Note: Hai! Firstly, thanks for the reviews, guys. I couldn't imagine there were so many questions and doubts, and not forgetting also, the critics. Anyway, I'll try to answer them if I could, miaw!

To…

~Ririn_is_me: David? Wow, I never knew David had fans! Don't worry, I'll get him in there, somewhere. Maybe as the milkman? Wait, that was a joke. He'll be there. Read on!

~Ruby: I did some research about the 'Count' thing. Anyway, you're right. Gojyo's rank is higher that Hakkai. Anyway, here's a quick info. Let me put their ranks in order. Highest ranking is Lord, followed by Duke, Count, and Baron. All these hierarchy are hereditary. Taken from the Medieval Latin 'dictionary', it means 'a company of equals', originally applied to those of similar rank within the nobility. But one thing, Ruby, to make it less confusing, just treat the four of them as our lovable and adored characters with a twist.

~Rook: Thanks again for the tips. And yes, there is some connection between my drama script and the Dark Party. I'll promise to get my facts right next time. Forgive me in case I get all crooked again in my story. (Waa, I'm such a klutzes!)

There, what did I tell ya? I only can answer three. Anyway, I'm not ignoring others. You are just as special. Thank you again. Well, till the next update, enjoy!

Chapter Two

" Will you stop grumbling and help that boy with the baskets!" A tall slim woman ordered furiously as she pointed towards a few crates of filled up wooden baskets. "We don't have all day, you know."

"Shut up, you old hag!" Lord Sanzo said, baring his teeth at his aunt. He could not understand why in the world he could agree to follow his aunt to their apple plantation in the first place. The moment he came out from the carriage, he knew that everything was a set up. Her aunt just wanted to pull him out of his luxury and comfortable sofa, back at the mansion.

"You're a boring man, you know. Try to have fun. You have acres of land. Enjoy them!" Kanzeon Bosatsu said.

"Yeah, right." Sanzo answered back sarcastically. "Hei, watch where you going!" He shrieked as a boy came running not far from where he stood. Apparently, it seemed that he could not see where he was heading straight for.

David stared in horror as the basked flew from his hand, into the sky and over his master's head. He watched as apples scattered around the place. "I'm so, so sorry," He said, covering his mouth, trying to stop giggling.

Sanzo trashed the apples around him. He could not take it anymore. How could anyone call bathing in apples fun?! This is getting ridiculous. He arranged his cloak and grabbed the boy's arm. "Stop giggling, brat! Do you think this is funny? You practically spoiled my outfit. Where did you put your eyes, kid?!" He said angrily.

But before the frightened boy could answer, the woman came up from behind and gently pulled him aside and away from Sanzo's rage. As soon as he was released, he quickly bent down and started collecting the apples.

"Stop it. See, you hurt the poor boy's arm," Kanzeon said, looking at David's arm. "What a hot tempered man you are," She said, shaking her head. "What should I do with a demoralized man like you?"

"Huh? What?" Sanzo asked, choked on his own voice.

"I know!" The woman said happily and stared at the apples around her.

Sanzo backed away slowly. He knew what his aunt wants him to do. There is no way he would get his hands to touch the apples. What more, get close to the gravel. "No. No way!"

"Come on," Kanzeon said, pushing him away from the carriage. Trust me, it's going to get fun!"

Sanzo shook his head in disgust. "Ewe! What about bacteria? How about those little germs living inside the soil? Those microorganisms? What if I get infected? What if I get a severe disease and die?"

"Boy!" The lady said sternly. "You are being very negative and what you said are totally outrageous. This is the eighteenth century. What do you expect to do? Mow it with a machine? "

Sanzo stared at her blankly. Should he? Should he sacrifice his purity and get himself to touch the dark and humid soil? He wondered. But then, just as he was about to make his move, he felt a soft tug at the end of his black cape. He turned around and saw the boy smiling at him in return.

"Sir," He said, as the lady entered the carriage. "Sir, I know how you feel."

"Tch!" Sanzo spat. "Yeah, right. Whatever."

David shook his head. "It's true. My cousin, Elena de Caer, is a person with standards like you, too."

The young Lord scratched his head and helped the boy up. "Really? I did not know you had a cousin? How does she look like?"

The blue-haired boy laughed as he walked in front of Sanzo. "Elena? She has a long black hair, which she let loose. A very solemn person, I tell you. But, if you stop to admire her for a while, I'm sure people like you will fall for her eyes. She has golden-green ones. Odd, but pretty. It has been a while since we've met. The last time I saw her, which was last year, she was busy in her garden with her gardener, helping him to plant tulips, I guess." David looked around at the trees and looked back at the young Lord. "The point is, sooner or later, you will soon learn to love nature if you try to understand them."

Sanzo smacked his head. "Do not be ridiculous, boy! Understand them? I do not even hear a sound from them. How can I understand them…"

"Catch!"

Suddenly a large round red apple flew straight towards him. Sanzo shrieked as it hits his chest. "Why you…"

"Look at it," David cut through, before he could finish his sentence.

"Huh?"

"See the color."

