Author's Note: Banana Republic next chapter! Be afraid. Be moderately afraid.
Chapter Eighteen
Catching Up
"Well," Sara said as she got on, "We did more damage to him than he did to the bus. Good thing, too. Being stuck in the desert was not part of my plans."
Haldir glared at her and she glared right back.
"Am I missing something?" Taro asked Kurama quietly.
"I think we both are."
Faythe sat down next to Haldir and began asking him questions. "Hey! It's been so long!"
"Nearly 5 yen, Awynel. Erm…Faythe." He smiled as generously as he knew how. "Have you been well?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Listen, what're you doing here?"
Haldir sighed. "It is a long and complicated story. I do not have the heart to tell it to you." He looked at her directly. She noticed a sadness in his soul that usually wasn't there. "Please, let us enjoy our visit without the pain of dredging up certain memories. Not yet. In time, I shall tell you."
Faythe nodded and let it go—for now.
"I'm not buying it," Sara whispered to Taro. "Why go to all that trouble?"
"You don't trust him. Do you?"
Sara neither agreed, nor disagreed. Instead, she smiled. "You know me." The bus lurched to a stop and everyone practically flew out of their seats.
"Sorry!" Legolas shouted.
"Not as sorry as you're gonna be," Sara muttered.
TEN MINUTES LATER
Legolas sniffled as Jake patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure Sara will let you drive again soon."
"Don't count on it," Hiei said. In truth, he felt better now that Legolas wasn't behind the wheel.
"She has anger problems," Haldir said. "That's all." He smiled. "To think, she's going to rule some day. And, her being who she is…that might come sooner than you think."
Taro glared at him. He wasn't sure who Haldir was, but he didn't like him…
"Oh, stop it," Faythe was saying to Haldir. "You're perfectly nice to everyone else. Leave them alone."
"I was only saying…"
Aragorn cleared his throat. "Those two wouldn't hurt each other, no matter what the circumstances, Haldir."
"I was just saying…"
"Shut up!" This, surprisingly, was Sara and Hiei's addition to the conversation.
"Faythe, which way do we turn?"
"Go left, Sara."
"Oh my God!" Legolas shouted. "A Banana Republic! Way out here, too. We have to pull over!"
Sara just ignored him.
"Nooo!" Legolas opened the emergency door at the back of the bus and jumped out.
The bus screeched to a halt as the passengers watched Legolas run to the store.
"He's obsessed!" Sara shouted, throwing her hands in the air.
"I'll go get him," Jake said, sighing.
"We'll all go," Faythe told him.