The blazing light was still in Krackel's eyes when he found himself returned
to Queen Wintergreen's temporary "throne room" in the Gumdrop Palace.  Still off balance
from the attack of the Crystal Warrior, he slowly stood, turning to face the throne as
he did so.

	"Krackel." The Spear of Mint glowed in the Queen's hands, but whether it was
residual energy from her teleportation spell, or preparation for his death, he couldn't
tell.  "The Crystal Warriors are still alive, the Twixes have escaped, and you do not
have the Crystal Shard.  Would you care to provide me with an explanation?"

	"I lost." Krackel replied evenly.  "If you're expecting me to make excuses or
beg for my life, don't bother.  Just do what you were going to do."

	Wintergreen smiled coldy. "I'm not quite finished with you or your sister
yet, Krackel.  I could kill you now, with the knowledge that your sister's condition
will continue.  You wouldn't want that, would you?"

	Krackel stiffened, but continued to look Wintergreen in the eye.

	"Don't worry, you haven't failed me completely.  Yet.  The Crystal Warrior you
fought couldn't handle the power she used to defeat you.  She is vulnerable now, and
the three will be heading for Wonka to find a solution to the problem.  Kill them before
they get there, and you and your sister will continue to live.  Fail, and you will
die knowing that your sister won't have the release that you will."

	"All right." Krackel turned from his master, walking down the hall before her
throne.  Before exiting through the ornate doors to the chamber, he turned back once
more.  "I will not fail."


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The Starburst Crystal
Started by Ardweden

Legend Seventeen: Chocolate Tears
By Yonjuuni

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	"Gika!"

	"Cut it out, you stupid rat!"

	"Kyouji-san..."

	The three Crystal Warriors crested another of a seemingly endless series of
rolling green hills, Kit Kat energetically darting between legs and circling them.

	Kyouji came to a stop and glared at the overly happy carret.  "Keep doing
that, and I'll stop trying not to step on you."

	This proved to be a bad idea, as Kit Kat took the stop to be an invitation to
leap onto the annoyed Knight Protector's shoulder, 'Gika'ing excitedly.  Kyouji
frantically tried to remove the offending furball from his shoulders with little
success, until Yumi plucked the little guide from off the back of his neck.

	"It's okay, Kit Kat, you can play with Kyouji-san later." Yumi smiled as she
cradled the still chattering carret in her arms.  "What's wrong?"

	Having stayed silent until then, Tsugiko took the oppurtunity to cut in.
"I think he wants us to look at that," she said, pointing at something up ahead of
them.

	Kyouji and Yumi both blinked as they turned to see the small town that their
friend was indicating.  Kit Kat happily leapt out of Yumi's arms and dashed down the
hill in the direction of the village.

	"Stupid furball.  Why's he always have to try to get MY attention first?"

	Tsugiko just shook her head, and started down the hill after the furry guide.

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	The town of Jerseymilk was rather unremarkable, by Mars standards.  It had the
usual eye-jarring colors, and odd architectural styles that might remind the average
ignorant human of candy.  But the colors weren't as bright as one might see in a city,
nor were the buildings as elaborate.  But, despite the town's plainness, the inhabitants
still had their pride.  While their home wasn't much, they were secure in the
knowledge that a great hero had been born there.  This was the setting that a red and
black clad traveller arrived in, on a beautiful Martian mid-afternoon.

	Riesen casually examined his surroundings.  While he was used to a more
sophisticated environment, a country town was better than a mountain village, or a
barbaric tribe in the Black Forrest.  And the small size would make it far easier to
'warn' the residents of the danger presented by the Crystal Warriors.

	He scanned the area further, looking for a suitable starting point for his
mission.  In the center of the town, a number of townspeople were gathered around a
well, Caramilk being too small to warrant even a town square.  The prefect place to
begin.  Riesen adopted his most winning smile and approached the well.

	"Please excuse my interruption, but would any of you kind people be able to
help me? I met a swordsman on my travels, and he requested that I deliver a
message for him, should I ever pass through this area."

	A hush fell over the area, as all the gathered people turned to regard the
stranger.  After a moment of uncomfortable silence, a woman in the group spoke up.

	"And who might you be?"

	Still smiling, Riesen bowed smoothly before returning his eyes to the crowd
again.  "I am merely a humble monk of the Order of Caramello, doing the least I can
to repay Krackel for helping me in my time of need."

	The crowd, which had become larger since the arrival of Riesen, began
murmuring at this.  

	"From Krackel?"  

	"Wow, Krackel's so cool!"  

	"He'd only help someone trustworthy."  

	"What would he want to tell us?"

	Riesen smiled.  This would be too easy.  He raised his voice above the buzz
of the crowd.  "It's about the Warrior Priestesses..."

