Another Tale of Bishonen World
Anime Chick Authoress
Chapter Three: How Did She Get Here?
Sophia and Darius were already roasting sausages over a crackling fire.
The Next Day...
"You can jus' take a bloody flyin' (beep) at a rollin' donut fer all I care, ya furry menaces!"
Three pairs of eyes immediately shot open. Youko's ears twitched in aggitation before he rolled over, snuggled closer to Psyche's back, and closed his eyes to go back to sleep. Psyche took a moment to make sure Youko wasn't touching anything inappropriate before closing her eyes again. I'm gonna regret letting him sleep in the tent with me. Sooner or later, I'm gonna regret it. But he's just so warm and cozy right now!
In the other tent, Irianna was trying to ignore the argument between her Bishonen and the local squirrels. Why? Why me? Why is my Bishonen the crazy one?
"Ow! It bit me! The bloody bag o' fur bit me!"
Youko couldn't help it. The thought of the mighty shinobi Jin the Wind Tamer being tamed by a fuzzy woodland creature was just too much. He cracked up. Loudly. Unfortunately, his face was right by Psyche's ear. Note: Psyche isn't a morning person.
SMACK!
"OW! She slapped me! Geez, since when can human females hit that hard!" Youko was now on the other side of Psyche's tent, tenderly rubbing his red and bruising cheek. His ears were laid back flat and his tail was drooping in defeat. If he had been slapped by anyone else, he probably would have torn them to pieces. In this case, though, Psyche had hit him. He couldn't really hurt his trainer, or even just scare the crap out of her, without enduring serious repercussions at a later date. Even a Youko as powerful as himself couldn't avoid punishment from a girl like Psyche for very long. So instead, he just tried to gain her sympathy. "C'mon, Psyche, I couldn't help it! And you didn't have to hit that hard! That's gonna leave a mark, you know that?" What Youko got in response was a soft snore. He scowled and slipped back into his sleeping bag, keeping as far away from Psyche as possible within the confines of the tent. He would just have to make her feel bad about his injuries later.
Outside, the tension was building between Jin half of the local population of squirrels. His hair was already full of twigs, leaves, and acorns, but he was still arguing with them. Irianna, still in the tent, was about to crack, but not like Youko had. Irianna wasn't really a morning person herself. She looked down at her wrist watch. One slender eyebrow raised dangerously. 5:02 in the morning? I've gotta stop this! If I don't, then Psyche will eventually do something, and none of us want her up and annoyed this early in the morning. Irianna slipped out of her sleeping bag. She shivered. Even in the tent, the air was just cool enough to give her goosebumps. It would be warm later in the day, though. She made sure Jin was properly distracted by the squirrels before stripping off her T-shirt and shorts and donning a loose, wide-collared white shirt with black mesh sleeves. The collar was wide enough that it nearly slipped off both her shoulders, the sleeves long enough to touch the tips of her fingers, and the shirt short enough to expose her midrift. She also slipped on a knee-length, pleated black skirt that rode low on her hips. A pair of white tennis shoes and her belt of Bish-balls completed the outfit. Without stopping to so much as run a comb through her freely flowing hair, Irianna ran out of the tent.
Jin was still arguing with the squirrels. Only when Irianna looked up to assess just how many rodents they had to contend with did Irianna see why. Jin was floating just out of reach of the squirrels, and was trying to retrieve a large bag of trail mix that must have been pilfered from her backpack. Irianna's eyes narrowed. The pests had stolen from her! She couldn't have cared less if she never got the trail mix back. She had plenty of the stuff in her bag. What irked her was the deed itself. Irianna hated thieves. With a growl unexpected of someone who normally looked so calm and collected, she passed a hand over her eyes, which suddenly went from sky blue to burning red. A few of the squirrels had noticed the change. The rodents had obviously angered a few demons, because the growl and sudden change in eye color made them nervous. Their fur was standing on end. Jin took note of their reaction and turned to face his trainer. The color of Irianna's eyes even made him jump a little. He still hadn't figured out that she wore multi-colored contacts. What really worried him was the Bish-ball she was now tossing up and down. Now wha' does the lass plan ta do wit' dat? She already caught m-OH CRAPS!
Jin ducked and coverd his head as said Bish-ball sailed over him and carved a path through the writhing mass of fur. The squirrels gave Irianna a look of pure terror before stampeding back into the cover of the forest. Jin caught the forgotten bag of trail mix and grinned down at his trainer. "Oi! I almos' thought ya were gonna nail me, Iri! Nice aim, bye da way." Then he caught a flash of red light out of the corner of his eye. He turned toward the source of it and blinked. "Eh? Did ya mean ta catch somethin', Iri?"
Irianna had noticed the red light, too. She was now walking under Jin and picking her way carefully through the briars. "No, I didnt mean to catch a Bishonen. I think I just caught one by chance." She passed a hand before her eyes. Then she looked up at Jin. Jin blanched. Her eyes were now a vivid purple. Such vivid eyes made her pixie-ish face seem even more lovely in his mind, but he still couldn't figure out how her eyes went from one color to the next. It kind of creeped him out. She wasn't part demon, was she? Irianna had mistaken his surprise at her eye color for something else. "Some luck, huh? Anyway, I'm gonna look for the ball. Start breakfast, would you?"
Jin just nodded and flew down to land next to the fire pit. He cleared his hair of any forest debris with a violent shake of his head and got to work. Youko had given up on sleep and was stretching not too far away. He gave Jin a look. The shinobi was muttering to himself in what must have been Gaelic as he stoked the fire and brought it back to life. Youko grunted an inquiry. Jin looked at him and passed a hand over his eyes much like Irianna did. Youko had figured out by now that Irianna wore contacts, but he found Jin's reactions amusing. Instead of explaining what she did, Youko gave Jin a kind of creeped-out expression and faked a shudder. Jin nodded agreement and started rummaging through Irianna's capsule refrigerator for something to cook. Youko supressed a laugh. This was quite the entertaining little group.
