Jump 'n Jive

"The person I get jobs from just posts the jobs that get called in on a board and can watch as much TV as she wants," Saya admitted. "I think she runs a little bar, too, but I never see her do much with it."

"I swear, if I see anyone by the name of Izumi on the wanted board, I won't go after him," she said, though she worried a little about Konata's dad. He sounded like a real creeper.

The music then started up again, the DJ being back from his break, and Saya shouted over the blaring music, "Let's dance!"

Saya followed Konata off the dance floor and got a good look at this other person. "You know, he does kind of look like a ninja," she said with a small laugh, then offered her hand. "I'm Saya, a sweper. And this is my friend, Konata. You?"

Saya ran a quick list of the wanted people she was after that day, and Tobari the ninja wasn't among them. Well, no harm done then, she decided, sitting down next to Konata. "May I ask what a ninja's doing here?"

Saya waved over the barkeep and got a cold beer for Tobari. "It's on me," she said, pushing the bottle over to him. "I can understand what it's like, having someone in the hospital. I have a friend who does really stupid things all the time, and I worry about him all the time."

"I don't have any sibblings, so I guess that part's a little hard for me to understand," Saya commented, "but I bet you do a good job protecting him." She smiled. "I bet he looks up to you."

Saya chuckled. "I've learned, from experience, if you know someone for that long and they still hang around with you, even if they say they hate you they must like you at least a little." She knew from experience with a certain "Black Cat."

Jiro walked into the bar, a little disappointed that he couldn't bring his brother, but alas, he was underaged and not allowed in this sort of establishment. Still, Jiro had heard there might prove to be some helpful vampires that hung around this place, and so he was hoping to catch some.

He sat at the bar, a little ways from anyone else, and glanced at the bartender. Oh good, a vampire, and not one of Kowloon's chlidren. "Blood?"

The guy nodded and set down a glass that to anyone else would seem like tomato juice.

Saya glanced in the direction Konata was looking. "Oh, he looks like a tall dark and silent type. Almost like a..." she glanced at the glass of tomato juice and had to hold back a chuckle, "a vampire."

Jiro choked on his blood. He had scary good hearing. They can't have figured that out already.

"What makes you think I'm a vampire?" Jiro asked, keeping his voice even. They were just human. They probably didn't recognize him as the famous "Silver Sword" and "Kin Killer."

"Konata-chan! That wasn't very nice!" She turned back to Jiro. "I'm sorry she--" Saya stopped midsentence. Jiro was cursing quietly and steaming where the water had splashed on him.

When the water splashed on him, Jiro had let out a comical yelp and flailed about slightly. "That hurt!" He snapped at Konata. "How would you like it if I threw water all over you, huh?"

At Saya's comment, he admitted, "I am a vampire, and we do have a weakness against water. Please don't do that again."

"There's no such thing as wizards," Jiro replied. He wasn't stupid. There were vampires, sure, but he'd never met a wizard and he wasn't about to consider the possibility now.

"Well, I suppose that sort of counts," Saya said, not wanting to insult Konata or Jiro with what she said, "but you aren't one in real life..." Thankfully, she was saved from the awkward conversation by her recently purchased cell phone's ring. She whipped the phone out, said, "Hello," with a business-like tone, then hung up. "Whelp. I've got a job. It was nice meeting you all." She waved with a wink and walked out the door.

Jiro stared at Saya's retreating form, then looked at Konata. "...So now what am I supposed to do?" he muttered. Sure, he had a little brother, and it seemed Konata was a lot like him, but even his brother grated on his nerves every so often.