Rekki looked at her watch, and then she looked back at the
change room. "Ten-chan," she began, impatiently, "it's almost
three o'clock. Are you going to show me what it looks like or am
I going to have to come in there and see for myself?"
There was a shuffling from the small booth, and then the
door swung open hesitantly. On the other side, Tenkou stood in a
pale blue dress that shimmered violet when the light caught it.
It was long, with an empire waist and modest amount of flare. It
complimented her fair complexion and drew attention to her light
purple eyes.
Rekki stared. "Words cannot express how gorgeous--" she
stopped, remembering herself and smiled. "You have to get that."
Tenkou turned with one hand self-consciously on her stomach
in front of the mirror. "It is pretty...." she bit her lip, half-
twisting to look at the price tag. "But I don't know if I can
justify buying it. When would I ever wear it?"
Rekki sighed. "Tenkou, sometimes you just need to indulge
yourself."
"Right, be a slave to our desires," Tenkou muttered. "Who
said that was a bad thing?"
"Only those who've been punished for it." Rekki bit her
lip. "But it's a dress. It's not like you're doing someone harm
by buying it."
"I might need the money for something later on," Tenkou
sighed. "And I don't want to have something that just sits in my
closet and never gets worn."
Rekki smiled again. "What if I promised to find you an
occasion to wear this dress?"
Tenkou looked away from the mirror, confused. "Usually
something that you'd wear this too involves having someone to wear
it for."
"Hmm," Rekki tapped her cheek with a slender finger. "Ten-
chan, how vehemently dead set against blind dates are you?"
*
Darkness: Songs
Three: Fire Feather
by: Chandra Rooney
darkness@cloak-and-dagger.co.uk
*
Revised: May 2001
August 2001
*
Tenkou blinked, looking away from the mirror to Rekki.
"What do you mean?"
Rekki smiled. "I know some poor guy who's new in town and
hasn't really met anyone yet. My boss got tickets to this big
fundraiser gala thing, and this poor guy's got no one to go with."
She inhaled quickly. "He'd like you, I know he would."
Tenkou fidgeted slightly. Why was she so popular all of a
sudden? First Matthew, then Zellar, and now Rekki was trying to
set her up with someone.
"He's a little unusual, but hey, who isn't?" Rekki was
continuing. "And he--" she broke off, a look of disgust filling
her eyes.
"Well, well, well," a scornful voice said from the entrance
to the changeroom. "I do so _hate_ it when they have these
ridiculous sales, Jane. They let all the wrong sort of people
in."
The blood drained from Tenkou's face.
"You're so, like right, Kirya," Jane replied, smacking her
gum. "Like, it's so, like discouraging and stuff."
Rekki cast a look over her shoulder and saw Kirya posed
triumphantly in the doorway with many expensive-looking garments
over her arm. Jane stood beside her with the same sort of clothes
over her arm. But not identical-- Kirya would never allow that.
"What are you staring at?" Kirya asked Rekki.
"Not much," Rekki hmphed, turning back to Tenkou. "Anyway,
as I was saying Valentine would love you, I'm sure."
"What kind of name is that?" Kirya asked, loudly. "Jane,
what kind of weirdo would have a name like 'Valentine'?"
"The kind that would like her," Jane snickered. "So he must
be really weird."
Rekki smiled tensely. There was nothing she wanted more
than to dump a jerry can of gasoline on Kirya and Jane and then
drop a match. As far as she was concerned they deserved it. "So
how about it, Ten-chan?" she asked, ignoring Jane and Kirya's
chirping.
Tenkou nodded. "I'm going to--" she vanished back into the
change booth.
Rekki sighed. Yeah, that was probably for the best.
"So," Kirya stepped forward with Jane closely in tow.
"Rekki, is there a moment when you're not by Tenkou's side?"
"You're not my type, Kirya," Rekki replied, coolly.
"Hmm, why not?" Kirya asked. "Is there something about
little Tenkou that I don't know?"
Only about a million things. Rekki smiled. "Why,
Kirya, I'm not sure what you're insinuating."
Kirya looked at Jane and tossed her hair. "Well, I've heard
rumours about you, Rekki. People like to talk about your kind of
people."