Meanwhile, Irianna had found her Bish-ball. The black and silver ball was still quivering slightly when she crouched down next to it. As she waited for it to stop shaking, Irianna pulled several leaves and twigs out of her hair. Instead of taking the time to braid it, she wrapped half of its copper, auburn, and red length around her neck like a scarf. The other half trailed down her back, reaching her waist now instead of her ankles. By then the ball had stopped shaking. Irianna picked it up and walked back to camp.
Psyche had joined the two Bishonen. She must have decided sleeping in wasn't going to happen, because she had changed out of her pajamas and into a pair of baggy jeans, a low-necked white strap shirt, and a pair of flip-flop sandals that matched the streaks in her hair perfectly. Her ice blue eyes had a glazed look and were half-lidded. Irianna had told her to not to stay up till three in the morning, but Psyche rarely listened to her smaller friend's advice. Now Psyche looked up at the ball in Irianna's hand. Her face immediately lit up. Her energy was never depleted for long!
"What ya got there, Iri-chan? Youko thought he heard you catch a Bishonen! Let's see 'im!"
Jin and Youko were looking on with mild interest. Irianna shrugged and held the Bish-ball out. "Come on out--er, um--whoever you are!" The other three members of the group sweatdropped.
Red light spilled from the Bish-ball once again. The person that appeared before Irianna didn't differ much in height from herself. His eyes were the iciest shade of blue she had ever seen, and didn't have pupils. His wore his blue hair short and slicked back, with the exception of the spiky aqua green bangs that hung just above one eyebrow. He was dressed as a shinobi. Irianna immediately recognized Touya the Ice Master. She also felt sorry for him. He was lying prone on the ground, his eyes ing, and a large lump was forming on the top of his head. It was Irianna's turn to sweatdrop. Her face had a kind of O.o" expression. "I think I gave him a concussion!"
Youko and Psyche were leaning on each other for support. They just couldn't stop laughing. Jin had set aside a large skillet to poke Touya's head. "Heey! You okay, buddy? I don' dink the lass did it on purpose. You gonna be alright, laddy?" Jin looked up at Irianna with wide eyes. "Tha's gotta be some right arm ya got there ta be knockin' a Touya out cold like dat! You gonna show me how ya did that sometime?" Youko and Psyche looked at each other for a brief moment before resuming their laughter with more gusto than ever.
Irianna was steadily getting redder and redder in the face. She dropped her arm and shook her head, her face in her hand. When she took the hand away, her eyes were as pink as the streaks in Psyche's hair to reflect her embarassment. Jin nearly fell over. Yet another unnatural eye color! Youko and Psyche continued to laugh, this time at Jin's ridiculous reaction. Touya finally woke up just as the group was calming down. He sat up and rubbed his sore head gently. That Bish-ball had really done a number on his poor head. He looked up at his new trainer. Her cheeks were only slightly colored now as she crouched down to Touya's current height.
"You okay? I didn't know that ball was going to hit anyone. You need a pain killer or something?"
Touya shook his head and stood up, Irianna following suit. He softly smiled at her. "Nah, I'm good. I guess you're my trainer now?"
Irianna nodded and did a cute little bow with a flourish of her arms. "Irianna Gale McMillan, at your service, Touya-san!" Then she straightened and smiled in her most friendly fashion. "But a lot of people call me 'Iri'. The other trainer with the Youko is my good friend Psyche Peterson. Jin here is my first Bishonen. You're only my second capture, as accidental as it was. It's nice to meet you!"
Touya's smile widened a little. He didn't really like the idea of being captured, but this girl seemed nice enough. She also seemed to be an intelligent and well-mannered girl. At least she hadn't glomped him yet! He was about to reply, but her Jin was suddenly in his face. Touya's eyes widened in surprise and he blinked. There was something familiar about this Jin... "Can I help you?" Then said Jin glomped/tackled Touya and cried out happily. "GAAAH! Wha-What're you doing? Stop that! ACK!"
Irianna, Youko, and Psyche were wondering the same thing, but not quite so loudly or in such a panicked manner. Psyche looked at Irianna with a O.o expression. "Is your Jin gay or something?"
Irianna almost choked. She clutched her heart as she felt it begin to shatter into a million microscopic pieces. Youko blanched. He was not going to deal with any homosexuality in this outfit. Not after what that Karasu from his village did to him before he was captured by Psyche. Youko immediately shuddered and started thinking about a happy place. Meanwhile, Jin was dispelling everyone's fears.
"Nah, nah, i's not like dat! This be my buddy from me ol' village. I've called 'im Pixie-kun since we were wee lil' laddies!"
Touya flushed angrily. "Damn it, you overgrown elf, I told you not to call me that anymore! Now get off me, you oaf!"
Jin was grinning like a fool. "An' Pixie-kun's called me Elf Boy s'far back as I can remember! I get on his nerves, but we be the best o' buddies!"
Youko, Psyche, and Irianna were relieved. Psyche was blushing and muttering apologies. Youko was silently thanking Kami that neither of the shinobi were in any way romantically involved. Irianna was just glad that she still had a chance to get closer to her favorite Bishonen. Meanwhile, Jin had finally released his friend and was going on in Gaelic about who knows what. Surprisingly, Touya was talking back in the same language. A few things Jin said made Touya look uncomfortable and even blush a little, but Jin didn't seem to notice.
Psyche looked at Youko. Her eyes were wide in confusion. "What're they saying? Is that even English?"
Youko shrugged and crossed his arms. "I think it's Irish Gaelic. I've heard Jins talk like that before. I've never bothered to learn the language. You would think they would have the courtesy to talk in English, though, or at least Japanese. What do you think Iria--Iri?" The kitsune and his trainer were looking at Irianna with wide eyes. Even Youko was amazed. He had never seen a human's face get that red before. It was like looking at a giant cherry tomato. "Is your friend okay, Psyche? I think she's gonna explode."
Jin was still distracted by the presence of his old friend, so even his sharp ears didn't pick up what Irianna said next.
