Chapter Fourteen- Confirming the Story

~*~

Anya blinked. "I'm WHERE?!" she demanded.

"Do you need me to repeat the question?" Xellos asked politely.

"But how did I end up in the middle of nowhere like this?" she asked, now ignoring the Bishonen. "How on earth did Chichiri manage to screw up his landing point so freaking badly? I mean, jeez! This explains why we couldn't find a road..."

"Ano... I'm the one asking the questions here!" Xellos said, sounding annoyed. "Now do you need me to repeat the question or not?"

"No, thanks. I heard it." Anya turned to him and spread her hands out in front of herself, palms up. "Look, you gotta believe me. I had no clue that we were in the middle of your territories. See, Chichiri just screwed up his landing point. Y'know, he uses his hat to fly places? So we wanted to get to Eutriv City quickly, but we ended up out here!"

Xellos wagged his finger at her. "What sort of a story is that? You at least need to have a grain of truth in your story to make it at all believable, dear. You don't even have a Chichiri, or any magical Bishonen with you! All you have is a Heero and a Sanosuke."

/What? Then he hasn't found Chichiri or Chibi Kenshin.... Good. At least they're not gonna get into any trouble with these Bishonen. Unless they try to break in and save the rest of us. That would probably make things worse... Damn it. / Anya shrugged, trying to look nonchalant about the whole situation. "Don't believe me? Oh, darn. Let me think up another story for you," she said.

"Take your time," Xellos said pleasantly. "I love stories, after all." He continued to watch her with a ^_^ expression, though she knew he was really trying to figure out if she was a threat or not.

"Look, the part about being lost was true at the very least," she said after a moment. "I really had no clue where I was... Actually, I still have no clue where I am... and neither did Sano or Heero. You know those kinda Bishonen, right? Sano can't tell his right hand from his left and Heero would never share his technology, even with his trainer. So of course we got lost."

"Hmm..." Xellos thought about that for a moment. "Much better, but that still doesn't explain how you managed to wander into our territory past the scouts. They're quite good, you know. They always manage to drive humans away from the heart of our territory."

"Dumb luck?" Anya said hopefully.

"I would expect that from someone who owned a Gourry, perhaps from someone who owned an Amelia, but probably not you. Try again."

"I'm not a threat, Xellos. Let my Bishonen and I go. Hell, you can teleport us out of your lands, if you want to. I don't care. Just as long as I can get back to a city where I'm welcome more likely than not."

"...Your story still needs a little polishing. I suggest you stay in here, and try not to make too much of a fuss. We do have magical wards on these places just in case, you know." Xellos gave a little bow and turned to leave the room when he paused. "Ah, I see our other special guest returning. Perhaps you can swap stories for a while, hmm?"

"What?" Anya peered around him.

A young human girl with long black hair and wide dark eyes was being led by a silent Zelgadis towards her little room- rather, her cell. Anya's eyes widened. This girl was quite obviously human, by the Bishonen-ball-belt she wore around her waist.

The girl gave her a just-as-confused look before being lightly pushed into the room.

"Now play nice, ladies," came Xellos' cheerful voice from the hallway. Then Anya could hear him walking away with the Zelgadis. A moment later, everything was quiet again.

Anya turned towards the other human girl. "Um..."

"Ah...."

"Hello," Anya said lamely.

"Hi," the girl replied.

"...I'm Anya." She held out a hand.

"Jacky." The other girl took the hand and shook it.

Anya smiled. "I'd say 'nice to meet you,' but it isn't really the best of places to be meeting other people, eh?"

"True," Jacky sighed. "But it's nice to have another human girl to talk to. I've been stuck here for three days and I'm bored and confused out of my mind." She walked over to the cot and lay down on it.

"Three days? How'd you get here?"

"There was a storm a few days ago. I got separated from Inu-chan, and I was trying to look for him. I found this huge forest and figured it would be the most likely place to look for him, but... I ended up being caught by these Bishies." Jacky sighed. "Inu-chan..."

"Inu-chan?" Anya asked curiously.

"Inuyasha," she explained.

"Oh, right! You know, now that you mention it... you look a lot like Kagome!" Anya said.

Jacky smiled. "I get that a lot."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to annoy-"

"No, don't worry about it. I like it. So how did you end up here?"

"Well..." Anya paused for a moment. "You see, I just recently caught a Chichiri, and he offered to fly us back to town in his hat."

"Wow, a magic Bishonen?" Jacky asked.

"Yeah. Anyway, somehow he managed to screw up his landing point. We decided to look around and see if we could at least find a road, but I guess we just wandered farther into the Slayers territory. Chichiri flew up to take a look around the place, and then I was caught." Anya shrugged. "I just woke up a moment ago..."