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	It was several hours later that the Crystal Warriors finally reached the
town.  Kit Kat was waiting for the group on the outskirts, somehow managing
to give off an aura of boredom as he sat, bathed in the light of the setting sun.

	Kyouji scowled at the carret.  "Sorry to keep you waiting.  We can't all run
like we're on a perpetual sugar high."

	Tsugiko eyed the rather unimpressive series of small buildings before them.
"This can't be the place where we can get the crystal fixed... can it?"

	Even Yumi seemed slightly worried.  "Maybe there's someone like Patty here?
Kit Kat wouldn't lead us to the wrong place, right, Kit Kat?"

	The little carret looked up at Yumi from his resting place.  The expression
on his face, such as it was, seemed to say "Your call."

	Kyouji walked over to the two girls, abandoning his annoyance at his furry 
tormentor for the moment.  "Well, I guess we'll just have to find someone who can give
us some information.  If there's somebody who can help us, they're probably going to
be well known."

	Shaky as the logic was, it was something to hope for.  Yumi's cheerful smile
returned, in all of its optimistic glory.  "Okay!  We'll split up and come back here
once we find out something that can help Tsugiko-chan!"

	Tsugiko smiled back, but her worry still showed through it.  "Thanks, Yumi.
I guess we'd better get started, then."

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	Yumi walked down what passed for a street in the town, Kit Kat trotting beside
her.  So far, she still hadn't had any luck even talking to anyone, let alone getting
any useful information.  Most people turned away or slammed their doors at the first
sight of her crystal.  "Kit Kat... why does everyone act like we're the enemy?  It's
just like in the Black Forrest... Don't they know we're the ones who are supposed to
save them and Mars?"
	Yumi sat down and leaned up against the side of a building, gathering Kit Kat
up in a hug.  Had Tsugiko been there, she would have been surprised to see the girl
crying.

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	Krackel appeared in a small bedroom with a flash of light.  He gave a
cursory glance about the room to make sure everything was the same, and that nobody
had disturbed his sister.  Not that they'd dare.  He knelt beside the bed in front
of him, looking at the frail girl lying there.  "Rollo... I won't let you die."

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	"Warrior Priestesses?  You realize that you're not a girl, don't you?"

	Kyouji fumed as the laughing villager walked off.  "I bet Yumi and Tsugiko are 
having an easier time at this."

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	Tsugiko glared at the door, the latest that had been slammed in her face.
"What's going on here?  The people used to want to help us... but now they're all
against us or afraid that Wintergreen will burn them to the ground if they lift a
finger."  She looked at the next house before her.  Light was coming through the slits
of the window shutters, so someone was probably home.  "Should I even bother?  They'll
probably just-"

	Tsugiko's thoughts were interupted as a brilliant flash suddenly shone through
the windows.  "What was that?  Should I get Kyouji and Yumi?  No, probably not enough
time."  Tsugiko edged over to one of the windows and peered inside.  While she couldn't
see much with the shutters in the way, she could make out a large form crouched over
something inside.

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	Krackel continued to watch his sister.  She didn't seem to be in an exceptional
amount of pain right now.  Her eyes were shut tightly, and she tossed in her sleep, but
she wasn't crying out or giving any other indication of pain, not like the way she did
when Wintergreen was trying to make a point.  

	A rattle at the window drew his attention away from the sick girl.  Acting on
reflex, he shifted his position and lashed out with a foot, shattering the window and
catching the trespasser with a glancing blow.  Hoping he'd stunned his opponent, he
left the room and reached the front door in three quick strides.  Bursting outside and
drawing his sword, he was surprised to see one of the Crystal Warriors staggering away
from the window, clutching the side of her head. 

	"You have perfect timing.  I'll make this quick."  With that, he rushed towards
the girl.

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	Kyouji had just about had enough of being mocked by the people he was trying to
ask for help.  "One more.  Then I'll go find Tsugiko and Yumi.  Hope they had better
luck..."  Just as he was about to knock on the door, something tugged at his mind.
"What... Tsugiko?"  
	Looking wildly around for the source of his premonition of danger, he saw the
cloud of debris flying towards him just in time to hit the dirt.  While nothing big hit
him, he felt a sudden gust of wind that threatened to tear him off the ground.  When he
looked up, he saw a panting Tsugiko facing off against a huge swordsman.  "Is that...
Krackel?  How'd he get here?" Shaking himself out of his shock, he leapt to his feet 
and threw a swarm electrified poppies at Tsugiko's assailant, deflecting the sword just
enough for Tsugiko to dodge.

	"Kyouji!  Go find Yumi while I hold him off!"  Tsugiko barely blocked another
massive blow with her hammer.

	"Are you crazy?"  Kyouji drew his own sword and got into a ready stance.
"I'm not going to let this guy kill you!"

	"I can handle him, for now!  Get Yumi, so we can have a chance!"  Tsugiko leapt
at Krackel, green flames surrounding the head of her hammer.

