The fiery flames from Niko's Hellfire attack permeate through the concrete floor towards Yakedo, forming a force of wind strong enough to blow part of the ring of fire away.
"Yes, let out the fire!" Yakedo says over the sound of the attack.
Slightly blinded by his anger towards Yakedo, Niko can only see what is in front of him. As he watches one of the fissures approach Yakedo, Niko sees a shiny black glass-like surface enveloping Yakedo. As the shiny black surface disappears, Niko notices that Yakedo isn't there any more, and his attack continue with the absence of Yakedo.
Trying to recover from his recent attacks, Niko breathes heavily as he notices one of the fissures from his attacks reaches the wall that Yakedo was standing in front of when he walked in. The fissure hits the wall, causing massive cracks crawling up the wall.
As his attack dies down, Niko runs over to the point where his attack came in contact with the wall. Inspecting the quality of the wall's material, something seems odd. "Huh? Steel shouldn't break that easily!"
The sound of ice cracking is heard throughout the wall. As the cracks reach the ceiling, the wall comes crumbling down around Niko. Using his cat-like reflexes, he backs away quickly before he is hit by any piece of the falling wall.
Moments later, the wall has completely fallen down. Pieces of the wall are scattered around Niko's feet, looking like melting ice sculptures. "This isn't steel. This is ice!" He says as he picks one piece up to examine it.
The sound of a large amount of water splashing on the ground catches Niko's attention. As he looks in that direction, he sees a pile of wooden scraps, then Kitsune kneeling on the ground and runs over. "Kitsune!"
Gasping for his fresh supply of air, Kitsune inhales loudly and exhales, trying to get as much fresh air as he can get, coughing every so often. His face and hands are wet, and his hair is flat on his head, like he just came out of the pool.
"Kitsune! What happened?" Niko says as he approaches Kitsune.
Facing the ground, Kitsune tries to answer between breaths. "I went for a swim," he says with a sarcastic undertone.
Niko looks around for any way that Kitsune's explanation could have been true. "Really?"
"No, you idiot." Kitsune says as he tries to scoop up some water and throws it at Niko. "I was ambushed by a kid that could control water. She was trying to suffocate me."
Feeling the cool water land on him, Niko notices that his demon powers were going away. Soon, he was human again. Reacting to having water thrown on him, Niko puts an arm up to block whatever he can. "HEY!"he says involuntary. After he realizes what just happened, he continues the conversation. "Control water? I was just up against someone who could control fire." Niko says as he looks back at the remainder of the smoldering fire ring that he left. "Think that there's a connection?"
"How would I know?" Kitsune says as he tries to stand up.
Niko quickly sheathes his sword and puts an arm around Kitsune's back to help him up. "Well, whoever they are, they're gone now." Niko looks around Kitsune, noticing that both of his kamas were sitting on the floor. "And it looks like you got your weapon back."
Kitsune forces his way away from Niko and stumbles over to pick up his kamas. As he picks up the second one, he looks at Niko. "If the guys that attacked us could control water and fire, why didn't they just kill us? Why taunt us instead?" As soon as his last word was said, he starts to feel a little dizzy and fall forward.
Niko quickly runs under him and helps him stand back up. He puts Kitsune's left arm over his neck, and his right arm around Kitsune's back, acting as support. "Look, whatever their purpose, let's just be glad that they're gone. Let's meet back up with Chisai." he says as they both slowly walk to the door behind Kitsune.
Slowly creaking the door open, Niko walks out holding Kitsune. Chisai is walking from around the corner of her alley towards the duo, but her orange hair was covering her eyes.
"Chisai! Hey! We found Kitsune's stolen weapon." Niko calls out.
Chisai slowly walks towards their position, but doesn't respond. Her glaive is dragging on the ground behind her.
"Chisai? Hello?" Niko calls out again as he and Kitsune stop walking.
Unloading Kitsune, Niko starts to walk over to Chisai to see if she needed his support.
"I heard it over here!" A voice says from the nearby concert area.
