Hi all! I'm gonna be working on this as well as my other fic. I'm trying to think of stuff for the next chapters, so I can get to the real plot soon, so here's a new Sano/Megumi fic for you to enjoy! They might be slightly OOC, and I tweaked their pasts to fit a modern setting (yup, another AU! I might do a non-AU one-shot soon, though...). The tweaked pasts won't come in for another coouple of chapters though.
Uh... I think that's all... Please enjoy!
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Double Negative
Chapter One: Rooster meets Fox
Everyone always says that two wrongs don't make a right. However it has always been accepted that two negatives make a positive. Whether you mean in math or in grammar, it's true. Conversely, people always say that opposites attract. In real life you do see two people of completely opposite personalities getting along just fine, and in science you certainly can't stick two north sides of a magnet together properly. But this story isn't about two people like that. Instead, let us all watch as these two negatives together make a positive.
^..^ + ' v '
Megumi sighed happily as she left the small downtown studio. She had just gotten a new modeling job for a new fashion designer, AND she didn't have to go to her part-time job at a restaurant that night. Glancing at her watch, which read 11:46 PM, she laughed her signature laugh, a mischievous gleam in her cinnamon-colored eyes as she flicked a strand of her long black hair over her shoulder. 'Ha! That little witch Reiko must hate me for switching shifts behind her back! Let's see how that princess handles the Saturday night weirdos we get.' Anyone who walked past would have sworn that the 22-year old woman had fox ears popping out of her head at the moment as she laughed again. Idly swinging her purse, and looking up at the black night sky, Takani Megumi fely happier than she had in weeks. With the new job her modeling agency had found her, she would finally have enough money to pay the month's rent on her tiny apartment, and have enough to get groceries to last for a while. Of course we all know that such happiness really never lasts for long, and so Megumi found out as she walked past one of the street's dark alleys.
Before she knew it, four large men had stepped out of the alley and surrounded her, demanding that she hand over her money. Megumi stopped short, her surprise overpowering her terror at the moment. She'd heard that people had been getting mugged in this area lately, but had never thought that such a thing would happen to her, of all people! 'Come on girl, you're smarter than these ...these.. common street thugs! Figure a way out of this!', the fox-woman thought, trying not to panic. Megumi reflexively took a step back as one of the men pulled out a knife, and repeated his demand. 'Okay. Not good. When in doubt, scream or kick them in the shins.' As she doubted anyone was around to hear her, Megumi opted for the latter.
Acting before she could chicken out, Megumi lunged for the man on her left, and simultaneously kicked him in the shins and hit him over the head with her purse. Taking advantage of his and his comrades' surprise - they certainly hadn't expected this delicate-looking young woman to fight back !- she sprinted across the deserted city street.
^..^ + * v *
While Megumi had been leaving the modeling agency's studio, another person was ambling down the same sidewalk, walking casually in and out of the streetlights' glare. This, however, was a young man known to his friends as Sagara Sanosuke, or just Sano for short. An early autumn breeze failed to ruffle his brown spiky hair, which had enough gel on it to wax a floor. Although just why anyone would want to wax a floor with hair gel is beyond me. A red bandana further helped his hair in defying the laws of gravity. Sano walked with his hands in his pockets and was chewing on a fishbone, as he reflected gleefully upon the evening's events. 'Heh! Those guys at the gambling joint didn't expect to lose all of their money to ME tonight! Of course I do usually lose, but STILL! This has got to be one of the luckiest nights of my life!' A cocky grin pasted on his face matched the satisfied look in his brown eyes.
Whistling jauntily, his reflections were interrupted by a woman's angry shriek from up ahead. 'Kuso, what was that?!', he broke into a run, and stopped at the sight that met his eyes. A bunch of men had a young woman - a really hot young woman, he couldn't help noticing - corned by a building. She shrieked again, this time in pain, as one grabbed her left arm and twisted it behind her back, as another took the purse she was carrying from her right.
"Hey! Let her go!", he shouted angrily running towards them. One mugger, carrying a knife, cursed when he saw Sano. "Kuso! Let's get out of here guys, it's Zanza!", he hissed at the others, backing away. Sano blinked mentally. Had he beaten up these men before? Not that he could recall, but, hey, he was known for his fighting, not his memory!
"What about the girl?", the thug holding Megumi asked, momentarily loosening his hold. The fox-woman took this chance to wrench her arm out of his hold, and grab her purse from the distracted man holding it. She ran out of their reach, but stopped to watch as her rescuer took this as his cue to 'step in'.
It only took a few punches at barely half strength to knock them out. "Feh. Weak.." Sano remarked to himself.
The woman he'd saved stepped daintily over one of the fallen muggers, and extended her hand. "I must thank you for your assistance." she said in a lofty voice.
