Familiar Faces
(Hmm, it has come to my attention that this is no longer within its PG rating. Oh dear…oh well, it'll do the little ones some good to see what the real world is like *evil laugh which reforms itself into a thoughtful murmur* Maybe I might just change it to escape authorities. *realizes that Narrator has suggested she is afraid of authorities* Hey! Leave me only! I am entitled to my opion and it just happens to be that it coincides with the authorities. *audience giving weird looks* Right! On with the story, for those of you still with us)
Steffi Anderson was trying to cook something for breakfast, pack her sleeping bag, juggle her two rather large weapons, and keep from hurting the nearest living thing.
Meanwhile Zelgadiss was sitting on one side of the fire polishing his already shinning sword, while Xelloss was sitting on the other just staring into nothing, as one does when their eyes are closed. The rhythmic thunk of metal hitting wood echoed as Tori practiced with her bow and the unlucky tree again, which by now had more scars then a skateboarder with no experience.
No one was really making conversation.
"Say Xelloss," Steffi asked, "What did Beast Master have to say about your little accident and dimension hoping?"
"I'll bet she was real pissed." Tori hissed releasing another arrow.
"I'd say." Zelgadiss agreed.
Xelloss looked around at them. "Er, as to that…" He placed a hand behind his head. "Um, she wasn't too displeased." His face told otherwise.
"Heh! Knew it!" Tori cried spinning around. An arrow landed centimeters from Xelloss' foot. "She whipped your sorry little ass, didn't she?"
Xelloss was almost annoyed, but was preoccupied with the arrow. "Was she aiming for me just then?"
"That girl has got good aim." Zelgadiss admired. "Unlike someone else."
"Hey! Shut up!" Steffi yelled.
Tori was waving her hand about in the air in a rewind fashion. "Going back to what I said before about Beast Master beating the living heck out of Xelloss here."
Steffi sighed. "You love rubbing it in, don't you?"
"Hey, where there is a wound, just add some salt." Tori winked, "But only if they deserve it, otherwise it would be unjust."
Xelloss sweat dropped. "Ah, I forgot about her flower speeches." He twitched. Tori's eyes narrowed, but went back to shooting arrows at the tree.
"Right then, after all that, breakfast is ready." Steffi announced. "But it's all vegetarian, since I am."
Xelloss happily took a bowl, as did Steffi and Zelgadiss. Tori was left staring into the depths of her unidentified vegetable stew, supposedly. But she complied to picking out the pieces she could identify as edible rather then complaining. After all, cooking was her least favorite thing in the world next to Xelloss for the time been.
"So, can we get back to you getting beaten up, Xel?" Tori continued. Xelloss ticked again. "What did she say? 'What were you thinking?' 'Think of all the trouble they could cause?' 'How could you screw up?' 'What are we going to do with them?' 'You worthless piece of censored!'?"
Xelloss opened one eye. "Oh I see your game. You won't be getting information out of me that way."
"Damn!"
Zelgadiss sighed, "So we are to assume that you are here on some little orders that involve twisting us about, right?"
"Now why do you say that Zelgadiss?" Xelloss grinned.
"Don't get me started." He groaned.
Xelloss was about to make another crude remark when an odd feeling cut him off at his side. He looked down. Tori's hand was sneaking into the bag he kept slung over his shoulder. She noticed him looking and quickly withdrew it. Xelloss caught her wrist though, his eyes opening in a narrow glare.
"What were you doing?" He asked in a similar voice he had used when attacking her in the bedroom. Tori gulped.
"I was just trying to find out what you actually keep in there." She replied with a small smile on her face. Xelloss' eyes narrowed further.
(Obviously no one is allowed to know what's in the bag. Mr. Secrets has been seeing to that ^.^)
"In any case," Zelgadis cut in to Tori's rescue, "I say we might as well get going before he has a chance to make any suggestions."
"Yeah or put stupid collars on us all." Steffi mused, "Say, was watching over us your orders or your punishment?"
