Falling Leaves 24 ??

  In the Cursed Backwoods

  Kiyoko and L'automne walk through a forest, a trail of soul trees with normal faces.

  They walk silent as the bee L'abeille made for them, leads the way to Akuji.

  Kiyoko walks with her head down scared to say anything out of turn.

  The bee continues to buzz as it suddenly stops, and circles around a tree.

  "Huh?" Kiyoko hums as the bee turns back into the goo.

  "He should be around here then."

  Kiyoko nods as they examine the tree, it groans as they put their hands on it.

  "EEEK!" Kiyoko screams in disgust as she falls back.

  L'automne ignores her as she continues to search around the tree.

  Kiyoko stands up quickly. "S-sorry—- that just caught me off guard."

  She then looks around at the other trees' faces. "This place is really creepy."

  L'automne continues to ignore her.

  "Um—-" she rubs her fingers together "Right maybe I'm talking too much—- let me help you—-" she runs over to the tree helping to search.

  A groan can be heard from a pile of red leaves, a sound like snoring.

  Kiyoko turns her head to it. "Oh no—- it's not going to be some monster is it."

  "Hey um—- miss—- I heard something from this pile."

  "Then get it."

  "Uh—- right what was I thinking asking you—-" she drops her head as she carefully moves the leaves.

  An arm sticks out as she moves them, it's dark brown and skinny, defined with a little muscle.

  "Wait—- I know—-" Kiyoko thinks as she keeps moving the leaves.

  "AKUJI!"

  L'automne turns to her, watching as she jumps on him snuggling up on his unconscious body.

  "Oh thank the Stars I found you! Oh thank, thank, thank them!"

  She rubs her face on his face. "Thankfully you're okay!"

  "What are you doing with the target? Remove yourself at once."

  Kiyoko quickly rolls off Akuji as she stands. "S-sorry!"

  L'automne walks up to Akuji's body as she picks up one of the leaves on the ground.

  She looks at its face as it smiles. "Bonjour!" (Hello!) It says, its voice squeaky.

  "Bonjour to you little friend." (Hello to you little friend.) She says back as the leaf starts to glow green.

  Kiyoko watches in awe, as L'automne places it on Akuji's body.

  Green ripples of energy course through his body, as his wounds begin to close, the blood on his body dries as it breaks to pieces.

  His eyes slowly open, as the sunlight reflects the violet hue of them.

  The green ripples stop as he sits up and yawns.

  "What the hell?" He mutters.

  "Where am I?"

  L'automne crouches down to face him. "Your name is Akuji yes?"

  Akuji scoffs. "Who's asking?"

  "I am L'automne Coccinelle, pleased to meet you Reaper."

  "Akuji—-" Kiyoko mutters as she tries to approach.

  He turns his head to her as his eyes widen. "You again? Wait a minute?!"

  He stands up instantly ruffling the leaves. "How are you here?!"

  He grabs his head trying to remember details. "Yes—- I was in the Cursed Backwoods and I got beaten by some Fox spirit—-"

  "But you—- you should be dead! Last time I saw you was in the colosseum before it got destroyed!"

  Kiyoko twirls her hair. "Uh it's a long story—-"

  "Are you even real?!"

  "Yes I'm real you idiot! Why wouldn't I be?!"

  Akuji smacks his lips. "I don't buy it, I must be dead! That fox blasted me with insane power—-"

  "I'll never be able to get my revenge now."

  "YOU'RE NOT DEAD YOU DUMBASS!"

  Akuji rubs his head. "There's no way—-"

  "Maybe if you'll listen to me! You wouldn't be so confused."

  L'automne stands. "So you two know each other? So you all have connection to Ma Grandeur?" (My Greatness?)

  Akuji tilts his head. "I'm sorry what? Ma Grandeur? What is that?"

  "Be respectful! It's what they call Sachi and Ikigai in this biome."

  Akuji facepalms. "Of course—- they'd be here too—- what's next? They're looking for me and want to capture me?"

  "Yes—-" L'automne and Kiyoko say in unison.

  "Of course they are—-" Akuji mutters to himself.

  "Well what can I do about it at this point?"

  "We won't take you right away, I did want to talk to you if you don't mind."

  "Huh?" Akuji shrugs as he sighs. "Well it's not like I have a choice do I?"

  "I'm powerless here."

  L'automne takes down her hood. "Correct you are, but that doesn't have to be a weakness."

