A/N: Okay, I thought the manga was great and everything, but come on! No real love story for Train? I mean the poor guy needs someone to snuggle with. So... This was made intended to continue after the duration of the Manga (not anime). And it basically introduces a lady into Train's eyes. (Sorry, but you don't meet her in this chapter though...)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy. It took me forever to edit this and I'm still not completely pleased with it... So read, and review. Honestly constructive criticism is much appreciated.

Romance for a Cat

Chapter one

"Who's This?"

"Gina, get table three, will ya?" called a middle-aged man from behind the bar. The apron he wore was frayed at the edges, showing extensive use. He was cleaning a glass as he observed the café with alert brown eyes. He had the gift of knowing exactly when customers were ready to order.

A girl turned when her name was called, long locks of wavy brown hair flipped in a ponytail as she did so. At a first glance she appeared to be in her late teens, new to the 18-year-old adult life style. Underneath thin, wire glasses, light blue irises full of friendliness and gentle knowledge, looked out over the café.

"Okay, James!" she called back brightly, natural pink lips accenting a pale face. As she walked to the table in question, a baby blue waitress skirt swished around her. She paused at a window seat booth where three people were seated.

"Hello, I am Gina, your waitress for this morning. Would you like to order any drinks?" Gina asked politely and taking out a notepad.

"Yes," said a man, looking to be the oldest of the three. Appearing to be in his thirties, he wore a cream suit, along with a matching hat, plucked upon near shoulder length green hair. Across his right eye was a black eye-patch.

"I'd like a coffee please; black and steaming."

"Milk, please," said a younger man in his early twenties sitting across from him. His brown hair was ruffled and almost covered stunning golden eyes. Underneath a dark blue vest, he wore a long sleeve cream-colored shirt. It was loose, but perfectly outlined his slim, muscled frame. A tattoo could be seen hiding underneath an open flap of cloth on the right part of his chest. Strapped on the thigh of his dark pants, was a gun holster. He gave Gina a small, but warm smile before turning to a young girl seated next to him.

"And, what would you like Princess?" he asked, giving her a sweet but slightly sarcastic look. She gave him an annoyed glance, violet eyes narrowing. This girl couldn't have been older then thirteen. She tossed her short golden hair and looked up at Gina.

"Soda, please."

"Okay, coming right up." Gina placed her pad back into her pocket and walked back toward the counter.

--

"So, do we have any new jobs?" asked the younger man. His partner sighed.

"Yes, Train… but it's only a small fry," he replied sourly.

"We still have debt to pay…" the girl muttered, her tone similar to that of a reminding mother.

"Eve, don't say that out loud! It's embarrassing as it is."

"Sorry Sven, but you could get us more jobs," Train said, hiding a snicker. At that moment Gina returned, carrying their drinks.

"Are you guys Sweepers?" she asked. Similar travelers – who had come before them, with similar stories – were often that, Bounty Hunters. Sweepers had become the common term, used in a sense that they swept away criminals. Gina set the soda, coffee, and milk down with a small clunk on the polished wooden table.

"Yeah," Train answered. He took his milk and chugged it, finishing in record time. He set the empty bottle down, and leaned back, at ease.

"It fits our lifestyle," Sven said giving Gina a searching gaze from underneath his hat. Gina nodded in understanding. She knew the type that drifted, appearing more then once in this café. She reached into her pocket again and drew out a small booklet. She held it out to a surprised Sven.

"Here, it's a booklet of people with bounties on their head as of this month. It should come in handy." She grinned. Sven took it, the paper cool to the touch. He flipped through it, and then looked up at her with a quizzical look on his face.

"As the gentleman that I am, I must ask, why would a lady, such as yourself, have something like this in her possession?"

"I'm a Sweeper as well."

"Why are you a Sweeper if you have this steady job?" Train asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"I like the double income," she replied. "And then, there's the thrill of catching some criminal, that's satisfying. Much better then staying at this place, serving people all day. It's easier with two part-time jobs." She smiled and walked to another to another table that she was hosting.

"I couldn't agree more with that waitress," Sven said chuckling. He took a sip of his coffee, the hot bitter liquid oddly refreshing as it ran down his throat.

"Train, can I see the book she left?" inquired Eve as she set her soda down.

"Sure Princess."

Eve examined the booklet, almost cheerfully. Her eyes scanned the mug shots of each criminal, making certain points when she found distinguishing marks. She made a mental note to lookout for them, using her implanted talent of a photographic memory. She never had to read the same book twice. She felt the nano-machines within her body spark slightly.

