Happy New Year darlings! I'm soooo happy with all my Xmas prezzies! How about you?
Masamune:Whatever keep going.
He's just grumpy because Kojuro told him he couldn't celebrate Christmas. But you still have New Year's Masamune!
Masamune: Yeah... You're right! I'll drink all night long!
Kasuga and Sasuke: *smacks on head* Don't go drinking so much with Hina-nee around! Do you want Yukimura on you?
Masamune: Point taken.
My poor sweetie. Well read and review! Nyhaha!
Mitsunari had been walking around for an hour now and he was starting to feel desperate. He was now standing in the centre of a courtyard he did not recognise.
"Where am I?" He asked himself.
In truth he hadn't memorised the school map at all. He had just peeked at it from inside his pocket whenever he could. In hindsight, it was actually pretty stupid.
"And all to prove a point!" He yelled at seemingly no one. "Are you happy now? I'm sure you are!"
A piece of paper floated down and hit him the face. He quickly tore it off in hope it was a copy of the school map. His face fell when all there was was simply a line of writing.
"Must be something from a book or diary or something." He discarded it on the ground without another thought. "I bet that woman is back and relaxing right about now, not even caring where I am. When I find her, I swear..." He mumbled to himself and stalked off in a random direction, having no idea where he was going.
Hikari was having just as bad if not worse luck than Mitsunari. She may have had the map but that truly didn't count for anything.
"It's so dark I can barely see anything..." She fumbled through her pocket to find her mobile and used it as a source light.
She plopped onto the ground and sat there cross-legged, trying to get a sense of direction. She couldn't.
"Gah!" she threw her hands on the air. "I have no clue! Damn Ishida... That boy..." She muttered crossly to herself, packed up her things and stalked off in a random direction.
A lot of people have that problem don't they?
Masamune, Magoichi and Motochika searched the school looking for their missing dorm mates. But of course they still had time to argue. Who doesn't in that situation?
"Come on walk faster."
"No one rushes the One Eyed Dragon."
"Stop making me step on your feet or the Sea Devil's sending you to hell!"
"We're on land Baka."
"Shut up. Or do you want me to leave?"
"Be my guest."
"Shut up the both of you!" Magoichi kicked them both in the behind. "It's like you're an old married couple!" She threw her hands in the air with exasperation.
"Argh... Okay, okay we'll shut up and be good little boys!" Masamune got up and rubbed back.
"Ahh... I hope the other teams are having a better time than us..." Magoichi sighed to herself.
"What are you sighing about now!" Masamune called to her.
"It's because of you and your stupid antics, baka." Motochika snapped.
"You wanna say that one more time?"
"Oh, you wanna go yeah?" Motochika smirked when he remembered what Hikari said to Masamune earlier. "But maybe that time could be spent doing something more worthwhile..." Masamune started to agree. "Like taking Japanese lessons, you certainly need them."
Kami... I've always been a good person haven't I? So why do you forsake me? Magoichi thought to herself in wonder.
"Hikari-chan! Hikari-chan! Where are you?" Sasuke called out to the girl worriedly. "Come on dont leave me hanging!" He sighed when he got no answer.
"Sasuke-kun, perhaps we'd ought to go about this a different way. It appears she's not here." Kojuro suggested.
"Just wait a second will you?" Sasuke inspected the area around them. "Argh. I can't see a thing in this blasted dark!" He exclaimed.
Tadakatsu smirked at the flailing boy's struggle.
"Oh well excuse me Mr Oak! It's not like you ever have that prob-" He stopped mid sentence.
"What is it Sasuke-kun? Did you see something?" Kojuro asked.
"No but I think I see something that might help me see something." Sasuke confused Kojuro.
"What do you mean?"
"Look up there." Sasuke pointed to a large tree in the middle of the courtyard they were standing in.
"And how is that going to help us?" Kojuro was puzzled.
"I can climb up there to get a better look and who knows, maybe I'll see Hikari-chan or Ishida?"
"You? Climb up there?" Kojuro said incredulously.
"Yeah, sure. I used to do it all the time back home." Sasuke chuckled remembering.
"Are you sure it's safe?"
"Course it is." Sasuke provided little comfort.
"Rrgh... Fine but you'd better not fall." Kojuro warned him. "And don't take any risks."
