Borrowed Heaven

- Alyssa in Wonderland -

Chapter 6: Bleak Irritation

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step…

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is not mine.

Just outside the Village of Nibel, Hanajima Saki watched as the Four checked their materials and weapons. Clad in a simple black sleeveless jumper suit, the youngest, Momiji, the Virtue of Justice, loaded his Twin Pistols with bullets. These bullets, however, had inscriptions embedded all over it. Possibly spells for magic…Hanajima thought as she noticed Momiji's black heavy boots' laces were untied. That was a disaster waiting to happen. Hatsuharu, better known as Haru, the Virtue of Prudence, polished his Silver Rifle and once in a while pointed it to an invisible enemy. Brushing his black and white hair with his black leather gloves, Haru stared off into the space where his invisible enemy had stood. Hanajima noted that Haru was by the far the most fashionable of the Four…and the most seemingly lost one. Wearing a black leather jacket with white fur lining its neckline under a tight black fitting shirt and black leather pants, he looked like a model. Then again, they all looked like models for they came from the city…

The orange headed one, Kyo, Virtue of Fortitude, looked at his Double Swords lovingly. He wore a black fitting wife beater shirt with black cargo pants. His heavy military black boots adorned his feet. Kyo smiled at it as he saw his reflection gleam from it. All of a sudden, words from Yuki, the leader of the Virtues (temperance of the group), echoed in her thoughts…

"Maybe because we do have your blood…the only difference is that we are from hell…"

The Four men had unusual waves, which Hanajima noted the moment she met Yuki. Her eyes slowly fell upon the silver headed man. Like the rest of his cousins, Yuki wore black, however his sword was tucked away from sight. Black. Each man wore black symbolizing the death that followed him, better yet the death he brings about. The Four were talented with the skill to kill. They were from hell indeed. She did not notice it until the sun peaked behind the clouds, but around each man's neck was a silver dog tag.

A just in case if any become lost in action, Hanajima thought.

"Where is that girl you sent to guide us?" Yuki asked Hanajima breaking her thoughts.

Hanajima looked at Yuki, feeling irked by his attitude. "Yes, she should arrive soon. Arisa worries too much for our friend." Hanajima replied. Yesterday, the Virtues had arrived and rescued the village (something they did not usually do), from Ruby Dragon. As payment, Hanajima returned the favor by equipping the men with potions and elixirs as well as a guide in order to accomplish their mission, to obtain a fallen pillar from the legendary city of the heavens, Empyreal.

Hanajima found Yuki's reaction interesting when she appointed Tohru Honda, her easily fragile friend. She was also quite surprised herself that she chose Tohru whom she protected dearly. Hanajima heard footsteps and turned around. The Four stopped whatever it was they were doing and looked at Arisa.

"Sorry about that…Tohru here was being difficult." Arisa apologized.

"That's fine. We need to get going now before noon." Yuki replied.

The rest of the Virtues walked closer towards Yuki who was in front of Hanajima and Arisa. And Tohru? She was hiding behind Arisa.

"Soon as in now." Yuki said again obviously irritated.

Behind Arisa's back, Tohru squirmed. "I-I'm sorry!" She stuttered and finally stepped in front of Arisa. Unlike earlier, Tohru wore a white jumper above a black shirt. She looked down on her knee high, flat black boots that were securely strapped on her feet. Arisa had made sure she dressed appropriately for the journey up to Mt. Nibel. Tohru had preferred wearing her regular white dress and sandals, but Arisa had said, "That thing wouldn't even last an hour up on the mountain! Would you like to guide those four guys naked?"

Tohru had reddened and finally gave up, getting a satisfied laugh from Arisa.

So, she was there, without a choice (Hanajima had chosen her as a guide for the Four scary looking men) dressed in clothing she felt uncomfortable with, in front of men she was deathly terrified of. Tohru finally gained the courage to look up. A surprising color of mauve met her. It was a sea of mystery and utterly beautiful. There was only one word to describe them…

Painful.

She wanted to touch the man's face. She wanted to so much tell him that everything was not as bad as it seemed, but there was something that kept her from acting. Tohru looked at the man again. She had seen him outside of the village in the Field of Daisies scaring the living hell out of her. He was wearing black (and currently as well) and she had thought him a fiend of some sort. After the incident with the Dragon, he was the one person she had seen before fainting into nothingness.

And then…?

She couldn't remember! But, something happened! She just couldn't remember…

Yuki stared as long as he could at the brunette in front of him. Her name, as he recalled, was Tohru. She was scrunching up her brows lost in thought as she stared at him. He suddenly felt uneasy as he realized he was on the spot. This mere village girl in front of him was irritating him.