Irianna shook her head and put her hands on her cheeks. She was sure she had never been this shade of red before. Then again, she had never heard someone talk like that about her before. She groaned and explained to Psyche and the kitsune. "You see, like the McMillans, my parents had Irish ancestry. While I was learning to speak English as a toddler, my parents also taught me how to speak in Irish Gaelic. They wanted me to keep a part of them with me forever, so they taught me the language of their ancestry. The McMillans helped me finish learning the language after they adopted me. I'm fluent in both languages and I can understand every word Touya and Jin are saying... Oh, how embarassing. This is why I never eavesdrop on conversations..." She put her hands over her ears this time, humming to keep out the voices.
Youko and Psyche looked at each other in confusion. What were those demon ninjas saying?
Then something else crossed Irianna's mind. Her eyes snapped open, suddenly bright yellow with alarm. "Where's Marshmallow?"
The kitsune and his trainer face vaulted.
On the other side of the creek from Irianna and Psyche's camp, Tawny was just waking up. One muddy brown eye slowly opened. She took in her surroundings. Sunlight was just beginning to filter through the trees and the open flap of the tent. She could see tiny wisps of smoke rising from the remains of last night's camp fire. There were no sounds coming from Darius's tent, so she supposed her cousin and Sophia were still asleep. Tawny opened the other eye and noticed Kurama sleeping a few feet from her. His eyes were closed. The kitsune was probably asleep, but she knew he could sense her staring at him anyway. She tore her gaze from Kurama and sat up in her sleeping bag. Tawny had slept in a strap shirt and shorts, so when the sleeping bag slipped off her shoulders, the chilly morning air made her shiver. She breathed on her hands and rubbed them on her bare skin. Maybe she should wear something a little warmer when she slept? Tawny looked over at Kurama again. He had shifted in his sleep a little, but he seemed unaffected by the cold. Lucky fox...
Tawny sighed and stood up. She collected the same outfit from the day before, as it had yet to fit her definition of "dirty": a short-sleeved black T-shirt with a jade green dragon winding itself around her torso, a pair of baggy black jeans with the same design on one leg, and her favorite pair of tennis shoes. Tawny slipped back into her sleeping bag, burrowed down so that anyone looking couldn't see her, and began to change clothes.
While this was happening, an odd scent tickled Kurama's nose. He opened one brilliant green eye and examined his surroundings much like Tawny had. He took note of his trainer's odd way of changing clothes when in his presence, but only briefly. This scent could mean danger for his trainer. Kurama narrowed his eyes and slipped stealthily out of his sleeping bag. Not even the usually observant Tawny noticed his exit of the tent.
Kurama stood next to the nearly cold fire pit. The morning sun warmed his bare chest pleasantly despite the morning chill. He had taken his shirt off to sleep and had not thought to put it back on before leaving the tent. Too late now. He had to find the source of that scent. Kurama stood still, his face tilted into the breeze. He caught it again. Then he followed it across the small clearing. Now he was standing at the entrance to Darius and Sophia's tent. He looked down in time to see a pale reptilian tale disappear into the tent. Kurama's went wide and he gasped. This wasn't going to be good!
At about the same time Kurama caught the snake's scent, Darius opened his eyes. The sun was striking him right in the face. He groaned and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. Damn sun. He was still tired, but Darius never could get back to sleep after being woken up. Instead of retreating deeper into his sleeping bag, Darius shoved on his glasses and stretched a little. When he stretched, he felt something cold and smooth slide past his foot. Darius gulped. He knew that sensation. It wasn't one he liked. It was one that brought back memories from his childhood of an anaconda snake that tried to eat him during a school trip to the zoo. He shuddered as the smooth sensation wound around his leg and up to his thigh. Darius was paralyzed. Then Kurama stepped into his tent.
"Darius, I apologize for intruding, but I--Darius?"
Darius pointed to his leg, hidden by the sleeping bag, and then to the zipper on the side of the bag. "Unzip it," he mouthed silently.
Kurama's worst fears had been confirmed. He walked with the stealth natural to a thief of his calibur. The kitsune crouch low to unzip the bag, and gently tossed that half off of Darius. He cringed. Oh, dear.
Darius didn't cringe. He screamed. And when Darius screams, he screams for all he's worth.
Sophia woke up with staff in hand, taking a battle stance, frantically looking around for their attacker. Tawny nearly broke something in her attempt to escape first the sleeping bag and then the tent to reach her cousin. Kurama clutched his poor ears and moaned loudly for someone to shut the boy up.
Across the creek...
Psyche, Irianna, Youko, Jin, and Touya all haulted in their frantic search for the missing boa constrictor. Well, Psyche, Youko, and Touya stopped searching. Irianna stopped her wailing and Jin stopped petting her head and trying to console her over the girl's cries. The scream that stopped them dead in their tracks still echoed throughout the forest. The whole group looked at each other, looked in the general direction of the creek, then looked back at each other.
"Looks like someone found Marshmallow," Psyche said with much relief. She was beginning to wonder if someone shouldn't give Irianna a tranquilizer. The girl was a complete wreck without that snake. "Well, let's go get--Iri?"
Irianna had stood up, her eyes suddenly their usual vivid purple and her tears gone. In the process of standing up, she had clocked Jin in the face with the fist she had raised in determination, but she hadn't realized that yet. As he lay on the ground and twitched a little, Irianna was making a bee line for the creek. "I know that scream! I'd know it anywhere. Marshmallow found Psyche, and now she's found Darius!" As Irianna ran, her hair trailed a few feet behind her and a classic anime dust cloud rose in her wake.
Youko and Touya looked at Psyche strangely. "Isn't Darius a guy's name?" Youko asked with a raised eyebrow.
Psyche nodded. Her face was exasperated. "Yup."
"And Irianna just said that she would recognize that guy's scream anywhere?" Touya confirmed.
"Yuppers."
The demons looked at each other and blinked. "What's wrong with these people?" They asked in unison.
Psyche shrugged. "We have yet to find out what makes us the way we are. Now, let's retrieve my buddies before someone gets hurt!"
Back at Tawny and Darius's camp...
All hell had broken loose.
