Disclaimer: Hunter X Hunter dose not belong to me, neither do any of its
characters. I am just a fan of the series who likes it enough to spend time
writing fanfiction on it ^^ so enjoy and such =P
Additional Notes: Okay you may want to read this before starting into the story. As you might want to be informed that for this particular series of HxH fanfiction I am writing, Kurapika is a girl. I've done plenty of fics with Kurapika as a guy (and fics where you just don't know what he is) and I wanted to write one with Kurapika as a girl. So if you have a problem with that, don't read simple as that.
This fic also deals with the tender area of Kurapika's past =/ I know it's not an easy thing to write about and pass off as believable but I will try my best to see if I can make a past for Kurapika that will work and not distort the story too much. I also know that this isn't the first time a fic on Kura-chan's past has been produced, but I still think that it will defiantly hold some kind of originality in it.
Oh yes, I almost forgot, there is a paring in here. sorta I guess. Kurapika X Kuroro
Keep in mind that this is also my first time writing a fic that's not a humor fic YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED with all that said and done (I believe that is everything) enjoy the story ^^
Hunter X Hunter Can You Remember Tears?
Chapter Three
Kurapika stood still in the dark night. She had made it back to the place she had been earlier that day, but even in the darkness it was clear to see one thing. "It's gone." The spot where she had put the book down was empty. All the area around it was empty. Kurapika knew she hadn't taken it back with her she had left in such a hurry, and she remembered clearly where she had left it, and to her shock and horror, it was no longer there.
"What could have happened to it!? Thinks like that just don't vanish into thin air!" She begins to search the ground but is still unable to spot it, she soon gives up, stopping her search. It was pointless to look over area she already searched. "I don't understand." She frowned thinking the situation over. There was only one explanation for this. "Someone took it!"
She quickly gets to her feet, walking back in the direction of her village. "I bet it was Sakri." Her footing stops once again. ". what if it wasn't Sakri? Or anyone from the village?" She pushes the thought aside walking back. "How could it not be one of them? I think too much into things."
There is a clash of thunder as the rain finally begins to fall to the ground, drenching the young Kurata from head to tow. "Perfect. this is just wonderful." She shivers holding her arms and running under the shelter of several tear branches, which in truth, did very little to keep her dry. "How am I supposed to sneak back inside now!? I'm tread water all over the place, they'll know I was out when it was raining."
She frowned, scanning the area around her. "I guess I could think about how to do that later, and think of how to get out of the rain first. if I remember correctly." She smiles when she spots the small cave in a hillside in the distance. It was much closer then the village was, and most possibly much dryer then where she was now. "It should work. I can think of what to do in there."
She runs over to it, her arm over her head shielding the rain from her face. In moment is at the opening ducking inside the small dry area. She seems relived for only a few seconds before flopping to the ground in frustration. "Geeze. I've had too many bad things happen to me today. what else could go wrong?"
She almost falls dead when she sees what was to meet her eyes next. A dim light, a dim light was coming from deeper within the small cave. In the last was a shadow, a shadow that belonged to whoever was in the cave near the light. Kurapika slowly gets to her feet backing out of the cave. "No one stayed in here before. and I've been to this place many times."
She stops when her back feels the cold rain from the storm taking place outside of the cave. "Shoot. I really don't want to go back into the rain. but I'm not going to take my chances here."
She takes one step outside, but quickly jumps back in after hearing a familiar sound from inside the caves. It was the sound of a page being turned, something she heard many time in the knowledge house of the Kurata tribe. "Pages. someone's reading?" She quietly creeps inside, doing her best to keep from getting noticed. "It can't be."
Every step closer she took towards the faint light the more her heart pounded in fear, the more her mind told her to go back. The feeling that was inside this cave. it was colder and more chilling then the rain outside. After what seemed like an eternity she found the source of light, being careful stay close to the wall to avoid being seen. There sitting in front of a dull candle lit lantern, was a black haired man. He didn't look all that dangerous, defiantly not an old person, probably only in his late teens. With his nose in a book of all things. It was difficult to see what Kurapika was so worried about.
Kurapika kept her eyes glued on the figure's face. He looked calm, almost at peace, even though the wind was howling outside the cave, a musty, fowl smelling odor filling the cold air around him with only a flicker of light to guide his eyes. He looked as content as a cat basking in warm sunlight. "Just a man. he doesn't look all that dangerous." She shivered again, still not being able to shake the cold feeling she was getting that seemed to come from him.
