*getting strangled by Jericho* "LET REI ON SET" *slapping the ground* this isn't positive on getting her on! 'But I'm already on set' Oh..hey Rei… *roundhouse kicks Jericho in the face* THAT"S FOR RUNNING INTO ME IN THE HALLWAY!"
Chapter 3
Roadtrips.
~With the super awesome ninja of awesomeness "GIVE ME BACK THE KEYBOARD!" No it's just Carter~
Roll to the left, right, sit up, roll to the left again, flip backwards onto the wall, slide down, collapse on floor, roll over onto feet, stand up, step to the left, right, jump, duck, flip backward, hook foot around leg, pull. Carter smiled as he heard the satisfying crash as his assailant fell to the floor, rubbing her head.
"June you should know by now, you will never get me." Carter said as he walked over to the chest of drawer he kept his clothes in.
June groaned, rubbing the back of her head as she got up off the wooden floor of Carter's room. It had been one week since they had decided to team up and she had tried multiple times of catch him off guard and flip-kick or telephone punch or drive a 6 inch high heel through his skull.
"I've told you at least a gazillion times already, my old partner wasn't fully reliable, so I've had to be aware…that and I've had a hell of a lotta training in almost any fighting style you can think of." Carter sighed as he ducked a roundhouse kick.
He pulled on the long-sleeved black shirt, it was a thick and tight shirt that was meant for close-combat and hand-to-hand fighting that Carter and June excelled in. the jean he put on were actually closer to what Black*Star wore, just formatted in the way of jeans.
June, he recalled from the glance he had when she was trying to kill him this morning, was wearing a red blouse, and underneath that she had a white tank top and tight skinny jeans. He had a sudden urge to tease her about not putting on a belt, but decided that would get him shot in history class.
"Seriously Carter, let's move! We have a mission!"
Carter paused as he yanked on his belt. He thought about what she had just said…he shrugged, dismissing the previous thought as he hurried to the kitchen for breakfast. June had resumed getting ready, and was currently fitting a shoe on as she scrambled up eggs and made bacon.
Carter grinned as he watched the small girl hurry from task to task, from eggs to bacon, to the toaster and back again, all the while doing something else like setting the table, fitting on a sock or shoe or packing a bag.
"So where's our mission at?" He asked her as he easily slipped in beside her and emptied the eggs onto a plate.
She scowled as she thought of the place, "South America, in the freakin jungle." She answered evenly.
"Sounds like fun, so what's the target and occasion?" He asked, snatching the toast out of the toaster and slipping one piece of it into his mouth.
"People have be disappearing from some of the local towns and Shinigami-sama believes it's because of a Pre-Kishin on the loose. He's sent us to round it up. Descriptions say it has the ability to sprout blades all along its body. Other than that it looks like a giant ape." June said, piling slices of juicy sizzling bacon onto a paper towel covered plate.
"Nice, you happy with what we've been training?" Carter asked, popping the burning hot bacon into his mouth.
"Enough to take a mission." June replied, filling up plastic cups full of orange juice nad placing them on the table.
They both sat down in a smooth fluid motion and started scarfing down the food. Naturally, June let carter have the toast as he knew it was his favorite and he would hate her or be depressed if he didn't get at least four slices of the delicacy a day.
Carter was smiling as he munched happily at the crispy yet chewy grain and cramming slices of bacon on forkfuls of eggs into his mouth. June was quickly but neatly eating eggs and taking bites of bacon as she glanced at the clock.
"Carter, we're gonna be late for the train." June said.
"Why are we taking a train?" He asked through a mouthful of food.
"Because I don't have a car or motorcycle like our teachers, duh." June replied, throwing him her best 'are you stupid' look.
"Yeah, but why are we taking a train? Don't you know that I own transportation?" He asked.
June's head snapped up as he said that, "What type?"
Carter smiled as he got up and walked to the front door of the apartment. He then stepped out onto the street and whistled as loud as he could. The piercing sound cut through the faint fog of the morning.
A second later two dark shapes appeared in the mist. Only a moment later two horses burst through the morning fog and stopped in front of them. June raised an eyebrow as carter walked up to the dark black horse, leaving the other brown horse beside it.
