Stolen Sultras

Chapter Two

Ginji: These Strangers are Weird.

Things haven't been going well for the GetBackers lately. Not many rich clients, no new adventures. In other words, they were broke. Ginji, ever the optimist, always accepted even the cheap-paying jobs, much to the pessimistic Ban's annoyance. It was hardly even enough to get them instant ramen. Kind Natsumi, the part-time counter girl in the Honky Tonk cafe, would give them cake once in a while, when Paul Wan, the owner of Honky Tonk, wasn't looking.

The door chimes rang once again. Either it would be some of their old friends, like Kadsuki, Juubei and Hevn who at this moment were taking their daily coffee and cake in the cafe, or some random customer of Paul's. The people who entered the cafe were four guys, the Sanzoikkou. The travelling monk and his 'friends' were famous practically everywhere but here. Ginji and Ban paid little attention to the newcomers and continued arguing over the last slice of cake. Ginji, seated facing the door was curious enough to notice that there were four of them,

A blond serious guy "He's too grumpy...", a younger one wearing a red bucket hat "Maybe we could be friends?", A red-haired man who looked a lot like Jackal "It says on his shirt 'Pimp Me.' ", And a smiling man with glasses "He could get along well with Ban, I think.".

The redhead was eyeballing Hevn, seated in the table across Ban. Ginji snickered, knowing how angry Hevn could get at times. The blond guy took a table to their right, not saying a word. He had abnormally shifty eyes. The glasses guy and Bucket hat Boy were trying to order something from Paul, who was insisting that they didn't have meatbuns. Ban was eating the cake which Ginji had left unguarded while he was looking around, Ginji didn't seem to mind anymore. Something about the glasses guy and hat Boy made Ginji eavesdrop on their conversation.

Glasses guy had a friend named Sanzo who lost something...A "maten sultra". What was that anyway? Then Ginji overheard something about Demons and Tenjiku.

Hat boy nodded and said sadly, "I don't think we can go there if we don't find it. How did Sanzo's scriptures get lost anyway?"

Ginji smiled and pumped his fist in the air. Another job!

"Did Kougaiji follow us here?"

Glasses guy laughed. "Possible, but unlikely."

At that, Ginji disappeared and asked Paul, "Hey, can you do me a favor, Paul? Just give them...Thanks, Paul! Put it on our tab."

Ginji smiled. He walked back to his table, where Ban was polishing off the second-to-the-last slice of cake. "Here, Ginji. You have the last bit."

"Ban! I'm too excited to eat! We've got a job again!"

"Don't tell me those four guys have a job for us..."

"Well, they lost something and I asked Paul to advertise for us a little..."

Ban whacked Ginji on the head with his spoon. "They better not be cheapskates. Hey, where'd Hevn go to?"

o0o0o0o0o

Moments later, Ginji heard an argument brewing from the three guys' table.

Blond guy stood up and yelled at his two tablemates. "You told everybody?"

Glasses man looked guilty. "Well, Sanzo, your scriptures were stolen, so me and Goku tried looking for help. This guy called Paul, the owner of this cafe gave us a cheesecake for free and said that those two paid for it and they were part of a retrieval service..."

Ginji grinned at his partner, who was raising his eyebrow in disagreement. "This is our cue, Ban-chan!"

Hat Boy smiled weakly and pointed to Ginji and Ban. "Ahm, Sanzo...Those are the Getbackers."

The blond guy, Sanzo, twitched. "Goku, What good is a vacation when you can't relax?"

Ban whispered to Ginji, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Ginji paid no attention to Ban's misgivings. "Mr. Sanzo, I'm Ginji and my friend here is Ban. We're the Getbackers. If it's stolen..."

Ban rolled his eyes and said drolly, "...We'll steal it back. 100 percent Success Rate."

Sanzo groaned. "We're looking for the Maten Sultra, which got lost on the way to this idiotic place."

Glasses man pointed out, "Ah, Sanzo, to be exact, it got lost earlier in the airport because someone picked your shoulders...I mean, they're not picking pockets so they can't be pickpockets..."

Sanzo groaned twice as loudly. "Hakkai, shut up. You're making my head hurt." He looked up to Ban and Ginji, slightly interested. "I give up. How much do you charge?"

Ban brought out an intermediate pad paper and consulted it. "Oh, some few thousand."

Hakkai smiled. He had an idea. "If we join you in looking for it, will you cut the price in half?"

Ginji covered Ban's mouth and nodded. "We'll cut it by 25 percent!"

Ban, for once, agreed with Ginji. If those guys joined, the job would be easier and the pay would still be pretty good.

Sanzo and Goku looked a little worried at Hakkai's suggestion. It would be good, but Sanzo really wanted to take a break. Goku was just worrying about his eating pattern.

Goku then thought of something to support both his and Ginji's stomach. After all, he heard it grumbling loudly, like thunder. Thunder...

"Ginji-san, I have a proposition for you."

Ginji happily anwered the boy with the bucket hat. "Hm? What?"

Goku grinned evilly. "Are you good at eating contests? Because if you aren't and you lose to me, we get the price cut in half!"

It was Ginji's turn to grin evilly now. "I'm good...If me and Ban-chan win, then we get the price doubled..."

Sanzo and Hakkai covered Goku's ears and mouth before he could do anything else.

Hakkai looked worried. "Don't you think that's risky, Goku-chan?"

Goku took Sanzo's hand off his mouth. "Don't worry, Hakkai. if you like, you can join too. Me and you versus Ginji and Ban."

Ban and Hakkai blinked. It was body language for "What the hell!"

Hakkai then suggested something. "Ban, do you drink beer?"

Ban twitched. "Of course I do...sometimes..."

Sanzo stood up. "ParaParaaa! Goku vs. Ginji in an eating contest, while Ban goes against Hakkai in a drinking contest! I'll be judge."

Paul grinned secretly. "They'll eat alot, drink alot, and I'll get paid alot, hopefully by the blond guy in the Lacoste polo."

Ginji looked at everyone. "So it's agreed then? Tomorrow afternoon?"

"I'll put up a sign announcing this!", shouted Paul.

Sanzo, Goku, Hakkai and Ban stood up and did a High-5. "Tomorrow afternoon!"

Hakkai put a finger to his temple. "Um, has anyone seen Gojyo? I'm sure he'd love to watch."

Gojyo and Hevn entered through the back door. The blonde lady turned bright pink. "My, time flies so fast...Is this a good time?"

Gojyo put an arm on Hevn's shoulder. "Please, Miss...not in public..."

Ban fainted while Sanzo promptly whacked Gojyo on the head repeatedly.

Next chapter, The eating contest!

(Spoiler note: Kougaiji WILL come out, don't worry! Or maybe you should start...)

Ashke: Man, Hakkai...Are you sure you want to drink again? Not after what happened last time?

Hakkai : Look, Ash, I couldn't tell the difference between Hakuryuu and the pillow, K?

Goku: Hakkai could get drunk?

Ashke: Hakkai, remember what happened after that? wink wink

Hakkai: Please don't mention it...

Gojyo: You mean the weird dance you were doing while singing off-key?

Hakkai: Aww...You two never give me any breaks. Just don't describe it...

Ashke: Don't worry, I won't make you do anything weird this time. -hugs- Just read this here...

Hakkai: -reads from paper- Please review.