	Kyouji froze for a moment.  "I can't let her just get herself killed... but if
I stay, Tsugiko will just think I can't trust her to do anything on her own."  His mind
made up, Kyouji dashed off to find the last Crystal Warrior.

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	Tsugiko narrowly evaded another slash from Krackel, but he was already attacking
again before she could get a blow in.  She wasn't seriously injured so far, but she was
nearly exhausted, and she hadn't even touched Krackel once.  "I just need to stall until
Kyouji and Yumi get back, so..." Tsugiko blocked another blow, then turned and ran between
two houses.

	Behind her, she could hear Krackel tearing up anything in his path.  "But at
least he isn't sending any wind at me anymore... why not?"  Tsugiko jumped out from
between the houses onto the road, just as Krackels sword came crashing down where she'd
been.  Looking around for cover, she realized they'd circled back to where they'd started.

	Tsugiko turned and glared at Krackel as he stepped out of the tight path.
"Hey!  Just what were you doing in that house, anyways?  Killing someone else?"

	Krackel narrowed his eyes.  "I live here.  You were the one trespassing."

	Tsugiko blinked.  "Well, I guess if the Twixes can have hobbies, he can have
a house.  Is that why he's not using those bigger attacks?  There's something important
in there?"  Her pondering nearly cost her the fight as Krackel lunged forward.  She
managed to dodge to the side in time to avoid being impaled, but the blade still
grazed her.  "Why are you doing this, anyway?"

	Krackel regarded her coldly for a second, then drew his weapon back for another
blow.  Before he could strike, a beam of pink energy caught him in the side, followed by
a barrage of poppies directed at his face.  The big warrior turned to face his 
assailants, turning aside Kyouji's sword and simply blocking Yumi's second blast with
the flat of his blade

	Tsugiko tried to ignite the flames around her hammer again, but the energy
wasn't there.  Readying herself for a more conventional attack, she saw movement out of
the corner of her eye.  Through the broken window of the house that apparently belonged
to Krackel, she saw a pale girl thrashing in bed.  Tsugiko found her temper rising, and
green flames began to flicker around her weapon.  "Krackel!" she yelled, "What did you
do to that girl?"

	Krackel whirled in Tsugiko's direction, knocking Kyouji to the ground with his
fist while he did so.  He cried out upon seeing the girl.  "Rollo!"

	The three Crystal Warriors all blinked.  "Ano... who's Rollo?" Yumi asked
quizzically.

	Krackel turned back to his opponents.  "My sister.  And if you don't die,
she will."  A cold wind suddenly began to blow, and he raised his sword.  "Goodbye." 
He was caught off guard when Yumi dropped her arms to her sides.  "I'm sorry.  I can't
spare you, even if you give up."  Then he saw her running towards the house.  "Hey!"

	"Yumi!  What're you doing?"  Kyouji scrambled to his feet and ran towards
Krackel, but was slapped to the ground again.

	"Get away from her!"

	Kyouji and Tsugiko turned to see an enraged Krackel charging towards Yumi,
but she managed to quickly squeeze through the hole of the former window before he
reached her.  Krackel cut away the remains of the wall with his sword and started
to climb through.  Kyouji and Tsugiko rushed towards him, but stopped when they saw
what was happening.

	"If you hurt..." Krackel trailed off, his sword falling from his hand.
Yumi was kneeling over the girl, a warm pink glow being emitted by her wand and
covering the girl.

	"Wintergreen... she's HURTING her!" Yumi all but snarled, causing Tsugiko
to nearly collapse from shock.  "She CAN'T!"  The crystal in Yumi's forehead began
to glow brilliantly, blinding Krackel and the two Crystal Warriors.

	When the light faded away, Tsugiko saw that Yumi had collapsed over the
girl, but was still breathing.  Krackel simply stared as the smaller girls eyes
fluttered open.

	"B-brother?" Rollo asked, staring at the destruction in confusion.

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Authors Last Will and T-er, Notes:

	Gwaaaagh.  Losing five days to write because of final exams sucks.  But
somehow, I still managed to finish this, and it's my longest part ever, by a large
margin. ^_^;;  And I swear I'll start earlier the next time I write a part... but
I believe I said that last time. ^_^;;

	Thanks to Ard and Brett for prereading, suggestions, and moral support.
Thanks also to Kurt for naming the town, when I realized my original idea was
redundant.  More thanks to Ard for being an understanding Admin. ^_^

	I'm sorry about the ending.  I wanted to write more, but I ran out of time.
And the scary thing is, I'll probably sign up again.  Guess I have some deep
seated masochistic tendencies or something. :P

	Thanks for reading.  Comments would be appreciated? :P

	Now, I can go and die in peace. X_X

Dave Larmour
April 22, 2001