Unexpected Love...
	Prologue: Crazy Rave The night was slightly chilly, and the stars stood like diamonds against a sky of dark velvet. Tonight was a night of a new moon. She silently slipped out of the large wrought iron gate, casting a furtive look behind her back to large, warmly-lit up mansion, hoping that no one had seen her. With a sigh of relief, she hurried on. The rave was in full swing by the time she got there. She searched the crowd for a sign of her friend. It was several minutes and one guy trying to chat her up later that she found Ukiyo Mirror. The other girl cast her a reproving look as she braved the crowds to get to her side. “What took you so long?” Ryusaki Ari sighed, pushing her long dark hair back. “Would you believe how hard it is to sneak out?” “Actually, no. Why do you torment your poor father this way?” Ari fell silent. She didn’t really enjoy raves, really. There were too many people at each one, and having music blasting in your ear almost every night was liable to deafen you. It was only Mirror’s constant persistence that brought her to each rave. And after it was all over, Ari was always uncomfortably aware of at least half the girls leaving drunken with some unknown guy. Her parents weren’t wrong to worry. But Ari knew better than to drink. Wasn’t she a little underage for that? And she certainly went home each night perfectly sober. But it was just sometimes… Sometimes she just felt like… like defying her parents. There were so many things she couldn’t do, so many things she was forbidden to even try! Just once, she wanted to do something she knew her parents would severely disapprove of. Well, maybe more than once. Mirror was lucky. Her father had to be the richest man in town, and her parents were hardly home. Ari suspected the Ukiyos couldn’t possibly know where their dear, sweet daughter was at the moment. They probably thought she was tucked safely up in bed. “Hi. Have I ever seen you around her before?” //Oh no.// Ari stifled a groan. Well, this had to be an improvement. At least he was slightly good-looking. She politely averted her gaze as the tall, dark-haired teenager started chatting to Mirror. She cleared her throat pointedly and glanced at Mirror. “Shall we go outside?” The guy suggested. Ari rasied her eyebrows. //Mirror, you can’t be that daft!// Mirror hesitated. “Only for a moment.” The guy promised. Mirror smiled. “Sure. Why not? I’ll see you in a while, Ari.” “Um, yeah. Okay then.” Chapter 1: Kidnapped! “Why do we have to go to an alley?” Mirror complained as the teenager pulled her rather anxiously to a stop. The male stranger moved so close that Mirror stepped back cautiously. “What’s your name?” Mirror wondered aloud, she was feeling rather annoyed. She folded her arms across her chest. The boy lowered his head, his black hair falling messily over his eyes. “Haku.” He simply answered, bringing his head up. Mirror stared at 2 beautiful deep ruby red orbs. She was transfixed for a moment. She has always admired red and purple. These colours were so vibrant together. “Gomen.” He apologized as he reached for something in his pocket. Mirror’s eyes widened in surprise and horror as Haku covered her mouth and nose with his handkerchief drugged with chlorophine. An insane smile danced on his lips as he saw the girl’s violet eyes rolled back into her head and felt her body went limp. “Hey you!” The kidnapper turned and saw Ari charging down the street like an angry bull. But she was distracted as another black-haired teenager jumped out of nowhere and tackled Ari to the ground. Haku tossed an extra handkerchief to his accomplice. Ari’s cries and screams softened as she too, was drugged. Ari’s stopper stood up and wiped his sweat off his forehead. He dragged her towards his friend. “Bai Hu! What name did you think up of this time?” Bai Hu laughed. “Haku. What a total drag. Do you think we should take that nosey girl with us? ... Araki?” Araki was bent low over Ari. His fingers grasped her chin gently. “She’s so beautiful…” he murmured gently and dreamily. Bai Hu rolled his eyes in disgust. “You’re getting soft… Let’s get out of here before someone sees us.” Araki scowled. “Why? Boss said to just take this Ukiyo and get outta here!” he snarled angrily as he started to cuff Ari’s neck tightly without realizing it. Bai Hu swatted his hand away. “The girl knows too much! Dump them in the van! She will pay for her peeping!” “Take them away!” Araki ordered sternly as five well-dressed tall men in black appeared out of the shadows almost immediately. They wore their sunglasses and bound the girl’s tightly together, before they heaved Mirror and Ari over their shoulders like sacks and tossed them into the van. ~*~ Part 3: Hideout With a heavy breath of gas exhausts and a crank of the engine, the truck pulled to a stop. Mirror and Ari groaned miserably, their heads throbbing in after-effect from the drugs that had been used on them. 