"That reminds me, Kirya, how is Matthew Tyler?" Rekki asked,
off-handily.
Kirya turned bright red. "I'll have you know--"
"Well, don't worry," Rekki drawled, yawning. "I'm sure
Daddy's money can buy you another boyfriend."
Kirya's mouth flapped open and closed. Syllables came out
but nothing that could be strung together coherently. Kirya
grabbed Jane's arm and turned on her heel. "We're going somewhere
that has restrictions on the sort of customers it allows," she
snapped, lamely, and hurried from the room as quickly as she
could.
Tenkou peaked out from the changing booth. She was back in
her regular clothes, the pale violet dress hanging over one of her
arms. "You shouldn't have done that," she said, softly. "Kirya
isn't going to forget it."
"I hope not," Rekki replied, and then she stopped at the
look on Tenkou's face. "Something wrong?"
Tenkou blinked, and then she shook her head. "No. I just
don't feel like shopping anymore, that's all."
Rekki nodded, stepping out of the changing room area. "So,
this gala takes place next weekend. Can I tell Val that you'll go
with him?"
"Why don't you go with him?" Tenkou asked, curious.
"He's not my type," she replied, firmly. "And--" she toyed
with the ring she wore on her left hand, "I'm already spoken for."
"I don't think I can go with him, Rekki," Tenkou said,
softly. "I'm, um, chasing someone right now."
Rekki grinned, sliding her arm around Tenkou's. "Gimme all
the details."
"No, I don't want to jinx it." Tenkou indicated the ring.
"Tell me about that instead."
"Oh you're no fun at all sometimes." She pouted for a
minute, then her face broke into a grin. "This is a promise ring.
I have one and my Dra-chan has the other."
"What's he--" Tenkou stopped. "I mean, what's _she_ like?"
"She's my complete opposite," Rekki replied. It still
amazed her that Tenkou was so open-minded about things like this.
Rekki could tell it made Tenkou uncomfortable, but it never
stopped the other girl from trying to be supportive. "She's
quiet, reserved, very... bookish."
"Bookish?"
"Always has her head buried inn some old musty book," Rekki
paused. "I guess it must be why she's so smart. Funny, too.
She's just an all around wonderful girl. Plus, she puts up with
me." She poked Tenkou's arm. "Now, it's your time. I want to
hear the details about this big date you had last night."
Tenkou sighed. "Not much to tell," she admitted. "He
picked me up, took me to Siren's--"
"Whoa, he took you to Siren's?" Rekki sounded genuinely
impressed.
"Yeah, his band was playing there."
"He's in a band?"
"Yes." Tenkou shrugged. "And then he had to set up, so he
introduced me to the owner, Tiferet, and then he took me back to
his table."
"This just gets better," Rekki gushed.
"And then I thought I saw someone I hadn't seen in six
months and left the club to find him," Tenkou finished.
Rekki's face fell. "You got up and walked away from the
owner's table at Siren's to chase after someone you thought you
recognized?"
"Insane, isn't it?"
Rekki gave her a look. "When you said you were chasing
after someone, I hadn't thought you meant it literally." She
chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, shall we go pay for that
dress?"
*
"What do you mean you've arranged an escort for me?" Yamato
was demanding into the phone when Rekki pushed open the door to
her friend's flat. Having taken Tenkou home, she stopped at her
own flat on the floor below to change from the tight skirt into a
pair of men's pants and the white sleeveless mock-turtle neck.
She flung her black jacket over the chair and walked over to the
fridge. Yamato ignored her, completely focused on his phone
conversation.
The large window was open, giving the perfect view of the
darkening sky. The sun was nearly below the horizon, and Rekki
could hardly wait. The last hour was always the worst. It seemed
to stretch on forever.
"You know I hate these sort of things, Vincent," Yamato
protested. "I wasn't even planning on coming. I mean why would
you want me there?" He paused, his frown deepening as he listened
to the reply. "Well, even if I did, I certainly don't need your
assistance in finding someone to accompany me."
Rekki looked up ears perking at the mention of that name.
Vincent? What was Daylight bothering Yamato about now?
"Yes, fine, we'll discuss it later," Yamato snapped and
slammed the phone aggressively back on its cradle. He pushed at
his hair as he closed his dark blue eyes. "Fires of Judgement!
