I can't remember what gave me the idea. I guess I just miss getting reviews, so I wanted to write another series. My dear fans, come back! I love Black Cat and shirking my responsibilities. X3

Also, I did actually finish my novel in time. I wrote a chapter a day for seven days. I've been busily proofreading and editing it. Now for fanfic!

Disclaimer: ...I don't do disclaimers. There's a reason it's fan fiction.

The New Adventures of Black Cat

Binder

"Who would have known it would be this hard to find a place to stay in this town!" Train grumbled. "There's no hotels or anything, and what's worse, nowhere to eat!"

His eyes lit up at the sight of an inn. His stomach growled. Hopefully, there was food there, too. He ran inside and up to the counter. A sweet-looking, elderly lady greeted him with a smile.

"Do you have any vacancies?"

"Sorry, but no."

Sleeping outside again. Damn.

There were some wanted posters on the wall. Perhaps this wouldn't be all for naught after all. The young sweeper sauntered over and reached for the first one with a large bounty that caught his eye. Just as he was about to grab it, it vanished. Someone else had snatched it up. He turned to the other sweeper beside him. It was a girl about his age, maybe a little younger. She was quite a bit shorter. Her choppy, white hair sat no lower than her jawline, and her zig-zagging fringe hung over the edge of her eyes. Two purple, extensions hung past her shoulders from either side of her head and were tied at the end in black ribbons. She wore a pair of black goggles with blue lenses on her head. Black, fingerless gloves reached up to her elbows, and leather boots reached her knees. Her sleeveless, black jacket zipped only below her chest and fanned out from her waist, exposing her belly and creating a semi-circle around her ankles. Her shorts were tiny, and she had two guns hooked on her hips and a knife to her thigh. Her eyes were heavily lined, making them seem to shine like sapphires. The blue orbs stared down blankly at the wanted poster. She didn't look all that friendly.

"Oh, sorry!" the girl apologised shyly, her cheeks turning crimson. "Were you looking at this?"

Spoke too soon.

"Uh, yeah, kind of," said Train, not really comprehending how fast the girl moved.

She handed the poster back to him. Train glanced down.

WANTED

SAMUEL "THE BINDER" LARSON

700,000 G

Not bad at all. "Weird nickname, though," Train commented, not really intending to do so aloud.

"He's a murderer," the girl explained a little eerily. "All his victims have been woman. They were found naked with their hands tied behind their backs, probably raped."

"Well, I guess it suits then," Train admitted.

"It could have been something worse," the girl shrugged.

Train frowned at the picture on the wanted poster. He hoped that, wherever this man was, he could feel his scorn. How dare he sink to such a low! This was why Train Heartnet became a sweeper—to do what he believed was right. Catching this sicko was now very high on his list.

"I think I'm going to go after him," the girl informed with her nose held high in the air. "He's insulted my honour as a woman."

Train couldn't say he disagreed. He didn't actually say anything, but his expression must have given it away.

"We should go after him together!" the girl suggested excitedly before pulling back abruptly. "Sorry. You don't even know me. I'm just the weird girl who snatched the poster out from under your nose. Excuse me." She turned to leave.

"Wait," Train protested, trying not to laugh. She looked back over her shoulder curiously. "Why do you assume I wouldn't want to?"

The girl blinked a few times. "I don't know. I guess I thought if I was in your position, I'd feel weird about it."

She was weird in general, but interesting, and hilarious. She probably didn't mean to be so funny. She was probably really serious, but she seemed a little... not right in the head. In any other situation, Train would have turned the offer down, but she just seemed so willing and maybe a little lonely.

"It seems we have a common goal. Why shouldn't we team up?"

The girl blushed. "My name is Kara."

"Train," Train returned.

His stomach rumbled. He looked down as if he'd be able to physically see his hunger. Kara's stomach growled louder like it was a competition. Train chuckled feebly. It hurt a little because of the hollow cavern in his belly.