  Revealing her face, she has a brown skin complexion, pink eyes in almond shape, as her hair is curly Afro in a bun, she wears ornaments of autumn colored leaves around her hair. As two strands sit in front of her face.

  "Damn—- she's—- she looks good!" Akuji thinks to himself.

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  He smirks. "Well—- change of heart, I'll talk with you as long as you like."

  Kiyoko's eyes twitch as her face turns dark. "She's not all that pretty you know—-" she mutters under her breath.

  L'automne smiles. "Bien." (Good.) "But let's walk and talk I do hate just standing around."

  "Yeah, thing is where are you taking me?"

  She lifts one finger. "Well, we're just going to take the long way back to Refuge-des-Esprits." (Shelter of Spirits)

  Akuji tilts his head. "Refuge des Esprits? Is that like—- a village or something?"

  "No, no it's a settlement for anyone salvaged by Malika."

  Kiyoko's eyes widen as she thinks. "Wait is that the mushroom city we were in before is called?"

  "What language is that?"

  "A settlement for some cul-" before he could finish, a sharp pain then hits Akuji on his head as he grabs his forehead as he hisses.

  An image of Danya trapped in a bubble from his battle against Ari replays in his head.

  "D—-" he stutters.

  "That's right—-."

  "Where's Danya! I almost forgot?!"

  Kiyoko runs to Akuji holding his arm trying to support. "Hey it's okay!"

  "Get off me!" Akuji swats Kiyoko away.

  "Auh!" Kiyoko squeals as she stumbles back.

  "Listen I can't come with you, change of heart again! I need to find Danya."

  L'automne continues to wear the same smile, as it grows wider her teeth showing.

  "Well as we established before, you really don't have a choice."

  "I gave you the offer that we can take the long way but that's all I'll extend."

  Akuji grits his teeth. "Listen honestly I don't give a damn about anything going on between you, the twins or this damned biome!"

  "I'm finding my girl!"

  "Le Démon écarlate (The Scarlet Demon) will be there, you will see her again. Rest assured."

  "But her fate won't be the same as yours."

  The words Le Démon écarlate ring in Akuji's head. A flashback of the plant creature telling him about the verse in the Livre de révérence (Book of Reverence) about Danya needing to be dead.

  He clenches his fist. "You won't have her—- I will never let you guys have her!"

  "It's a bit too late Reaper, by this time my comrade L'abeille has already retrieved her."

  "Now please comply, I don't want unnecessary violence."

  Akuji throws his fist as it crashes into L'automne's face.

  Blood erupts from her mouth as she skids back.

  "It's not my preference to fight attractive women, or to even fight women at all."

  His voice lowers as it deepens. "But I'll break that rule this time."

  "Akuji please stop!"

  He looks down at her. "And you, you're pleading for me to stop when these people are trying to kill someone precious to me!"

  "You work for them don't you? So you're just another head I'll add to this collection."

  "I-" Kiyoko stutters as she shakes.

  L'automne wipes the blood from her mouth as she spits it on the ground. "What a man. Attacking two women, and the ones who brought you back to consciousness at that."

  "As I said I'm cutting the chivalry, I don't see two women, I see two beings that need eliminating." Akuji responds getting into a fighting stance.

  Leaves start to fall from the trees as L'automne chuckles. "Oh, you're a rough one aren't you. I do like when men give a challenge instead of just being pushovers."

  Her cloak starts to flutter as wind starts to instantly blow, leaves surround her as if a tornado is about to form.

  They all glow yellow, red and brown. She unbuttons her cloak as the inside is revealed to be lined with patterns of golden trees adorned across it.

  She wears tight black shorts and a tight black bra, as her entire body shape is revealed, her curvy figure, flat stomach, her breasts stick out as her skin glows from the sunlight.

  She wears a necklace with a red leaf in the middle of it that also glows. She holds her hand out as the leaves turn into light forming a glowing staff, with the end of it with jagged spikes in the shape of a leaf.

  Akuji watches in awe looking at the lights, her skin, her body, her face. "Ugh—- just my luck—- she just became more beautiful—-"

  He shakes his head. "Snap out of it! Beauty or not this is a threat!"

  A ring of white light appears behind her head as she extends her hand with a soft smile. "Puis-je vous amener vers la lumière, vous combler de l'amour de Malika." (May I lead you to the light, and fill you with Malika's love.)

  "Malika this, Malika that, do any of you cretins in this biome say anything else?"

  "It's been on repeat since I got here!"