Marshmallow was frantically trying to remove herself from Kurama's hands. As soon as the kitsune could use his hands as something other than ear plugs, he had promptly grabbed the snake and tried to toss it away. Unfortunately, the snake had no intention of leaving. In the process of trying to get away from Kurama and reach Darius and Tawny both at the same time, poor Marshmallow had gotten herself tangled around Kurama's arms and head. Kurama wasn't in a much better position than the snake. His arms were held above his head, firmly gripped by the snake. Kurama's hair was also tangled in the mass of scale and flesh, and the snake's tail was wrapped under his chin as though it were holding him in a headlock. Definitely not Kurama's best day ever.
On the opposite end of the small tent, Darius and Sophia were huddled in a corner. Darius was still having flashbacks of nearly being eaten alive by a snake about ten times larger than Marshmallow. Sophia just didn't like snakes. Actually, that's a gross understatement. Sophia has a phobia of snakes. The only thing that had kept Sophia from using any magic on the snake was the high risk of injuring Kurama as well. Though, she was beginning to wonder why she didn't just fry them both now and heal Kurama later. It was a very tempting idea...
Outside the tent, Tawny was watching a dust cloud race toward them from the opposite side of the swollen creek. She squinted her eyes and held a hand just above her brow, trying to pinpoint what that thing was. Was it a Bishonen? But what kind of sense did it make for a Bishonen to run straight at a trainer's camp? She kept her eyes on the approaching figure. Tawny could now make out black and white clothes on a rather small and slim body. Was that a copper colored scarf flowing out behind them? No, it didn't look like a scarf. It looked like lots and lots of hair. Tawny's eyes went wide. She knew that hair. She knew that person. And now that she thought about it, she knew the snake that was holding her Bishonen captive. Uh oh... This can not be good.
It was about that time that Marshmallow chose to make her escape from the clutches of the struggling kitsune. She moved her head so that she was staring Kurama in the eye. Kurama blinked. He didn't like the look that snake was giving him. Marshmallow used that moment of distraction to squeeze just hard enough to pop a few joints in his arms, choke him just a little, pull on his hair, and make him yelp. Then she was sliding down the front of his still bare chest as fast as any snake could, eliciting a startled "Cold!" O.o out of him, and raced toward Tawny.
Tawny didn't see her in time to prevent the snake from shooting up the leg of her pants--"Holy sh--!" O.o--, then through her shirt, and out of the collar of her shirt to wrap gently around her neck and shoulders. Marshmallow brought her reptilian face up to Tawny's level of sight and tasted her scent enthusiastically. Tawny sighed her relief. This was Marshmallow, sure enough. No other snake had quite the personality of Marshmallow the albino boa constrictor. But if Marshmallow was here, then that must mean that girl making the dust cloud was...
Tawny turned just in time to see the girl reach the opposite bank of the creek. By now, Darius, Kurama and Sophia had joined Tawny. Psyche, Youko, Touya, and a newly conscious Jin were right on Irianna's heels. They were trying to keep her from running off of the bank and into the churning creek. Tawny's eyes went wide at what happened next, as did every other pair of eyes that witnessed it. Irianna reached the bank at full speed, did a stunning leap from the ground, grabbed a hanging vine that no one else had noticed until now, and swung over to the bank on which Tawny and her crew were standing. Unfortunately for Tawny, she was the last one to noticed that Irianna was swinging straight at her. Irianna may have made the jump and grabbed the vine, but she didn't know how to steer it. Even Marshmallow was out of the way before Irianna, screaming nearly as loud as Darius, slammed into Tawny.
Damn, I'm gonna feel that tomorrow!
Marshmallow, Tawny, Darius! I've found you! Owie...
Not unlike a snowball, Tawny and Irianna rolled along the ground, rolled over the thankfully cold fire pit, rolled over a couple pairs of shoes, and then rolled into Tawny's tent, picking up bits and pieces of things in their path all along the way.
At the same time Tawny and Irianna slammed into the tent, the group from the other camp site arrived via Jin's wind. They all touched down and stared with wide eyes at the damage. Darius turned to look at Psyche. Psyche looked at Darius and immediately wrapped her arms around him, muttering consolences and petting his head. Marshmallow, somehow knowing all this was her fault, slid over to Jin and nudged his toes, begging to be picked up. Jin complied and wrapped the snake around his neck. He just hoped no one attacked him in an attempt to attack the snake. Kurama and Youko were trying to build up the courage to investigate the ominously quiet tent. Sophia held her staff at the ready, prepared to perform a sleep or paralysis spell on anything that threatened to cause more chaos. Touya was considering the sanity of these people and the consequences that might come from staying with them, not that he had much of a choice. All was quiet for just a moment. But when you get Irianna, Tawny, Psyche, and Darius all together, nothing stays quiet for long.
Irianna suddenly shot out of the tent like a rocket, Tawny right behind her. The two of them were a mess. Both of them were covered in dirt and ash from head to toe. Their clothes were torn and filthy. Tawny's braid was ruined, while Irianna looked like the Adams Family's Cousin It on a bad hair day. Their arms, legs, and faces were covered in small bruises and scratches. They were also clutching the large, spreading bruises on the their torsoes. But they were grinning.
An ash covered Irianna pumped her fist into the air. "That was frickin' sweet! I though I was gonna die, but it was just so awesome! What an adrenaline rush!"
Tawny was trying to pull what must have been Kurama's shoe off of her hand. "The Great Flying Iri. Who would have thunk it? I almost wet myself when I saw her flying at me. Damn that was scary."
Irianna was now hopping up and down, grinning wildly. If it weren't for the mature curves of her body, someone could have mistaken Irianna for a hyper kid instead of an energetic teenager. "I wanna do that again. Can I do it again? I'm gonna do it again!" And she shot for the creek. She didn't get very far, though. Jin and Touya both planted an arm in her way and lifted her off her feet, effectively preventing her from putting herself in further danger. They didn't need a trainer with broken bones. Irianna's energy instantly deflated and she let herself dangle from her Bishonens' arms. "Snap!"
