Author's Note: This is probably the fic I've most enjoyed writing for SC. IT was written YEARS ago and is not edited.

VANISHING ACT

A Word of the Day Ficlet

By Kysra

"Shut UP, Mugen!"

"Make me, bitch."

The way she blows out her cheeks with rage makes him chuckle. The way her fists attempt to strike him and miss illustrates just how much he's come to kinda like the little banshee: He never retaliates. Better men and women haven't survived, regardless of the type of attack.

She tires of the game easily, her attention taken by the need for dinner. He often wonders where the hell she tucks away everything she eats . . . when there's ample food to go around.

There are bruises and odd cuts all along her arms - he's noted it several times since getting her back AGAIN - and she seems a little cowed which he doesn't like at all. Even four-eyes noticed and that dumbass doesn't usually bother with Fuu's over-emotional-ness (neither does HE but when Fuu can't even put up a decent argument or fight, he's bound to notice).

Thing is, Fuu goes missing like it's the latest f*cking trend and she's shitfaced with good taste. If for that only, he can't fucking wait to be rid of her. He didn't sign up for rescue duty (and it IS always him isn't it? What the fuck is four-eyes there for?), and even though he grouses and takes his sweet time, he knows he'll find her again and again and again.

She might even be the death of him. He can't really say he disagrees with that thought. Dying is dying, and even though she's not a babe and doesn't have any t*ts, even he has to admit that Fuu is a "good" girl. She's seen things that other kids her age would make other kids fall apart. She just takes it in stride and keeps going.

Like now, as she dabs at a particularly large gash on her shin.

"Hey."

She looks up, eyes wide and ridiculously innocent, lips pursed and skin-sweat slicked. It's the only indication she'll allow that she's in pain. "Yeah?"

"I'm going out." They're out in the middle of a forest and it's eerily like that the time they left her behind and she was found by that Okuru guy.

Jeez, his ears are still ringing by the way she wouldn't shut the f*ck up after THAT adventure.

Her eyes shift to glance at four-eyes but that dumb*ss is meditating . . . or pretending to. Wouldn't that just be like the bitch to slither out of a Fuu-rant by acting like he's searching for some damn nirvana when he's just sleeping sitting up.

"I don't think there are any brothels around here." She dips the end of her blood-stained rag into a bowl of river water.

Because apparently all he was interested in was whores (ok, he WAS but not every damn second). "See ya." He smirks at her worried look because he knows it drives her insane before disappearing in thte brush. He doesn't need light to see where he's going, his memory of where they left those *ssholes who took Fuu, beaten and tied up but still alive (wasn't his style but four-eyes had insisted considering Fuu was showing signs of trauma) is fresh and clear.

It's not that far. He'll be back in a few hours . . . after he washes the blood from his clothes and body. And next time (because it's too much to hope there won't be a next time) he'll get the fuckers BEFORE they successfully take her away.

Word: Thaumaturgy