  "You're supposed to be following her yet you're taking orders from Sachi and Ikigai where's the logic in this?"

  "Ma Grandeur, yes we take orders from them, as they are the ones who created Malika, they are her saviors."

  "It's only natural we follow them, as without them, we wouldn't be a thing."

  Akuji scoffs. "That's the most pathetic thing I've heard yet. A Royal Guard following orders from other Royal Guards? What do you believe the twins are some divine beings?"

  "Sorry to break it to you! They're not! They're just like me and the so-called Le Démon you creatures love calling Danya!"

  Kiyoko turns to Akuji. "W-hat are you talking about?! The Mistresses are the daughters of one of the Stars."

  Akuji puts his fist in front of his face guarding. "Is that supposed to mean something? They're just extensions! Not gods! The fact your so-called Royal Guard basically lets them rule over her own biome is pathetic!"

  L'automne slams her staff on the ground as ripples of light spread across the ground. The leaves around begin to float and shine.

  "I never really believed in Sachi and Ikigai, honestly I do this all for Malika."

  "Your words mean nothing to me." She then points her staff at Akuji as the leaves begin firing rapid beams.

  Akuji ducks and rolls as the beams graze him, he does front flips, back flips even laying on his stomach to dodge them. All in the split seconds he's given.

  Kiyoko ducks running to a nearby tree for cover. "OKAY NO I CAN'T BE HERE!"

  The Soul Trees begin to scream and weep, as the blasts rip through them. The smell of burning bark fills the air. Small creatures run from the bushes as they too scream for their lives.

  Branches fall burning as the plants burn, screaming wisps fly off them some falling and dissolving.

  "Tch! Look at what you're doing you're killing everything! Aren't you supposed to be some religious savior here!"

  L'automne shrugs. "This is a battlefield, the moment you threw the first punch you decided that. This is just how things go in here."

  "You should know this better than anyone Death Spirit."

  Akuji continues to dodge the beams as he accidentally slips.

  "No!"

  One pierces his shoulder, as blood gushes out. "AUGH!" He screams.

  He forces himself to duck as one aiming for his head flies past his head.

  "There's no way I can close this distance! Fuck!" He thinks to himself.

  He grits his teeth. "FINE STOP I CONCEDE!"

  "I'll come with yo-" before he finishes Kiyoko grabs him as she pushes him towards the batch of trees to the side.

  L'automne stands there with wide eyes and blinks. "W-what just happened?"

  "What are you doing!" Akuji panics, as her momentum keeps them launching past the Soul Trees.

  "Just shut up!" She flaps her wings increasing the momentum.

  They make it to a steep downward hill, as they begin to roll down it.

  Mud covers them both as Kiyoko holds tight on Akuji.

  Back at the battlefield flames spread everywhere, as L'automne stands there.

  "So L'ange (The Angel) decided to betray us and join the Death Spirit."

  "I guess I have to hunt for two now."

  She taps her staff on the ground once more as ripples course through the area, the fires stop, as the leaves on the trees grow back.

  She then floats to the same batch of trees Kiyoko rushed through.

  "They couldn't have gotten too far in such short time."

  She giggles. "Oh how I haven't played a game of hide and seek in ages."

  Akuji and Kiyoko land in a mud pit, as Akuji instantly stands up, mud stains his white hair and skin.

  Kiyoko's white robe is completely drenched as she spits up mud.

  "What was that for?!"

  Kiyoko looks up at Akuji. "You should be thanking me! I got you out of there before you were captured!"

  "And we have no time to chat keep moving she'll be on our tail fast!"

  Akuji grunts as he agrees. He quickly picks up Kiyoko putting her on his back as he runs.

  She blushes. "H-hey!"

  Blood drips from his shoulder, a burning sensation radiates through it, as it pulses.

  He covers it with his other arm, as he continues to run.

  "Danya—- Where are you? Where are you?!"

  He continues to run as L'automne not too far floats quickly to keep up.

  "I do hate when they run—- it would have been so simple if he would just agreed to chat with me and I brought him back to the twins in peace."

  "That angel has some sort of strange attachment to him as well."

  She chuckles. "A man like that will never be my type—- one who hits women and runs?"

  Akuji and Kiyoko make it to a swamp, the water is murky, as there are no platforms they can use to cross it.

  "Hey angel you mind if you use your wings here!?"

  "R-right!" As she's on his back she spreads her wings carrying him across the water.

  TO BE CONTINUED