Carter then produced an apple and tossed it to the dark horse. A foot long tongue snapped out of its mouth, wrapped around the apple and swallowed it on one gulp. June dropped her fork as she watched the horse eat the apple.
"This is Smoke. He's one of the Shinigami-sama's trained horses, he's sort of a demon horse so to speak. The one next to him is Rose, she seems to like Smoke." Carter said to June as she ran out after him, the backpack slung over her shoulder.
"Um…"
Carter laughed at June's weariness of the horses. It was understandable; it happened the same with Jericho when carter introduced the two horses to him. Jericho had instead opted to drive his motorcycle while carter rode Smoke.
Carter placed another juicy red apple into June's hand, then he paused and switched it with a green one, "Rose likes the green apples, Smoke likes red apples." He explained. Then he pushed June over to the small little horse.
June stood awkwardly in front of the horse that came up only about two feet above her head. It was short, not like the horses June saw knights and warriors riding into battle in movies or books. Rose snorted and the black eyes turned to face her, looking her in the eyes as if to say are you gonna feed me that or what?
June then held her hand out and Rose turned her head to face her hand. Once again the long tongue slipped out of its mouth and snatched the apple up, although she noted that Rose seemed to crunch on the apple several times before swallowing as Smoke simply swallowed it whole.
Carter then swung onto Smoke's bareback and then snapped. A saddle appeared on Rose's back, although no reins. "These horses are trained to understand and follow orders from human tongue, although they can usually pick up where you're going just from observing your soul. So June, saddle up, we can't waste too much time. Smoke gets impatient."
June paused only a moment before slipping her left foot into the stirrup and swinging her other leg across the saddle and pulled herself into the saddle. Carter nodded; obviously she had ridden a horse before although she looked awkwardly around for something to hold on to. He smiled to himself, he'd let her figure that one out.
He leaned down and whispered into Smoke's ear, "South America, Jungle, look to June's soul for further reference. The small black horse swiveled its head over to look at June before setting off into a fast trot that quickly developed into a gallop. Behind him he saw Rose taking off after Smoke, he noted that June had eventually taken a firm, but light grip on Rose's mane, which on these horses, was actually correct.
He smiled as he saw the urban buildings and roads quickly disappear as Smoke accelerated to his normal speed, which was about as fast as a train. Behind him June was pressed close to Rose's neck, her hair whipping behind her because she chose to wear it down today.
"Shinigami horses can get up to about two hundred miles an hour and hold for an average of an hour and a half. It also depends on the breed, color, and how much they like you! "He called to June over the wind.
"How do you know so much!" She shouted back.
" One of my masters used to train them while he taught me! Smoke has been with me since he was a colt!" carter answered, smiling at the memory when his ten year old self had glared at the midnight black horse that at the time was barely taller than him.
Smoke snorted in agreement as June realized that they were currently running on water across the Gulf of Mexico. Then she realized that they were outrunning the stream of water erupting behind their horses.
"Carter! How are we outrunning water!" June shouted.
"Simply! Smoke loves me! Also, since I told you that breed and color can change the speed, Smoke can actually get up to about… supersonic speed! Rose is just following him!" Carter words whipped by her, letting her barely catch the sentence before the wind ripped it out of her ear.
June smiled as she pulled out her phone, the built in GPS locating that they'd arrive at the small village in two hours, tops. She put the phone away and then slowly clicked her heels against Rose's side. The small horse snorted as speed up slightly, catching up easily to Smoke and then pulled up parallel to him.
"So Carter, you sure you're ready?" June asked again.
The brown haired man smiled, his white teeth flashing in the early sunrise, "I'm always up for a challenge." He answered as he bent low over Smoke's sleek black form and speed up yet again.
June rolled her eyes, "He's insane." But she couldn't argue that he was ready.
~Back in Death City in a similar house hold~
"Corey!" Britney yelled as she flipped the omelet.
"Already packing!" Corey replied as he shoved six water bottles, rations, and a first aid kit into a duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Ready!"
Britney nodded and gestured to put the bag next to the door before setting food on to plates. Corey threw the bag across the room and ran back into his room, a second later, Britney's silent question was answered as he came back in with his necklace. He smiled as he worked the small thin lock on the chain before slipping it around his neck and locking it again. The thin silver chain fell softly onto his chest and the small charm glint off the light.
