FlotF Chapter 2

Sincere Thank You's to my gracious Five Reviewers.

SaiyanWarrior200 – why have you no email so I can reply to your review!? Though I'm glad you approved of Hao. I too wonder what shall happen

MangaBaka- I sent you scans, but yahoo was being weird. Did you get them?

Kumagorou-2000- I emailed you already. Can I please come to Canada? The US is still making me sick! Falcon Strife- I'm glad Horo sleeps the same in both! Most people don't know anything on the manga, so mosta my stuff doesn't seem to make so much sense. Have you updated Return of Darkness' Sequel yet?

Cheesy Bubbles-thank you very much for not just saying "It was great" and thank you for being FLotF's first reviewer!

Onward!

- Matte- I have an illustration! (I forgot) you have to take out the spaces, but there it is!

www. stHoro264.bravehost. com/tomeka/FLouF/CH2 .html

All the other stuff is in chappie one.

(First written 2004.07.15)

FLotF 2

"Ren?"

"What?"

"Where are we going?"

Ren continued to trudge on.

"Damn it Ren!"

"Just shut up Chocolove."

The boy huffed a bit, before shifting under HoroHoro's weight

"Hmm?"

"Sorry Horo. Just sit tight."

The boy made little murmurs, before falling silent again.

"Ren?"

"Just keep walking."

The sun had just begun to rise, lighting up the forest around them. Ren lead the way, his bag in one hand, and HoroHoro's snowboard bag in the other. His pajamas swished as he walked, and Chocolove watched the scarf swing from side to side as he moved.

Finally, Ren threw the bags down lightly under a tree. "We'll stop here."

Chocolove lowered HoroHoro to the ground. The ice shaman shivered as his body was lain down for rest. -1

Chocolove plopped down as well, and Ren rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I'm going to go get help."

"What? Where?"

"Just watch over him."

Ren walked away empty handed, leaving his two team members sitting under an oak tree. Chocolove placed a hand on HoroHoro's head, swearing at the heat coming off.

"Cho?"

"Hai?"

The boy blinked, as if trying to comprehend something just out of grasp. He squinted up pitifully at his friend. "Where'd we go?" came a gravelly question.

"Oh, we just went for a walk in the woods." Chocolove beamed, but the grin didn't last long. "Once you're feeling better, I kinda wanna talk t' ya."

"Okay." With that he drifted off.

Chocolove leaned against the tree.

-"You'd leave my sister and my team alone"-

Glancing at HoroHoro, Chocolove pondered on the echoing voice in his head.

He sat there in thought, only to be disrupted by two voices nearing.

"But to bleed so such? So quickly?"

"Well, did he appear even injured before he passed out?"

"Oh. No."

Ren and Faust could be made out, walking down the path.

"Well, there you go. My theory would be HoroHorohas developed a system where he can simply freeze over any injuries he gets. No blood, no pain. Simple, fast – not a great idea in the longer run, but it works as long as he stays conscious."

Ren nodded. "Shame he has a habit of passing out so much."

"Ren. This, I think, is a reflex of HoroHoro. He probably doesn't even think about it. And ice on head injuries isn't really the way you wanna go. Instant Brain Freeze." Faust almost sounded like he was going to laugh.

By then, the two had arrived at the tree.

"Ohiyo Gozimas' Chocolove!"

"'ey!"

Chocolove gave the man a thumbs up as he knelt down to check on the other. Ren motioned fro Chocolove to join him a few steps away.

"He fell asleep right after you left-"

"It was Hao."

"I know. I know he got you too."

Ren looked at him coldly. Voices of their own rung hollowly in his head.

-"You're such a neat freak."-

-"Ah! Don't be so cold to me Renny."-

-"Accidents happen. I know how little you really care, but with out your poor pitiful team-"

Ren bit his lip at the memories.

-"I promise – play one game with and I leave your stupid team alone. Hell, I'll even throw in your sniveling sister."-

"I was to do what Hao wanted for one night. In return, he was not to go near you, HoroHoro or Jun. I agreed." He clenched his fists.

"And he ra-"

"No. Rape in non consensual."