"Or was it both?" Tori implied. Xelloss rose a worried eyebrow. Zelgadiss smiled, standing up with his sheathed sword in his hand.
"Lets go then." He said buckling the sword to his belt.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Steffi cried juggling her weapons. "I think I nearly got it here." She slung the quiver over one shoulder, the bow over another, and held the staff in a free hand. "Ha! Dare to face me now?"
"What about your sleeping bag?" Tori asked.
"Damn!"
~
Sometime later on the road to where ever it is that they were going, with Steffi having organized her belongings, boredom was taking over again. This time it was not eye-spy, but telling jokes. Which might not have been the best thing anyway.
"TV and Antenna got married." Tori began, "The wedding wasn't that good, but the reception was great."
"I don't get it." Zel admitted.
"Hmm, me neither." Xel agreed.
"I do," Steffi piped up, "but it ain't funny."
"Fine." Tori said at the lack of laughter. Actually she thought it was also rather lame, "Here is another one: A guy walks into a bar and asks the bartender 'Do you sell grapes?' to which the bartender replies no. The next day the same guy walks into the same bar and asks 'Do you sell grapes?' to which the bartender replies, 'I already told you, no.' The next day the same guy walks in again and stands in the same spot and asks the same question, 'Do you sell grapes?' to which the bartender replies 'look, mate, I told you yesterday and the day before, we do not sell grapes.' Again the next day the same guy waring the same thing stops in the same spot and asks the same question, 'Do you sell grapes?' This time the bartender grabs him by the collar and says 'I've told you again and again. We do not sell grapes. And if you come in here again asking if we do I'll personally nail your feet to the ground.' The next day the very same guy walks into the bar and asks 'Do you sell nails?' to which the bartender replies 'No'. 'Oh', says the guy, 'Then do you sell grapes?'"
Xelloss grinned and Steffi cracked up.
"See," Tori said, "That one was better."
"Ok, I got one." Steffi smiled, "This is for you Xelloss."
"Oh? Really?" The Trickster Priest asked.
"Ok then, there was this guy who wanted to stay at this inn. He asked if they had a room available, which they did but he was instructed not to ask what the noise in the night was. Naturally, that night he hears a strange noise and so asks about it the next morning. But he is told that they can not tell him since he is not a monk.
"So he went to a monastery and trained for six years before returning. He then asks again 'What is that noise in the night?' The innkeeper says he will show him, so grabs a pair of keys and unlocks the door to the cellar. Inside is a staircase leading down. They start their way down.
"After forty days and forty nights they finally come to a door at the bottom. Its locked. 'Damn.' The innkeeper curses, 'I left the keys behind.'
"So they travel forty days and forty nights back up the stairs to get the keys then travel forty days and forty nights back down the stairs and open the door. On the other side is a desert. They travel forty days and forty nights across the desert only to find another door. Again it is locked. 'Damn.' The innkeeper curses, 'I left the keys behind.' So they travel forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights back up the stairs, to collect the keys. Then travel forty days and forty nights back down the stairs, forty days and forty nights back across the desert and unlock the door. Inside is a large lagoon with a rowing boat. So they travel forty days and forty nights across the lagoon-"
"Quite it with the forty days and forty nights already!" Tori interrupted. "It's really starting to piss me off!"
Steffi just smiled in an annoying way, too much like Xelloss in fact for Tori's comfort. "To find a door. But this too is locked." Steffi continued still grinning crazily, " 'Damn,' The innkeeper curses, 'I left the keys behind.'"
"I have a feeling this is going to take a while." Zelgadiss sighed.
"So they travel forty days and forty nights back across the lagoon, forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights up the stairs, to collect the keys. Then forty days and forty nights back down the stairs, forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights back across the lagoon and unlock the door. On the other side is a jungle."
At this point Tori's tolerance had reached its limit. She lashed out at her friend, but her arm hit wood instead. The wood of Xelloss' staff. He had protected Steffi. "Ooo damn it." Tori cursed, "Hey! It's not like she hasn't attacked you as well."
