dante sighed deep, rubbing his head. "It's about Shai, well everyone in villages really."
Kaito tilts his head, curiously listening to him.
"I can't imagine that, people outside of the barriers live life so much differently than me.
Monsters hammering the walls just beyond where you lay your head down. Can be bothered by the harsh weather outside, sicknesses you can't avoid." Dante said.
This was all true of course, those born inside of barriers were already much more fortunate than those born outside. Within the barriers were an entirely different world, you got all the qualities of modern life inside. Outside you never know when a monster the size of a mountain will turn you home into a thought of the past.
Disease infested beast freely walking around, horrors beyond the human mind, these are things that some folk just have learned to live with.
Dante bows his head low, "I feel like i'm lucky to have been born in a barrier, It's sad seeing how some people live just hoping to live inside one." He says before looking at Kaito. "Sorry, i didn't mean any offense."
Kaito blinked, before laughing.
Before he could respond however, an object slammed into the ground beside them.
Dante had lept back drawing his sword, Kaito however approached it. Finding out, that was no object, but what looked to be a really small girl. She had purple hair, tied into messy pigtails, a long scarf that extends to her whole body, and ripped clothing that looked like she stitched them together herself.
Dante had begun to think she was dead before she lept back up, and cracked her back. "Dang monster, why's it gotta be so dang tough!" She picked dirt from her hair and coughed before she looked over and saw the two of them. Her purple eyes studying them.
"Oh..." she says before doing a flip then posing. "You're lucky to be in the presence of, the formidable, the great, the awesome and allmighty-" She's cut off by something else, before she shouts, "Look out!"
That's when the ground shook.
Trees cracked. Birds exploded from the canopy in a frenzy of wings.
And then it came.
A monstrous beast, four-legged, tusked like a wild boar but bigger than a horse, charged through the underbrush, eyes blood-red and locked on the girl.
"Bigger than the last one," Dante muttered, drawing his blade. "Here we go-"
CRASH!
The beast pivoted mid-charge, catching Dante's movement, and rammed him full-force before he could react. He went down hard, his sword skidding across the dirt as he slammed into a tree and crumpled.
"Dante!" Kaito shouted, stumbling back. His eyes widened.
Then narrowed.
"Well, that's rude."
The beast turned toward him next.
Kaito raised his hands, crimson light flickering to life.
"Alright, buddy. I wasn't planning on a fight today, but guess what?" He hopped backward. "Neither were you."
The beast charged.
Kaito threw down a curved barrier, a half dome, slanted just right. The creature hit it and bounced off, flipping into a tree with a surprised squeal.
"Ha!"
Kaito danced sideways, forming three more barriers midair as he sprinted, using them like stepping stones. The beast shook off the hit and charged again, faster this time, tusks lowered.
Kaito skidded to a stop, planted both hands forward, and snapped a wall up right in front of himself, but at the last second, twisted his fingers and made the wall tilt forward.
The beast slammed into it, and the wall tipped, vaulting the monster right over him.
"Whoa! That actually worked?! That's going in the melon!"
The monster landed hard but recovered quickly, scraping its hooves and snorting.
It lunged again, smarter now, feinting left before swiping right with its tusks.
Kaito ducked the first swipe, but the second caught his shoulder, tearing his jacket and sending him tumbling.
"Okay, okay, ow. Not bad. You've got moves. Respect."
He rolled to his feet, clutching his shoulder, grinning through the pain.
"You're not the only one who can charge head-first."
He summoned three barriers in a tight row behind him, then turned and ran straight at the beast.
The monster lowered its tusks and rushed in.
At the last second, Kaito jumped, twisting midair and activating the barrier chain behind him, one after another, each platform exploded with force as he passed, launching him faster and higher.
"Surprise air drop!"
He crashed down from above, slamming a giant sledgehammer-shaped barrier onto the beast's head. The impact flattened it into the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust and leaves.
The monster groaned, legs twitching.
Kaito panted, standing atop the barrier, arms spread wide like he'd just stuck a landing. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I stretch every morning."
Behind him, Dante groaned.
Kaito turned. "Hey! You're awake!"
Dante sat up, grimacing and holding his ribs. "...barely."
"You missed it. I did, like, a spin and everything."
"I heard the spin."
Kaito hopped down, moving to help him up.
"Next time," Dante muttered, "maybe don't let a monster suplex me into a tree."
"Hey, it target-switched! That's cheating!"
The girl quickly ran over to the monster, hoisting a giant bladed boomerang over her head, before executing the beast.
Kaito is bothered by the move, he didn't see a reason to kill it. "That wasn't needed!" He shouted.
The girl pulled a small hunting knife and began dicing into it. "Listen man, I need the bread." She says as she rips a tusk from the beast.
Kaito scoffs, "bread?" He asked. "Bread comes from wheat not monsters." He said.
She looked back at him, eyes low unamused. "You some kind of idiot?" But before that she noticing Kaito's book, strapped to his bag. A mischievous grin tugged on her face.
She figured she could snatch a lot more for the book, then whatever she got from the monster. "I'm sorry sir's." She playfully says.
"My name is one you might've heard before, I know i'm small but I leave a big impression!" She says as lights appear above her head. "I AM, THE TRICKSTER!" She shouts as her name floats in bold letters overhead.
Kaito giggles. "How are you doing that?!"
Dante too smiles.
She rubs her nose proudly. "Thank you, now how's about I give you two some valuable lessons."
She shakes her head while tutting her tongue. "You guys are walking around looking like easy targets, I just wanna help is all!" She tells them, a sly smile playing on her face.
Kaito's face lights up a bit. "Ok I get it." He says listening. The girl nods happily. "Right like this expensive looking stuff we'll just sit this to the side, to help you blend in better yeah?" She smiles softly.
As she takes more of Kaito's stuff from him, while he's cooperating. Dante shakes his head not falling for the bit however. "Dude Kaito, she's robbing us." Dante explains.
The girl giggles. "I would never!" She sarcastically says. Kaito agrees but when he places his hand on her he phases through her.
Kaito looks around and she's completely gone. "Aw man." He looks down sadly.
Dante walks up and pulls out the map. "We're nearby the den of thieves she might've gone there." Dante says.
Kaito wasn't fully listening since he realizes that his book was gone too. He simply couldn't let her get away with this. "Den of thieves you say?!" Kaito shouts as he tugs at Dante's shirt sprinting off. "Kaito wait a minute!" Dante hopelessly yells.