Author's Notes: Hey! I'd like 2 thank everyone who reviewed my first story! I'm thinking of making a sequel so I may change some of the words at the end so it makes sense. Not sure yet though. I'm in an extremely humourous mood today and I need a caffeine fix! I hope U like this little story. Don't ask me what I was on when I wrote it. I have yet 2 know. ^__^



HITOMI'S HITTING GAME

Hitomi looked out the window. It had been a really busy day. People were running around trying to help others after the war and she had some issues of her own. For one, she wondered what was up with Van. He had been ignoring her all day. Another thing was that she wondered if she should stay or go.

She sat down on a bench and thought. She really wanted to hit something. What to do. What to do. She thought. Just then Merle came walking in and stared at her oddly.

"What are you doing Hitomi?" She asked.

"Thinking." Hitomi said. She suddenly got an idea for a game that she could play to release all her stress.

"Hey, Merle? Do you want to play a game?"

"What kind of game?" Merle asked, curiously.

"Well, it's a game that my brother and his friends play. I think it'll be a great way to let everything out."

"How do you play?" Merle asked as she sat beside her. Hitomi made a fist and punched Merle's knee.

"Hey! What was that for?" Merle yelled as she rubbed her knee.

"That's how you play. I hit you then you hit me back harder and so on. It's called the hitting game. Guys usually play it to show how macho they are but I think it'll help relieve stress." Hitomi said.

"Ok then, fine." Merle said as she smacked Hitomi's knee. This went on for minutes until they smacked each other so hard that they both ended up on the floor.

Van walked in to see the two lying on the floor laughing so hard that their faces were bright red. He watched them for a moment wondering what could possibly be so funny. Merle looked up at him only to laugh harder at his clueless expression.

"Lord Van! Come play with us!" Merle yelled between giggles. Hitomi looked up to see Van and turned even redder.

"H-hi Van!" Hitomi said as she sat up on the floor. Van shook his he and continued to stare at the duo.

"No thanks Merle. I don't think I want to know what you two are up to." Van said.

"Watch!" Merle said as she punched Hitomi's knee.

"Merle! I wasn't ready! Ugh, you'll pay!" Hitomi said as she whacked her back twice as hard.

"Not likely!" Merle yelled as she smacked her back. Van was beginning to wonder if sorcerers had gotten to them. Hitomi noticed the weird looks Van was giving them and stood up to meet his gaze. Van thought she looked crazy.

"It's not what you think Van. It's a game that my brother and his friends play all the time. I think it's a guy thing but, it's kinda good to get rid of stress." Hitomi said. Van just blinked at her.

"Come on Van! Don't be such scaredy cat!" Merle teased.

"I'm not Merle. I just don't think it's a good idea."

"Don't worry Van. Sit." Hitomi said as they sat on the bench again.

"Hey, why do I have to sit in the middle?" Hitomi asked.

"Because I like hitting you!" Merle said, snickering.

"Ok so what do we do?" Van asked.

"Watch, it's not hard to figure out." Hitomi said. Merle whacked her knee again then Hitomi smacked Van's knee.

"Get it? Now when you go down the line you hit the person harder and harder. Usually the person stuck in the middle gets hit the most so be gentle." Hitomi said. Van would've love to get her back for the times she slapped him but, he knew he couldn't hit her. Just then, Allen came walking by.

"Hey Allen, come here!" Van yelled.

"What is it Van?" Allen asked.

"Hitomi had a great idea for a game. Wanna play?" Van asked.

"I really don't..."

"Come on Allen, it'll be fun." Hitomi said. She knew Van didn't want to hurt her but, she kept her mouth shut about it.

"Oh, alright. What is it?" Allen said. Van moved over so he could sit between him and Hitomi.

"Let's start again Hitomi. To...show Allen." Van said.

"Ok." Hitomi said as she allowed Merle to smack her again. She smacked Allen then looked at him.

