Darkness

Day Ten, Part Two

         "Did you manage to reach them?" she asked me.
         "Yes. They all said the same thing. Not one of them can get Voldie's scent, but that's not unusual. After all, they've never meet him and neither have we. What is unusual is that they have sensed BKRG here. He's not one of our favourites, and they decided that they might as well follow him. They think he might lead them to Voldie. At the very least, we have an eye on one of his henchmen," I told her.
         "That was a good call. Does BKRG know we're here?' she asked.
         "Nope. As far as I can ascertain, I don't think he even cares if we're here. I just wish I could figure out who was it that was following us," I was slightly worried.
         "The others told me about it too, but I couldn't even get a tracker on him. Either he's damn good, or I'm blind to him," she replied.
         "You're kidding."
         "Any more than birds could fly. If I am blind to him, it must mean..."
         "He's a member of the Dead and beyond our reach," I completed.
         Someone knocked on our door. Sukina and I immediately reached for our weapons. She called out, "Who's there?" It was the others. She cautiously opened the door. The others seemed to be quite surprised at the weapons we held, particularly Botan, Kurama, and Clapika. Sukina held a pair of sickles, joined by a long cord, while I had a double-bladed staff in my hands. "Gomen," Botan said, "We did not mean to startle you." Her English accent was abominable, but at least she had the grammer right. It was a little too formal for my taste though.
         "It's okay," Sukina said.
         "Are you okay, Naoko-san?" Gon asked me. I nodded.
         "Why are you guys here?" I asked.
         "Where's Hiei?" Sukina asked.
         Kurama sighed. "Where else?"
         Sukina and I looked at Kurama incredulously. "He's sleeping in a tree?" we asked. He nodded.
         "What are our plans for tomorrow, Naoko-san?" Clapika asked me politely. He's such a nice boy! ^_^
         "Well, we have to buy our school supplies. That's the most important thing. Did you guys remember to bring money?" I asked.
         Surprisingly, or maybe not so, Kurama, Yokoshima, Botan and Shuura all held up coins of antique make. Shuura's, in particular, were rather ancient. My sister's eyes glimmered. We've both been trained as thieves when we were taken into Celeste's PriestessHood, and the training was reinforced when we were 'recruited' into the Interpol. We were under the Special Divisions, and it did not only consist of supernatural happenings, but also thievery, assassination (which was extremely rare) and other not-quite-so-legitimate activities. I loved those days! ^_^ My sister was an excellent thief, and she specialised in ancient stuff. I knew what she was going to say the moment Shuura took out the coins.
         "May I have a look at them?" she said. When he gave it to her, she sat herself in one corner, happily counting them while humming. From time to time, we could hear her making small squeals of delight.
         "Looks like I'll be paying for you, Shuura. She won't give those coins back, ever," I sighed.
         The cute, wide-eyed demon merely looked at me in puzzlement. I was not really surprised to see him sitting on Kurama's lap, as though he was six years old, though he looked 17. I knew for a fact that he was far younger than Gon, who's ten. I resisted the urge to ruffle his hair.
         "We'll be going to Diagon Alley. Then what?" asked Gon.
         "Well, if I'm not wrong, we'll have to get textbooks, robes, Pets for all of you and also your things for Spells and Potions..." Sukina interrupted me.
         "The list is here, Onee-chan. I think we can safely split into two groups after we change the money at Gringotts. One group can get the ingredients for Spells and Potions. The other can get the textbooks. We can meet during lunch and get the wands and pets after that," she said.
         "Kurama and Hiei can go with one group, Su and me with another. We can get things done faster that way," I concurred.
         "Fine, then we'll take Botan, Gon, Shuura and Clapika?" Kurama was uncertain about the last addition.
         "If you take Gon, you'll have to take Kirua as well. Kirua's not the most rational of people," I disagreed.
         "Compared to Hiei, he is," Sukina said, making us giggle.
         "Well... Tell you what, you take Clapika and Peter, we'll take Gon, Kirua, and Yokoshima," I said.
         "Is that such a good idea?" my sister asked me in our private language when Kurama agreed.
         "Kirua's fine, just only short-tempered when it comes to Hiei," I reassured her.
         "We'll get the textbooks then. You and Botan know more about herbs than anyone else," I said.
         "Agreed," he said. Sukina nodded. After that, they all left to sleep. Botan gave my sister a sleep medicine as she could not sleep when she was in a new place.

         "'Nee-chan, aren't you going to sleep?" my sister asked. She was ready for bed.
         "Iya. I need to finish off this letter to Barbara first. Oyasumi," I told her good night.
         "Oyasumi," she replied.