"Uh, you're welcome.", he answered, shaking her hand much more gently than he usually would have; she looked as if her graceful hand might break if he squeezed it too hard. He was only mildly put off at the speedy rate by which she had recovered from the mugging. "Name's Sanosuke, Sagara Sanosuke.", Sano said.
"It's nice to meet you Sagara-san, I'm Takani Megumi, of the modeling agency up the street.", she half turned to wave in it's general direction, fox ears once again appearing as she waited experimentally for his response
"A model, eh?", he asked, automatically looking her up and down, "No wonder you look so-", Sano stopped as she casually turned and walked away. 'Nani? What's the kitsune walking away for? I mean, kami-sama, she didn't even slap me for that...like most girls do... Not that I mind...oh screw it...'
"Darn. I had hoped that you were more of gentleman than you look. Nevertheless, once again, thank you for...removing...those thugs." Megumi glanced disdainfully down at them. "Now if you will excuse me, toori-atama, I have to be heading home."
"Hold on!", he cried before she could walk too far away, ignoring the 'toori-atama'. (It wasn't like everyone didn't call him that.) "Can I at least give you my number, in case.. uh.. you ever need help or something?" 'Oh real smooth, Sagara!', he mentally scolded himself.
Megumi stared at him. First he comes out of nowhere and saves her, then he acts like any old regular perverted guy, and now he's trying to hit on her? This was getting interesting. "Fine." she answered, rummaging around in her purse for her address book and a pen. Even though she really wasn't going to call him, she told herself, the fox-woman wrote his telephone number down beneath her modeling agent's number.
"Oh, and if someone else answers- that is, if you ever call- it's just my friend Katsu. We share our apartment.", Sano told her, as she turned to leave again. She turned her head to look at him, eyebrows raised at his last statement. Sano suddenly turned red as he realized what that must have sounded like. "Che! No! I mean, uh... oh kuso! Not like THAT!"
The woman couldn't resist smirking slightly. "All right then Sagara-san, Oyasumi nasai.", Megumi started to walk away.
"Just Sano's fine!", he yelled at the woman's retreating back. She didn't answer, but raised one elegant hand to show that she'd heard. 'Oyasumi...Megitsune.' Grinning at his nickname for her, Sano once again resumed chewing on his fishbone, and slipped his hands into his pockets as he began to head towards his home too. As he walked away, the symbol for evil on his jacket followed him all the way to his apartment.
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Fwee! First chapter! I have the second written already though... ^_^
Next chapter:
Double Negative- Chapter Two: Fate giveth and taketh away.
-In which Katsu is introduced, and Sano gets a job at the Akabeko - and guess who has a part-time job there!
REVIEW PLEASE! But no flames! I break out in a bad case of third degree mental burns whenever I get them... ^^"
Uh... I think that's all... Please enjoy!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Double Negative
Chapter One: Rooster meets Fox
Everyone always says that two wrongs don't make a right. However it has always been accepted that two negatives make a positive. Whether you mean in math or in grammar, it's true. Conversely, people always say that opposites attract. In real life you do see two people of completely opposite personalities getting along just fine, and in science you certainly can't stick two north sides of a magnet together properly. But this story isn't about two people like that. Instead, let us all watch as these two negatives together make a positive.
^..^ + ' v '
Megumi sighed happily as she left the small downtown studio. She had just gotten a new modeling job for a new fashion designer, AND she didn't have to go to her part-time job at a restaurant that night. Glancing at her watch, which read 11:46 PM, she laughed her signature laugh, a mischievous gleam in her cinnamon-colored eyes as she flicked a strand of her long black hair over her shoulder. 'Ha! That little witch Reiko must hate me for switching shifts behind her back! Let's see how that princess handles the Saturday night weirdos we get.' Anyone who walked past would have sworn that the 22-year old woman had fox ears popping out of her head at the moment as she laughed again. Idly swinging her purse, and looking up at the black night sky, Takani Megumi fely happier than she had in weeks. With the new job her modeling agency had found her, she would finally have enough money to pay the month's rent on her tiny apartment, and have enough to get groceries to last for a while. Of course we all know that such happiness really never lasts for long, and so Megumi found out as she walked past one of the street's dark alleys.
Before she knew it, four large men had stepped out of the alley and surrounded her, demanding that she hand over her money. Megumi stopped short, her surprise overpowering her terror at the moment. She'd heard that people had been getting mugged in this area lately, but had never thought that such a thing would happen to her, of all people! 'Come on girl, you're smarter than these ...these.. common street thugs! Figure a way out of this!', the fox-woman thought, trying not to panic. Megumi reflexively took a step back as one of the men pulled out a knife, and repeated his demand. 'Okay. Not good. When in doubt, scream or kick them in the shins.' As she doubted anyone was around to hear her, Megumi opted for the latter.
Acting before she could chicken out, Megumi lunged for the man on her left, and simultaneously kicked him in the shins and hit him over the head with her purse. Taking advantage of his and his comrades' surprise - they certainly hadn't expected this delicate-looking young woman to fight back !- she sprinted across the deserted city street.
