Strange Journey

Part XI

By Phoenix Hoshika

"Welcome to my humble abode." Dante said as he opened the door to a burnt out building.

Taiko's eyes grew wide.

"What happened here?" Ryu uttered unconsciously.

"Had a few uninvited guests a couple of days ago." Dante said with a slight smile, however, the look in his eyes was deadly. "Make yourselves at home." Dante said retreating into a back room.

"Sure thing." Taiko murmured as she took a few steps forward, jumping back when a chunk of the burned ceiling nearly fell on her.

"It would have been better to just sleep outside." Ryu said once his survey of the damage was done.

"Hm-hmm, you said it." Taiko agreed.

"Hey." Dante said opening the door he had just gone through. "You two, guests don't say bad things about their host's home." As soon as those word left his mouth the door to the room he was in fell off of it's burned up hinges and hit the floor breaking into pieces. Dante sweat dropped.

"This is worse than the hole I used to live in." Taiko said looking down at her ash covered feet.

"You're more than welcome to do something about it." Dante said flippedly then walked off.

"I think I get it now." Taiko said heavily.

"What?" Ryu asked cluelessly.

"He wants us to clean up this mess, but the whole place would have to be torn down for that to happen. To be honest I'm surprised it's even standing."

The next morning when Taiko woke up she was covered from head to toe with black ashes. Ryu was able to burn the soot from his body and even Dante looked as if he had not been touched by the ash.

"How did you manage to stay clean?" Taiko asked futilely trying to dust herself off.

"Heh, you'll never know." Dante said with a smirk. "Okay, kids time to get to work.

"So, Taiko was right. You really had no plans to kick us out after one night did you?" Ryu said almost sounding shocked.

"Actually, the thought hadn't crossed my mind at first. I really just wanted to see if you'd try to kill me again on the way here. That's all."

"So, why the sudden change of mind?" Taiko asked.

"I liked your suggestion."

"Some host." Taiko muttered.

"Hey, I'm letting you stay here for free aren't I?
"Free my ass."

"Whatever, just get to work." Dante said tossing a mop over to Ryu. "There's a pipe around here somewhere." Dante said walking along the walls until he came cross something metallic then busted it open with his fist sending water everywhere. "And you my dear…" Dante said giving Taiko a once over. "Whatever you are, get to moving all this ash to the dumpster out in the alley." He said then headed for the front door.

"Hey! This is your house where are you going?" Taiko demanded.

"I'm going to pick up the supplies for phase two. See you." Dante said blowing her a kiss.

"I can't believe we fell into his trap!" Taiko fumed.

"Don't worry it's not like we have anything else to do." Ryu said contently mopping the floor.

"You're awfully chipper." Taiko said giving Ryu a sideways glare.

"He really doesn't seem like it but Dante really is a nice person…. He just has a few issues." Ryu said continuing to mop.

"Issues or not he's treating us like his personal slaves."

"He's too prideful to just come out and ask us to help him."

"Are you under a spell or something? Why are you taking up for him?"

"I'm not taking up for him. It's just that I don't mind helping him out. Besides there really isn't any place else for us to go. The people here would freak out if they saw us and that would cause a problem. So, for now I'm okay with this arrangement."

"If you say so." Taiko said getting to work. "I'm guessing you probably wouldn't have said that if you couldn't take him without a problem." Taiko thought as she gathered up a bucket load of ash.

"I don't know about that. Dante really is dangerous, I just happen to catch him off guard before is all." Ryu said pausing.

"So you said it because you aren't sure if you can beat him?" Taiko asked even more agitated.

"No, I'm pretty sure I can, I just have to be careful, but it's like I just told you; I really don't mind."

Taiko sighed. "I guess there is no point in being so upset. When Ryu gets ready to leave we'll leave. It just pisses me off knowing I wouldn't be able to afford such thinking if I were one my own. Dante would probably work me until I died."

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you." Ryu said as he continued to clean. "I won't leave you alone I promise."

Taiko froze. His words made her feel a huge rush of relief, but at the same time she had become greatly irritated with him. "Stop reading my mind!" Taiko yelled as she threw a huge pile of ash at him that disintegrated into nothing before it could even touch him.

