Author's Notes: Now, time for some Nanami goodness!!! XD
Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.
The Great Easter Egg Hunt
Chapter 7: A Beautiful Stranger
"Will you stop following me??!" Nanami yelled at Nina, who somehow wound up crawling under the same tree as she was.
"I'm not following you!!!" Nina yelled back.
They both spied an egg sitting between them. "AAAGH!!!" The two girls made a grab for it at the same time, gripping tightly at each other's hands in the process.
"Let go, Nina!!"
"No, you let go, Nanami!!"
The egg was then crushed under the pressure of their hands. "Eew!!!" Nina cried, disentangling her hands from Nanami's.
"This is all your fault Nina!!" Nanami accused.
"What are you talking about??" Nina shouted.
"If you hadn't tried to take my egg then this wouldn't have happened!!!" Nanami shook her hands, sprinkling Nina with raw egg.
"It was my egg!!!" Nina took a swipe at Nanami's clothes, leaving most of the egg on the other girl's shirt.
"Mou, you dumb blond!!!" Nanami rubbed her hands at Nina's hair.
"AAAAH!!!" Nina shrieked, and jumped on Nanami.
"AAAAH!!!" Nanami screamed then kicked Nina off. "Get off, you're so heavy!!!"
"Hey, hey, that's enough!!!" Flik scolded, running towards them.
"Sir Flik!!!" Nina sobbed, hurtling herself in his arms. "She kicked me!!!"
"That's because you jumped on me!!!" Nanami yelled.
"Eh, stop, stop!!!" Flik shouted. "Riou-chama, get your sister here!!!"
"Nanami!!!" Riou jogged towards Nanami and grabbed her wrist, "I was looking for you. Hurry up!!!"
"AAAAH, LET GO OF ME!!! I'M NOT FINISHED WITH THAT GIRL YEEEEEEEEET!!!" Nanami screamed as Riou dragged her away.
"Sir Flik, you saved me!!!" Nina cooed, hugging him.
"Urgh, Nina, let go of me, you're covered in raw egg." Flik said, wrinkling his nose.
"Riou, STOP!!!" Nanami snatched her arm away from Riou. "What did you go and do that for??!"
"You and Nina wouldn't stop fighting," Riou frowned. "It's just a game!!!"
"It's more than a game!!!" Nanami yelled. I lost five hundred potch in a bet with that girl… I am NOT going to lose again… She shooed Riou. "We would cover more ground if we split up. You go that way and I go this way." She pointed Riou to the west and started towards the east.
Grr, that Riou, that scene SO made him the older sibling!!! Nanami tugged savagely at her. Kaa, I'll show that girl, that stupid schoolgirl…
Huh??…
Nanami halted, staring at the figure standing a few feet away from her. The stranger was completely covered in a hooded cloak, not unlike the one Clive wore. Nanami was sure the person was male, judging from the built and the stance. A long ponytail of a bluish black escaped from beneath the hood and flapped in the wind, the uneven coloring of the said ponytail indicating that the color was not natural. I don't believe I have ever seen him before…
"Hey!!" Nanami called to the stranger. "Are you new here??"
The stranger turned to her. She could see a spark of recognition glint in those icy blue eyes she could just make out through the shadows of the hood. "Nanami-chan."
"Wait—why do you know my name??!" Nanami demanded.
The stranger started, then relaxed. "Who doesn't know the name of Riou-sama's sister?"
"Oh… yeah, of course…" Nanami nodded. Why am I so jumpy?? Maybe it's because I have the feeling that I should know who he is… He seems so familiar and… Her eyes narrowed. "HEY!!! Why did you call me 'chan', huh?? Why are you talking to me so familiar??!" She pulled out her Flower Rod and got into defensive stance.
"Forgive me," the stranger said, tilting his head slightly. "I thought you would prefer being addressed as such. It seems that I was mistaken."
"N-no… it's okay," Nanami stammered. I… I don't think I can take it if he would call me anything else… "I would rather have you call me Nanami-chan than some other name. It's just that, that… I am not used to being called so by someone that… someone whose name I don't know yet."
