Chapter Sixteen- Back To Normal... Or Is It?

~*~

"ITAI!"

Anya moaned as she rubbed her backside, on which she had landed once again. Then she gave Chichiri an exasperated look.

"Chichiri, can't you get us out of that hat any way other than shaking us out of it?" she asked.

The blue-haired Bishonen continued to shake the rest of the huge group out of the hat before putting it on his head and saying, "Gomen. But it's the only way I'm sure that everyone will come out. Otherwise I'd have to reach in and pull everyone out, and I think that may be awkward at some points no da."

His trainer gave him a sheepish smile. "I can understand you not wanting to do that. Certain people could get touchy about that."

"Speaking of touchy..." Jacky, who had just come out of the hat, stood up and glanced over to one side. "You may want to speak to your Sanosuke, Anya. He was kicking me the entire trip!"

"He was? Why on earth is he acting up so much?" Anya wondered aloud. "He was fine about Kenshin and Heero joining up..." She shrugged. "I'll talk to him later. For now, let's just take a look around, huh?"

"Well, this is certainly better than last time," Heero said wryly. He was leaning against a nearby wall. "We're in a human city for starters."

Anya smiled and stood up to hug Chichiri for a moment. "See, I knew he could do it!"

Chichiri turned slightly pink at that, and his expression became indignant. "Oh come on. It was an honest mistake no da!"

"One that nearly got our trainer in BIG ****-" Sano stated from where he sat.

"Watch your language in front of Kenshin," Anya said sharply. She glanced over to where the Chibi was peering around. Then she too began to look around herself.

They had landed in an alley, where no one could see their entrance into the city unless they were purposely looking around in there. The trainer could hear a number of people beyond their landing spot wandering by, talking, laughing, and so on. She breathed a sigh of relief, despite her resolve not to; back in a human city.

"Well, what do we do now?" Jacky asked.

"I don't know about the rest of you all, but I want to get to a hotel," Anya said.

"I agree."

"Feh, who cares?" Inuyasha muttered. "Now that we're in the damn city, there'll be nothing interesting to do..."

Jacky hit him on the head. "Of course there will be! There're the gyms, the food courts, the shops..."

"God, not the shops."

She hit him over the head again. Then she said, "I have a question. What do we do about her?"

"Who?" Anya asked.

Jacky nodded towards Abby, who was looking over her Bish-Ball curiously.

Anya shrugged. "Well, first off we've gotta find an Orientation building or something for her to go to and get her OWN stuff. That way she won't get in trouble for using my stuff. After that... well, that's up to her I guess."

The rest of the Bishonen (minus Miroku and Shippou) glanced at Abby and backed away a step, just in case she looked their way.

The two trainers sweat-dropped. Then Jacky said, "Well, I don't want us all to be separated. Shippy, Lech, I want you guys back in your Bish-Balls." The two Bishonen nodded in agreement. In a moment, they were gone. The dark-haired trainer then turned to Anya. "Do you mind if we tag along with you a little longer?"

Anya smiled and shook her head. "I don't mind at all. Be my guest- the more the merrier.... Hang on a minute." She scratched her head. "Memory tells me, you have a Bishoujo too. Didn't you say you have a Sango?"

"Had," Inuyasha snorted.

"Eh?" Anya glanced at him in surprise.

"I killed her," he stated indifferently.

"SIT!"

An instant later, Inuyasha had his face pressed firmly into the pavement. Jacky glared at him. "Don't joke around like that, Inu-chan," she told him. "You get in enough trouble without opening your mouth."

"Daaa," Chichiri mumbled, pulling his hat over his face. "I don't know these people, na no da..."

Anya sweat-dropped at that. "So what about that Bishoujo, then, Jacky?"

The other trainer shrugged. "Well, first off there were some disagreements between her and Inu-chan. Then she got real homesick. Like, literally sick. So I decided to send her home. At first she refused saying she'd get over it, but finally I convinced her."

"So you freed her?" Jacky nodded. "Oh, okay. I was wondering about that, but I forgot to ask when we were back in the Slayers' city."

"Speaking of which, you don't think they'll come after us, do you?" Jacky asked.

"Oh, my GOD! Is that a HOTOHORI?!" Abby demanded.

Both trainers turned to see that the other human girl was getting up and racing to the end of the alley to peer around the corner, and both sighed.

"Da. I think we should make sure she doesn't get any other trainers mad at her, no da," Chichiri suggested.

