Author's Note: Well, it's time to begin the chapter. Expect a new chapter of The DysFUNctional Pirates later today, and expect that One Piece crossover in a couple of days. Want to know what One Piece is crossing over with for the fic? I'll give you a hint - It's really popular.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.
Ch. 93: "Into the Hinterlands."
The next morning, Teru awoke on Soren's bed, suddenly remembering the previous' nights events.
"No… I can't go. I can't leave Soren!" Teru thought to himself as she hugged Soren's pillow close to her.
"Couldn't sleep, or do you just love my pillow?"
Soren entered the room. Teru sighed.
"Uhh… Your pillow smells just like you?" Teru said, trying to find an excuse. Soren chuckled.
"Do I smell nice?" Soren asked Teru, who giggled.
"Of course! You have a musky, but fruity smell," Teru said. Soren smirked before he looked around in his nightstand drawer. A few seconds later, he pulled out a bottle of colonge and sprayed a little bit of it on Teru.
"There. Now we smell like a couple," Soren said before he kissed Teru. "A couple that distance and time can't separate."
"I love you, Soren," Teru said as she ran her fingers through Soren's hair. Soren kissed Teru on the neck.
"I love you, Teru. I will be your husband no matter what," Soren whispered to Teru before they shared a passionate kiss.
Before the Capricorns, Teru, and Azarael knew it, it was getting dark, and everyone was tired from traveling through the Hinterlands.
"I'm beat. Can we stop somewhere for the night?" Daisuke said with a yawn.
"I second that. I want to take a hot bath – My muscles are tired from all of this walking," Kazuma said.
"We could stop here," Hana said as she pointed to a house in the shape of a shoe.
"We have too many people in our party, Hana. We'd probably be turned away," Aria explained. An old woman exited the house a few moments later.
"Excuse us, but we need a place to stay for the night! Do you mind if we spend the night here?" Yuki-Rin asked the old lady.
"Go ahead. However, my house is filled to the brim with my shoes. Would you like a pair?" The old lady explained as she motioned inside her house, which was mainly filled with shoes and shoeboxes.
"Thanks, but no thanks," Yuki-Rin said before she left with everyone else.
"Since when was the Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe a compulsive hoarder?!" Z.G. cried.
"It's the Hinterlands. Stories like those tend to get messed up," Azarael explained.
"Hey, look, an inn!" Yuki-Rin said as she pointed to a large resort up ahead.
"Good! I need a bath!" Aki and Kazuma yelled as they ran ahead to the inn. Everyone else sweatdropped.
"Aki, Kazuma, wait up!" Yuki-Rin yelled as they chased after Aki and Kazuma, who were already in the inn.
"Hello, we'd like to check in for the night. We have a large party with us, and –" Aki explained before the receptionist cut her off.
"Perfect! The more the merrier in regards to guests!" The receptionist said before she got out a knife.
"What the hell?!" Kazuma cried. "Aki, hold her off! Yuki-Rin has my sword!"
"Kazuma, you can't run away like that!" Aki yelled.
"Sorry Aki!" Kazuma yelled as he ran out of the inn screaming for Yuki-Rin and his sword. Aki sighed as she muttered something that sounded like "coward" under her breath.
"What did you say, darling?" The receptionist asked as she made a small cut on Aki's side.
"Nothing," Aki said.
"Calling me chicken?" The receptionist asked before she pushed Aki down and began cutting her back.
"Of course not! I was just calling out my friend on leaving me alone with you!" Aki yelled before she kicked the receptionist down. But, the receptionist made a cut on her arm. Aki winced as she held her arm.
"Are you ready to be cooked?!" The receptionist yelled. Aki then realized something.
"I remember this woman from a story mother used to read to me when I was little – It's the witch from Hansel and Gretel!" Aki thought to herself. Then, she stood on the witch's neck. But, the witch struck Aki down with a fist.
"Looks like nobody's here to help!" The receptionist yelled. Aki kicked the receptionist back down.
"I can help myself!" Aki yelled before she grabbed a heavy book and used it to knock the receptionist unconscious. "I… I did it. But, isn't anybody going to help?"
Aki then fainted on top of the receptionist.
When Aki awoke, she could feel herself sitting in a bathtub with somebody bathing her.
"What happened in there?"
Aki turned around, and she saw Heathcliffe. Aki blushed.
"Sarutobi-kun!" Aki cried as she tried to cover herself, but she felt a towel. "How did you…"
"Ageha checked you out, then she put you in that towel and told me to bathe you," Heathcliffe explained. Aki breathed a sigh of relief.
"What's everyone else doing?" Aki asked Heathcliffe.
"They're having dinner and relaxing. I wanted to stay with you to make sure you were okay," Heathcliffe explained.
"Thank you, Sarutobi-kun," Aki said.
"Anything for a beautiful girl," Heathcliffe explained. "Now, would you like me to wash your hair and your back?"
"Yes, please," Aki said. Heathcliffe moved Aki's hair away from her back, revealing some of the scars from when the receptionist attacked her. Heathcliffe turned pale.
"What happened? It looks like somebody attack you pretty badly," Heathcliffe asked Aki.
"The receptionist attacked me and Kazuma, but Kazuma ran off. So, I had to fight her off all by myself," Aki explained as Heathcliffe began washing her hair.
"Oh…" Heathcliffe said, trailing off.
"What's wrong?" Aki asked Heathcliffe.
"Do you think that princess is out to get us?" Heathcliffe asked Aki.
"I don't think so," Aki answered. Heathcliffe smiled.
"Well, anyway, thanks for saving us. Honestly, if it weren't for you, we'd probably be dead," Heathcliffe explained.
"Yeah… I had to do what I had to do," Aki said. A few minutes later, Aki had to pay the price for her good deed when Ageha had to clean and bandage her wounds.
"Aki, calm down. I've got your hand," Heathcliffe said as he held a screaming Aki's hand.
"Sarutobi-kun, it hurts!" Aki cried.
"Well, you're gonna have to suck it up if you want to get better, princess! Take it or leave it!" Ageha said before she finished cleaning Aki's wounds and began bandaging up her back. "We're done for the most part. Come see me tomorrow morning so we can change your bandages."
Aki grew pale.
"No! Not again!" Aki shrieked.
The next morning, everyone was preparing to leave the inn.
"How much further is it to the castle?" Soren asked Teru.
"Just a few hours. We're making good time," Teru said.
"Julietta and her crew should be there by now. They came here a couple of days ago to investigate this Princess Regan person," Yuki-Rin explained.
"Good, we've got people working on the inside," Soren said. "Now, let's go."
"Going somewhere?"
The witch/receptionist from the previous night entered the room. Aki grabbed a knife from Daisuke's jacket and threw it into the receptionist's neck. Everyone grew silent, too stunned to speak.
"Nice aim." Was all Yuki-Rin could say.
Ending Note: Review if you want to see Soren and Teru's story have a happily ever after.