Kaze No Stigma (fan-fiction)

Episode 4-A Plea For Help

        Kazuma, Ayano, and Ren rode on the wind Kazuma produced. They'd been riding it for hours now, trying to get home in a hurry. They needed to stop those serpents before they reached any cities. They hoped the rest of the Kannagi family would be enough to stop the serpents. They needed it to be enough.

        "How much farther?" Ayano asked. They had stopped riding the wind for a little bit to give Kazuma a rest. Ayano was starting to worry if they were going to make it back in time.

        "About two more hours. We're almost there." Kazuma replied.

        They walked for another hour before Kazuma got his wind going again, and they rode that the rest of the way back to the Kannagi house. When they got there, the house was empty. There was a note on the door. Ayano read it aloud.

        "It says, 'Gone for vacation.Back in a couple of weeks.' It doesn't even say where they went. Great. That's just great! Now what are we supposed to do?" Ayano was clearly irritated, but very worried about everything now.

        "Now," Kazuma started, "Now I don't know."

        "I think I know." Ren said. Kazuma and Ayano looked at him, waiting for his theory. "We could ask the magic users that got their powers from Pandemonium. There were those select few that kept their powers. Maybe they could help us."

        "I don't know. Those guys didn't seem like they were into helping people. They were just into leveling up." Ayano commented.

        "Then that's what we'll tell them." Kazuma told Ayano. "That's a good idea Ren."

        "Wait, tell them what exactly?" Ayano asked.

        "We'll tell them that's it's a great way to level up. And so they're not fighting amongst each other for the level up, we'll also tell them that if they all fight, they all get the level up."

        "Well, I know it's lying, but we don't really have much of a choice right now. Alright. So, how do we find these guys?" Ayano waited for an answer.

        "That's right. Kirika has them locked up. We'll have to ask her to let them out." Ren said. He looked at them nervously. "So, who will be asking?"

        Kazuma looked at Ayano. "You're up. You ask her."

        "What?! Why me? You're the one who's helping her, working on her police force. Why don't you ask?" she spat back.

        "Because me and Kirika aren't exactly on good terms right now. She wanted me to stay and keep working for her, but I left anyway." Kazuma replied.

        "So? I'm not asking. If you want the other magic users' help, you'll have to ask for them yourself."

        "Can we just go ask please? We're wasting time." Ren said. He looked at them with a seriousness they both took as a plea for them to stop bickering and work together for once.

        "Fine. I'll ask." Kazuma said.

        "Great. Then let's go." Ayano turned and walked out the door.

        They got to the police station in less than 10 minutes, which, for them, was a record since it normally took them about 20 minutes. They walked into the station and asked to see Kirika Tachibana. The officer they talked to went in the back and got Kirika.

        They sat down with Kirika and told her the whole story, starting with Hallow Town. When they got done, after much arguing between Kazuma and Ayano about what had really happened, Kirika just sat there with a worried, and somewhat blank, expression on her face.

        "So," Kirika said, "You're telling me, there are giant fiery serpents out there just waiting to run amuk and cause disaster, you guys can't beat them on your own, and you want me to release magic using criminals out to help you? Does that about cover it?"

        "Yeah. Pretty much." Kazuma said with no worry in his voice.

        "I don't know. These guys don't really seem like the world-saving type."

        "We've got that part covered. All you need to do is release them into our custody." Ayano said like it was no big deal.

        Are you guys sure you can handle them?" Kirika asked.

        "Yes. If they start misbehaving, we'll have them right back." Red stated.

        "I guess if it's a matter of urgency, I can pull a few strings. Alright. Wait here. I'll be right back." Kirika got up and walked into her boss's office. Ayano, Kazuma, and Ren sat there, watching through the window of the chief's office, waiting for an answer.

        When Kirika got back, she looked pleased and worried.

        "Alright, here's the deal. I can release them, but not into your custody. They have to be in my custody. So, for you to be able to take them, I have to go along. And if something happens, and they escape, I can probably say goodbye to my job. So this had better work. Oh, and I have to make them a deal. If they help us, they go free. So, you ready to go meet your soon-to-be allies?" Kirika lead the way into the cell block.

        'Don't worry, Kirika. This will work.' Kazuma thought to himself as they all walked with Kirika to meet their crinimal allies.