Disclaimer: Dun' own Ra'narok. N' pard'n for this bein' la'e. I ha'tta drag ma' scrawny ass off to fin'e me a job.
I spent half of my creative energy on my Bleach fic, so ya 'all woudn't min'd me not having any witty retort for this chapter.
Name: Trueno Enjo.
Birthday: 0VXXVIIXVIIIVI
Age: twenty 'un years old.
Height: five foot 'leven inches tall.
Weight: aroun' one 'undred twenty five pounds.
Hair color: black (but bleached at the top)
Eye color: cyan.
Favorite food: candy!!!
Favorite color: blue, black
Favorite person: Yun'ger brother. Uo Katze Enjo
Motto: . . .
Trueno blankly stared at the three dots that adorned the line supposedly for his motto.
To get m' younger brother back, m' guess.
"Buuut," Trueno withheld the pen on his hand from writing. "That'd be a silly motto to write on this 'ere new di'ary."
He chuckled to no one, finding the situation a bit light heartening.
Trueno had decided to settle down and relax on the repository for books of the Prontera Sanctuary. A lot of other priests and priestesses opted to stay in there early morning till midday.
Shelves upon shelves of old books, tomes and scrolls lined the walls of the repository. Trueno swore the air was thick with dust a million times older than he was. But he could find other people not minding the musty air, and others even enjoying so; and to this; Trueno would file it on 'one of the greatest mysteries of the world.'
"Wel', time ta' start writin' down me' first entry." Trueno sighed sagely, opening the next page of the journal at hand. He'd have to finish a lot of writing before noontime.
Dear journal;
Well, what can m' say?
It's been years in runnin' and I'm still no closer to finding me' brother. Who knows what could have happened ta' 'im by then?
Least I heard wuz how 'ee wan'ted ta be a pruffessar. Never 'eard from mum 'bout where 'ee was. And dad was a jerk to 'ave died before tellin' me w'ere I could fin'd Katze.
Trueno sighed, finding himself whining about how he couldn't find his brother. He had felt always felt helpless and depressed after that.
Shaking himself up, he frowned and decided to direct his thoughts away from that depressing subject. Maybe if he found a new object for his ire, he wouldn't feel discouraged much, eh?
His eyes slid immediately towards a flock of priestesses obviously gossiping in a corner. Trueno's eyes narrowed in disbelief at their gaudy blatherings.
Well, somethin' just caught me eyes. Ever noticed how scandalous those priestess uniferms look like? 'n outsider might think the lot of them are into kinky and ganguro stuff. Ugh…and PINK! Oh, bloody tribulation! Spare mee! Spare meeee
Trueno chuckled at that, content and satisfied at the disparaging remarks he wrote down on his journal. He immediately halted his laughter upon noticing the growing pairs of angry and irritated eyes at him. He discounted the fact that people must be irritated with his chortling and what not.
The wo'ld is prett-y vain nowadays. People stoppe'd caring about the real essence of living. Meeting new people, growin' stronge'h with every monste' di-feated…they're all gone. The lot of them had grown mindless, hunt-oriented…can't even talk when ya wanna talk to them. It's every man fer 'imself, is what I think 'ow their minds bloody run.
"Sssshhhh!"
"Huh?" Trueno looked to his back, noticing the thick-glassed librarian shushing him. He was just writing in his journal! Was his pen making such a loud noise as to have disturbed her in her beauty sleep? Which was out of the question anyway, as she's supposed to be awake and actually assist library-goers…
"If you're writing something down, sir, might I suggest you try and actually write down quietly?" She stopped her scary demeanor upon noticing the offender was a handsome, bleach-haired boy. "Oh…uhm, what I meant was…people can hear you…"
Trueno gawked, almost choking in his own spit, realizing his blunder. He immediately felt a sickening atmosphere of darkness and terror at his left side, debating whether to check what it was or either make a run for it, no questions asked.
"Weell and a good day ta ya, loves…" He grinned nervously at the pack of priestesses who looked scary beyond recognition. There was a row of sharp and pointed thingies being held by the priestesses, and their maniacal growls sent shivers running up and down Trueno's spine.