Her eyes narrowed when they fell onto the book he was reading, it was none other then the book she had risked getting in trouble again to come back and get it. "He took it!" Kurapika watched him bitterly. This person had just gone and taken something that wasn't even his, and had the nerve to actually open it up and read it! Of course. he probably had just stumbled upon it. but he still should have known that someone must have put it there, it's not like they fell out of trees.
The man sighed as he looks up from the book, a slightly bothered look on his face. "How long are you going to watch me?"
Kurapika stood as stiff as a statue after hearing this, the man knew that she was here, and she hadn't made a single sound she was sure of it, she had been careful.
The man shook his head, a slight look of annoyance on his face. "You're disrupting me, it's harder to read with you distracting me."
Kurapika growled at the comment. She hadn't made a noise of any kind. "Disrupting!? How am I disrupting you!?" She quickly covers her mouth, she had snapped back without realizing or thinking about it. Perhaps she should have skipped so many of Hisa's manner and behavior classes.
The man frowns when no one steps out into the open, he goes back to reading. "Fine. Do as you like." He turns the page, starting into the book once again.
Kurapika grinds her teeth as she pushes herself away from the way. This was ridiculous! Letting a person like this worry her! Of course it wasn't as if there where no reason for her concern. After all, he had known of Kurapika's presence probably since she had entered the cave. Even so, he didn't look harmful in anyway, after all he was just reading a book that DIDN'T BLONG TO HIM!
Walking into plain view she stops in front of him staring at him, the man looks up from the book, staring back at her. Kurapika's gaze interrupting his reading again no doubt. Kurapika pointed to the book he was reading still a little nervous. "I need that book back."
The man hummed in understanding. "The kid that left the book behind."
"Not on purpose! It was an accident. and if my clan finds out about this one I'll probably be locked away in a room for months!" She frowned brushing the water off of her clothes. "And since it's not yours. or mine for that matter. I need you to give it back to me. So that I can return it to its owner."
The man nodded his head in understanding. "Of course I'll return it to you."
Kurapika seemed relived, the whole incident looked as if it where going to be difficult at first, but it was actually turning out quit simple. "Really!? Thank god. the last thing I needed to do was get punished again."
"After I'm done reading it of course.'
Kurapika's quickly snapped an annoyed response. "Done reading it?!? I don't have that kind of time!! If I don't bring it back t-." She stopped, taking a moment to let what he had said sink in. "You. you're actually reading it? Such a complicated book?"
The man nods his head going back to it. "It's something I haven't read before. It's interesting."
This was the first time Kurapika had found someone to be interested in the same topic as she was, even Takara the member of her clan that loved books more then anything was more interested in reading fantasy novels. "Wow."
"You find this impressive?"
Kurapika sits down in front of him knowing it may take a while for him to finish the book, there was no need to her to stand and wait. "I do."
The man seemed to smile at her words. "Why?"
"How could I explain why? It's just something I haven't seen before. someone reading the same thing as me." Kurapika continued talking, curious as to who this person was. "You're not from around here. are you a traveler?"
"I guess you could say that." He answered without looking up from the book.
"Where are you from?" This question Kurapika didn't receive an answer to, perhaps it was a more touchy subject. "Are you alone?" Kurapika secretly hoped that he was traveling alone, after all, two strange travelers were far more intimidating then just one, but then again. "It must be lonely traveling alone."
"I'm usually travel with other people, I came here to be alone for a while."
Kurapika smiled. That was good, he was alone, and from t sound of it he probably wouldn't be here all that long. All she had to do was wait for him to finish reading the book. "Kurapika." The traveler looked over at her questionably. "My name's Kurapika. What's yours?"
The man chuckled slightly, only a moment ago he kid had been scared stiff of him, but the moment she had found out that he had been reading something she enjoyed reading as well, her mood had completely changed. "Kuroro."
"Kuroro? I've never heard a name like that before. I like it."
********
"Kurapika. Kurapika! Kurapika get up!!"
Kurapika slowly opened her eyes to the voice calling out to her. She hated being woken up so early by Sakri all the time, he was such a pain. "Go away Sakri. wake up other people before me. I'm tired. I can't get out of bed."
"Kurapika!! I'm not Sakri, I'm Ichiro. and you're not in your bed either. You're outside sleeping in front of the building you should be in!"
Kurapika sleepily sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What?" She looked around her, she definitely was in front of the Kurata's home for youth, but what was she doing here? She didn't remember falling asleep here. "I was in a different place then this when I fell asleep."
Ichiro frowned helping her up. "You're lucky I wake up so early. if the clan found out about this one. what were you doing outside of your room anyways? Sleep walking?"
