As usual sorry for any mistakes i didn't pick up. If you read this far into the story the least you could do is review eh?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

#11: Busted... again

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Originally Naota had believed a shower to be unnecessary but afterwards he had to admit he did feel refreshed and grateful for the opportunity. Slipping back on his clothes Naota's mind wandered…

I should be less suspicious… these people have been nothing but nice to me. Well so far…

Naota resolved to keep his guard up a bit longer, he still knew little about his hosts and he was determined to see through any deception. Haruko had used him once, lied to him. Well maybe not lied but she still used him to get what she wanted. It was something he was going to make sure never happened again.

Naota stepped out of the bathroom carefully not precisely sure what he was to do next. He went down the unfamiliar hall back into the large square room with the left wall being a window and the counter stretched out before him. It was there where he found his hosts, Hotaru, the purple haired dark green eyed girl who had a flare for sarcasm and Kazuki, the neon green haired guy with bright contrasting turquoise eyes. They saw him and spoke quickly finishing their conversation while he made his way over to them.

"Hey! Look he didn't drown in the shower," Hotaru spoke snidely then took drink from a coneish shaped container. Her brother gave her a slight disapproving frown then made space for Naota to sit between them at the counter. Overall Naota noted him to be the mote hospitable one of the two siblings.

"Yes, well he does smell a whole lot better," Kazuki spoke in good humor Naota could tell.

"I do feel a lot better, thank you" Naota tried to sound polite and formal and got a blank look from Kazuki in response. But it was brief as his usual good natured smile returned.

"Oh by the way I hope you don't mind but I started tuning up your guitar in my room. Such a beautiful instrument but its in bad need of some maintenance." Then furrowing his eyes brows he spoke passionately "how can you do that to such a wonderful guitar! Its so sad…"

With a large sweat drop dripping down the back of his head Naota had to wonder what he had done to his guitar.

Well duh I swung it like a bat… but that's normal right?

"errr," Naota looked around with a blank look on his face wondering if something was expected of him.

Hotaru poked him in the side sharply to get his attention, "Don't worry about, it my brother is a guitar smith… Its his 'Thing'."

"Ah" responded Naota trying to sound as if it made sense while in fact he was still confused.

As an awkward silence came on Naota resolved to start asking his questions, that way he could get ride of the silence and satisfy his curiosity at the same time.

"So… mind telling me how I got here again?" he asked apprehensively.

Both of the two siblings turned to face him, Hotaru began. "I told you, after you left us we decided to follow you. You went on for 18 building blocks before you toppled over to the ground."

Kazuki posed a question following, "Hey why was it you got knocked you? You sick?"

Naota was back to the situation he had faced the previous day, they were just as inquisitive as he was and he didn't like having to answer questions. He was silently for a few seconds trying to think if telling them music had knocked him out would be acceptable. Then in a saving move his stomach came to the rescue.

"Guuuurrwoooo" came the low grumble from his stomach. Kazuki burst out laughing, "Oh man your stomach can talk?!"

"it… it doesn't…" Naota was inturupted by Hotaru who was wide eyed and gave his stomach a poke. "your stomach is as rude as you are eh?" she said with a light smile.

Sullenly Naota finished, "that means I'm hungry…"

Giving an exasperated sigh Hotaru got up and made her way around to the other side of the counter to another counter and a set of cabinets he hadn't noticed before. In an exasperated tone she said, "Ugh… you make me feel like a babysitter you know."

As she went on doing who knows what Kazuki leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Don't mind her, she just enjoys giving people a hard time…. Its her 'Thing'."

Naota nodded like he understood while again he really didn't. He supposed she could grow on him if you get used to her constant poking and verbal assaults. That said he was grateful to her for showing him the shower and now even preparing him a meal.

Changed the topic back to Kazuki's 'thing' he asked, "so when do you think I'll be able to get my guitar back?"