"Oh. Wow."

"Hopefully I can explain this mess to someone reasonable and at least somewhat reliable so they'll let me go." Anya walked over to the door and peered out. No one was in the hallway. She turned around so she could lean on the door and shook her head. "Like a Zelgadis or something."

"I don't know too much about Slayers," Jacky admitted. "I thought I'd been put in jail due to Lech or something..."

"Lech?"

"My Miroku."

"Oh. Say, who else do you have?"

"I've got Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippou."

"Wow! So you've got just about all the main characters there, don't you?"

"Most of the Bishonen and one Bishoujo, anyway." Jacky smiled. "What about you? Who do you have?"

"Well, I have Sanosuke, Kenshin, Heero and Chichiri." Anya shrugged and grinned back. Then she slid down to the floor until she was sitting in front of the door. "So three days, you said? What do they do? I mean, why were you out there?" Anya waved a hand at the door at her back.

"Oh, they're not really too mean as long as you don't look at or talk about their young. They let me out a few times a day for sanitary stuff and for exercising, if I want to."

"That's nicer than I thought they'd be," Anya remarked.

"Just as long as you do everything they ask you to, you're fine."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"And... Don't worry about that Xellos guy. He just fools around to see if he can get us mad," Jacky said.

"Yeah, I figured." Anya rolled her shoulders back for a moment, then relaxed them again.

The two teens fell silent, each staring off into space. Anya leaned back against the door, as Jacky stretched her arms over her head before shifting into a more comfortable position on the cot.

/I wonder if everyone's okay. I hope Chichiri and Kenshin didn't get into any trouble out there. As for Sano and Heero... I hope they don't MAKE any trouble.../

~*~ With Sano ~*~

Sanosuke rubbed his head, groaning as he sat up and tried to figure out where the hell he was. "The $%&@#?" he muttered. He glanced around, then his eyes widened. "The hell?!"

He found himself in a prison cell. There was a small window in the ceiling to let in some sunlight- though there was none right then- and there was a door, but other than that there were no ways to escape to the outer world. There were two cots in this cell; he was lying on one, which smelled worse than anything he'd ever come across before. Heero occupied the other...

Wait.

"The hell's Anya?" he demanded, jumping up from his cot to run over to the door.

He promptly fell over, howling in pain. After that, he proceeded to use every swear word and phrase he'd ever heard, and loudly. When he finally felt better, he tried to get up again-

And found his face pressed into the ground again.

"The hell'd I get this headache?" he mumbled into the ground before pushing himself into a sitting position again. "Damn..." He scratched his head and looked around. "What happened?!"

"It appears we've been captured by the enemy," came a calm voice.

Sano turned to see that Heero was sitting up, staring at the door. "When did you wake up?"

"When you were busy telling the world what you thought about the ground." Heero glanced around. "We've been in here a while."

"How'd you figure THAT out?" Sano muttered.

"Because it's dark outside."

"..." Sano glanced up at the window. "Alright smart guy, any clue where Anya is?"

"Obviously in another room."

"I figured that," Sano snapped.

Heero finally gave Sano a look. "Then don't ask," he said simply. He stood and stared at the window for a moment before turning back towards the door.

Sano clenched his fist. /If he gets to be more of a pain in the ass in the next ten minutes, I swear to Kami I'll-/

"You're awake."

Sano jumped to his feet and nearly fell over again from the pain in his head. "Who's there?" he demanded.

Heero merely raised an eyebrow as the door opened and someone slipped inside, closing the door behind them.

"A Zelgadis, I take it?" Heero said.

The figure, whose face was hidden by a hood, nodded. "And you are Heero and Sanosuke."

"Wow, someone award the guy," Sano muttered.

"I suggest you keep your tongue civil," Zelgadis said. "I also suggest you explain yourselves."

"For what?" Heero said.

"For being in our territory. Captured Bishonen are NOT to show their trainers their territory or the territory of another Bishonen people. And you, quite obviously, have done that."

"What?" Sano asked, blinking. Then he swore. "I KNEW that Chichiri would get us into deep ****! But damn it, Anya didn't listen to me, no one listens to me. Oh nooooo, let's all ignore Sano 'cause he has no ******* idea what to do-"

Heero gave him a look. "Shut up." He turned back to Zelgadis. "I don't suppose you'll be using a truth spell on us, will you?"

Zelgadis pulled his hood off and gave the other Bishonen a smirk. "There is telepathy," he said.

"Good, read our- wait a minute! You are NOT gonna go digging through my mind!" Sanosuke said, glaring and clenching his fists. "Ain't gonna happen!"

