Author: OH MY GOD, WE'RE NOT DEAD! This is amazing!!! I hope we didn't lose any readers!!! How long's it been since we updated? A year or so? We're sooooooo so sorry for the wait, but hopefully it'll be worth it! We have some plot worked out, and the next few chapters should be up within two weeks. (Not of each other, either!) So let's get right to it, thanks so much to our loyal fans, this one goes out to you! You deserve it after being so patient!
Terror of Azumano
Chapter 18
"That was a good day…" Erin sighed contentedly, opening her hazel eyes lazily and looking out the car window. She blinked. "Where are we and why aren't we moving?" She asked, not recognizing the two-story house in the darkness.
Dark opened his door. "My house. I need to grab something before I drop you guys off." He explained. "Stay here." And he closed the door, heading inside.
There was a slight silence. "I'll be back." Erin broke it, unbuckling her seatbelt.
"Didn't he tell you to stay put?" Satoshi asked quietly. She raised a brow and glanced at him over her seat, forcing back a smile at what she saw. Bryanna was still sleeping soundly, but instead of leaning on the seat, she was now leaning on Satoshi's shoulder.
"Aww…that's so adorable! I'm so glad I have my camera." She chirped, digging it out and taking a picture. The flash made Bryanna jump about half a mile and it definitely woke her up.
"I didn't do it!" She cried, sitting up; her eyes were wide. As Erin and Satoshi chuckled, the short girl blinked, spotted the camera in her friend's hand and glared at her. Jokingly, Bryanna said, "You ass. Hate you too."
"Aw, but I lurve you, BB-chan. I'm keeping this forever and ever as a memento of your lovely romance!" Erin sighed dreamily, stowing her camera back into her metallic blue bag.
"Oh, zip it." Bryanna said, yawning and leaning against Satoshi again, closing her eyes and trying to get back to sleep. Sarcastically, Erin zipped her bag shut.
Satoshi raised a brow. "Right…"
"Well," Erin began, opening the door, "not that this isn't wonderful for blackmail and all that, but I've got a room to raid. I shall return in one piece." She promised, getting out and heading for the house.
"How far do you think she'll get?" Satoshi inquired, nudging the half-conscious Bryanna.
"Oh, she'll get up to his room and if she's lucky, will get another pair of pants and the shirt she really wants. She'll definitely make it up to the room, though." Bryanna assured, starting to ramble like she often did when she was not fully awake.
Meanwhile, inside…
"Now, let's see…" Erin murmured quietly, digging around under the (unmade) bed. "If I were Dark's cross necklace, where would I be?" She threw aside pencils, a comb, deodorant, and some other things that disgusted her before crawling out.
'Okay,' She thought, exasperated, 'It's definitely not under there.' She only gave her findings a short second thought before shuddering and going for the closet.
"This man needs to clean up…" She growled as she tripped over a small can of Axe. Picking it up and shoving it into her purse, she opened the closet door. She held in a yelp and leapt to the side as even more junk fell out of it in an avalanche. Among this was the Sage of Sleep, (both the mirror and the earring,) and a sleeping pink bird.
Erin raised a brow and stared at the bird. "Towa?" She breathed.
The bird's eyes opened and she lifted her head, chirping, and in a puff of smoke turning into a girl with silvery hair and emerald eyes. She was in a maid's outfit and her fingernails were painted lavender.
"Wh-wh-who are you?" She squealed. Erin cringed and shot a glance at the closed bedroom door.
"Shh! Relax; my name's Erin. I'm a friend of Dark's. Are you Towa?" She hissed.
The girl nodded. "Yes, I am, but what…"
"No time. Gotta raid, then I'll leave." Erin cut her off, going back to her task.
Towa blinked. "Raid?" She repeated, watching the younger girl dig through the huge pile of things. "But that's Dark's stuff!" She exclaimed in realization.
"Shhh! Do you want him to find me?" Erin challenged, pausing.
Footsteps. Dark's voice saying something to Emiko.
"Shit! Towa, I was NEVER HERE, understand?" She commanded, shoving some crap aside and quickly shutting herself in the closet. (She left the door open just a little by accident. Enough so she could see out, but not enough for anyone to see within.)
As the bedroom door opened, she quieted her breathing (and vaguely noticed that the closet smelled a lot like Axe and male,) and watched as Dark came in. He paused to look at Towa before smirking.
"Sleeping in my closet again, eh?" He laughed.
Towa flustered and glanced at the closet door, nodding slightly. "Yeah, sorta…" She admitted. Erin tensed slightly under her gaze, finally relaxing a little when she dismissed herself.
'But…why'd she close the door?' She wondered, still watching Dark.
Within moments, she got her answer. The Phantom Thief sighed heavily and took another look around. Then, as if he were satisfied that there was no one else in the room, he promptly pulled his t-shirt off and threw it aside.
Erin turned five or six shades of red, covering her mouth with one hand to hide a gasp. "Oh, God…what have I gotten myself into?" She whimpered quietly, backing up as far as she could without knocking something over. (Not that it mattered, considering she couldn't close the door the rest of the way.)
She closed her eyes and laid a hand on her chest, feeling her heart pound against her ribcage and willing it to slow down. It was only Dark…getting changed…No big deal, right?
After another moment, she heard the closet door open and looked up to see Dark standing there, topless, a brow raised.
'Okay Erin, think…Don't say something stupid.' Her conscience told her.
"Uh…h-hi…" She said quietly, ignoring her burning cheeks. Silence. Wait, correction: unnerving silence. She grabbed a shirt from one of the hangers and handed it to him. "This one!" She suggested.
To her slight relief, he smirked. "Just couldn't help yourself, could you?" He challenged.
"I'm sorry!" She automatically blurted out, biting her tongue to keep from rambling.
Dark shrugged. "It happens." He muttered, ushering her out and instructing her to sit and wait. "Though, I must admit…you're the first to actually hide in the closet." As he chuckled at the thought, he hung up the shirt she had handed him and began searching for another.
"Probably because it's like a warzone in there…I almost got crushed by that huge pile of stuff!" She pointed out, plunking down on the bed. She inconspicuously reached under the pillow, hopeful to find something else to steal.
Without glancing at her, Dark pulled a clean shirt on. "Don't go through my stuff, eh Kitten?" He requested.
She quickly pulled her hand out from under the pillow and smiled innocently. "I'm not!" She assured.
Author: YAY!!!! This chapter is DONE! Now I can go type up the next one…meh…the pain in the fingers…but I'm doing it for you, our loyal fans! …Although sometimes I wonder…well, whatever. There's 35 chapters in all! It should all be posted in a month or two. See you next chapter!