Delighted to talk about guitars Kazuki responded enthusiaticaly, "oh not long, I'll do it for you and I could get it done by tomarrow. I'll just have to adjust the pick up compacitator and-"

Naota was lost and unable to understand the rest of his guitar drabble. Over all it sounded like a lot of work had to be done. Tuning back into Kazuki's lecture he heard "and speaking of which you said you might want a new guitar? I can probably help you there."

Naota had said that rashly last time he had spoke to Kazuki trying to make up a reason for his visit to the city of Jasper Crossroads and he was now regretting it. But what could he do? "Oh sure, I'd like to take a look around to see what there is compared to my Rickenbacker."

Putting his hand on his chin Kazuki assumed a thinking posture, "Rickenbackers are wonderful guitars, Hotaru has one too actually." At the mention of her name Hotaru raised a hand while keeping her back turned. Naota remembered the bright orange 620 Rickenbacker he had seen in her room. "If your looking for something better your gonna have to look hard to find something that can top a 4001 bass. Some Gibson models might do it but those are always a pain to find and an even bigger pain to pay for."

Hotaru's return was signaled by the clinking sound her boots made, apparently she had decided to slip them back on. Shoving a plate in front of him she said harshly. "There and I don't want to hear you complain about how it tastes K?"

Sullenly Naota looked down at his food… it was curry. Naota looked over at Hotaru and saw her looking at him darkly daring him to say something. Naota sighed and began shoveling curry into his mouth as she watched him. In between bites Naota went back to asking questions. "Where do I find a directory, or something that can tell me where places are and where certain people live." He thought it was a normal enough question.

But as usual Hotaru answered his question with one of her own, "What would you need something like that for?" Hotaru asked then continued, "you should know you won't find anything like that here."

Interested Naota asked "Oh? Why is that?"

Appearing disinterested again Hotaru went back to her cone shaped drink and let her brother answer for her. "Because Jasper Crossroads is a hide out. I mean it is a lot of things but people who live here don't want to be found," explained Kazuki.

Hotaru then interjected again, "It is filled with people hiding from the SPB." Then turning to him again she showed interest on her face, "how could you find Jasper's without knowing that? Not many people know about it and even less are willing to tell."

"It can't be that secret… It was in my laptop." Said Naota simply

"Your what?" Kazuki asked confused.

"Never mind, point is the coordinates were in a database." Naota gave a shrug trying to signal that he didn't know much about it.

"Really?" he turned and found Hotaru still looking at him with interest, "well where is that database? By the way you mind telling us where your from?" She gave Naota a direct gaze and Naota saw what he had seen the first time he had met her, she was suspicious. Enough to make up for her brothers lack of suspicion and maybe enough to rival his own.

Again I'm stuck in this position…should I lie? Do I have a choice?

Naota resolved to tell the truth.. but not the whole truth.

"The database was at some bureau I went to get some info from, no place note worthy really. The reason I asked about the directory was only to see if someone I know is around here." Naota knew he sounded a tad defensive but it couldn't be helped.

Hotaru gave him the look that he had come to recognize as her questioning/annoyed look. In which she would raise an eye brow and cock her head. "That's nice but you know you didn't say where you were from."

Helplessly Naota looked back at Kazuki who was leaned back in his chair look at the ceiling. He watched Naota awaiting his answer, obviously just as interested as his sister was. "I'm from a remote planet… kinda out of the way I doubt you would know it." Naota thought it was a good answer, it was true in a way and not giving away anything.

Abruptly Hotaru cracked up laughing while Kazuki smiled to himself. Naota was confused. It was a tense situation for him and now he was being laughed at for resoans he couldn't understand. It was enough to make him want to tear his hair out.

Naota himself laughed weakly, Hotaru and her borther seemed to have those kind of laughs that were contagious. Or maybe he didn't feel so out of place when he did.