Kurapika shook her head. "I don't sleep walk! . but. I don't know what I'm doing here." He rubbed he head, trying to remember. "The last thing I remember. I was." She frowned, she had been far away from the village waiting for that guy to finish reading her book. She must have fallen asleep waiting. She looked up at Ichiro nervously. "In my bed sleeping." She sneezed, her body not taking lightly to being out in the rain list night.
"You're soaked through. you were out all night weren't you? What were you doing all that time?"
Kurapika enviously looked to the side. "Well."
Ichiro sighed as he turned and started walking away. "It can't be helped." He turned looking back at her. "Come on, I'll get you cleaned up. You're just going to get sick if you stay like that. I'm surprised you're more sick then you are right now."
Kurapika sighed pushing herself up, stopping when she felt her arm touch something soft. She looked over, picking it up, it was the book, wrapped in a cloth to keep it safe from the rain. That's right. she had fallen asleep waiting for Kuroro to finish with it. Had he brought her back here?
"Kurapika, hurry before someone other then me discovers you out here."
Kurapika quickly ran up to him, walking alongside him. "Sorry. I was just. I'm still a little tired."
Ichiro smiled down at her. "Maybe some breakfast will wake you up."
"Breakfast?" Kurapika's stomach growled loudly in response, Kurapika holding her stomach a little embarrassed.
Ichiro laughed at the response. "That's what I thought. You must be starving. Eating nothing yesterday then having to sit through a feast. Then sneaking off in secret at night."
"I didn't sneak off in secret. I was just. . sleeping walking like you said."
"Fine, don't tell me what you where doing all night."
"It's not that!. it's just if I told you. you might get angry. and the clan would become worried over nothing."
Ichiro smiled at her slyly, patting her head. "It's that bad is it?"
"It's not. it's nothing."
Soon Kurapika was at Ichiro's, cleaned up and dressed in his dry clothes, eating a small breakfast as he dried out her soaking wet clothing. "I'm surprised you're not so sick you wouldn't wake up"
"I wasn't caught in the rain THAT long." She informed him between bites. She swallowed, smiling quietly. "Thank you for helping me out Ichiro- sensei."
Ichiro turns towards her, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face. "Ichiro is just fine, Ichiro-sensei is too formal, just Ichiro, Ichiro."
Kurapika frowns closing her eyes. "But you're one of the four instructors. I have to call you sensei.it's one of the rules."
"You should talk about obeying rules! Little delinquent."
"I'm not that bad!"
Ichiro sighs sitting in front of her. "Today's classes are going to be merged, because of Hisa-sensei and my argument the village leader said that we should try teaching our classes together. so we could see for ourselves the difficulty each member goes through."
Kurapika laughs when she hears this. "I wasn't the only one that got in trouble yesterday!"
Ichiro nodded his head. "She appealed to have me removed from my position again. Hisa-sensei. what a pain. she really dislikes me as an instructor." He leans back, lying down on his back, his hands behind his head. "I don't know how I'm supposed to survive teaching along side her. that bossy woman."
He sits up, holding his finger up to Kurapika. "I thought that we would start out with a basic swordsmanship class, followed by a lecture on battle tactics. How does that sound?"
Kurapika also leans back, having finished her small meal. "It sounds fine to me. but Hisa-sensei may not like that idea."
Ichiro laughs evilly. "I know. the old banchi will be ticked, teaching her girls to fight!" He quickly regains himself. "I mean! She's going to have afternoon to teach her classes." He frowns scratching his chin. "I wonder how well Sakri will do. last time he took one of her cooking classes he set the kitchen aflame."
Kurapika laughed at the comment. "I remember that!! Sakri was in so much trouble. Hisa-sensei's eyes turned crimson every time she saw him for a whole week after." She smiled warmly, looking down at her hands. "That Sakri. always doing stupid things to impress people."
********
Ichiro stood in front of the younger Kurata clan members, who where all seating in front of him. Listing to him as he explained the basic principals of handling weapons. "You must trust your weapon as much as you trust your closest friend. It will defend and fight for you as long as it is able to draw blood, but with each battle you weapon will become weaker, watch for this, fighting in a battle with an already broken weapon assures your lose."
Hisa grunts, interrupting Ichiro's lecture. "They shouldn't be getting into so many battles that their weapons will become that weak. Are you teaching them to defend themselves or to become an army?"
Ichiro frowns turning back to her. "Don't interrupt me! It's difficult enough to keep their attention."
"Because you're boring to listen to."
"Because they're children and would rather be doing something else then sitting."
Kurapika sighs turning to Sakri, who was seated next to her. "This isn't going well."
