Author's Note: Nothing to say except here's Chapter 2.
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"You didn't have to yank me in like that," Jay growled.
"Hey, the forest is a dangerous place during a thunderstorm," Moses told him. "You never know where lightnin' will strike."
Just then, a particularly loud thunderclap boomed outside.
"Ahh!" Jay stumbled forward, crashing into the bandit, who gently embraced him.
Moses grinned. "See what I mean?"
Jay collected himself and pushed away from him. He then turned his back with an angry "Hmph!"
"Now why you gotta be like that?" Moses asked.
"Don't think that I have any intention of getting romantic with you," Jay said.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Silence.
"Oh fine, whatever. Awoo!" Moses went to the bed at the back of the room and threw himself on top of it. He then looked up at Jay and patted the mattress. "Come on, Jay."
Jay turned to face him, thrusting his arms downward. "I just told you...! Oh, never mind..."
He went to the window and folded his arms, watching the raindrops streaming down. Jay reached out and dragged his fingers down on the window glass.
Meanwhile, Moses stared up at the ceiling, listening to the sound of the rain pelting on the rooftop. "That rain is music to my ears. It kinda puts you in a certain mood, don't it?"
"I...I have no idea what you're talking about," Jay insisted. He then muttered to himself, "Why do I always get stuck with this stupid bandit?"
"Must be fate tryin' to tell us somethin'."
"Wh...what is it?"
"That you and me were meant to be together. Like the Bouncers said, we're bound together by the shackles of love. Just look at us, trapped together in the Forest of No Return in the middle of a vicious thunderstorm..."
Jay stomped his foot. "Keep your homosexual fantasies to yourself!"
Moses sat up on the edge of the bed. "Jay, what is it?"
"What?"
"I know what it is...it's those ninjas, isn't it? They're chasin' you again, aren't they?"
Jay looked over at him, narrowing his eyes. "I'd like to know what makes you so sure."
Moses stood up. "Look, people may call me stupid, but I know you better than anyone else, Jay. Normally you stay cool and all, but when it comes to that Solon guy..."
Jay immediately turned back to the window upon hearing his former master's name.
"My case in point," Moses remarked.
"All he's done to me throughout these years is more than I care to talk about," Jay said. "He saved my life after my real parents had abandoned me. But what he's done to me is even worse than death! Yet he led me to believe that all that training was for my own sake. But...I know better now. He only wanted to see me suffer through that training and abuse for his own amusement! I wanted out! I wanted to live! I wanted to be happy!
"When Solon left me to die and the Oresoren saved me, I thought I had finally been freed. I finally had the life that I wanted, living happily with the Oresoren. And when I joined Senel's group, I found more happiness than I could have ever hoped for."
Moses moved closer to Jay, stopping only a few feet behind him. "Jay..."
Jay clenched his fist as his eyes began to well with tears. "But then...then he came back! He hadn't changed a bit! He kept hitting me! He manipulated me by threatening to murder the Oresoren! And now he's torturing me for information on the Nerifes Cannon!"
He began to pound his fists on the window sill. "Damn him! Why won't he leave me alone? Why can't he just grow old and die already?"
"Jay!" Moses seized him by the shoulders and turned him around. "This ain't like you at all! This ain't the Jay I know! The Jay I know always stays calm! The Jay I know always comes up with a plan to defeat his enemies! That's the Jay I know...the Jay I love."
Jay looked up at him, tears streaming down his cheeks. "M...Moses..."
Moses slowly pulled him closer, pressing Jay's head gently into his chest. Jay found himself in no position to resist, as he carefully embraced the bandit.
"Remember what I told you last time we were together like this?" Moses asked. "I meant what I said. I will protect you. That's what family is all about."
"Moses...why? Why is this...?"
"Don't talk no more, Jay. Just let me hold you for a while."
Jay buried his face in Moses' chest, sobbing quietly. Moses placed his hand on the small of Jay's back and slowly moved it up to his head, where he played with his ponytail for a bit.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Both Moses and Jay perked up.