"Yeah, I agree," Anya said.

"I suggest we make this group somewhat easier to handle," Heero said.

"Eh?" Anya asked. She turned around to glance at him. "What do you mean?"

"Personally, I don't think we Bishonen are safe around your new friend. Therefore, I suggest some of us return to our Bish-Balls. I volunteer."

"Yeah, me too," Sano agreed. "I don't want that girl knocking me unconscious again."

Anya smiled. "Alright. Thanks, guys. That would be a big help. We could certainly keep everyone in one group a lot easier."

Heero nodded, and gave the slightest hint of a smile.

"I'll let you out once we're all at the inn, okay?" Anya promised, holding up the two Bishonen's respective Bish-Balls. Both nodded.

Then suddenly, Sano looked at Chichiri. "Ain't you offering to go into YOUR Bish-ball?" he asked.

"Da?" Chichiri looked up, as though surprised that Sano was talking to him.

"You heard me."

"Oh. Shouldn't someone stay out though, no da?"

"It would make things even better if you went in, too," Anya agreed. "Though I don't know if you'd be comfortable staying in a Bish-ball. I mean, you've had problems with them and your last trainer, right?"

Chichiri winced. "That's true. But I could deal with it for a couple hours, I guess na no da..."

"Really? Thanks!" Anya grinned. "I'll have Kenshin out with me, but this will make keeping an eye on everyone much easier until we reach an inn of some sort."

"HOTO-CHAAAAN!"

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Abby calls," Jacky said with a smile. She hit Inuyasha over the head one more time before bounding after the other human girl. With an annoyed growl, Inuyasha went after her.

"Well then, let's hurry up," Anya agreed. She glanced at Chichiri. "Okay, here we all go. I promise I'll let all of you out at the hotel-"

"Just do it already," Sano interrupted. "Or that Bishonen won't be able to breathe."

Anya nodded. A moment later, the three grown Bishonen were gone. She turned towards Kenshin. "You don't mind being out here with me, do you?" she asked.

"Of course not," the Chibi replied. He shuddered. "I don't like the Bish-ball, that I do not."

"All right. Let's go and catch up with Jacky."

Trainer and Chibi went out of the alley and peered around. Then both promptly sweat-dropped.

Abby had attached herself to a Hotohori Bishonen, who was trying to remain dignified while shoving her off. Neither attempt was working very well; Hotohori's hair was already becoming a mess. Plus, he hadn't made any progress yet in pushing her away.

Jacky was attempting to help the Hotohori, but also wasn't making any headway. She had her hands wrapped around one of Abby's arms and had one foot on Hotohori's back for leverage. However, she was only managing to make said Bishonen shout in pain.

Anya shook her head. "You were right, Chichiri. I don't know them either." Then she sighed. "Oh well. Let's go, Kenshin."

"We need a crowbar or something!" Jacky grunted as Anya neared her.

"What happened to Valgaav?" Anya asked.

"I dunno. I think I saw her put the ball in her pocket."

"Wonderful. We need a distraction of some sort... ano..." Anya glanced around at a growing crowd. "Um, can someone help us get our friend off this Hotohori?"

"That little-!"

Anya turned to see a VERY ticked off woman glaring at them. She was tapping a rolled up newspaper against her arm as she shot daggers at Abby. Said girl, obviously, was too busy glomping onto Hotohori to notice.

"Get that kid off of MY Hotohori!"

"I saw him first!" Abby yelled back.

Anya sweat-dropped and sighed. "No, Abby, you really didn't. This is Hotohori's trainer, I'm betting..."

"Damn right! Get OFF!" The woman strode over to where Abby was still latched onto Hotohori and began to try and pull her off as well.

Note that the key word used there was 'try'.

Finally, Abby got off of Hotohori, though it wasn't due to anyone pulling on her or telling her to get off. Instead, she spotted an Aoshi.

"AOSHI-CHAAAAAN!"

THUD!

Anya winced, and hurried after Jacky to where Abby was now tightly attached to a surprised Aoshi Bishonen. "Poor guy... hang in there! We'll try and get her off..." Anya looked around. "I don't suppose there are maps anywhere around here, are there?"

"Um... I don't know..." Jacky glanced around. "Can someone help us?!"

"You'll NEED help if you don't get your friend OFF of my Aoshi-sama!"

The two trainers winced at the sound of another trainer's angry voice. "Ano, miss, can you give me a map for a moment?" Anya asked meekly.

"The hell should I?!"

