The Necklace: Part Two

Both of them knew that someone has been watching them all afternoon as they roam the outskirts of Makai to search for another one of their potential larceny marks. But they didn't mind. They were used to being followed, it was an inevitable part of their profession.

A loud rustling snatched Kurama's attention. He signaled Kurunoe to stop; it looks like their 'follower' finally decided to show himself up.

A shriek sounded as a girl ran towards them with a sword on her hand. She was pointing her weapon directly at Kurama's navel.

The sword which was obviously finely crafted was clumsily held by, as what Kurama would have guessed, an amateur fighter. He watched smugly as the girl ran towards him with sheer determination.

When she was just a meter away, Kurama's right leg went up as he kicked the wrist of his attacker. The sword she was holding landed on the ground a few feet away from them.

He expected the girl to scream for help and hurriedly run away. He knew that the girl is aware that she was no match for his power and without her sword; she would probably end up being a large chunk of dead meat.

But despite that, she stayed. Her eyes showed absolute purpose as she positioned herself, ready to take on Kurama.

"So, our 'Stalker for the Day' is a girl!" Kurunoe said, laughing as he watched the two of them.

"Yeah, I didn't expect a female companion today." Kurama said with a smirk, his eyes never leaving the girl's.

Probably annoyed with the conversation, the girl attacked Kurama. Both her arms ineptly tried to hit him in the face. But to no avail, Kurama manages to avoid her punches. After all, it was easily avertable.

Evidently frustrated that she cannot even hit Kurama with her hands, she used her feet. She was furiously trying to kick him. But each time she hoist her foot to Kurama, he would just stopped it with his arm effortlessly.

Frustration was all over her face as she continued to kick Kurama wrathfully. Her eyes glimmered as tears threatened to fall from them.

Kurama watched the girl with amusement as he shun her every attempt to strike him. Whatever he did to this girl to make her this mad at him, to the point of actually risking her life, he did not know. And personally, he wouldn't mind asking.

He quickly summoned his rosewhip. He locked the girl's arms with the whip and hit her leg with his feet as it tried to find its way to his chest. Then, he placed his left foot on top of her feet, preventing her to let out another one of her frail attempts to boot him. The girl was completely under his mercy now.

He was close enough to the girl to make her uncomfortable. He felt her stiffened as he moved another inch towards her.

"What is it that you want from me?" Kurama asked insultingly as he breathes down her face.

"I didn't leave you with any baby, did I? I admit, my mistake. I was probably too drunk to remember it." He continued with his offensive tone, grinning at her.

The girl didn't say anything nor did she try freeing herself from him. She just went on looking at him straight in the eye, her expression hard and her body rigid.

"Now, it's your turn to talk. Why were you following us all afternoon?"

She continued her silence.

"Maybe she's mute." Kurunoe offered.

"Nah, I think she's just shy." Kurama answered teasingly, not looking away from the girl.

"She's incapable of social interaction, Kurama. And I don't think she's capable of being any danger to us. Better let her go."

Kurama ignored him and studied the girl. If she weren't this filthy, he would actually think of her pretty. Her hair was loosely tied in ponytail, making some of the strands fall on her face. It gave her a softer look. She was fairly tall for a youkai her age and her skin would have looked nicely if all the dirt were scrubbed off from it.

She seems fragile in contrast with Kurama's hard exterior. And if it weren't for her eyes, which showed her fury, she would have looked completely feminine.

"Not a big talker, I see..." Kurama said. He silently wondered what he could have done to make her this enraged.

"Let her go, Kurama. She's no fun at all. I'm getting bored." Kurunoe said after a while.

Finally responding to Kurunoe's words, Kurama slightly loosened the rosewhip on her arms. He also took his foot away from her feet and stood half a meter away from her. He thought he heard her breathe out in relief.

Kurunoe is right. The girl doesn't seem to be any threat to them and way far from being a part of their afternoon entertainment. If she's not planning to let him know what it is she want from him, then he wouldn't stay to waste his time waiting for her to say something.

His expression was smug as he watched her cover the wound his rosewhip made on one of her elbows with the palm of her hand.

"Well, that's enough amusement for now. You had your fun, now go home to your mommy." He said, half-expecting the girl to retort something back.

When she didn't say anything, "Aren't you going to introduce yourself before you decide to leave?" Kurama asked her, arching an eyebrow.

The girl looked at him but again didn't say anything.

"C'mon, let's leave her alone. She's probably mute." Kurunoe supposed as he turned to continue their walk.

Kurama stayed rooted to where he was standing. He didn't want to admit it, but somehow his curiosity was slightly aroused by the lass in front of him. He knew the girl wasn't mute. What could it be that she wanted in him?

For some reason, the girl grinned sardonically at him after making sure Kurunoe was out of sight. She brushed a lock of hair away from her eyes and said indignantly, "You think I'm that easy, huh?"

With that said, she turned and fled away.

Kurama frowned at her last words. You think I'm that easy, huh?

He shook his head and smiled conceitedly to himself as he recalled her fighting skill, which was an absolute embarrassment on her part.

"Yes, you are absolutely that easy." He said aloud, his eyes laughing as he answered her back.

"What a pity." He said to himself as he turned to follow his friend.

He caught up with Kurunoe after a while. His fellow thief was studying a map on his hand.

"Having any trouble reading that?" Kurama asked.

"Hardly. We are nearing destination, my friend!" He said triumphantly. He let Kurama look at the map as he pointed out their potential target.

"This has got to be good." Kurama said.

"Better be damn good!" Kurunoe said excitedly as he snatched the map from Kurama's hands again.

"So, what did you do with that girl?" Kurunoe asked as they continued walking.

"Oh, that girl? I let her go. She's a waste."

"My thoughts exactly." His friend said as he gave him a pat on the back.

"Hey, where's that necklace we stole the other day? I got it a buyer this morning." Kurunoe changed the subject.

"It's right here." Kurama's hand reached to feel the necklace on his neck. But to his surprise, he didn't find it there.

"Where the hell is that necklace?" Kurama asked.

"Huh? I thought you were wearing it." Kurunoe said.

"Yeah, I was wearing it." He said, giving emphasis on the 'was'.

"Damn, that bitch!" Kurama exclaimed after he figured it out in his mind.

"What?" Kurunoe asked.

"The girl took the necklace! That sly! No wonder she was grinning at me crazily before she went away!