Me: Another chapter. Yay! ^^
Sanzo: *reads chapter* What the Hell!!!?
Me: Do you like it, ne, Sanzo, ne? ^^
Sanzo; I sound like a total asshole, of course not!
Gojyo: Maybe 'cuz you are an asshole, asshole.
Sanzo: Say that again and I swear to God I will shoot your mouth off.
Gojyo: What God? Do you even have one?
Me: O.O (Nice comeback.)
Sanzo: What did you say!!!!??? :[
Hakkai: Ara, on with chapter! ^_^
--
I slowly inched my way towards the corner that would finally release me from this dreaded hell hole.
Last night was stressful, two of those Youkai exterminating jerks actually had the nerve to book a room right next to mine and to tell you the truth I did not get an easy sleep.
I swore they were up until 3 o'clock in the morning and god, were they loud! What do they do in there!? Well one thing was for sure; they were playing mahjong. I could hear their loud battle cries of their results and their come backs when someone lost or claimed the other cheated. Oh, it was absolute hell.
I couldn't sleep until finally I heard a couple of them leave the room with their good nights and whatever, and then the room beside me was finally quiet enough for me to sleep.
And now here I was, 6 o'clock in the morning, trying to sneak out while they were still asleep, at least I think they were. Well if they were travelers that choose to stay out for that long their bound to sleep in anyway.
I peeked around the corner that led downstairs and found myself coming face to face with the pretty young girl who had been operating the rooms last night. An amused smile was present on her face as I yelped; startled to see her oh so suddenly right in the middle of my great escape of deepening another great black hole in my restless mission.
"Good morning, Hunter-san." She greeted me.
I took a slight step back and took a quick moment to catch my beating heart.
"Oh, I'm sorry if i scared you." She said also taking a cautious step back. I smiled.
"No, no. I was just a little... startled." I said with a sweat drop running down the side of my forehead.
"Well, it's a little early for someone such as yourself to be up now. Are you leaving?" She asked me with her hands on her hips.
I nodded nonetheless.
"Really? That's too bad, I actually wanted to give you a free breakfast today because I thought you might still be a little worn out from you're journey here.
I shook my head and smiled at her once again.
"I'm fine, really." I insisted. "I'm actually on a very tight schedule."
The young lady hummed in disapproval, guess she's the motherly type.
"Well, I still recommend you to stay a little bit longer but if you insist, then at least take a boxed meal with you." She said.
I perked up at that.
"That would be really nice, thanks." I smiled at the girl's consideration.
She was the type not to forced people into something they don't want but at least she thought of the possibilities.
"Come around to the front and wait for a bit, it won't be long to prepare." She said leading me to the front of the bar side of the building. It was one of those typical places you would run into around here, it was a bar but upstairs it was also an inn.
I waited in-front of the counter as she went off to prepare the meal.
'I wonder if Kurapica's already here...?' I thought to myself, absently drumming my fingers on the counter top. 'Oh, what am I thinking? I only called him yesterday. There's no way that he'd arrived now...'
I took back that thought. 'Actually if he left this morning then... Shit!' I scowled to myself.
'I'm getting way over my head this time...'
I was too entranced by my thoughts that I didn't notice any of the familiar voices that were slowly making its way down the stairs, nor did I not notice the heavy footsteps of other people running down.
But when I did, I had already caught sight of one of their brown coats, panic began to come over my nerves as I almost immediately reached back to pull the hood of my coat over my head, shadowing over my head. I quickly pulled up the thick black mask up and over my mouth, covering at least half of my visage once more.
Long strands of my silver hair protruding from the hood yet it still concealed the fact that I could be that same woman that they had run into.
"I couldn't get any sleep last night, thanks a lot you snoring idiot of a monkey!!" I heard the red-headed one which I remembered to be named Gojyo yell out to the younger looking one which I also presumed to be called Goku.
"Shut up, you kappa! Why didn't you just run into Sanzo's room and sleep in his bed, huh!?" Goku yelled back.
Ooh, good come back. I could've laughed right then and there but that obviously was out of the question.
"Why don't you both shut the hell up before I shoot both your mouths off with one bullet!" The Sanzo priest with issues growled swinging something across their heads making them wince back and cower from the almighty one.
"Now, now. It's early in the morning; please don't make it hard for all of us." The calmer one that I remembered to be Hakkai said, I could just sense that smile behind that very tone of his.
Yes, these were a very strange band of men right here.
"Sanzo~! I'm Hungry!!" Goku whined childishly.