Tadakatsu rolled his eyes. Like that was going to happen.
"Haha, don't worry so much Kojuro-kun." Sasuke flashed a daring smile. "I'm as agile as a ninja."
With that he made a run towards the tree.
"He's an idiot isn't he?" Tadakatsu nodded his head in agreement.
"Hahah! That was easy! And fun for that matter!" Sasuke had already reached the top.
"What in the-" Kojuro looked up in disbelief and Tadakatsu blinked a few times up at the waving boy.
"Hehe, you thought I couldn't do it huh? I suppose it's natural for you not to believe me. After all, who'd expect such an amazing talent from the Food-Lover?" Sasuke winked.
Kojuro rolled his eyes and continued on. "Can you see anything?"
"Uhhh..." Sasuke tried to look further into the darkness.
Sasuke was much better at looking for things when he had a bird's eye view. It never failed. Not to mention the lights of the city helped illuminate the edges of the school grounds. He thought he saw something out in the distance so he went a bit further out on the branch he was sitting on. Which happened to be the highest and smallest one there was. Such a baka of a boy...
"I see someone running!" He called out.
Kojuro and Tadakatsu jumped in surprise. "Can you see who it is?"
"If I could I wouldn't say someone would I?" Sasuke shouted back.
Kojuro couldn't argue with that logic. "Well could you get a better look then?" He called up.
"What do you think I'm doing?" Sasuke called back down, again bamboozling Kojuro with his surprisingly well thought out logic. "But putting that aside, no I can't. I'll get a bit closer." He inched forward again. "I'm starting to see them better, it's–"
*Crack* (Free cookie for those who guess what that sound is!)
Sasuke looked down to see he wasn't sitting on a branch anymore. "Oh Kami."
"Sasuke!" Kojuro and Tadakatsu started running towards the falling boy.
"Save me Kojuro-kuunnnn!" Sasuke tried to swim through the air to safety.
What terror has befallen our supporting cast member?
"Why couldn't I be with Kenshin-sama?" Kasuga grumbled to herself.
"What was that Kasuga-chan?" Tsuruhime appeared in front of her, smiling.
"Oh, Tsuruhime-chan. No, I'm just..." She thought up an excuse quick. "I'm just worried about Hikari-chan, that's all." Kasuga didn't have the heart to snap at the cheery girl.
"It's okay Kasuga-chan, we'll find her and Ishida-san! I promise!" Tsuruhime patted Kasuga on the head.
I feel really bad for lying to her... She's so bubbly and cute. If she, Kenshin and myself were in a group, maybe this wouldn't be so bad...
While Hanbe on the other hand...
"Come now fair ladies. Hikari-chan and Mitsunari-kun are waiting for us." He ran a hand through his hair and flipped it.
"Coming Hanbe-kun! C'mon Kasuga-chan!" Tsuruhime ran off towards Hanbe.
Kasuga sighed. "Coming." She ran off with Tsuruhime.
I wonder what you're doing now, Kenshin-sama?
Motonari stopped his continuous march, bent over, huffing.
"M-Mori-san, a-are you okay?" Oichi touched his shoulder.
He shook her hand off. "Of course I am, focus on yourself. Our main priority is finding Hikari." Keiji raised his eyebrow. "And Ishida." He muttered.
"That's right. Buuuutttt~"
"But what?"
"I don't know Hikari-chan as well as you but I do know one thing."
"As I asked before, what?"
Surprisingly, Oichi spoke instead of Keiji. "S-She wouldn't want you t-to hurt yourself M-Mori-san."
"Yeah and I can also guarantee you'll get a knock upside the head if she saw you right now." Keiji added.
Motonari paused and looked up at his supposed "teammates". Keiji was smiling and holding out his hand, while Oichi was petting Yumekichi. Maybe, they'll be useful. And if Hikari likes it then they can't that idiotic.
Motonari took Keiji's hand and nodded. "Thank you."
Keiji and Oichi knew that was the closest thing Motonari had to a smile so they were grateful for his effort.
"Hey don't worry about it." Keiji laughed and then took a more serious tone. "We're all worried about Hikari-chan. Trust me, we will find her."
"Y-Yes, I-I won't let something h-happen to her..." Oichi surprised the both of them again. "If you're alright then l-lets go." She walked out in front, determined to find her dorm-mate.