Tawny had managed to yank Kurama's shoe off of her hand. She handed it to him with a sheepish grin. "Well, you heard me and Darius talk about Irianna and Psyche, right? The waif hanging from Jin and Touya's arms is Irianna. The blonde is Psyche."
Psyche grinned at Sophia and Kurama, ever friendly. Irianna moved her head at an odd angle just to get a look at the two of them and waved with one dusty hand. Kurama shook his head. These silly humans really did amaze him. Sophia smiled back at them. Now that the whole snake crisis was over, she didn't have any problem with hooking up with other trainers. The more the merrier was her mentality.
Youko looked up at the sky. The sun was about to be above the trees. "Riiight, more happy reunions. Whatever. I say we get Sasquatch and the midget a thorough bath and a change of clothes. Then we need to get walking."
Everyone but Tawny and Irianna laughed. They were just grinning evilly at the fox. The two of them would get their revenge later. You just didn't insult girls like them. Unfortunately, Youko didn't have much experience with girls like Tawny and Irianna.
Jus' about another hour 'til Epoh City, an' I'm damn well pleased wit' it. The woods be nice an' all, but I'll be right glad ta sleep in a proper bed an' wake up warm instead o' freezin' ta death in a tiny tent. Jin sighed and ran a hand through his wild hair. He grimaced at the feel of it. I'm not one ta be a clean freak or anyt'ing, but I'll be glad ta get a long, hot shower, too. Jin sighed and ran a hand through his wild hair. He grimaced at the feel of it.
Ahead of Jin was Irianna. The trainers Youko had dubbed Sasquatch and Midget had both bathed in a shallower part of the creek and changed clothes before the entire group packed up and set out. Now Jin's trainer was clad in a white strap shirt with the words "Eerie Wind Sprite" written in silver cursive on the front and a pair of silver fairy-like wings on the back, a midthigh-length faded denim skirt that rode low on her hips, and the same pair of white tennis shoes as before, though the tennis shoes were now far from white. Irianna's hair had been brushed and braided by Tawny and Psyche, as it was a job that could only be done properly by two people. The girl still looked fresh and rested, though the four trainers and their bishies had been on the road since about eight o'clock. It amazed Jin that such a waif of a girl could keep up that kind of pace and still have energy left.
To Jin's right, Touya was having a much less enjoyable time. The heat of the day had caught up to him hours ago. Bishonen like Touya, despite their place of birth, really belonged in colder regions. The heat of late spring didn't suit the Ice Master at all. Jin felt sorry for him. Maybe he should try to convince Irianna to visit the territories to the north? He was sure the girl would consent if she knew just how uncomfortable Touya was in this climate.
Lagging behind the group were Darius and Sophia. Darius, as far as Jin could tell, wasn't the toughest trainer to come through this world. Nor was he the bravest. He still refused to approach Marshmallow or anyone holding Marshmallow for any reason whatsoever. In fact, he kept about five feet of space or more between him and the snake. And Jin could have sworn the young man wilted in the heat. Darius's glasses kept threatening to slip off his face as he gained an increasingly thicker sheen of sweat. He had removed his shirt a long time ago, hoping the cool spring breeze would offer him some relief. He drug his feet along the ground as he walked and couldn't keep a good posture. The boy really was a sorry sight. Jin wondered how he would last in the heat of summer. Darius's Star Ocean Bishoujo, Sophia, wasn't quite as hopeless as her trainer. Sophia, though she was obviously uncomfortable in the heat, was always energetic. She didn't drag her feet like Darius, and even hummed a little as she walked, while Darius seemed out of breath. Sophia was about as small as Irianna and looked just as fragile, but Jin was sure she could hold up better than her trainer.
Ahead of Irianna were Psyche and Youko. Psyche. Jin couldn't find many words to describe that one that weren't associated with some kind of insanity. He wondered how Irianna could have possibly befriended someone like Psyche. Irianna was generally calm with rare spurts of energy or randomness, while Psyche was all energy and randomness. Jin didn't know either of them well enough to make many more contradictions between the two, but just looking at them showed anyone how different they were. And it didn't surprise Jin at all that Psyche had captured a Youko. Although Jin hadn't seen that side of Psyche yet, he knew a flirt when he saw one. He didn't take Psyche to be "easy" or anything, but he assumed she would react well to the kitsune's flirtatious ways. Or Psyche might brush off the fox's antics just to watch him pout. Either reaction out of the girl wouldn't surprise him.
Leading the group's progress were Kurama and Tawny. Tawny was odd, too, but not odd like Psyche was. From what he had learned, Tawny was only sixteen, making her the youngest of the trainers, yet it was Irianna that was considered the "baby". Of course, Tawny couldn't really be considered a "little" sister by anyone's standards. She was the tallest and most solidly built female newbie trainer he had ever come across. Not that this was a bad thing. Tawny didn't act as though she knew it, but the girl was very pretty. Jin doubted that Tawny cared about being pretty, though. Tawny looked as though she couldn't care less about what people thought about her. She also had an air of intelligence about her. Jin's experiences told him that most atheletic people were less serious about enhancing their intellect, but Tawny's eyes told a different story. The Wind Tamer instinctively respected the girl. He could see why a Kurama would be her first Bishonen. In a way, she was very much like Kurama. Tawny was obviously a great athelete, but she was equally as intelligent as she was strong.
Jin felt eyes on him. The source was his trainer. Irianna was walking backwards now, looking up into his face with wide eyes. Jin wondered how she kept from tripping herself. She wasn't the most graceful of people. Her eyes mirrored concern. They were also the sky blue color that seemed to him to be her natural eye color. It didn't creep him out as much that her eyes changed color as often as a dragon's, but he still hadn't figured out how she did it. He did have to say that he had a favorite eye color for Irianna: the vivid violet eyes that she prefered. When Irianna didn't look away, he smiled at her, a cue to voice whatever was on her mind.
Irianna seemed to be chewing on her tongue. She held his gaze, but obviously wanted to look away. When she spoke, it was in a quiet voice. "I didn't realize this until a little while ago, but I think I might have punched you when I stood up to find Marshmallow. I kind of remember hitting something that was soft but firm, and then I heard something hit the ground." Irianna looked down at the ground now. Color was tinging her cheeks. "I'm sorry about that. You can hit me back if you want. That's usually how I settle scores with my friends." Now she had her eyes clothes and her head bowed, waiting for Jin to bop her over the head.