Sakri shakes his head. "Those two will never get along. Hisa-sensei holds grudges forever. she'll never forget having Ichiro as a student. he always played pranks on her and was a pain to handle. and now he's an instructor in the same level as her. Something hard to believe considering he was such a delinquent as a kid. Of course, the clan leader was also considered a delinquent when she taught him as a young boy."
Kurapika looks back at Hisa, talking quietly to herself. "Just how old is she!?"
Sakri shakes his head. "I don't know. "
"You two!" Sakri and Kurapika both jump at Hisa's sudden intrusion into their conversation. "Talking with one another when a teacher is talking, that's disrespectful."
Kurapika frowned closing her eyes and turning away from her. "You two where just fighting anyways. Why do we have to listen to that?"
Ichiro claps his hand to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone pick up your weapons, lets get started."
They younger Kurata members do as their told, glad to be able to do anything but sit and listen to people talk. Ichiro lifts his arm, motioning over to Sakri. "Sakri, come over here for a moment."
Sakri nods calling over to him. "I'll be there a minute!" He turns back to Kurapika talking quietly. "Kurapika. I need to talk to you. tomorrow before classes start, meet me outside the village. by the lake."
He waves to her, running over to Ichiro, Kurapika seems confused. "Talk to me? What about? Sakri!!" She sighs when she sees him ignoring her. ". what's that all about."
"Isn't it obvious? After all, it is clear that you're Sakri's girl." An annoying voice of another male classmate nagged Kurapika.
She frowns, turning and glaring at him angrily. "It's not like that! Sakri and I are just friends that's it! T-MO-DA-CHI."
Another boy nodded his head, agreeing with Kurapika. "She's right, they're just friends. After all who would want someone like her as a girlfriend. It would be like going out with another guy."
Kurapika growls at them. These two boys where annoying as hell, always getting on everyone's nerves. "You're asking for it!"
Before she knew it the one that had first insulted her was behind her, grabbing into her ponytail and pulling her back, how she hated that ponytail. "Don't even think of beating us up like last time! If you make a single move I'll cut your hair off."
The girls that had managed to catch hold of the scene gasp in shock, as it was proper for Kurata girls to keep their hair long, even Kurapika, the tomboy that she was, knew that. Such a threat was feared by the girls, and these two used it on them all the time when picking on them, but this was the first time they had tried it on Kurapika, she usually beat them up before they could even get close to her. Even though Kurapika really wasn't the fighting type, she didn't stand for being pushed around.
Kurapika closes her eyes a smirk on her face. "You don't have the guts. You know you'll get in trouble for doing something like that. It's just a bluff."
"You think I'm bluffing!? I'll really do it!"
Kurapika laughed crossing her arms. "Go ahead and try. I dare you to do it! Chicken." Kurapika winced as she felt her hair being pulled again, each strand pulling as the sword cut through them one by one.
The girls screamed and quickly ran towards the instructors, catching their attention. Hisa was the first to realize what was happening. "You two!! What are you doing!? This is what happens when you give children weapons!!"
She runs up to Kurapika scooping her up into her arms. "What have they done? You poor girl, your beautiful hair. don't worry Hisa-sensei will be sure to punish them for you."
Kurapika shook her head, the now short hair itching her neck. "It's alright. I didn't like it long anyways."
*******
Kurapika sat in front of Takara, who was quipped with a pair of scissors, cleaning up the messy cut the boy had done into a more decent style. "I can't believe you just let them do that to you. I knew you didn't like your hair in the first place but."
Kurapika frowned trying to keep her head still. "If I would have fought back I would have gotten in trouble. I didn't want to go without food again. I thought it was better they get in trouble then me."
Takara smiled shaking her head. "You're becoming more mature every time I see you."
"Really?"
Takara finishes up her work, turning Kurapika around. "So, how are you enjoying your book so far?"
Kurapika looked a little shocked, as if remembering something. "That's right. the book." She had fallen asleep waiting for Kuroro to finish reading that, he must have taken her back to the village, helping her avoid a lot of trouble. "I should go thank him."
Takara seems confused. "Eh? What are you talking about?"
"Thank you for the hair cut." She quickly turns and leaves, headed towards the door, if she moved quickly she would be able to meet him before her afternoon lectures.
"Where are you going?" Takara calls after her, slightly worried over the young Kurata's antics.
"To eat lunch!"
Takara smiles as she watches Kurapika leave, shaking her head. "Liar."