--

Gina slipped past a group of guffawing customers to come again to their table again.

"Would you like to order anything?" she asked as the noise behind her increased.

"Do you have any really large, but… really, really cheap plates?" asked Train, his tone hopeful and eyes bright. Sven chuckled as he lit a cigarette.

"Yes, we actually do, I shall get you one, and no smoking in this area of the café." She turned quickly and went behind the bar, and into the kitchen.

Train sighed and yawned. "Remember what they gave us at the last place? Sure, they were okay… but I mean, bread crusts?"

"Here." Gina was in front of them again. She set down a heaping plate full of soft bread crusts, an amused glimmer in her eyes.

"Bread crusts…" Train moaned. Gina raised her eyebrow.

"You want real food? Do you have money?" She gave a sly smile.

Train mocked a childish pout. "Fine, be that way," he mumbled tossing one of the sliced edges of bread into his mouth. Gina smirked and sat down next to Sven.

"So, what are your names? I'm on break."

"I thought you overheard our conversations, but I'm Sven Volfied, that there is Train Heartnet, and this is Eve."

"Pleased to officially meet you," Gina said as she smiled softly at each of them. It was best to become friends in her opinion; it would be safer that way if they met on a sweep job. Her eyes rested on Train, flickering from his cat like eyes, to the tattoo hiding on his chest, then to the gun holster.

"I see your gun is of extraordinary craftsmanship," she said as her eyes inspected the black metal, visible through the holster. "I think I recognize it! May I take a look at it?" she tentatively held out her hand. Train raised his eyebrow, apparently not expecting the request.

"Okay…"

He delicately unbuckled it and handed it to her, letting the cold metal slide off his hand. The former assassin exchanged a swift glance with Sven, who merely shrugged. Gina let out an exclamation of pleasure.

"Oh! Very nice… I heard Chronos made it… Eh, Hades right? I like it! Exceptionally well finished." Gina put her finger through the trigger, letting it dangle there. She inspected it with a professional eye.

"Well balanced."

She tossed the gun in the air and, with precision, caught the handle and pointed it toward the gap between Train and Eve.

"But, it's a few kilograms too heavy in the front, for me anyway."

She flipped it again, and offered the handle back to Train. He took it, looking a little amazed.

"Most people recognize me from the roman numeral thirteen tattoo on my chest… that I wear proudly!" he smiled and moved the flap of cloth away, showing it to her.

"You used to be an assassin, correct? I do a lot of research… uh… if I may ask, why does Sven have an eye patch?" she asked looking over at him curiously. Sven happened to be trying to light another cigarette. She took it out of his mouth and smothered it in the cream saucer.

Train cast an eye to Sven, asking for permission to spill his secrets. Sven glanced at Gina, inspected her for a moment, and then nodded.

"To hide his vision eye. I guess you know all of my secrets."

"A little, but not all of it. I learn things from overhearing customers and by mouth… not exactly the best idea of course, but still… I learn a lot of interesting news. No telling how much of it is true, of course," she said with a grin.

"Here, let me change out of my uniform. My shift is over… until the evening." She stood up and walked to an 'Employees Only' door. When she returned, less then five minutes later her apparel had changed severely. She was now wearing long jeans, along with a black shirt that was too sort, revealing a tight midriff. Her hair was out and loose, falling luxuriously over her shoulders.

As she walked by, it was hard not to notice a few of the male customers raise their eyebrows and the smirks of delight as their eyes rested on her. She sat down again next to Sven; both he and Train looked a little startled.

Eve looked up from the mug shot booklet she had been poring over. "Why are you dressed like that?" she asked curiously.

"Cause, it's what I normally wear, and I'm probably going to hunt after we've finished here." She stretched her arms and stifled a yawn.

"Aren't you going to get cold, dressed like that?" Eve asked, a puzzled expression upon her face as she surveyed Gina's large amount of exposed skin.

"I've never gotten sick." Gina smiled and leaned closer to her, an innocent look on. "Why? You think I should wear more?" she asked.

Eve shrugged, the curiousness fading as she looked back at the booklet. She couldn't be interested in it for very long, it was her business about how she dressed.

"Well, I always say, better safe then sorry," said Sven shrugging. Train shot him a bewildered look.

"When did you start saying that?"

"Now."

Gina burst into laughter, giggling at their amusing everyday chatter. "What? Don't I look hot in this outfit?" she asked.

