Kina: It's been awhile I know, don't have to remind me. I've kind of lost track of time, well a lot of it. and have been very busy wih life. Over the past... 3 years ive gotten numerous messages on and on my hotmail asking/begging me to continue this story... so I decided why not.
Note; I dont write like this anymore. Nothing even remotely close to this, this actual chapter was written back in October of 2007. I'm kind of embarassed about it... since it reminds me of how horribly I seemed to write -or at least as far as I see it-. So I hope you all enjoy Chapter two. HAPPY NEW YEARS ALL.
-o-
General Lucifer sat silently at his office desk, his hands entwined and placed under his chin. He held a deep frown that made it seem that if he frowned any deeper he would have more wrinkles than any grandfather in Venice.
A knock came to the door and one of the maids walked in, one of her hands holding up the tray of food Lucifer had demanded her to get.
'Here you go sir, anything else?' She asked, placing the tray down on the top corner of the desk. She smiled slightly when her master just waved his hand at her.
'No, leave.' He said, watching as she bowed and left the room. Lucifer looked over his supper then glanced over at the picture of Yoh and him spending their weekend in London. That was when he had gone to the queen's tea party. He sighed, maybe Yoh just wanted some time to himself. Maybe Yoh hated his guts or.. he groaned and tossed the lamp from his desk at the wall, watching as it broke. He frowned and rested his head against the wood surface.
Yoh... where are you?
-o-
In the grand theatre, Yoh found it looked different than what he had expected it to be. Almost all of the seats had been taken out, some of their cushions lying in certain areas, in what he assumed was a bed. The upper rooms, where more privileged people like his father sat, they were converted into rooms, curtains of cloth providing it's owner with some privacy. The stage had boards that were missing and a hole in the corner, probably molded.
Yoh followed Hao down one of the aisles., his hands in his pockets because Hao didn't trust him. It had been three days since his arrival here and he knew everyone of Hao's crew. Hao had even offered him the option of manning the crew in and outs, considering how quickly he had come to know everyone. Perhaps not on friendly terms. He had taken the offer it was something to do, since for the last three days he had done nothing but wander around.
Hao took hold of Yoh's hand and pulled him aside when he was about to step onto a mouse trap. 'They say there are mice, so they set up these traps... please be careful.' Hao advised, smiling softly before continuing, letting Yoh's hand drop from his.
Yoh nodded, his eyes now glued to the floor, making sure he wouldn't step on any other mouse traps as he followed Hao into a hallway, eventually leading to a smaller room. He looked around, noticing that everything in the room was stolen from people and places in Venice. He also took notice of his step-father's precious cane leaning against an empty space one of the white wash walls.
He took notice of some of the other recognizable items. The hookah pipe the late king of Venice used in 1806, the crown of Julia; a gift to a wealthy generals' daughter and the sword of Alexander, used by Venice's' most famous warriors... all of these Venetian treasures' were wrapped in plastic, protecting them from the dust and mold particles that lingered in the room.
Yoh carefully ran his over a golden egg, his fingers tracing the embedded diamonds. He smiled, it felt weird to be able to touch such a forbidden treasure.
'Yoh...'
The said person looked over his shoulder at Hao who motioned to another door, most likely leading to another room. His belief was proved right when Hao unlocked the door and opened it, letting Yoh in first.
The room was bare, nothing except a key that hung from a hook in the middle of the wall facing him and a square wood thing on the floor. He gave Hao a questioning look.
'That key opens the lock you see on the wood hatch on the floor. Once unlocked, it opens up a path that leads me anywhere.'
'Did you make it?' Yoh asked.
Hao shook his head, 'No... we found it. This theatre was built over two hundred years ago. The Lord thought it a great idea at the time to build secret tunnels under the city in case invading troupes managed to get past their military forces.' He paused, 'Now it's left abandoned and forgotten so we use it to go from place to place stealing random, valuable objects. It's also how I got into the palace undetected by the guards.' Hao mused.
'But why do you steal? You obviously aren't in debt or work from some major mob leader. So why do you do it?' Yoh asked.
Hao took the keys off the hook, 'Because it's fun.' Hao said in mock hurt, tossing the keys to Yoh who easily caught them, 'You can watch over them for me... if you ever get recaptured by your father, you can always just go down to your basement and open the hatch behind the wine cabinet...'
'Wait... you've been in my house?'
Hao only smirked at him, motioning for Yoh to leave the room before relocking the door. 'Plenty of times, I suppose. How do you think I found out about your daddy's little stick?'
'You mean... you've been in my room too?'
'Yes. But you see, it's not my fault because if I had known that, that room was your room, I wouldn't have gone in there. But I didn't know that, that room was yours. So I went in and found you. It's actually your fault for not saying anything...' Hao explained.
Yoh gave him a confused look, his lips parting slightly in surprise. 'But i was asleep!' He finally argued, 'How in gods name do you expect me to tell you not to come into my room if I'm asleep?'
'Well... then you should have been awake...' Hao chided, walking into another room, the kitchen. He grabbed an apple from the bowl on one of the crates before taking a seat on another. Yoh shook his head, falling silent.
-o-
Since you're going to be staying with me for awhile, you're going to have to learn how to at least steal food.' Hao said as he walked through the busy marketplace streets.
'You're teaching me how to steal?' Yoh asked..
'Well, yeah. Unless you already know how to steal.' Hao said teasingly.
'... Of course I know how to steal.' Yoh told him.
'Fine then. Go steal an apple from Manatchi's stall.' Hao said, pointing towards a grumpy looking vendor who argued with a woman about how much twenty oranges would cost.
'But he works for my father.' Yoh noted.
Hao shrugged his shoulders, 'Oh well, you don't pull your weight, you don't eat. I'll be over near the fountain...' Hao muttered before walking away.
Yoh sighed and looked around. If only he could manage a diversion or something.
A man on his bike, chickens fastened to his back... he bit his bottom lip.
He ran at him, making the biker swerve, slamming right into Manatchi's stall. Before the vendor could notice, Yoh rolled some of the mans fruit into his sac before running off.
'HEY!' Manatchi's shouted, showing Yoh his fist.
Yoh smiled and tossed Hao one of the apples. Hao came alongside him, 'Yery good. But... using a diversion to get what you seek.' Hao said, biting into the apple.
'How long did it take you?' Yoh asked.
Hao looked at the apple, chewing for a moment, 'Seven.'
'So I guess that means you'll just have to find something else for me to do.' Yoh said, turning into one of the alleyways.
Hao shoved him up against the wall, licking his lips, 'Since you think you can do anything... tomorrow, I'm stealing a diamond ring from your daddy's friend, the governor. You're going to accompany me.' Hao whispered in Yoh's ear, nipping at his earlobe before pulling away.
Yoh frowned and wiped his ear, 'What if I don't feel like joining you?'
'Then I'll either kill you or return you to your father, making you spend the rest of your life as a loser.' He said, looking over at Yoh who mimicked him, sticking out his tongue.
'I'm not a loser..' Yoh murmured, yelping suddenly when he slipped on something. Yoh closed his eyes and grabbed onto the only thing he could, which in this case was Hao.
When he was sure he wasn't dead, Yoh opened his eyes to find Hao on top of him with his lips pressed against his own. He blinked slowly as he looked up at Hao who pulled away, frowning as he sat up.
'You... are such a loser.' Hao said, licking his lips.
Okay.. maybe he was...