"Oh crap! They can't see Chisai in her demon form." Niko reaches over to Kitsune's hair. "Sorry, man. I gotta get some of this."
Kitsune has his hands on his knees, trying to stay up right, not really responding to Niko's odd action.
Niko squeezes some of Kitsune's hair, gathering a small puddle of cool water into his hand. He splashes it towards Chisai, but no effect. Niko tries it again, but again with no effect. One last try....
"It came from the warehouse!" another voice says, sounding closer than before.
Niko gathers the last bit of water from Kitsune's hair and tosses it on Chisai. He starts to see her orange hair change back to brown and her weapon dematerializes into her glove.
"Chisai? Guys? What are you doing here?" Kazeyama says as he approaches the trio, seeing Kitsune breathing heavily and dripping on the ground, Niko slightly wet, and Chisai looking-
"Whitey!" Chisai says as she launches herself over to him to give him a hug.
Returning the hug, Kazeyama separates himself and asks again. "What happened here?"
"We were chasing a thief through this area, and they hid inside and got away from us." Chisai says with a perky attitude.
One of Whitey's security guards walks past Niko and Kitsune, going inside the doorway.
Meanwhile, Niko and Kitsune look at each other, wondering if Chisai knew of the events that happened inside the building.
"A thief? What did they steal?" Kazeyama asks.
"I think it was a toy or something from one of the prize booths." Chisai says, trying to act investigative.
Niko and Kitsune look at Chisai with a concerned expression, wondering where that kind of story came from.
"Well, if they did steal a toy, I'll have to reimburse the merchant. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that trouble." Kazeyama says.
"Sir, I think you should see this." The security guard says.
Concerned, Kazeyama walks over to the doorway. The guard pushes it open for him to view. The sight of the water on the floor, a collapsed wall, and crushed crates astonishes Kazeyama. "Guys, why are our supply crates crushed under this wall?"
Niko, Chisai, and Kitsune all look at each other with worried expressions, wondering if any of them will come up with a cover story.
Kazeyama turns around to face the trio. "Look, since I didn't see who actually did this, I can't claim it as an accident in my report, but since the three of you are near, I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave the festival for now while we clean this up."
"Leave? Whitey, we just got here." Chisai says, begging for his sympathy.
"I'm sorry, but it's festival policy. I may be in charge, but I don't make the rules. No hard feelings, guys?" Kazeyama says holding up a hand in defense.
Sighing, Chisai turns around to walk away. "Okay, we'll leave. But I'll still see you at the school fair tomorrow, right?"
Kazeyama smiles. "Sure thing."
Turning around to see Kazeyama's smile made Chisai a little more cheerful.
Niko puts an arm around Kitsune to help him walk out. Some of the guards walk behind them as escorts.
As Kazeyama takes another look inside, his voice echoes in the vast emptiness of the warehouse space. "What a mess. Well, get the mops."
Chisai's the first to approach the car. Kitsune, now walking on his own, slightly stumbles as Niko is behind him, ready just in case. "Well, that was weird." Chisai says, turning around to lean on the car.
"Yeah, it was. Speaking of which, what happened to you, Chisai?" Niko says as he walks to the driver side of the car.
"Me?" Chisai puts a finger to her chin and looks up, trying to think back. "I recall
finding Kitsune through the crowd, then splitting up to go in different directions. Then I saw a mashu and changed into my demon form and chased it down the alley..."
"A mashu?" Niko and Kitsune say in surprise.
"Yeah, it lead me to a weird tent thing, then...." she pauses as she tries to think. "I don't recall. The next thing I know, I'm standing in front of Whitey!"
"What happened?" Kitsune asks as he slips into the back seat of the car.
"I told you: I don't remember!" Chisai says with a bit of frustration.
"It's alright, Chisai. I'm sure it will come back to you." Niko says as he starts the car. "Meanwhile, I have a story for you."
"Yeah, me too." Kitsune says as he lays down in the back seat.