"Damn...it's Solon!" Jay gasped. "If he catches me in this position..."
"Here, I'll get rid of him," Moses said. "You just hurry up and hide."
Jay dashed into the back room. Moses went to the door, then made a final check to make sure the coast was clear. When he confirmed that the room was empty, he turned around and opened the door.
"Ah, greeting, Moses Sandor," Solon said with a wicked grin.
Moses grinned as well. "Hi...Solon, was it? To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I just dropped by. Forgive me if I'm interrupting anything..."
"Nah, nothin' at all."
"Hmm..." Solon looked up at the sky. "Would you mind if I came in out of the rain for a little while?"
"Uh...sure, why not?"
"Thank you." Solon casually stepped into the house, and Moses closed the door.
Moses, what the hell are you doing? Jay thought. You were supposed to get rid of him!
Moses walked around the room, lighting every candle he had set up. He then poured two glasses of water and handed one to Solon. Together, they sat at the table.
"So...how goes the assassin business?" Moses asked. "You still killin' people?"
"Merely killing people does not quench my thirst," Solon replied. "I like to make it last."
"Oh, is that so?"
"I like to see warfare. People shooting, slashing, and ripping away at each other, spilling blood...all the cries of pain...that's what makes me feel alive."
Moses scratched his head. "Uh..."
"My current objective is the Nerifes Cannon. If I could just use its power for my own purpose, every country in the world will be fighting for it. I needed Jay to tell me how it works...ah, but he's a stubborn little boy..."
"You think so?"
"How about you, Moses?" Solon asked. "You've been with Jay's group long enough. Perhaps you might know how the Nerifes Cannon works?"
"How the hell should I know? I'm the 'stupid bandit,' remember? I don't know nothin'."
"Hmm...it looks like I'll have to continue searching for Jay. In fact, he's here right now, is he not?"
"Hmm...nope, Jay ain't here," Moses said.
"Are you certain? I can sense him quite clearly."
"Maybe your senses are broken."
"In fact, I could swear I heard his voice yelling for me to grow old and die."
Moses grinned. "Hah hah! That sounds like somethin' he'd say. He's an adorable little bastard, ain't he? I suppose he gets that from you, since you raised him and all..."
"Are you implying something, by chance?" Solon asked.
"No...I'm just sayin' you raised him."
"Hmm." Solon stood up and walked around the room, examining the candles. "What are these candles for?"
"When it rains like this, I like to turn out all the lights and just sit in the candlelight, and listen to the rain and thunder. It's a day in the life of a beast tamer."
"A beast tamer? Interesting..." Solon returned to the table. "That reminds me, I saw a galf with you a few times...that was a grand galf, was it not?"
"Yeah, that was Giet. Giet and me, we got a real strong bond."
"Yes, I've noticed that. Grand galves are quite the violent creatures, aren't they? And you look like a wild man..."
Moses glared at him. "Hey, just what are you gettin' at?"
Solon grinned now. "You should join me, Moses. You and your grand galf; together we shall create a world awash in blood..."
"Hey, you're just tryin' to take advantage of Giet! Well, I won't let that happen! I told you before, you and me got real different ideas of fun!"
Solon sighed. "Very well, if that is your decision." He finished his glass of water. "Well, I'm afraid I've kept you too long. I must continue my search for my apprentice."
He stood up and headed for the front door, and Moses followed him closely with a wide grin.
"Really? Well, it was nice chattin' with you," Moses said. "Be sure to drop by the hospital and get your senses fixed. And don't let the door hit you on the way out."
As soon as Solon was outside, Moses slammed the door. Solon merely turned his head backwards.
"Stupid bandit..." Solon then disappeared in a puff of brown smoke.
Moses stared at the door for a moment, until Jay emerged from the back room.
"You can relax now," Jay said. "I can't sense him anymore."
"What is with you and these 'senses'?" Moses asked.
Jay shrugged. "It's just part of our training."
"Well, whatever. Shall we get back to it?"
"Wha...?"
Moses reached over the flicked the switch, turning out all of the lights in the room.