Kara took back the piece of paper. She looked down at it, then up at Train, then back down at the poster. "Well, you're not the binder," she observed. Train hoped she was joking. "I suppose I can let you stay in my room if you promise not to do anything weird."

"You got it!"

Within ten minutes, Train found himself gulping down a plate of lasagne in Kara's room. Kara ate in a more civilised manner.

"That was soooo good!" he drawled.

"It was just the frozen stuff," Kara pointed out. "All I did was warm it up."

"Really? Tasted great!"

Kara cleared the small table and started washing the dishes. "So, how are we going to do this?" she asked.

"I'll take the couch."

"No, I mean The Binder."

"Oh, well, I guess we could-" Train stopped himself. He was going to suggest fishing, but he had just met Kara, and it didn't seem appropriate to be the one to say it. He did have some self-control.

"We could what?"

"Uh... I don't know."

Kara frowned thoughtfully. She held her hand up in the air and beamed with delight. "He sounds like the perfect target for fishing." Train was surprised with her enthusiasm. "I have a dress you can wear." Wait, what?

"I don't-"

Kara was suddenly right in Train's face. "Were you going to make me be the bait?" she cooed quietly with a cloak of false innocence across her face. She widened her blue eyes and cocked her head to the side inquisitively.

"It's common sense!" Train cried. "What's keeping you from doing it?"

"Jokes!" Kara giggled. "I just wanted to see your reaction. I'll be bait."

"There's no need to make me feel guilty for assuming the woman would be the bait!"

It was then that Train noticed Kara's belongings around the room. There was something strange about nearly everything she owned in sight. There were four trash bags in the corner, filled with empty, glass bottles. Blank sheets of paper were taped to the wall here and there. The unmade bed was covered in dirt and bloodstains. How had he not noticed his bizarre surroundings? Had he really been so hungry that all his senses were completely shot?

"Which do you think?" Kara asked, digging through her suitcase and holding up two dresses. One was school uniform, and the other was a bunny outfit. Train sat perfectly still with wide eyes. What had he just gotten himself into?

Kara walked down the street in her "bait costume." Train had managed to convince her to wear something slightly less obvious, so she wore a frilly, loli-goth dress. Train didn't argue with that. He knew it would serve its purpose. He was on the rooftop, waiting for his target to appear. He needed him alive, so he would just shoot him in the leg.

There was movement in the shadows, but Train couldn't fire yet. He couldn't give away his position until he had a clear shot. Kara noticed the movement, too. She stopped dead in her tracks with her arms crossed across her chest as she glanced around fearfully. She looked genuinely scared.

Train started to notice more people. The Binder attacked alone, so this mustn't have had anything to do with him. They were up against a full-blown gang.

Kara heard a sound behind her and ran down an alley in the opposite direction. It was planned for her to go there if she heard someone coming. Train still had her in his sight. He could still protect her from where he was thanks to the fluorescent light in the alley.

BANG! BANG! There was gunfire, and the light went out. Someone had shot it. He could still see a little in the moonlight, but he couldn't tell who was who, and he didn't want to hit Kara.

"Damn it!" Train cursed. He leaped down from the rooftop and dashed across the street. Three men had already cornered Kara. She stared up with big eyes, trembling in horror.

"Where are you going dressed like that, little lady?" asked one man, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "You look like you're ready for a real party."

Train fired just above the man's head. "Leave her alone." The three men pulled back and began to slink back the way they had come. "Running away isn't an option." He plugged one in the ankle. His victim fell to the ground with a cry of pain. The others didn't care enough to help and bolted off.

"What about the party?" Kara teased as she gave chase, suddenly in high spirits. Train ran after her, but the man on the ground pulled out his own gun and aimed it at Train.

"You think you can shoot me before I shoot you?" Train asked with a smirk.

"I'll do it!" the man threatened, but his shaking hands said otherwise. "I swear I'll do it!"

Train slowly held out his Hades, giving the man a long opportunity to do as he pleased, but he still didn't do anything. Train pulled the trigger and shot the man in the hand. He howled and dropped his gun. Train figured that he was of no threat and left to go after Kara.

