~Yes I do realize this is pretty much the unholiest of all cross overs…forgive me, viewers, for I have sinned. It has been three weeks since my last fanfiction…anyway, don't own *takes deep breath* ….I guess that's it for now. Might have more later. I actually apologize for this one. It's a bit terrible.~
Chapter 1: The Proposition.
"It was a joke, honey! Really, she didn't mean it!" The woman plastered to Crocodile's arm glanced fearfully up at him. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. The man was over six foot with eyes that could cut through diamonds. Those same beady black eyes were focused on the young woman standing before him, her apron and plain black clothing signifying she was just an employee at this club. "What the hell did you just say?" He snapped, advancing toward her.
Vivian wasn't stupid, far from it. But for some god forsaken reason, she liked to crack jokes, most of the time at others' expense. Everyone knew that Crocodile dealt with underground street races, among other things, but the man's hand picked team had been losing in succession to one driver: a mysterious crusader in a world not unlike The Fast and The Furious. Vivian had simply pointed out that he picked his drivers like he did his drinks: dirty and awful.
"What the hell did you say, you slut?" Crocodile demanded again and grabbed the front of Vivian's button up polo.
"Nothing!" Vivian grabbed his burly wrist with her small fingers, mind already focused on the lie she was about to weave. "It's j-just….I think my ex-boyfriend m-might be here and I was upset s-"
He gave her a hard shake, his knuckles rapping against her sternum. "I'm gonna ask you one more time. What! Did You! Say to me!"
Nobody moved a muscle. It was like Vivian was the baby zebra; the necessary sacrifice to the crocodile to keep it away from the rest of the herd.
Vivian didn't answer, sure that whatever answer she gave, it wouldn't satisfy the blood lust now brewing in Crocodile's eyes.
"Is there a problem here?"
Everyone took their eyes off the scene to see a man with long red hair and a X scar on his cheek. He wore a black jacket over a white shirt and jeans. He walked with ease a nonchalant smile on his face, though you could cut the tension with a knife.
"No…no…" Crocodile's grip loosened and a strange smile crossed his face. "Just teaching the little bitch some manners…Kenshin…" He turned. "I'm leaving. Tell the cook I ain't payin' for this piece of shit. And learn some goddamn manners…!" He tipped over the drink on the table and it spilled down the front Vivian as he walked out.
Everyone laughed nervously at the young girl drenched in beer, the crowd starting to disperse.
Vivian didn't move a muscle. Not until her boss threw a towel at her.
"Go get cleaned up at home, Vivi. Take the night off." He was a tall rough man from the Navy. That was the nicest he got.
Vivian wiped her face, barely registering the red head who had saved her was talking to her.
"—You okay?"
"Yeah." She said in a dazed manner, inadvertently shoving the towel in his chest. "Yeah I'm just gonna go for a drive." She was burning on the inside, anger focusing on Crocodile like a missile to a target. She walked out of the place, barely pausing to get her coat and keys. Walking fast out to the car, her breathing accelerated as she heard the familiar beep of her souped-up Chevy Camaro SS. She could almost smell the burning rubber and the cold air rushing over the vehicle…
And the taste of the satisfaction when she single-handedly out raced Crocodile's entire team once again. After all, she was the mysterious driver.
She slipped in the front seat, turning on the car and listening to the soft puff of a powerful yet well-made car. She sighed and ran her hands almost sensually over the steering wheel. "Baby, I've missed you…"
"Still a whore like always."
Vivian gasped and turned to the back of her car, scrabbling for some kind of weapon and procuring nothing.
"Easy there…" Strong hands grabbed her wrist and shoulder. "It's just me. Remember?" The voice was low, easily a male, but it rang a chord somewhere in Vivian that made her uneasy.
"Zoro…?" She breathed, unsure as she peered behind her.
Sure enough, a man with a black bandana around his head and coal black eyes stared back. He released her, looking mad and folding his arms. "Drive to the front. There's someone we have to pick up."
"Like I'm going anywhere with you!" Her face twisted into a sneer. "Get out of my car, you freak!"
"Can't do that," he replied calmly, looking out the windows.
"Why not?"
"Crocodile left some people behind to take care of you. The second you get out of the car, they'll attack."
Vivian paused at this. It wasn't uncommon for people who got on Crocodile's bad side to turn up missing the next day. Still, she didn't trust Zoro any farther than she could throw him. "Prove it." She said coldly.