It doesn't matter what I say to him, he just goes and does
whatever he wants anyway." Yamato flopped down on the couch, his
hand over eyes. "I'd kill him if I could bring myself to do it.
I really wanted to after what he did earlier today." He let out
an angst-ridden sigh. "I am supposed to just pretend that this
afternoon didn't happen?"
"You shouldn't take his crap," Rekki told him.
Yamato's eyes snapped up. "The only thing that allows me to
remain here is his permission. I have no desire to start fighting
off Earthbound zealots."
"You're not a Star," Rekki reminded him.
"Exactly." He paused. "Right now the only thing keeping me
alive is that everyone thinks I'm one of Dawn Stars' heirs. All
Vincent has to do is come clean with the truth-- that I'm not his
son, and I'm as good as dead."
"I don't know, Yamato, you seem to have a habit of not
staying dead."
He snorted. "Yes, but I'd rather not test to see how long
it would take Dawn Star to break me of it."
Rekki grinned widely, set the bottle on the counter and
quickly hopped up into Yamato's lap. "Cheer up, mate, I've got
good news. You're gonna love it."
Yamato didn't move. "I'd like it more if you told me while
sitting in your own chair," he said, dryly.
"Oh, no, this is good stuff. Good enough to put a smile on
even your face." She licked her lips and leaned across his chest
to whisper in his ear. "Guess what."
"You're not wearing a bra."
She giggled, slapped him playfully and shook her head.
"Besides that, silly boy. You'll never guess."
"You become more feminine each time I see you, you do know
that, right?"
"You become less and less fun," Rekki pulled up his hand.
His dark blue eyes looked impassively up at her. "Don't you want
to know what I know?"
"If I say yes will you get off my lap?"
"Maybe. You'll just have to take your chances."
"Fine. Tell me what you know."
She grinned wildly. "Somebody likes you," she teased, with
a playground tune. "Somebody really, really likes you, and her
name is--"
"Tenkou," he finished. "Yes, I gathered that much when she
left me her phone number this morning after I took her home."
Rekki's eyes widened. "Yamato Zellar!" she cried. "You
outdo yourself."
"Nothing happened," he replied. "She slept the night on the
bed. I was on the couch."
She hopped out of his lap. "I don't believe it." Rekki
shook her head. "Well, well. You put on a good front, Yamato,
but deep down you're just a big sweetheart." She patted his arm.
"Good thing she's snatched you up, or I would have."
"You have Drasil."
"Ah, she's an understanding and sharing woman," Rekki
replied.
Yamato raised his eyebrow. "Right. Did you come all this
way to tell me about Tenkou and proposition me?"
"No." Rekki licked her lips. "I came here to talk about
this gala thing that's happening on Saturday."
"The one I'm being dragged bound and gagged to?"
"The very same. If you need a rescuing just wave."
"What are you going to be doing there?" he asked.
She paused. "It's a big deal, Yamato. All the Earthbound
are meeting to discuss alliances and trading. What do you think
I'll be doing there?"
"Ah, another poor soul forced to be there against his will."
"Not really. Lord Dace is very interested in speaking to
me," Rekki informed him.
"You're going to get yourself killed," Yamato remarked. "If
Daylight finds out that you've been associating with the Southern
Lord."
Rekki gave him a little smile. "It could be worse," she
replied, "I could be associating with Hihane."
"Who?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably beneath her gaze.
"Hikaru Hihane."
Yamato sat up. "Hikaru? The Kaitou Hikaru?" He stared at
her. "You must have a death wish."
"No, not me, stupid. I have enough sense to stay away from
him."
Yamato blinked. "What are you suggesting?" he asked. "You
think I know him?"
"Nevermind," she sighed. "Look, I'm considering quitting
Daylight's service and going back to work for Dace. The offer
he's made me is hard to refuse."
"Daylight will never let you go, especially not to serve a
Southerner," Yamato replied. "He'd kill you first."
"Yamato, this is a good idea." She paused. "Why are you
looking at me like that?"
"I'm recalling you saying something although these lines to
me a couple centuries ago," he replied. "And the next time I saw
you after you implemented that 'good idea' you were a woman."
