Senri let out a loud "Umph!" as the air was knocked from his lungs.
"Na—Nana-san?" Husky gasped, recognizing the voice instantly. Senri smiled and put an obliging arm around her, despite her obvious bewilderment. Nana's face was beaming, framed with her tangled windswept hair.
"Koha-chan says you two weren't hurt too badly, is that true? I was worried that whole time that you were sick or injured or—" she stopped, almost breathless, her eyes shining as she twirled on one toe "Oh! I'm so happy to be back together!" Husky snorted irritably, turning away from the scene.
"Cut it out already. Why do girls always have to be so annoying, anyway?" He was taken aback as he felt Nana's hands grab his. She spun him around to face her and hugging him firmly.
"I missed you too" she whispered "You're always the same—always good old Husky-kun." Husky gulped as he felt her warm little body pressed up against his. A sudden mental image—a flashback of the dream—sprung instantly into his mind. The aching mass of worry and fear for his friend's survival that he had kept bottled up in a back cupboard of his heart for these passed days suddenly dissolved into a cloud of relief, and emotion overtook him. Freeing his hands from hers, he placed his arms around her back, drawing her tightly against him.
"Nana-san…..you're an idiot…..making me worry like that" he murmured against her hair as she let out a sigh of happiness. A teasing chuckle broke the magic of the moment.
"Well isn't that just adorable"
Husky pulled away from Nana instantly, his arms falling to his sides as he turned toward the speaker—and jumped back in surprise.
"Kazana-san?" he exclaimed, his eyes meeting those of the tall +Anima's "What in the world are you doing here?" Kazana smiled as Rose appeared at his shoulder.
"Just helping some friends in need" she answered, flicking her hair over her shoulder. This time it was Senri who grunted in amazement.
"Rose" he said softly, taking a step forward. He smile faltered momentarily as she looked at him, and a small red blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Senri-kun" she answered, her voice hushed "You-re—you're—" she almost instantly regained her composer, springing forward to pat Senri heartily on the back. "Well! If it isn't my old chap Senri-kun! So glad to see you're alive and kicking, mate!" Senri continued to stare at her for a few seconds, speechless as usual as she carried on. Suddenly, his face broke in to a broad smile, and he reached out to gently pat Rose's arm.
"Rose" he said "You came. I'm happy" Everyone jumped as a high pitched giggle sounded from behind Kazana's leg.
"Hehe…..Rose-chan's in loooooovvvvvvee"
Rose whirled around, diving for Leone, who appeared on the scene, dragging Cooro along by the hand.
"Come here you little—" she cried as the lion +Anima danced just out of her reach.
"L-O-V-E Rosey-chan's in LOOVEE!" she sang "C'mon Cooro-kun, sing with me!" Cooro looked up dizzily and broke out into a wide smile as he saw Senri and Husky
"Oh—hey guys! Where's all the food, huh? I'm staarrrving!" Husky couldn't help but grin, though he tried to hide it by lowering his head.
"Hey Cooro-san, and—" he paused as he glared down at Leone, who started up at him indignantly.
"Who're you, squirt?" Nana grimaced as she watched Leone swell up, her face turning red and then purple with rage.
She'll never forgive him for addressing her so rudely she thought, stepping forward with a hand outstretched to intervene—but all at once, Leone deflated, smiling cheekily and turning up her nose.
"It's Leone-sama to you, Mr. Smartymouth. Your friends found me and Rose-chan and Kazana-kun and Hisoka-chan and we all decided to help rescue you impudent wretches from this miserable place" Rose gave Husky's hair a playful pat
"You'd better consider yourself lucky—she doesn't let most off that easy!" Kazana chuckled "Yup—I know that for a fact—why such the change of heart, Leone-sama?" she shrugged.
"Oh—dunno, I just didn't feel up to it I suppose…..also, I didn't want to embarrass him in front of the girl he loves, that is one sin I cannot forgive." Husky and Nana instantly looked away from each other, each one suddenly bashful.
"Oh—shut it" murmured Husky, while Nana fidgeted with her hair.
