Another Search Party (An Elsword Fanfic)

Chapter 9

Yet another chapter here for you guys to read. Maybe something interesting will happen...or not. But you wouldn't know until you read now would you?
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      "No, Kazumi that's not how that works," the ice colored kitsune said. "Then how does it work then. I don't get it?" Kazumi said with a pout. "It's simple. You gain knowledge and power the older you get. The longer you live, the more tails you gain until you've reached nine," the white furred kitsune said. "But that doesn't make since. If you live for that long then how would you die? Wouldn't that disrupt the cycle of balance?" Kazumi said in fustration.

      "The balance is still there. The more power you have, the more responsibly you have. We aren't liked by humans that much sometimes because of our ability to steal souls or eat hearts yet humans and other species tend to use us as power sources. We can be sealed away and depending on the type of seal, our power can be used against our will even to enslave others," the ice colored fox said.

      "So why don't we steal souls if that's what we're expected to do?" Kazumi asked her father. "It would only make what they say about us true. Once you become known for something like that, it would take a serious act of kindness or a task of great severity to wipe your reputation nearly clean," the ice colored fox replied.

      "Don't forget that no matter how much good you do, someone always remembers the bad things," the white furred fox said. "Okay, mama. I promise to never take anyone's soul," Kazumi promised.

      "Kazumi...hello? Are you spacing out again?" Reya asked from in front of her. "Huh? What happened?" Kazumi said as she snapped out of her thoughts. "I asked if you were okay but you didn't respond. I understand if being on the same boat as Raiden makes you feel unsafe but I assure you that an incident like that won't ever happen again," Reya said.

      They were sitting at the far end of the sailboat that was taking them to Hamel. Kazumi hadn't traveled much recently but the world seemed slightly different from the last time she saw it. "Yeah okay. I'm fine though. I was just thinking about some things," Kazumi said as she looked away from Reya and out to sea.

      "Something is bothering you. If you want to talk about it, I'm always here to help," Reya said with a smile. "Okay," Kazumi muttered. She switched to her child form and curled into her tails. Naho and Miho joined her while Hoya creepily stared at anyone other than Reya that got too close to Kazumi. Not even Reya, although she didn't have to, would dare say anything to Hoya.

      All Kazumi could think about was the promise to her parents that she broke without hesitation when they were sealed away. Kazumi had been completely aware of what she had been doing so there was no way she could say it was an accident, especially after stealing several other souls afterwards.

      "Kazumi," someone said. Kazumi looked for the source of the voice only to find that it was just Kai. "Oh...it's just you," Kazumi muttered. "What's that supposed to mean?" Kai asked, sounding offended. "No offense but you friend over there almost successfully put me in a seal. I didn't sign up for that. I was actually expecting Reya to come back which is why I wasn't expecting you," Kazumi said.

      "Uh, right. Anyway, I need to know the full extent of you skills such as how good you are at fighting or tracking and stuff. I'm trying to set up our formation and strategy and I don't want to have to put you near Raiden unless it's absolutely necessary," Kai said.

      "Glad you thought to ask. I'm an expert tracker. I can track just about anything so I have keen senses which means I could serve well as a scout. I can easily escape since I can take the form of an invisible mist of some sort. I never did figure out what it is and I've had it for years so good luck with that.