He flew down the road, but Kara was nowhere to be seen.

"You think you can take advantage of me?" The window of a closed store shattered as a man came flying onto the street. He scrambled to his feet, bleeding in several places and attempted to run.

"You're crazy!"

Train didn't want to shoot again, but it was his only way of disabling the man. He shot him in the back of the leg and watched him go down before diving into the store.

Kara was pinned down on a bench by the third man. He held a knife to her throat and eyed her hungrily. Train ran straight over and knocked the man in the temple, sending him flying across the room.

The man groaned and pulled out a bottle. He quickly sculled it and cringed. His body changed before the pair's very eyes. He grew taller and slimmer. His limbs seemed to stretch out. He squeezed his eyes shut and screamed. When it finally stopped, the man was fine. He stood and opened his eyes. They were wide with the pupils mere slits. He opened his mouth, and his tongue unrolled, hanging on the floor.

"Tao?" Train breathed. It couldn't be.

"You know of it," the man chuckled.

He lashed out his tongue at Train and snatched away his weapon. He coiled the slimy muscle around Train's throat. Train pulled at it, but it was surprisingly strong. Kara pulled herself up and dashed for the man, but he swatted her away with his long arms. Train tried to grab his gun at the tip of the tongue, but it was just out of reach.

"Kara!" he croaked. Kara couldn't hear him. She tried running for the taoist again, but he held her back with a mocking laugh. "Kara!" Kara heard him that time. She looked over to see Train nodding towards his Hades. She took half a step towards him, and the man grabbed a fistful of her hair. She squealed and jolted back.

"How cute of you, pipsqueak," the man laughed.

Kara froze. She glared at him with fire dancing in her eyes. "Pipsqueak?" she panted through gritted teeth. "Who are you calling pipsqueak?" She unbuttoned the front of her shirt and revealed her front to the man. His eyes bulged out of his head, and his tongue loosened around Train. Train grabbed his gun and shot the man right in the mouth without a moment's hesitation. The man stumbled back, releasing Kara and slamming into the wall behind him. Kara quickly buttoned up her shirt before Train saw.

Train stepped up to the man and held his gun to his head. "Who gave you that potion?" he snarled. The man blubbered incoherently. "Tell me!" The man couldn't answer. He skin began to bubble, and his skin seemed to tear at itself until all that was left were shreds of the snake-like man.

"What was that?" Kara gasped. Train didn't reply. "I said-"

"Tao," said Train bluntly. "There wasn't supposed to be any more."

He lowered his weapon and turned back to Kara. She covered her chest as if her dress was still undone, her cheeks burning red.

"Ease up," Train chuckled. "I didn't see anything." Kara didn't seem comforted in any way. "Thanks, though."

"For showing my-"

"For distracting him!" Train quickly explained with his hands out. Kara laughed hysterically at his reaction.

They went back out to find the street completely empty. The wounded men had managed to limp or crawl away.

Train and Kara still hadn't found The Binder. They lazily trudged back to the inn and went to sleep. When they went downstairs, Train noticed something. It was a sweeper notice for a gang, to be more specific, the gang they had faced the night before.

"Crap! Damn! Son of a-"

"I know," Train cut in. "They were actually worth more than the guy we were after."

"And we lost them!" Kara whined. She slammed her head against the wall.

"There's nothing we can do about it," Train shrugged. "Cheer up. We'll find him tonight."

"I needed that money. I don't even have enough to stay another night here."

Train slouched his shoulders. That meant he didn't have a place to stay either. "Or food?"

"Or food."

They both sighed depressingly.

As if fate had been planning to pick them up in their time of need, the door to the inn opened, and in walked a green-haired man. He wore a suit and an eyepatch. Train smiled from ear to ear.

I'm preparing many funny moments. I want Kara to be the biggest spaz ever. There will by fight scenes and awkward moments a plenty!