Disclaimer: Nope, don't own them, U_U; they all belong to Sammy, Arc systems, and the rock-music-loving director, Daisuki Ishiwatari! Wish I had pretty little Baiken though. O' well… =(
I only have (GGX-PLUS) so I really don't know the differences between it and the original GGX or what had been added in GGX2, so incase of important plot feed-back, please tell me, or leave a simple, humble review, alright? Arigatou! (Thanks!) I've read a few faqs and I think I've gathered some info that would help me build up this fic…
Oh, and another thing! Since Baiken and Anji are originally Japanese, (And my Japanese is fairly poor ^^;) I'll be using as much Japanese words as possible, there would be definitions at the end of each chapter when available. If you find spelling/grammar mistakes, forgive me, I don't have a beta reader to help. And I know the point of when Anji calls Baiken sis, they aren't blood related, so you really don't have to point that out…
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Chapter One:
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It was rainy and cloudy that night in the dark, thick, dark green, shroud of a forest, and it didn't look like the moon was going to appear any time near either. It was dark, with a windy weather, clearly a sign of an upcoming rainstorm, and the puddles down that old abandoned road sung along with the pitter-patter of rain. Weeds and old dead tree-leaves fell into them, and that murky water didn't make things look any better.
But then she simply walked down that road, her feet splashing water as she stepped into the puddles within her path, no matter how wet and cold the weather was, she was confidante that if she kept on her way, she would eventually meet 'that man' and avenge her family's death, as well her country's elimination. She had traveled for quite a long distance, for many years, and she was feeling tired and soaked, the wet, cold hearted storm didn't make seeing her path easy, and after all, all she had was one eye, one arm, and a trusty katana.
Not forgetting a few tricks under her sleeve, literally, plus a smocking-pipe and a small bottle of sake just in case she felt like drowning herself in her worries. Talking about drowning, she stopped in the middle of that storm, that had started to thin out by pass-midnight, at the clearing at end of that forest, as she felt the stinging feeling of someone staring at her in the back of her head, so in an instant, she jumped, her feet collided bouncing off a tree, dodging a ball of flame.
"Who's there?" Baiken cried in a snarl, her voice lost in the thinning thundering storm.
"You're pretty quick for a wet cat." A deep chuckling voice taunted, and the figure of a wide shouldered man in belts, red and black clothes walked out from the shadows, a hard-edged sword with some sort of fire-seal at hand.
"A** H***! What do you want?" she spat, angry at his sudden attack.
"Feh…" his nose crinkled in disgust, "Pretty rude for a woman." He shifted up the sword, as if licking the blade; "This ought to be a piece of cake!" he smiled, his eyes leering at her from under that bandana placed over his temple.
"A Gear…?" Baiken realized it, and then positioned for battle, but before she could tell his first attack, thunder struck and hit the tree that was right besides her, sending her slamming, head first, into a huge boulder.
"Sh**!" The Gear hissed, "That stupid lightning bolt just ruined my fun!" he glared up at the sky, and then down at the unconscious woman.
Baiken had hit her head so hard, she blacked out in an instant, so as the Gear admired her cleavage, he jerked around, and up towards the sky, seeing a fleet of planes that belonged to the 'Holy Order' soaring right above them. With a snarl, he watched the plane as it headed to a different direction from the road he was taking. With one last look down at the woman, he carelessly shrugged and stormed after the plane.
"Time to trash some tea-cups!" he chuckled.
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Anji Mito, was, as usual, strolling his way through the forest that morning, with that ridiculously-happy smile on his face, hot on the trail of the 'Holy Orders' fleet. He had to meet up with the one in command, one with blond hair, white and blue garments and a thunder sword, in effort that he might collect some information about 'that man' and understand the life of Gears better.
But his ridicules smile was soon washed away at the sight of a woman, unconsciously leaning back on a huge boulder, a cursed stream of blood trailed down her forelock and across her face, adding a new line on her pale skin, dripping its red liquid on her bosom, and eventually between her breasts. The injury seemed old because her clothes were damp and the blood was dark and was stuck to her skin.
"Probably from last night…" He assumed, and so he walked closer, eventually recognizing her and his Sis, Baiken.
Startled at this, Anji inspected her carefully for any other injuries, he found a few bruises on her back, and some small cuts on her bosom from what seemed an explosion. He scooped her in both arms and headed towards the nearest village he could find, hopefully thinking that she wouldn't sent a fist to his face when she realizes that he touched her, or gotten near her for that matter. Knowing her, she'd beat the sh**iest sh** out of him, and then turn to her mood swing and ask 'What happened?'
