(Outdated) The King of Elements (part 2)

Chapter 39

Ian paced in the museum's parking lot, nervously looking around for any sign of a white limousine. Cool air blew through his braided hair; he pulled the hood of his jacket over his hand before stuffing his hands in his pocket. He wasn't exactly sure why he brought the jacket, considering that the cold wind didn't bother him. Cars constantly passed him on Highway 67, and with each car, his head jolted up, only to be lowered once he saw that it wasn't the limo. Every now and then, he'd check his phone for the time and sighed. For more than thirty minutes, he'd been waiting in the parking lot for Rose to show. Maybe she'd changed her mind about him. He shook the thoughts out of his head. If that was true, she would surely tell him about it.

He stopped pacing. Maybe she was in danger. Since she was wealthy, she more than likely lives in the suburbs. There was a chance that she was robbed last night and wasn't able to tell him nor his team about it. He shook his head again. If she was robbed in a place like Prescott, the whole town would know about it by now. Sighing, he finally decided on what he should do. "I'll call her, just to be safe."

As he grabbed the phone, however, he saw a white limousine crossing the railroad tracks, trimmed with gold. He almost lost his breath as the car pulled into the parking lot. Instead of Rose, or anyone for that matter, opening the door, the limo just stood there in idle. His thoughts began racing again, but he chose not to listen to them and instead pull the hood of his jacket back, allowing the cold wind the stab at him. Still nothing happened. The harsh, cold wind blew his shoulder-length braids over his face, tickling his cheeks with the tightly coiled hair. He gulped as he waited, mouth slightly opened, until finally the driver's seat opened up.

An older woman walked out in a white tuxedo and an emerald green vest. Her silvery blonde hair danced with the wind. She gave Ian a watchful eye before making her way towards the back seat. The woman stood up straight as she opened the door, allowing Rose to get out. "That will be all, Miss Francesca," Rose had said politely.

The butler frowned as she turned towards Ian, but finally bowed to Rose and said, "As you wish, Miss Rosemarie," before she walked back to the front seat.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting," she said as her butler drove off. "Especially in the cold. I did not keep you waiting too long, did I?"

"Nah. It gave me time to reflect on my choice today. Besides, I don't really get cold anymore, now that my Amian side has awakened. The hoodie is just a force of habit. What was that all about?" he asked, inclining his head towards the direction that Francesca drove off in.

"Miss Francesca gets a bit... paranoid sometimes. It's a long story." Ian didn't know how to take that. "So, what was your decision today?"

Feeling the anxiousness rise uncomfortably in his chest, he breathed as he said, "I'm going to try out for the Kurai Elites. I want you to be there with me for moral support."

Rose's eyes widened at the words "Kurai Elites." He was sure that she was thinking the same thing as he. "Do you think you're prepared? That's quite a feat to try to go for, especially now."

"I kind of knew you was going to say that. No, I don't think that I'm ready to try out," he admitted, running a hand through his braids, "but I want to know where I stand among them. Ichi was so sure that I could join them, and he's a genius. Not to mention that it's a family owned business, so I might even inherit the Amian strength."

"Does Ichi know about your choice?"

"No. I was going to call him to let him know about it, as long as you're going to be there with me."

Rose gave a yawn. "Well, I was hoping to get at least another hour of sleep, but since I'm already up, I say go for it." She gave a hearty smile.

He grinned back. "Thanks. I appreciate it." Pulling his phone from his pocket, he asked Rose, "Aren't you cold? Your skirt doesn't look like something that would be comfortable to wear in this kind of weather."

And indeed it didn't. Her white, ruffled mini dress drooped down to her knees. The lacey hemline didn't seem to do her legs anymore justice than the rest of her skirt. Her shirt matched the skirt, though it was long-sleeved and thin.

She gave a wan smile. "Well, now that you mention it, it is a tad chilly." At once, Ian unzipped his jacket, shrugged it off, and handed it to her, wearing a black jersey underneath. "Your jacket? I couldn't," she said hesitantly. "It's pretty cold out here, and I'm sure that your jersey wouldn't help much."

"I'm not as sensitive to the cold, remember?" he said as he draped the jacket over her shoulders. He grinned before he looked up Ichi's number and pressed call.

"Ichinose, here," he answered after two rings.

"It's me, Ian."

"Oh, Ian. To what do I owe the honor?"

Ian wasn't sure, but Ichi's sarcastic voice made that sound like an insult. "I want to try out for the Kurai Elites."

"Is that so? You do realize that there isn't really a time limit to go, right?" His voice sounded more amused that puzzled.

"Yeah, but I want to experience what it takes to join the group first hand."

Ichi chuckled. "Okay then. However, let me be the first to warn you, while there isn't a time limit, the only way for you to try out is if existing members recommend you. Most members value their reputation more than recruiting some would be elites. Me, I couldn't really care less about my reputation among them, so consider yourself lucky. For now, at least."

"Got it. So, where is the try-outs supposed to take place?"

"In Julius. It's not far from Amita, though since you have the Honey Drops, getting there won't be a problem. All you'll have to do is say 'Kurai Elite H.Q.' before you eat the candy. What will be a problem, though, is getting you to take the exam. I'm a bit busy with work, and no doubt the other recruiters are going to be busy tracking down the Sirens." After a moment, Ichi spoke again. "How about this; if there's anyone there, show the badge to them. It's the only way to get inside the building. If there's not one there, then contact me and I'll try to get you someone else."

"Got it."

"Oh, and Ian? Do try to be careful," Ichi said in his usual snide voice before he hung up.

Ian didn't like the sound of that. The more he thought about it, however, he knew that it was most likely Ichi trying to psych him out. "What did he say?" Rose asked as Ian stuffed the phone back into his pocket.

"He said that the test would be in a city called Julius. We'll need to go to Amity." He looked around, trying to find a safe spot for them to travel in.

Beside the ongoing traffic crossing the road leading to the highway, there was also a gas station directly in front of them, its parking lot filled with cars. Behind the train station/museum, there was a small neighborhood, along with the historical buildings from the 60s and a storage center. Most likely, the people in the neighborhood was either asleep or of to work or school. "Come with me," he said, before he grabbed Rose's wrist and led her to the back of the museum. She followed obediently, pulling out a half full bag of Honey Drops.

"He told me that the place is called Kurai Elite H.Q.," Ian said as Rose handed him a piece of candy. "I'll go first. Kurai Elite H.Q." He popped the candy in his mouth, immediately feeling drowsy before he felt himself lift off towards Amity.