"Rape is non wanting."

"I had to."

"You should've said something."

"Even if I felt like it, Hao forbid it."

"Then you failed."

Ren looked a the serious Chocolove in shock. "What?!"

"Maybe if you'da told us, what every possessed HoroHoro to deal with Hao could have been avoided."

"I though Hao'd keep his word."

"'Sept he's a big turd."

Ren's lips twitched. "Turd?"

"Spur of the moment."

"Yea, I could tell."

"Ren? You're gonna tell Anna and Yoh, right?"

"Like I care about hem back there."

"Ren! Pirika's still there!!"

Ren and Chocolove turned back to HoroHoro and Faust.

HoroHoro was clinging to Faust's shoulder like a lifeline, holding himself into a sitting position. His face was red with fever, and the effort seemed to be driving him to tears.

Faust was trying to coax the boy into lying back down, but HoroHoro wasn't going for it.

"And you're not. She'll leave."

Giving up on the boy laying down, Faust tugged the bathrobe off his shoulders, allowing it to pool at the waist. The bandages followed, allowing the doctor to fix them.

Ren noticed how HoroHoro didn't even flinch.

"What if she doesn't!? And Tamao-chan is still there!"

"I'll send word."

"What if it's too late?!"

"And what do you want me to do? Go running back and risk facing Hao on the way. We are at a disadvantage here."

HoroHoro was still worked up, but seemed to have no reply.

"Eh, HoroHoro. Let go of me for a sec."

"Ho? Oh, sorry Faust."

The man went behind the Ainu, and finishes trying the bandages, mimicking Chocolove's earlier bow. "I can deliver the message."

"...Thanks Faust."

Faust stood, patting HoroHoro on the head. "Not that you ever do what I ask, but take it easy, get lots of rest –"

"-drink lots of liquids – I know." He swiped at Faust's hand.

Ren smacked Chocolove upside the head before the boy could remark, and sat next to HoroHoro.

"So now what?"

Ren pondered. "Well first, we wait until HoroHoro's better – "

"I'm fine!"

Ren jabbed the boy in the ribs. HoroHoro hissed and clutched the injury. He gasped for air and tears escaped.

"Damn it Ren."

Ren shrugged "And while we wait for HoroHoro, we decide what to do about Hao.

Chocolove pulled the bathrobe over HoroHoro's shoulders and got him to lie down. "That was pretty low."

"It worked, didn't it?"

"How come you're the baby of the group, but you're always picking on us?"

Ren made it very clear he was ignoring them. They sat in silence, resting. Not one had gotten a great night of sleep, and Chocolove made it obvious by slumping against Ren, who in turn, allowed it.

Ren himself, refused the call of sleep, and he sat up, keeping a quiet guard over the other two.

And so Ren watched the sun high her nigh mark before stretching. Chocolove fell over with a thud and moan.

"itai... So, what's the plan?"

"How many times have you been to China?"

"As far as I know... none."

"Vacation then."

"Vacation in China? Why?"

"Because Hao knows better than to mess with my family."

Here, HoroHoro made known he, too, was a wake. "Are you sure Ren? I really don't have fond memories of my last visit."

"Hey, this time I promise I won't be under house arrest."

Chocolove looked at him in shock. "That was almost funny."

"Scary, huh."

"Yeah...very."

Ren stood up, brushing the dirt from his bum. Chocolove stood as well. HoroHoro tried to, he really did, but he had to by hauled to his feet. Red faced, he put his arms though the sleeves and followed.

Every step hurt, the same with breathing, and his head had already begun to swim. The first two he could fix, but any attempt at his headache left him lightheaded. Chocolove – he though – asked him if he could make it. Already feeling ashamed of his own weakness, he stubbornly stuck to doing it on his own. Just one foot in front of the other.

Ren noticed the sway in each step. He knew immediately the idiot wasn't doing so well. They stopped again, this time in a little park, stuck between woods and city.

Ren rooted though his own bag, pulling out his wallet. Next he turned to the snowboard he'd been lugging around.

Chocolove was helping HoroHoro sit at the picnic table, and Ren opened the bag.