"Kinky, huh?" The leader of the wolf pack…er, the priestesses, stepped forward, a dangerous looking Quadrille on her right hand. "Into ganguro, huh?"
"You're awfully mistaken, love." Trueno backed off slowly, clutching at his journal, a nervous grin immediately degrading to a scared whimper. "Ya know, I wusn't talkin' about ye'z…"
"…and pink! PINK!! BLOODY TRIBULATION!" She growled, flailing the Quadrille like a war flag for all oppressed pink priestesses. "DEATH TO THOSE WHO INSULT OUR PINKNESS!!!"
Trueno howled away, taking it as his cue to immediately run as if Rapture had finally descended. Who knows what horror pink priestesses are capable of doing to his delicate self?
"I apologize! I APOLOGIZE!!!" Trueno cried back desperately, still running desperately for his dignity's sake. Should he try and tithe a pink Sunday Hat to deter his predators?
He kept writing on his journal about his new musings while still giving chase to the mad priestesses hounding him.
"Katze, are you…oh…"
Katze turned around, from his viewing of a guy being chased by a dozen priestesses, from the window to the now slightly open door. He was just as he was yesterday: still in his black boxers, and looking out at the window with no sense of his surroundings.
A snow-haired head was peeking from it, and Katze would have smiled at the cuteness of the situation. Oh…how he'd forgotten how adorable Kianu can be sometimes! Especially when he was distraught and unsure of what to do!
Deciding to spare the both of them from time-consuming embarrassment and humiliation, Katze collected his breath, gathered what remained of his gall and stood up from his place in the window sill.
"Kianu…please?" Katze leaned onto the warm stone wall beside the window, as he carelessly pointed a finger at the somehow neat-looking bed. He was silently asking the platinum blond to sit down, as they really needed to talk.
The other professor had felt the gravity of the situation (as well as the aura of impending doom Katze was emanating if he would not give in to the demands of the younger boy) and decided at best to comply. Maybe they can finally sort things out without the use of heavy magic and book-bopping.
"How did you find me?" Katze went straight to the point, his eyes now fixed upon the hunched figure of the platinum blond professor.
Kianu flinched, feeling the examining gaze of the other go through him.
"I had my sources…"
Katze nodded, finding the answer satisfying in the least.
"Your turn."
Kianu looked up, a bit confused, as he bit his lip in anticipation.
"Huh?"
"Your turn to ask me any question. It wouldn't be fair to you if it was me doing all the cross-examining."
Katze looked away, a bit irritated and annoyed. He merely glared at the side, fixing his ire upon a vase full of yellow flowers. Ugh…yellow was a cheery color, and he was radiating murderous intents against said abominable flowers…if only glares can wilt flowers, then he'd be a happy guy.
"What happened after I left?"
The younger boy scowled, disliking Kianu's straightforwardness. He was never to beat around the bush, and Katze, who was a procrastinator, and a believer that all good things come to those who wait, was a big antagonist of this particular aspect of the elder professor.
He would not answer looking straight at Kianu. Katze turned around, facing the stone wall and hanging his head in feelings reminiscent of guilt and shame. His shoulders slumped, and his form was that of the weary.
"For all the bragging I did, people scorned and mocked me. 'Oh, Katze the twerp! Just look at him! His so-called rival had left him eating his dust!'" He spoke softly, his tone was now a bit gruff and surly; a trait that showed up when he was emotionally stressed. "I 'ad to muck it all up and kip my 'ead up. I told m'self I wasn't improving myself fer them. I did it fer'…"
Katze blinked, head straightening up as he realized he was speaking in sailor accent. He just covered his mouth and mumbled a soft apology for his brash tone.
"Sorry…my accent just goes awry when I'm stressed is all."
Kianu nodded, not telling that he knew this particular quirk of Katze's. He'd been studying the brunette ever since they shacked up in the same dorm/apartment room when they were still studying in the Juno Academy. He merely waved it off, as if it never happened.
"Your turn –"
Katze peeked from the shadow of his eyes.
"Found your special someone yet?"
Kianu's gaze traveled from the floor up to meet with the younger boy's eyes. Gazes locked with each other, not one willing to back down as if in silent competition.
