Chapter Forty-one- Just Us

~*~

"You look terrible."

Anya blinked at that, finally returning to her senses, and glanced down at herself. She blushed slightly at the realization that she'd been staring- she'd probably been gaping like an idiot- and glanced over herself for an instant.

Yep, she did look pretty bad. Felt pretty awful, too. The cuts in her arms and legs weren't getting any better, and it wasn't any fun having glass digging into your skin, either. Not to mention that her head was still pounding slightly from all of the pain that she had been feeling before the barrier had broken.

Finally, she looked back up at her Bishonen. While not bleeding or even cut anywhere, his knuckles were a bright red from blasting open every door he'd come to. He had bruises all over his face, and seemed to sway slightly in her view. Then again, that could just be her eyesight failing...

"You don't look so pretty yourself," she mumbled.

His smirk faded into a concerned frown as he ran to her side and knelt, looking over her. "No, you definitely don't look good," he observed. "Anya, I thought you knew better than to get yourself hurt like this."

"Well, excuse me for wanting to make sure you guys wouldn't go mad. I didn't know any of you were nearby."

Sano frowned at her. "You're gonna have to apologize to Heero, then. He was badly hurt when you freed him. Who else did..." He noticed the other shattered Bish-balls. "DAMN! I was just in time from you making a very big mistake, wasn't I? You IDIOT!"

Anya "eep"-ed and proceeded to duck behind the destroyed table, peeking out at her Bishonen timidly as he continued to rant at her.

"Didn't I tell you? Or did you never listen to me? Didn't I tell you that you weren't going anywhere? Didn't I tell you that you weren't supposed ta friggin' let me go unless I ASKED ya to?! What is WRONG with you?! You... you..."

Anya shifted slightly, trying to get some weight off of the cuts, and ending up merely sitting on more of them. "Ow."

Sanosuke immediately forgot that he was mad at her and hurried over to where she sat. "Are you all right? What the hell did you do this time?" he asked, looking over her cuts. "We need to get you to a hospital. You look really bad."

"Thanks, I noticed."

He shot her a flat expression. "Damn it all, Anya-"

"Damn it all, Sano," she agreed.

The two stared for a while. Then Anya laughed a little and he hung his head. "Idiot," he muttered. He carefully picked up her Bish-belt, Dex, and Balls, shoving them into his pockets. Then he reached out to pull her towards him by the shoulders. A little surprised by this action, Anya let herself fall against his chest, wincing at her muscles protesting.

The Bishonen gave her a small hug, then lifted her carefully as he stood.

"I thought you weren't going to ever carry me," Anya teased lightly.

"This is an exception. Don't get used to it. I ain't carrying your fat ass around all your life, you know," he answered.

She hit him on the head, and it was his turn to grin. She had to smile back at him.

Sano lowered his head to rest his forehead gently against hers for a moment, closing his eyes. Anya blinked again at the action, then decided not to tease him about it and closed her eyes as well, enjoying the feeling of being near someone who cared.

Then, "I was worried as hell," Sanosuke admitted.

"Me, too."

"I... well, I thought I wouldn't see ya again, when ya were releasing Heero and all. I nearly @%@& myself," he continued quietly.

"Me, too," Anya replied with a smile. She opened her eyes slightly to look at her Bishonen.

"It's..." He gave a small smile himself. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Me, too."

Sanosuke pulled back to give her a mock glare. "Aren't ya gonna say anything else? Just 'me, too'?"

"Me, too," Anya teased, laughing.

"Damn it all! Anya, you're ruining everything here!" His glare turned into a slightly wounded expression. "I'm trying to have a moment here, you know."

"A moment? What kind of moment?" Anya asked. She raised her eyebrows a bit and tilted her head.

Sano started for the door. "A MUSHY moment, if you must know," he said, still sounding hurt. "You ruined it all, Anya. It's all your fault."

Anya's cheeks heated slightly at that. /Mushy...?/ "Well, I'm sorry, Sanosuke," she said, keeping up the banter.

"You damn well better be."

"Do you want to try again?"

