"AAARRRGH!"
    Ryoko frowned and peered around.  Seeing nobody in
the darkness, she shrugged.  *Must be another of those
weird monster-thingies Kuno always has lying
around...*

***

"AAARRRGH!  LEAVE ME ALONE!  I DON'T HAVE YOUR
PRECIOUS KAYLA!" screamed Kailan as he dodged Kuno's
attacks.

***

     Ryoko kicked a rock.  She watched it roll further
into the darkness around her until she couldn't see it
any longer.  When that didn't ease her frustration and
growing anger, she slammed her fist into a tree.  As
expected, the tree broke in half and crumpled to the
floor.  When that still didn't ease her dangerously
high levels of frustration... she counted to ten.
"1... 2... 3..."  *What the hell is an indoor forest
doing in here?*  "4... 5..."  *How come I've never
seen it?*  "6..."  *Don't tell me I'm becoming like
RYOUGA?!*  "_7_..."  *I want out!  I don't care
anymore what Kuno has!*  "__8__..."  *Damn this
mansion!*  "Ah, forget this!" she shouted, taking off
in full speed.  Soon, she noticed she was headed
towards a large, strong looking wall.
     The wall shattered and Ryoko was freed into a
small alleyway.  She screeched to a halt, jumping up
to avoid hitting the brick wall that was the other
side of the alley.  Landing on top of the wall, she
took a breath of fresh air.
"So much better!"  Stretching, she looked around. 
"Mm.. It's evening.... I wonder whatever happened to
Azel?"  Ryoko shrugged.  "Not my fault.  She went off
on her own.  Lessee... hrm."  She looked at herself. 
"Stupid cheap, easily ripped dress.  I can't go around
half-naked like this.  But I can't go home."  She
frowned.  "Ah!" suddenly filled with inspiration, she
snapped her fingers and dashed off, hopping off the
wall and running through the street, earning looks
from the crowd, especially the perverted guys.
     The pool was deserted.  Of course, it was
nighttime, but still, nobody was around and that was
good.  Ryoko stripped off what was left of her clothes
and dived in.  Immediately, she burst out into the
air, fully in hawk form.  Landing on a diving board,
she quickly preened her feathers and flew off.
*Just great.  Now I have no purpose.  No goal... yet. 
I know!*  She chirped happily.  *Pestering Shampoo is
always a good thing!*