Disclaimer: Don't own FY, I just pop in from time to time and the Gaurdians are mine.
Of Rice and Such
Naruku lay curled up around a pillow in her bed. The room that Kouji had taken her to was very nice, not something that she had expected a room in a bandit hideout to be. At the moment, Chichiri was explaining to Tasuki about what was going on. Naruku hadn't wanted to get into that, mainly because Tasuki would ask her a lot of questions that she wasn't aloud to answer. Her other problem was that Tasuki was hot, a lot hotter than she had thought from the anime and pictures. She had always stuck to Chichiri as her main love obsession, but Tasuki, well, he was starting to change her mind. ' but you can't go on looks alone, baka!' she reminded herself. Chichiri had also been a lot different than she had expected. He was more mature in serious situations, and a lot more mischievous and relaxed than the Animé had shown. In fact, she was starting to feel that maybe what she had felt before was just a fondness because she felt she had to pick a seishi to like, but when she actually met him that first time, it had blown her away. Then she had known what love was, of course the second time she met him wasn't the best impression, frenching him like that and that being the only meeting he had remembered.
Naruku sighed. Once you were actually in the world, Bishonen guys were really hard to deal with. One moment you love one then you start having... thoughts, about the other. Naruku shook her head, this wouldn't do. She had a mission she should be attending to and drooling over guys wasn't going to get her anywhere. She brought her pack up onto her bed and started rummaging through it. "Okay Taiitsuken, let's see if that scroll you gave me has anything useful in it." Naruku muttered aloud.
Disorganization had a way of sneaking up on Naruku every mission. She just wasn't a person that planned things out very well and as a result, things often went wrong on mission that she was in. Of course, she liked basic information to go on so she didn't get herself killed. " and so far I know absolutely nothing that's going on except that demons have been terrorizing the local farmers." Naruku muttered again, then starting laughing at herself, remembering a joke from a mission with Sabriel a decade ago. Naruku stopped laughing quickly though, a somber mood passing into her from the realization that she was old enough to be Chichiri's great great great Grandmother. But that doesn't mater, does it? I mean, I'm an elf and a Guardian so I live for a really long time, so I'm actually an infant. Um, wait, that doesn't work either. Naruku put her head in her hands, thoroughly confused at the moment and trying to find an answer to an already fuzzy question. The scroll lay unopened and forgotten beside her.
A knock on her door brought her out of her reverie. "Hey, who is it? Why, it's Genrou's best friend Kouji that has come to get you for dinner. Oh Kouji, you handsome devil! I am so glad that you came to get me instead of someone else. Please come on in! Why thank you Naruku-chan, how kind of you." With that little speech, a dark blue haired man with a scar down his cheek came bursting in smiling. Naruku walked up to him and grabbed onto his arm, snuggling her head against his shoulder. They had become friends from the first moment they met, both exchanging jokes for an hour until another bandit sent by tasuki had to drag him out of her room, still laughing.
" Kouji, you're funny!" Naruku stated as she and kouji walked into Tasuki's room for dinner. They had to discuss plans, so Chichiri had insisted they dine alone instead of with the other bandits. As they entered the room where Tasuki and Chichiri were already eating,Naruku stopped the joke she was telling right before the punch line to say Hi to Chichiri and tasuki as she plopped herself down in a chair next to Chichiri. Without even waiting for a response to her hello, she continued to finish the joke she was telling Kouji. "And so Amie said to Jokan " NO! I told you to blow the safe and TIE the Guard!" Kouji burst out laughing so hard that he fell off his chair. Naruku's musical laughter was echoing through the room as well, Tasuki and Chichiri just looked at her, sweatraining.
Chichiri cleared his throat. " I don't think you were properly introduced before so Tasuki- chan no da, this is Naruku no da, Naruku- san, this is Tasuki no da." Naruku was in an odd mood from her time with kouji, and so closed her eyes, smiling and wiggled her fingers at Tasuki in a makeshift wave. "Hi there handsome!"
Tasuki grinned as Chichiri and kouji sweatdropped. "Ya don't look like an all powerful being, no matter how pretty you are."
Naruku blushed at the compliment. "Because your so nice, I won't bash your face in. And I'm not an 'all powerful being'. I'm a guardian, But if you would care to test out my power..." Naruku finished as the air around her suddenly crackled with black tendrils of energy, heating the room until everyone was looking around nervously and sweating.
"Um, I wouldn't want ta hurt ya, so I think I'll pass." tasuki responded. The air cleared suddenly as Naruku laughed. "Don't even try it, Chichiri-chan is going to protect me tonight." Naruku turned towards Chichiri and smirked suggestively. " You know where my room is, right?"
Chichiri blushed deep red and Tasuki and kouji laughed. Naruku's look changed to one of concern as she wrapped her arms tightly around Chichiri's waist. "Gomen, chichiri. I'm not trying to embarrass you, it's just so easy to, that's all." Naruku's bright expression returned as she gave Chichiri a light peck on the cheek. "I know what will cheer you up! Wait a sec." and with that ran out of the door.
Tasuki chuckled a little. "Oi, Chichiri, didn't know ya had it in ya." Chichiri blushed. "Elves are a very physical species no da."