"I do, I have and I did."
The strength behind Katze's eyes seemed to have died down a bit.
"O-oh…s-so…when can I meet her?" He looked away, losing in their silent battle. "I guess I'm kinda curious to know what kind of girl captured your heart."
He inwardly smirked.
"The kind that walks with a dick."
Kianu carefully observed Katze's face for any reaction. He'd known that Katze was gay, ever since he noticed his obsession with hair gels and his claims of just being 'metrosexual'. And if that didn't bite, how else could he explain the stacks of yaoi doujinshi Katze kept under the mattress of his bed?
"Kianu! I'm home!!!"
"Quit hollering, stupid! I'm spring-cleaning, and I expect you to pay me back for this!"
"Eh? Why? It's not like I asked you to, you know."
"Because I've included your part of the room, weirdo."
"K'ra…I've been called stupid and an idiot, but you're the only guy who added weirdo into my list."
"You're a weirdo because you keep your porn in a place easily seen by other people."
Silence.
"Uhm…by porn…did you mean the comic books I kept below my bed?"
"Right underneath the mattress."
Gulp.
"Really, try to be more discrete will you? If it were another person aside from me, yours would have disappeared into their own porn stashes a long time ago."
"You…you didn't read it?"
"Should I? It's not as if I need more education in the field of sex…or were you deprived sex education when you were in your adolescent years?"
Pout.
"Wipe that smirk off your face, talcum-hair! I bet I know more stuff about sex than you do!"
"And still, you're a virgin."
Blush.
"You-p…I-p…don't tell me you've gotten 'some' already!"
"Huh?"
"Gotten some! You know…uhh…'got' laid…"
"Yes."
"Uwaah! You're not a virgin anymore!"
"I still am."
"Huh?"
Sigh.
"I said, 'Yes'."
". . ."
"Yes, I haven't gotten laid."
"Bastard! You speak and sound all like you've gotten laid…and ultimately, you are still a virgin like me!"
"Virginity is a state of mind, idiot."
"Da-ka-ra, that's not the point smartass! Whatever…did you return them back underneath the mattress?"
"No. I left it in the dining table. You can go keep your own stuff, I'm not doing it for you."
Pitter. Patter.
"Oh my friggin-you told me you didn't read my comic books!"
"I didn't say that." "All I said was 'Should I? It's not as if I need-'"
"I know what you said, grandpa. But that phrase generally means 'No, I did not read your comics.'"
"Nevertheless, I have no interest in what your taste is. I had no idea you were that enamored in the idea of fur loincloths and flat-chested women."
"Wha?"
"And really. Girls wearing strap-ons? However do you sleep at night thinking about it and waking up with morning wood by the following day?"
"THEY'RE NOT GIRLS! THEY'RE MEN, ALRIGHT?!? And how do you know I've been pitching the tent every morning, ecchi?"
"…"
"Kianu? O-oi? Why are you turning red? And face me, damnit! Stop sweeping the floor like I wasn't talking to you! Kianu, you pig-headed prodigy! Turn around and answer me, hu'nya!"
Kianu finished reminiscing that particular memory, when he noticed how Katze's confused face scrunched up to one with disgust.
"Really, Kianu. She must be that kinky to wear a strap-on for you. Ugh, I really can't understand you straight guys and your fetishes." He made barfing noises to go along, just for the heck of it.
Kianu looked startled for a second, amazed at how idiotic the sullen boy was before him. Ok, I'm sure he wasn't serious….I hope…
"Katze…spare me the sarcasm if you will. I tend not to recognize one when it comes from your mouth."
Said boy looked abashed, looking shocked and startled himself. Katze had hoped that it was a joke, in reference to his memory of Kianu finding his yaoi doujinshi collection. Girls with strap-ons were really hard to forget.
"That wasn't a joke? You're…you…"
"Whether I'd be glad or afraid for your sanity, it is the truth."
Katze crumpled on the floor, falling on his knees. Ok…it was easier to swallow if Randall came to him one day and told him he was gay. He had first-hand experience with a sullen gay guy, anyways.
