Ghara walked up the stairs, miserably. Richard had decided that the Garden Pool was the safest place to drop Ghara, without consulting Robin on a proper landing. He was drenched, and probably still had the ensnaring roots of the water lilies. He had ditched his coat, preferring the sharp sting of the wind against his cold wet body than the slimy wet piece of fabric he had once called a coat. Too bad he couldn't ditch his trousers too. He laughed despite his misery, wondering what the repercussions of that would have been. He had also left his boots on, despite the very loud and obnoxious squeak squeak and slosh slosh of soggy leather.

He was humiliated. He didn't even want to go talk with Sakura. She would probably laugh at him. Heck, he would laugh at him. What a pathetic excuse for a Faunas, he couldn't even tell the girl he liked that he liked her and hear the answer.

He spat out a piece of water lily that had somehow reached the inside of his mouth, his forked tongue snapping like a whip in aggravation. If he was lucky, all his teammates would be out. Especially Rouge, he couldn't stand a biting comment.

Reaching the last level he started down the hall. All he wanted was a hot shower and a nap. Pushing open the door after he swiped his scroll by the lock, he stepped inside.

He froze, staring in frozen horror at his bed.

There, Sakura sat cross-legged, rubbing Naga lovingly, on his bed. He stammered, running one hand through his wet navy blue hair.

"I...I...how'd you get in here?" he muttered something unintelligible about his current appearance.

"Rouge let me in," Sakura smiled up at him. "Ghara, I have something to tell you."

"Yes?" Ghara's shoulders slumped.

This was probably a well deserved rejection. She wouldn't have come here personally to give good news. She was smiling so she wouldn't hurt his feelings. This was all a mistake.

"I…" Sakura trailed off, before stating firmly. "I really like you too!"

Ghara stared at her with unveiled amazement, his mouth hanging open quite comically.

"We should go on a date!" Sakura declared.

She flushed bright red, covering her face with her hands, Naga twisted around her arm, staring puzzled at the two of them, both blushing a deep red. Sakura was the first to speak after a long interval of silence.

"That was too bold, I'm sorry," Sakura twisted her hands together.

"No," Ghara gave her a lopsided grin. "Maybe since you asked me, I won't have such bad luck."

They both laughed.

(One week later...)

"This is so cool!" Sakura squealed, running around the shop, dragging Ghara along with her.

He had brought her to Vale's Vintage Music Emporium. They had wide ranges of music and two whole walls dedicated to listening booths. This day had been perfect. They had spent class time together before going out for ice cream, then Ghara had taken her to this little piece of heaven on earth store.

"Listen to this one," she urged, standing on her tiptoes to place the headphones on his head.

Ghara smiled as he listened, "Yeah, this one's great. If you like him then try this."

He switched the track for her and Sakura smiled widely. Yes she really liked this. She bounced her shoulders to the beat, swaying to the music. Ghara smirked and watched her. The speaker cracked as it came on.

"Ghara Mizuchi, please come to the front," a voice called over the speaker.

"Hang on," he told Sakura.

Quickly walking up, he wondered if he had left his card up there when paying for a album for Sakura. He patted the pockets of his coat, wondering where it was. His scroll was missing too and he remembered he had left it at the listening booth. Oh well.

Ghara skidded to a stop at the front of the store. The checkout lady was slumped over the register, a trail of blood running down keys. Immediately on alert, he wished he had his scroll, so he could call for his weapon.

"Good evening, Typhon Yamato, a man stepped into view. "We meet for the first time," he waved a gloved hand. "And I'm afraid it will be the last. For you anyway."

"Who are you?" Ghara said, startled at the use of his real name.

"The Puppeteer," the man bowed. "Otherwise known as the very plain and simple, Geppetto. Your father sent me to retrieve you. Always the rebellious one, aren't you, Typhon?"

"You don't have the right to call me that," Ghara snarled.

"Oh yes," Geppetto looked puzzled. "You call yourself...Ghara Mizuchi now? Is that right?"

"Leave me alone," Ghara warned.

Geppetto leaned against a table, stacked with cds, "Afraid I can't, Yamato."

Suddenly the table lunged forward, speeding towards Ghara. Leaping out of the way, Ghara sped towards the shop's aquarium he had spotted while they had been talking.

"What the heck?" Ghara looked behind him.

The table was running at him. That Geppetto whatever guy wasn't moving a muscle, just watching him with a slightly amused look on his face. Ghara sped up. This was messed up. Suddenly the table stopped, and Geppetto appeared agreed of him.

"Let me kill you quietly," Geppetto smiled, drawing a pair of scissors from a belt at his side.

"With those?" Ghara quipped, hoping to distract this apparent bounty hunter.