"Vivian, you know better." He pointed out the tinted windows. "Four cars with drivers just sitting there, even though this is a fairly popular bar. Not only that, but all four of the cars have crocodiles as decals. Pretty obvious, I'd say."
She scowled and put the car into gear, driving slowly up to the front. She looked around and immediately picked out the red headed man who had saved her earlier.
He walked around to the passenger seat and got in. He smiled at her. "Thank you."
Vivian looked at the road, hiding a blush. He was cute, even though she was pretty damn sure he and Zoro were up to no good. "Where am I going?"
"The freeway," Zoro glanced behind him. "And see if you can shake our dear friends from the parking lot."
"Trouble?" The red headed man asked, eyes on the side view mirror.
"Maybe. Keep the safety off just in case." Zoro replied.
"Another one of your damn gang wars?" Vivian asked bitterly.
"You don't let things go, do you woman?" Zoro said incredulously.
Vivian ground her teeth together as she got on the freeway. She went about 30 over, weaving in and out of traffic. "What exit?"
"257," Kenshin replied.
"They're still following you…" Zoro drawled from the back. "I thought you were better than tha-"
"Shut the hell up!" Vivian yelled.
"Hey now…Let's not fight…" The redheaded man said soothingly. "This one is Kenshin by the way-"
Vivian cut across three lanes of traffic, narrowly missing a semi. She started to slow down on the off ramp and smirked as she saw Kenshin's white knuckled grip on the 'oh shit' handle. "I'm Vivian." She coasted through a stop sign and pushed down on the gas pedal, the dark black roads stretching out before her.
There was a sudden bang and Vivian's grip on the steering tightened. "They're shooting at us?"
Kenshin rolled the window down. "Zoro! Take the left side!"
"Damn it! Don't shoot my car!" Vivian switched gears and grappled with the emergency brake as she drifted.
Kenshin sat on the window and shot at the cars that clumsily came in after her.
Zoro smirked. "Kenshin, your aim is horrible!"
Kenshin eased himself back in. "Guns are not this one's weapon of choice."
Vivian gasped in anger as a bullet hit her side view mirror. She grabbed the gun from Kenshin and adjusted the rear view mirror. She reached her arm back and out the window and shot, her eyes on the mirror, "No body shoots my car, assholes!" She hit the front tires of the front car and it flipped over, the other cars smashing into it. A large mushroom cloud of fire heralded their retreat as Vivian flipped the safety on and tossed it back to Kenshin.
He looked at her, wide eyed. "How did you…?"
Vivian didn't look at him as she spoke. "I was a gang banger's bitch, remember? Where am I going, asshole?"
"Left." Zoro grunted. "I didn't teach you that."
"You should've." Vivian shot back. "Some clown guy showed up on my doorstep six months after you left saying he was gonna kill me for what you did to him. I had to fend him off myself because you weren't there."
There was a silence as Vivian drove through an almost deserted farmland in the dark, her headlights bouncing off the occasional stop sign and fence posts.
"There it is." Kenshin pointed at a drive that wound around to a large house, comparable to any mansion in Hollywood.
Vivian slowed to a stop and put the car in park.
Kenshin hopped out quickly but Zoro laid a hand on Vivian's shoulder. "Look…Vivi, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"Yeah," she scoffed. "The clown and I too."
"What happened to him?"
"Lit him on fire." She said coldly. "He threatened someone very important to me. Let me go, Zoro."
He obliged, shocked. She had never been this blood thirsty. "Vivi—"
"Don't call me that!" She snapped, getting out of the car. She stepped inside the house after Kenshin.
"Vivian Layla di Zerega."
She looked up the grand staircase to see a young man with long red hair walking down it, looking casual and at ease in a black button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up and the red tie loosened, and black shoes.
"Age 19. Street racer. Works as a waitress at Wonderland club on the side. Known on every street corner as Unlucky Layla, the young woman whose lovers end up in the burning remains of a car or on fire."
Vivian scowled. "That wasn't my lov-."
"Oh I know." He smiled a little, leaning on the banister as he looked at her with sharp green eyes. "In fact, I know everything about you, Miss di Zerega."
"You the police?" She grunted as Zoro shut the door.
"The police?" He gave her an ironic smile. "No. No we're something better. Sort of a…league of extraordinary gentlemen, without the fable. But we need your help, Miss di Zerega." He gestured to his left. "Let's talk in there."