The Wind Tamer had to try very hard not to laugh. The thought of him hitting her was just that ridiculous. He was afraid he might give her a lump with little more than a tap on the head. Besides, he had never been upset with her. Touya had done much worse to him without even meaning to(at least, he didn't think Touya had hit him on purpose), and Jin never got aggravated at him. Not that Jin could keep a grudge against something as cute as Irianna in the first place. There was just something about Irianna that made Jin want to protect her. He didn't want to hit her like she had hit him earlier that day. So instead of giving her the expected punishment, Jin reached forward, planted a hand on her head, turned her around with little effort, dragged her to his side, wrapped an arm around her slim shoulders, and pulled her to him in a companionable hug. Jin grinned down at her startled expression. "Only been two days an' yer already treatin' me like one o' yer close buddies? I'm flattered, Iri Gale! So, I'll just make ya gimme a massage when we get checked into a hotel instead o' riskin' a bump on yer poor head. How's that sound?"
The thought of giving anyone a massage--and being held so close by someone of the male gender--made Irianna blush furiously, but she nodded in a sort of resigned way. Jin grinned again and looked ahead of the group. His gaze strayed down the road. Someone was approaching. One of Jin's ears twitched, but not happily. He was seeing some wicked bad aura on this person.
Touya had nudged his friend with one elbow, effectively gaining Jin and Irianna's attention. He raised an eyebrow in the direction of the approaching stranger. Jin shrugged, as did Irianna. Ahead of those three, Psyche, Tawny, and their respective Bishonen had noticed the stranger, too. Kurama's eyes were narrowed at first, as were Youko's, but they both replaced those expressions with neutrality. Behind Jin, Touya, and Irianna, Sophia was muttering something to Darius, who immediately straightened his posture and looked cautiously ahead.
As the strange person came closer, Jin could make out more details. It was definitely female. Her hair was shoulder-length and dark brown. She was lean and stood about as tall Darius, maybe a little shorter. Jin thought she carried herself in an overly confident sort of way, like he had seen some of the more snobby trainers and bishies do. When she got a little closer, he noticed that she held a sour expression on her face. It looked to Jin like something foul was being held under her nose. Her eyes, as light green as Irianna's eyes were light blue, scanned the group with an expression of distaste, then realization. Her gaze eventually rested on Irianna. The stranger grinned, but not in a pleasant manner.
Touya was immediately on the other side of his trainer. Jin noted his friend's new position, then looked down at Irianna. Jin blinked. Irianna's eyes were burning red once again and narrowed dangerously. Jin glanced at the other three trainers. They all had similar expressions. They looked like they were about to tear that other trainer apart. I'm guessin' they know each other... Iri?
Irianna had shrugged her way out of Jin's embrace and was making her way toward the strange trainer. Marshmallow, who had been sliding along the ground beside her trainer, was now winding her way up Irianna's body. Once she took her customary position on Irianna's shoulders with her small head above Irianna's, she gave a warning hiss in the direction of the trainer. The other trainer looked ready to spit fire.
Jin and Touya both tensed slightly as Irianna approached the other girl. They stopped, ten feet of space between them. The wind picked up, sending clouds of dust and debris across the road. Irianna's long braid swayed and her chin-length hair seemed to find a life of its own. The other girl's brown hair flowed in tendrils around her face, giving her a kind of Medusa appearance. Irianna's red eyes flashed. Her light green eyes mirrored Irianna's reaction. Then she nodded toward Marshmallow, green eyes full of disdain.
"You're still carrying around that filthy pest? I was certain it would have escaped into the sewers where it belonged by now. How disappointing."
The girl's voice was grating on Jin's ears. She spoke as though only her words worth listening to, and whatever anyone else said was less than worthless gibberish. The girl obviously believed anyone would bend to her will when she spoke. Like Touya, Kurama, and Youko, Jin kept his face a clean slate, but he was picking up on his trainer's growing hostility. If this girl tried something, she would regret it. Jin was sure similar thoughts were going through Touya's head.
Irianna smiled sweetly. Youko and Jin had to fight not to grin, as did Irianna's three trainer friends. The combination of red eyes and sweet smile meant the girl was at her meanest. "I'm sorry, but I wouldn't want my dear, sweet Marshmallow to wallow in the kind of putrid filth akin to what comes from your mouth. And I certainly wouldn't want my sweet little baby to have to endure the presence of the equally disgusting creatures of which you must be a direct descendent of. Marshmallow's just too good for such wretched conditions and neighbors." Irianna's voice was soft and pleasant. Only her diction and Marshmallow's violent hissing and bared fangs betrayed her true feelings.
The strange girl instantly lost her composure. She sneered, her teeth grinding together, her fists clenched. The trainer almost launched herself at Irianna to pummel the much smaller girl to the ground. Then she remembered that she didn't have to do that in this world. She could just have one of her Bishonen beat Irianna's Bishonen to a bloody pulp and take the usual reward. The girl was grinning again, more nastily than ever. She put a hand on one of the Bish-ball's on her belt and pull it free. Light green eyes bore into Irianna, obviously challenging her. "Let's take care of this in what this world sees as the proper way. Gimme your best shot." The girl shouted the betting amount and released her Bishonen. "You game, McMillan?"
Irianna looked at the Bishonen her opponent had released and her smile became far sweeter than her opponent's grin was menacing. Marshmallow stopped hissing, but her pink eyes glared daggers at the other trainer. Irianna was looking at a San level Sanosuke, if his youthful eyes were any indication. Irianna looked back at Jin and Touya. "What level are you?"
They looked between each other. Touya raised an eyebrow at Jin and nodded for him to go. Jin had yet to achieve his Sama stage and needed experience, while Touya had just recently achieved Sama stage. Of course, Jin was almost ready to evolve. This Sanosuke looked pretty green. Touya was sure Jin's greater experience and demon strength was enough to beat a young Sanosuke, despite how inhuman their strength could be at times. Jin couldn't use his wind in this fight, but Touya didn't think he would need it either. With an excited and toothy grin, Jin stepped forward.