Still puzzled, Sanzo did as he was told. Holding the apple with his gloves, he studied. But then, his expression changed as he turned the apple around and around. "It is not red…" was the word he managed to say.

David took the apple gently from Sanzo's hand and put it into a basket together with the rest of the plucked apples. "It's brownish red. This is what we call famense."

"Oh?" Sanzo said, suddenly feeling a little interested. "What do you call the apple used to make apple pies, then?"

"That," David replied happily, pointing to a large tree at the end of the plantation. "We use that apples, the red beitigheimers. It is so big, that one is enough to make a pie for five."

Apparently, after that answer, Sanzo suddenly felt very interested and wanted to know more. Somehow he finally realized what he had missed all these while. He followed the boy from behind as he took him around the plantation to gather more apples. Surprisingly, he began asking about the place and the apples. "What kind of apples do I have, actually?" He asked.

Soon, he found himself exploring the plantation with the boy as he began naming every existing tree there. "I do not know how many types of apple trees do you have, sir, but I can name some," He said politely. "Over there are the yellow bellflowers and the wolf rivers, " The boy said, pointing to a few trees in front of him. " Beside you are the gravensteins, red astrachan and blue pearmains."

Finally, after a while, he helped the boy to stack the full crates in a small hut in the middle of the plantation. Busy with the apples, Sanzo did not notice the coming of the carriage until it had stopped at the hut.

"Good day, mister," Count Hakkai said as he stepped out of his carriage. "So this is what the young Lord loves to do during his free time, I see."

Sanzo flushed. He quickly arranged his outfit and stepped away from the hut. "How did you know I was here?"

"It figures." Hakkai replied as his attentions drew to the pale boy standing next to Sanzo. "Who is he?"

David quickly bowed courteously and introduced himself. "Would you like an apple, sir?"

Just then, Yaone came out of the carriage. She straightened her gown and stretched. Hakkai smiled at her. "Perhaps the lady would love one."

"And David," Sanzo added. "Do invite the lady for a cup of tea in the house, please. I do think she does need to replenish herself after a long journey, if I may say so."

"Right on!" David said and plucked a fresh York imperial from the tree behind him. Sanzo and Hakkai watched as the two of them rod Islimach and Lluagor back to the mansion.

"I have come here to deliver you an invitation to our home," Hakkai said after a while. He took out a sealed envelope from the carriage and handed it to the man. "It will be a great honor to have you there."

"What exactly is your motive?" Sanzo said. It was odd, really, that someone as busy as the count could even spent his time delivering letters himself. He might as well ask his servants to send them for him.

Hakkai gave him a low laugh. "What? After all these years, I could not even come into your presence without a motive? It could not get any absurd than this, can it?"

However, Sanzo still look at him in unison. Apparently, he was not even convinced at what he had told him. His aunt had told him that since young, he had already had the ability to read minds, but unfortunately, in this case, the count has, somehow found out how to lock his mind from being invaded. "You are hiding something from me, are younot?"

Hakkai's relaxed features suddenly faded. That was it. He could not keep it any longer or he will lose his mind. He looked around him to see if there was anyone spying in them or not and pulled Sanzo to a corner. "Will you promise not to tell anyone about what I said to you ?"

The young Lord grinned. He pulled the count closer to him. "Bet on it."

Hakkai sighed. He could not tear himself away from Sanzo's stare. That was the only weakness he could not seemed to overcome every time they meet. "Three days ago," He started. "Three days ago, as I was walking down towards the cathedral, it started down pouring. That was supposed to be very weird as it was the beginning of summer, but I could not care less. But, what struck me was, as I entered the cathedral, I saw a very familiar figure. A woman. I could not see clearly, but I was sure that it was a woman and she looked like… looked like…" Hakkai paused. He felt his head throbbing with pain. He fell to his knees. He clasped his hands to his head. It hurts! He screamed inside.

"Hakkai!" Sanzo screeched. Panicked arose as he saw his friend. "Hakkai! Hakkai, are you alright?"

"He… is he having a post traumatic stress disorder?" A low monotone voice suddenly came from behind them.

Sanzo spun around only to see a small young child. She was wearing a long black dress with sleeves that hung loose to the ground. Her long ash black hair was untied and her floppy fringe covered half of her face. Her eyes seemed to glow as she stared back at the young Lord. From her looks, Sanzo could only make a wild guess that she was only twelve.

"Who are you?" Sanzo asked.

The girl did not answer but instead move closer to them.

"S…stop!" The blonde haired man ordered but it was no use. Apparently, he could not even get his legs to move. What was going on? Who is she? Questions after questions seemed to come up inside his head.

"I… want to see him," Her voice was a whisper but clear enough for the young Lord to hear.

"What do you want!" Sanzo said angrily.

It was getting dark. The sky was soon filled up with grayish black clouds. Silence surrounded them.

The girl continued walking towards them. Her footsteps made no sound at all as she moved through the grasses. She looks so light, as if floating, Sanzo thought. Great, now I am stuck here in the middle of nowhere with a brain stabbed friend and a weird doll!

"I… want to see him…" She repeated again.

End of chapter. See, what did I tell you. David is there.