"Shut up, Saru. I'm not in the mood for your pointless whining." His reply was accompanied with an exasperated sigh.
Finally they had arrived beside me in-front of the counter; I noticed that they're once again dressed in those very dodgy looking cloaks and glasses. I slowly inched back from them, trying to avoid them as much as possible.
"Hey, Hakkai. What time is it?' Gojyo asked.
"Oh, Um let me ask."
Shit. Please don't ask me! Please don't ask me!
I shut my eyes with a desperate plea of those certain words.
I felt his fingers tap against my shoulder in a gentle and soft manner.
"Excuse me, Um, might you know what the time is?" His voice sounded so gentle and warm. It almost made me wanna reply back with the same gentle smile but I knew that wouldn't be a good thing.
Dammit! I was in deep shit now.
"U-um..." I stammered behind my mask, only barely giving the group a slight glance, the words stumbling out in incoherent jumbles of letters and words.
"Sorry?" He asked, I noticed the others were eyeing me quite curiously. It seems they noticed that they were not the only ones that were dressed like this.
"Sorry for the wait, Hunter-san." Crap! So much for smart girl...
She came out of the kitchen with the said lunch box in her hands, which was wrapped in a pretty sky blue cloth. But then she stopped upon seeing the four strange looking men also standing beside the now very distressed looking me.
"Oh, I'm sorry to keep you waiting." She apologized to the others with a bow.
"No problems at all, miss. Take your time, I-we don't mind waiting." I nearly rolled my eyes as Gojyo flashed her one of his very over rated looking smirks which she simply returned with a small smile and turned back to me.
"Now, I'm pretty sure that would be enough until lunch, so don't worry about anything." she grinned at me. "And why are you wearing such warm clothing at a time like this, it is summer now you know."
I nearly grimaced, wondering to myself if she was doing this on purpose.
I nodded anyway and managed a smile beneath my mask.
"Er, thank you." I said softly, careful not to let the others hear my voice.
I felt a strong pair of eyes on me and almost lost my will power of not causing a scene, especially after what I went through with them.
I took the box in my arms and nodded her way with a hidden smile underneath my mask, turning to leave I was about to rush off but found my elbow being caught and pulled back thus resulting into my hood also slipping from my head to reveal the color of my striking lilac hair.
I contained a silent gasp that was sealed by the mask and instead turned to look back with widened yet strangely enough agitated eyes.
"Oi." I was that annoying priest again.
I scowled at him, what kind of a priest grabs random people like that!? Seriously! The nerve!
"What-" He cut me off.
"What's your name?" It was more of an angry demand for me to give in to him rather than a harmless question which resulted into me now glaring harshly towards the man with my eyes flickering angry flames, I could practically sense that twitching spark of conflict building between me and him.
"Didn't your mom ever tell you not to talk to strangers?" One small teaching I had picked in the Hunter exam; Trust no one, especially if they are willing to grab you by the arm just for your status.
I could see that almost surprised look in the priest's eyes, but I could barely even notice that my mask was beginning to loosen up due to my haste in putting it on.
"Sanzo, what- Mmf!!" Little Goku was suddenly cut off as Gojyo smacked his hand across his mouth to prevent him from further disruption.
"Sanzo?" The young lady behind the counter repeated with a slight cock of the head. Then realization hit her as her mouth formed into an almost silent gasp.
"Y-y-you're...!" She stuttered looking a little flustered.
Then finally it all came down, literally.
I felt the cold fresh air hitting against my exposed skin, gasps and wide eyes looking my way except for the young lady at the back who only looked rather curious at to why this man would be harassing me in such a way.
"I knew it." The Sanzo scowled at me.
"Let go of me." I sneered snatching my arm away from his surprisingly tight grip. Why in the hell would he be angry?
"Oh, it looks like we meet again." Hakkai smiled my way, proceeding to removing the dark glasses from his eyes and lowering down his hood. The others followed.
"Wow, it's a small world after all." Gojyo smirked my way.
"It's her!" Goku uttered looking the most shocked.
I cursed under my breath, damn this. Damn that priest, damn his friggin' attitude, damn the world. Dammit all!
"Yes, yes. It's really nice seeing you all, but I must be on my way. I have a lunch date to attend to." I, of course, joked in a rather mocking way before swiftly pulling my hood up and turning to leave.
If they were real heroes they would let me go, but when the Sanzo priest grabbed me once again it proved otherwise.
