Okay, so I know it's been really ages since the last update. If anyone is still actually reading this fic, thanks. A lot. I know I'm not exactly the best updater in the world.
So you guys told me your fave animes and I picked 1 character out of the majority to use. Got it? Good.
"And I so DON'T need a teacher! Like I said before, I am perfect in every way imaginable. You just have to accept that."
Jazii continued walking determinedly towards the distant town of Seakova, a small desert village on the border of the kingdoms of Ristille and Persehaa.
"Nothing you say is going to change my mind, Atemu. We're going to find you a teacher whether you like it or not."
"But what if I really don't like it? Does that get me out of it?" Atemu whined. "Not a chance." Jazii replied firmly. "You're so pathetic, did you know that?"
"No, because I'm not. Why can't you just recognise my true uniqueness and importance in this world? You don't respect me." Atemu said miserably.
"Oh, I respect you. It's just not in a very nice way. More like a snide, regard-with-contempt respect."
Atemu sighed dejectedly. "I'm so unloved." He complained.
"Too true."
Jazii led the way into the deserted lobby of an inn. A bored-looking attendant shuffled papers on his desk and sighed. "May I help you?" He said nasally.
"We're looking for two rooms to stay in for a couple of nights. Got any?" Jazii asked, while looking around.
The whitewashed walls were bare except for a framed portrait of an elderly and very robust man.
Atemu walked over to the painting and examined it. "Who's the fat guy?" He asked bluntly.
"That, sir, is a portrait of King Henry VIII, an original piece valued at around four million dollars." The attendant sniffed and peered at Jazii.
"Yes, we have a room available, so I'm afraid the unhappy couple will have to share a room."
Jazii looked disgusted. "We're not like that. He's just a friend…I think. If he's even that."
Atemu was muttering things to Bennu, who was perched on his master's shoulder. Jazii could hear snatches of their conversation. Well, correction, Atemu's conversation.
"Yes, I do realise that he must be important. Probably not as important as me though."
"Great," Jazii muttered. "Now he's talking to the bird. What an idiot."
Bennu chirped and squawked indignantly at Atemu. He looked astounded. "No, I don't want you to –"
Jazii tuned Atemu's voice out and focused on signing the required forms and sorting out the money. Unfortunately she also tuned out all the other noises, including the sound of Bennu setting the painting behind the attendant on fire and Atemu's futile attempts to smother the flames.
"Bennu!" Atemu squealed. He grabbed the phoenix by the legs and whacked the bird against the portrait, probably in attempt to put the fire out. This in turn caused the flames to intensify, possibly from the fact that a phoenix is made of fire. (A/N: It's not exactly rocket science now is it?)
Atemu squeaked and unintentionally sent a jet of water at the painting, extinguishing the flames. Sighing in relief, he straightened it and stepped back, eyeing the still-smouldering portrait, blackened by fire.
Atemu turned to Bennu. "Do ya think they'll notice any difference?" He whispered.
Jazii took the key, thanked the man, and turned to Atemu. He grabbed the portrait and put it behind his back. Jazii noticed the bare wall where the painting had been.
"Uh…where's the portrait?" She asked Atemu.
He shoved it further behind him and looked blank. "What portrait? I don't see any portrait. Nope, no portrait here."
Jazii sighed and turned to the attendant. "It seems my ignorant companion has burnt the million-dollar painting. Excuse me while I beat the living hell out of him."
She walked over to Atemu and dragged him by the ear to the door. "By the way, that painting was worthless." Jazii flicked her fingers and a sparkle of red lightning entered the man's head. He nodded absently. "Yes, yes, no value at all."
Atemu squeaked. "I didn't know you could do that. Eeep Bennu, she's gonna brainwash me!"
"Shut it, you. You're lucky I'm not gonna kill you. I'm just going to cut you up and remove all your internal organs, slice your tongue open, crush your head between my hands, ring your neck, snap all your bones –"
"But wouldn't that be considered killing?"
Jazii smothered the urge to scream and instead gave Atemu a look that could kill him ten times over. She gritted her teeth and finally managed to utter something in reply. "Pain, just lots, of pain."
"Help me."
Atemu tipped his head on one side and thought the problem over. "Okay, since I'm more important than you, I get the bed. Take your pick of the floor or sofa."
"What!" Jazii shrieked. She hadn't really come down off her fit of madness yet. "I am a female and I DEMAND the rights of luxury! Move!"
"No way!" Atemu shook his head vigorously. "There ain't no way I'm giving up this time! There is no way in hell that I am going to sleep on the sofa. Not at all."
An hour later
"God I hate her." Atemu muttered to himself as he rolled over. The sofa was prickly and all the stuffing had gone lumpy and hard. He growled and shuffled around.
"Stop wiggling." Came Jazii's muffled voice from the bed.
"I'm not wiggling; I'm trying to get comfy. And I don't care if you can't get to sleep. You can kiss my sorry little – Mmmph."
Atemu's insult was stopped by a pillow being chucked at his head. Dazed, he blinked a few times.
