Graveyard of a Madman Part 16

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Though Usagi was about seven hours late to meet him, Chio wasn't really all that angry. He was disappointed but he was not by any means mad. He understood that things like this had perfectly good explanations. It also helped that there was a wonderfully stocked comicbook/book store right where they were planning to meet. He had already read through all of the Crimson Snake's series, and now he was working on a Manga titled "Kuroshi Asutu." He propped his feet up on the table and crossed them as the day began to wane. To appease the store clerk, Chio had bought about seven different comicbooks, and set them in a sac. He bought one comicbook for each hour he stayed there, and this seemed to please the clerk into knowing that he wasn't just going to loiter there. Still, Chio couldn't help but turn his head to the clock every so often, and sigh. After a while, he started to worry that perhaps something had happened to her. While it was entirely possible that she had found far too many books in the bookstore, it was not like her to just up and forget that he was waiting for her.

Clerk: Hey, mac!

Chio: Hmm? [Looked up at him.]

Clerk: We're about to be closing, but I'll give you another hour. Here [He placed four 20 belli coins on the table.] You mind going and getting me today's paper? I totally forgot to get one and it's time for me to eat.

Chio: Oh, sure. [He placed his feet on the ground, and popped both of his knee joints as he stood, sighing with some relief, he had been sitting for some time.]

He walked to the front of the store next door which had the newspaper machines. He figured the guy was talking about the main paper. He put all four coins in, and as he was opening it, his eyes did a double take. "CATMAN RINJI SPOTTED IN SUKIYAKI CITY, HOTDOG ISLAND!!!!" Chio wasted no time in opening the machine and pulling out the paper. In about a minute, he read the front page.

Chio: OOoohhhh SHIT!! [He ran back into the store and tossed the guy the paper, who didn't think fast enough and it slid behind the counter.]

Chio picked up his bag of comics and rushed out the door. He knew where Ellis and the other girls were staying for the night, and he had to make absolute sure that they were safe before he went off to find Usagi and Rinji. That was when he caught something with his peripherals. There were two shadowy figures on top of the buildings, and to his dismay, they were traveling to the hotel where his crewmates stayed.

Chio: Awww... Damn.

---

Den Den Mushi: Buruburuburburu.... Buruburuburuburu...

There was a symphony of snores in that dark room. It was a very large room with four separate beds, although they were only using three at the moment. Dala was still out. Kimi slept with her axe leaned against the wall beside her bed. Ellis slept with a chiropractic pillow under her back, and had on red, silk pajamas. Jana Chi slept in tosses and turns, she could hear the Den Den Mushi in her sleep, but honestly didn't fully wake up to answer it.

That was when their window was very forcefully, but carefully opened by a larger hand than you would normally see, gloved in black. Two figures all dressed in black climbed inside very quietly to their room. The smaller figure carried a rope, and decided to start with Jana, since she was closer to where they entered. As the dark figure began to reach for Jana, that's when her internal alarm clock went off. Her inner chi felt the presence of another, and her body acted on instinct. Jana's hand clamped over the small of the figure's wrist, and then her other hand clamped onto the figure's hip. In one swift, strong movement, she twirled the figure into the wall, smashing the dark-clad person into it, and breaking it.

Jana Chi's kia woke both Ellis up, and Kimi. Kimi's eyes opened to the larger figure, and with her hand on the wall, her foot came straight up at the large figure's face. He bent his neck backward to avoid the full brunt of the attack, but he was still knocked straight back into the wall, and grunted. Kimi kipped out of bed, only wearing a long shirt that came down to her knees, and pulled her axe from the wall, wielding it with great ease.

Ellis: What da hell is dis?!? [Got up from her bed, straightening her red pajamas.]

Akane: Errrm! [Pulled her head out of the wall and pulled off her mask.] Son of a bitch! [Held her aching head.]

Hono: Huh, looks like we gotta do this the hard way. [Pulled his mask off. Then he pulled out his very lengthy sword and faced down Kimi.]