I ran out of the airport, anxious. I never really liked being in crowds.
"Hey, Taki...what did you mean by winning some money and disappearing for a while?" Yaki asked looking up at me.
"I meant what I said." I muttered setting her down.
I dashed off to the nearest casino I could find and pulled out some money from my savings. Father had felt even if he hated my guts, no Okami should go into the world poor so money was never an issue. But I wanted the money to be my own. If it wasn't, I would have to rely on the Okami clan for everything and never get revenge for what they did.
The lights were loud and people were laughing, screaming, and generally having a good time. I tried to calm my nerves down and start playing the slot machines.
Cherry, cherry, BANANA. I felt defeated as I put my last bit of money I had taken out into the machine.
Cherry cherry, BANANA. I stood up and kicked the slot machine as hard as I could.
"STUPID PIECE OF CRAP!" I yelled as the machine exploded.
People stopped and stared at me. Finally I realized what I had done.
"Um, miss? WOuld you like to step into my office?" A man looked at me sternly.
I felt like a little child getting scolded as I took a seat in the man's office.
"That machine costs alot y'know." he said fiddling with a fancy ring on his finger.
"Yeah. I'll pay you back. How much you want?" I crossed my arms. I seemed to be spending more money than gaining it.
"Oh, I'm not taking money as of now. I'm taking hard work instead."
"Wha-aat?" I looked up.
"I'm a little short staffed today. So to repay me back for the machine, work for me tonight." he snapped his fingers and a person handed me a uniform.
"Whaa-aat?!" I mumbled again.
I looked at my reflection in the silver tray I was carrying (I had to deliver drinks around the casino). It didn't even look like me. My hair was pinned up where my brown streaks didn't show, and in order to fit the goofy red bowtie I had to take off my collar with the star in it. And the man hadn't even let me put my nick name on my name tag. I grumbled at the sight of TAKAHARA nicely printed on the tag.
Stupid humans.
Taki Okami~
Nekomata: I don't think I've been in this story yet...
Noelle(me): Well now you are!
"Oh hey guys!" I waved to Hachi, Suki, and Kai. "I don't know how, but somehow I got here and started to play slots."
"Hi. Ssssoo did you hear anything about our conversssation?" Hachi asked.
"Um, no why?" I answered.
"Nothing!" Kai quickly jumped in.
I was startled by the way he protected the truth.
"Have you seen the others?" I asked.
They shook their heads.
"Well actually Shukaku is now 100 feet trying to find sake." Suki said.
"Sssso how much money did you win on ssssslotsss?" Hachi asked.
"Not much really. I just won the jackpot of 90,000." I said plainly.
Everyones mouths dropped open.
"I don't believe you..." Kai said in a questioned tone.
"Here's the check." I said holding out a white, crisp check.
Money symbols appeared in their eyes.
"I was on my way to get put it in my account..." I explained.
I started to walk off, but they followed me.
"Sssshouldn't Houkou be with you?" Hachi asked.
"Actually no. I was a few days late here. All the flights were being canceled for some strange reason..." I explained.
"Oh." they all said at once, still following me.
"This is going to be a long day..." I thought.
Someone continue and tell me where everyone else is...I'm so confused...
My head pounded as I came to terms with what had just happened. Shukaku had gotten me drunk, beat me at poker, and threw me in a closet with a beat up Isonade. Isonade seemed to get his ass kicked a lot lately. His head was down and looking at the floor. At first I thought he was unconscious, but then he talked.
“What did you do?” he asked not looking at me.
“Ssssssake…dam I hate it and manage to get drunk twice! And I lost a poker apparently,” I said angrily.
“I got my ass kicked by Shukaku,” Isonade answered.
“Go figure,” I laughed. I stood up and grabbed the door handle. The closet opened, but Kai and Suki were standing right there.
“Hachi what were you doing in there?” Suki asked.
Before I could answer, Isonade poked his head out from the closet and answered for me.
“What didn’t you know he was my lover?” he asked.
The look on Kai’s face was beyond anything I could explain. It was a cross between shock and death.
“Yep Hachi and I are GOOD friends,” Isonade laughed.
“Man I’ve heard of closet gays, but this is so wrong,” Suki said putting her hand to her head.
“No it’ssss not like that!” I said trying to be assertive.
“Of course it is dear Hachi,” Isonade said grabbing my arm.