"Ya Leo-chan, it's silly to assume that…." Her voice trailed off, and an awkward silence ensued. Remembering something that Leone had said, Husky quickly changed the subject.
"Who's Hisoka—" A quiet voice interrupted.
"I am" the fish +anima turned to see Kohaku approaching, followed by the beautiful, cloak-swathed figure of Hisoka, her silver hair streaming down her back "she said she's with them" Kohaku said, gesturing to Hisoka, who nodded.
"We—found her along the way" explained Nana "She knows these parts, and she said she'd help if she could" As Husky looked at Hisoka, he felt a small shiver run through his body
She seems different then the others... he thought, although he could not put his finger on how. Maybe it was her hair—so long and silvery white—unnatural for someone ostensibly so young. Maybe it was the long black cloak, so familiar and reminiscent of the ones worn by their enemies—but no matter, Husky reasoned, if Nana and the others trusted her, then their should be no cause for worry. They needed all the help they could get if they were going to get out of this place.
"Good" he said "Thank you for your assistance, Hisoka-san. I am Husky—and this is Senri. We were traveling with Nana-san and Cooro-kun when we were kidnapped and ended up here." She nodded
"I understand." She answered in her musical voice "I will do all that I can—but we must hurry. I am—sick—and I only have a limited amount of time before my strength runs out. However, I do have a good idea of what we must do. My bro—I mean, this Delmor of which you speak, I have heard of him. He is legend where I live, along with the rest of the Council of Water and Stone. The elders of our village used to say that the meeting place of the Council is far from us—in the very center of the cave. I once saw a map of this cave in a book, and if what I have heard is correct, I believe I shall easily be able to find where he is." Husky reached up to stroke his chin thoughtfully, but quickly stopped as he realized how foolish he probably looked.
"I see….Well I suppose the first obstacle is getting out of here—" Nana laughed
"How do you think we got in, silly?" Kohaku looked at Hisoka with admiration in her eyes.
"She was able to pick the lock—It was really quite amazing, her skills far exceed mine" Hisoka lowered her head modestly, but for a second Husky thought he saw sadness in her face—as she looked upon Kohaku.
"Thank you" she said "But you're really too kind. I have learned these things over the years, for where I live I often have had to rescue children from just such situations as yours. Now please, keep quiet and follow me. I will take you to where I believe Delmor to be." Turning without another word, she walked away into the darkness, followed by the others. Senri stepped forward to walk next to Rose, who was beaming at him, but Kazana quickly stepped between them, winding an arm around Rose's waist.
"I'm not too thrilled to be working with you again" he hissed challengingly in Senri's direction "Don't even think about trying to steal my Rose, or you're going DOWN, you understand?" Senri looked abashed, but quickly regained himself, shooting Kazana a surprisingly hostile glare before moving to walk behind Rose, who was struggling in Kazana's grasp.
"Let GO you big meanie! I am NOT 'your Rose,' alright? I wanna walk with Senri-kun!!" Behind her skipped Cooro and Leone, whispering and giggling and attempting to purloin Senri's pack—and failing miserably each time. Nana stood over them, scolding like a mother hen. Husky and Kohaku fell in to place at the back of the line, walking in silence and watching the floor in front of them.
"It's weird…..she keeps saying 'where I'm from' and 'where I live,' but she'll never say where" Kohaku whispered at length. Husky nodded, for he had been thinking exactly the same thing. "
I wonder….."
He looked up at Nana, who was now trying to pry Leone from Senri's back, where she was hitching at piggy-back ride. She seemed a little too preoccupied—almost unnaturally so.
Is she avoiding me? Husky thought But why?
Tashi-chan: Uh-oh, I smell a cliffhanger!
Nana: Of course you do, that's pretty much how all of the chapters in this fanfiction end T_T
Tashi-chan: Oh, well I'm sorry to offend you Nana-chan—but isn't it much more wonderfully suspenseful that way??
Nana: Not when my life is at risk!!
Tashi-chan: Okay, Okay, I get it…..well guess what, Nana, just for you I'll right a special chapter next….
Nana: What do you mean….special?
Tashi-chan *evil grin* Oh, you'll just have to wait and see…3
Nana: Somehow I have a very bad feeling about this...