Heero gave Zelgadis an almost apologetic look. Zelgadis returned the look before unsheathing a sword and aiming it at Sanosuke. "Now, let me put this in such a way you'll understand," he said. "We are in charge here. If you refuse your minds, we will assume you came here to give away our privacy to your trainer. Thus, both you and your trainer will be disposed of as a warning to the human society. Is that understood?"

Sanosuke glared at him. "You've no ******* right-"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Heero said, now giving Sano a glare.

"Like I give a damn-"

Zelgadis rapped him on the head with the hilt of his sword. Sano's eyes rolled up in his head and he fell over.

Zelgadis then turned back to Heero. "Now, since you're willing to be cooperative, I'll start with you."

~*~ Chichiri and Kenshin ~*~

"Daaaaa," Chichiri moaned, and sat on the ground. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "I can't track their ki OR their footsteps anymore, no da. Someone here is very skilled at hiding themselves."

Kenshin plopped on the ground beside him and sighed. "How're we gonna save Annie-dono now, that is?" he questioned.

"I don't know..."

The Bishonen sat there for a long while, staring hopelessly around themselves. Chichiri was lost in thought, trying to sense any ki that wasn't theirs.

Chibi Kenshin's mind, however, was on other things.

He clenched and unclenched his hands, staring at the wooden sword in his lap. /This would be a lot easier on both of us if I was fully-grown, that it would, / he thought angrily. /If only... If only I could evolve! Then I could help Annie-dono and Uncle San and everyone else, that I could! /

Then came a sound of someone stepping on a stick.

Chichiri jumped to his feet and grabbed hold of his staff. Kenshin grabbed onto his sword and slowly followed suit. "Who's there?" Chichiri demanded.

Silence greeted the two Bishonen.

"We know you're out there!" Chichiri declared. "I can sense your ki. Come down where we can see you, no da!"

Again, silence. Then they heard a snort. "And what would you do if I didn't?"

"I'd come up there and drag you down, no da," Chichiri said.

A chuckle. "The hell not? This could be fun."

A figure dropped to the ground, with an old sword in his hands- or rather, claws. His hands were almost human, except his nails were too sharp and too long to be fingernails. His hair was silver, and fell to his back like a mane. The figure wore all red, with a necklace as his only accessory. His feet were bare.

"Inuyasha," Chichiri said with a nod.

The Bishonen smirked. "Feh. Chichiri. And a Chibi Kenshin, if I ain't mistaken." Inuyasha barely glanced at the Chibi. "The hell you walking around here for? This ain't your territory."

"Nor yours," Chichiri retorted.

"True," Inuyasha agreed. Then his smirk disappeared, and worry flashed across his face before he was expressionless. "I don't suppose you've run into any trainers out here, have you?"

"Besides ours, no," Chichiri said. "Why do you ask, no da?"

"Besides yours? The hell's your trainer, then? Lazing around on her ass?" Inuyasha inquired. "Or is it a he?"

Chichiri frowned. "Anya-dono does NOT laze around. She was kidnapped by whoever owns this territory."

"The Slayers own this area." Inuyasha rested the hilt of his sword on his shoulder. "Mine was kidnapped too, apparently. The baka was stupid enough to wander in here without me."

"So you're on a rescue mission?" Chichiri asked.

Inuyasha snorted. "Please. I only want her back because I don't feel like going mad." He waved a hand.

"Well, we are on a rescue mission," Kenshin piped up. "To save our trainer, that is. Will you help us? We can save both trainers, that we can."

Inuyasha glanced at the Chibi again, and laughed. It wasn't a pleasant laugh. "Why should I help you? I only give a damn about staying sane. I don't care about you or your trainer."

"You'd better," Chichiri said. "You know what Bishonen do to trespassing trainers."

Inuyasha shrugged. "They let some off easy."

"Not always."

Now Inuyasha looked dubious. "'Course they'll let her off when they see she's about as smart as a tree."

"A trainer's intelligence has nothing to do with it, and you know that," Chichiri said. "They'll dispose of her if she doesn't give a damned good reason for being in their territory, no da. And Anya-dono doesn't HAVE one..." He hung his head. "I'm the reason my trainer's in danger now..."

Inuyasha watched the other Bishonen for a moment, then shrugged again. "Hmph. The hell not? Might be interesting. Just don't get in my way. I'm only there for Jacky, got it?"

"Who?"

"My trainer," Inuyasha snapped, and turned away folding his arms over his chest.

"Alright, no da," Chichiri said. "Have you any clue where to look no da?"

"Clue? I got their scent," Inuyasha said, turning back and smirking again. "Try to keep up, will you?" With that, he leaped back up into the tree branches and started on his way.