"I am intrigued as to where this is leading." The Mazoku explained.
"Since when did monsters have a sense of humor?" Tori muttered.
"Oh they have a sense of humor alright." Zel confirmed with a shudder.
"So they travel forty days and forty nights across the jungle only to find another locked door." Steffi started up again.
"Let me guess." Tori said her voice thick with sarcasm, " 'Damn,' The innkeeper cursed, 'I left the keys behind.'"
Steffi winked. Everyone joined in with varying degrees of enthusiasm, "So they traveled forty days and forty nights back across the jungle, forty days and forty nights back across the lagoon, forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights back up the stairs, to collect the keys. Then forty days and forty nights back down the stairs, forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights across the lagoon, forty days and forty nights across the jungle," At this point the other three dropped out to allow Steffi to continue alone, "to unlock the door. They opened it then found out what was making the noise."
She stopped suddenly.
"Which is?" Tori encouraged.
"A secret!" Xelloss finished.
"Yup," Steffi laughed, "I can't tell you because you're not a monk!"
(Now that is my kind of joke ^.-)
Zelgadiss groaned, "Good going. He's going to be telling that one all the time now."
But that was the end of the line for Tori. She was just about notch an arrow and aim it at her friend when Zelgadiss spoke again.
"Ah! We are here." He stopped. Yet again Steffi walked into his back, which was rather like walking into a brick wall with the whole stone thing and all. She peered around him to look at the gates they stood outside of.
"Saillune?!" The two girls exclaimed simultaneously.
(Like no one saw that one coming…what the hell! I just bagged myself?! Um, er, uh *becomes aware of the audience's looks so gives off an evil laugh as cover up* Yes of course! That was my plan all along and those fools are falling into my trap. Now um, if you'll excuse me I have to go tie up some loose ends *disappears muttering something about given the characters too much leeway*)
"Aww." Steffi sighed, her eyes going all round and puppy style, "Come to see your Amelia, eh Zelly-boy?"
"Oh quit teasing him." Tori said.
Xelloss looked up at the wall. "Hmm, oh my. I'm not too welcome here."
"You're not too welcome anywhere." Zelgadiss mumbled.
"So, you disappearing off again?" Steffi inquired, not been able to keep the odd note of hope out of her voice.
Xelloss grinned. "Nope."
"Damn." Tori sighed. "I was looking forward to a holiday from fruitcake here."
Xelloss put on his hurt look. "But I haven't even been here a day yet."
"Really?" Tori asked, "It seems so much longer."
"And," added Xelloss, "we haven't had any fun yet." He winked.
Tori sighed and looked depressed. "Somebody kill him. Please?"
"Are we just going to stand here all day?" Zelgadis asked. He shook his head and started for the gates to the grand white magic capital. Steffi followed quickly.
"You know Zelgadis, I think you have developed a liking for sarcasm." She said.
As they entered the gates of Saillune the girls noticed just how big it really was.
Tori was bumped sideways. "You know, I think we should keep together. We could easily get lost in here." She looked around expecting to see Steffi and the others behind her. They were nowhere to be seen. "Guys? Oh crap!"
"Over here baka!" Steffi called from up ahead. Tori jogged to keep up. "You know, I never realized just how big Saillune really is. Not even all those aerial shots could show its size."
Zelgadis was leading the way through the crowd towards the palace. Steffi noticed that Xelloss' navigation through the people was remarkable given the fact his eyes were closed. She was busy trying to keep the two guys in view that she didn't notice the trouble Tori was suffering.
Something grabbed hold of the girl's long blond ponytail.
"Yikes!"
That something revealed itself into a hand. The hand of a mugger. With a couple of other mugger friends.
"Oh crap!" Tori swore again. "Bandits outside the walls and muggers inside. And I'm penniless!" She wailed.
The guy who held her head grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth where they still existed. "Money ain't what we're after, girly." He whispered in her ear.