"Coming Ichi-chan!" Keiji yelled and pratically skipped over to her. "Wait... Where's Yumekichi?" He looked around him until he heard squeaking coming from in front of him. "Yumekichi?" He saw the little monkey sitting on Oichi's shoulder waving to him. "Yumekichi! Why did you do this to me! I thought what we had was special!" He ran to collect his small friend.
"Baka." Motonari walked calmly ahead, hoping to find Hikari before others did.
"She's not here." Yukimura stated obviously.
"Uhh, yeah. Did you expect to see her straight away?" Asked Ieyasu, more curious than sarcastic.
"I'm not sure. It would have been nice to see Hikari-chan and Ishida-san safe and sound so fast." Ieyasu sighed at the boy's pure reasoning.
"It would be nice if that did happen, but it seems that it has not so we must continue. There is nothing more to say." Kenshin cut their conversation short.
"Ah-h! Yes Kenshin-san!" Yukimura was like a soldier.
"I suppose you're right, we can't let anything happen to those two." Ieyasu placed his hood onto his head. "But this is not how I wanted to spend my first night in high school."
"What did you want to happen Ieyasu-kun?" Yukimura asked.
"I just wanted to unpack, get a feel for my room and get to know my dorm mates. Y'know the normal things." Ieyasu sighed thinking about it.
"I know!" Yukimura shouted, causing Ieyasu to jump and Kenshin to turn around.
"What do you know, Yukimura-kun?" Kenshin smiled gently at the boy.
"If we put our hearts and souls into this then we shall definitely have success before everyone else!" He yelled with seemingly all his spirit.
"That's it, Yukimura-kun. Let us press onward." Kenshin and Yukimura marched forward while Ieyasu hung back.
"Since when was this a contest? That seems a bit strange for a search party..." He muttered to himself before catching up to the others.
Nene and Yoshitsugu were waiting for their dorm mates back at the D Dorm. It was rather boring really so Nene had gone rummaging through the cupboards.
"Tsugu! Tsugu!" She called for him feverently.
"What is it Nene?" Yoshitsugu sighed.
"Look at what I found!" She yelled from another room.
Yoshitsugu sighed again. She was so much like a child in looks and in personality, it was hard to not humor her.
"I'm coming."
When he walked in, he saw Nene giggling gleefully and holding a chess set.
"Look Tsugu, look! I found this weird game called ch-e-ss." She pronounced it slowly.
"It's a game that's like Go Nene. It's very popular in the West. The board's a bit smaller though." Yoshitsugu explained.
"Do you know how to play Tsugu?" Yoshitsugu knew where this was going.
"Shouldn't we be waiting for the others or be looking out for Hikari-chan and Mitsunari-kun?"
"We can do both! Please Tsugu?" She pleaded.
Yoshitsugu sighed yet again. She knew he couldn't resist her begging. He'd known her too long not to.
"Fine but you have to be patient."
"Thanks Tsugu! I'll try to be patient." She clapped her hands together gleefully.
Tsugu, I mean Yoshitsugu rolled his eyes. When Nene says she'll try to be patient, it really means Yoshitsugu has to put up with her impatient self.
"Lets begin. So you set the board up like this and place the black and white pieces here and here..."
Kotarō watched his dorm mates from the highest point on school grounds the admin office. He was a bit disappointed in them for getting so distracted from their goal. He was frustrated because apart from Motonari, no one seemed especially worried about Hikari and Mitsunari. Well he could understand how they didn't seem exactly enthusiastic about searching for the brooding Ishida but what about Hikari? All she'd done was try to help. And she'd had a hell of a day if you go back a few chapters.
It doesn't matter... If they aren't trying... All that matters is that she (and Mitsunari-kun) are found.
He looked away from his straggling friends and focused his eyes on the next rooftop.
There...
And yet again, he was carried away by the wind.
Hikari was walking aimlessly around when she heard it. The scream of someone who had been cruelly taken by fate.
"M-Mitsunari-kun? T-This isn't funny!" She stuttered.
She heard another voice, a whisper, sounding like it was in her ear.
Keep running towards me. I'm right here waiting for you.
"Ahhh!" She ran forward, not caring where she was going.