Anji made his way up through the forest, to a small clearing at a hill, and then gazed across the canvas, right then, he saw a line of grey smoke from a chimney, that was at a lone little cabin, and an old woman at a small vegetable garden near the house, obviously scoring the ground from all the rain that pour the earlier night. There was also a horse, a few hens, four lambs… well, one mutton, two sheep's and a little lamb to be precise… and a sheepdog. With no hesitation, Anji made his way down the rocky path and towards the woman's house.
"Ohayo, my good woman!" he greeted gingerly, but she didn't hear him; instead, he was greeted by an angry dog.
The dog seemed old as well, but it's barking proved otherwise, it was loud and quite rowdy.
The old woman turned from her garden to see what her dog was barking at. "…?"
She was obviously in her late seventies, her hair under a hay-made hat, her sleeves flipped all the way up her elbows. She was thin and slender, a few wrinkles on the face here and there, never the less, she seemed to be taking care of herself just fine. The woman gasped at the sight or the redheaded woman in the man's arms, quickly putting down her gardening tools and hurried towards him after shushing her dog.
"Oh-my…! Is she alright?"
"I hope so," he softly smiled; "Could you please direct me to the nearest town? I need to find a medic." he asked politely.
"Well now," the woman smiled, "You're quite lucky my boy, it just so happens that there is a doctor at my house right now." She placed a hand on the back of his arm and pushed him lightly, guiding him towards her house, "It was raining badly last night and he needed a place to stay, so I assume he could help."
"Thank God." Anji smiled and made his way, with Baiken still in his arms, towards the house.
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"Why hello!" a 9'3 foot man greeted, only one eye peeked through the single hole that was poked through the paper bag he had on his head. He wore long white doctor-like clothes, and a spear like thing was propped near the fireplace,
(Sweat drop) "Faust…?" Anji blinked, a nervous grin attached, "My-my… what a coincidence meeting with you here, no?" he chuckled.
"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Faust titled his head, being quite friendly.
When Faust noticed Baiken, injured and in the dancer's arms, he stared up in a questioning gaze, so Anji explained what he knew had happened. The tall man thought that it would be better to nurse the warrior woman, knowing she would probably obliterate him for it, but he didn't care, as long as he got to help her, he didn't care at all.
And besides! He had always wanted to feel her! This red-headed warrior had always turned him on! All he had to do was discard the dancer for a few minutes that's all! Sadly, as attempting as it was, Faust didn't do it… he was here to save her life, not screw her! So, he took out his medical equipment, and with assistance of the old woman, because Anji couldn't bear to watch his sis half-naked, he left the cabin, so Faust carried on his work.
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About an hour later, the old woman walked out, soon followed by Faust, and they both saw Anji sitting at a porch, one leg tucked under while the other stretched outwards, sandals off, his fan at one hand, while the other hand lazed in his lap, sitting under the shade, cooling himself, while the dog sat back guarding the four lambs, and the horse was nibbling on some long grass near the house, away from the vegetable garden.
Baiken was placed in a nice, cozy and quiet room, fast asleep. Faust had wrapped up her body in white bandages form shoulder blades till her hips, never daring to go any lower, and left her to rest. The cabin was a one-floor cabin, as it only had two rooms, a kitchen and a living room. As small and humble, the woman was living by her self because her children left to the big city, and her husband died a few years ago. It was noon when they realized it, so the old woman invited the two for lunch, and they appreciatively accepted.
"My I must admit, you are such a discriminating cook! Never in all my travels have I tasted something so unique!" Anji praised, pointing to his meal with the chopsticks. "I must to know what you put in it!"
"Oh-sorry!" she nodded, "That's a family secret." She smiled, "Would you like some more?" she offered.
"I'd appreciate it." He nodded, a gentle smile on his face, "I don't remember the last time I have eaten something and couldn't get enough of it in my life." He commented as he started to eat once more.
"You could sure say that again!" Faust gobbled his meal, not bothering to the spoon or chopsticks offered, but simply dumping the meal into his mouth directly.
(Sweat drop/Smile) "For someone so tall and thin, you sure have a big appetite." The dancer clad in blue commented; watching the tall doctor scoop the rice in his bowl, dump it in his mouth, and so on, over and over and over.