But Kianu? So-called rival and friend, had been gay along, and he never realized it?
"B…but wait. If you're gay…"
Kianu's eye twitched. "I sure hope you aren't fond of that particular term. I find it degrading to my orientation. I'm quite sure I'm not happy and peachy all the time."
"Fine. If you're a homosexual…" Katze narrowed his eyes, emphasizing his tone on the new term. "…since when had you known about it?"
Kianu rolled his eyes upwards, contemplating on his answer.
"Ever since I was six…I guess." The platinum blond shrugged, rubbing the back of his head in habit of answers he wasn't quite sure of. "It just happened. One day, I just decided I liked swords better than scabbards."
Katze stood up, swearing to himself that he should stop with the drama. Something irked him though…
"Swords better than scabbards?"
Kianu sighed. How can anyone be so intellectually adept, and yet, be daft at the same time? Ugh…this is more trouble than I thought.
"O-oh." Kianu was disturbed from his thoughts with Katze clapping his hands together in actualization. "I get it. You compared swords and scabbards to…err…". He looked away, blushing a very deep crimson.
Katze felt light-hearted at that moment, realizing he never did have fun ever since Kianu left. And now that he was back…he was happy. Not gay. Just happy…that he had finally somebody to talk to that understood and related to him.
I guess I should try and forgive him. He left because I was simply unable to catch up to him.
"I guess you have a point…" Katze looked up, for the first time since they meet two years after, a smile graced his face. "You can never duel swords with scabbards anyway, huh? Sword fights are always fought with two swords."
Kianu reddened at the younger boy's smile. He didn't know what made him do so, but it was the first in a long time since he had seen this type of a genuine grin in Katze's countenance. He agreed with what the younger boy said.
"My thoughts exactly." He grinned back, though less intense than the other boy.
Katze stood up, hiding the bulging feeling in his throat. Slowly, he walked towards the bed, where Kianu sat.
The other boy quirked an eyebrow as well, wondering at what the brunette might be thinking. Katze was never one for initiative, usually he had to be prodded to do something. He was a procrastinator, and Kianu had once scoffed at Katze for that kind of outlook in life.
The talk between them might have consumed two hours, as sunlight streaming through the window was now slowly creeping towards the foot of the bed. People outside could be heard walking and talking around; everybody was busy as it was Monday, a workday for most people.
Katze slowly sat himself at Kianu's side, the mattress digging downwards to occupy his weight. Kianu shifted slightly, making himself comfortable once more.
The brunette peeked upwards, eyes hidden behind the fringe of his hair.
"Listen…I'm sorry I shouted at you back then." Katze spoke softly, habitually playing with his fingers whenever he felt nervous. "Two years is a long time for a person to think…but it made me realize that…I guess…I…you…"
Kianu's heart paced one beat faster. What is he saying? Is he…trying to confess?
Katze slapped himself awake, shaking his head afterwards to throw off jittery nerves. This is the perfect chance for him to say this, and damnit he was going to say it!
"Kianu…pleasedontleavemeagain.IreallymissedyouandIguessioverreactedwhenifoundoutyouweregone.Iknowitwasn'tyourfaultandstilliblamedyou!Pleaseforgiveme.I'msosorry!"
Kianu was startled at the onslaught of words that came out of Katze. He did get the message out of the jumble of letters and phrases, but he never did find the three word phrase he was somewhat afraid of, and expecting at the same time, out of the mass of semi-construed letters.
And if that wasn't enough to surprise him, Katze tackled him without any hesitation. The blond fell on his back on the bed, with the brunette lying on his chest, digging his face on the fabric of his uniform. He did not protest though, when he heard a bit of sobbing in Katze's part.
"I-It's just that…everyone I loved…m-my mother...brother…s-sister…t-they left me when I was still a child. F-father controlled my life b-before I got enrolled at the Academy…And then there was you…you were…l-like family to me…you made me forget how sad it felt to be alone…I never want to be alone again…I-I don't wanna…and t-then you disappeared one day…and I stopped caring…s-stopped hoping that maybe someday…s-somebody will walk with me down the road…l-live with me…"
Kianu understood why Katze was angry back then. He fully understood now. Katze was never angry that he left him in the first place without any say-so. He never was. He was angry because…
"…when you came back…t-that was that…y-you broke me. Y-you broke my resolve…I hoped again…when I saw you…and I don't wanna hope anymore. Life can't be a fairy tale for a guy like me…there's no prince to sweep another prince off his feet…there's no happily ever after…o-only 'The End'."