"Let me go." I was really losing my patience with this guy; I mean what was his problem? Didn't he have his own business to tend to, he looks like the guy who wouldn't really give a shit on what other people did or think as long as they didn't get in his way but it seems my calculations have just been proved false. Which ticked me off, to be honest.
I was always good at that though, knowing what others were like right from their expressions to how they respond and interact. It's what got me through to being a hunter in the first place.
"Don't make me repeat myself, I said let me go." Growling, it took nearly all of my will power not to just swing a very tight fist ready to be formed.
"Tell me your name." He narrowed his eyes, damn he was persistent.
"Um, I'm sorry but..." The young lady behind the counter interrupted timidly.
I looked over the man's broad shoulder; a very unintentional scowl was presented which made her cringe slightly.
"I-I'm sorry... but..." She stammered. "C-could you please not... argue here... There are c-customers..."
I nearly flushed with embarrassment at the statement.
Ok, one more thing I learnt in the hunter exam: Never do something to ruin your reputation.
And right now, I was probably slicing it up pretty badly.
Glancing over my shoulder I could see a young couple followed by a mother and two children staring at us with great caution and at the same time; fear.
Oh no... Now there was one thing that would completely shatter a good hunter's reputation; and that was the fear from the public. It was never a good sign if they thought you of the opposite of your intentions.
Swallowing quite thickly, a sudden memory flashed across my mind.
"Don't cry... please."
"No stay away from me!"
Shoving that dreadful memory out of my mind I turned back to the four men who all looked at me with great intensity.
"Sanzo, I think it would be best to leave the young lady alone." Hakkai said.
Good advice, now I suggest you follow it. I nearly growled out at him.
Sanzo looked from Hakkai to me a slow stretch of silence beginning to form between us as I glared harshly up at him, showing that I clearly did not appreciate the feeling of him being so close to me with such a look on his feminine face.
Gritting his teeth, he gave my arm another tight squeeze before letting it fall back to my side.
I looked at them with a hard determined sort of look, turning to the girl close by I tried to give her at least one more courteous smile before letting it fall and finally nod towards the men. Stiffly turning, I began to walk away past the witnessing innocents; a hard stone feeling was building up in my heart as they all looked at me with slight uncertainty. The young little kids by the mother though looked slightly confused yet strangely enough fascinated at to why their mother give me such a look. I wanted to tell them that I meant no harm but I knew it was useless.
As soon as I made it outside I nearly screamed in exasperation but thought this town didn't want to hear anymore of the famous hunter-san that roamed around China exterminating those dreadful youkai.
So I settled for a deep sigh and a slight cry of annoyance.
'Why?!' I thought while slipping the nice bento into my single duffle bag that was strapped around one shoulder.
"I cannot believe this..." I began to mutter, running a hand through my long lilac hair.
I frowned to myself and sighed for about the millionth time, muttering softly to myself.
"When are you getting here, Kurapica?" I absently asked myself, barely registering the sound of the door I had previously shut behind me and the soft pounding of heavy footsteps coming towards me.
"Hey." Oh crap.
"Give it a rest Sanzo." I heard Goku whine. "C'mon I want some breakfast already."
I glanced over my shoulder and nearly cried out again then and there, he was here again.
Stalking me like the crazy mental monk that he is.
So once again I sighed in great grimace.
'Oh dear Kami, I'm so tragically famous.' I thought to myself in slight amusement.
"What do you want from me so much, priest?" I grumbled in a low tone that I barely recognized as my own.
He sent me a cold look before asking.
"What's your full name?"
"What?" The rest of us said in confusion.
"You heard me." He said arrogantly.
I frowned at him, placing a hand on my hip.
"Why do you need to know?" I asked arching a brow.
"It's important." Was all he said.
"What's so important about my name?"
"Look, will you just-"
"Sanzo, what the hell are you saying?" Gojyo inquired with great confusion, also seeming as if his head was about to blow with how he was acting ever since their encounter.
"Be quiet, Gojyo." He growled through gritted teeth.
"Why should I?" The red-head shot back with equal annoyance.
"Listen, just shut up for one sec-"
"Aaaaahh!!!" A shrill scream came booming out from my left side, immediately shutting down the conversation and catching our attention.
I saw right then and there was a large group of dark looking Youkai, their eyes pierced with a crimson red and their faces twisted with either great brutal bloodlust or crazy expressions, they all swarmed from the direction of the busy marketplace. I could see bunches and bunches of screaming children and parents struggling to get them to safety, some shoving and pushing to get away from some Youkai that hung from the back and decided to cause some trouble.
