"God! Did I really hit him that hard?!"

A voice rang out in the middle of what appears to be a bamboo forest. It appears that Julian was trying to bring Orpheus back to conscious after "accidentally" knocking him out. (Julian explained to Sir Xeno over the communicator that her sword slipped out of her hand and the handle when to Orpheus's head) Upon doing the listed actions to do when a person is knocked out which included dumping water, shaking, and yelling in ones ear did not work. She went to the very last and most painful resort of all.

SLAP!!

"OW!"

Well…at least is worked. Yes she just slapped him hard across his face leaving a red mark on Orpheus's cheek.

"What did you do that for?! Do you have a screw loose or something?!" Orpheus yelled as he rubbed the red painful mark on his cheek. Julian plastered a fake smile as a small vein mark popped up on her head and her body shook a little with anger.

"It's because you wouldn't wake up." She said in an extremely deadly voice as she continued smiling. This brought the chills for Orpheus who now regretted what he had just said to her. "Now…" She continued with the same tone. "What did you say about me…?"

"Umm……uh…" He stuttered as he felt the soul of the grim reaper enclosing him. "…that…um…it was the best action to take ma'am! I'm sorry for not waking up sooner!!"

"That's more like it. Get up, we're close to where this 'Haku' lives." Her smile and deadly aura disappeared replaced with her usual self. Orpheus, still petrified, took several seconds to calculate what had just happened before reacting. He quick stood up and followed his grim reaper- (Julian-Ahem…) I mean noble instructor through the dense forest.

"This place in inhabited and filled with monsters. Why would anyone live here……?"

His voice faltered when they appeared in a clearing direct in front of a house surrounded by white cherry blossom trees. It wasn't very fancy or big like the one they commonly saw throughout the town there were several pots placed outside and a storage house not to far off. There was a faint glow emitting from one of the paper-covered doors indicating that someone was living here.

"Well…that answers your question."

"But do you think Richard really lives here? I mean…why?" Orpheus asked puzzled with the villager's reaction and the location the house is.

"We're here to find that out. Hey!! The person in there! Can we talk to you for a moment?!" She hollered as there was complete silence afterwards. Julian and Orpheus looked at each other for a moment then Orpheus decided to try.

"Um! Sorry for bothering you the person who lives here! But we really need to talk to you and-!"

"GOD DAMN IT! WHY CAN'T YOU VILLAGERS LEAVE ME ALONE?!"

Both of them jumped at the sudden shout that rang out from the house. There was a sliding sound of a door opening as a figure angrily appeared in front of them. Only to leave the Lord Knight and Swordsman in complete shock.

"RICHARD?!?!?!!?"

Both of them shouted in unison with their eyes widened in shock. The person who appeared in front of them was indeed Richard but his appearance was completely different. Instead of the usual red hair he now has snowy white hair and his brown eyes were also white (whitish purple to be exact) He was wearing a white Japanese robe instead of his usual priest uniform and he looked as if he was a completely different person. The only thing usual about him was his cursing and the he had a cigarette in his mouth.

"…Julian?…and…Orpheus?! What are you two doing here?!"

"What are we doing here?! We're looking for you because Sir Xeno is worried sick about you!"

"Yeah! And what did you do Richard!"

Both Julian and Richard put on a blank expression as they stared at Orpheus. Apparently it did not go through his thick head that the person in front of them was Richard.

"That is Richard you MORON!" She shouted wishing he had a higher IQ.

"But he doesn't have white hair! Or white eyes!"

"There must be a whole reason behind that! Can't you tell by his bitchy personality and smoking habit that he is Richard?!"

"Ouch Julian…that hurts…" Richard mumbled not happy with the explanation of him.

The two kept squabbling until Julian (after a few simple explanation) engraved in his head that the person in front of them was Richard and no one else. Both of them were panting heavily after the mad social complication was solved. Richard was now oblivious on what to do after he saw a scene of mad chaos in front of him. Regaining his senses he took his cigarette out of his mouth and sighed.

"Well…I guess I can't get out of this one. Why don't you guys come in? It's kinda cold out here."

"Thanks and while your at it. Do you think you have some aspirin and a muzzle?"

"Aspirin yes but why a muzzle?"

"To shut this annoying swordsman mouth."

"…no but you can always knock him out." Richard implied with sarcasm.

"Good idea."

WHAM!

The white haired priest stared in shock and dropped his cigarette as Orpheus fell out to the ground completely knocked out. He didn't expect Julian to actually knock him out and he began to wonder what happened to her other subordinates under her command.

"Richard?"

He shook unnecessary violent imagination out of his head as he snapped back in reality. The blonde knight was looking at him with confusion as he came back to the world. Richard slowly made his way down the stairs and towards them. He knelt down to the poor rookie on the ground and shook Orpheus just to make sure he was knocked out.

