Aiba walked down the street looking one direction and then the other. Oh come on.... this isn't fair! Why is it Nino never gets lost? Ugh.... The dark haired boy continued on until suddenly knocking straight into someone. Aiba blinked in confusion and found himself sitting on the ground.
“Ow.” the silver haired kid seemed to be trying to console the pain in his head, and Aiba felt himself starting rubbing his forehead. About to force himself up, Aiba found that the gray haired kid had already leaned down and was gesturing an arm. “Sorry…” he said aloud as he helped teh dark haired boy up again.
“Don’t worry about it I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Aiba answered feeling a slight pang of irritation at having to admit it. However, at least he wasn't admitting it to someone like Nino or Sho or someone...
“Hey you’re Nino’s little brother right ?” the boy asked. Aiba blinked.Oh come on! Is that what everyone things when they see me? was all that moved through Aiba's head. However, he didn't want to start something with someone he just met.
“Yea," he answered back trying to force a nervous laugh that ended up sounding more like a cough than anything. "Do I know you?” Aiba asked aloud wondering if it was just the facial recognition or something of the like.
“I’m Ryuu Yuki. Your brother and I are working on the same case.” the boy now named Ryuu answered back. Dragon snow? questioned in Aiba's mind before he put the thought away into the back of his mind for later. “By any chance are you lost?” Ryuu continued.
“Umm…” Aiba laughed nervously this time feeling somewhat sheepish for not knowing directions within a three block radius of anywhere in particular. Ryuu appeared to sigh as though his thoughts had been confirmed somehow. Shesh if you're going to be like that then don't help me! Aiba resisted the urge to yell back at Ryuu.
“I thought so… Come on I’ll take you back to their apartment.” Ryuu answered back. Ugh I just don't get him... one minute he's sighing at me and the next he's trying to help me out or something? However, Aiba nodded a bit and started walking along with Ryuu. A silence more or less dropped like a bomb between the two after that as Aiba found himself trying to at least recognize some place or something of a marker towards the apartment. You never even look around! You're always off running and never even knowing where you're going! Quit being stupid! Nino's words from the past all but triggered irritation in Aiba. The dark haired boy was about to shout out his complaint to Nino but not directed at anyone in particular before Ryuu appeared to start talking. Caught off guard, Aiba laughed a bit.
“So which of the demon lords vessel are you?” Ryuu asked as nonchalantly as though he were asking more about the weather than anything else. Aiba blinked mentally recoiling. If he knows about demon lords and vessels.... is he a shaman or something? Aiba questioned to himself. Deciding to put on somewhat of a cool face and act like he didn't know what Ryuu was talking about, Aiba opened his mouth.
“H-how do you know about the demon lords?” He asked... and fail....That... did not go according to plan dang it..... Aiba found himself suddenly very stressed.
“What Nino or Matsu hasn’t told you?” Ryuu asked as though he were continuing to talk on the weather. The black haired boy found himself unsure of what to say.
“Why would my brother tell me anything?” Aiba finally tried.
“I thought it would have been obvious considering my last name is Yuki…I’m a moratorium.” Aiba froze. Had he just... a moratorium??? of all things to suddenly admit and he goes the route of saying he's a demon?? Aiba was dumbfounded whether or not to attack or simply to run at that point. Yet he knew Nino and Matsu right? So then....Jerk...Aiba suddenly thougght to himself. There are a heck of a lot of people with the last name Yuki! What was I suppost to know? Aiba bit his lip now irritated at Ryuu. “Come on we’re almost back to the apartment.” Ryuu said causing Aiba to blink back into reality.
Ryuu sighed as though he were reading Aiba's thoughts on the matter which didn't seem to do anything more than disgruntle the black haired boy even more. “I’m not going to hurt you or fight you for that matter so just relax. If you want to complain to someone complain to me as we walk.” Aiba took a step back but Ryuu stepped forwards and seized Aiba's arm all but dragging him along. Nino's gonna kill me for getting captured.... Aiba all but weeped to himself. “If it makes you feel any better my best friends a vessel,” Ryuu continued causing Aiba to stop again standing confused. Hu... but I know all the vessels.... Aiba thought to himself confused on the matter.
“But I don’t understand; I thought that moratoriums were dangerous…I thought that they just did what they were told and used as a weapon. So why are you helping me?” Aiba found himself rambling as though trying to dodge questions in his own mind and also finding that he was oddly being serious as well.
“Look we’re here.” Ryuu sighed as though he were dodging an answer. Feeling the hand release his sleeve, Aiba sighed as well. “Well I’ll see you around.” Ryuu said before walking off as though nothing had happened. Aiba stood confused.