A certain four letter word beginning with 'r' and ending in 'ape' flashed through Tori's mind. "Oh shit."
Meanwhile, Steffi had only just come to realize the absence of her friend.
"Wait!" She called up to Xel and Zel, "We lost Tori again!"
"Can't that girl keep out of trouble for one minuet?" Zel asked. He looked around at the crowd. No blond haired girl in sight. He sighed, "Obviously not. Ok, let's look for her."
Xelloss was also looking around, through closed eyes.
"Open your eyes, idiot!" Steffi yelled, "It might just help you a bit."
Xelloss turned his head towards her, a thoughtful expression on his face, then disappeared into the crowd.
One man held Tori around the waist, pinning her arms to her side. Her legs however were free and she was making good use of this fact, kicking wildly.
(hmm…perhaps this is just a little too evil for her…oh well. ^.^)
The other two were pretty batted and bruised due to the work of her boots. "I thought this was a holy city!" She yelled lashing out again. A figure in the shadows was watching. "Xellos!" She called in relief.
The figure stepped into the sunlight revealing itself to indeed be the Trickster Priest.
"You going to just stand there or are you going to help?" She accused. The muggers paused to face Xelloss. The Mazoku smiled weakly.
"Eh he, you see to intervene would be to disregard my orders." He explained, keeping his distance.
"So you're not going to help."
"In other words, yes, I'm not."
Tori paused for a second. "You're dead." She promised.
There was a clattering of hooves and a thunder of noise as the city watch appeared from nowhere, mounted on fine steeds. Leading the way however was a certain black haired princess.
(No prize for guessing who the princess is. So, what new adventures are install for the girls here in Salliune, other then the risk of loosing their virginity. I don't think that word is allowed here. Oh well. I think this is the longest chapter to date. Feel proud, you have read my longest chapter. Hmm, Narrator suffering from lack of sleep even though Narrator don't sleep. Too tied to do an evil laugh so feel relieved *evil laugh* just goes to show that not everything you read is true)
(Hmm, it has come to my attention that this is no longer within its PG rating. Oh dear…oh well, it'll do the little ones some good to see what the real world is like *evil laugh which reforms itself into a thoughtful murmur* Maybe I might just change it to escape authorities. *realizes that Narrator has suggested she is afraid of authorities* Hey! Leave me only! I am entitled to my opion and it just happens to be that it coincides with the authorities. *audience giving weird looks* Right! On with the story, for those of you still with us)
Steffi Anderson was trying to cook something for breakfast, pack her sleeping bag, juggle her two rather large weapons, and keep from hurting the nearest living thing.
Meanwhile Zelgadiss was sitting on one side of the fire polishing his already shinning sword, while Xelloss was sitting on the other just staring into nothing, as one does when their eyes are closed. The rhythmic thunk of metal hitting wood echoed as Tori practiced with her bow and the unlucky tree again, which by now had more scars then a skateboarder with no experience.
No one was really making conversation.
"Say Xelloss," Steffi asked, "What did Beast Master have to say about your little accident and dimension hoping?"
"I'll bet she was real pissed." Tori hissed releasing another arrow.
"I'd say." Zelgadiss agreed.
Xelloss looked around at them. "Er, as to that…" He placed a hand behind his head. "Um, she wasn't too displeased." His face told otherwise.
"Heh! Knew it!" Tori cried spinning around. An arrow landed centimeters from Xelloss' foot. "She whipped your sorry little ass, didn't she?"
Xelloss was almost annoyed, but was preoccupied with the arrow. "Was she aiming for me just then?"
"That girl has got good aim." Zelgadiss admired. "Unlike someone else."
"Hey! Shut up!" Steffi yelled.
Tori was waving her hand about in the air in a rewind fashion. "Going back to what I said before about Beast Master beating the living heck out of Xelloss here."
Steffi sighed. "You love rubbing it in, don't you?"
"Hey, where there is a wound, just add some salt." Tori winked, "But only if they deserve it, otherwise it would be unjust."