It wasn't the whispering that scared her, it was the voice. That voice. Being so scared, she forgot to use her torch, a.k.a phone. Guess what was up ahead? Yep a giant flight of stairs.
"What?! Ah! Motonari save me!" She screamed for her friend.
Thank goodness it was such a large staircase.
Nagamasa hadn't meant to be so late. His flight got delayed and then he had to be checked out by security because of his swords. They were heirlooms passed down, there was truly no need to get so worked up. By the time he had been cleared, (saying who his father was helped), it turned out his flight had already taken off. He then had to wait another three hours. So he was very pissed off put out.
"But I'm here now and that's the main thing." He sighed and dropped his bag. "I'm in the D Dorm. So that should be... Right this way." He marched confidently, as if he didn't have a huge suitcase holding him down.
"Ah! Motonari save me!" He heard a scream.
It was a girl's scream which put Nagamasa's protective instincts into action. It sounded like it was just up ahead.
"I'm coming!" He yelled even though he knew she couldn't hear him.
"Ah!" She didn't even know he was there.
He tried to catch her as she came down...
He tripped.
"Ow! Wait that was a lot less painful than I thought it'd be."
"For you maybe." Nagamasa winced feeling her weight on his back.
"Eh?" She looked below her. "Oh crap! I can't believe this happened again." She jumped off him and landed on her feet.
"Uh thanks–"
"I'm not some sort of damsel I'm distress! I'm independent!" She announced triumphantly.
"That's great and all but–"
"But then why have I been saved twice in one day. Wait then there was Mitsunari so that's..." She counted her fingers.
Aren't you able to count? Nagamasa gave up on trying to speak.
"Oh my Kami! That's four times in one day! And two of those were Mitsunari-kun!" She looked like she was about to faint.
A tick mark appeared on Nagamasa's head. "Will you shut up!" He yelled.
"Oh... Um sorry..." She quietened down a few notches.
"Uh..." Nagamasa realised he'd created an awkward silence. "I mean... Could you possibly stop for just a moment please?" He rephrased his previous sentence.
"Haha! Don't try to be a gentleman. I can see right through you." She smirked at his expression.
"I am not trying to be a gentleman, I am a gentleman." He denied her accusation.
"Whatever lets you sleep at night." She laughed tauntingly.
"Hn." He rolled his eyes.
"Hey don't tell me you're another tsun-tsun?" She was having far too much fun with this.
"A what?" His jaw dropped in shock.
"You heard me."
"Argh! I've had enough of this I'm going!" He lost his temper.
"Where?" He was about to yell when he realised she was just curious.
"My flight got put back three hours so I arrived at school late." He explained. "So I just got here–"
"I was wondering why you were here..."
Nagamasa sighed. "And I'm heading towards the D Dorm right now, so I bid you a goodnight." He started to head off when she grabbed his arm.
"Wait! Did you say the D Dorm?" She looked at him hopefully.
"Yes I did. What is it to you?"
"Do you think you could help me get back there? I'm lost and there's a bad man out to get me..." She put on an innocent.
"A bad man?" Nagamasa tries to confirm what she means by bad.
She confirmed it.
"Fine. But let go of my arm already!" He tried to rid himself of her grip but like Mitsunari he found it was like breaking an iron rod.
"You didn't say the magic word!" She teased.
"Argh fine, please let go!" She released her grip without any trouble.
"Okily dokily. Oh and my name's Minamoto Hikari. Hikari's fine!" She bowed.
"I am Azai Nagamasa! If it pleases you, call me Nagamasa." He bowed.
"So you do have a polite side. Was that forced into you when you were at a young age? You must have a large burden on your shoulders." She said again seeing straight through him. "Oh and if you see a grumpy, cursing white haired tsundere. Tell me kay, Nagamasa-kun."
He sighed. "Fine, Hikari-chan." What have I gotten myself into?
Did you enjoy it? Nagamasa was a last minute thing. I didn't mean to but I wanted him there so badly. But will he be with Ichi? Or not? And... *laughs evilly*
Nagamasa: And that's all we have time for! Make sure you New Years is HONOURABLE AND SAFE!
Masamune and Kenshin: That means no drinking doesn't it...
Everyone: Yes.
Enjooooyyyyy and Happy New Years!
Yukimura: Make sure to read and review Hina-nee's story.
Awww thanks Yuki-nii!