Yeah yeah, I know that I'm not even done with my other story. But I've been out of touch with the YYH fandom for a long time now and this is my tentative step back. Depending on how things go and if my grades stay decent, then this might continue. I have this more or less planned out, anyway. In case you don't notice, yes, this is the same Suzume from the oneshot in my collection "The Way the Fortune Cookie Crumbles." Please read it when you get the chance!
By the way…ehh, if any of you like the videogame "Tales of Symphonia," then check out the Drama CD novelization I'm doing. I'm only the writer though, the real credit goes to Yume Hanabi for translating the dialogue and helping me out with a few of the finer points of the story. XD /shamless-advertising
Chapter 1
Growing up in the middle of a territorial dispute, there were certain rules to follow. Stay out of sight. Don't let the enemies find you. If they do, kill them immediately. Our clan also had a unique set of rules for combat. Be graceful. Be serene. "Like water flowing in and out, back and forth through your enemies' attacks." Since I was old enough to hold a weapon, I have been trained in this, these rules have been engrained in my mind. Combat-wise, I was somewhat exceptional, I learned quickly. But my older brothers complained that I was too naïve, too childish. If I were to get into a dispute with a real enemy, I would be killed without a second thought.
I insisted that I would do my part to help the family too, but…to tell the truth, I was afraid. I had never killed anyone before. The thought, in my 50-year-old mind (about nine in mortal years, I suppose), frightened me. But living in the Makai, one should be used to death and bloodshed. So I kept this little secret to myself, afraid to show any weaknesses and eager to impress my brothers.
Maybe I shouldn't have. I shouldn't have kept it a secret when I was needed most. If I hadn't, then maybe I wouldn't be in this situation. It's been about six decades now, and I've done all I can just to get by. But—
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"Oi! Suzume! We've got customers!"
The young woman's ears picked up at the call of her name and she quickly closed the small notebook she had been writing in, stashing it behind the counter she was sitting at. "Coming!"
The bartender, a gruff looking feline youkai, glanced at her through his good left eye as she approached. "Be nice to them. They're well-paying customers." He hissed as she passed.
She ignored him, her ebony fox tail flicking in irritation behind her. "I treat others depending on the way they treat me." She growled under her breath. "I won't treat them like perverts if they don't act like it." Striding over to the table of lizard demons, she took a deep breath and flashed a smile. "Welcome! What can I get for you today?"
The leader, presumably so from his larger girth than the others, didn't even try to conceal his expression as his beady eyes roved over the kitsune's body. Suzume frowned, but kept silent and waited for his answer. It wasn't that she was exceptionally pretty, it was just that she was female and he, male. Or at least she presumed so. "Just a water for now. I have to ask my companions." He replied slowly with a small grin. As she turned to leave, she heard his so-called companions snicker.
"Don't drive them out, girl." The bartender hissed when she reached the counter for the glasses. "This is your last chance, you know there's a line a mile long, waiting for your position."
"Oh yeah, where sexual harassment isn't considered the least bit rude? You know that I know that it's even encouraged when there's money to be made from it." Woops, there went her mouth again. If she didn't learn to control her temper, then she wouldn't be able to eat for the day…never bite the hand that feeds you. That was something her brothers used to say when she was mad at their parents.
"I know, I know." Suzume rolled her eyes and stalked back to the table with several glasses of water. "I got it."
---
An hour and several drinks later, the noise level in the bar rose to an all-time high. The lizard's group had gotten considerably larger, and their raucous laugher could be heard throughout the building. However, Suzume's ears perked and she looked towards the door. Even through the ruckus of the rowdy patrons in the corner, she could still hear two pairs of footsteps and voices right outside the door. She was desperate to serve anyone else than the group already wearing out their welcome, anyway. "Welcome!" she spoke when the two exceptionally tall figures strode through the door. One, she could immediately tell was another kitsune, with long silver hair and sharp golden eyes. Huh. If she wasn't mistaken, he matched the description of the legendary bandit, Youko Kurama. But why would he be here in this run-down hole in the wall? She was probably just imagining things.
She couldn't tell what kind of youkai his companion was at first, but when he turned his back to sit down, she spotted a pair of telltale wings. A bat, huh? What an unusual pair. Suzume made a move to go serve them, but one of the lizard's group called to her in the loudest, slurred voice she had ever heard. "Heeeeeeey, missy! Whaddya say ya come down fer'a drink with us, huh? We could have some reeeeeal fun, hehe. Reeeeeeal fun!" he laughed.
"Ah, um, no thank you." Came her automatic response, carefully hiding her disgust. "I'm working."
He frowned. "Then gimme a REFILL!" he snapped, angry that his fun was ruined.
She sighed. "Coming right up." Giving an apologetic glance towards the newcomers, she walked over to their table to fulfill her request.
When she reached them, she found the "boss" to be staring at her again, the same grin from before beginning to stretch across his face. "How long have you been working here?" he asked as she collected their empty glasses.
"Um, not long." She replied curtly, not meeting his eyes. "About two weeks."
"Really? Do you plan on staying?" he questioned further.
Suzume began wondering where he was going with this. But she soon received her answer after her reply. "Well, if I can. It's a pretty well-paying job."
"You know…it's a shame to see you wasting away in a little hole like this." The demon grinned, raising his hand to brush away a few of her curly black locks. Suzume froze, her entire body stiffening as she tried to calm herself down. If there was one thing she grew to hate, it was these kinds of demons; the repulsive, greedy beasts who had little more than sex, money, and territory expansion on their minds. "You could do so much more."
"I'm sorry, but fraternizing with the waitresses is generally frowned upon here." She replied through gritted teeth. A lie. Nobody cared about the waitresses, but a job was a job, after all. She heard a quiet snicker from somewhere and her lavender eyes darted to the source of the noise. The two she had noticed earlier were staring intently at her, seeming somewhat amused. "If you'll excuse me…"
But he wasn't done. His fingers trailed down her the side of her face and it took all of the kitsune's self-control not to break his hand. "You really are a lovely little thing. I could offer you a job, if you were willing to take it…" he cupped her chin.
"As I said, I'm sorry. I'm quite content working here, thank you." Another lie. If she could work somewhere actually decent, she would.
"Oh, but I insist, little vixen." She distinctly heard one of the other patrons choke at the lizard's choice of words.
Screw it. The job wasn't worth it. She was NOT about to let her dignity, just about the only thing she had at the moment, be taken away. Her hands balled into fists for a brief second before she took a hold of the one that was caressing her face. In one swift movement, she pushed forward, the angle and force enough to neatly break his hand. All was quiet for a few moments before the lizard let out a bloodcurdling howl and retracted his arm. His green-toned hand was already beginning to swell and he tried to gently ease his broken fingers back into place. His cronies were looking at the small fox demon with astonishment, wondering how she would even dare to do something like that to their boss. "Unfortunately…so do I." She snarled, her ebony fox tail fluffed out and switching back and forth angrily.
"You bi--!" he began, preparing to spring forward in rage, but before he knew it, the tip of a sai was pointed at his throat. He stopped breathing, afraid that even a short breath would make it pierce his throat.
"Leave me alone. Don't touch me." She hissed. The lizard nodded slowly and she retracted her weapon, sheathing it once more at her thighs. Glancing over at the bartender, whose mouth was agape with shock, Suzume quickly strode over to the counter, stretching across it to reach underneath the other side for her notebook. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm quitting." She spoke flatly. She looked at the other two patrons from before, and it pleased her a bit to see them looking mildly impressed.
Take that.