Kianu hurt. He hurt because he thought of the same thing. He had the same idea…same thoughts as Katze had shared with him. No future…no tomorrow…no love for a guy like him. For both of them. And while Katze hoped that a miracle will happen, Kianu did otherwise. He lived in the present, and never thought about tomorrow. Because nobody lives in the tomorrow….they only live in the now…and sometimes…only the present matters in order for you to have a future.
"I know what you mean, Katze."
"I truly do…"
"…Kianu?"
"Please, let me just promise you one thing."
"…Kianu, what…what are you talking about?"
"I promise to be by your side from now on. Never leave you alone. No matter what."
"…please stop. Don't say things like that. You and I both know –"
" – that I never break promises."
" – that you have a future ahead for you. You're Chief Scribe of the castle, for crying out loud. And I'm just the lowly troublemaker that blows up unsuspecting inns."
Silence.
"Shit."
"No. Don't panic. It's taken care of. An alibi has been passed down. You're safe in any case."
"Alibi? There were tons of people that could serve as witnesses to incriminate me."
"All taken care of. They were paid to keep their mouths shut, and I handled all negotiations with the innkeeper. Provided you don't go back in there, as what he said, and that we shoulder the reconstruction expenses…he won't charge you."
"…wow."
"And just to make sure, I added in a whirlpool tub for guarantee that he'll forget the whole thing."
"Kianu, you smug, rich bastard."
"I know."
Smirk.
"You know I cannot repay everything you've done for me."
"Not asking anything back…"
"…somehow, I fail to see the period at the end of that sentence."
"…but you do have to render your services to the castle, though."
"I knew it."
Sigh.
"You're Assistant to the Chief Scribe. And if you resist, I'll have the castle guards come here and throw you to the dungeon for blowing up a public property of Prontera."
"Wai- wha? Assistant to the…you? Bu-but…me…you…job? How…wait a second…bu-bu-but…"
"Hold your blubber mouth down. Your records show you're currently unemployed, so I figured a job wouldn't hurt. I will be taking half of your salary as payment though…for all the trouble and money I had to spend so you wouldn't go to jail."
"How much is my salary gonna be?"
"Smartass. It's two million zennies per month. Remove half of it plus tax, that'll leave you with nine hundred fifty thousand zennies."
"…cheapskate."
Smirk.
"You're starting today. So fess up and get dressed by ten."
Trueno wept..
Who knew Priestesses had the endurance of a horse? Pink horses to be exact, he snorted. But going back to his main trail of thoughts…they've been at it for an hour and a half already.
Running to be exact. They've spanned the whole city of Prontera forty eight times now, running in circles from the Sanctuary, to the Chivalry house-thingy, down to the Wedding Shop, on the right towards the Kafra Lady of the satellite city-Izlude, and back up to Sanctuary.
The high priest thought the monsters…err, the priestesses would give out after a few laps, but his ass had quite a few close encounters with their snapping jaws already. And unfortunately, his energy was running out.
"GET BACK HERE!!! RAAARGH!!" The lot of them snarled, showing no sign of fatigue whatsoever. They were still chasing after him, and keeping their pace, not to mention in their high heels. Oh…gosh…the training priestesses must have in order to support a party in high heels!
"Woa'…holy mmph –"
Trueno, in his musing, failed to notice a pair of high-length, gloved hands grab his waist and haul him inside a merchant's cart. The cart was spacious, decorated with a small canopy and flowers on its side. There was even a small tarpaulin roof covering the contents of the cart.
Should be a gal's cart. Ow! She mus' be reelly loaded to have 'igh quality stuff like this in 'er cart!