Tasuki looked back at Chichiri, confused. "She's an elf?" A knock on the door interrupted him, and before Tasuki could grant the person entrance, Naruku's voice came loud and clear. " Hello? Who is it? Why, It's the Beautiful and talented Naruku impersonating Kouji! Oi, Naruku, you gorgeous babe! Come on in! You're always welcome. Why thank you!" Naruku finished as she jumped into the room. Chichiri, Tasuki, and Kouji blinked and stared at Naruku for a couple of seconds before bursting out into laughter. Seeing that her audience was enjoying this, she continued with her antics until she couldn't help from laughing herself. Tasuki had fallen of his chair, and Chichiri's mask had fallen off and tears were rolling down his cheek from laughing so hard.
It took awhile for everyone to calm down after that, but the room finally quieted down. Food was passed around and generally eaten, well, except for the small bits of rice Naruku and Tasuki occasionally flung at each other. "Alright, so we need to make plans, and I'd like to know what's been going on." Naruku announced as she flung another grain of rice at Tasuki, who dodged it skillfully.
Tasuki looked guiltily at Naruku. "Actually, we thought you would know what's going on."
Naruku gave Tasuki a surprised look and then sighed, banging her head on the table. "Dope, this just isn't going right at all." Naruku raised her head up and looked at the ceiling, grumbling to The long forgotten deity of her home world. "Okay, here's the run-down. Out of the blue, what the Guardians term as demons, are popping up and attacking people, villages, etc. to reap general havoc. We don't know why,or who's behind this if there is anyone behind this."
"Taiitsuken mentioned something about someone named Kiloran, but she wouldn't tell me what they were no da." Chichiri mentioned as Tasuki flung another grain of rice that landed in Naruku's hair.
Naruku glared at him as she picked the grain of rice out of her hair. "Oh, well she probably mentioned that to me too and I wasn't listening.... KILORAN?!" Naruku yelled as she fell of her chair, finally comprehending what Chichiri had said. Chichiri was immediately at Naruku's side, helping her sit up. Naruku rubbed her backside as she moaned. "The Gods must hate me, they really hate me."
"Why are ya gettin' so worked up, unless he was your boyfriend!" Tasuki said as he started laughing.
Naruku went deadly silent and stared at the table. Chichiri put his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay if he was your boyfriend, Naruku-san no da. You don't have to fight him, we can no da."
Naruku smacked Chichiri's hand off of her shoulder, glaring at all three boys. "Kiloran is not, and never will be my 'boyfriend' or the like." Naruku hissed. "He's a rogue Guardian, a disgrace that gained more power we've ever seen. He goes into worlds and starts to slowly infest them with demons. He turns the world into a... a breeding place for his monsters. all the inhabitants die and are fed to his creatures and the land turns into a wasteland."
Tasuki, Chichiri, and Kouji stared at Naruku, a sinking feeling in all of their stomachs. Naruku looked out the window sadly. "I've seen it done before, it happened to Ryu's world. We fought him, ten of us. Twice as many Guardians that are usually used for the most difficult missions. We lost, badly." Naruku paused for a moment, trying to steady her voice. The nightmare of the mission was still all too real for her comfort. "Bloody limbs, strewn about with demons feasting on them while their glowing eyes stared at us. Most of us were just students, our instructors thinking it would be a good learning mission. We learned a lot, but a world died because of it. I've seen the destruction he can do, and I've seen world after world destroyed."
The whole room was quite, no one quite sure as to what to say. Tasuki shifted uncomfortably in his seat, Chichiri looked at her in sympathy and worry while Kouji just stared. Naruku looked thoughtful, the nightmare already being repressed into the back of her memory where she hoped it would stay for all eternity.
"Hey guys, don't look so glum! I'm here, that won't happen!" Naruku said cheerfully.Chichiri looked at the overconfident girl, and knew she was going to need help.
"And we're here to protect you and help no da." He said kindly.
Naruku smiled. "Yeah, my very own army of seishi to command. I'll have so many cute guys, I won't know what to do with them!"
Chichiri sweatdropped. "That wasn't quite what I had in mind."
"I know, but seriously. I'm fully trained, I've been in more battles than you boys could ever dream. I've also lived a long time, not as long as some, but still long compared to others." Naruku said in a slightly motherly voice.
Tasuki scoffed at her. "Yah don't look a day over 18."
Naruku smiled kindly at him, a patronizing, I know you won't comprehend but I'll say it anyway. "Guardians live for a long time, it has to do with a central core. It's too complicated to explain, and most of us don't understand. suffice it to say, It extends our live spans to thousands of years."
"Thousands?! that's impossible, unless yer' immortal." Kouji exclaimed.
"Yes, I suppose. But we have so many species that already have a naturally long life span, it doesn't seem so strange. Already long lives expanded to an uncountable amount of years. Whether it be a blessing or a curse, I'm not quite sure yet." Naruku mused, then stifled a yawn. "I still have some stuff to do, contact headquarters, etc. the boring stuff you shouldn't worry about so I think I'll go to my room. Good night."
Naruku pushed her chair back, stood up, and bowed before leaving the room full of confused guys. I just love confusing the crap out of people. Kitsune really must be rubbing off on me. Naruku thought as she closed the door to her bedroom.
Author's Note: My brother, battle.net and Diablo 2 is calling me so that's it for now! Keep on reviewing, it makes everyone happy. Next chapter will bring some demon action in. Some large, white, fluffy, blood-shot red eyed demons. ;)