"Are we ready then?" Yuki asked her.

Tohru nodded as Yuki turned around to leave. Kyo followed Yuki without a word and then Haru followed. Momiji, however, looked up at Tohru and smiled. "It won't be so bad, To-chan!" He beamed at him.

"To-chan…?" She said.

Momiji grabbed one of Tohru's hands and pulled her on. Tohru couldn't help but smile, this boy was just a kid, yet…he was made to kill, Tohru thought. Earlier, Arisa had enlightened her about the four men before her, although, she could have figured that out herself. They reeked of death and blood.

"Tohru, wait."

Tohru stopped and looked around. Hanajima stepped forward and walked up towards her. She looked at Tohru in the eye, "For protection if they fail to protect you." She said.

Hanajima handed Tohru a small silver dagger. On its hilt was an aquamarine gem, the only design of the dagger. Tohru took it gladly and looked up at Hanajima once again, "Thank you, Hana." She whispered to her friend. Tohru wasn't quite sure, but it felt like—no, she would see her friends again.

"Be safe." Hanajima replied and smiled gently at Tohru.

Behind Hanajima, Arisa smiled and waved goodbye as once again Momiji took hold of one of Tohru's arm and led her away from the village of Nibel, her home.

He looked straight ahead and tried to ignore the fact that he wasn't alone. Behind him trailed an odd group of people.

An orange haired hot head.

An oblivious man.

A kid stuck in a growing man's body.

…And of course…

The girl.

"What do you do for a living, To-chan?" Momiji asked the girl excitedly. Yuki didn't need to look behind him to know that Momiji was jumping up and down. It was just the way Momiji was.

"I work with Uo and Hana at Heaven's Gate. I'm a waitress." The girl replied.

Yuki had realized that the girl was most comfortable with Momiji and he couldn't blame her. Momiji was almost innocent compared to the rest of them. Momiji, the youngest out of the four, didn't like blood or violence. He only came when the mission was of utmost importance.

Although, getting a piece of stone isn't exactly what I'd like to call important. Yuki thought to himself. Kagura has definitely lost her touch. This was proof enough. Going up the mountain, Yuki had silently thanked the gods and goddesses that the villagers of Nibel had created a semi-looking-kind of path going up the mountain. It had made it a little easier and so far they hadn't had any battles with a fiend. It would be difficult to handle one…

Yuki turned his head slightly and looked back. She wore her hair in a low, loose ponytail allowing some of her hair framing her face. She laughed earnestly as Momiji continued to call her To-chan. She laughed yet again as Momiji jumped onto Kyo, who in return, grabbed Momiji and hit him. The corner of Yuki's lips twitched upwards involuntarily.

Hatsuharu immediately noticed and put one eye brow up, "Yuki…did you just smile?" He asked Yuki.

The one question stilled and silenced all.

Everyone stopped walking.

"No." Yuki replied abruptly.

"But I was so sure—" Haru started, but was immediately cut off by Yuki's firm and angry sounding reply, "No."

They began to start to walk up again and Tohru couldn't help but ask, "Is it something you don't do quite often?" She asked.

Again, the group stopped and Kyo almost gaped in disbelief. Yuki turned slightly around and answered Tohru, "It's not something I like to do."

"Why?"

"Are you a detective or a guide, girl?" Yuki asked her, fully turned around to face the girl, who by now, was flushed with embarrassment, fright, as well as a glint of anger. Yuki smiled. That had finally shut her up.

Tohru looked at him, this man called Yuki. She was frightened, yes, she was very frightened, but most of all, she was angry! She had been kind enough to incline towards Hanajima's wishes and be their guide.

Tohru marched up towards Yuki in blind, silent rage and looked at him squarely face to face. Her hand acted on its own, really, as it slapped against Yuki's finely chiseled face loudly.

"I am the guide, and the least you can do is show a bit of respect!" Tohru exclaimed, breathing quite hard.

Haru smirked.

Momiji stared at Tohru wide-eyed.

Kyo whistled with satisfaction.

Yuki stood there in utter disbelief, his composure shattered.

Tohru gasped.

I should have never listened to Uo! Tohru thought, regretting what she had just done.

Author's Notes: Sorry for such a delayed update! But, here it is! Chapter 6! Next, I'll be updating Red Butterfly Legends: The Fall. Thanks for the reviews and the support from the previous chapters and I hope you enjoyed this one as well!