Trueno swallowed, at awe with the loot and treasures of said cart. Cowboy hats, Angel Wings, Devil Wings, Solar God Helms, fully upgraded swords and shields…and oh my…was that a Mejingard!?! Two MEJINGARDS?!?!? (1)
The high priest dampened his panting at the moment when he caught peek of pink skirts near the cart he was hidden. With all the inhuman capabilities high priestesses possessed, Trueno was sure damned they would have inherited the super sonic hearing of bats…
"Pardon, but have you seen a guy with bleached hair just at the top of his head? He's a high priest and he should be around here somewh-"
Trueno was sweating profusely. He hoped whoever his savior was would do a good job of fending his assailants off.
Hopefully with a ten foot pole.
"AAEEEIII!!! RUN FOR IT!!!" Trueno almost fell on his peeking position, when he heard the screeches of the harpies…err, I mean priestesses, make a dash for it away from his hiding the place.
I mean, like, wow. That ten foot pole must be spiky too. Full of rusty, sharp nails.
The tarpaulin roof of the cart opened to reveal a Creator. He was still fairly young, looking like fifteen or sixteen. The boy extended his hand towards Trueno, who graciously took it as a sign for him to get out.
The boy had wide, scathing dark-green eyes. He was almost a foot shorter than Trueno, who surmised he must be a five-four or a five-five. He had dark, really dark hair; but like Trueno, his top was tinted. While Trueno had his hair bleached white, the boy had his own hair colored deep grey.
After helping the high priest out, the boy merely scoffed, sat back at the side of his cart, set up shop, and leaned on a lamp post, closing his eyes to take a cat nap. It took two seconds flat for the boy to immediately snore, to which Trueno sweat dropped in disbelief.
"O-oi…" Trueno squatted in front of the boy, poking his forehead, to try and wake him up. What type of person helps another, scares off his attackers, and then sleeps after helping said person?
The boy's right eye flashed open, irritated and annoyed in all sense. His right foot immediately shot up between Trueno's squatted legs, dangerously close to his family jewels, and right up the center of his ass.
"YOW!!! Fuckin' bloody Christine!!!" Trueno howled, jumping up a few feet high in the air, before landing on his side and rolling on the street as if his clothes caught on fire; all the while keeping his hand between his legs and over the sore area where the boy kicked him hard.
"Apple taffy Grace!!! Mediocre trickster Polly!!! Sissy pants Sue!!!" The priest continued spouting off nonsense as he continuously rolled on the street, trying to appease the disgruntled bundle of sore nerves in his ass. Technically, those weren't curse words…but Trueno had to find something to redirect his anger, didn't he?
Trueno continued whimpering, ass up in the air for all passersby to see, as he mumbled incoherencies onto the stone pavement his cheek was having a nice meeting with. The people who saw merely snickered, unused to seeing stuff like this happen everyday. What can they expect? This is Prontera, after all.
A shiver suddenly shot up his spine, chilling Trueno to the deepest pits of his stomach. He turned around, seeing the boy holding a small vial of clear, yellow liquid. Or was holding anyway. The contents of the vial dribbled down from the center of his ass, down to the insides of his thighs.
"Ei! That wuss uncalled fer!" Trueno immediately stood up, standing awkwardly with feet separated to emphasize the wetness between his thighs. "Ye got some bloody stuff ruinin' me pants!"
The creator shrugged, sitting back down where he sat minutes ago. He turned voyeur afterwards, running eyes up and down Trueno's body, and appreciating the view.
"Oi! Bloody mary…whut are ya turning perve't at?" Trueno hugged himself, not liking the creator's somewhat-perverted gleam in his eyes.
The boy, after almost an hour of silence, finally spoke.
The boy stood up, trying to reach towards Trueno's height. With a cocky smirk, he spoke for the first time in hours.
"Marry me."
Katze yawned, as he walked down the length of the castle's corridors.
The elder professor had left him in his room earlier, letting him clean himself up, bathe, get dressed, eat and ready himself for his work.
While most people had to contend waiting in line to give their resumes, have their interview, and hope to be accepted for castle duty; Katze had the privilege of skipping all of it and be accepted at a job that was high paying and suitable for his line of work.
