By Haruka

If Yaten didn't get off his case, Fish Eye was going to kill him. And he'd already devised several lovely methods of doing so, most of them involving Yaten going face-first into the steam tray.
He was doing his best to handle cash the way Seiya had taught him, but it was the kind of thing that came with practice and one day of it wasn't enough. Yaten seemed to think it should be, however, because every time Fish Eye entered a Tacoz order incorrectly, the pretty blonde would stalk away from his station to publicly scold him for his obvious ineptitude. Fish Eye was about to blow - only the fact that Yaten was Seiya's brother was stopping him now.
"Fish Eye, what's _this_ supposed to mean?" Yaten's familiar snap came from around the Tacoz side. The blue-haired half-fish sighed wearily - here we go again, he thought.
"LOOK at this carefully!" Yaten told him, coming around the corner to point up at the order monitor. "See this? It says 'no lettuce', right? So is there supposed to be 'no lettuce' on the bean taco or on the Munch sandwich in the same order?!"
"No lettuce on the taco," Fish Eye explained. "They didn't mention it until after they ordered the Munch, that's why - "
"In a case like that you TELL me so I know what I'm supposed to do, okay?" Yaten said angrily. "I almost wasted a taco because of that!"
Big deal, Fish Eye thought. There was enough food waste in the place on a daily basis that one more taco wouldn't have made any difference, and most of the waste was on the Tacoz side, anyway! He was about to tell Yaten that when he noticed Taiki and Hawk Eye walk in. "Hi guys!" he said with relief.
"Hey, Fishie," Hawk Eye greeted and they walked up to the counter. "We're just checking in, wondering if anyone came by with news on finding that braid guy yet."
"No, were they supposed to come here?"
"Not necessarily," Taiki said. "We just thought we'd ask."
"Fish Eye!" Yaten yelled from his side of the counter. "Get the money from drive-thru already! Can't you see I'm busy?!"
"Yaten, don't talk to him like that!" Taiki said sternly.
The blonde peeked around the edge of the divider, his eyes widening when he saw Taiki. "What are _you_ doing here?!"
"Just stopping by. Now lay off Fish Eye or he'll quit and leave you to do everything by yourself."
"I was thinking of stuffing him into the steam tray first," Fish Eye added, giving Yaten a decidedly serious look. "Either that, or I'll tell Tiger Eye that Yaten called him ugly."
Yaten's mouth fell open while Hawk Eye snickered. "Fine!" Yaten exploded. "Do whatever you want! If the place is a wreck when Seiya gets back you can explain it to him!"
They watched him stomp back to his station and busy himself with the next order. Fish Eye smiled with satisfaction and went over to the drive thru window.
"See?" Hawk Eye grinned at Taiki. "I told you Fishie would be okay."

Gourry gave some tokens to a kid and watched him run over to the machines. The sound of the front doors sliding open drew his attention, and he was surprised to see Haruka coming back in only ten minutes after she'd left - but not with Seiya. She was with her pretty green-haired girlfriend, Michiru.
"Gourry, could we use your phone?" Haruka asked as the two of them dashed to the counter. "I need to find my sister and I want to check home first."
"Well, sure," he said, passing the phone to her. "But why didn't you ask when you were here the first time?"
"What first time?" Michiru asked.
"A few minutes ago, when Haruka came in, then left with Seiya."
The two girls looked at each other. Both knew that Gourry wasn't too bright, but even he could usually recognize someone he knew. Unless �.
"It had to be -!" Haruka began.
"The double!" Michiru exclaimed. "Gourry, do you know where they were going?"
"They said something about going for food, but Seiya didn't want to go to Captain Chicken." Gourry sighed. "Wish _I_ could go for food, but my break isn't for another half hour."
"Ice Cream King is the closest place to eat other than Captain Chicken. Let's go!" Haruka grabbed Michiru's hand and they ran out of the arcade, plowing right into a couple whose packages went flying.
"We're very sorry!" Haruka called over her shoulder as she kept running.
"Please accept our apologies!" Michiru added before they disappeared around the corner.
"Are you all right, chere?" Remy asked as he helped the bulldozed Rogue to her feet.
"That was Amara!" the southern woman cried. "I don't believe that girl! She runs us over and doesn't even have the decency ta stop and help us pick up our stuff an' - oh, Remy, look at the curtain material, it's all dirty already!" She snatched up the fallen fabric and glared down the street with murder in her green eyes. "When I get holda that girl she's gettin' the wallopin' of a lifetime!"
"Calm down, Roguey, did you not notice da beauty she was running wit?" Remy grinned. "I tink she was preoccupied."
"Okay, so I'll ask who the gal is before I paddle her inta next week," Rogue sniffed. "Now help me pick up this stuff afore some other crazy kid tramples it."
"Someone mention me?" Duo grinned as he and Inuyasha approached.
"What happened here?" Inuyasha asked, looking down at the various bags and boxes.
"What does it look like happened?" Rogue asked. "Amara just hit us like a runaway freight train. Make yerselves useful, boys, and help us pick this up."
They did, and before long all the packages were safely in the car.
"You guys going home now?" Duo asked, closing the trunk.
"May as well," Rogue sighed, getting into the passenger seat and looking out the window at him. "I need ta find out how much of that material is salvageable so I'll know if I need ta get more. You wanna come with us?"
"Nah, we were going into the arcade for a while," Duo said.
Inuyasha shrugged. "His idea."
"All right den, we'll see you later." Remy got behind the wheel and turned on the engine.
"An' if you see Amara tell her ta get her butt back ta the house, ya hear?" Rogue called back to the boys. "I have a few words for that girl!"

Amara was starting to suspect something.
First there'd been the near accident. Although she'd been too shaken to give it much thought at the time, the person she'd almost hit in the crosswalk had talked like they knew her. Then there was the blue-haired guy giving her money for no reason. Now this boy - this beautiful, sexy boy - obviously thought he knew who she was.
In truth, she wished he _did_ know her, and she him. Then those lovely blue eyes would be focused on her with more than the casual friendship he seemed to feel for whoever he thought she was. She watched him lick the ice cream off his spoon and wanted to kiss the glistening sweetness off his lips.
Whoa, Amara, slow down. You don't even know his name.
He looked at her curiously. "Is something wrong? You haven't said much." He smiled ruefully. "But I guess I can't blame you. It's been tough, hasn't it?"
She nodded. Although he was obviously talking about something entirely different, she could certainly say her own life hadn't been a picnic, what with the move and having to change schools soon. Whoever he was mistaking her for, she was a lucky girl, even if they were only friends. The genuine concern in his expression was touching. A sensitive guy, how refreshing. And a gorgeous one at that. She wondered what it must be like to run fingers through those soft raven tresses.
"Hey, you're really upset, aren't you?" the boy placed his hand comfortingly over hers. "Listen, I know we haven't always gotten along, but I think we're both past that now." He squeezed her hand. "I want to help you any way I can."
To hell with slowing down, Amara decided. She lay her palm on his cheek, leaned over and kissed him.

"Kanna, LOOK!"
The big redhead saw Maria staring through the front window of Ice Cream King in horror. Shading her eyes from the glare, she looked inside herself and saw Amara kissing an attractive black-haired boy.
"Wowie!" she cried. "First the green-haired girl and now this guy? Looks like she's not having any adjustment problems!"
Maria started to stride toward the entrance but Kanna grabbed her and steered her away. "Let me go!" Maria protested.
"At home, remember?" Kanna told her. "You can tear into her at home!"
"All right!" Maria jerked herself from Kanna's grip. "Let's get the groceries home and I will wait for her there."

End of chapter 20

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