"No, that was a stupid thing to do," Rekki replied. "This
is different. I've given it a lot of thought."
Yamato's frown deepened. "That's what you said that time,
too."
"I was lying then," she assured him. "Look, at least hear
me out." He spread his hands in a gesture of surrender and leaned
back into the couch. "Dace is a good fellow, he takes care of his
people. He's offering me my father's old job."
"You never mentioned your father worked for Dace," he
replied.
"He did. He was the head of Intelligence and Security."
"A dangerous job."
"Not as dangerous as making friends with Hikaru Hihane."
Yamato snorted. "Gee, Rekki I get the idea you think you
know something I don't."
"Look, Yamato," she began, sitting down next to him. "I'd
appreciate it if you didn't assume I was born yesterday. I know
you know Hihane. I know Daylight knows you know him. What I
don't know is why you think it's some big secret."
"I really don't know what you're referring to," Yamato
replied, shrugging.
"I'm sure you don't," Rekki rolled her eyes. "Maybe no one
has ever mentioned it to your face before, Yamato, but you bare a
striking resemblance to Hihane."
"No, no one has ever mentioned that to me before."
"Exactly," Rekki leaned forward and jabbed a finger into his
chest. "Now you think on why that might be. I'll be back in just
a second." She stood, brushing off her trousers and made her way
to the bathroom.
"It's probably because I don't know Hikaru Hihane," Yamato
called after her. She snorted. After a moment, he spoke again.
"You've never explained this curse of yours to me, you know. In
the-- what, hundred, two hundred years I've known you."
A purple-haired head poked back out of the bathroom, the
golden eyes watching Yamato with mild amusement. "What's to
understand?" Requiem asked. "By day I'm a pretty girl, and by
night I'm a pretty boy. It seems pretty straight forward to me."
He grinned.
"I understand that part," Yamato replied. "I don't
understand _why_. I just know one day everything was perfectly
normal, and then the next..."
Requiem paused, pulling himself out of the bathroom and
leaning against the doorjamb. "You know how they only let virgin
priestesses serve Twilight?"
"Ah. Defiling priestesses is a dangerous hobby."
"Well, you know what they say," Requiem grinned, "it's all
fun and games until somebody gets cursed." He bounced back over
and sprawled across a chair. "Now, since I've been so honest with
you-- how about you tell me how long you've know Hihane for?"
Yamato gave his friend a look of disbelief. "All right,
fine," he sighed, giving in. "But how did you know I was lying?"
"Because you're a terrible liar." Requiem smiled. "Also,
you're the first person I've ever heard call Hihane by his first
name."
*
Tiferet smiled as Matthew Tyler walked into his office.
"Ah, beautiful one," he gestured to the chair across from the one
he sat in. "Sit down. We have much to discuss. I have good
news."
"Good, I could use it," Matthew muttered. "I haven't had
any luck reaching Tenkou Stone."
"I didn't call you hear to discuss Miss Stone," Tiferet
replied. "I think it's time we discussed the payment you'll
receive for delivering her to us. You're aware of how other
members of this town's society have benefited from our aid; the
Willows family for example."
Matthew whistled, leaning back into the chair. "You
know, this is all crazy," he remarked. "A year ago I would have
never believed you," he paused. "But after what my father told me
before he died--" he broke off, looking away.
"Your father was a wise man to embrace the Order of the
Sefirot. You are proving to be just as wise." Tiferet smiled.
"The secrets that we alone could reveal to him allowed him to gain
much influence and power, but even he could not dream of the
honour which our Mother has deemed you worthy of." Tiferet
allowed himself a small smile; the very thought of what was to
happen brought him so much joy. After so many years of waiting--
"And that is?" Matthew prompted, derailing the other's train
of thought.
"Mother has told me that you shall join us as one of the
Sefirot."
Matthew whistled again. "Be one of you guys? That's going
to put me pretty deep in your debt, isn't it?"
Tiferet smiled. The child was so easily bought. "Loyal
service to Mother and her goals should more than suffice for
repayment. That means when I ask you to do something, you don't
question me." He reached over and took Matthew's hand. "You can
do that, can't you?"
"Why does that sound like a trick question?" Matthew asked,
pulling his hand away. "When does this happen?"