"You hit Van a little harder than I hit you then Van starts." Hitomi explained. Allen smiled and whacked Van. Van took this to his advantage and cracked Allen's knee a good one. Might as well get him back for kissing Hitomi on that bridge. He thought. Allen turned to look at Hitomi and he too realized he couldn't hit her.

"What is it with you guys? I'm not gonna break if you hit my knee yah know." Hitomi said.

"I have a solution." Allen said.

"Oh, and what is that?" Hitomi asked with slight annoyance.

"Celena! Could you come here please?" Allen called.

"Ok, so you'll hit Celena but, you won't hit me? I'm offended Allen." Hitomi said.

"No, I won't hit Celena I'll..."

"You're kidding right?" Van asked.

"No, I'm serious. Celena has learned to control it somewhat." Allen said. Celena walked in and eyed the four.

"Yes brother?" She asked.

"We need your help Celena. See, Hitomi thought of a game and neither me or Van, being gentlemen, follow through so we were wondering if..."

"I see, you want me hit Hitomi for you. And you can hit..."

"Exactly." Allen said.

"Fine by me. I hope you can handle it though, brother." Celena said as she sat between Allen and Hitomi.

"Let the games begin!" Hitomi said, enthusiastically. Smack, smack! When Hitomi hit Celena she turned into Dilandau who smacked Allen. Allen smacked Van and he came up with another go reason for hitting Allen. This is for asking Hitomi to marry you. He thought. When Allen smacked Dilandau he turned back into Celena but, she smacked Hitomi across the face.

"Ahh! Hey that's not my knee!" Hitomi yelled, rubbing her face.

"Sorry it's not my fault. It must be one of his traits." Celena said, apologetically. Hitomi continued the course and found a nice spot on Merle's cheek.

"Hey!" Merle yelled.

"Sorry, Celena changed it. Think of it as payback for the day you smacked me when I tried to save Van." Hitomi said.

"Yeah well, take this!" Merle yelled as she smacked Hitomi across the face. Hitomi smacked Celena.

"This is more like it!" Dilandau yelled as he smacked Allen a good one. Allen looked at Van almost ashamed to be slapping anything let alone Van. He pictured something else then walloped Van. Van swung and hit Folken who had just shown up beside him.

"Brother, you're..."

"Yeah I know, don't mention it." Folken said.

"But how?" Van asked.

"I'm here to knock some sense in to you and, after you've gotten your share on me, it's my turn. I came here to tell you that you have to tell her." Folken said.

"Tell who what?" Van asked.

"Hitomi! Surely Allen's smack across the face must have left you with some brains Van." Folken said as he whacked Van across the back of his head. Van's hand rose up and he smacked Allen the same way. Celena hit Hitomi so hard that she fell off the bench.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Van told Folken as he faded away.

"Allen, are you sure she's safer than you or Van?" Hitomi asked as she sat in her seat again. Merle excepted hers and smacked Millerna who had just shown up.

"Merle! Millerna's not even playing!" Hitomi said.

"Oh, sorry Millerna I didn't realize what I was doing til it was too late." Merle said.

"It's forgiven but, what are you doing?" Millerna asked. Hitomi filled her in and she agreed to play too.

They played until they were so sore that they couldn't feel their knees or their faces. Hitomi had two red cheeks and two numb knees. Merle now had the same. Millerna had one sore knee and a red cheek. Celena had one red cheek and one purple cheek along with one really sore knee and one numb one. Allen had two purple cheeks and two sore knees. Van had a headache, one red cheek and a sore knee.

They all sank on the floor and laughed. Despite what they had felt before they were now happier. Even through this absurd little game they were having fun and letting out things they had kept in for so long. Well almost everyone but, that's another story altogether.



~The End~



Ok, that was messed! Really messed! I thought of this idea while I was lying in bed one morning. Yup, just woke up and already thinking weird ideas. My mom thought I was nuts when I came out of my room laughing.

As for the macho guy thing. Don't take offense 2 it cuz me and my friend play it all the time and we actually leave bruises on each other. It's all in fun though. I just had 2 make Hitomi say something like that.