Feeling a little flirtatious, a smirk curled around her lips. She flicked Sven's hat, causing it to fall back and off his head. He managed to catch it before it fell to the ground. He put it on again, meeting her eyes.

"As a gentlemen, I do not use that term." He coughed and continued, "But you are a fine young lady."

Gina leaned back in her seat, feeling comfortable against the soft leather. She crossed her legs and folded her arms. Gentlemen were often very hard to charm, or at least… she chuckled. The loser perverts were more fun… but a challenge? Interesting.

"So, do you guys have any plans?" she asked changing the subject.

"Yeah, get the bounty for the guys we catch, and try not to spend it all," Sven answered. Train was busy eating bread crusts again.

"Well, most of them should be really easy. They are either at a red light district, a bar, some gang hangout, or being stupid and trying to buy drugs," Gina said with an air of knowing the area.

Sven scratched his chin. "We don't have problems with the catch. Our favorite is the big timers… a challenge. Just, sometimes they aren't caught in perfect condition or there are complications, or… this idiot eats too much and too quickly for our budget."

Sven cast an irritated eye at Train, who was eating, did not notice. Gina borrowed the booklet from Eve and flipped through it for a moment.

"There is a 20,000 here in town…" she trailed off and glanced up at them. By the looks on their faces, they were less then pleased.

"A 20,000? You call that a big catch? You have got to be kidding me! A 50,000 is a small catch for us," Train exclaimed, finally looking up from his near demolished plate of bread crusts.

"Well, I didn't say it was big, did I?" Gina said sourly. "In a town a few miles out, there is a 200,000 we could hit."

"Now, that's more like it!" Train slapped his hands together in anticipation.

"After we finish this town, we'll go get him," Sven said.

Gina nodded in agreement, as if she was officially part of their trio. "Well, see ya. I've gotta go get me some money," she said cheerfully, standing up. She walked to the door, grabbed a black vest and hat from the coat stand and left, shutting the door softly.

--

"Well, that was interesting," said Sven, leaning back in his seat.

"Hum? Yeah, sure." Train began to finish off the bread crusts. It was a real wonder that he never gained any weight from the enormous amount of food that he consumed.

"She's interesting," said Eve.

"Well, shall we go then?"

"When I'mma done!" Train managed to choke out, his mouth full.

"If we wait until your done, we'll be stuck here for hours," said Eve, a hint of a tease in her voice.

"Don't worry Eve, he'll be done soon," said Sven as he surveyed Train's quickly emptying plate. Sven drained his coffee. The instant he set down the empty cup Train stood, his plate cleared.

"Well, I'm done. Let's go get that bounty before the lady catches him!"

"Indeed, lets go," said Sven and he dropped a few bills on their table as they left.

--

Gina walked through the crowd that had come upon the sidewalk. The sun above sent a heat wave down, beckoning the public outside. Men loosened their ties and teenage boys stripped their sweatshirts. She felt at ease, the perfect temperature. In her hand, she held the mug shot of man, in his early twenties. Chris Broken was a shoplifter. Not a high bounty, but no harm in easy cash. She glanced down at it again as she inspected the faces of a group of men, talking in excited tones. No luck.

"Should I try a bar?" she muttered absently to herself. Distracted, she looked up, and spotted Sven, Train, and Eve walking casually towards her.

"Hello, Gina, how goes it?" Sven asked tipping his hat toward her. Despite the weather, he hadn't taken off his suit jacket.

"Goes good, I'm thinking about trying a few bars… but I didn't think I'd find you guys here." She placed the mug shot into her back pocket and joined them, walking down the street, her blue eyes occasionally studying the men that passed.

"Well, it's a small town, easy to bump into familiar faces," Sven shrugged. Eve nodded in agreement smiling. Gina had passed as trustworthy enough. Train suddenly glanced over his shoulder, his muscles tense, catlike pupils narrowing. The troop stopped.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," Train responded, turning back to them with a reassuring smile, though still tense. Sven eyed him for a moment, and then nodded and they began walking again.

Gina turned to speak to Train, but he had gone. She looked behind her. Not even his retreating back visible through the crowd.

"What the? Where did Train go?"

"He disappears often," Sven told her, not giving it a second thought. It happened far too often for it to be of notice, especially after three years.

"Maybe he saw a girl," Eve suggested with a smirk. Sven roared with laughter causing passerby's to stare.

"The day a girl catches Train's eye is the day all Hell is breaking loose!"

"Don't underestimate the power of a woman Mr. Sven, We can work in odd and powerful ways," Gina said slyly. Sven chuckled.

"Well, she'll have to be something special."