"SH'MA YUSRAIL, ADONAI Eloheinu, Adonai echad," chorused Shoyraitti, Shoyrettani,
Shoyrittik, and Shoyrittan as they said their nightly prayers. Shoyrianta said
hers, while Luprexian looked on. He had no owner, and therefore no religion.
They all climbed into bed after brushing their teeth, and Shoyrettani turned
out the lights. Everyone dozed off except her.
I know you're coming Pant
Devil, I can sense it, she thought. Come on now, come so I can finish
you off.
The window blew open, and Shoyrettani
grabbed her Battledome things. The Pant Devil soared in and was shocked to see
Shoyrettani prepared for battle.
"But... but how did you know?"
he spluttered. "Nobody told you. They- they wouldn't. I-I'm leaving now. Bye-bye!"
"No, you're not," Shoyrettani
said. "We are to fight our battle now. Only not in here. We are to go to the
school's sparring grounds."
The Pant Devil gawked at Shoyrettani.
The Chia Clown said she was confident, but he didn't think she was this confident.
The Chia Clown also said that she was a terrific strategist and warrior. He
gulped.
"So… chicken, are we? All the
more reason to fight you! You know that when a pet challenges you, you can never
turn them down," Shoyrettani smirked. Someone stirred.
"Shoyrettani?" It was Shoyrianta.
"What's going on?"
"I'm going to fight an old
friend of mine. He's not really a friend, I'm just being sarcastic to him,"
Shoyrettani replied.
"Who is it then? Is it the
Chia Clown?"
"No, the Pant Devil. Don't
worry, he's gonna get the whooping he deserves, not me," Shoyrettani assured
her. "Go back to sleep."
"Okay." Shoyrianta quickly
was softly snoring again. The Pant Devil stared at her.
"She's not even worried?" he
asked, appalled.
"Nope, 'cause she knows I'll
win," Shoyrettani replied. "Now let's go!"
The Pant Devil followed Shoyrettani
out of the room. He was sorely tempted to steal a Blue Chia Plushie that was
lying on the floor, but thought better of it as Shoyrettani gave him a disdainful
look. They reached the sparring grounds fairly quickly, as both of them could
fly. Then they squared off.
"You ready?" asked Shoyrettani.
"No," the Pant Devil replied.
"I want my mommy!"
"I'll let you go if you promise
to never even think about stealing from me, my family, or my friends ever again,
got it?" Shoyrettani told him. The Pant Devil nodded. "Good. Now go! Get outta
my sight!"
***
"You didn't get it?!?" shrieked the Shadow Usul.
"I couldn't. She was awake
and waiting for me," the Pant Devil said. "She challenged me to a battle. I
couldn't refuse, as it would be a One-Player fight. But she told me that she
would let me go as long as I never thought of stealing from her, her family,
or her friends ever again."
"And you refused?" Balthazar
prompted.
"No, I agreed," the Pant Devil
cried. "How could I not? I'm a mere 21 power against her! You're 300 something,
Balthazar!"
"360, to be precise," Balthazar
replied. "But that doesn't matter. You should've stolen her Shoyru Shield!"
"I can't steal Equipped Items!"
the Pant Devil shouted in exasperation. "Her Shoyru Shield is equipped, and
must always be equipped, since it is so valuable."
"Well, we'll just have to take
care of that…"
***
"HIYA! YAH! IYA!" Blow after blow was made to the opponent Shoyrettani was
sparring with. Punchbag Bob couldn't fight back, and Shoyrettani didn't care
whether she beat him or not. All that mattered was trying a new strategy.
"Shoy--ahhh!" Shoyrittan said,
ducking as Shoyrettani tried out her Shoyru Kick. "Shoyrettani! Yahhh!" Shoyrettani
just barely missed Shoyrittan as she performed her Shoyru Dive. "SHOYRETTANI!"
"What?" Shoyrettani said, turning
to face her sister.
"The Techo Master wishes to
see you," she said. Shoyrettani jumped from the ring, running to the Master's
quarters. Shoyrittan tried to keep up, gasping for air.
"He said something about the
Pant Devil," she gasped. Shoyrettani ran faster, her feet flashing like a cheetah's.
"I'm here, Master!" Shoyrettani
shouted as she skidded to a stop in front of the Techo Master's door. Shoyrittan
skidded into her and both of them fell to the ground.
As they untangled themselves,
the Techo Master said to Shoyrettani, "You should not be so loud. Be quiet and
peaceful until a battle comes, and then you can be loud. In the meantime,
do not hurt my ears!! "
Shoyrettani and Shoyrittan
finally untangled themselves, and the Techo Master sent Shoyrittan to spar with
some classmates of around her level. Shoyrettani went and sat on a pillow in
front of the Master.
"I hear the Pant Devil visited
you during the night," he said.
"Who told you?" Shoyrettani
shrieked.
"Ryshu did. He was doing his
nightly rounds with the other Martial Arts Masters and spied you leading the
Pant Devil to the sparring grounds," the Techo Master told her. "Ryshu was appalled
by the look on the Pant Devil's face, one of horror. The Pant Devil seemed to
be terrified of you for some reason. Now tell me: why were you up at midnight
talking to the Pant Devil?"
"I sensed him coming. He was
after my Shoyru Shield, and I had to protect it. It's too expensive and too
precious to replace. It's won me most of my battles. I was talking to him to
get him frightened, so that I wouldn't have to fight him. I didn't want to hurt
him, but I know that would only make the situation worse," Shoyrettani explained.
"I could've easily defeated him if I'd wanted to, but I just didn't feel like
it. I put up a good act, though, because he seemed to think that I really wanted
to fight him."
The Techo Master nodded. "I
understand. Now that explains another thing that has been troubling me as well.
How you knew that Luprexian was in danger long before it happened. You have
premonitions. You are psychic."
"I'm what?" cried Shoyrettani.
"You're psychic, as I said,"
the Techo Master repeated. "That can be a real benefit in your battles, if you
can learn how to harness that power. Keep training, and use lots of Light Faeries
on yourself, they will increase your power's potential."
"Yes, Master," Shoyrettani
said. "But I want to know: if I have psychic powers, then do my sisters have
psychic powers?"
"Not necessarily. Only time
will tell," the Master replied. "Now go, it is almost time for your classes."
***
A young Halloween Kougra sat by the window, listening to every word. She snuck
around to the shadows under a large bush began talking to the darkest Shadow
there.
"That Shoyru, her weakness
truly is her Shield," he growled. "No other weaknesses, as far as I can see.
However, you should tell the others to be wary of her, as she is now not only
making her body stronger, but her mind as well. She is psychic, which is another
weakness on our part, as Evil creatures do not do well against Light attacks,
and Psychic Blast is a Light attack. We should have you, the Grundo Leader,
the Pant Devil, and some Wandering Ghosts attack her all at once and steal as
much as possible."
"We cannot do that!" hissed
the Shadow.
"Why not?" pouted the Kougra.
"Because she is too pure, we'd
destroy ourselves if we did that!" the Shadow screeched.
"Pure? How could such a powerful,
confident, and proud warrior be pure? It's an outrage!" the Kougra roared.
"I have no idea, but we need
to defeat her somehow. Maybe we can wear her down by having the Pant Devil and
the Chia Clown constantly fighting her," the Shadow said. "It just might work.
Yes, it just might work."
To be continued... | 