Irianna looked back at the strange girl. She tucked a piece of chin-length hair behnd her ear, briefly concealing her gaze. When revealed, her eyes had suddenly gone from burning red to vivid purple. Marshmallow was writhing in excitement and rubbing her cool, smooth body all over Irianna's torso, her mood changed by her owner's new state of mind. "I choose Jin to fight in this match." She looked back at the Wind Tamer. "Have fun, Jin."
The Sanosuke looked Jin over. The Wind Tamer saw confusion in his eyes. The human didn't know who Jin was. Jin had once known a Sama Sanosuke and had fought in a friendly bout or two against him. Thanks to that fact, Jin knew some of this human's strengths and weaknesses, while the Sanosuke had no clue about his opponent. Jin already had the upper hand.
"I consent ta fight on me trainer's beha'f!"
"I, too, consent to fight on my trainer's behalf! And learn some proper English, man!"
Every other person on the road sweatdropped.
Jin just shrugged. "Wha? I ju's got an accent is all. Anyhoo, let's get started!"
The wind picked up and swirled around Jin in a miniature cyclone. Sanosuke held his arms up to block the stirred dust, and so he didn't see Jin as the whirlwind died and Jin shot forward. The Wind Tamer got in the first blow of the match with a stunning punch to Sanosuke's exposed middle. The fighter doubled over, gasping, only to receive a powerful uppercut to the chin that sent him flying up and back to land five feet from his original spot.
By now, the small crowd of trainer's and bishies had taken seats on the sides of the road and far back from the battleground. The brown-haired trainer was shouting a mixture of curses and encouragement to the fallen Sanosuke. Irianna was silent, taking in the scene with sharp eyes, Marshmallow mimicking her. She concentrated her ears on the sounds of the two fighters. If she payed attention, she might be able to warn Jin about an unnoticed incoming blow in time for him to block or dodge. Around her, Irianna's friends and their respective bishies were keeping silent, intent on the match. She was grateful. Jin didn't need any distractions.
Sanosuke was back on his feet and showering Jin with fists, trying to land a hit. Jin was blocking each and every punch with open palms, but Irianna knew he couldn't keep it up for long. Jin lost some of his speed when he agreed not to use his wind. That left him and Sanosuke pretty equal. Eventually, Jin would slip or get distracted and Sanosuke would catch him in the gut or face or try a kick. When that happened, Sanosuke wouldn't let up his attack to let Jin recover like Jin had let Sanosuke get back to his feet. He would take full advantage of any of the demon's weaknesses. Irianna figured Jin already knew all of this, though.
Jin was very much aware of what would inevitably happen if he continued blocking Sanosuke's punches. Instead of waiting for himself to screw up or for Sanosuke to come up with another plan, Jin caught both of the human's fist, almost crushing them in his own hands, and kicked Sanosuke's legs out from under him. The inexperienced fighter was caught off guard once again. Before he could reach the ground, Jin connected his fist to Sanosuke's chin once more, sending him into the air. Sanosuke fell to Jin's height and was met with an onslaught of rapid, powerful punches to his whole torso. After a while, Jin ceased the series of blows and jumped back to watch Sanosuke hit the ground.
Irianna was smiling radiantly. Jin was doing well. Irianna did suspect, however, that Jin's success was due in part to Sanosuke's youth. Sanosuke had made many mistakes that an older version of himself would never make even on an off day. That was part of why Jin felt he could afford to let Sanosuke get to his feet without being attacked. Jin wasn't facing a challenge. He was giving the Sanosuke time to realize his mistakes so that he might gain more experience and become a better challenger some time in the future. Irianna was once again reminded of how much she adored her Bishonen. She greatly admired how his ideals were reflected in battle. Irianna wasn't regretting this match one bit.
The other trainer was no where near as happy. She was seething with rage. Her Bishonen was failing her!
The Sanosuke was on his feet again, but he was looking shaky. Jin stood just five feet from him, his arms at his sides. Sanosuke was obviously tiring. Jin had worked up a good sweat, but was more than ready for another round. The demon looked at Sanosuke and grinned.
"Ya be puttin' up a good fight, laddie, but ya still need some experience ta be on par wit' me. Whaddya say we finish this up quick an' plan on a rematch someday, eh?"
Sanosuke grinned. "You knew ahead of time that I wouldn't just foreit, didn't you? Well, you were right. I won't give up. Now let's finish this!"
Jin grinned as Sanosuke rushed at him. The guy had a true fighting spirit. Jin looked forward to fighting him again after Sanosuke became stronger. But for now, the human was just too inexperienced and too predictable. As Sanosuke rushed at Jin, he left his flanks exposed, unprotected. Jin leapt out of Sanosuke's way and brought up a knee to nail his opponent in the ribs. The blow knocked the breath out of Sanosuke and unbalanced him. Jin didn't give him time to fall. He followed up the blow to the ribs with a series of punches to his torso, keeping him off the ground with the sheer force. Then he executed another uppercut, sending Sanosuke high into the air. Sanosuke landed eight feet away. He was gasping with pain. The human fighter struggled to get to his feet, but to no avail. He finally gave up and lay panting on the ground.
...,4, 3, 2, 1... Jin wins, Irianna thought to herself. Marshmallow hissed, this time in delight at her owner's sudden elation. Then Irianna looked up at her approaching Bishonen. Her deadly sweet smile became a genuine smile as she happily wrapped her arms around the Wind Tamer. "Congratulations! I'm proud of you, Jin. You'll be a Sama in no time at all!" Jin answered her with an equally tight embrace and a tussel of her copper hair. Marshmallow had migrated to Jin's shoulders and was soaking in the heat his body radiated, her forked tongue flicking contentedly. Irianna, still hugging her victorious Bishonen, stared at the other trainer. "Well?"