Xelloss sweat dropped. "Ah, I forgot about her flower speeches." He twitched. Tori's eyes narrowed, but went back to shooting arrows at the tree.
"Right then, after all that, breakfast is ready." Steffi announced. "But it's all vegetarian, since I am."
Xelloss happily took a bowl, as did Steffi and Zelgadiss. Tori was left staring into the depths of her unidentified vegetable stew, supposedly. But she complied to picking out the pieces she could identify as edible rather then complaining. After all, cooking was her least favorite thing in the world next to Xelloss for the time been.
"So, can we get back to you getting beaten up, Xel?" Tori continued. Xelloss ticked again. "What did she say? 'What were you thinking?' 'Think of all the trouble they could cause?' 'How could you screw up?' 'What are we going to do with them?' 'You worthless piece of censored!'?"
Xelloss opened one eye. "Oh I see your game. You won't be getting information out of me that way."
"Damn!"
Zelgadiss sighed, "So we are to assume that you are here on some little orders that involve twisting us about, right?"
"Now why do you say that Zelgadiss?" Xelloss grinned.
"Don't get me started." He groaned.
Xelloss was about to make another crude remark when an odd feeling cut him off at his side. He looked down. Tori's hand was sneaking into the bag he kept slung over his shoulder. She noticed him looking and quickly withdrew it. Xelloss caught her wrist though, his eyes opening in a narrow glare.
"What were you doing?" He asked in a similar voice he had used when attacking her in the bedroom. Tori gulped.
"I was just trying to find out what you actually keep in there." She replied with a small smile on her face. Xelloss' eyes narrowed further.
(Obviously no one is allowed to know what's in the bag. Mr. Secrets has been seeing to that ^.^)
"In any case," Zelgadis cut in to Tori's rescue, "I say we might as well get going before he has a chance to make any suggestions."
"Yeah or put stupid collars on us all." Steffi mused, "Say, was watching over us your orders or your punishment?"
"Or was it both?" Tori implied. Xelloss rose a worried eyebrow. Zelgadiss smiled, standing up with his sheathed sword in his hand.
"Lets go then." He said buckling the sword to his belt.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Steffi cried juggling her weapons. "I think I nearly got it here." She slung the quiver over one shoulder, the bow over another, and held the staff in a free hand. "Ha! Dare to face me now?"
"What about your sleeping bag?" Tori asked.
"Damn!"
~
Sometime later on the road to where ever it is that they were going, with Steffi having organized her belongings, boredom was taking over again. This time it was not eye-spy, but telling jokes. Which might not have been the best thing anyway.
"TV and Antenna got married." Tori began, "The wedding wasn't that good, but the reception was great."
"I don't get it." Zel admitted.
"Hmm, me neither." Xel agreed.
"I do," Steffi piped up, "but it ain't funny."
"Fine." Tori said at the lack of laughter. Actually she thought it was also rather lame, "Here is another one: A guy walks into a bar and asks the bartender 'Do you sell grapes?' to which the bartender replies no. The next day the same guy walks into the same bar and asks 'Do you sell grapes?' to which the bartender replies, 'I already told you, no.' The next day the same guy walks in again and stands in the same spot and asks the same question, 'Do you sell grapes?' to which the bartender replies 'look, mate, I told you yesterday and the day before, we do not sell grapes.' Again the next day the same guy waring the same thing stops in the same spot and asks the same question, 'Do you sell grapes?' This time the bartender grabs him by the collar and says 'I've told you again and again. We do not sell grapes. And if you come in here again asking if we do I'll personally nail your feet to the ground.' The next day the very same guy walks into the bar and asks 'Do you sell nails?' to which the bartender replies 'No'. 'Oh', says the guy, 'Then do you sell grapes?'"
Xelloss grinned and Steffi cracked up.
"See," Tori said, "That one was better."
"Ok, I got one." Steffi smiled, "This is for you Xelloss."
"Oh? Really?" The Trickster Priest asked.