Sano stopped just short of the door to look at her again. "What?"

"I asked you if you wanted to try having a mushy moment again."

"Oh." Sanosuke blinked, as though suddenly not sure what he was supposed to do. Then he said, a tad too casually, "Oh yeah, sure. Sure, no problem."

The Bishonen stood still for a moment, just watching her in his arms with an unreadable expression. Anya stared back for a while, then asked, "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Are we gonna have a mushy moment or not here? If you don't hurry up I'm gonna go find Chiri and see if-"

"Damn you, you have to wait for that moment!" Sano growled. His grip tightened on her. "You don't just say, 'Oh hey, let's have a moment right here and now,' ya gotta wait for it like everyone else."

"No I don't."

"Oh yeah? How come?"

"I'm special."

Sanosuke sweat-dropped, and Anya laughed again. "You are impossible," he stated.

"Yuppers."

"And annoying."

"Uh-huh."

"Not to mention an idiot."

"Hey, I resent that!"

"And the most amazing person I've ever met..."

Anya paused, blinking at him. Her sarcastic response went right out the window when she heard what she thought he had just said. "Uh... run that by me again?"

He smiled at her. "I said that you're the most amazing person I've met."

"Oh... uh, thanks..." She looked away, blushing slightly.

There was a long pause. Then, "So, Anya... wanna go have something to eat sometime? Just, ya know, just two of us. I ain't willing to pay a big bill or anything, but..."

"Sure. Why not?" she asked, copying his earlier too-casual voice.

He rested his forehead against hers. "Just us?"

"Yeah, sure, just us."

Sanosuke smiled. "Thanks, Anya. Let's go find Heero and get outta here."

"Sure."

Sanosuke gently shifted her in his arms and turned back to the door. Anya held on by his neck, and, considering where she was at the moment, she couldn't help but notice her first Bishonen grinning like an idiot as they left the room where Anya had been held captive.

"Hey Sano?"

"Yeah?"

"It'll have to be after I get everyone back."

"I figured that."

"...And Sano?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we do it after I've eaten? I'm really hungry..."

She got smacked on the head for that.

~*~

Steve skidded to a stop when he found the corridor he'd been in an hour or so ago, panting hard. He held Skuld's Bish-ball in his hand, having finally been able to coax her to help him out.

However, when he saw the current situation his jaw dropped.

Thatz sat on his bedroll, looking confused and complaining that he wanted to know what was going on. A few trainers he didn't recognize were standing around talking about something, looking grim. Heero and Sano were nowhere to be found, though he did see Washu and...

And...

Steve's Bishoujo-loving heart thought it would burst open when he spotted the Bishoujo he'd worked so hard to find and capture.

"A Megumi," he breathed.

At that, everyone looked up.

"Steve, you're back," Washu said, smiling. "Sorry, you missed the train. A trainer called Jessica popped up with a Shin and they're already off to help Anya out. Left a short while ago."

Said trainer was too busy gaping to care.

"Ano..." Washu sweat-dropped, and poked her trainer with her frying pan. "Steve? Calling Steve, this is the home planet. Are you still with us?"

"Megumi-sama..."

She hung her head. "You know, something tells me I shouldn't be surprised," she muttered. Then she looked up. "Oh, by the way, there was an announcement a few minutes ago," she said offhandedly. "If we don't make it to the stadium in about twenty minutes, we're gonna be disqualified and they're gonna move to the next pair."

"Ehehehe... WHAT?! AND WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Steve asked, suddenly coming out of his daze.

"Anya has help. Bishies are fine. Get disqualified in twenty minutes. Leaving?" Washu inquired.

"Leaving," Steve agreed, shoving Skuld's Bish-ball into his pocket and completely forgetting about her.

"Leaving?" the redhead trainer looked confused. "You just got here."

"And you didn't even say who you are," the other trainer added, looking mildly hurt.

Steve ignored them. "BUT FIRST!" He pointed a dramatic finger at Megumi. "Megumi! I challenge you!"

"Oh, great..." Washu sighed. "Yup, there goes the tournament. I dunno how he lived through Skuld's wrath, but if she learns we were late to a fight there will be hell to pay."