'Damn it...' hissed Mirror, her eyes brimmed with tears, holding her head and just managing to hold herself up. Ari was in a worser condition, she couldn't move at all. They had only woken through a third of the trip, and had just rememebered what had happened. 'Those guys...got us...' moaned Ari, trying to visualize Mirror clearly, but failing as her vision went in and out of focus. 'Don't worry...we'll be okay,' assured Mirror, but she failed in doing so to herself. Ari started to sob weakly, leaning her back against the wall of the inside. The large iron doors swung open and the cool night air seeped into the stuffy room at the back of the truck. 'We're here,' said one of the guys shrewdly. He grabbed for Mirror's hand, but she tried pushing him away. He rolled his eyes and threw her over his shoulder, Mirror kicking and screaming. 'LET ME GO, YOU *bleep*ING BASTARD!' screamed Mirror, doing quite well in spite of her condition. Bai Hu sniggered at her fighting. 'Calm down, girly. I won't hurt you. You've just been kidnapped, ain't that right, Araki?' His friend grunted in response, and gasped, startled by Ari's condition. He climbed into the back and slowly, carefully pulled her out by the waist. She groaned in pain and sickness. 'Are you feeling okay?' he asked quickly. She looked up at him with a dreamy, yet excruciating expression and shook her head, more tears running down her face. He carried her in his arms after Bai Hu. 'Be careful with her!' Mirror shouted to Araki defiantly, having given up struggling against her kidnapper's strong grip. She folded her arms and pouted. 'Where are you taking us?' 'We're already here,' said Bai Hu smugly. She turned her head and peeked over his shoulder. Only five meters away stood the most repuslive, most run down shack she had ever seen! She was immediately revolted by it. 'I REFUSE TO BE KIDNAPPED AND STASHED IN SUCH A RUDDY PLACE!' retorted Mirror, flailing her arms and legs again. Bai Hu turned and gave Araki a confused look. He saw the other girl, sweat beading her face, her mouth wide open, taking deep, struggling breaths, and her eyes firmly shut. 'Hey, she doesn't look too well,' he commented. Araki looked slightly pale. 'I don't know what it was. Maybe it was that cheap sleeping stuff I got off...' 'That idiot didn't check the level of...son of a bitch...' mumbled Bai Hu as he cursed the name of the man that had sold them such cheap sleeping drugs. 'We'll deal with him later. Come on.' He turned again and proceeded toward the shack. 'That roof looks as if it's about to fall in,' said Mirror tardly, pinching Bai Hu on the back of his neck, making his skin crawl. 'Quit it!' snapped Bai Hu, growling like a wild dog. 'Look, this is where we're staying and that's that!' He stared at Araki for confirmation, but he simply shrugged and looked down at Ari with concern. 'Up to you, pal.' Bai Hu gave an exasperated sigh and looked at Mirror from the side. She looked quite pretty when she pouted, her lips looked so soft and pink...he shook his head quickly. Stop thinking that way, he told himself mentally, you can't let down the boss. Think of all the money. 'I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE TO BE KIDNAPPED BY SUCH LOW-CLASS KIDNAPPERS!' shrieked Mirror, pounding her fists on his back. The hammering became too unnerving and he dropped her over his back and she fell onto her stomach on the dirty ground. She shreiked like a maddened chimpanzee and started smacking off the dirt smeered across her new designer top. 'THIS'LL COST A FORTUNE TO CLEAN!' she turned to Bai Hu and eyed him with daggers, 'YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR MY DRY CLEANER BILL, BUCKO!' Bai Hu looked extremely perplexed. 'Uh...if you don't remember, I'll remind you that we are the kidnappers, you are the hostage, we are dangerous, we are boss here.' She prodded him in the chest with each step forward, staring him in the eye. 'Now. You. Listen. To. Me.' she took a deep breath and continued. 