"So we can get her off of your Bishonen," Anya said, glancing at said Bishonen. Aoshi was beginning to look pale from lack of oxygen.

"Oh. Well... ano... here." The girl pulled out a map and handed it to her. "This is of the entire city."

"Thanks!" Anya opened it up, and began to study the map intently.

"Anya, we don't have time to look at a map!" Jacky said. "We have to get Abby off-"

"HA! I know!" Anya pointed at something on the map. Then she put on an expression of dumbfounded belief. "My GOD! Abby, look at this! There's this whole BUILDING FILLED with Fushigi Yuugi Bishonen!"

"WHAT?! WHERE?!" Abby launched herself off of Aoshi and landed in front of Anya. Chibi Kenshin's eyes widened in worry and he hid behind his trainer.

"Um..." Anya pointed to her right. "It says 'Orientation building' on it..."

"WHOOO!" Abby was gone in an instant. "TOMMOOOO! NAK-NAK!"

The two trainers breathed a sigh of relief. Anya handed the map back to the trainer of the Aoshi, who accepted it without a word. Then Anya picked up Kenshin, and both girls headed towards the Orientation building to make sure that Abby actually went in...

~*~

"This is so cool!" Abby exclaimed as the three girls made their way to a hotel two hours later. "So I can now catch my own Bishonen!"

"Yeah, all you want," Anya said. She was still carrying the Chibi Kenshin, who was now sound asleep against her shoulder.

"But that was still pretty mean of you saying there were Bishonen in there..." Abby shot Anya a glare.

"Hey, you were suffocating that Aoshi. What was I supposed to do?" Anya asked defensively.

"Guys, guys, let's just get our rooms, kay?" Jacky asked. She looked around. "Wanna share rooms for now? If you don't mind of course. It's been really cool traveling with you guys, you know." Jacky smiled. "Not to mention flying around in a hat was interesting."

Anya grinned. "Sure! But... I let all my Bishonen out, and it may be havoc. I don't know if we'd be able to share a room..."

"We can get one of those sets of rooms. You know, the two rooms who have inner doors?" Jacky suggested. "That way we could just pop in and out whenever we want! And it shouldn't be too hard to pay for! After all, these hotels are always cheap for beginners, and you're considered a beginner 'till you get ten or more Bishonen!"

"Really? Awesome! I'm in!" Anya said.

"Can I travel with you guys too?" Abby asked.

Both trainers looked at Abby indecisively.

"Come on, I'm not THAT insane ALL the time, honest," Abby said. "Just... when I meet new Bishonen. Besides, I want to be around other humans too until I get a grip on how things run around here. Please?"

The other two paused, then nodded.

Anya immediately said, "You can room with Jacky!"

"WHAT?!"

"THANK YOU!" Abby hugged Jacky. "You guys are so great!"

"Ack... Can't breathe..." Jacky gave Anya a glare.

"Hey, it's logical," Anya said. "I've got more Bishies!"

"True," Jacky grumbled as Abby let go and hurried towards the hotel. "Well, let's go in and check things out..."

"Yeah... hey, before we go in, I need to check something..." Anya pulled out a bag where she'd kept her money. "Oh, good, I've still got money. It's been a while since I last fought anyone."

"Me too. We should have enough to keep us going until the next fight though. Hey, maybe we can team up to fight someone at the gym? I heard that if you win against a gym champion you get a lot of money."

"Good idea! For now though, let's go and get our rooms..." Anya pulled out Heero's Bish-ball and looked at it. "I've never had them in their Bish-balls since they were caught, and I'm a bit worried..."

"No problem. Let's go."

~*~

"SWEET!"

Anya flopped onto one of the beds in her room (there were two queen sized), and looked around with a grin. Although the room wasn't the absolute best, it came pretty close. At least, to her.

Then again, after being in a prison for two or so days, any decent hotel room was bound to look good.

"Ahhhh..." Anya sighed and stretched, enjoying the feeling of the bed. "This feels so good... After I let the guys out, I'll take a shower..."

"This is a nice room, that it is," Chibi Kenshin decided. He was still standing in the doorway, looking around approvingly. "And it has one of those TVs, that it does!" He happily ran over, picked up the remote, and began to fiddle with it.

Anya grinned at him. Then she pulled out her other Bishonen's balls. "Here we go... Sano! Heero, Chichiri! Come on out, everyone!"

There were three flashes of light.

