~* Well, here it is; Chapter 2 of my Bakuretsu Hunters fic. I hope it's enjoyable. I hope you were waiting for this. *~
CHAPTER TWO – The Mystery Woman
From where he stood, next to the rearing horse statue, this woman had seemingly flawless skin. She had her hair pulled back into a spiky ponytail with her bangs falling onto the sides of her face. Her clothes closely resembled Marron's, except they were more feminine, and were a deep, almost black, purple, with silver trimmings.
The mystery this woman seemed to bring to Marron; He couldn't stand it much longer, but his true nature betrayed him. He kept silent, and continued to look at the statue of the horse.
Marron was too much of an introvert t open himself up to a stranger, even one as becoming as this. This way kept him from ever coming in contact with people that intrigued him.
He balled his fist up, crushing it tight. He bowed his head, the shadows covering his eyes.
The woman on the bench took notice, immediately, and called out, "Are you alright, Sir?"
Marron looked up, startled, and gazed in her direction. She was making her way towards him, "Uh…I…Yes…" he lied.
She smiled cutely, "Well, you sure didn't look it from back there. What's your name, Shy Guy?"
"Marron….Marron Glace." he answered, with a blush covering his cheeks.
"You don't have to be so embarrassed." she chuckled, leaning towards him a little.
Marron caught a glance of a bit of cleavage, blushed stronger and quickly adverted glance, "Oh…OK." he said.
"I'm Nekura." She said, still smiling. She held out her hand for a handshake.
Marron accepted the handshake, and began to feel more comfortable around this stranger. He smiled back warmly.
"So what brings you out here so late?" Nekura asked, sitting on the edge of the fountain pool.
"I needed to clear my head." he answered quickly, "I'm trying to sort out my thoughts….Trying to make sense of things."
"What a weird coincidence! That's why I came out to the square!" she said astounded. "You're not much of a talker, huh?"
"No…it's not that…" Marron started.
"Then what is it? Am I scaring you?" she asked, bowing her head and frowning.
"No! That's not it at all!!" Marron exclaimed, "I'm just not a very…uhm…I'm quite shy." he confessed. "I've never actually talked to a woman other than those I grew up with and work with. I don't usually talk to anyone, really, I suppose."
"Poor thing…That's quite a shame. I bet you're a wonderful person and not just a lovely face." Nekura smiled, "Won't you talk with me?"
"Of course." he said happily, "I'd love to."
"You're not from this town, are you?"
"No. I'm a foreigner, as you can tell. I come from a small, mountain village near Stella Church." he answered.
"How come you're so introverted?" she asked unexpectedly.
"I guess …. Well … People can't know too much about me. I feel like they don't want to know much about me. They see me as just a beautiful face and nothing more. Then when I let them close, they use me and I wind up hurt. It's just a defensive technique to protect my feelings." He said, warily, looking down at his knees.
Nekura smiled at him, "Well, drop those defenses then. I won't hurt you, I promise." she finished, holding up her right hand as an oath.
Marron's face glowed once more that brilliant shade of rosy red, "Why are you so interested in me?" he inquired
"Because, you're interesting. Plus, I don't find many people to talk to, late in the night, when I wander around aimlessly." she giggled. "You should be a little more open with girls, you know." she continued, "If you like someone just… be a little more aggressive. If someone looks attractive, don't stand and gape. It makes you look strange or perverted."
Marron looked at her shocked. She knew what he thought about her. But how could she? "How did you know all of that?"
"Know what? You just seem too timid to me, is all." Nekura answered, sticking her tongue out playfully.
Marron smiled, "You're right on the money with that one." He sat down next to this beautiful woman and looked up at the sky. "I just don't understand how some people can be shameless and let other people get so close to them. I just can't seem to get past what negative things people would have to say about me."
"Well… You'll never know what people think about you, if you don't let them in." she argued.
"Yes, that's true, but I don't have that side in me, I guess. I just… Well, maybe that's some advice to help my problem then…" he mumbled to himself.
"Problem?" she asked, intriguingly.
"It's nothing, really. Just something that'll take a little time." he answered, vaguely.
Nekura nodded politely.
"It's getting late…" Marron said, grimly, after a few moments of silence, "I should go and get some rest."
"Yeah…" Nekura agreed, reluctantly.
"Can I see you tomorrow night?" Marron asked, aggressively.
"Why, of course!" she exclaimed with another cute, closed-eye smile.
Marron's eyes lit up as his face beamed of satisfaction. "Tomorrow night, same time?" he asked eagerly.
She nodded.
"Great!" he said, giving her a quick hug. "See you then."
Marron stood from the pool edge, and looked down at her once more, "Good-night, Nekura." He said, before heading back to the inn.
When Marron returned to his room, Tira leaped from her position, startling the unsuspecting man, "Where were you? I was so worried! I thought…. I thought…."
"It's alright, Tira," he reassured the shaken up, pink-haired girl. "I was out for a walk. What were you doing here?"
"I wanted to know what was wrong with you earlier." she said, in her usual shy tone.
"Oh… That…" Marron said, falling into a chair next to the girl.
"Yeah, 'that'..." Tira said quickly, "I want to know if there's anything I could do to help."
"I need to find this on my own. It just can't work any other way. I thank you for your help… but it's just not appropriate." he said, simply.
"But could I know what it is anyways?" she asked.
"No. You'll learn about it eventually… When I've found it, that is. It may be very soon, or not for a long time." Marron concluded.
With that said, the two went silent. It was now past midnight, and neither had anything more to say. They both said good-night and Tira left the troubled man to his thoughts. Only now, his thoughts constantly drifted to the memory of Nekura, all she had said, and all she had known without him even saying a word.