Maxi lounged back against a log in a small clearing in the woods. He had split up from Kilik and Xianghua for awhile, wanting to go on his own for a bit, try to find Astaroth. It was kind of nice to have peace and not see Xianghua's face. He couldn't fight the small fire that still burned in him for that young girl. She was twenty years old and he was twenty-eight...so close to being thirty. She was better suited with Kilik, whom she loved deeply. It was all cool with Maxi anyway...he could easily find himself a woman who was better suited to him, someone stronger and more independent. Women weren't really what Maxi had on his mind anyhow. It was Astaroth. The freak needed to die for what he did.
Maxi watched the small bonfire he made, the orange flames reflecting in his grey-blue eyes. Sparks spattered and spit from the fire, flying with a glow and soon dying. The heat was comforting as it radiating from the fire, causing Maxi to close his eyes and relax. Behind his lids, his friends' faces, not Kilik or Xianghua...the late ones, flashed by. Then...the face of Astaroth and the scene of the horrid day in his past. Then...as he feared, Xianghua's cute little face popped up. Her smile and bright eyes. He could hear her now, popping her foot back with a giggle. 'Just kidding!' Man, how many times had she fooled him and he had to hear that signature line from her? Plenty.
Maxi opened his eyes and sighed. He propped his arm up on his knee and lowered his head, his bangs falling over his face. Why did her face haunt him? Every time he closed his eyes she was there, smiling and poking at him. She cared for him as a friend but loved Kilik. Lucky dog, that one was.
A whoosh of air snapped Maxi out of his thoughts and he abruptly looked up. Across the fire...was a woman. She had dark hair in a ponytail, a suit that could pass as red skin for it was so tight. It looked as if it was made of spandex or...latex or something stretchy and shiny. She had a large chest, and although it was contained in her suit...Maxi could see everything. Her eyes were wary and she kept still, her body tensed as if she would jump and disappear any minute. Maxi watched as she slowly stood to her full height and looked him over. He narrowed his eyes and held a firm grip on his nun-chucks. The woman looked oddly familiar...
"Do I know you?"
Both Maxi and the woman said at the same time. Maxi cracked a smile.
"I guess that means yes."
The woman walked around the fire and took a seat a few feet away from him.
"It was at a port. You're a pirate. I was passing through and happened to bump into you."
Maxi snapped his fingers with a grin.
"Oh, yeah! I remember you now! How could I forget when you're so..."
He made his hands move in a curvy motion.
"...so...developed and...and...large and...and...developed...and sexy...and..." The woman looked at him sternly.
"Developed?"
Maxi nodded.
"Yeah-heah! How'd you guess?"
The woman rolled her eyes.
"Well, gee...I don't know. You only said it two other times."
Maxi scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry...I don't want you to think the only thing I noticed about you was your body. Because it totally wasn't."
It so totally was.
"Besides, we probably only said two words to each other. Probably, 'I'm sorry!'. "
The woman shook her head.
"Actually, if I remember correctly, you whistled and told me, 'Damn, bitch! You crazy sexy!'."
Maxi pressed his lips together and shook his head, a look of confusion on his face.
"Psshnooo! I didn't...I didn't say t-that. I would never..."
The woman looked unamused.
"You did."
Maxi opened his mouth to protest but shut it, defeated. He remembered saying it as clear as day.
"A-anyway...I didn't get your name."
The woman stared at the flames of the fire and hugged her knees to her chest.
"Taki."
Maxi stretched his legs out and crossed his ankles, putting his hands behind his head.
"Maxi. Hey...what are you doing here anyway? Just dropping in out of nowhere. Super freaky..."
Taki shrugged.
"I was just on my way to slay a demon...but lost track of it within the trees and nightfall. I saw your bonfire and just...dropped in to see what was going on and then...I recognized you and here I am."
Maxi looked at her like she was insane.
"Demon? Are you...stable?"
Taki shot him a glare but it left Maxi un-phased.
"I'm a demon slayer. They do exist, whether you believe it or not. I use the way of the ninja to perform my tasks. So...I'm a ninja demon slayer."
Maxi started laughing.
"You know how demented that sounds?"
He soon stopped laughing when he felt a slap on his cheek. His hand moved to the stinging skin and rubbed it.
"Hey! You had no right!"
His bellowed, causing Taki to flinch a little. Maxi furrowed his brow and mumbled.
"Sorry..."
Taki rested her chin on her knees.
"No...I am. Anyway, what are you out here for?"
Maxi cleared his throat and closed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm traveling. Trying to find a freak named Astaroth. He...slew my entire crew in the past and I want revenge. I wont let him live...after all the lives he took, all the families and friendships he destroyed, all the pain he caused, all the loss!"