The trainer was livid. Her mouth was working, but no words came forth. She took a bag of coins from her pocket, tossed it with a curse at Irianna's feet, and screamed her frustration. The trainer looked at Sanosuke with as much disdain as she had had for Irianna and her friends. The beaten Bishonen was sitting up now, but didn't look quite ready to get on his feet. The trainer didn't care. She smacked Sanosuke over the back of his head with his Bish-ball. Before he could complain, Sanosuke had disappeared. Still furious, the trainer stomped off down the road, headed away from Epoh City.
Sophia looked at the retreating girl and back at the group. "What's her problem? I've never seen a trainer that furious at losing. And what's her grudge with us? I've never seen her before, nor have I done her any wrong!"
Darius shook his head and squeezed his Bishoujo's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry about her. We've known that chick for years. She's got a grudge against the snake, so naturally she's got a grudge against Irianna and her friends, too."
Youko blinked and looked at Kurama. Kurama looked just as confused. They asked at the same time, "She has a grudge against Marshmallow?"
Irianna crouched to the ground to retrieved the bag of coins as she spoke. "Actually, it's kind of a stupid reason to have a grudge against a snake. You see, I took Marshmallow to school as often as possible back in our home world. That girl, Sarah Grace, hates snakes almost as much as she hates me. She was constantly teasing me and insulting me, all because I had a snake for a pet. I knew that she teased me because she had a fear of snakes. It was obvious. One day, a teacher asked me to pass Marshmallow around for the class to see. Marshmallow had become something of a celebrity at our school by then. When a student tried to pass Marshmallow to Sarah, Sarah slapped their hand and deliberately knocked Marshmallow to the floor. Marshmallow made an honest attempt to escape at first, but then Sarah stepped on her tail and threatened to kill her. Instead of letting Sarah abuse her, Marshmallow reached back and bit Sarah's ankles at least five or six times each. There was no lasting damage, just a few tiny scars from little snake fangs. The wounds never even got infected."
Touya scratched his head. "She hates you and the snake that much over a few little scars? Big deal! She tried to kill your pet. She's lucky she got away with just a few bites to the ankle. So is that really it?"
Now it was Psyche's turn to narrate. "Well, Sarah's what you would consider to be your stereotypical 'prep'. Part of what that entails is that she is extremely vain. This incident happened to take place just before her first beauty pageant. She complained that she couldn't wear the dress she had chosen, because her ankles had been 'mauled by a vicious beast.' Every since then, she's tried to get back at Irianna and Marshmallow, all because Irianna refused to apologize for the snake's actions or have the 'vicious beast' destroyed. Of course, Iri's always had her best buddies to help her keep the score balanced in her and Marshmallow's favor." Psyche cast mischievous glances at her friends. Tawny and Darius grinned and chuckled at old memories. Irianna was looking thoughtful. "Well, anyway... That was fun, but let's get to Epoh! I be needin' a shower an' a proper bed to be restin' in, so I say!"
All those around her nodded, with the exception of Irianna and Jin. Irianna was still thinking about something. Jin looked indignant. "Now what ya be makin' fun o' me for? Tha's not nice! I'll get ya for that, ya scrawny, two-tone haired, ditzy--"
Psyche yelped as Jin ran at her and she took off down the road like a shot. Marshmallow hissed in surprise at the sudden burst of speed and held tightly to Jin's shoulders, neck, hair, and bit firmly on his horn. Youko was right on their heels, shouting for Jin to leave his trainer alone. Tawny and Kurama were laughing their heads off as they ran after the three of them. Darius and Sophia would have been laughing, too, but running didn't leave them with much breath for it. Touya had stayed behind. He was watching Irianna as she placed a bouquet of flowers on the soft grass lining the road. She seemed to be muttering to herself, and strange emotions showed through her eyes, yet not once did she reach up to change her contacts with her mood. Something was bothering her.
Irianna stood up from depositing the flowers she had collected the day before. She hadn't thought she would be meeting with all of her friends so soon after picking them. But what would happen to the four of them now? And why was Sarah Grace in Bishonen world? She had voiced her opinion of such interests as anime, books, and games many times, and it wasn't one of approval. So how did someone who wasn't an otaku get here? Irianna knew that none of Sarah's friends were otakus, so she couldn't have discovered the link in one of their e-mail accounts by mistake, could she? Why else would she be here, though? How did Sarah get the link?
The thoughtful girl felt eyes on her and turned to face Touya. His expression was unreadable, but something about the way his eyes glittered in the dying sunlight registered concern. Irianna just smiled and started after Jin, Psyche, Youko, and the others, Touya wordlessly following her. With a sudden burst of energry, Irianna ran after her friends. She caught up with Jin and hopped onto to his back, her arms around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist. Jin nearly tumbled to the ground in surprise. Marshmallow hissed her displeasure at nearly being squished between two much larger bodies. Touya couldn't help but grin. Even if she wasn't really in better spirits than before, Irianna still wouldn't have her friends worrying over her, even a friend as new as Touya was to her. That kind of action showed the manner of strength she possessed. Touya was starting to think more and more highly of the scrawny girl.
Before he caught up with his trainer and friend, Touya tossed a glance over his shoulder. The bouquet of flowers, lying in a patch of green grass lighted the bright orange rays of the sun at dusk, seemed to signify the start of something new, something good. The Ice Master had a feeling that he would not regret being captured by Irianna Gale McMillan.
In the distance, Epoh City was silhoutted by the setting sun.
Wow! This chapter was so much longer than the first two. I had fun writing it, though. And so much happened! Anyway, what did you think? Was the humor good? Do I have too much dialogue? Was the chapter too long? Were the first two chapter too short? Did I do a good job describing the fight scene? Actually, I was very proud of how I portrayed the battle between Sanosuke and Jin. Who cares about what I think, though! What did you think? Read and Review please! I beg of you! If you don't, Jin will be sad! Just look at him!
Jin: (big, bubbly eyes and drooping ears) You'll review, won'tcha? You'll be makin' me sad if ya don'!
See what I mean? You can't tell me you can resist that face. I certainly can't! (glomps Jin) Review please! Thank you!