However, Megumi merely sniffed and smirked. "And why would I accept your... challenge?"

"Because I've been searching for you for ages!"

"Hmph. You haven't been doing a very good job, have you?" she asked coolly.

"Wha? I.. well... that's not the point! You've finally appeared, and I will not allow this opportunity to pass!"

Megumi sighed. "You trainers are so bull-headed. But very well, if it amuses you. Washu, if I may...?"

"Eh?" Washu blinked, then handed over her frying pan. "Don't dent it! It's brand new!" she warned.

"Hai, hai. I'll be careful." Megumi took up a fighting stance, readying her frying pan. "All right, come at me."

"Ano... I meant a battle with one of my Bishoujo," Steve said.

Megumi sniffed. "What a waste. To think you depend on another to fight for you." She stood and shrugged. "Ah, it cannot be helped," she said sadly. "Trainers are so weak..."

"Weak? Ha! I think not!" Steve struck a pose. "I shall defeat you on my own then!"

Washu buried her face in her hands. "This does not bode well..."

The other trainers merely watched in mild amusement.

The battle was a quick one, and painless; well, it was painless for Megumi. In about two minutes, she had delivered a blow to Steve's head that caused him to @_@ and fall over, unconscious. Some of his Bish-balls were knocked out of his belt and rolled about on the floor, becoming a fire hazard.

Megumi smirked, and tossed her hair. "What did I tell you?" She handed the frying pan back to a mortified looking Washu. "Arigatou."

She looked around at the other trainers and Bishies, then shrugged. "If I may. I have done all I wished here."

With that, she turned and started to walk away.

Then, "EEK!"

She slipped on one of Steve's Bish-balls, and started to fall. Washu and one of the trainers- the redhead- rushed to help her when she disappeared into the ball.

The ball shook once, twice, then stopped.

"..."

There was a long silence in the hallway. Then Washu punched a hand halfheartedly into the air. "Yat...ta?"

"You'd best be going with your trainer," the redhead trainer observed. "Otherwise you'll never make it to your match."

Washu's eyes widened. "Oh, that's right!" She quickly did away with her frying pan, picked up the Bish-balls scattered on the floor, and proceeded to drag her trainer down the hallway. "Bye now!"

"..." There was another long silence.

Then the redhead- Bryanna- turned to the others and shrugged, smiling. "Well, that was special, ne?"

Her Yami Malik snorted, looking disappointed that things were turning out for the best, and started off in the opposite direction.

~*~

Jessica looked up in relief as Sanosuke finally returned with Anya in his arms. "Oh, good, you got her!" Then she frowned. "Oh, not so good. She looks awful!"

"I'm right here, you know," she drawled.

"Thank Kami-sama," Heero murmured, and stood to walk over to her. "Anya... you are an idiot. You know that?"

"People certainly seem to be calling me that lately, yeah," Anya replied, giving a sheepish smile. Then she winced. "Ow..."

"Where's Shin?" Heero asked, glancing back at Jessica.

She laughed and scratched her head. "Shin's still a bit mad at Hiei. The cops are waiting for him to finish up the demon before they take him and his trainer to LSS and Tokio-sama for judgement."

"Kara? She's been caught then?" Anya asked.

"Yep. Unfortunately, I wasn't given a chance to wring that @^@^*&@-#@%&*#!-@&%@^(^-ing @&%@$@'s neck, but... maybe next time!" Jessica ^_^ed. "I doubt I'd have gotten the chance to anyway, though... since we just released all the other trainers and Bishies here, they've been out for her blood too. They're all being questioned by the police now."

Anya and her Bishies sweat-dropped. "Oh, okay..."

Heero turned to Anya then, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well?"

"Well what?" Anya asked. She was busy trying to rip off another bit of her shirt to wrap around the worst of her cuts.

Heero sighed and pulled out a roll of gauze, helping her wrap it around her arms for a moment. "Are you going to capture me again or not?"

"Eh?" She raised an eyebrow. "You don't wanna run off and frolic with your free Bishonen friends?"