"Now go to sleep."
Too bewildered to argue, Atemu lay there, staring at the oh-so-fascinating ceiling, until he drifted off to sleep.
The next day, Jazii dragged the unwilling Atemu into a crowded tavern. The smell of smoke hung thick in the air, and burly barmen glared at the pair from underneath oversized eyebrows.
"Excuse me sir," Atemu said plaintively to one of them. "But were you aware that you have two very large caterpillars on your face?"
Jazii groaned and whacked her forehead with her hand. "Idiot." She muttered.
The barkeep strode over to Atemu and pulled him up by his collar. "Are you makin' fun o' me eyebrows?"
"Oh, so that's what they are. Coulda sworn they wriggled just then." Atemu looked suspiciously at the man.
There was a sudden shriek and a teenage girl with long blonde hair slipped on the wooden floor and dropped the milkshake she had been carrying, splattering it all over the barman.
She went red and giggled. "Oops! Sorry! I didn't mean to, I was just walking, and then I fell, and –"
"Usagi, where's my milkshake – oh." A tanned young man with untamed brown hair stopped just behind the blonde girl. He blinked and looked from the girl, to the barman, to Atemu, and to Jazii.
"O-kay…Usagi, what did you do now?"
The girl called Usagi ducked her head. "It wasn't my fault Orphen, honest! I was just getting your milkshake when I tripped and spilt it all over this nice man."
The said 'nice' man glared. "You better be paying for that broken glass missy! An' look at them mess you made! 'Tis a waste of my time, ya hear?"
Usagi's lower lip started trembling and her eyes filled with tears. "But – but –"
"No biggie mister, I can fix this one up." Orphen stretched his arms out, palms down, and let a soft green glow wash over the spilt milkshake. The glass fitted itself back together, the milk and ice-cream poured neatly back into the now whole glass.
Orphen picked the milkshake up and stuck the straw in his mouth, slurping noisily. Usagi sighed. "You're doing it again."
Orphen looked quizzically at her. "Doing what?"
"Drinking from a milkshake that's been on the floor." Usagi grinned at Oprhen's reaction. The sorcerer's face turned green and he quickly spat the milkshake out. "God I always do that. Warn me next time, okay?"
"Sure thing." Usagi giggled again. She then turned to Jazii and Atemu. "Hi," she said, stretching out her hand, "mine name's Usagi, and this is Orphen. Would you like to come sit with us?"
Atemu looked at Jazii. "Please?" He asked in an overly-loud whisper. "Can we? She's cute!" He looked pleadingly at his friend. Jazii sighed and whacked him on the head. She then gave Usagi a sweet smile. "Sure, we'd love to sit with you."
Usagi led Atemu and Jazii to their table, while Orphen went to get another milkshake. Seated at a booth in the far corner were two guys and two guys. Theyounger of the girlslooked up, took one glance at Usagi and then at Orphen ordering another milkshake, and rolled her eyes, smiling.
"Let me guess, you tripped, spilt the milkshake, and now he's going to get another one?" She had chin-length light brown hair held back by a pink bow, andlarge green eyes.
"How'd you guess?" Usagi slipped into the seat next to her friend, and turned to Atemu and Jazii. "This is Sakura, and opposite us are Inuyasha in the middle, Kagome on the left, and Kai on the right. And guys, this is…" She blinked and trailed, then went beet red with embarrassment.
"Oops! I forgot to ask what your names were! I am such a klutz! Sorry!"
Atemu smiled. "My name's Atemu and this is my evil companion Jazii."
Jazii nodded. "He's my bodyguard. Though he doesn't do a very good job of it. More times than not I'm the one saving his ass, not the other way around."
"Yeah right." Atemu gave an obvious wink to the group. "She loves to joke around, don't you Jazii? Now, go and get me some food."
Jazii cleared her throat and tapped her foot impatiently. Atemu blinked, then realised what he had forgotten. "Please." He added.
"That's better." Jazii patted Atemu on the head and gave him a biscuit. Sakura giggled. "You've got him trained like a dog!"
Kagome laughed and smiled at Jazii. "Join the club of dog trainers!" She said, patting Inuyasha's head. He glowered at her. Meanwhile, Kai was staring out the window wishing he was any place but there. Which was understandable, given the circumstances.
Jazii grinned and left for the food, while giving Atemu a glance that said 'screw anything else up and you're dead'.
Usagi smiled at him, and motioned for him to sit beside Kagome. He did. "Kagome is Inuyasha's sort-of-but not caretaker. She looks after him and makes sure he doesn't get into any trouble."
The half-demon hmphed. "I can take care of myself." He said indignantly. The others (minus Kai) laughed. "Ah, you're a laugh, Inuyasha. Such a joker." Sakura giggled.
Inuyasha frowned. "I was serious."
So, choose someone you want to be Atemu's trainer. Simple, yes? Definitely. And, Kagome has to go with Inuyasha, like a two-in-one package.
If you feel the need you can pick two or a couple of people. Any questions? Thanks for reading.
