"Just let it go Gojyo – she's not interested." Hakkai said in an over exasperated voice.

Gojyo growled, hackles bristling at Hakkai's tone. He wasn't about to give up on a woman just because she said NO to him... several times...

"No! I'm not giving up just because she's a frigid bi..."

"Pardon me?" The object of their discussion had come up behind Gojyo to bring them their umpteenth round. Hakkai cleared his throat, chuckling airily as Gojyo stammered, trying to regain his composure in the face of the irate bar girl.

"Uhhh... I was just saying that a lovely girl like you really needs a night off sometimes, and I'd be more than happy to..."

"...to take me out the back for a quick go round the flagpole? Thanks, but no thanks – I got morals, you redheaded cockroach, so why don't you just give up, back off and drink your damn beer?" With that, she plunked the mug down on the wooden table and stormed off, muttering under her breath about drunken, retarded perverts.

Gojyo growled audibly – he wasn't going to be talked to like that by some namby-pamby bar wench! Standing on legs that almost refused to take his weight; he straightened his shoulders, flicked back his hair and stalked over to the bar like an irritated cat.

"Hey! You! Look – I wasn't asking you to jump into bed with me, sweetheart – I was just askin you out for a drink – ok?" Opening his heavily lidded eyes to stare angrily into his intended prey's eyes, he found himself staring at the bar manager – a middle aged portly man with thinning, dirty brown hair, a strawberry for a nose and a beard like a tumbleweed.

"Pardon me?" The man rumbled, his overly bushy eyebrows twitching together like two mountain goats, ready to butt heads. The small, blonde waitress tittered behind her hand in her position under the barman's ample shadow.

Gojyo's face was a mixture of shock and disgust. "What? I didn't mean you – I meant the cutie that's workin' the floor tonight? Short blonde hair, blue shirt, tits ya just wanna..."

"You mean my niece?"

The thunderclouds growing over the bar warned the other patrons of the storm that was coming.

"Y..Your niece you say?" Gojyo stuttered, his face blanching to the colour of the underside of a fish. Funnily enough – that colour seemed to suit him...

The kappa gulped, feeling his impending doom near with every heart beat.

The bartender cracked his knuckles, the growl low in his throat as he flexed his considerable muscle, and towered over the 6 foot redhead. His eyes were shadowed, and his teeth bared. This man was MAD. Gojyo sweat dropped, looking frantically to Hakkai for help. The brunette man merely sipped is beer and looked on in mil amusement – obviously, he thought the kappa was about to finally get what he deserved for all his womanizing. Just as the storm was about to break over Gojyo's head, a small voice chimed out from the darkness of the bar.

"Um... Uncle... Its alright – he's was just kidding... he's just had a bit to drink... that's all..." A small tanned hand lightly touched the enormous mans hairy arm, and it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. The larger man began to shrink; his menacing aura dissipating as he turned his head ad looked fondly at his favourite niece. Still growling slightly, he turned away from the kappa and headed back to the beer tap, muttering about kids, perverts and 'keeping their hand's where he could damn well see 'em!'.

The woman with the pixie cut short blonde hair sighed, and looked up into the redheads crimson eyes, her own orbs sparkling with mischief. She quirked a devilish grin and raised her eyebrows at him as the band struck up a lively tune. The kappa looked ready to run and not stop till dawn, Suddenly, HE felt hunted! He gulped... suddenly thinking that maybe this 'frigid, namby-pamby bar wench' might actually be more than he thought.

"Fine, handsome. I don't feel like drinking – but how about a dance?" She nimbly leapt over the bar, landing beside him and looking up to his face from her 5'3'' height. Hands on her hips, she looked at him expectantly.

Smiling a shaky and uncertain smile Gojyo, held out a trembling hand, one eye on the massive barman by the beer tap. The 'wench' beamed, and accepted his hand with another tinkle of laughter. Gojyo relaxed a bit at this – her voice (when not insulting him in public) sounded like the chiming of golden bells, and he found himself enjoying the simple sound.

Leading the younger girl onto the near empty stage floor by the band, her hand in his and her smile so devilish, yet so innocent, Gojyo felt himself become.... warm. Wait. Was he BLUSHING? Shaking his head hurriedly, he spun the girl quickly so she faced him in the circle of is arms. She gasped at his quick movement, and blushed when his hand touched lightly, coming to rest on her hip.

The surrounding patrons cheered and whistled, each of them having jealous beyond measure. Practically every man and traveller had tried to get as far as Gojyo had with the pretty young barmaid. Each of them had either been initially rebuffed by her cold, insulting demeanour, or secondarily by her overly protective and extremely territorial uncle – who unfortunately for them, could not only beat the living snot out of them, but have them permanently banned from the only tavern in town.

Still though – each man had tried his luck despite the risks. Each had wanted to hear that tinkling, golden bells laugh, get lost in those sparkling, vivid blue eyes and hear that voice calling to them softly - the voice that could yell across a bar, or croon the most beautiful melody to wake the stars at twilight.

A few men sighed in envy, as Gojyo took the girls other hand and gently started to sway her in time with the music. "By the way," He rumbled, his voice deep and hypnotic, "I'm Sha Gojyo."

The young woman blushed, her own attitude to men like him leaving her at the sound of his warm voice rolling over her like hot toffee. She blushed harder, her eyes flicking from his face, to the slack jawed brunette man at Gojyo's table, to her Uncles brooding look, which promised trouble if the kappa did anything more than touch her waist.

"I... I'm Lady." She whispered, eyes to the floor, as she placed her hand on his shoulder and began to sway along with him to the melody, which began to turn slower and slower. Her heartbeat began to race. Gone was her icy exterior. Gone was her aversion to being touched. This man was a devil... and she was the willing sacrifice.

TO BE CONTINUED....