"DAMN, that took forever," Sano complained as soon as he materialized in front of his trainer. "What'd you all do, fall asleep and forget we were in there?"

"You were in there for two hours and five minutes," Anya informed him. "We didn't fall asleep. I'll have you know you're all safe from Abby's glomps now."

Sano, Kenshin and Anya all blinked in surprise at Heero's audible sigh of relief.

"I don't understand why you're so freaked," Sano muttered. "YOU didn't get touched by her..."

"And I'd like to keep it that way. I prefer being able to breathe," Heero replied. He then pulled his laptop out and started to boot it up.

"How are you feeling, Chichiri-" Anya turned around and her eyes widened. "Oh my God!"

The blue-haired Bishonen was curled into a ball on the bed, his face pale. He was trembling uncontrollably, his hands clenching and unclenching. His mask had fallen off, resting on the bed a few inches from his real face. Chichiri's eye was shut tightly, and sweat was beading up on his forehead.

"Chichiri! Are you alright?" Anya knelt by him, peering at him worriedly. "Damn, this isn't good... Chichiri? Answer me!"

If anything, the Bishonen curled up into an even tighter ball, as though seeking protection.

"Oh God, I shouldn't have put you in your Bish-ball," Anya fretted. She looked around, as though looking for a way to calm Chichiri down.

"Chichiri, are you okay that you are?" Chibi Kenshin asked. He ran over to the bed and climbed up next to his friend. The Chibi gently touched the other Bishonen's back.

The blue-haired Bishonen shuddered at the Chibi's touch. Then finally, he whispered, "Suzaku..."

Anya shook her head. "Chichiri, you scared me. You're still scaring me. Are you alright?"

"I... thought I could handle an hour or two," he said softly. "But... I cracked. I can't stand being in there. I just can't. And she... she always put me in the Ball. All the time. Suzaku... I can't do it."

"Chichiri... I'm so sorry!" Anya also reached out, but she rested her hand on his shoulder, not his back. "You should have told me you're Ball-phobic... or whatever the term is for you guys. I wouldn't have made you go in there..."

"Is he alright?" Heero questioned from his spot. He hadn't moved from his laptop, but was peering over towards his trainer. Was it Anya, or did she detect worry in his voice?

"I think so," Anya said. "Um... Kenshin, can you run out and get a soda?"

"Yes, Annie-dono!" The Chibi was immediately racing out of the room.

At that point, Jacky came in through a second door, the one that connected their two rooms. "I heard shouting. Is everyone- what happened to your Chichiri?"

"He's fine. We just found out that I'm never putting him in his ball again, that's all," Anya replied firmly.

"Oh... are you sure? He still looks a little..."

"I know. Kenshin's getting a drink for him." Anya squeezed her Bishonen's shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay, Chichiri. I won't make you go in there again. Ever. I swear."

The Bishonen finally uncurled and sat up slowly. Though he had stopped trembling, his face was slightly flushed from embarrassment, and he kept his eye averted. "I know it's dumb to be scared of the Bish-ball-"

"It's not. I've had friends who are like that," Anya interrupted. "Well, scared of small spaces, though, not of Bish-balls." She smiled. "The point is that I understand, Chichiri. It's not a problem. We just know now that I'm not ever putting you into that Ball again. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because... my last trainer said the fear was stupid, and... She wanted me to 'get used to it', no da..."

Now Anya breathed a sigh of relief- he was talking normally again. "You mean that girl? Well in my opinion, she's not very smart then, is she? Don't worry about it. I won't put you in there."

"Hang on just a second here," Sanosuke said. He crossed his arms. "If you're so freaked about the Bish-ball, why are you so calm about your damn hat? It's the most cramped place I've ever been!"

"I'm used to THAT, no da," Chichiri explained. "But I was raised hearing from my parents about how unpleasant Bish-balls were. Then I was caught by that girl and, ano... That's why I don't, you know, no da."

"Let's just forget about this," Anya said. "No more Bish-ball for you, young man," she said, imitating a mother scolding a child.

Chichiri smiled faintly. "Yes, mother no da."

She grinned at him, then looked up at the sound of footsteps. "Hey, Kenshin! Great timing!"

"I got lime soda, that I did!" Kenshin announced, holding up the can for Chichiri to see.

"... Indeed. Thank you no da."

Anya glanced up at Jacky, who'd been standing there the whole time. "Was there something you wanted?" she asked.

"Well I was just gonna check in on you and see what you thought of the rooms."