"Sorry." Ryu said with one eye open.

"Hey…" Taiko said walking over to him and throwing a hand full of ash at him, it too disappearing.

"What are you doing? Ryu asked slightly annoyed.

"If you can do that why don't you get rid of all this?"

"It would mess up the floor." Ryu said vigorously wiping at the floor with the blackened mop until the marble below was visible.

"Oh wow, it must have been a really nice house before it got all burned up like this." Taiko said slightly in awe. "But if he can afford such expensive flooring why doesn't he just hire people to rebuild this mess?"

"Cheap I guess." Ryu answered.

"Figures."

"I was kidding. He just doesn't care for other people is all, plus he's hiding something." Ryu added.

"If that's so then what gives?"

"It's because we aren't human."

"Weirdo. He can trust us but not his own kind?" Taiko said dropping the bucket she was holding. "His kind, human kind, like I once was. I guess I'm finally getting used to being this way talking like I am. Still, I can't help but be depressed about it."

"Taiko, are you okay?" Ryu asked slightly concerned.

"Yeah. What was that again?"

Ryu sighed. "I don't have to read your mind to know that you are lying." He thought then answered. "I said he isn't human either."

"Is that so?" Taiko said. "Well I still think he's a nut case."

"No, he has-

"Some issues." Taiko finished. "Yeah, I know and that's what creeps me out about him. What's with that guy?"

It took them all day to clean up the mess that was once Dante's home and coincidentally that was just about how long it took for Dante to return with a Mack truck full of building materials.

"Hey, fire butt."

"My name is Ryu."

"Whatever, help me unload this stuff and you..." Dante said addressing Taiko. "Stay out of the way I don't want your dirty finger prints on anything.

Taiko growled. "It's your fault I'm so filthy in the first place." Taiko thought as she moved to the side and watched them work. Exhausted from the work that day she almost immediately fell asleep. When she awoke it was completely black outside.

"Okay, everything is in place now. Could you go over there?" Dante said pointing to where Taiko was. Okay, now close your eyes and turn around and don't open them until I say so got it?" Dante instructed once Ryu was standing beside Taiko.

Ryu nodded and he and Taiko turned their backs to him with their eyes closed.

"Are you sure he isn't going to attack us or something?" Taiko whispered.

"Yes, I'm positive he won't." Ryu answered.

"Okay you can look now." Dante said and when they did Taiko almost lost her balance at the sight before her. Dante's house was completely restored to its former glory though not what she expected to see. The house looked more like a store front than a home.

"That's better." Dante said putting his hands on his hips and observing his handiwork. "Yup, definitely better." He said opening the front door. "Come in before somebody sees you." He called. "It'd be a pain in the ass for me if they did." He added to himself.

"Right." Ryu said as he and Taiko hurried to the door, but as soon as they got to it Dante stopped Taiko.

"Hold on a minute. Your feet aren't touching my nice clean floor."

"So, you aren't going to let me in?" Taiko asked.

"I'm going to let you in alright because I'm tired of looking at you like that."

"Huh?" Taiko uttered just before she was picked up off the ground. "Hey what are you doing you jerk? Put me down!" Taiko protested as she tried to get away but Dante had her arms and legs pinned together.

"What are you doing?" Ryu asked edgily.

"Don't worry, just trust me, okay?" Dante said as disappeared in the back of the house.

"AAAGH! What are you doing, you pervert!" Taiko screamed. Then the sound of splashing water could be heard as if something heavy was dropped into it.

Ryu had already made it to the back of the house once hearing Taiko scream and when Dante came out of the bathroom he was face to face with an extremely angry Ryu. Dante was conscious long enough to see his innards splattering all over the walls.

"Are you okay?" Ryu asked rushing into the bathroom and Taiko nearly had a heart attack.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked after dropping down into the blackened water.

"He didn't hurt you did he?"

"No, but he stripped my clothes off and dumped me into this tub. Where is that bastard anyway?" Taiko asked then fell silent when she saw the blood oozing in onto the white tile from the hallway and fainted.

It was morning when Taiko finally came to and she woke up with a start gasping. "Take it easy. You almost drowned yourself in my tub you know." Dante said pushing back down on the bed.