"…I'll go lay him down on one of the futons I have in the guest room…" He said as he began to lift Orpheus from the ground only to be stopped by Julian.

"I did it and it's my responsibility. Besides, I was the one who knocked him out you know…"

"Oh." Richard answered somewhat surprised from the unpredictable answer he just heard from her. "The guest room is down the hall, turn left at the corner and it's the first room on your left."

"Thanks and don't even think about running away while I'm gone."

"Don't worry I won't."

Julian gave him a doubtful glance before she picked up Orpheus and slung him over her shoulder and went inside his house. After Julian went out of sight Richard took out a pack of Marbelo (rip off of a certain cigarette brand) and lit fresh new cigarette. The white smoke illuminated in the dark sky and white petals of the sakura trees as he sat down on the stairs. Several minutes later Julian came back out, this time without Orpheus, as she sat down beside Richard.

"So…mind telling me what's going on?"

"……so I'm guessing you know my real name if you found out where I was living…"

"Haku…right?" She replied somewhat doubtful as Richard nodded.

"You know what it means?"

Julian shook her head as Richard looked up at the sky before looking over at Julian. His eyes were filled with sadness and loneliness and another expression Julian could not interpret. The shine of the moon gave radiance to his snowy white hair and he looked as if…

He was the purest human in all mankind.

"It means white…ironic isn't it?"

"Ironic?…Why would you say such a thing? Why do you even hide your true self? I don't understand that……"

Silence followed after that as crickets chirped quietly near by as the bamboo leaves gave a rustling sound from the wind.

"You know that unison of monsters and humans is forbidden right?"

"well yes…" Julian answered confused on what that had to do with the subject.

"When a monster and a human give birth to a child of taboo." He continued. "it's born with white hair and eyes."

Her eyes widened in where this was leading. She turned her head to him with a bewildered expression.

"You don't mean…"

"Yes. My father……was an Incubus…"

"?!?!?!?"

At this Julian fell off the stairs and landed as a heap onto the ground. She moaned in pain as she sat up taking out dirt from her hair in the process. Richard sweat dropped at the unexpected action.

"So let me get this straight. Your father was an Incubus and your mother was a regular human."

"Yes that's right"

"And the whole reason you mysteriously disappeared is…?"

Richard sighed as his graze when toward the ground. "I thought it would be better if I leave before anyone found out about the truth. I mean I would have been banned from the guild anway-"

"What? Bull shit!" The priest looked up astonished at her language and what she said.

"What?"

"What the hell are you talking about?! We don't care if you're a half monster. Half-breed. Half whatever. What matters is why did you keep secrets from us? You're the priest of Lion's Pride! We're not going to let you out of the guild just for that pussy reason! Your coming back with me whether you like it or not!"

Richard was now loss for words at the Lord Knight in front of him. Her piercing blue eyes showed nothing that consisted anger or hatred but determination and confidence that was beyond measure.

"Man, I can't believe you tried to ditch us for that reason."

A new voice came from behind as a certain blue haired assassin appeared in sight.

"Yo." He replied casually as he held a hand up as a sign of hello in his own way.

"Griever?! You-you were listening?!" Richard stuttered completely shocked that he never noticed his presence this close.

"From about when you said your dad was a Incubus. And I can't believe you guys never noticed. Especially Julian."

"Why do I have to respond to your presence? I see you enough in the guild castle." The blonde knight retorted folding her arms in annoyance as Griever walked up beside her.

"Aw didn't my crybaby Lord Knight miss me?" He replied in mockery as he put an arm around her shoulder only to be pushed off.

"Don't be ridiculous. Now tell me what's your reason you came here?"

"To get more sake."

Chirp…chirp…

"Did I just…hear that right?" the shocked priest broke the silence as Griever smiled.

"No lie. That's the only reason. Oh by the way thanks Richard."

"huh?" Now a confused expression replaced his old shocked one.

"Because you said such a shocking thing that sent Julian tumbling down the stairs. I saw a glimpse of her panties."

"WHAT?!?!?!" Julian roared at she glared at Richard who was now speechless and flushed with a deep shade of red as Griever gave a thumbs up.

"Light blue with laces. I thought you didn't like girly stuff Julian?"

"YOU PERVERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

END OF CHAPTER!

Now for the review response!!

Yumi Sakura- o.o Eeep!! Don't kill me! Griever isn't drunk but he is not what you picture him as. He's one of those…assassin cross that are happy go lucky but extremely deadly? And I make it up from the spot. I'm really not the person for planning long plots. :P

Twilight-28-17- Thank you for your review!

Dsmile- Thanks for reviewing!

FireyFlame- Yes Knock Out. It was the most appropriate (and painful kekeke…) way to make Orpheus quiet. /gg

Yuleen75- I hate cliffhangers too so I updated really fast I hope your happy!

Tsong- thank you for reviewing!