END OF CHAPTER
Well that's the end of another chapter ^^o notes to follow the story.. O.o. I don't think I have any today. hummm uuhhh well, the scene where Kurapika's hair is cut, is actually taken from a life experience. But instead of a sword and axe was used . I guess that's it XD Again thanks for the complements I've received on this story ^_^ having people enjoying my work makes me work harder ^^v
-Kurapika Suki
Additional Notes: Okay you may want to read this before starting into the story. As you might want to be informed that for this particular series of HxH fanfiction I am writing, Kurapika is a girl. I've done plenty of fics with Kurapika as a guy (and fics where you just don't know what he is) and I wanted to write one with Kurapika as a girl. So if you have a problem with that, don't read simple as that.
This fic also deals with the tender area of Kurapika's past =/ I know it's not an easy thing to write about and pass off as believable but I will try my best to see if I can make a past for Kurapika that will work and not distort the story too much. I also know that this isn't the first time a fic on Kura-chan's past has been produced, but I still think that it will defiantly hold some kind of originality in it.
Oh yes, I almost forgot, there is a paring in here. sorta I guess. Kurapika X Kuroro
Keep in mind that this is also my first time writing a fic that's not a humor fic YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED with all that said and done (I believe that is everything) enjoy the story ^^
Hunter X Hunter Can You Remember Tears?
Chapter Three
Kurapika stood still in the dark night. She had made it back to the place she had been earlier that day, but even in the darkness it was clear to see one thing. "It's gone." The spot where she had put the book down was empty. All the area around it was empty. Kurapika knew she hadn't taken it back with her she had left in such a hurry, and she remembered clearly where she had left it, and to her shock and horror, it was no longer there.
"What could have happened to it!? Thinks like that just don't vanish into thin air!" She begins to search the ground but is still unable to spot it, she soon gives up, stopping her search. It was pointless to look over area she already searched. "I don't understand." She frowned thinking the situation over. There was only one explanation for this. "Someone took it!"
She quickly gets to her feet, walking back in the direction of her village. "I bet it was Sakri." Her footing stops once again. ". what if it wasn't Sakri? Or anyone from the village?" She pushes the thought aside walking back. "How could it not be one of them? I think too much into things."
There is a clash of thunder as the rain finally begins to fall to the ground, drenching the young Kurata from head to tow. "Perfect. this is just wonderful." She shivers holding her arms and running under the shelter of several tear branches, which in truth, did very little to keep her dry. "How am I supposed to sneak back inside now!? I'm tread water all over the place, they'll know I was out when it was raining."
She frowned, scanning the area around her. "I guess I could think about how to do that later, and think of how to get out of the rain first. if I remember correctly." She smiles when she spots the small cave in a hillside in the distance. It was much closer then the village was, and most possibly much dryer then where she was now. "It should work. I can think of what to do in there."
She runs over to it, her arm over her head shielding the rain from her face. In moment is at the opening ducking inside the small dry area. She seems relived for only a few seconds before flopping to the ground in frustration. "Geeze. I've had too many bad things happen to me today. what else could go wrong?"
She almost falls dead when she sees what was to meet her eyes next. A dim light, a dim light was coming from deeper within the small cave. In the last was a shadow, a shadow that belonged to whoever was in the cave near the light. Kurapika slowly gets to her feet backing out of the cave. "No one stayed in here before. and I've been to this place many times."
She stops when her back feels the cold rain from the storm taking place outside of the cave. "Shoot. I really don't want to go back into the rain. but I'm not going to take my chances here."
She takes one step outside, but quickly jumps back in after hearing a familiar sound from inside the caves. It was the sound of a page being turned, something she heard many time in the knowledge house of the Kurata tribe. "Pages. someone's reading?" She quietly creeps inside, doing her best to keep from getting noticed. "It can't be."
Every step closer she took towards the faint light the more her heart pounded in fear, the more her mind told her to go back. The feeling that was inside this cave. it was colder and more chilling then the rain outside. After what seemed like an eternity she found the source of light, being careful stay close to the wall to avoid being seen. There sitting in front of a dull candle lit lantern, was a black haired man. He didn't look all that dangerous, defiantly not an old person, probably only in his late teens. With his nose in a book of all things. It was difficult to see what Kurapika was so worried about.
Kurapika kept her eyes glued on the figure's face. He looked calm, almost at peace, even though the wind was howling outside the cave, a musty, fowl smelling odor filling the cold air around him with only a flicker of light to guide his eyes. He looked as content as a cat basking in warm sunlight. "Just a man. he doesn't look all that dangerous." She shivered again, still not being able to shake the cold feeling she was getting that seemed to come from him.
Her eyes narrowed when they fell onto the book he was reading, it was none other then the book she had risked getting in trouble again to come back and get it. "He took it!" Kurapika watched him bitterly. This person had just gone and taken something that wasn't even his, and had the nerve to actually open it up and read it! Of course. he probably had just stumbled upon it. but he still should have known that someone must have put it there, it's not like they fell out of trees.