Kai paled even more. The shock had left him with only death. He turned around and started running.
“You sssson of a!” I yelled at Isonade and landed several punches on him, “How dare you tell my brother I am a gay!”
“Hey! Is this how you treat the man that loves you?” Isondae laughed.
I beat him black and blue before stopping. Suki was still there with a questionable look on her face. It was not as bad as Kai’s was, but it was still bad.
“Hachi, I don’t want to know nor are you going to tell me,” Suki said flatly, “Your brother on the other hand needs to be found, and I’m going to spend some of this money.”
She turned around and walked away. Isonade was still clinging to my arm. I beat him off and went to look for Kai. He was sitting in the corner of the casino with wolf ears showing.
“Kai, I’m not a gay,” I said bending down to look at him.
“I know you’re not, but that Isonade was…well scary… that’s the only reason I ran,” Kai said calmly.
“And if you ever bring this up again, I will give you three months of training in one day,” I finished. He looked up and smiled.
“I promise Hachi.”
I may have managed to get Kai not to say anything, but not Isonade….he now brings it up any time he can…
I felt uneasy in my plane seat. So far so good.
"What are we going to do when they find out I'm not a stuffed animal?" Yaki tried to say with out moving her mouth.
"Shhh. I have a plan." I smiled trying not to laugh.
My plan was going to take some acting skills and a lot of self will ont to crack up in front of everyone in the process.
Just an hour later an attendent came up. "Um, Ma'am? Animals go to the back."
I glared at her. "HOW STUPID ARE YOU? THIS IS MY STUFFED ANIMAL. ARE YOU PREJUDICE AGAISNT ANIMAL LOVERS OR SOMETHING? WHAT AIR LINE COMPANY IS THIS? WHICH ONE? I'M GONNA SUE YOU FOR MAKING ME PUT MY STUFFED ANIMAL WITH THE CARGO. YOU HEAR ME? SUE!" I tried my best not to laugh at the facial expression she had.
The attendent took a few steps back. "S-sorry ma'am...enjoy your stay..."
"WHAT? NO FREE FOOD?!" I said making another scene.
"h-here! t-Take it!" The attendent hurled a box of peanuts at me and fled.
Everybody stared at us, but I didn't care. Soon we'd be in Las Vegas, where I'd be free to gamble and perhaps escape the insane Okami clan.
Taki Okami~
This feeling that I have here is better than the one that I had in New York. Now I have to make Yuri-Chan bigger. But how? After I left Yurikami with Chiyoko, I went into a casino. Isonade is there. This is my chance....I tapped him on the shoulder.
"Ow! Who ever you are speak up!!! I'm trying to win. If you're sure, Iso-teme! I thought. I yelled as loud as I could.
"HEY ISONADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I yelled. Isonade jumped. I gave him a heart attack. I looked down at him.
"What do ya know? *hic* We meet again Browser Poser!" I cracked my knuckles. Isonade gulped.
"Wait! I'm too young to die!!" Isonade begged for mercy. I dragged him to a closet. Then I took over a bar. Hachi was there waiting for me.
"Where have YOU been?" Hachi asked.
"How *hic* did ya know I was here?"
"Sssaw you on TV. The humanssssss ssssay that you are famousssssss." I can't believe my ears.
"Wow! I'm famous?"
"Yep. But now, you will come with me..." Hachi said. I ran, but accidently tipped over an open small sake bottle that flew into Hachi's mouth. I'm gonna die.......
"Thanksssss Shukaku. I needed that. Now prepare to DDDDDDDDDIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" Hachi yelled as he hit me on the head with the sake bottle. At least he's human for now. I drank my homemade sake and went back into the casino. Kakuzu was playing Black Jack. I wanted to play. Hachi was thrilled.
"If I win, *hic* you leave me alone and stop being drunk!" I yelled.
"Deal! I hope ya ready to die, Let's do thissss!" Hachi yelled.
"Hey! That's my *hic* line!!!"
(3 minutes later)
"Ugh! What happened?" asked a tired Hachi.
"Ummm *hic* I won at Black Jack?" Hachi fainted. I put him in the closet with a beat up Isonade and then ran down to get more sake. I grew 100 ft, then looked at a sign. It was a giants boxing compition. This will mean I have a stage name:The Big Drunky!
Continued by other demons....
~Big Shukaku