Tiferet smiled. "I will have to consult Mother for an
appropriate initiation rite and ceremony time. For now, you can
continue to work on Miss Stone. I want you to know every detail
of her life, intimately. I want to know who her friends are and
everything she knows about them."
"I'm not your spy," Matthew told him.
"You are," Tiferet told him. "You know how the world works,
precious, you do something for me and I do something for you. A
little information retrieval is hardly too much to ask for what
I've arranged for you with Mother."
"I don't feel right about lying to her, and well, I'm having
second thoughts about doing this to her. I mean, I don't even
know this other guy. It just feels really... low."
"Lower than dating a girl just to have a chance at her
parents' money?" Tiferet sneered.
Matthew flinched, looking away. "I-- no, I guess it isn't."
He sounded ashamed. "But-- this is different."
"Oh? How can it possibly be different? The means is
different but the end you seek is the same."
"It _is_ different," Matthew told him sharply.
"Why?" Tiferet demanded, folding his arms. "Because you're
attracted to the girl this time?"
Matthew looked down. "No," he said, quietly. "Because
Tenkou deserves so much more than someone like me."
*
Tenkou sighed and sank down on the bench. Although the sun
had finished sinking below the horizon, twilight still clung to
the mountains a faint light bridging the time between day and
darkness.
There was a sort of dreamlike quality to twilight, she
reflected, as she looked at how the blue shadows had painted the
view down to the river and the surrounding mountains. The
streetlight in the empty lot turned on, casting harsh, artificial
rays across the overgrown weeds and sidewalk.
The air was cool. Tenkou exhaled and watched as her breath
misted out from her mouth and then dissipated into the evening.
There had been four messages awaiting her when she got home. One
had been from a friend who moved downstate to attend university
and the other three had been from Matthew Tyler.
Maybe she should call him back. He was obviously worried
about her, and didn't she owe him an explanation for way she just
ran out? She leaned back, closing her eyes and sighing. But what
was she supposed to tell him? She couldn't even explain things to
herself.
"Tenkou," Alan Stone emerged from the house, "I just got off
the phone with the home-stay placement agency. It sounds like the
exchange student will be here in the next few weeks." He paused.
"You haven't changed your mind about things, have you? It's still
early enough for them to find another place for him."
The home stay? Tenkou blinked. She'd completely forgotten
about it! Wait-- 'him'? "We're getting a boy?" she asked.
"Worried about being outnumbered?" Stone asked, a twinkle in
his eye.
"No, I just--" Tenkou sighed, waving her hand. "It's
nothing. No, I haven't changed my mind. Do we know anything else
about this boy?"
"He's about fourteen or fifteen and coming here to attend an
English school for a year." He paused. "From what the agency
could tell me he's quite smart. Apparently he can read and write
English and has a high comprehension level-- but he can't actually
speak any English."
"That'll make things hard for him," Tenkou replied. "But he
still sounds like he's better off than most."
Stone lingered beside her, standing off to the side for a
few moments idly toying with the piece of paper in his hands.
Finally, he spoke. "Tenkou, I think we need to have a talk."
She looked up. The streetlight caught her father's face
with a sort of ghostly yellow light. His eyes looked hard, and
his mouth was set in a firm line. "What is it, Dad?" she asked.
"Is everything all right?"
"A young man called the house looking for you earlier
today," Stone began. "At first I was surprised to hear his voice,
but now I'm simply concerned."
"I don't know who you mean, Dad," Tenkou replied. Was he
talking about Matthew? Was he worried about the number of times
that Matthew was calling? Come to think of it, if he had called
again-- well, maybe she should be a little concerned, too.
"Zellar," her father said simply.
"Zellar?" Tenkou repeated. "Zellar called?"
"Yes, and I'd like to know why." He paused. "I know we
don't talk about what happened in Japan, Tenkou. I assumed it
went without saying that this boy was dangerous and not someone
you should be associating with. That plus the fact that you told
the police he was dead."
Tenkou sucked in a breath. Busted! Now what was she
supposed to do?
"I don't care what's going on, Tenkou." Stone regarded her
carefully. "But it stops now. I don't want you to see him," he
said, finally. "It's not a good idea. Zellar is-- it's not a
good idea to become involved with his kind, dear."