'That. Was. A. Paris. Original. Designer. Top. And. It. Cost. Me. A. Mint.' She took another breath. 'AND IF YOU EXPECT ME TO COOPERATE! I AT LEAST WANT TO BE SOMEWHERE DECENT!' She pointed her finger dramatically at the aging house seen as a "shack". 'THAT IS NOT DECENT! THAT IS DEAD! THAT IS A FALL IN!' And imagine how emphasized her words were when the shack suddenly caved in on itself, and became a pile of splinters and bits of old and aged wood, little dust clouds ascending to the heavens of the evening sky. The three stared at it for ten minutes before registering what had just happened. Bai Hu slapped his forehead, incredulous. 'Okay, okay! God, woman! We'll go somewhere else...but you'd better cooperate or I'll have to use a hanky on you again.' Mirror looked horified. 'No! I DON'T WANT THAT HORRIBLE SMELL CONTAMINATING MY SENSES AGAIN!' 'Heading for the boss' mansion?' Araki asked. Bai Hu gave a whistle, 'Ooooh boy...not good.' Araki hurried to the truck and let Ari sit in the passenger seat. She was still breathing heavily, and whimpering. She opened her eyes and looked at Araki. 'Mirror...' she croked. Mirror and Bai Hu were forced to sit in the back of the truck together. They couldn't stand each other. ~*~ Part 4: Another hostage It was a cold, quiet night. The wind that had been blowing earlier had stilled, and now she walked alone on the street, her footsteps echoing emptily against the hard cement footpath, walking alone on the side of the street. Her long dark tresses fell just past her shoulders and her eyes were hidden under a low pony fringe. She hummed a sad, disdainful tune to herself, a haunting melody of misfortunes, losses, and a broken heart. Life had betrayed her, and so she decided to escape it all, to run away. They didn’t care. No one cared. A distant thundering rumbled in the distance. She stopped humming. She felt the solid earth tremble beneath her black buckled feet. She saw an eerie light glowing from behind her back. She raised her head slowly, and turned her head, her long hair following in a rhythmic movement. The two large glary lights blinded her. She raised a hand to shield her blue eyes. Next thing she knew, someone had wrapped their arms her waist and had dragged her into a large vehicle. She was dumped with a boy and a girl around her age the large iron doors were slammed shut. Through the darkness she heard a muffled voice saying, ‘More ransom money. The boss’ll be pleased.’ And then it was silent. For a moment anyway. The rumbling started against and she was tossed back into the back doors by the force. Part 5: Trouble “Watch where you step!” Mirror snarled in the darkness. Rinna mumbled an apology and stumbled on a sack of rice. She was still too dazed to notice that she was kidnapped. “Hey! That’s my sack, MOVE OVER!” Mirror roared, her arms thrashing around. One of them hit Bai Hu right in the face. In turn, Bai Hu reaches out to smack Mirror back but hit Rinna instead. Rinna jolted up a little but could only see darkness. She tried to sit so as not to fall. Araki was driving rather violently. “Waaah!” Rinna yelled out as she was pushed into a corner as the van served to the right. Without a thought, she hastily sat down. “EEEEEEEKKKK!” Mirror’s scream rang out in her ears. “WHY ARE YOU SITTING ON MY HAND?!” Bai Hu frowned. “Don’t be rude! Can’t you just apologize?” “Stay out of this, mister!” Mirror retorted, drilling her finger onto his chest. Rinna felt tears welling up in her eyes. A cry filled the truck. Mirror and Bai Hu stopped trying to tear each other’s intestines off and turned abruptly to Rinna. “Oh no… I’m sorry…” Both of them tried to calm the girl down. “Get your filthy hands off her! It’s your fault!” “It’s yours! You yelled in the first place!” Rinna stopped crying and sat at the extreme left and mumbled, “Even strangers dislike me…” ~*~ Part 6: After a long and painful truck ride... .After a long and painful truck ride, they finally arrived at the boss' mansion, which reached six stories high and stretched for five thousand yards across the land, surrounded by the most beautiful gardens, all lush and green, scattered with white and red rosebushes. Mirror gazed at it for a moment, until Bai Hu snatched her by the wrist and had to drag her to the door. Araki carried Ari and Rinna just followed them, her head bowed down as if a loved one had died. A butler dressed in black greeted them at the door, and lead them to a large room, which looked like a luxurious suite from a five-star hotel. Mirror giggled and