Celestial Knights (Chapter 2)

Hidden In Time
Written By: Kohaku Inui
For Chibi Three Studios
Started: March 6, 2008
_____________________________
Chapter Two:1

A Little Over Five Years Later...2

"Mom! I'm going outside!" called Kiva as she grabbed her brown goggles and slid them over her head. They had barely fit her when she first got them, but now that she got them adjusted right they fit her perfectly.
"Alright, but at least eat first." he mother said, "And have you seen my cell phone?!"
"It's on the table!" cried Kiva as she ran past her mother. She quickly grabbed a apple of the table and ran out of the room.
"Hey, no running in the house!" called Kiva's mother. But the door slammed. Her mother shook her head.
"They grow up so fast..." she muttered under her breath, sighing, cell phone in hand.3

***4

Kiva sat in her favorite tree in the park near her house. It was dark, so not many people were there. Kiva stood up carefully on the thick branch she was sitting on and started walking down it, holding her arms out to better balance herself. She laughed.
"You have good balance, Miss Kiva."
Kiva gasped and lost her balance, falling off the branch. She closed her eyes and braced herself, waiting to hit the ground. But instead, she landed gently into someone's arms. Kiva opened her eyes slowly. A muscular teenage boy with spiky blond hair and green eyes had caught her. That smirk was so familiar...
"L-Leon?!" gasped Kiva, feeling herself blush. Leon gently set Kiva on her feet and smiled.
"I hope I didn't scare you." he said slyly. Kiva scowled and turned away, still blushing.
"No, you didn't. You just...Caught me off-guard, that's all."
Leon laughed. Kiva turned around.
"You sure did wait a long time to see me again." she scowled. Leon smiled weakly.
"I apologize for that. I have been very busy, Miss Kiva."
"Why do you call me Miss Kiva?" asked Kiva, leaning against her tree, "You don't have to be so formal."
Leon sat down on the grass.
"I was raised formally, but if it bothers you, I'll just call you Kiva."
Kiva smiled and gave Leon a thumbs up.
"There you go!" said Kiva, sitting on the grass beside Leon. She looked to the sky, which was turning from dark orange and pink to black. The stars were coming out. She sighed contently. Leon smiled.
"I'm guessing that you life has been pretty good." he said cheerfully. Kiva shrugged.
"It's...Been okay. Mom went to get a job after Tai died, so I don't see her or Dad very much...And I'm good at school, but I don't have any friends. I'm...Sort of lonely." she said quietly. She dropped her gaze and looked at Leon.5

Behind them, there was a crunch of leaves...And a low, threatening growl...
Leon and Kiva spun around.
Two big grey wolves were slowly approaching them, blood dripping their mouths. They growled fiercely.
"Kiva, get behind me." whispered Leon sternly, slowly standing up. Kiva, not removing her eyes from the two wolves, slowly stood up and moved herself behind Leon.
"L-Leon..."
The wolves stopped advancing towards the two.
"Hand us the girl." a wolf growled, "And we will make your death swift. Maybe, even painless."
Kiva felt herself start to shake.
"No. Finders keepers, don't you think, Kiba?" said Leon boldly, taking a step backwards. The wolves laughed.
"Don't try to be a hero, boy. Give us the girl!" cried the other wolf, taking a step towards the two, "The Priestess of Light belongs to the Dark Master!"
Kiva felt shivers go up her spine. She and Leon took a step backwards.
"No! I won't let you take her! I'll die first, Messengers of Death!" said Leon fiercely. Kiba narrowed his eyes.
"I'm giving you until three. If you don't give us her by then, we're killing both of you." he said, but the other wolf whimpered.
"Oh let's just kill him now!" he cried with anticipation, and he looked at the terrified Kiva and added, "Then we can pry her from his cold, dead hands..."
"Be quiet, Nara!" barked Kiba, "Let's show the little fool some mercy. One..."
"Kiva, when I tell you too..." started Leon.
"Two..."
"Run." he finished, his eyes narrowed.
There was a pause.
"Three." finished Kiba, licking his lips. With long howls coming from the two wolves, they lunged at the two teenagers.
"RUN!!!" ordered Leon, quickly grabbing Kiva's hand. The two started running, narrowly dodging the two wolves's attacks.
"Get them!" cried Kiba, "Don't let them escape!"
Leon and Kiva ran out of the park and raced through the alleys of Tokyo, the wolves right behind them. Leon led Kiva down random alleys; they turned a sharp left.
"D-Dead end!" stuttered Kiva. She and Leon turned around.
The wolves were advancing on them, slowly.
"Here kitty kitty kitty..." taunted Nara, smiling deviously. The two teens stepped backward with each step the wolves took.
"Leon, what do we do now?!" whispered Kiva, terrified. Leon looked up to the dark sky. Leon quickly reached down and swiped Kiva off her feet and into his arms, making her gasp. Kiva quickly wrapped her arms around Leon's neck. Kiva felt something brush her face. She turned her head, to see what it was, and gasped.
Two long white feather-covered wings had sprouted from Leon's shoulders, making him look like a angel.
"Hold on!"
Leon leaped in the air, just as the wolves lunged at the two. Kiva closed her eyes, waiting to feel their fangs pierce her skin.
But instead, she felt herself going...Up. She opened her eyes. She and Leon were soaring over Tokyo, the lights glittering like stars that had fallen from the heavens.
A low, mournful howl of defeat echoed in the night.