"Sweet, aren't they?"

"Especially after being in that prison."

"Hey, that's exactly what I thought a while ago!" Anya said.

"Wow, maybe we're psychic!"

"Don't you mean psychotic?" Sanosuke remarked.

Anya threw a nearby pillow at him. "Meanie."

Back came the pillow. "Oh, I'm hurt."

She grabbed another pillow and threw both at him at the same time. "You should be. I am NOT psychotic."

"You sure?" He grabbed a pillow from the other bed and lunged at her.

"YEEK!" Anya picked up her own to defend herself with.

Jacky grinned and grabbed yet another one, and hit Sano squarely on the head.

"Hey, two against one's not fair!" he complained.

"I'll help you, Uncle San, that I will!" Kenshin announced. He picked up one of the fallen pillows nearby and started to beat at Anya with it.

"PILLOW FIGHT!" Anya announced.

"THIS IS WAR!" Sano roared.

((Note- hey cool, that sorta rhymed. ^_^ Sorry, shutting up now.))

"I'll help you, Anya-dono no da!" Chichiri said. He set his drink on a nearby table, grabbed his mask, put it on and grabbed two pillows and plunged on in.

"AH! Chichiri, I'm on your side!"

"Gomen na no da!"

"Ah, forget the damned sides! Every man for himself- ITAI!"

"That's what you get for calling me a man! Do you think the name 'Jacky' was meant for a GUY?!"

"Yeah, really!"

"DAAAA! I'll get you for that, Kenshin na no da!"

"Ha, there you go Kenshin."

"Thanks, Annie-dono!"

"Will you STOP calling me Annie?!"

Heero watched the group for a while with one eyebrow raised. Then he sighed, shook his head with a small smile on his face, and returned his gaze to the computer.

A few minutes later, Inuyasha peered in. "The hell's making all that noise?" he growled.

Heero pointed at the group of pillow fighters without looking up.

"Feh. Immature kids."

Heero shrugged.

"Yeah, nice having a conversation with you too," Inuyasha said sarcastically. Then, "OW! What was that for?!"

Jacky grinned- she had just hit him with a pillow. "That's what you get for being mean to- EEP! That's not fair! Let go of me!"

"Like hell! You apologize, damn it!"

"I'll save you, Jacky- Chichiri, ack! Stop it!" Anya yelped.

"Surrender na no da! I am the pillow king no da- DA!"

"Gotcha, Chichiri! I'm the best damned fighter in this room!" Sano gloated.

There was a chorus of, "Oh yeah?" as they all attacked Sano.

In the other room, Abby glanced in, then shut the door. Then she looked at Miroku and Shippou, who had also wisely decided to stay out of the fight. Finally, she sighed. "And they call ME insane..."

~*~

"What do you want, Logan?"

"I just got a message from our friend."

"Your friend, you mean?" the redhead, Bryanna, asked. She looked up from reading one of her favorite mangas.

"However you want to call her. She needs some help in discovering some Bishonen and some trainers."

"Maybe you should tell her to go into the nearest town and take a look. Last time I checked there were plenty of both in these parts."

Logan frowned. "Be serious, Bryanna. I mean she wants us to help her find a trainer who's VERY close to her Bishonen."

"Why?"

"She thinks it's the key to getting Halflings that don't die on you immediately. And trainers who KNOW who they're stuck with will be more willing to comply with her demands. At least, that's her reasoning."

"I meant why us? Why can't she do her own dirty work? I still think her ideas of research are disgusting." Bryanna returned her gaze to her manga.

"Because we know character better than anyone. That's a direct quote from you, by the way."

"When did I ever- oh, forget it. Fine, I'll help look for some people, but later. I have to finish this, then make sure the Yamis aren't killing each other out in the backyard."

"Yami was chasing Bakura around with the hose, last time I saw them."

"Oh, dear."

"And Vegeta was having fun taunting Lina."

"Uh-oh. I better get down there before she blows up the house..." Bryanna stood and ran a hand through her hair. Then, without another word, she hurried out of the room.

Logan watched her go, then shook her head. "If our friend's gonna take care of the Halflings for us, then who cares what kind of research she does? Though I do have to admit I doubt most of it is actual necessary research..." He shrugged. "Too much thinking's bad for you. I'm gonna go check in on Rikku and see if she's eaten all of the sugar yet..." With that, he too left the room.

The manga, dropped carelessly by the redhead trainer, lay on the floor, completely forgotten.