Naota felt a prick at the back of his head and he quickly looked around alarmed. Behind him he found Kazuki holding one of his hairs between his fingers waving it to him. Then handed it around Naota to Hotaru who had calmed down a bit. Taking the hair she held it up to Naota's face while she continued smiling. "At least you didn't lie but where you're from is a place we would know. In fact Earth is place most people know."

"Wh-what?" Naota exclaimed as he began trying to figure out how they could pin-point his origin so easily when he had given so little information about himself.

"How can you know?" asked Naota quietly trying to keep his chance for a denial open.

Hotaru grinned cheerfully, "a few things, most obvious is your hair. Do you even know why?"

Dumbstruck Naota shook his head not really sure where she was going.

She continued, "Brown hair is a color only found among the native population on earth. Unless you mean to tell me you dyed your hair which is a weak lie."

Naota realized there could be some truth to what she was saying. Thinking back to his walk around the city streets there had been no one with brown, black, or blonde hair to be found. All had some vibrant unnatural color, he hadn't really thought much of it but it appears that had been a mistake.

"Now the hair fact is not such common knowledge but unfortunately for you Kazuki and I were fairly certain where you were from the moment we saw you." She was still smiling at him obviously happy to expose him and put him out in the open. "If that wasn't enough the fact you tried to land in a street was a good clue." She continued.

Naota recognized he was busted at this point, he had just been unlucky and had a run in with the wrong people. Actually thinking back he always seemed to have bad luck. He didn't know if this meant he was in trouble but he decicded to continue on with the conversation while eyeing the doors for a way out.

"Why is it that you would know about Earth? Its just some small planet…" Naota reasoned.

He heared Kazuki chuckle behined him and Hotaru gave him a sympathetic head shake and said in a dissatisfied tone, "Comments like that are what makes you stick out like sore thumb. I suppose there is no way for you to know but haven't you noticed that we model things after the primitive machinery of your planet?"

Naota nodded his head warily, he had noticed it but never gave it much thought. Why was it aliens rode Vespa's? "Why?" he asked, he actually wanted to know the answer to this one.

"Simple," she said putting her head on her arm, "Earth culture is popular, your styles of music are diverse and exotic. As are your instruements. There are stations based outside your system who do nothing but monitor every aspect of your planet to make money and sell your culture."

Questions were running rampart in Naota's mind again, "Then why not just visit our planet if its so popular?"

Kazuki spoke up at this point, "That was actually talked about for along time. But in the end it was deemed that if we did indeed value your culture we would not interfere with your planet thus the very strict preserve lines placed around your system. It was decided that it was your isolation that allowed you to be so creative in your culture and that if your isolation was broken you would forsake your own ways for our technology."

It all sounded ridicoulous to Naota, but he had learned that nothing was ridiculous in space. Naota put his hand to his forehead trying to take in what he had just learned, then perked up and posed his next question to Hotaru how has been waiting expectantly for it, "So... am I in trouble?" he asked evenly.

Kazuki slapped him on the back and commented, "Of course not!"

Hotaru shrugged, "didn't I say this whole city is a hide out? You came to the right place Earth boy."

Kazuki added, "actually we are kind of psyched that we get to have someone from earth here with us!"

"Well he maybe, your not what I had expected from the culturally dominate people of Earth" Hotaru said with a dissatisfied frown again returning to her drink.

Naota sighed, he didn't need to be taken as an example for everyone on Earth. Kazuki scoffed, "Naota she is just stubborn, she wouldn't pass up the chance to meet an Earthling anymore than I would."

Kazuki the continued, "But whats an Earthling doing all the way out here tho? How did you even get here?" Kazuki looked at the ceiling lost in thought.

The question also brought Hotaru's attention back, "ya how did you end up here?"

Seeing as they already knew where he was from Naota let his suspicions of them drop, they seemed nice enough. "Well I wasn't lying, I am here looking for someone."

"huh? Who is that?" asked hotaru leaning in waiting for his response.

"Well… her name is Haruko…" said Naota weakly, it wasn't a name that he thought wise to give out knowing her reputation.

