Chapter 2:
She sat on top of the giant eagle as she flew over Leafenia. Tipi was so nice leading her to the exit. She needed to go back into the human world so that she could find a job. All the other Leafe Knights except Mannen, Hajime, and Shin who were too young and Himeno, but she didn't live in Leafenia, had jobs to support the group meaning provide food and clothing. So she was going to find a job so that she didn't feel like a free loader. Mooching off of people was not her style, she liked to feel independent and like part of the team! As she walked down the streets of Tokyo she realized that she had absolutely no idea of what type of job she wanted. She was still young enough to get a career and had adequate schooling.
Hayate worked for the head of the Awayuki family doing errands and helping him with his daily things so that he could keep an eye on Himeno (Awayuki's daughter), Goh worked as a waiter due to his warm nature, Sasame worked as a radio broadcaster because of his soothing voice and Kei worked as a videogame maker due to his profound knowledge in technology. So she might do better off getting a job with something that had to do with animals. She needed actual training if she wanted to work at the zoo and she couldn't picture herself working at a circus because then she would have to travel too far and she wouldn't get proper training time with the Leafe Knights. So she did what anyone would do. She went to the library to use a computer. She searched for local pet shops and their business hours. She wrote down the list of the ten most likely ones and headed out. She walked into the first one but was told that there were no spots open at the moment and the same was said of the next five.
As she walked into the seventh store she looked around and quickly walked out she realized that they were selling smuggled animals. She called animal control and left an anonymous tip, she was told to wait and not let the shop find out that she was onto them or they would swap all the smuggled animals for animals that were legal. She waited until they got there and took off knowing that they had the situation under control. She didn't want to end up on TV or anything or she would be found out by him. She needed to stay incognito.
Yuuki could still remember it. A week ago she had been fighting against that man and his men alongside the elders and the others who had been training there with her and they had been losing.
She was attacked by two guys with the ability to control lava and screamed as she felt it wiz past her. It hadn't touched her but at that close of a distance it felt as if her skin had touched extremely hot metal. She tried to ignore the pain but then she was attacked by 'that man' and he hit her with the handle of the sword and then stuck it through her thigh.
The elders seemed to know that they were on the losing side of the battle and came to her aid. One of them attacked 'him' and the other took her to the edge of the woods.
"You aren't strong enough yet! You must carry out your mission and become stronger before you can defeat him!" he said.
"I will! But we must keep them at bay-" she was cut off.
"No. We must. But you must leave. I am going to send you to earth." He said matter-of-factly.
"No! Don't!" but it was too late as a transportation warp surrounded her in blue light.
She had ended up at the foot of the Road of White where the Leafe Knights found her. But the strain of the journey had been too much and she had fallen from five feet up in the air onto her face. Not to mention that 'he' was still trying to invade her mind.
She headed towards the next store afraid that she would end the day without a job. She walked into a very full and very fancy pet shop, since it was on the main street it would make sense. There were all sorts of animals that were common to pet shops.
"Excuse me," she told the clerk. A very old nice grandpa looking man.
"Yes miss?" he said kindly.
"I was wondering if you have any job openings. I am looking for a part time job actually," she replied.
"Oh. I see!" he said, "Well yes, as a matter of fact we do. But you have to be willing to work very hard. You see during rush hour it gets too full in here and I just can't take care of all the customers and the animals at the same time with the animals agitated and the loud people," he continued, "You seem like a very nice young girl and I haven't had any other people come around to ask me for a job here. If you can start tomorrow then I am willing to hire you," he finished in a serious but still nice tone.
"I am willing to begin tomorrow," she replied politely.
"See you then!" he said happily.
"Bye!" she waved.
As she walked out of the store she felt very pleased to be a working woman. She had become very hungry from walking all morning long and the fact that in was past noon and she had not had any breakfast. She walked around the corner and saw a very likely looking restaurant. It had indoor and outdoor seats. She sat at one of the outdoor seats being that it was such a nice day outside. She took the menu from the table and looked at its contents. 'Should I get Udon or…Ramen…no…SUSHI! I should have some sushi…definitely. ' Just as she made up her mind the waiter got to her table. And wasn't she shocked that she was looking at none other than Goh. Of all the places in the city she could have gone…how amusing.
"So this is the place where you work, huh?" she asked surprised.
"Yes it is! How surprising that you have come by! But I didn't tell you where I worked," he said smiling.
"I didn't know. I went out this morning to look for a job. The rest of you have jobs, and I don't see why I shouldn't have one. Anyways I start working at a pet shop tomorrow." She said, "As a matter of fact it's just around the corner."
"Goh! Get back to work and stop chit chatting with the customers." Yelled an angry old lady form the kitchen. Yuuki stifled a laugh. She assumed the lady must be the cook or possibly the manager of the restaurant.
"Right. So what would you like to have?" Goh asked sheepishly.
"Well, I absolutely love sushi so I think I will have some sushi." She said as she pointed at the menu.
"Coming right up!" he said with a smile.
"Thank you!" she replied. While he told the head chef her order she wondered about trivial things. 'I wonder how much I will be getting paid. I only have the tattered clothing I came in. That was good for nothing so Himeno was nice enough to lend me some of her clothes for the time being and she said I could keep it but I feel bad taking her clothing. I don't want to just take it like that, I have nothing to give her back. I should wash her clothing and give it back to her as soon as I can. Too bad. She has such nice quality clothing. Everything feels super soft and it is so pretty. I guess that's what you get used to when you're rich.' She sighed, just as Goh came back with her food.
"Here ya go. Enjoy your meal. I would stick around, but I'll just get yelled at." He said. She stifled yet another laugh. That's when she looked at the meal. 'Wow. That is so much. Amazing! But I really won't be able to finish it all by myself.' As if on cue Goh's stomach grumbled. She noted this.
"Are you hungry?" she asked.
"I haven't taken my break yet," he realized.
"Here," she offered, "Take your break now. Meal's on me. I wouldn't be able to finish this by myself anyways." she added. 'Ugh. What am I saying? I really have only enough money for this meal!'
"I'll go tell the manager!" he said excited.
'Oh well,' she thought, "If it makes him this happy then…why not?" Just as she thought this Goh came back.
"Itadakimasu!" he said as he sat down.
"Itadakimasu." She repeated. They ate together.
"So what were you doing before you were here?" he asked her.
"I was training," she paused, "with The Elders."
"So you really did meet them." He said. It was a statement not a question.
"Yup." She said bluntly, "I was with them when we were attacked. They teleported me here when they realized that we were losing the battle…but not before I was attacked wich is why I passed out and I've been here since then."
"Look. I have a question because I saw something that doesn't happen every single time that you call animals. That time when you told the panther to leave. Your eyes they…they turned red" he said unsure of himself.
"Oh that…that was nothing." She said as if she were trying to convince herself.
"I don't think so…I think there is more than you are telling me." He said perceptively.
'Who was he? How could he tell? She had forgotten the last time that someone cared to know who she really was.' Then she lost it. 'If he finds out…if any of them find out what a monster I really am…they will all hate me.'
"Just drop it, okay?" she said ending the conversation abruptly. She got up to leave, "I will be leaving now. Bye." She said emotionless.
'I have no time to be weak. I have to go train now…I must train everyday no matter what.' She walked away with the intention of taking the Road of White and asking one of the Leafe Knights to be her opponent. 'Wait. They are probably all training except for Mannen, Hajime, and Shin. Maybe I will ask those three to help me.'