^..^ + * v *
While Megumi had been leaving the modeling agency's studio, another person was ambling down the same sidewalk, walking casually in and out of the streetlights' glare. This, however, was a young man known to his friends as Sagara Sanosuke, or just Sano for short. An early autumn breeze failed to ruffle his brown spiky hair, which had enough gel on it to wax a floor. Although just why anyone would want to wax a floor with hair gel is beyond me. A red bandana further helped his hair in defying the laws of gravity. Sano walked with his hands in his pockets and was chewing on a fishbone, as he reflected gleefully upon the evening's events. 'Heh! Those guys at the gambling joint didn't expect to lose all of their money to ME tonight! Of course I do usually lose, but STILL! This has got to be one of the luckiest nights of my life!' A cocky grin pasted on his face matched the satisfied look in his brown eyes.
Whistling jauntily, his reflections were interrupted by a woman's angry shriek from up ahead. 'Kuso, what was that?!', he broke into a run, and stopped at the sight that met his eyes. A bunch of men had a young woman - a really hot young woman, he couldn't help noticing - corned by a building. She shrieked again, this time in pain, as one grabbed her left arm and twisted it behind her back, as another took the purse she was carrying from her right.
"Hey! Let her go!", he shouted angrily running towards them. One mugger, carrying a knife, cursed when he saw Sano. "Kuso! Let's get out of here guys, it's Zanza!", he hissed at the others, backing away. Sano blinked mentally. Had he beaten up these men before? Not that he could recall, but, hey, he was known for his fighting, not his memory!
"What about the girl?", the thug holding Megumi asked, momentarily loosening his hold. The fox-woman took this chance to wrench her arm out of his hold, and grab her purse from the distracted man holding it. She ran out of their reach, but stopped to watch as her rescuer took this as his cue to 'step in'.
It only took a few punches at barely half strength to knock them out. "Feh. Weak.." Sano remarked to himself.
The woman he'd saved stepped daintily over one of the fallen muggers, and extended her hand. "I must thank you for your assistance." she said in a lofty voice.
"Uh, you're welcome.", he answered, shaking her hand much more gently than he usually would have; she looked as if her graceful hand might break if he squeezed it too hard. He was only mildly put off at the speedy rate by which she had recovered from the mugging. "Name's Sanosuke, Sagara Sanosuke.", Sano said.
"It's nice to meet you Sagara-san, I'm Takani Megumi, of the modeling agency up the street.", she half turned to wave in it's general direction, fox ears once again appearing as she waited experimentally for his response
"A model, eh?", he asked, automatically looking her up and down, "No wonder you look so-", Sano stopped as she casually turned and walked away. 'Nani? What's the kitsune walking away for? I mean, kami-sama, she didn't even slap me for that...like most girls do... Not that I mind...oh screw it...'
"Darn. I had hoped that you were more of gentleman than you look. Nevertheless, once again, thank you for...removing...those thugs." Megumi glanced disdainfully down at them. "Now if you will excuse me, toori-atama, I have to be heading home."
"Hold on!", he cried before she could walk too far away, ignoring the 'toori-atama'. (It wasn't like everyone didn't call him that.) "Can I at least give you my number, in case.. uh.. you ever need help or something?" 'Oh real smooth, Sagara!', he mentally scolded himself.
Megumi stared at him. First he comes out of nowhere and saves her, then he acts like any old regular perverted guy, and now he's trying to hit on her? This was getting interesting. "Fine." she answered, rummaging around in her purse for her address book and a pen. Even though she really wasn't going to call him, she told herself, the fox-woman wrote his telephone number down beneath her modeling agent's number.
"Oh, and if someone else answers- that is, if you ever call- it's just my friend Katsu. We share our apartment.", Sano told her, as she turned to leave again. She turned her head to look at him, eyebrows raised at his last statement. Sano suddenly turned red as he realized what that must have sounded like. "Che! No! I mean, uh... oh kuso! Not like THAT!"
The woman couldn't resist smirking slightly. "All right then Sagara-san, Oyasumi nasai.", Megumi started to walk away.
"Just Sano's fine!", he yelled at the woman's retreating back. She didn't answer, but raised one elegant hand to show that she'd heard. 'Oyasumi...Megitsune.' Grinning at his nickname for her, Sano once again resumed chewing on his fishbone, and slipped his hands into his pockets as he began to head towards his home too. As he walked away, the symbol for evil on his jacket followed him all the way to his apartment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fwee! First chapter! I have the second written already though... ^_^
Next chapter:
Double Negative- Chapter Two: Fate giveth and taketh away.
-In which Katsu is introduced, and Sano gets a job at the Akabeko - and guess who has a part-time job there!
REVIEW PLEASE! But no flames! I break out in a bad case of third degree mental burns whenever I get them... ^^"