�Hey, Ishiro-taijou told me my mess of a partner was down here.�
The twins turn as one to face me, and I find myself slightly afraid of the fact that Tao is actually smiling. Then again, he�s probably only smiling because I must look as worried as I feel, and that proves that I have a heart after all. And that I care about my wayward partner no matter how many times I say I feel like shooting him in the head.
�He�s fine,� Tairitsu assures me, �pushed one of Adel�s protectors a bit far and paid for it, but nothing fatal.�
�We should forget him and just get Ara a new partner,� I mutter, worry turning into annoyance for the most part, �we�re not getting anywhere like this.� We�re partnered here according to the experiment set done on us. See, Ara and Adel have catlike characteristics, so they are--or were--partners. The twins here, the ones in charge of the science-slash-medical division, are tigers. Kiyoshi is a tiger as well, as an apprentice of sorts to the twins. Delsus and Azami-kun are the resident hawks; double agents/intelligence gatherers. Bladen and myself are wolves, and Dakumi--
�Ishiro-san would find that far too time-consuming for his taste.�
�just snuck up behind me and made me jump about a foot in the air. Tao can barely contain his laughter, as Dakumi is the only one who�s always able to catch me off-guard like that without fail, while Tai, being the more restrained one, merely has a thoroughly amused smirk on his face. I suppose I should be used to Dakumi appearing out of nowhere like that, but�I�m not.
�I told you not to do that!� I tell him in protest, whirling around and punching him in the shoulder. He merely shrugs and brushes off my glare, not really caring that his appearing out of nowhere is unnerving. Sigh.
Anyway, he and Himeko are the snakes of our happy little family here at Raidien.
And for whatever reason, he tolerates me more than anyone else, so I don�t have to worry about being killed for hitting him like that. Anyone else besides Ishiro-taijou would probably be shot on spot for pulling something like that unless he was in a really good mood. And I probably don�t have to tell you that doesn�t happen much.
Moving on, I don�t know why he favors me, but I�ve heard it�s because I remind him of his sister. Then again, I�ve also heard that he ended up killing his sister, so I�m not so sure that�s a good thing�In any case, Dakumi focuses his attention on the twins and figures he may as well get the report before Ishiro-taijou has to ask for it.
�What�s the damage?�
�Let�s see�� Tai grabs a paper from a folder behind him and takes a quick glance at it before handing it over to Dakumi, �nothing serious. A couple of bad bruises on his stomach, aching jaw, bullet wound to the chest�Ended up losing quite a lot of blood before we got to him, so he�s out now, but nothing near fatal. Just enough to ensure he suffers for a few days. Heh, Mirai must have planned that.�
�Well the least Mirai could�ve done was break his jaw so I wouldn�t have to listen to his whining,� I mutter to myself, though Tao picks it up anyway.
�Don�t you worry, Luna,� he says with a laugh, �you won�t be the one taking care of him. We will, unfortunately.� Tai gives his brother a look that clearly states he hates the idea and is considering strangling the �older� of them to show just how much, but Tao just shrugs. �Taijou�s orders.�
Tai waves a hand dismissively with a sigh, which, when translated into a spoken language from Tai-�speech,� means: �Fine, I don�t give a damn. Do what you want.� Occasionally it also means �You�re such a fool I�m not even going to dignify that with an answer,� but generally only when Tao is the one using the gesture.
After being around the twins awhile, you realize that they say a lot without actually saying anything.
I glance up to ask something of Tai and blink. Dakumi�s decided to disappear again. Ishiro-taijou often calls him �Kage-san� because he tends to appear and disappear as he sees fit without waning in a rather shadow-like manner�Right, I was going to ask something.
�Luna!�
Bladen tackles me from behind, and I have to struggle to maintain my balance as he drapes himself over me after nearly knocking me over. Reassured once more no damage was done, I do the first thing I think of and slug him in the shoulder.
Well, okay, the first thing I thought of was actually to punch him in the jaw, but that�d just be cruel.
�You came for me,� he chirps, ignoring the darkening bruise on the aforementioned shoulder. He must be on heavy painkillers since he didn�t hit his head. For one he�s being hyper and affectionate, and for another he would have whined at me and told me to be more careful because he was injured, but instead he�s just so�chipper. Oh hell, painkillers make him act like he does when he�s drunk and have the added effect of him not feeling anything when I hit him. Tai better keep those away from him from now on or I may have to strangle both of them.
And now Bladen�s also rambling on about what happened to Adel�I didn�t need to hear that.
�I was so close, Luna! So close! Damn Mirai, anyway!�
I hit him again and change the subject.
�Idiot, we�re partners for a reason. You don�t go running off by yourself like that.� And why do I, the sixteen year old, have to tell this to the man four years older than myself? Honestly.
�He�s mine,� Bladen states, shoving me away from him a bit with a suspicious look, �Adel�s mine and you can�t have him.�
�I don�t care!� I really have to try not to hit him again. �I never said I wanted him. Listen, just, at least have me on standby next time you leave without me, okay? That way, if you need saving again, I�m not the last to know.�
�The wolf got told by the pup,� Tao remarks to Tai with an amused grin, sending both into a fit of snickering. I decide to ignore them.
�Well? You haven�t answered me yet.� Goddess, I sound like someone�s nagging girlfriend or wife, or something.
�Ah, Luna! I didn�t know you cared!� He exclaims this with a sob, pulling me into an embrace that�s starting to cut off my air supply. The snickering in the background just turned into full-blown laughter. Yea, screw you guys, too.