Vivian looked at him coolly with blue eyes before walking into the room.
It was incredibly elegant with glass cases showing off expensive souveniers from places Vivian could only dream of going. Whoever this guy was, it wouldn't have killed him to donate to the homeless shelter.
Vivian sat as the rich man took the seat across from her. Kenshin stood on his right and Zoro dropped himself unceremoniously on the couch to her left.
"My name is Shuichi Minamino but everyone here calls me Kurama." Rich guy said as he relaxed in the chair. "I sought you out because I want to recruit you for a little escapade. I'm sure you've heard of Crocodile."
Vivian's eyes flashed. "Yes."
"We'd like to take him down, in a sense."
"Why? What'd he ever do to you?"
"Smartass," Zoro snorted. "It's not what he did to Kurama. He's been doing some pretty twisted shit to those races and two of my friends were victims of that."
"Were they female?" Vivian asked acidly.
Kurama leaned over to Kenshin. "Have they been doing this the entire time?"
"Sadly, yes." Kenshin sighed.
Vivian turned back to Kurama. "Whatever! What do you need me for?"
"To drive for our team." Kurama crossed his legs. "We've already got three signed up, but we need you. You're the most promising talent anyone's seen in the underground in years. You almost never lose."
Vivian stood. "Thanks, but no thanks. I already have a sponsor and I'm a team of one."
"Unless it's convenient or you can't get any." Zoro shot back.
"Zoro." Kurama's voice was sharp. "I understand, Miss di Zerega. Then you don't mind if I ask you not to mention this meeting to anyone…"
"Goes without saying, sir." Vivian offered a smile and put her hands in her pockets.
"I'd also like to offer some protection. One of my friends has proved highly capable of dealing with Crocodile's thugs in the past. And seeing as how your life has already been threatened-"
"As long as it's not Chris Brown wannabe, I'd welcome the help." Vivian's smile turned chilly.
Zoro exhaled angrily and stomped out of the room.
"His name's Hiei. He's waiting outside." Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Thank you for dropping by."
Vivian shook his hand and offered Kenshin a smile before letting herself out.
Kurama let out a sight and slumped in his chair, rubbing his temples. "My…isn't she a handful…."
"Which is what we were looking for, isn't it Shuichi-dono?" Kenshin replied, an easy smile on his face.
"Yes…" Kurama mused, leaning his head against his knuckles. "How'd the drive go?"
"She ah…lost her temper and shot their tires using this one's gun." Kenshin blushed.
Kurama laughed. "Crocodile's men all taken down in two shots? She's good."
"But…?" Kenshin prodded.
"…." Kurama pushed himself out of the chair. "Not as good as she could be."
Vivian blinked at the man who stood outside her car. She was a bit taller than him, but he intimidated her nonetheless. He just seemed like the poster child for evil. "Hiei, right?" She asked, fumbling for her keys. Then again….who was she to talk?
He nodded and moved around to the passenger side of the car.
She unlocked it and got in. This was gonna be a helluva long ride…
Xandria was pissed. Where the hell was Vivi? She sat in her condo, an apple martini in hand as she stared out the window at the lighted city. She had lost money today. Lots and lost of money. She could always steal something to make up for it. But street racing bets always brought in more revenue than she expected and she loved to strut her stuff at the after parties. But she didn't get to go to the after party. After parties were only for drivers and their entourage and tonight, Xandria was one driver short of an entourage.
She checked the cameras in the garage again just in time to see Vivi pull in. Xandria almost dropped her martini. "Are those BULLET HOLES?" She screeched. "And a MAN?" He looked short, but hell. Xandria wasn't a giant herself. And he seemed familiar…. She peered at him on the screen, her brain clicking. "Oh God…" She's met him at the last after party. She'd gotten drunk and ended up on the wrong side of a few druggies. He saved her ass and she couldn't be sure, but she thought she'd had sex with him. And it had been goooood.
Xandria felt her face flush as she ran a hand through her long dark brown hair. She was only wearing a black boyfriend shirt over a white tube top and denim skirt. Way too casual to be receiving guests. She straightened herself out a little and turned with a smile on her face as the door opened. "Vivi….!"
Vivian flinched visibly as Xandria ran up and hugged her. "H-hi…."
Xandria pulled back, one hand on Vivian's arm. "I see you finally returned home with my car…!" She dug her nails into Vivian's arm. "Why the hell are there bullet holes in my car?" She hissed into Vivian's ear.