The man sighed as he looks up from the book, a slightly bothered look on his face. "How long are you going to watch me?"
Kurapika stood as stiff as a statue after hearing this, the man knew that she was here, and she hadn't made a single sound she was sure of it, she had been careful.
The man shook his head, a slight look of annoyance on his face. "You're disrupting me, it's harder to read with you distracting me."
Kurapika growled at the comment. She hadn't made a noise of any kind. "Disrupting!? How am I disrupting you!?" She quickly covers her mouth, she had snapped back without realizing or thinking about it. Perhaps she should have skipped so many of Hisa's manner and behavior classes.
The man frowns when no one steps out into the open, he goes back to reading. "Fine. Do as you like." He turns the page, starting into the book once again.
Kurapika grinds her teeth as she pushes herself away from the way. This was ridiculous! Letting a person like this worry her! Of course it wasn't as if there where no reason for her concern. After all, he had known of Kurapika's presence probably since she had entered the cave. Even so, he didn't look harmful in anyway, after all he was just reading a book that DIDN'T BLONG TO HIM!
Walking into plain view she stops in front of him staring at him, the man looks up from the book, staring back at her. Kurapika's gaze interrupting his reading again no doubt. Kurapika pointed to the book he was reading still a little nervous. "I need that book back."
The man hummed in understanding. "The kid that left the book behind."
"Not on purpose! It was an accident. and if my clan finds out about this one I'll probably be locked away in a room for months!" She frowned brushing the water off of her clothes. "And since it's not yours. or mine for that matter. I need you to give it back to me. So that I can return it to its owner."
The man nodded his head in understanding. "Of course I'll return it to you."
Kurapika seemed relived, the whole incident looked as if it where going to be difficult at first, but it was actually turning out quit simple. "Really!? Thank god. the last thing I needed to do was get punished again."
"After I'm done reading it of course.'
Kurapika's quickly snapped an annoyed response. "Done reading it?!? I don't have that kind of time!! If I don't bring it back t-." She stopped, taking a moment to let what he had said sink in. "You. you're actually reading it? Such a complicated book?"
The man nods his head going back to it. "It's something I haven't read before. It's interesting."
This was the first time Kurapika had found someone to be interested in the same topic as she was, even Takara the member of her clan that loved books more then anything was more interested in reading fantasy novels. "Wow."
"You find this impressive?"
Kurapika sits down in front of him knowing it may take a while for him to finish the book, there was no need to her to stand and wait. "I do."
The man seemed to smile at her words. "Why?"
"How could I explain why? It's just something I haven't seen before. someone reading the same thing as me." Kurapika continued talking, curious as to who this person was. "You're not from around here. are you a traveler?"
"I guess you could say that." He answered without looking up from the book.
"Where are you from?" This question Kurapika didn't receive an answer to, perhaps it was a more touchy subject. "Are you alone?" Kurapika secretly hoped that he was traveling alone, after all, two strange travelers were far more intimidating then just one, but then again. "It must be lonely traveling alone."
"I'm usually travel with other people, I came here to be alone for a while."
Kurapika smiled. That was good, he was alone, and from t sound of it he probably wouldn't be here all that long. All she had to do was wait for him to finish reading the book. "Kurapika." The traveler looked over at her questionably. "My name's Kurapika. What's yours?"
The man chuckled slightly, only a moment ago he kid had been scared stiff of him, but the moment she had found out that he had been reading something she enjoyed reading as well, her mood had completely changed. "Kuroro."
"Kuroro? I've never heard a name like that before. I like it."
********
"Kurapika. Kurapika! Kurapika get up!!"
Kurapika slowly opened her eyes to the voice calling out to her. She hated being woken up so early by Sakri all the time, he was such a pain. "Go away Sakri. wake up other people before me. I'm tired. I can't get out of bed."
"Kurapika!! I'm not Sakri, I'm Ichiro. and you're not in your bed either. You're outside sleeping in front of the building you should be in!"
Kurapika sleepily sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What?" She looked around her, she definitely was in front of the Kurata's home for youth, but what was she doing here? She didn't remember falling asleep here. "I was in a different place then this when I fell asleep."
Ichiro frowned helping her up. "You're lucky I wake up so early. if the clan found out about this one. what were you doing outside of your room anyways? Sleep walking?"
Kurapika shook her head. "I don't sleep walk! . but. I don't know what I'm doing here." He rubbed he head, trying to remember. "The last thing I remember. I was." She frowned, she had been far away from the village waiting for that guy to finish reading her book. She must have fallen asleep waiting. She looked up at Ichiro nervously. "In my bed sleeping." She sneezed, her body not taking lightly to being out in the rain list night.