Britney cast him a glance before continuing setting plates onto the table. After she finished she asked Corey the question she'd been dying to know since she meet him, "Why is that necklace so important to you anyway?"
Corey cast Britney a smile before sitting down at the table, "Tell you on the ride to the mission."
Britney snorted, "You always say that, then I forget or when I bring it up again, you avoid the question."
Corey smirked, "And you expected what from me? This necklace is half my past and all of my memories. This is my best friends life and my most precious item. It's not something to be taken lightly. If you really want to know then I'll tell you, but after the mission. I do not need you to be distracted during a distracted fitting a Kishin."
Britney shrugged as she took a bite of her veggie omelet. "Whatever, just remember that."
"I will, now hurry up or well miss the train." Corey answered, shoving nearly half the food into his mouth.
It was only two minutes later before the two burst out of the house, the door locking behind them as they raced down the streets of Death City to the train station. Jericho was waiting for them on his motorcycle at the corner. Corey smiled as he swung onto the back of motorcycle behind Jericho while Britney hopped into the side car beside Jason, who's head smacked the front of the cart, which confirmed that he had fainted. Jericho and Corey where now used to it, after all, they had taken him and Carter out on a 'guy's night out' for fun and ended up getting to be pretty good friends with Jason and found out that he had had a pretty bad experience with girls.
Britney on the other hand, spent half the ride there trying to find out what's wrong with him. And the other half trying to figure out what she did from Jericho and Corey who were laughing their heads off.
"Don't worry about it! Just hurry up and get on the train. See ya Jericho, thanks for the ride and tell Jason Britney's sorry for squishing him in the sidecar." Corey said, waving at the demon weapon before running up the 888 train station at the edge of Death City.
They barely made it on time to the train, and managed to find an empty cart. They sat down opposite each other as Corey crossed his arms and stared at his partner.
"So, how would you like to pass the," Corey glanced at his watch before continuing, "eight hours it takes to get to the target city of," he glanced at the mission file, "Charri?"
Britney paused, thinking about it before answering, " Why do you always answer for the guys who ask me out?"
The light in Corey's yellow eyes flashed as he answered calmly, "Because they just want your body and not you. They're perverted little brats that I would love to plant four new holes in the their heads with my fist."
"Not all of them, after all, some of them have talked to me times before." She answered.
"Have you ever noticed their stares."
"No why?"
Corey rolled his eyes, "Britney, you have a well-developed body, that J-I-G-G-L-E do you not think that people would stare? I mean, seriously?"
Britney blushed as Corey spoke, "I'm not that big…"
"Look, I really don't like this topic as it's awkward, so back to the retarded guys that ask you out." Corey said, glancing out the window to hide the slight blush on his face.
"Okay, so why don't you like any of the guys?"
"Because… you're…It's…I…" Corey stuttered, throwing his hands up in disgust as he struggled forming a sentence. Finally somewhat in defeat, he pulled the 'Partner Card' ," It's because you're my partner and I don't want you to get hurt."
"Aww!" Britney smiled. "You're so sweet!" He voice rising a pitch.
"You know that was an excuse don't you."
"Yes."
"Joy."
"So really why?"
"I'd rather talk about my necklace."
"Okay, then tell me about you're necklace."
"I said after the mission."
"Would you rather talk about the current subject?"
"Not particularly."
"Necklace it is."
"No, backstory on who I got it from."
"Isn't that the same thing?" She asked, her eyebrow rising slightly in question.
"No, this was before I got the necklace." Corey explained.
"So…childhood story?"
Corey sighed in defeat, "Yeah, sure, whatever."
Britney smiled and crossed her legs, the train making quick progress across country to destination. Corey looked ut of the window for a couple minutes before he began, calling up sour memories that he knew would bring up pleasant dreams.
" I only had one childhood friend when I was younger, his name was Simon. He was four years older than me, and I was seven. He was closer to a brother. But anyway, I ran away from home, he did too, and we lived in an old abandon hotel. We used to practice a bit there, muscle training that was really wrestling or fist fights. It was fun. And it was around that time that I first found out I was a weapon. Simon, well, he was a excellent meister, better than you Brit. But we used to hunt some Pre-Kishin in the area. But I'm going down a sad path, back to Simon." Corey took a small pause and Britney knew instantly from the waver in his soul length and the lowness of his music that he had a sad flashback to that time.