"I see…" the stranger sighed. "I am sorry then." He turned, the voluminous cloak rustling and started to walk away.
"No, wait!!!" Nanami chased after him.
"Huh?" His voice sounded surprised. He turned back to her.
"I didn't want you to leave," Nanami said angrily. "I just wanted you to tell me your name!!!"
"Oh…" Nanami caught a flash of white under the hood and knew he had smiled. Then he said. "Auxifer. Call me Auxifer."
"Okay, good." Nanami smiled. "I shall call you Auxifer-san, then. Are you new here, Auxifer-san? You never answered that question."
She caught the icy blues shifting. "Hmm… I guess, you can say that."
"What do you mean by that?" Nanami asked. "I must tell you, I hate people who talk in riddles. I am a simple girl with a simple mind."
"This is my first time… to enter North Window Castle." Auxifer explained. "I have passed around here, looked at the area, many, many times. But this is the first time I had a chance to enter."
"Why?" Nanami prodded.
"Clearance. I just got it now." Auxifer said. "The guards wouldn't let in anyone suspicious and…" he laughed. "Apparently, I am one suspicious character."
"You would look a little more honest it you lost the cloak." Nanami commented.
"But I must not." Auxifer said. "I… I am afraid the cheerful atmosphere will press all around against me, suffocating me and shaking my convictions."
"What??!" Nanami gave him an odd look. Is this guy crazy or something??
Auxifer laughed. What a beautiful sound. "Too much sun. It is harsh on my skin. I come from the north and am not used to it."
"Ah, I knew it!!!" Nanami exclaimed. "A Harmonian cloak!!!" That is odd… He has a familiar accent; not like the soft, melodious voices of Annalee-chan and Clive-san…
"The garment is certainly Harmonian…" Auxifer mused. Before Nanami could say anything else, he spoke again. "Would it be too much to ask… will you show me around?"
"Of course!!!" Nanami nodded. "I'll show you around and introduce you to everyone!!! And you'll soon feel at home here." She smiled brightly up at him.
"Thank you." Auxifer bowed. "May I?" He gestured at her basket.
Oh, the eggs!!! Nanami's eyes widened.
"Is there something else you should be doing?" Auxifer inquired.
"Oh, no, no—nothing!!!" Nanami lied. She let him carry the basket of eggs. "We go there." She pointed to the shopping lane. "Let's go there. That's where the shops are."
"It's such a lively place," Auxifer observed as they zigzagged through a large group of children playing a game.
"I know," Nanami said. "It's nice. Although, I like my peaceful and quiet hometown much better…"
"Yes…" Auxifer agreed. "It's much more beautiful there…"
"How did you know?" Nanami asked, more with wonder than wariness.
"I have been to Kyaro," Auxifer told her. "It's a lovely place."
"No, I mean, how did you know… that I was from Kyaro?" Nanami clarified.
"I-I… I heard from someone…" Auxifer stuttered.
Nanami glared at him. He could feel his heart thump in his chest erratically. Did I make her suspicious?..
"You eavesdrop on people??!" Nanami poked an accusing finger at his chest. "That is NOT good!!!"
He felt a bead of sweat slide down his forehead. "I-I-I…" Nanami could faintly make him out biting his lip. "Hey!!!" Auxifer cried, pushing her finger away. "Don't tell me you never eavesdrop on other people!!! You would certainly be lying!!!"
Nanami turned a cherry-red. "W-well…"
He grinned at her triumphantly—or at least, from what Nanami could see. The hood cast too dark a shadow on his face. "I'll bet you eavesdrop more than I do!!!" Auxifer said.
Nanami gave him a wry look. Somehow… I KNOW he's right…
"But I won't hold it against you." Auxifer said.
"Here we are…" Nanami gestured at the shopping lane. "Shall we begin the 'tour'?"
"Ready when you are." Auxifer said.
Author's Notes again: Whoo-hoo!!! XD