"Oh, tee-hee." Katze drawled, finding the irony in the irony of situations. "Here I am looking for a job, and one day I get a high paying one. It is within the line of my work as professor, but damnit, I'm aiming for the outside world! Not cooped up in some damn, musty room with…"
He halted in mid-thought, Kianu suddenly drifting into his mind. They found each other…after two years…all the praying and crying he did paid off.
"I guess I could stomach the boredom…Kianu is with me after all." He smiled wanly; feeling excited all of a sudden. Maybe even giggly, but that was pushing it too far.
Platinum blond hair peeked out from a corner, and strong eyes settled on the giggling brunette. Kianu raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to snap Katze out of his delusion or let him be in his own little, happy gay world. Ugh…there goes that term again!
"Katze…hey. Snap out of it." The blond stood in the younger professor's way, calling out to him as he got nearer and nearer.
The brunette paid no heed, still dreamy and somewhat dazed. He was only able to snap himself out of dreamland when he found himself sprawling on the floor, limbs tangled, with the person he was just musing about earlier.
"K-Kianu! The hell you weren't looking where you were going!" Katze snapped, hiding the fact that he was the one at fault and that Kianu had been the center of his thoughts. Friend and rival made no difference now. What's important was he was not alone.
"You're one to speak to your boss like that." Kianu snapped back, a bit irritated by Katze's obstinacy. "Act like that in front of me again in public and I'll have you scrubbing the dungeon toilets with your toothbrush."
Katze made a small 'eep' and immediately disentangled himself, standing up and assisting his 'boss' up. Kianu made a satisfied sound and plopped his hand at the top of Katze's head; to which the younger professor pouted.
"Be ready to assist me. I'm meeting some dignitaries from Amatsu who will carry with them a letter for King Tristan. Act dignified, greet them, and accept the letter from them. I'll handle the curtsies and small talk."
Katze nodded at the directions, immediately fixing his fox scarf, the belts on his pants, and the silk trailing from both his hands. Kianu did little maintenance on his, rather fixing his hair than above anything else.
They exited a door from the right side, going out towards the castle courtyard. It was a suitable meeting place for outsiders, as there were seats and benches scattered around, nestled beneath humungous trees of oak, cherry and ginkgo.
Leaves of various shapes and colors started to form a shower of foliage, and Katze appreciated the magic of the atmosphere.
A small thought where Kianu suddenly grabs him and kisses him without hesitation right at the spot they were walking at crossed his mind, but Katze shook his head in an instant; berating himself for thinking wayward thoughts with his friend. Maybe he should be the one taking a real shower right now, so that Mr. Dick would go away.
He broke from his musing when he heard a small cough at his side. Kianu was staring at him from the corner of his eye, noticing he was gazing at nothing again. Katze scoffed, but thought otherwise of putting up a fight in public. He settled for ignoring him and wondering at a pair of people in purple with oversized scarves.
"Ninjas, Katze. Ninjas." Kianu gritted between tight lips, his face still directed towards their guests. Of course, Katze knew what they were. He wasn't an otaku for nothing!
Katze gazed curiously at the duo, interests piqued at seeing people of another culture. One ninja had raven black hair, pale skin, and unusually red irises. He was pointedly ignoring the blond ninja beside him, who sported squinty eyes, whisker scars on both sides of his cheeks. Both ninjas had their sakkats hanging lazily from their neck.
Katze generalized the blond was trying to convince the other boy about something. He couldn't explain the slowly-growing blush the raven-haired boy sported though.
"Good afternoon." Kianu greeted them, a bit unsure whether it was the right thing to do as both ninjas glared at him at once for his intrusion. "Travellers from Amatsu, I presume?"
The elder of the two (Katze presumed it was the raven-haired boy) nodded. "Yes. Are you Chief Scribe Kianu?"
Katze raised an eyebrow at the somewhat broken English the ninja spoke. Sure, it was grammatically and semantically correct, but the way he spoke suggested he wasn't as accustomed in using the language.
Kianu didn't look unperturbed at his accent though. "Yes, I am. Welcome to Prontera City."
The boy nodded, satisfied. He turned to his companion at once, who was idly scratching his whisker scars.
"Naruto, doko ni arimasu ka?" (Naruto, where is it?")