"Simon as I told you was an excellent meister even at the age of eleven, he might have been our 'Stein' as the teachers say. But anyway, he had a brilliant mind and the muscle to back it up. It wasn't that he was the strongest, or the toughest, or even the smartest. It was simply because he had the ability to improvise and the ability to find hope to go on in the roughest situations. He had a knack for that." Corey let out a bitter laugh as he said that. "This necklace was his, he gave it to me," Corey's hand wrapped around the small set of black and white wings attached to the sliver chain.
Then Corey's solemn, cold mask broke and a set of tears rolled down his face. Britney was across the room and patting his back before the first tear hit the floor. Then Corey let out another dry laugh.
"Sorry Brit…sometimes…sometimes memories are powerful things, and sometimes they hurt, no matter how many years." Corey said in a apologetic tone.
"Corey it's fine, after knowing you for the past seven years, I know your quirks, you habits, you likes, your hates, the foods you love and the songs on your I-pod. And I know how much you care about your friends. You and your current best friend are the exact same on that count." Britney said, a small smile on her lips.
Now it was Corey's turn to smile then he let out a small chocked laugh, "Yeah, hehe, yeah, you're completely right on that count. Me and Carter both love and protect our friends."
Britney nudged him, "Now come on, let's catch some Z's we have an eight hour ride to Charri, and we only got three hours of sleep last night thanks to the dishes."
Corey smiled as he leaned back, laying out on the cushion, his legs bent slightly as the train compartment was a bit too small for his height. Britney smiled and was about to lay down on her own side when a firm hand grabbed her hand.
"And where do you think you're doing?" Corey asked smugly.
Britney blinked, "To sleep."
"right, because a cold train cushion is sooo much more comfortable than you're partner's chest. Yeah right, you can lay on me. I know you like it." Corey said smiling as he yanked Britney across the car the wrist and pulling her onto his lap.
"Corey? Is this something Carter bet on?" Britney asked.
"No comment."
"How much.
Corey though about it before answering," Tuoba eno derdnuh ni hsac."
Britney smiled, Corey didn't know it yet, but the little code they had on their words when Carter and Corey talked for fun was already figured out. "Ho yllear."
Corey blinked, completely taken off guard, "Ha tihs"
Britney smiled na stuck her tongue out, "Too bad for you. Looks like you're gonna lose the bet."
"Nah, looks like I won." Corey answered, smiling.
Britney rolled her eyes.
~With Jericho~
The motorcycle whined under him, the six cylinder engine propelling the heavey duty motorcycle along with relative easy as it rode over the open desert. Beside him Jason was asleep in the sidecar. Jericho smiled as he looked at his small partner.
Jason was slightly muscular, but if used correctly, that small built would be plenty to wield the black katana Jericho turned into. And even though the first time they had practiced had scared the shit out of Jericho, he now understood Jason better.
When they first touched with Jericho in weapon form, Jason had a violent seizure like attack until he synchronized with Jericho's soul. Then his soul expanded to match with Jericho's what left even Jason himself clueless what during the seizure, he was on fire, with blue and black flames dancing across his cloths. Jericho knew what it was, but everyone else was left speechless. Jason had assured Jericho that the weapon rejection would only happen once, and so far, he had been right. For the whole week that they had been practicing, Jason hadn't shook or caught on fire yet.
Jericho sighed and flexed his left hand. The slightly pale skin giving not even the slightest reflection of the laughing sun directly above him. Jericho sighed. He could feel the demon. It was clawing at everything now. It was getting worse, but he hoped he could hold it in long enough. It was only a matter of time. And how much time he had, he didn't know. But judging from the flames Jason had on him during the rejection and the billowing black cloak that he knew from past experience was made of black fire he suddenly had on him, he didn't think that he'd have too much time left.
He sighed, so much trouble.
Sorry guys, I got… well…lazy as all get out and I had exams so, joy. Anyway, I hope this chapter satisfied all and Rei is very pissed at me that she had no stage time. But I'm hoping that she'll have not burned me to the stake by the next chapter publishing. Anywho…any question just leave them in reviews and good day mates!