Sakura02:…now I just picture Touga with really long fake nails and an orange tan. Thanks for that.
Phoenix: Yes, Kaname and the others are going to beat Jadoku rather badly for hurting poor little Senna.
Thanks: rockbabyval, Princesa de la Luna, Shifuni, Icealeena, Rayne Taylor, ChiyoChi-Yamamoto, xXMai. HanakoXx, KaKashiisWifey, MikaUchiha666, SolitaryNyght, Rin10, narutofanhinatafan, and petiteshima for reviewing.
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Senna hummed happily as she walked through the streets, holding Shuuchi and Mikiri's hands. As soon as night had settled on the little village, Kaname had divided everyone into teams to spread out and search for potential places in which Jadoku could be hiding. Much to everyone's surprise, Kaname had put Mikiri and Shuuchi in charge of Senna. Senna hadn't heard what Kaname said to either of the teenage boys when he pulled them aside, but she figured it wasn't to pleasant due to how pale they both looked when they came over.
"Senna, where is it exactly that we're going?" Mikiri asked quietly, his free hand nervously touching the knives strapped to his waist. He frowned when he felt Senna being tugged away from him. He glowered over at Shuuchi and pulled Senna back towards him.
"Stop it, you two!" Senna whined, finally managing to get back in the middle. "We've got to find Jadoku and get my cure so I don't die."
"Will it reverse you becoming a Pureblood?" Shuuchi asked quietly, his eyes scanning the alleyway they were wandering down. He didn't sense any threatening auras nearby, but he refused to relax his guard.
Senna pouted thoughtfully. "I don't know…Kaname-san and the others didn't say anything about that. I don't want to become a Pureblood. Everyone always looks at Purebloods with scary eyes."
"Don't worry, Senna! I won't allow anyone to harm you." Shuuchi exclaimed quickly.
"Me neither." Mikiri piped up.
Senna rolled her eyes as both boys began glaring at each other. "You two are just as bad as Kaname-san and Zero-nichan. I don't like when you two fight like that." She blinked as both boys instantly knelt in front of her.
"We're sorry." Shuuchi and Mikiri said in unison. "We won't fight anymore. We promise. We didn't mean to upset you."
Senna giggled. "You two are silly. You better keep your promise." She skipped on ahead of the two. She could hear the two of them quickly running to catch up with her. She turned to say something to them, when a familiar and unpleasant smell hit her nose. She whipped around to the side and noticed for the first time a tiny alleyway off to the side of the one they were walking down. "Mikiri…Shuuchi…"
Shuuchi's nose wrinkled in disgust when he and Mikiri came over. "Jadoku has definitely been here. Senna, please stay close to us." Shuuchi led the way with Senna right behind him and Mikiri bringing up the rear.
Jadoku's smell grew stronger and stronger as the trio walked down the tiny alley. Shuuchi stopped abruptly, bringing Senna and Mikiri to a sharp halt. Senna peered curiously around Shuuchi and was surprised to see a small hole at the back of the alley. Senna managed to slip past Shuuchi and over to the lip of the hole. She peered down and almost gagged as the smell hit her. "He was here. He hasn't been here for a few days, though."
"Stay here with her." Mikiri ordered Shuuchi as he managed to sidle past Shuuchi and Senna. He gave Senna a reassuring smile before disappearing down the hole.
Senna peered into the tunnel, her sharp eyes watching Mikiri as he closely inspected what had once been Jadoku's hiding place. She was able to make out a small bed roll in the far corner and food remains littered across the floor. "Jadoku must be really scared of Kaname-san and the others to be willing to live like this."
"How long has he been gone?" Shuuchi called down to Mikiri, keeping a close eye on Senna to make sure she didn't fall down the hole.
Mikiri hoisted himself up through the hole and sat on the edge, his feet dangling. "He hasn't been here for at least three days. He can't have gone very far, though. I doubt he's even left this town."
"How can you tell?" Senna asked curiously. She blinked as both Shuuchi and Mikiri stood up and began walking back towards the entrance of the small alleyway. She allowed Shuuchi and Mikiri to both once again grab her hands and lead her out of the alleyway. "Mikiri, how could you tell?" She asked again.
Mikiri held up some manila folders that he had hidden in his jacket. "He left some of his research behind. I'm sure he planned to go back for it. We'll take this back to Zero-san and the others."
"Do you think we'll find him soon?" Senna asked curiously as they began heading back towards the hotel where everyone was staying. She smiled as both Shuuchi and Mikiri interlaced their fingers with hers.
"Of course we will." Shuuchi said. "We're going to cure you, Senna."
"We won't let him hurt you ever again." Mikiri promised.
The trio walked quietly for a while before a thought suddenly occurred to Senna. "What did Kaname-san say to the two of you before we left." She frowned as both of them went very white in the face. "What?"
"Oh, look ,we're here!" Shuuchi said, quickly pulling Senna towards the hotel. Both he and Mikiri released Senna's hands as they saw Kaname was standing right outside the hotel.
Senna frowned as the two boys quickly ran over to Kaname. She really didn't understand boys at all. They were so weird.