Scoop after scoop after scoop, till the rice was all gone, so with a disappointed 'Humph!' he grabbed a discarded bowl and was about to dump it in when Anji cried--
"Faust-NO! That's--!"
Gulp…
____
|Q | "!!!" (It's Faust's face incase you haven't noticed. ^_^;;)
(Steam started hissing from under the paper bag as his face went bloody red.)
AHH!!!!! (Flames shot from his mouth in every which way.)
"--the spicing…" Anji sighed.
The tall man dashed out, swiping the dog, hens and four lambs off their feet, plus startling the horse, in a mad rush towards a well, and clutched a filled pail of water, dumping it into his mouth, gulping it down quickly.
Anji and the old woman both laughed, humored by the silly man's mistake, so, Faust saw the humor in that, and started laughing as well. As for the dog, hens, horse, and four lambs, they all had the look that said, 'Humans can sure be wired sometimes…' they shook their heads in pity.
Right then, the dog jerked around and barked twice and his tail wagged, noticing a familiar presence.
"…?" Anji grinned and stared at the dog, looking somewhere beyond them, so he turned, his black orbs fixed to pink.
The warrior-woman stood there, hair spread over her shoulders, silent and looking quite confused, almost like a lost little child, as only one sleeve was at place over her shoulder, while her other arm was exposed for everyone to see. Luckily, the bandages had served her a free chip-sleeved shirt, hiding her curves and injuries.
"Where am I?" her soft, yet quivering voice, whispered to the blue-clad man.
"Baiken! What are you doing out of bed?" he softly smiled, uncontrollably flushing at her marvelously-marble face as the red hair framed it in an odd, yet beautiful way, and reached to hold her fine hand, at the same time, prying that she wont send it to his nose or spectacles for that matter.
"…" she didn't reject him, and he held her needle-thin, fragile fingers in his. She looked down at their hands, and then back up at him, slightly flushing, so instead of blowing up in her known temper, she tilted her head in confusion, "Baiken? Is that my name?" she asked.
Anji was struck speechless, yet a silly grin attached. Baiken's hit must've given her amnesia, and she didn't remember what had happened, so is that a curse or bliss? Well, whatever it is, he has to take care of it. But first things first, he has to fix her tilted sleeve; it was showing too much, but he way too shy to actually do it.
"Allow me." The old woman smiled, acknowledging the blue-clad man's shyness, and pulled the redheaded woman's hand into the sleeve, and adjusting the garment, and took out a small pin from her hair to fasten the garments neck-lice over her bosom, tucking it, in which there was no cleavage. "There." She smiled.
"Um… Arigatou…" Anji nodded, smiling yet nervous.
The old woman arched a brow, and was just about to say something to Anji when Faust interrupted.
"Fascinating!" Faust commented, touching Baiken's forehead with two fingers, "She appears the same, but behaves quite differently."
"Huh?" Baiken only blinked and tilted her head, looking up at the doctor "You're pretty tall…" she noted, amazement in her voice.
"…" Faust blinked at her twice, and then at Anji, and then comically pulled the blue-clad man in front of her, "Do you remember him?"
"Him…?" she gazed at the sweating, nervously-grinning, yet paralyzed, blue-clad dancer, then slightly smirked, "Cute, and kind of familiar, but no… I can't pinpoint a name." she knotted her brows, thinking.
(Doki-Doki!!) "Cute?" Anji quickly lightened up, "You really think so?" he ridiculously grinned.
Pressing her lips in an attempt to suppress a smile, she nodded, slightly blushing.
"(Stupid grin)" Anji drew a hand on her back and guided her back into the cabin. "Well then, allow me to introduce everyone," he began, "this is Faust, he's a doctor and he looked over your injuries."
Faust smiled, somehow from under that paper bag, and nodded. "Yo~!" he greeted.
"And this is the kind woman who took us in, she allowed us to stay here till you recover."
"You can stay as much as you like, young ones." The woman smiled.
"Arigatou…" Baiken nodded, and then turned to the blue-clad man, "And who are you?"
"Me? I'm Anji… your Nii-san." He informed with a friendly smile.
And she only stared into his black orbs… slightly smiling back…
~*~*~*~*~*~
Definitions:
Arigatou: Thank you.
Nii-san: Brother. (But if with an 'e' as in 'Nee-chan' then its sister)
Ohayo: Good morning.
Doki-Doki: (Heartbeats) it's a sound effect. ^^;