Sato didn''t believe what he was hearing. This kid couldn''t be a Bakemono. She looked almost as human as Sakura. Only at least Sakura had inhuman strength. "You''re a Bakemono? But then why do you seem even more human than Sakura?"


    Ai became puzzled, "I don''t know. No one''s ever told me that before."


    Sato raised an eyebrow, "You''re kidding me, right? Am I being punked or something?"


    "Punked?" Ai asked cocking her head to the side.


    Sato put it aside, "Never mind."


    Ai started a new conversation, "So your name is Satoshi right?"


    "Well yeah, but you can just call me Sato if you want."


    "Sa-to." Ai sounded out his name as if to see how well she liked it. Hm, can I call you something else instead?"


    "Uh, sure. Like what?"


    Ai put her finger on her lips trying to think. "A-ha! How about big brother?"


    Sato was shocked at Ai''s openness, "Big brother?"


    "You saved my life and so now you''re my big brother," Ai said in a way that made it seem like this made perfect sense to her.


    Sato wasn''t too sure how he felt about being called that. It seemed a little odd to him considering he was an only child. But he figured it wouldn''t bother him, so why not? "Sure, that''s what you can call me from now on. Now come on let''s get you out of here. Sato shivered, "It''s giving me the creeps." He started to walk off.


    Ai extended her arm out to him, "Wait! No, we can''t leave!"


    The purple-haired teen looked back at Ai over his shoulder, "What? Why not?"


    "Because..." Ai gasped, "Because of him!"


    Sato made out a big bulky man coming out of the shadows. Spiky jet black hair ran down past his waist. Sato could only look into his eyes for a couple of seconds without trembling in fear but what he could make it was pure red eyelids with no pupils. He had a long tail that matched his hair. He wore only a pair of blue ripped jean shorts. And he reeked of a horrible smell that was something of a combination between dirty gym socks and cow manure.


    Sato started trembling "Who are you?" He tried his best to sound brave. He didn''t want this guy knowing he was afraid of him, even if he was completely terrified. Seriously, this had to be the most intimidating Bakemono yet.


    "Hahhahahahaha!" The man''s laughter echoed throughout the whole forest. "My name is Miharu and I am a Monkey Bakemono!" Miharu roared with pride.


    "Why did you do this to Ai?" Sato questioned Miharu.


    "It''s simple really. Because I can!"


    "Because you can? Sato mumbled. "Because you can." Sato increased his volume clenching his fist. "That''s your excuse?!" Sato shouted at the top of his lungs. Sato felt his blood boil. Who cared about fear when someone as despicable as this Miharu was standing right in front of him. Sato couldn''t stand people like him.


    Sato forgetting his fear charged at Miharu pulling his fist back. Miharu caught it with his tail yanking Sato to the left slamming him into a tree.


    Ai shrieked, "Big brother!"


    Sato coughed up some blood, "I''m fine, Ai." He struggled to rise to his feet. He picked up a twig from the ground and pulled out his lighter. Sato lit the stick on fire.


    "Hey, tall dark, and butt ugly! Take this!" Sato threw the flaming twig at the Monkey Bakemono.


    Miharu jumped into a tree branch with his tail. "Please, you''ll have to better than that if you want to defeat me," Miharu scoffed. "I''m not like those pathetic mindless Bakemono, you''ve fought so far. I am one of the free-willing Bakemono! You are no match for me pathetic human!"


    "As if! The day I let you kill me, is the day, you learn about deodorant!" Sato rushed towards Miharu. He lifted his leg to the side. Miharu quickly wrapped his tail around Sato''s leg. He continually pounded him into the ground.


    "Aaaaaah!" Sato screamed out in pain. Ai watched in horror with her hands covering her mouth before looking away. Sato shut his eyes from the pain.


    Is this it? Am I really gonna die here?" Sato thought to himself. I guess it''s all over now. Goodbye Mom and Kenji. And Sakura and Ai too. I wish I could''ve gotten to know you both a little better. I''ll miss you all. Goodbye."If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Noooooooooooooo!" Ai screamed a blood curdling one as Sato opened his eyes only to realize that he wasn''t dead but instead inside a pure white shield. He looked up noticing that Ai now had huge fluffy white angel wings way too big for her small figure and a golden halo along with pointy elf-like ears.


    Sato managed to utter some words. "Ai, you did this? You saved me?"


    Ai nodded, "Yeah."


    "I see. Well, I take back what I said about you seeming more human than Sakura. Now thanks for your help. But I can take it from here."


    Ai objected, "Big brother no! You''re gonna get hurt again!"


    "Ai, I don''t have a choice anymore." Sato struggled as he walked clutching his bleeding side. Red liquid dripped down from his mouth. "If you ever wanna get out of here, I have to take this guy down. And besides, his justification for kidnapping you...is despicable! I can''t stand people like him!" Sato charged at Miharu only to be punched in the gut.


    "Had enough yet?" Miharu smiled.


    "Not yet." Sato retorted pulling out a pocket knife cutting off the Monkey Bakemono''s tail.


    Miharu screamed in rage, "How dare you! A Monkey Bakemono''s tail is his pride and joy!"


    "Yeah?" Sato smirked, "Well I guess you should''ve thought of that before you went and pissed me off."


    "Die!" Miharu yelled raising his giant fist before Sakura jump kicked Miharu straight in the face. Miharu stumbled backward.


    "Looks like I made it just in time." Sakura rushed over to Ai and a wounded Sato. "So then, is this the girl?"