Japanese! Both ninjas spoke japanese! Ooh, wait till he showed Kianu he knew how to speak the language! Kianu was sure to bleed in jealousy!
The blond turned to answer; Katze realized the blond was pointedly observing him as well. He just didn't realize it as the blond's eyes were too squinty for him to notice 'Naruto' was gazing at him.
"Uh? Doko nani, Sasuke?" ("Uh? Where what, Sasuke?")
'Sasuke' immediately rubbed his temples, as if expecting that type of answer from the blond ninja.
"Tegami, Naruto. Tegami su." ("Letter, Naruto. The letter.")
The blond scratched his head in embarrassment, saying 'warui, warui, Sasuke' ('my bad, my bad, Sasuke) before he did a hand seal. A scroll popped out of thin air, save for the dramatic smoke that accompanied all ninja magicks. Katze's nose wrinkled at the smell. It smelled like ozone, strong and rancid.
"Here. Letter." Naruto cheerily presented the scroll, to which Katze accepted, bowing in thanks. He returned to his position beside the raven-haired ninja. Katze noted the blond was a bit dull when it came to English; 'Sasuke' did a better job talking the talk.
"Psst. Sasuke-teme…anata-tachi wakarimasu nihonggo omoi masu ka? (Psst, hey Sasuke (rude form)…do you think they understand Japanese?")
Sasuke's eyes traveled from the confused expression of Kianu to the calculating look his assistant was showing. He mildly shook his head.
"Iie, so omoi masen." ("No, I do not think so.")
And not letting the insult slide, he automatically bonked Naruto on the head with his free hand. The blond squatted, muttering cute 'itai, itai's while nursing a bump from Sasuke's ministration.
So they think we…or rather, I don't understand what their saying eh? Oooh, this'll be fun. Katze thought to himself, snickering inwardly. Kianu turned towards him, his face a bit confused at the conversation.
"I am sure you're tired." He spoke much slower this time, to which Sasuke turned his attention to. "The castle has prepared a room for you, as requested, for the night. Please stay with us."
Sasuke nodded, with Naruto muttering something along the lines of 'what are they talking about' in Japanese. "We appreciate the kindness and hospitality. We accept the accommodations. Please."
Kianu nodded, glad that everything is going well. "Very well, please follow my assistant to your room. He will be your guide for the whole day until tomorrow."
Katze fixed a surprised and hateful glare at Kianu at that. Wai…wait! He was gonna be tour guide for two foreigners in Prontera? And hell, he wasn't informed where their room was!
"Room beside yours. Here's the key." Kianu slid towards him, discreetly depositing a key on Katze's pocket. "Sorry for not informing you, but you took so long to get down I wasn't able to tell you about your role for today."
"Hell, no!" Katze gritted back. "You and I both know I don't do well with people relations and stuff. I'd sooner kill them once they start bickering and/or annoying me or one another."
Kianu smirked at that. "Quick, choose! You serve them hand and foot for one day or you get to brush your teeth and feel the aftertaste of dungeon grime! Ok! Thinking time!!!" He leered, snapping his fingers to start the time.
"Ok! Ok!" Katze shushed him. "They might hear you, bastard!"
"So?"
"Fine. Fine. I'll serve 'em hand and foot. But only one day. ONE DAY!" He emphasized it with one finger.
Kianu grinned, showing off his pearly whites. Turning around to the confused travelers, he pointed towards Katze.
"My assistant will make sure that you will have everything you need. He will be serving you hand and foot, so if you want anything…ANYTHING at all, just tell him, ok?"
Katze groaned, he was gonna kill Kianu in private for this! The raven-haired boy nodded, and when the blond pulled at his sleeve to ask for a translation of what Kianu said, Katze groaned even more.
The blond's disconcerting grin was an omen of hard times to come.
(1) If you don't understand any of the Ragna-speak, all the items I mentioned means that the guy is pretty much loaded. If it were in real life, he'd be president of a second world or first world country. –drool-
Well, I hope that was sufficient. Update maybe next week. And please tell me if you haven't recieved any reply to your review. I dunno if the darn review response thingy works.