"You're soaked through. you were out all night weren't you? What were you doing all that time?"
Kurapika enviously looked to the side. "Well."
Ichiro sighed as he turned and started walking away. "It can't be helped." He turned looking back at her. "Come on, I'll get you cleaned up. You're just going to get sick if you stay like that. I'm surprised you're more sick then you are right now."
Kurapika sighed pushing herself up, stopping when she felt her arm touch something soft. She looked over, picking it up, it was the book, wrapped in a cloth to keep it safe from the rain. That's right. she had fallen asleep waiting for Kuroro to finish with it. Had he brought her back here?
"Kurapika, hurry before someone other then me discovers you out here."
Kurapika quickly ran up to him, walking alongside him. "Sorry. I was just. I'm still a little tired."
Ichiro smiled down at her. "Maybe some breakfast will wake you up."
"Breakfast?" Kurapika's stomach growled loudly in response, Kurapika holding her stomach a little embarrassed.
Ichiro laughed at the response. "That's what I thought. You must be starving. Eating nothing yesterday then having to sit through a feast. Then sneaking off in secret at night."
"I didn't sneak off in secret. I was just. . sleeping walking like you said."
"Fine, don't tell me what you where doing all night."
"It's not that!. it's just if I told you. you might get angry. and the clan would become worried over nothing."
Ichiro smiled at her slyly, patting her head. "It's that bad is it?"
"It's not. it's nothing."
Soon Kurapika was at Ichiro's, cleaned up and dressed in his dry clothes, eating a small breakfast as he dried out her soaking wet clothing. "I'm surprised you're not so sick you wouldn't wake up"
"I wasn't caught in the rain THAT long." She informed him between bites. She swallowed, smiling quietly. "Thank you for helping me out Ichiro- sensei."
Ichiro turns towards her, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face. "Ichiro is just fine, Ichiro-sensei is too formal, just Ichiro, Ichiro."
Kurapika frowns closing her eyes. "But you're one of the four instructors. I have to call you sensei.it's one of the rules."
"You should talk about obeying rules! Little delinquent."
"I'm not that bad!"
Ichiro sighs sitting in front of her. "Today's classes are going to be merged, because of Hisa-sensei and my argument the village leader said that we should try teaching our classes together. so we could see for ourselves the difficulty each member goes through."
Kurapika laughs when she hears this. "I wasn't the only one that got in trouble yesterday!"
Ichiro nodded his head. "She appealed to have me removed from my position again. Hisa-sensei. what a pain. she really dislikes me as an instructor." He leans back, lying down on his back, his hands behind his head. "I don't know how I'm supposed to survive teaching along side her. that bossy woman."
He sits up, holding his finger up to Kurapika. "I thought that we would start out with a basic swordsmanship class, followed by a lecture on battle tactics. How does that sound?"
Kurapika also leans back, having finished her small meal. "It sounds fine to me. but Hisa-sensei may not like that idea."
Ichiro laughs evilly. "I know. the old banchi will be ticked, teaching her girls to fight!" He quickly regains himself. "I mean! She's going to have afternoon to teach her classes." He frowns scratching his chin. "I wonder how well Sakri will do. last time he took one of her cooking classes he set the kitchen aflame."
Kurapika laughed at the comment. "I remember that!! Sakri was in so much trouble. Hisa-sensei's eyes turned crimson every time she saw him for a whole week after." She smiled warmly, looking down at her hands. "That Sakri. always doing stupid things to impress people."
********
Ichiro stood in front of the younger Kurata clan members, who where all seating in front of him. Listing to him as he explained the basic principals of handling weapons. "You must trust your weapon as much as you trust your closest friend. It will defend and fight for you as long as it is able to draw blood, but with each battle you weapon will become weaker, watch for this, fighting in a battle with an already broken weapon assures your lose."
Hisa grunts, interrupting Ichiro's lecture. "They shouldn't be getting into so many battles that their weapons will become that weak. Are you teaching them to defend themselves or to become an army?"
Ichiro frowns turning back to her. "Don't interrupt me! It's difficult enough to keep their attention."
"Because you're boring to listen to."
"Because they're children and would rather be doing something else then sitting."
Kurapika sighs turning to Sakri, who was seated next to her. "This isn't going well."
Sakri shakes his head. "Those two will never get along. Hisa-sensei holds grudges forever. she'll never forget having Ichiro as a student. he always played pranks on her and was a pain to handle. and now he's an instructor in the same level as her. Something hard to believe considering he was such a delinquent as a kid. Of course, the clan leader was also considered a delinquent when she taught him as a young boy."