Chichiri picked up Chibi Kenshin. "No offence, but we'd better hurry after him," Chichiri said, holding his hat up.

Kenshin gave the hat a dubious look.

"I won't mess up the landing point again," Chichiri said, annoyed. "I'm following someone this time. Now get in!"

The Chibi gave the hat another look, then nodded and jumped in. Chichiri nodded as well, and jumped in after him. Then the hat started after Inuyasha.

~*~ Anya and Jacky ~*~

"So..." Jacky said.

Anya looked up- she had been about to doze off. "What?"

"Oh, I was just trying to start a conversation. It's kinda weird. I haven't talked to someone in three days, but I can't think of anything to talk about."

"Because nothing interesting has been happening in the past three days," Anya suggested.

"True," Jacky laughed. Then she quieted. "Except for when Zelgadis read my mind."

"What? He reads your mind?" Anya asked, sitting up straight.

"Well, not too deeply. Just to see why we're here. He knows why I ended up here- you know, me getting lost and all. But the fact remains I'm still here, and they're debating what to do with me. That's why I'm still in this cell." Jacky shrugged.

"Oh..." Anya looked away for a moment. "And I was hoping Zelgadis was reasonable."

"Well, think about it. Even if we get teleported out of here with their magic, there's a chance we'd still know how to get here. We may give that information to other trainers, either deliberately or by accident. Those trainers may come after the Bishonen's young or just the Bishonen in general. There goes the Bishonen's privacy, and there goes peace between human and Bishonen societies."

"Whoa," Anya commented.

"Yeah, whoa."

"Can't they get one of their mages to block that possible part of our memories?"

"It's in the contracts that a human can have their mind scanned by magic Bishonen, but not changed," Jacky said. She shook her head.

"Damn. Um..." Anya scratched her head.

"And they can't kill us unless we DID come after their young, at least I think so," Jacky added. "So that's out."

"That's a relief."

"Well, yeah. But even-"

A rap sounded on the door.

"Yes?" Anya called. She stood up and moved out of the way of the door.

The Zelgadis from before slipped in and glanced at the two of them. "I trust you realize the position you two are in right now," he said flatly. "This is a very awkward happening."

"We're sorry about that," Anya said.

"I'm sure you are," he said sarcastically. "Now if you don't mind, I'm here to confirm your Bishonen's stories."

"You mean Sano and Heero?" Anya asked.

"How's Lech and Shippy?" Jacky asked, sitting up.

"They are in their cells," Zelgadis said.

Jacky lay back again. "Oh."

"How do you plan on 'confirming their story'?" Anya asked.

"Didn't your friend mention it? I'm going to read your mind using the Telepathy spell," Zelgadis answered.

"Right, she did mention that," Anya said sheepishly. "So what do you do if I confirm the story?"

"It makes things complicated," Zelgadis said shortly, and placed a hand on her head.

Anya shifted under his hand a little, and froze when he gave her an annoyed look. She opened her mouth to speak, then decided it was probably not a good idea at that time and closed it again. Zelgadis chose to ignore her and continue with his spell.

"Telepathy," he intoned.

There was a flash of light, and Anya felt suddenly as though she was standing entirely unclothed before this Bishonen. She glanced around frantically, looking for something to cover herself up with. Finding nothing, she gave up and stared at him helplessly.

Zelgadis, however, seemed to be ignoring her still. His eyes were closed, his lips moving slightly, frowning in concentration.

The sensation of being nude soon passed and Anya blinked as Zelgadis turned away from her abruptly.

"This complicates things," he said simply, and left.

Anya stared after him, then slid to the ground. "What... was that?" she wondered.

Jacky rolled onto one side to look at her. "He read your mind, of course," she said. "So was it uncomfortable for you, or is it just me?"

"I felt... completely uncomfortable. I'm so glad no one can do that back home," Anya said. "At least, I hope they can't," she added, and rubbed her arms. "That felt really creepy."

"Yeah. I hated it too. And he did it like twice to me." Jacky shuddered. "Maybe he won't do it again."

"I hope not," Anya said. Then she frowned. "So wait. Why would Xellos bother asking us stuff and not believing us if Zelgadis was going to do this anyway?"

Jacky shrugged. "You know them better than I do."

Anya sighed and nodded. "True," she said. She turned her gaze towards the ceiling. Then, after a moment, she glanced back at Jacky. "Oh, I got it! Of course, Xellos just wanted to piss me off. He feeds off negative energy. How could I forget that?" she wondered. "Then again, it's been so long since I last saw an episode..." When Jacky didn't say anything, she closed her eyes. "What'll they do now that they've read my mind?"

"Leave you alone for a few days, like they have for me. After that, I've got no clue."

The two trainers fell silent.