The GW Bishonen gave her an unreadable expression. "I do not... 'frolic', Anya," he replied.

"All right, all right," she sighed. "Sano, can you...?"

"Yeah." He pulled out an empty Bish-ball and handed it to her.

"Thanks." She smiled and held out her hand with the Bish-ball. "Heero?"

He nodded and poked the opening part with his finger. An instant later, he was sucked in, and captured without a fight (what a shock!).

"Uh... Yatta? I caught my second Bishie... again? Yay?" Anya sweat-dropped, then released Heero again.

"Thank you." Heero turned back to Jessica. "Where is your Shin? We must return to the tournament."

Anya gaped. "You mean that's still going on?!"

Jessica nodded. "We heard the announcements about an hour ago, about you and some other trainer not showing up for a battle."

"Really now. Well, where IS your Shin?"

"I'll call him." Turning away, Jessica proceeded to carefully step through the Hiei-shaped holes that now stood in the walls, calling for her Bishonen.

Anya sweat-dropped again. "You guys have been busy, haven't you?"

"Well, they have," Sanosuke said, shrugging. "Heero and I were busy in La-La Land at the time."

Anya gave him an odd look.

"What?"

"I never expected a Rurouni Kenshin Bishonen to say 'La-La-Land'. It's very... disturbing. Don't do it again?"

"You're no fun, Missie."

"Hmph." Anya turned to smile at Heero as Jessica returned, pulling a kicking Shin by the ear. "Well, I'm glad you two are okay. Sorry if I worried you."

"Your almost-final mission's cause was understood," Heero said. "However... don't do it again."

"'Kay." Anya leaned back into Sano's chest, ^_^ing.

Sano shifted. "Stop that, Missie."

"What?"

"You're turning into a fangirl. Stop it."

Anya pretended to pout, poking him in the chest. "And what's wrong with that?"

"Poke me again and I drop you off this mountain, I swear to Kami-sama."

"Betcha wouldn't."

"Bet I would!"

"Too."

"Not."

"TOO!"

"NOT!"

"Ano... can we leave now?" Jessica asked, sweat-dropping.

Anya looked away from her first Bishonen, and nodded. "Uh-huh... Oh, wait! Can your Shin take me to my other former Bishies so I can catch them again?"

"Course he can- Oh, I found something that looked kinda weird, so I wanted to bring it by and see if you recognized it."

"Huh? What?" Anya asked.

Jessica walked over to a corner and pulled out a staff, a dark blue cloak with white bubbles on it, and a very familiar hat.

"Chiri's stuff! Wow!" Anya said. "How did you-"

"I didn't know for sure, but I thought it was weird since there was no Chichiri with it," Jessica explained. "Call it a hunch."

"Indeed I will! Arigatou!" Anya held out her hands, and Jessica handed her all three items. The injured trainer winced, and said, "You know something? Can you guys just drop me off at the hospital for healing while you pick up Chiri, Thatz and Kenshin?"

"They can, but I'm hanging with you," Sano said quickly. Heero merely rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Do you have any idea where they could be?" Shin asked.

"Um..." Anya considered it. "Well, Chiri's on an ice mountain somewhere. And Kenshin's in some forest that looks really familiar to me, but I can't place it... and I dunno where-"

"Thatz is back at the stadium," Heero interrupted. "We were being cared for by a Washu, a trainer named Steve, and..."

"And someone else," Sano added thoughtfully. "She sounded really familiar, but it's all a blur right now... Funny thing is, I thought it was Anya at first."

"She had long dark hair."

"Yeah," Sano agreed. "And she was definitely a Bishoujo."

"Okay, okay. Healing now, talking later," Anya said, wincing as Chichiri's staff dug into her wounds.

"Deal. We'll take you to the hospital, then we'll ask around for information on the others," Sano said.

With that, Shin took hold of everyone present and concentrated. Within the moment, there wasn't a living being in sight.

~*~

...Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that you could recapture your Bishies, just as long as you always have at least one captured to make sure you actually stay where you are. ^^; Hope you enjoyed!