    Sato got back on his feet, "Yeah."


    "Here big brother, let me help." Ai placed her hands over Sato''s gashes and they were immediately healed.


    "Big brother?" Sakura crossed her arms looking sternly at Sato.


    "Hey, it''s not like that okay! She just wants to call me big brother because I saved her life."


    "Oh really? Didn''t I save your life like twice now? Maybe you should start calling me big sister." Sakura teased Sato.


    Sato frowned, "Not gonna happen."


    Miharu charged towards Sakura with a tight fist. Sakura caught the punch but began to lose her balance as Miharu pushed her back.


    Miharu laughed, "Ah, you three have made my day. Thinking that you''re a match for the great Miharu, the Monkey Bakemono!"


    Sakura grimaced, "I have a question for you, Miharu. You''re the one who sent the Eagle and Golem Bakemono after Sato, aren''t you?"


    "Why of course I am!" Miharu gloated. "Of course I got sidetracked by this little girl since I knew that she would also make me a lot of money."


    "Money?" Sato tried to gain more information.


    "Yes, you see personally I couldn''t care less whether you live or die. However, my client who has hired me does. He wants you dead! And I''ll get a lot of money out of it."


    "Who? Who wants me dead?!"


    "None other than the famous Warrior Bakemono Niji," Miharu said coldly.


    Sakura panicked, "No, not him! Anyone but him!"


    While Sakura was distracted Miharu gained the advantage, kicking her off her feet. He quickly grabbed her leg smashing her into the ground.


    "Sakura!" Sato shouted running over to her. "Are you okay?"


    Sakura spat some dirt out of her mouth, "Yeah, I''m fine."


    "Okay good. Sakura, Ai, listen I have a plan." Sato started whispering to Sakura and Ai.


    Sato ran in ready to attack Miharu from behind but Miharu easily noticed him and scowled, "How stupid do you think I am, incompetent fool!"


    Miharu turned around to punch Sato in the chest. Sakura came up from under him and threw him up onto a bridge above the lake. Sakura then threw Sato up there as well.


    "What was the point of that? Not a very clever escape plan, if you ask me," Miharu mocked them.


    Ai tossed the spider web that had previously held her captive into the lake. It eventually dissolved and she gave Sato a thumbs up. Sato nodded signaling that he saw her thumbs up. He took out his lighter and set the bridge on fire. He jumped off the bridge and Sakura lassoed the rope around him yanking him back to the ground.


    Miharu fell into the lake infested with the Leech Bakemono. He tried to escape but the sticky substance from the web held him firmly in place. Sato lit another stick on fire and chucked it into the lake. Miharu and all the other Leech Bakemono up went up in flames.


    Sakura turned to face Sato, "Well Sato, I gotta admit, that was a pretty impressive strategy you came up with."


    "Well, thanks but it was honestly just more of off the wall thinking." Sato scratched his head.


    "My big brother is awesome! He''s cute and really smart and clever too!" Ai jumped with joy hugging Sato once she finished speaking.


    Sakura studied Ai closely, "Hey, I know who you are."


    Ai''s shoulders tensed up, her eyes traveling away from Sakura, "You do?"


    Sakura nodded, "Of course. You''re the only child of the Royal Family in the Kingdom of Sihalia. And you can only use defensive and healing magic."


    Ai was clearly insulted, "Only? I''ll have you know I happened to be very proud of what I can do!" Ai puffed out her cheeks.


    Sato looked at the two girls dumbfounded, "Sihalia?"


    Sakura explained to him, "Sihalia is the central Kingdom of Oldhedge Country. We''re in Oldhedge right now. The Royal Family lives in the Kingdom of Sihalia. And Ai is the princess of Sihalia."


    "Okay, so then what''s she doing so far away from her home?" Sato remarked.


    Sakura shook her head and looked down at Ai, "Ask her not me."


    Ai looked up at Sato and Sakura. She shifted her feet, "Well you see, I sort of ran away."


    Sato cocked his eyebrow, "But you''re royalty, why would you wanna run away?"


    "That''s why! Because I''m royalty. It''s so boring, I don''t ever get to do anything fun. I wanna have an adventure and see the world!"


    Sakura began to speak, "Well, I guess you can come along with us if you want."


    Sato butted in, "Us? What do you mean by us?"


    "Please, you don''t honestly think you''re gonna find your way out of here all by your lonesome do you?"


    "Well, I was planning to," Sato mumbled.


    "Wait a minute! Where are you going, big brother?" Ai asked with a worried expression.


    "You see the thing is, Ai. I''m not a Bakemono, I''m human. I got sucked into this world from the Forbidden Book."


    Sakura punched Sato so hard he landed flat on his face. "Idiot! You can''t just go around telling everyone you see that you''re a human and think everything''s going to be all fine and dandy! Remember most Bakemono hate humans!"


    "I''m sorry Sakura." Sato pouted as he got back on his feet and dusted off his black pants. "Okay, Sakura. So then how do I get out of here?"


    "Well, I''m not too sure myself. But since the King of Sihalia is close by. We may be able to get some information from him."


    "No, I don''t wanna go back there! He''ll make me stay there forever!" Ai whined.


    Sato bent down to her level so he could look at her in the eyes. "Don''t worry, if you don''t wanna stay you don''t have to, I''ll make sure of it," Sato assured her. Ai''s eyes lit up and Sato stood up straight again, "Come on, let''s go to Sihalia."