"Maybe because I got shot at? Vivian muttered back.
Xandria laughed nervously as the man's eyes met hers. "Who's your friend?" She said out of the corner of her mouth.
"His name's Hiei. He's a…er… 'volunteered' bodyguard." Vivian replied. "Crocodile's guys are after me." She broke Xandria's grip on her and started down the hall. "You two chat. I need a shower."
Xandria glanced after her, wondering briefly if she locked up the knives…
"You're looking better since the last time I saw you." Hiei said, taking a seat on Xandria's chique couch. "Still getting chased by druggies?"
"Nah…" She smiled and lounged across from him. "You getting into fights?"
"Maybe. Why do you ask?"
"Because my driver just showed up and is about to drink and cut herself in the bathroom while I have a bullet ridden Chevy Camaro SS to clean up. Now, logically," she stood at her bar, making herself another drink as she spoke sternly. "I'd have to assume you had something to do with it since you were in the car with her when she drove into the garage below. Which leads me to the conclusion not only do you owe me an explanation, but probably a couple hundred thousand for damages." She took a drink as he scowled at her. It scared the hell out of her, but she stood her ground. Besides, she got off on power struggles like this.
"It wasn't me." He leaned against the bar and told her the entire story, his red eyes never leaving her brown ones.
As he finished his story, a huge smile grew on Xandria's face. She smelled money. TONS of money. Unlucky Layla's team of one had some great revenue coming in but an actual team under Xandria's thumb….
"I want in." She straightened up.
They both flinched as they heard breaking glass and ran to the bathroom. Xandria knocked once and glanced at Hiei. "Wait here." She entered and shut the door behind her.
Hiei folded his arms and leaned against the wall as he heard Xandria let out a fluent string of cuss words. Kurama wasn't going to be happy. The whole reason he'd told Unlucky Layla not to say a word was so no one would try to get involved. And Xandria, though he suspected her hand was in a lot of cookie jars already, wanted a piece of this one too. She was sick of macadamia nut. She wanted a brownie.
All sugary analogies fled from his mind as Xandria stepped out, carrying a sopping wet Vivian with only a white towel draped over her. The towel's edges were a dark red and rivulets of blood ran down the unconscious woman's legs.
"What just happened?" Hiei had no choice but to follow as Xandria walked down the hall with Vivian. There was no way in hell he was carrying a naked bleeding woman to who knew where.
"Unlucky Layla cut herself." Xandria grunted and walked into a dark room. She unceremoniously dumped Vivian on the bed. "She likes to do that and take some pills with some beer…see how long it takes for her to pass out." Xandria slapped her cheeks. "Wake up, moron. You're bleeding on the satin sheets I paid for."
"That's a little harsh."
"You care?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Not particularly."
"Good." Xandria wound her hand back for a good slap.
Vivian's hand shot up and grabbed hers, blinking in the dim light blearily. "Zoro…?"
"Close, honey." Xandria went through the drawers and took a knife out. She tapped Vivian's nose with it. "Clean yourself up. I took all the pills out of your personal first aid kit so don't even think about it. Night Vivi." She ushered Hiei out and locked the door…
"Holy hell." He blinked. "Is she insane?"
"Nope." Xandria sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "But your green haired boy fucked with her head pretty good. She won't tell me but…." She tapped the tip of the knife against her chin. "I'm concerned. She usually just swallows a few pills and sleeps…" Xandria's eyes met his and she straightened up. "But she's a helluva driver. Really knows her stuff. Now!" She clapped her hands eagerly. "Let's talk business-"
"Sorry, my friend's in charge and he said only Layla gets the deal." Hiei shrugged, feeling no remorse.
Xandria scowled. "Unlucky Layla doesn't have shit without me! I'm the damn sponsor!"
Hiei stared her down. "What Kurama says goes."
Xandria paused and abruptly changed tatics. "I see…" She walked past him, tapping the knife against her thigh. "And I'm sure you'll report back to this…Kurama sometime soon, right?"
Hiei didn't answer, preoccupied with her legs.
"Tell him that I picked Unlucky Layla off the street, bought her clothes, gave her a job and a home, and funded her cars and racing. All her money goes towards paying me back. And she ain't no where near that point. Tell 'Kurama' that if he plans on stealing my driver, he better be prepared to pay me her debts and buy Layla her own damn cars." She walked into the living room smiling.
"Ooo…" He smirked. "Feisty…."