"Ok then, there was this guy who wanted to stay at this inn. He asked if they had a room available, which they did but he was instructed not to ask what the noise in the night was. Naturally, that night he hears a strange noise and so asks about it the next morning. But he is told that they can not tell him since he is not a monk.
"So he went to a monastery and trained for six years before returning. He then asks again 'What is that noise in the night?' The innkeeper says he will show him, so grabs a pair of keys and unlocks the door to the cellar. Inside is a staircase leading down. They start their way down.
"After forty days and forty nights they finally come to a door at the bottom. Its locked. 'Damn.' The innkeeper curses, 'I left the keys behind.'
"So they travel forty days and forty nights back up the stairs to get the keys then travel forty days and forty nights back down the stairs and open the door. On the other side is a desert. They travel forty days and forty nights across the desert only to find another door. Again it is locked. 'Damn.' The innkeeper curses, 'I left the keys behind.' So they travel forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights back up the stairs, to collect the keys. Then travel forty days and forty nights back down the stairs, forty days and forty nights back across the desert and unlock the door. Inside is a large lagoon with a rowing boat. So they travel forty days and forty nights across the lagoon-"
"Quite it with the forty days and forty nights already!" Tori interrupted. "It's really starting to piss me off!"
Steffi just smiled in an annoying way, too much like Xelloss in fact for Tori's comfort. "To find a door. But this too is locked." Steffi continued still grinning crazily, " 'Damn,' The innkeeper curses, 'I left the keys behind.'"
"I have a feeling this is going to take a while." Zelgadiss sighed.
"So they travel forty days and forty nights back across the lagoon, forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights up the stairs, to collect the keys. Then forty days and forty nights back down the stairs, forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights back across the lagoon and unlock the door. On the other side is a jungle."
At this point Tori's tolerance had reached its limit. She lashed out at her friend, but her arm hit wood instead. The wood of Xelloss' staff. He had protected Steffi. "Ooo damn it." Tori cursed, "Hey! It's not like she hasn't attacked you as well."
"I am intrigued as to where this is leading." The Mazoku explained.
"Since when did monsters have a sense of humor?" Tori muttered.
"Oh they have a sense of humor alright." Zel confirmed with a shudder.
"So they travel forty days and forty nights across the jungle only to find another locked door." Steffi started up again.
"Let me guess." Tori said her voice thick with sarcasm, " 'Damn,' The innkeeper cursed, 'I left the keys behind.'"
Steffi winked. Everyone joined in with varying degrees of enthusiasm, "So they traveled forty days and forty nights back across the jungle, forty days and forty nights back across the lagoon, forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights back up the stairs, to collect the keys. Then forty days and forty nights back down the stairs, forty days and forty nights back across the desert, forty days and forty nights across the lagoon, forty days and forty nights across the jungle," At this point the other three dropped out to allow Steffi to continue alone, "to unlock the door. They opened it then found out what was making the noise."
She stopped suddenly.
"Which is?" Tori encouraged.
"A secret!" Xelloss finished.
"Yup," Steffi laughed, "I can't tell you because you're not a monk!"
(Now that is my kind of joke ^.-)
Zelgadiss groaned, "Good going. He's going to be telling that one all the time now."
But that was the end of the line for Tori. She was just about notch an arrow and aim it at her friend when Zelgadiss spoke again.
"Ah! We are here." He stopped. Yet again Steffi walked into his back, which was rather like walking into a brick wall with the whole stone thing and all. She peered around him to look at the gates they stood outside of.
"Saillune?!" The two girls exclaimed simultaneously.
(Like no one saw that one coming…what the hell! I just bagged myself?! Um, er, uh *becomes aware of the audience's looks so gives off an evil laugh as cover up* Yes of course! That was my plan all along and those fools are falling into my trap. Now um, if you'll excuse me I have to go tie up some loose ends *disappears muttering something about given the characters too much leeway*)
"Aww." Steffi sighed, her eyes going all round and puppy style, "Come to see your Amelia, eh Zelly-boy?"