Of course, he expected to find a snowboard – and he did- but he also expected to find clothes haphazardly thrown in. Not secured in tidy little piles. The t-shirt Ren found should be loose enough that Horo could get them on, but the only shorts seen were a little tighter.

"HoroHoro? You have any pants left in here?"

"'doubt it. Bad things happen when I wear pants."

"Bad things happen to you anyway."

"Gee, thanks. I think somebody's rubbing off on you."

"I'm ignoring you."

"Thanks for the update."

Ren tossed the t-shirt and a pair of white boxers to the owner. "Have fun. I'm gonna see about getting us a ride to the airport."

"What about –"

"I'll deal with it. Just wait here" And then he left, the other two staring after him.

"Ren's entering 'Kill' mode"

"Yep."

However he did it, he did it. Ren came back an hour later in a limo. HoroHoro staggered over in awe, and Chocolove made the mistake of hugging Ren in joy. And then kissing pavement in pain.

Ren went over the present course of action with HoroHoro, who was too dizzy to join in Chocolove's game of pushing every random button he could find.

As the limo pulled up to an airport, Chocolove shoved everything not tied down into Ren's bag. Water bottles, candy mints, the ashtrays. Ren rolled his eyes but decided to just not ask. Safer for his sanity.

He and Chocolove helped HoroHoro out, and into an awaiting wheelchair.

"I feel like Faust." He complained as Chocolove wheeled him away.

Ren was left caring luggage. Again.

"Since when am I the bag boy?!"

Chocolove grinned back at him. "It's gotta be lighter than him."

HoroHoro snorted. "You have the wheels on lock."

"I do not."

HoroHoro turned in the chair to point. Sure enough, locked.

Ren smirked as Chocolove knelt down to unlock them. Unfortunately, they were on a slop, and the chair went rolling backwards over the eldest. Ren stopped HoroHoro's decent; for the boy was laughing too hard too stop himself.

In a moment of panic, the laughs turned to deep coughs. The kind that make you cry, and you feel as if you're gonna die. Chocolove grabbed Ren's bag, pulling out a stolen water.

They got HoroHoro calmed down, and Ren felt his forehead. "Okay, plane ride will be Horo's nap time."

The boy just nodded, clutching the water like a lifeline. His head was spinning like mad, and it was getting harder to control his pain.

No one spoke as the neared the plane. Ren hung back to talk with the personnel, and the stewardess lead them to first class. Extreme first class.

A few minutes later, Ren found the two, still in the entrance. HoroHoro was snoozing him his chair while Chocolove stared with stars in his eyes. Ren pushed him slightly from behind.

"Ren. Oh man. Ren – I love you!" Chocolove started in with a hug – Ren responded by whacking him in the side.

"Do that again, and I will kill you."

"Yep. I believe you."

Ren tossed his bags on one sofa, before maneuvering the slumbering HoroHoro out of the appliance.

The plane ride was noting special – meaning they landed in one piece. Chocolove had to be repeatedly beat over the head, he got so worked up. He finally resolved to jumping on the remaining sofa, and Ren let him be.

The first sign of turbulence sent him face first. Ren smiled.

HoroHoro slept thought he whole flight, it was only a couple hours. His fever went down, but Ren was sure it had yet to break.

In the mist of Chocolove's play, and HoroHoro's rest, Ren found himself in though. Over thinkers can be as bad as under thinkers, and Ren was no exception. With nothing else to think on, his mind continued to travel back to the wee hours of the day.

And thank you Mei Mei, for the help you're giving me on Chapter Three and beyond.

-1 erm, the wording sounds funny. The original wording was 'lain down to rest', but it sounded as if I was killing him off already!

I wonder – is there such a thing as a Japanese limo? Hmm. I rode in a limo once. Me and my friends stole anything not nailed down. I took the water bottles, and even bagged the ice up too. Can you see why I've only been in a limo once. -.-

Yeah! I broke though the fourth wall! . don't ask.

Erm the plane. I have no idea, I was just think on some movies where it was all nice and un plane like. Ren can afford it.