"Well, well, well, lookie here. We found you now, Sanzo-ikkou. There's no running this time." A certain spiky haired Youkai spoke up from the front of the group, his mouth spreading out in a maniacal grin bearing his spiky teeth.
"Hmph. Great start to the morning, ne?" Hakkai joked all so suddenly, the corners of his lips twitching in an amused smile.
"Aw, man. Now I'm never gonna have any breakfast!" Goku whined again before calling out a certain name of a weapon I solemnly recognize.
'Nyoi-bo?' I thought arching a brow before I finally realized it to greatly resemble something from my studies.
The weapon was legendary, once owned by a powerful man here in China. And that was probably all I really remember about it, Kurapica used to tell me a lot of ancient China history but sometimes I would just be so uninterested that I didn't bother to listen.
"Hey, look. Isn't that the girl they keep talking about in the palace?" I took a hard swallow. Once again, I am so painfully famous.
"Yeah, she looks like her."
"Do you think the rumors were true though?"
"What the hell are they on about?" Gojyo asked with a low tone. "Why do they know you?" The four men turned to me all wearing a slightly confused face.
I frowned.
"How should I know, they're not even supposed to know me." Finally I drew out my weapon, which was quite ordinary for a hunter like me.
A sharp silver katana with a coal black hilt was brought out before me, my stance ready to strike.
"I can't believe it's gotten this far." I murmured mostly to myself though I didn't realize the very annoying priest had caught my words perfectly seeing as he is standing right beside me.
"Whatever, we came here for the Sanzo-ikkou. But since she's in the way get rid of her too, who knows what rewards we'll get." The one who spoke first declared.
'In the way!?' I screamed in my head, outraged and appalled by how I was so casually placed in the situation.
"Let's go!"
I'll show them 'in the way.'
Charging forward with all four men close by I sliced my blade across the first one who cried out in a dirty curse before falling to the ground in a pool of his blood, Hmph. Too easy.
I noticed more slicing, blood red pooling out in every direction. Sometimes there would a flash of bright light, and then there was screaming and shouting coming from the innocents. But I kept fight my way through the thick mass of Youkai that always seemed to replace one after the other. There were so many at this point I found myself shoving some out of the way, I only used to deal with so many. It wasn't overwhelming though, it just took a chunk out of my energy since I had not been able to regain as much from last nights sleep. (Thank you very much, bastards)
I had gained a few injuries myself, cuts, more blood, bruises. Nothing serious.
I whirled around right after I had dealt with a couple more of the bastards to see one with his weapon raised high up and ready to strike. The poor victim below was... Goku!
I didn't know that came over me, the next thing I knew there was a painful sting to my shoulder, failing to defend myself and the said boy from the mere dagger. I found my free hand clutching onto the wound, yes it was only shallow but it was still deep enough to leave maybe a light scar.
"Shit." I cursed limping on my wounded side, the pain was getting more and harder for me to handle. Little did I know how dangerous this mere blade actually was.
"Hah! You just got poisoned by my dagger, bitch!" The youkai laughed at his success.
"Eh!? Ayumi!" Goku cried seeing me fall to my knees behind him.
An agonizing fire was beginning to spread in me, slowly taking in my insides and swallowing it into ashes. Oh no, don't tell me I was going to die like this, not here, not now. I have so much to do in life!
I haven't told him,
I haven't told him!
There was a piercing gunshot that rang in my ears, panting; I looked up to see a pair of amazing amethyst eyes. What surprised me was that it belonged to him.
He looked down at me with a firm narrow of his eyes, I stared back, sweat beginning to cover me as I gasped for breath. It was getting harder and harder for me to breath now, sure I had been poisoned before but this one seemed proved to be more fatal than those other ones. It was inside my lungs, that dreadful fire filling and burning up my throat.
"Sanzo! She got poisoned!" I heard Goku yell close by.
Choking on the sudden bile that was beginning to crawl up the pipe, my breathing finally stalled and the last thing I remembered was seeing a flash of golden blond hair.
--
Me: Yay! It's a cliffy! ^^
Hakkai: Ah, yes. The good ol' Cliffhanger. ^^
Goku: The next chapter should be great, right!? With lots of sweets, and meat, and food... and... *drools* Fooooood~
Me: ^_^ Sure. There will be a lot of food, Goku. Don't worry!
Goku: Yay!
Me: And now I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow reviewers who have stimulated me to keep writing this story. (Trust me, I had a major case of lazy syndrome .) So thanks.
please forgive any mistakes and keep reading!
And once again please review, review, review!!!! n_n