"Oh quit teasing him." Tori said.
Xelloss looked up at the wall. "Hmm, oh my. I'm not too welcome here."
"You're not too welcome anywhere." Zelgadiss mumbled.
"So, you disappearing off again?" Steffi inquired, not been able to keep the odd note of hope out of her voice.
Xelloss grinned. "Nope."
"Damn." Tori sighed. "I was looking forward to a holiday from fruitcake here."
Xelloss put on his hurt look. "But I haven't even been here a day yet."
"Really?" Tori asked, "It seems so much longer."
"And," added Xelloss, "we haven't had any fun yet." He winked.
Tori sighed and looked depressed. "Somebody kill him. Please?"
"Are we just going to stand here all day?" Zelgadis asked. He shook his head and started for the gates to the grand white magic capital. Steffi followed quickly.
"You know Zelgadis, I think you have developed a liking for sarcasm." She said.
As they entered the gates of Saillune the girls noticed just how big it really was.
Tori was bumped sideways. "You know, I think we should keep together. We could easily get lost in here." She looked around expecting to see Steffi and the others behind her. They were nowhere to be seen. "Guys? Oh crap!"
"Over here baka!" Steffi called from up ahead. Tori jogged to keep up. "You know, I never realized just how big Saillune really is. Not even all those aerial shots could show its size."
Zelgadis was leading the way through the crowd towards the palace. Steffi noticed that Xelloss' navigation through the people was remarkable given the fact his eyes were closed. She was busy trying to keep the two guys in view that she didn't notice the trouble Tori was suffering.
Something grabbed hold of the girl's long blond ponytail.
"Yikes!"
That something revealed itself into a hand. The hand of a mugger. With a couple of other mugger friends.
"Oh crap!" Tori swore again. "Bandits outside the walls and muggers inside. And I'm penniless!" She wailed.
The guy who held her head grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth where they still existed. "Money ain't what we're after, girly." He whispered in her ear.
A certain four letter word beginning with 'r' and ending in 'ape' flashed through Tori's mind. "Oh shit."
Meanwhile, Steffi had only just come to realize the absence of her friend.
"Wait!" She called up to Xel and Zel, "We lost Tori again!"
"Can't that girl keep out of trouble for one minuet?" Zel asked. He looked around at the crowd. No blond haired girl in sight. He sighed, "Obviously not. Ok, let's look for her."
Xelloss was also looking around, through closed eyes.
"Open your eyes, idiot!" Steffi yelled, "It might just help you a bit."
Xelloss turned his head towards her, a thoughtful expression on his face, then disappeared into the crowd.
One man held Tori around the waist, pinning her arms to her side. Her legs however were free and she was making good use of this fact, kicking wildly.
(hmm…perhaps this is just a little too evil for her…oh well. ^.^)
The other two were pretty batted and bruised due to the work of her boots. "I thought this was a holy city!" She yelled lashing out again. A figure in the shadows was watching. "Xellos!" She called in relief.
The figure stepped into the sunlight revealing itself to indeed be the Trickster Priest.
"You going to just stand there or are you going to help?" She accused. The muggers paused to face Xelloss. The Mazoku smiled weakly.
"Eh he, you see to intervene would be to disregard my orders." He explained, keeping his distance.
"So you're not going to help."
"In other words, yes, I'm not."
Tori paused for a second. "You're dead." She promised.
There was a clattering of hooves and a thunder of noise as the city watch appeared from nowhere, mounted on fine steeds. Leading the way however was a certain black haired princess.
(No prize for guessing who the princess is. So, what new adventures are install for the girls here in Salliune, other then the risk of loosing their virginity. I don't think that word is allowed here. Oh well. I think this is the longest chapter to date. Feel proud, you have read my longest chapter. Hmm, Narrator suffering from lack of sleep even though Narrator don't sleep. Too tied to do an evil laugh so feel relieved *evil laugh* just goes to show that not everything you read is true)