Turning his head around, Aiba stared at the apartments. "Wait... these aren't Nino's and Matsu's apartments..." Aiba blinked aloud suddenly very confused. However, what the black haired boy didn't seem to notice was that the actual apartment front that he was looking for happened to be on the next porch like structure about thirteen meters away. "AH! Lost again!" Aiba shook his head suddenly irritated.
With that, Aiba turned and started walking back where he had before. The only thing he could think to do was retrace his steps or try to find a store or something to ask directions from.
Twenty minutes of wandering around made Aiba all but good and lost again. The disgruntled confused kid was all but irritated with himself now and finding different people to blame it on. The first was Nino. The second was that Ryuu guy. The third was Matsu.. despite the fact Aiba found he really couldn't blame Matsu for one reason or another. And the list just continued on down the line to pretty much everyone Aiba knew somehow skipping Sho for about twenty minutes till the finally last thought. And then- "Hello! Do I know you?" Aiba jumped surprised that someone had all but spooked him. Turning his head, Aiba shook his head confused at all the people doing the same thing today. I swear... if she says I'm Nino I'm kicking something T_T. Aiba thought to himself.
Aiba shook his head after a minute "No, I don't think so. Uh, I'm kinda lost. You wouldn't happen to know where we are would you?" Aiba tried wondering if this girl would give more adequate directions than the previous boy.
"I'm afraid that me and partner are only visiting the town," the girl smiled back gesturing at the ghost. Aiba stared for a minuet at the ghost before him. If he had been Nino, there would have been a chase. However, Aiba was unsure of what to do with a ghost that seemed to be a person's partner. "But we were just heading back to our hotel, and I'm sure they have a map there. You could come with us." she continued.
"Smooth, Hazel, real smooth," the ghost sighed at the girl who was now named Hazel at least in Aiba's mind.
"What?" Hazel asked suddenly seeming to jump at the thought of addressing a ghost in public. Aiba just blinked again. However, Hazel appeared to just turn and start talking again. "So what do ya say? Want come with me?"
"Sure!" Aiba answered back. A map would work! The black haired boy had remained somewhat oblivious to the fact that Hazel had seemed jumpy about addressing her partner, so he simply began to walk with them both. "My name's Aiba by the way," Aiba commented.
"Oh I'm Hazel," Hazel answered back confirming the dark haired boy's thoughts.
Aiba nodded a bit. "So who's your friend?" he asked pointing directly at Charleston. Both Hazel and Charleston seemed to stop at the realization that Aiba could see the ghost before him.
"Are you uh...." Hazel started.
"A shaman, so do you just see ghosts or can you touch them like this?" Aiba asked suddenly ready to be impressed in some manner or the other. Reaching out, Aiba poked Charleston who seemed to suddenly recoil at the poke which only caused Aiba to laugh a fraction.
"Um ... well..." Hazel tried as though unsure of what to say.
Suddenly it hit Aiba why Hazel had questioned if she knew him or not. Aw man don't tell me she knows Nino..... Aiba groaned to himself aloud causing a fraction more of confusion to both Hazel and Charleston. Hoping to be wrong, Aiba started talking again. "So I'm guessing you know Nino then," he sighed outwards.
As if registering the name Nino, Hazel nodded a fraction causing Aiba to only groan more. Does he like.... know everyone in this town or something??? Aiba sighed outwards before finding Hazel and Charleston both looking at him confused. Aiba laughed a fraction and rubbed the back of his head. "Nino is my older brother," Aiba sighed.
Hazel seemed to confirm her own thoughts while Charleston just stared for a minute before suddenly moving behind Hazel. "You're not going to try and banish me to the afterlife are you?" Charleston's voice was half shaking. Hazel looked behind herself a moment and then looked tense as though ready to fight if need bit.
Aiba blinked and just laughed a bit. "Nope," he smiled back. "I only go after ghosts that cause problems," Aiba laughed even more. "And demons that cause problems too at that."
"O-o-ok...." Charleston answered back slowly moving out from behind Hazel again. Aiba just laughed lightly again.
"So where's the hotel again?" Aiba asked starting to walk again but suddenly stop. His stomach all but roared out causing the black haired boy to flush for a moment and then start laughing while rubbing the back of his head. "And is there a food place in it?"
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LoL... poor Aiba can't get a break :B thank you Clu and Moon for both including Aiba~ Moon if you wouldn't mind replying to this I would be indebted. Anyways, thanks again.
KC