Maxi paused, opening his eyes. Something burned within them, something other than the reflection from the fire.
"I'll rip him apart...I'll burn every bone and morsel of flesh until there's nothing left of him."
Maxi hated him with such a passion. Taki's eyes widened just a tad, feeling his hate seething in his words. For some reason, Taki found Maxi's determination attractive.
"I like a man who fights for what he wants...no matter how long it takes or what it takes to get there."
Maxi's face relaxed and he smiled at Taki.
"Oh? And I like a woman who's got curves and a tough personality."
Taki smirked and scooted closer to Maxi, looking him in the eyes.
"I've got curves and a tough personality..."
Maxi grinned mischeiviously.
"And I'm a fighter."
Taki twisted her finger around Maxi's bangs and pulled him closer to her face.
"You're really good looking...and your body is perfect."
Maxi ran a finger along her jaw.
"I know."
He was so conceited. There was always something to inflate his already colossal ego. Taki chuckled seductively and reached back, pulling her ponytail out and shaking her hair. Without warning, she pushed Maxi down on the ground, straddling him. Maxi's eyes widened and he looked up at Taki's smirking face.
"Damn, baby! I didn't think you were like this..."
Taki walked her fingers up his chest.
"Everyone has a secret side."
She leaned down, her lips centimeters from Maxi's.
"Want to explore mine?"
Maxi shuddered at the feel of her cool breath against his lips.
"Hell, yeah..."
He managed to say with mild enthusiasm while pushing himself up on his elbows. Taki pushed him back down and took his bottom lip between her teeth. Maxi could feel her chest against his, every curve and line of her torso pressing against his skin. 'Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!', Maxi thought to himself, his hands sliding onto Taki's back. She began to kiss him slowly and fully, her tongue exploring his mouth. Maxi gladly participated in the activity, his own tongue mingling with Taki's. 'Oh gosh...she's got me breaking into a sweat she's so hot! Oh gosh...mmm yeah...'
"...oh...nnggh...mmm..."
His thoughts started to form into sounds and that triggered Taki's own noises to start up. Maxi rolled over, Taki beneath him. He felt her thighs against his waist and her arms around his neck. He knew what was happening...and not for one second did the cute face of little Xianghua cross his mind. It was as if she disappeared from his memory bank altogether.
Maxi kicked dirt over the logs of the bonfire as the sun started to burn away the morning mist. The fire had gone out long before but Maxi just felt like kicking dirt on something for some reason. He was a coo-coo sometimes. He looked over to Taki as she tied her hair back and he drummed his fingers on his nun-chucks.
"Well...I've got to head on, Taki. I had a great night and I hope we can have sex ag-I mean, meet up again sometime. You're a very nice-"
Taki's mouth was on his before he could finish speaking. Her arms wound around his neck and Maxi pressed a hand to the small of her back to keep her against him. Between kisses, Maxi tried to finish what he was saying.
"Very nice woman...very...very sexy...and very...skilled...curvaceous...mmm voluptuous...you...nnghmm...oh, you turn me on...turn me on high, baby...mmm, mmm...danger...high voltage..."
He laughed lowly and Taki finally pulled her lips from his.
"Mm, you don't even want to know what you do to me, big boy~"
Maxi rose an eyebrow, smirking.
"But I do..."
Taki grinned.
"All I'm telling you...is that no man...ever...made me feel the way you did. Hell, you're actually one of the very few men I allowed to even look at me...so...you're definitely someone I want to play with again."
Maxi's smirk turned into a grin.
"Then...like I said earlier, let's hope we meet up again."
Taki pressed a long kiss to his lips.
"We will..."
She spoke through the kiss.
"...I'm a ninja, I'll find you."
She pressed quicker kisses to his lips, all of which Maxi returned, not wanting to let go of her.
"You better."
He said playfully.
"I will."
Taki promised. She pulled away from him and lightly crossed her arms.
"Gosh, this is hard..."
Maxi smiled a half smile and gently pinched her chin.
"It is. But this isn't goodbye. Just...see ya' around."
Taki looked at his eyes and bit her lip, making a small whine noise. "Ugh!"
She threw her arms around his neck again and gave him one final kiss. Maxi returned her passion until he had to gently pry himself from her.
"See ya' around, blimp boobs."
Taki's jaw dropped but she couldn't help but smile when Maxi winked.
"Yes...see you, Mr. Macho."
Maxi flexed an arm and kissed his bicep with a grin before turning away and disappearing into the woods. Taki watched him leave until she could no longer see him. She found it hard to let him go...even though they'd only briefly met twice. She'd see him again...for sure. With a smile to herself, she jumped and vanished into the speed of a ninja's run through the branches.