Taiko sat up again. "I thought you were dead!"

"That's the second time he's gotten me. I'm kind of starting to get to get pissed." Dante said nonchalantly. "He sure is protective of you."

"Hmph! Lets see, you tried to shot me in the head and then there's that stunt you pulled last nigh. What kind of friend would he be if he just let you get away with that?" Taiko said nearly getting out of bed until she realized she had no clothes on. "What am I supposed to wear?" Taiko said in a low tone.

"Friend, yeah, right. Anyway, don't be so upset. I could care less."

"Then why did you strip me down in the first place and why am I still naked!"

"That's because I tossed those rags you called clothes out earlier this morning and second it's like I told you last night you were hurting my eyes being so filthy, and third didn't I just tell you I could care less?"

"Why you…"

"Don't get your feathers in a bunch. I bought you some more clothes." Dante said handing her a box. "See? Aren't I a nice guy?"

"Yeah, whatever." Taiko said taking the box from him.

"Hey, it's better than running around half naked in the getup you were wearing. Who's idea was that anyway?"

"Do you mind?"

"Oh, you want some privacy? Well let me leave then. Just so you know the only reason I came in here to give you this instead of letting your boyfriend do it is because he's been asleep ever since we pulled you out of the tub and when I tried to wake him up this morning he nearly ripped me in two again." Dante said then closed the door.

"I can't explain it either." Taiko thought opening the box and removing white and powder blue dress. "Then again why should I be able to? It's not as if I know him or what might possibly be going through his mind. If you were here this afternoon and saw the expression on his face as we talked about you… but it still doesn't make since. Why would he…" Taiko paused in her thoughts after carefully removing some very frilly underwear from tissue paper and the note that accompanied them.

You have no idea the number of nasty stares I had to endure from middle aged women while shopping for these so you better like them.

And by the way you owe me big time.

Dante

"Ugh! Why you..! What a jerk!" Taiko thought as she hurriedly put her cloths on then ran out of the room.

"About time." Dante said turning to face Taiko who had just came into the room. "We were just discussing what we should have for lunch and poor Ryu here can't seem to make up his mind without your help."

"That's not what I said." Ryu grumbled.

"Help him out." Dante said in mock baby talk tone. "Pizza or Chinese take out."

"What?" Taiko uttered forgetting her anger.

Dante shook his head. Since neither of you understand the concept of delivery I'm ordering Chinese." He said picking up the phone.

Ryu sighed.

"What's wrong?" Taiko him while Dante placed an order large enough to feed twelve people.

"I can't eat anything."

"You have seemed kind of depressed ever since I met you but you have to eat something." Taiko said. "Come to think of it I've never seen him eat anything at all."

"No, I mean I can't eat in this form. All I end up doing is throwing it back up."

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Ryu…"

"When the food gets here I think I'll take a nap." Ryu said then left the room.

Dante hung up the phone looking over his shoulder at Taiko.

"What?" Taiko asked once she noticed he was staring at her.

"Now that we're alone I want to ask you a few things." Dante said sitting down across from her.

"Like what?"

"Exactly what are you?"

"I don't know." Taiko said looking away from him.

"So, what about that guy?"

"Why didn't you ask him?"

"I did, but he told me the strangest thing. I'm just curious as to what you were going to say."

"I'm sure he told you the truth. Are you done now?"

"No, I forgot to give you this." Dante said handing her a pink ribbon.

Taiko just stared at it.

"It's a ribbon, for your hair." Dante said answering the question that was written all over her face; "what's this for?"

"Thanks." Taiko said tying it into her hair.

"Sorry for being so rough around the edges, but you see I kind of can't help myself."

"Yes you can." Taiko argued.

"No, really I can't. I honestly do try, but it's just in my nature to be mean."

"Why is that?" Taiko asked then the door bell rang."

"That was fast. Talk later. The food's here." Dante said already out the door.

Taiko sweat dropped. "Something about him just isn't right and Ryu's going to leave me alone with him. Geez, he sure loves to sleep a lot." Taiko thought hoping a portal would open in the next few minutes so to avoid any further contact with the demon slayer, but unfortunately it as well over a week before a portal opened taking them to their next destination.

To Be Continued