Hotaru waved a hand dismissing the name, "Don't know her. She a friend of yours?"

"You could say so… sure." Said Naota not sure if he would count Haruko as a friend.

Kazuki interjected, "a lover maybe?"

At the suggestion Naota turned crimson, "No way!"

"I see…" said Hotaru biting on her finger looking across the room seemingly at nothing.

"Haruko eh?" said Kazuki, "we can look for her I guess, there are lots of people in this city. Any reason to believe she is here?"

Seeing a chance to progress on his quest Naota gave information freely, "I had heard that this is the last place she is recorded to be spotted but she is hard to track down and that was a few months ago. Although I think I saw her playing in the band when I passed out…" said Naota pensively.

Hotaru spoke up, "hmm you know I think we found you several blocks from the band. You weren't very close, not enough to see them anyway." She pointed out.

"What? But I remember being there in a crowd…" Naota was bit perplexed at how it was possible.

Kazuki sad solemly, "I'm afraid she is right, you weren't near the stage. You see as an Earthling you are affected differently by our music. The music is of your planets style but the instruments we use are meant to enhance the sound and its effects. I suppose on you it could be what caused you to pass out. It also could very well have caused you to see a few things. Extreme forms of it can even be used as a wepon to incapitate opponents."

It was true, Naota remembered the captain at the prison where he had been held. He had played a mesmerizing beat with his guitar that had knocked him out the first time and almost done him in the second.

"Still we can look around", said Kazuki trying to inspire some hope in Naota.

Looking out the window of the sprawling city Naota felt impatient. "When? I'd also like to just get a look around, never been to place like this."

Hotaru poked him in the ribs, "not today… its late we can search tomarrow."

"Late?" Naota looked at the sky above the lighted city, it was the same bright swirling purple gas he had seen before. "This is how night is here?" asked Naota with wonder, the gas gave off a dim light that was a bit more than the moon would have back in mabase but it could have passed for dusk."

Smiling Kazuki enlightend him, "techinically its always night here. The gas doesn't allow sun light through and it is always giving off only a dim light. The divide between night and day is done by the city lights, watch."

And sure enough not even a minute later the thousands of light began dissaperaing while some where left on only dimmed down. The with this new lighting Naota could only barely make out the shapes of the other massive buildings surrounding them. The view did indeed give him the sense that it was late.

Hotaru slide him one of the cone shaped drinks down the counter, "drink that… then you should probably go to bed."

As she finished Kazuki got up and stifled a yawn, "well Naota we can talk more tomarrow, I still have many questions for you. Good night." Kazuki went down the hall and was lost from sight when he entered his room. With a sigh Naota popped open his cone shaped drink and took a sip, it was sour….

"whats wrong?" asked Hotaru

"Its bitter…" Naota said simply, he hated sour drinks.

"You don't like it? Supposed to be a copy of drinks from your planet." She said slightly confused. Naota had tatsed drinks back home a lot like this one but those had been the ones he never liked.

"Some drinks are like this but not all…" he said simply taking another sip, he didn't like it but its what there was.

"hmm, well good night. Your bed is in the same room you woke up in." with a smirk she added, "and it wouldn't be smart to let me catch you hiding under my bed again tomarrow." Then just as her brother had done she turned and left, going down the hall.

Naota turned back to look at the room he would sleep in. It looked cozy and inviting to him… "At least I get another night in a bed."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ok now i after this last chap i am having writers block again. Third time in this story so far. There are just so many ways it can go now, like i said i already know the ending i'd like to have but there is still alot i can do before i get there. Do me a favor and review, let me know what you think or what you predict will happen. Whatever, just that reviews do wonders when it comes to keeping the story going. Also let me know what you think about the 2 characters i added. I'm trying to make them good and interesting but let me know what you think. If no one likes them i can easily have them ... 'removed' from the story Muhahaha!

But hey the chaps are getting longer, this has been the longest yet so maybe i won't have that problem anymore.