Kurapika looks back at Hisa, talking quietly to herself. "Just how old is she!?"
Sakri shakes his head. "I don't know. "
"You two!" Sakri and Kurapika both jump at Hisa's sudden intrusion into their conversation. "Talking with one another when a teacher is talking, that's disrespectful."
Kurapika frowned closing her eyes and turning away from her. "You two where just fighting anyways. Why do we have to listen to that?"
Ichiro claps his hand to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone pick up your weapons, lets get started."
They younger Kurata members do as their told, glad to be able to do anything but sit and listen to people talk. Ichiro lifts his arm, motioning over to Sakri. "Sakri, come over here for a moment."
Sakri nods calling over to him. "I'll be there a minute!" He turns back to Kurapika talking quietly. "Kurapika. I need to talk to you. tomorrow before classes start, meet me outside the village. by the lake."
He waves to her, running over to Ichiro, Kurapika seems confused. "Talk to me? What about? Sakri!!" She sighs when she sees him ignoring her. ". what's that all about."
"Isn't it obvious? After all, it is clear that you're Sakri's girl." An annoying voice of another male classmate nagged Kurapika.
She frowns, turning and glaring at him angrily. "It's not like that! Sakri and I are just friends that's it! T-MO-DA-CHI."
Another boy nodded his head, agreeing with Kurapika. "She's right, they're just friends. After all who would want someone like her as a girlfriend. It would be like going out with another guy."
Kurapika growls at them. These two boys where annoying as hell, always getting on everyone's nerves. "You're asking for it!"
Before she knew it the one that had first insulted her was behind her, grabbing into her ponytail and pulling her back, how she hated that ponytail. "Don't even think of beating us up like last time! If you make a single move I'll cut your hair off."
The girls that had managed to catch hold of the scene gasp in shock, as it was proper for Kurata girls to keep their hair long, even Kurapika, the tomboy that she was, knew that. Such a threat was feared by the girls, and these two used it on them all the time when picking on them, but this was the first time they had tried it on Kurapika, she usually beat them up before they could even get close to her. Even though Kurapika really wasn't the fighting type, she didn't stand for being pushed around.
Kurapika closes her eyes a smirk on her face. "You don't have the guts. You know you'll get in trouble for doing something like that. It's just a bluff."
"You think I'm bluffing!? I'll really do it!"
Kurapika laughed crossing her arms. "Go ahead and try. I dare you to do it! Chicken." Kurapika winced as she felt her hair being pulled again, each strand pulling as the sword cut through them one by one.
The girls screamed and quickly ran towards the instructors, catching their attention. Hisa was the first to realize what was happening. "You two!! What are you doing!? This is what happens when you give children weapons!!"
She runs up to Kurapika scooping her up into her arms. "What have they done? You poor girl, your beautiful hair. don't worry Hisa-sensei will be sure to punish them for you."
Kurapika shook her head, the now short hair itching her neck. "It's alright. I didn't like it long anyways."
*******
Kurapika sat in front of Takara, who was quipped with a pair of scissors, cleaning up the messy cut the boy had done into a more decent style. "I can't believe you just let them do that to you. I knew you didn't like your hair in the first place but."
Kurapika frowned trying to keep her head still. "If I would have fought back I would have gotten in trouble. I didn't want to go without food again. I thought it was better they get in trouble then me."
Takara smiled shaking her head. "You're becoming more mature every time I see you."
"Really?"
Takara finishes up her work, turning Kurapika around. "So, how are you enjoying your book so far?"
Kurapika looked a little shocked, as if remembering something. "That's right. the book." She had fallen asleep waiting for Kuroro to finish reading that, he must have taken her back to the village, helping her avoid a lot of trouble. "I should go thank him."
Takara seems confused. "Eh? What are you talking about?"
"Thank you for the hair cut." She quickly turns and leaves, headed towards the door, if she moved quickly she would be able to meet him before her afternoon lectures.
"Where are you going?" Takara calls after her, slightly worried over the young Kurata's antics.
"To eat lunch!"
Takara smiles as she watches Kurapika leave, shaking her head. "Liar."
END OF CHAPTER
Well that's the end of another chapter ^^o notes to follow the story.. O.o. I don't think I have any today. hummm uuhhh well, the scene where Kurapika's hair is cut, is actually taken from a life experience. But instead of a sword and axe was used . I guess that's it XD Again thanks for the complements I've received on this story ^_^ having people enjoying my work makes me work harder ^^v
-Kurapika Suki