The X Team: Book One

Ch. 5

Kiki had become invisible to Allison. As Allsion looked around for her, Kiki would attack Allison while staying unseen. Delta, on the other hand, would attack Allison when Kiki was catching her breath. Kiki couldn't stay invisible for long, and she had to remain in total concentration to keep the trickery up.
Kai, Marph, and Nova all charged at Drake, who was charging at them in return. Kai pulled out his dual swords and began slicing at Drake with them. As he backed away, Nova made a portal behind him, and he fell through. Drake was now in front of Marph, who used his fire abilities to keep Drake from getting a chance to attack.
Kiki and the others continued to fight off Allison and her companion, until finally, Kai knocked Drake unconscious with his pommel, and Kiki knocked Allison unconscious with the orb at the top of her scepter. Everyone finally got to take a breath as Kiki and Kai both performed the spell to return Darkness' servants to normal.
After it was complete, the now very confused Allison and Drake ran out of the factory.
Kiki looked around and asked, "Everyone alright?" the others nodded and regrouped.
As Kai pulled down his blindfold to see if everyone was there, he noticed Adam was not.
"Hey Kiki, do you know where that kid Adam went?" he asked.
"Um...no, I-I don't."
"Maybe he went off to hide? He did seem very scared with that whole conversation with Master Darkness...gosh, poor Adam," Nova said.
"I'd say he's a coward," Kai replied. Nova glared at Kai, and he just shrugged.
Kiki thought for a moment, and realized that Master Darkness wasn't there either.
"Wouldn't Darkness have returned by now to see if his servants had defeated us?" she asked.
"Yeah, you're right!" Delta said. Kiki then focused all her power into her ears and eyes; she listened and searched for Adam, until she found him in a control room. With him was Master Darkness, so Kiki quickly told Kai, "Listen! Adam has been taken by Darkness, we need to rescue him!"
Kai nodded, together Kiki and Kai teleported into the control room.
As soon as Darkness noticed them, Kiki lept at him in her kitsune form while Kai pulled Adam up and ran away.
As Kai and Adam ran, Kai heard whimpers and barks from Kiki. Kai turned around and saw Darkness smothering Kiki's muzzle with a cloth. Kiki then fell limp and turned back into her human form.
"Go Adam! You run and tell the others that we're in trouble! Now go! And don't stop!" Kai pleaded, as he let Adam there and raced back to fight Master Darkness.
Adam ran away as fast as he could, ignoring the shouts and screams behind him.
Kai tried to use his ice powers to trap Darkness, but he quickly teleported behind him, and placed the cloth against Kai's mouth and nose. Kai held his breath for as long as he could, but he could feel his lungs burning.
"If you don't take a breath, you'll suffocate," Darkness said, keeping the cloth pressed against Kai's mouth and nose.
Kai persisted, but after a moment, he finally breathed in the chloroform on the cloth and slowly blacked out.

~

Kiki woke up dazed inside a boiler room. Everything was dark, Kiki could barely see a thing. She blinked a couple times and her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She could see someone on the other side of the room; Kiki created a floating ball of flames so that she could see. Then, she saw him. She attempted to move, but she realized that she had been tied up in a chair. She also realized that her scepter was not with her.
"Looking for this?" Master Darkness said, holding up Kiki's scepter.
"You monster...what do you want?"
"It's simple really," he replied.
"You see, I'm not working just by myself. I have...a friend...who has given me a lot of intel about your friends...and especially you."
"And who's your friend?" Kiki asked.
"Do you really think you'll get anywhere with that question? You, princess, are at my mercy. So I'll be the one to make commands and ask questions." Kiki scoffed, she was more worried about her friends rather than herself.
"Why are you even doing this? What's your motive?"
Master Darkness chuckled.
"Well, I am a part of what we call The Resistance."
"Resistance against who?" Kiki asked.
"Why the X-Team and Queen Inari of course! Surely you know about the war and the forces fighting to take over this world? Or did your Mother never teach you history?" Darkness asked.
"Yeah... I do know about that...the Dark War...said to be called that because of all the horrible things that have happened while it's been going on. It started when I was around 200 years old. I even fought in the Battle of Broken Mountains before I was tasked with taking down you..."
"What a smart little girl you are!" Darkness said amused.
"But what does that have to do with me?" Kiki asked.
"Ah, well, if I take down this world's strongest fighting force, then it'll come as a huge advantage to The Resistance, but I won't be taking down the X-team in the way you think..."
Kiki's eyes grew wide. Darkness walked over to her and pulled away the strands of hair covering Kiki's eyepatch and right eye. He cupped his hand and placed it under Kiki's chin, lifting it up to make her eyes meet his.
"I want you..." he said slowly.
He knows...He knows...
"To release her."

~

Adam had finally found the group. The others looked at him as he ran towards him. Adam wheezed and breathed heavily.
"G-guys! K-k-Kai...K-Kiki...In...trouble!" he said before falling over onto the floor. Nova gasped and ran over to Adam, holding him up and letting him hold onto her.
"It's okay Adam, calm down. You're okay, everything's okay," she said.
"N-no! It-it's...not...okay! M-my...fault...it's...my fault!" Adam cried out. The other huddled around Adam, trying to comfort him and calm him down as he sobbed.
"Please calm down Adam! It's okay! Just...tell us where Kiki and Kai are!" Delta said.
"I-in...the-the...dungeon! It's...actually...a-a-a boiler room..." Adam squeaked out. The others looked at eachother, wondering what they should do next.
"What's he going to do to Kiki and Kai?" Marph asked.
"Know-knowing Master D-d...darkness...he-he'll probably t-try to...k-kill them!"
"Then we need to head there as soon as possible!" Delt said.
"Adam is in no condition to fight again! Look at him! He's so scared, he needs some help..." Nova replied.
"Well...then..." Marph mumbled out, " what are we supposed to do?"

~

"There's no way I'm doing that!"Kiki said. She knew letting her out was dangerous. She didn't really care about the safety of herself , she cared about the safety of others. Letting her be in control of Kiki's body would be a huge mistake.
Master Darkness sighed, and he backed away.
"Well, that's too bad. I was hoping to convince you...so that Kai wouldn't have to..." he said.
Time seemed to stop after that. Kiki couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Did you ever wonder who he was trained by? Did you ever wonder where he got his skills from?"
"Wait...what are you saying?"
"I'm saying," Darkness chuckled, "That your dear old buddy Kai...used to work...and is working for me..."