"It's a start," Geppetto's eyes lit dangerously.

The tip of the blades of the scissors bent and detached from the handle, flinging across the room at Ghara. The intended victim ducked, the weapon digging into the table. Geppetto ground his teeth, jerking his wrist slightly. The weapon quickly reattached and Ghara realized the blades and handle were connected with a thin, but unbreakable, string of wire. Cursing, Ghara let his gaze shift to the aquarium again. This bounty hunter's weapon was like a Grimm Lancer's stinger. He needed his katana now more than ever, if only he had his scroll!

"Ghara!"

He looked up, worry flickering across his face before he quickly masked it. Sakura could handle herself. To his immense relief, she held his scroll. Geppetto whirled around and Ghara used the momentary distraction to whirl behind the table and knock the aquarium off its base. It was no easy task, but he managed to tip it over. Water spilled onto the ground.

At that time Geppetto had recovered, sending the animated table after Sakura, he nimbly avoided its attacks. The almost two full semesters of training had served her well. Ghara could still remember when she was the shy, animal loving little girl. Now he knew she was a devil with her katana bow and very light on her feet.

Eight pools of water gathered around his feet and Ghara focused on the puddles closest to Geppetto, who was advancing quickly. Serpentine heads reared from the water hissing angrily. Startled, Geppetto fell back slightly. Leaping out of the puddles, Ghara bolted to Sakura. She was still running from the table, searching for any kind of weapon besides vintage cds.

"Here," she tossed him his scroll. "I've already called mine, it should be here any minute."

"Thanks," Ghara grabbed his scroll.

Suddenly, both scrolls were ripped from their hands. Ghara stared as they flew into the air before crashing heavily to the ground. Sakura gasped as they broke in half. Geppetto waved a hand non-committedly. Ghara straightened, flashing Geppetto a smile.

"Too late," he shrugged. "Our weapons are on the way."

Fortunately, he had entered the code at the last possible second before Geppetto had ripped the scrolls from them.

"Too late for you," Geppetto's table shoved them forward. "I must say, nobody warned me about your semblance. It's quite dull, you took after your father."

"You underestimate us," Ghara stumbled slightly.

He nodded slightly at Sakura. She nodded back solemnly. Ever since that crash in the front that had lured her to the front she had been confused. What did this man want and why did he seem to be familiar with Ghara? Why was he trying to kill them? Or if he wasn't trying to kill them, capture or hurt them. It didn't make sense. But what did make sense was that they needed to get out of her and get help. She quickly followed Ghara as they avoided the moving table and ran towards the spilled water. Sakura's eyes widened as she noticed the brightly colored goldfish suffocating, flopping around. Ghara was busy defending them with his Hydraulic semblance until their weapons arrived. Quickly, she scooped up the fish and placed them back in the little water left in the aquarium. Hopefully, it would be enough.

Suddenly, there was a heavy banging noise from the roof that reverberated down into the building. Ghara looked up, horror spreading across his face.

"Thank you, Yamato," Geppetto smiled. "You picked quite the fair battleground, for me. You see Beacon students have a nasty habit of engaging in fight in this area and stores have started to invest in things that would help prevent damage during these battles. Locker-proof roofs were the first thing Vintage Music acquired."

Another heavy thump sounded the arrival of Ghara's locker arrived. Ghara took a deep breath steeling himself. They needed to get to the door. However, there was another sound, steadily getting louder and louder. He glanced at Sakura, who had a determined look on her face. Those were...sirens.

"My locker wasn't the only thing I called for," Sakura straightened menacingly, despite the obvious height difference.

Geppetto tilted his head slightly, the insanity in his eyes reducing to a low simmer. He regarded the two for a moment before turning his head towards the sirens.

"Perhaps we shall say farewell for now," Geppetto bowed. "I'm afraid you are a rather poor target. I prefer a more even battle ground. Till we meet again, Yamato."

With that he bolted towards the back. Ghara fisted his hands, prepared to pursue, but Sakura grabbed his arm.

"We aren't prepared for a fight with him," she said softly. "You saw how he toyed with us."

"He's just a coward," Ghara spat.

Sakura looked thoughtful, watching the police vehicles pull up, their sirens blaring. She pulled her hand back and tucked it against her side. Ghara didn't move, a troubled, almost haunted, look in his eyes.

"Ghara," Sakura said quietly. "Who is Yamato? Why did that man call you Yamato?"

*ominous music*

I loved the Lancer Grimms! They might seem a bit cliche to some people but I love them. I hope everyone has seen episode two of season five! If not...I guess a belated spoiler alert? I hope that wasn't a spoiler, haha!