flopped onto the satin-sheeted bed. Bai Hu shook his head, apathetically and dragged her to sit on the floor. Rinna propped herself beside Mirror and Araki gave the bed to Ari. The five stayed there for a while, in mock silence. Then, the white door swung open, and about five other teenagers stepped in, all young men. They looked rather dirty, buff, with and possibly with an IQ of -250. They all sat around the place, on the foot of the bed, on dressy chairs and beside Araki and Bai Hu. They started to mutter among themselves. One of the newcomers handed Bai Hu a chocolate bar, because he hadn't eaten for a while. He received it gratefully and ripped off the wrapper, attempting to shove it into his mouth when he heard a faint grumble. He looked toward the window. The night was quiet and clear. Hm…no thunder approaching. He turned to eat it again. There came another grumble. He turned and inspected Mirror. She didn't stare at him, she seemed to be engrossed with the chocolate bar in his hand. Then she turned her pleading eyes to him, her lower lip quivering. He felt a pang of guilt. And in nothing flat, Mirror had practically inhaled the food, leaving Bai Hu to deal with his own empty stomach. After a while, Bai Hu and Araki dozed off, unaware of what was happening in the room. A piercing scream sounded in the darkness, making Bai Hu and Araki wake instantly. The other guys were all surrounding Mirror on the floor, a lustful, hungry glint in their small squinted eyes. Bai Hu bolted from his sitting position and grabbed the nearest guy's shoulder, 'What the hell are you doing?!' he yelled. 'The boss didn't say we couldn't DO anything to her before the ransom is paid, did he?' the guy answered, sounding awfully sober. Araki came to Bai Hu's side, looking equally revolted. 'You're mad!' 'Don't you DARE touch her!' Bai Hu roared, pulling the shirts of the rest of them. 'Well, alright then,' the guy said, turning from Mirror, the others following him. Bai Hu calmed down a little. 'But…still…there's her…' the guy slurred, winking an eye over at Ari that lay asleep on the bed. She was still sweating, and taking small, shuddering breaths. Araki's eyes flashed. 'NO WAY!' 'Yes way,' he answered, now advancing toward the bed, the others following him. Araki let out a dogmatic roar and lurched forward, knocking the sick fellow down and winding him out. The others instantly turned on them. Bai Hu wasn't hesitant to join the fight. And by the end of it all, all the disturbingly sick guys were kicked out of the boss' mansion, leaving a half beaten Araki and a flawless Bai Hu, crunching his knuckles. 'No harm done, pal,' he said to Araki. Araki just gave a dull nod, rose slowly and walked over to the bed where Ari lay. He tucked some of her hair behind her ear and admired her for her young beauty. Bai Hu gave a sigh as he watched his friend. He was really becoming attached to that girl. But wasn't that dangerous? Was he starting to forget the money? The benefits and the reward? 'Hey.' He turned and saw Mirror skidding toward him. She sat beside him and gave a weak smile. 'Thanks for…getting rid of those goons…I was really scared.' Bai Hu nodded and grunted, then cringed. He realized that he wasn't as flawless as he'd thought. Mirror leaned over and kissed his injured hand. She pulled away and realized what she had done, blushing slightly, she said shakily, 'Well, I hope that makes it better…' Bai Hu blushed a little as well, but said blandly, 'A kiss won't settle the score…I fought off five guys for you…' 'There's no score to be settled!' she said pompously, folding her arms and looking away, 'And besides, I don't owe you a thing.' 'Yes you do!' he said angrily. 'Oh, what is that? You kidnapped me, remember?' she said pointedly. Bai Hu growled and stubbornly 'hmphed', turning his head away. He could not get any more pissed at this chick! Rinna watched the two in fascination. When they noticed her staring at them, she gasped and looked a way, tears welling in her eyes again. For a moment, they had almost pulled it off as an official couple.
		Some comments about this fic this nosey little Chibi-Shinigami Has to add: Authors and authoresses who titled this fic obviously have not read many good fanfiction...this sort of thing happens in a lot of AU fics like this! I sort of like the way Rinna is portrayed in this story. And I especially like the line "Even strangers dislike me." ...I'm getting inspiration again... *runs off to write new fanfiction*