Chapter 18: A Warning

"Howard, the Shrine is a lot like a girl," Monica said while holding his hand, pulling him over to a large dome building. "What I'm trying to say is be careful. Girls are dangerous."

"I'm confused. Isn't someone waiting for me in the shrine?" Howard laughed and poked Monica in the face. "You're so cute. What about you is dangerous?"

"I'm dangerous when someone tries to take my things," Monica pulled Howard to the entrance as Harley leaned against the bus. She had cooked a microwavable meal she found in the tossed grocery store, and ate it while looking at Howard like a meal. She smiled, and winked at Monica, causing her skin to burn blue as ice washed over her skin. "Anyways, enough about that. The dome in front of us is the shrine. There… There is a few beautiful women in there, but-but you're mine no matter what okay?"

"Aren't we going in together?" Howard raised his brows and gently rubbed her cheeks. "I thought you're also going into the shrine."

"There are seven passageways. I've already been in the first two doors."

"I've been in five,"Una yawned and walked between Howard and Monica, causing their constantly linked hands to split apart. Her brows somewhat trembled with rage before she breathed out a calming mist.

For the last few days, she kept having dreams about her father. When she was five, she'd been in a room by a fire with her father one day before a mysterious force tossed him out the window.

From that day onward, he remained in a wheelchair, treating her differently. The once proud look on his eyes had turned into fear, drawing them apart, before finally her father died and then those strange swordsman took her to the Furnace.

'Anyways, this is a good day' Una smiled and leaned into Howards ear. "The women in the temple are really pretty. Don't ask them to sleep with you at night or they might bite your head off."

"I promise I won't," Howard winked and held up his thumb, laughing before seeing the seven doors. The large dome above them shimmered with a golden light, causing the dark, ominous sky above them to calm to those looking above. Everywhere around them, hundreds of mountains poked through the surface and flowed in the horizon with serenity.

Howard, feeling Monica's lips against his back, smiled and turned around to look into her glowing eyes.

"Howard, you're getting strong so fast. I'm going to start challenging myself too!" Monica closed her eyes and gently wrapped her arms around his neck. Leaning in, she puckered up her lips before gently touching them against his nose.

Forcing herself to drag her lips down, Howard's finger stopped her, brushing back her green hair as their three horns touched.

"Monica, You make me happy! Let's both do well and then we can kiss!"

"You-you're something else," Monica pushed him away and forced herself to swallow. Turning bright red, she looked down at her white tank top and the blue jeans she'd worn. She stomped her foot, and watched Howard walk into the long tunnel into the Shrine. "However, don't you dare think I'll let you leave me behind! I'm still stronger than you Howard!"

"Kid, be careful," Harley tossed Monica a small trinket while leaning down and pressing against her arm. "Even if Howard gets much stronger than you, I'll help you keep other girls off him. We can be partners."

"Harley, it's getting old," Una rolled her eyes, "Anyways, don't we have some work to do?"

"She's being serious," Monica bit her lip and crossed her arms. "However, until the day I die I'll never let you have him!"

"Geez, so fiery. Anyways, just think about it. I just don't want to be alone, okay?"

"You're not alone," Una said while shaking her head, responding to Harley. "Don't we do a lot of fun things together?"

"I'm done here," Harley pointed at the bus. "I have a meal in the oven."

"I'm going to show you all!" Monica stomped off, leaving behind a cloud of dust while her angry figure ran into the third doorway. "I'm not losing this time! Not to you, Harley, and not to those damn women!"

"You pissed her off on purpose, didn't you?" Una smiled and rubbed Harley's shoulders, massing her as they walked back to the bus. "However, you don't have to be so mean."

"I'm nice like that," Harley stepped over to the bus and summoned a small fire ball in her hand. "Anyways, Howard really is special. You think we can combine our Ki without him?"

"Nope, but we have nothing else to do," Una turned and looked at the Shrine, feeling a strange, powerful force provoking her to enter its halls. "The more distracted we are, the better."