"His kind?" she repeated.
Stone cleared his throat. "Yes. I just don't want to see
you get hurt, dear." He smiled, faintly. "It's really for the
best if you stay away from him."
What the hell was going on? Tenkou stared at her father,
watching the way he refused to meet her eyes. "Do you know
something about Zellar?" she asked, not sure what else to do. Her
father couldn't possibly-- well, maybe he suspected something.
Zellar was unusual, after all.
"I've been talking to a few people at the Order," Stone
continued. "Mr. Zellar is not unknown to them. Some of the
things I've heard--" he broke off. "You're a special girl,
Tenkou," he said, oddly. "Just like your mother." He shook his
head. "Promise your father that you'll settle for a nice normal
boy."
What did this have to do with Mom? "Right, sure, Dad," she
replied. "A nice normal boy."
"That's the right attitude, dear," Stone replied. He patted
her on the shoulder, and then he turned around and walked back
into the house.
"What was that all about?" she asked aloud.
"A father has to look out for his only child," a smooth,
harmonious voice said softly. Tenkou looked up to see a man of
about eighteen or so standing a few feet away from her. His short
hair looked to be some sort of strange white-blond color and pale
against even his pale skin. He was dressed in a creme colored
long-sleeved high-necked sweater shirt and a baggy pair of khakis.
He was slender and rather good-looking-- in a very familiar way.
The strange boy looked like Zellar, she realized. Yes, that
was it. He looked a _lot_ like Zellar. His coloring was
different, but his build and the way he held himself were the
same.
"I hope I didn't frighten you," he continued, in his soft
voice. "I was hoping we might have a talk."
"Do I know you?" Tenkou asked. Even as she did, she knew
the answer was 'yes'. Somehow she _did_ know him. "Who are you?"
"You may call me 'Karu'." He extended his hand towards her.
"And, yes, we've crossed paths once or twice before." She shook
his hand feeling the secure grip and warmth as his fingers closed
around hers. "I'm glad you left the club that night."
Tenkou drew her hand away standing and giving him an
appraising look. That was what was familiar about him. The face
was the same face she'd seen at the bus stop and then again in
Siren's. It was no wonder she'd mistaken him for Zellar; now that
she was standing so close to him she could see that he and Zellar
had very similar facial features. She quickly set that thought
aside for later and focused on something more immediate. "Have
you been following me?" she demanded.
"Not exactly." Karu reached up pushing his sunglasses back
up his nose. Tenkou found herself momentarily distracted by them;
they were rounded and the lenses seemed to be tinted the color of
mulberries, a dark purple-pink. "I've been asked to ensure you're
kept safe from harm."
"Oh? By whom?"
"I'm not at liberty to disclose their identity at this
time." He paused. "However, I may say that you and I share an
very influential mutual acquaintance." Reaching up he lowered his
sunglasses. Eyes the same mulberry color as the lenses looked
down at her from overtop of the shades.
Tenkou's eyes widened. "Twil--" she began. Karu put a
finger to her lips.
"Shh, it's a secret." He pushed his sunglasses back up and
bent in closer to her. The faint smell of cinnamon tickled her
nostrils, as he reached forward and gently smoothed a strand of
her hair. "You are a most exquisite treasure, Tenkou, but not as
difficult to steal as you might think." He paused. "Be wary of
whom you place your trust in; there are those who seek to deceive
you."
She blinked and he was gone. Standing, Tenkou looked around
her yard and the street, but she couldn't see any trace of the
strange boy. Even the faint traces of cinnamon had gone from the
air. Turning back around she stopped. There, on the bench, where
he'd been was a feather-- a feather of the purest white-gold
color. She bent and picked up the feather. Upon closer
inspection, she realized it was actually a pale golden color. The
iridescent silver light she'd seen was the ethereal silver flames
that the feather burned with.
*
Vincent answered the phone after the first ring. "Yes?" he
asked, expression and tone stoic. He listened as the person on
the other end of the line reported the details of what they had
learned. The set of Vincent's mouth slowly turned downward into a
frown of disgust. "I see," he said, simply. "Send someone to
confirm this." There was a pause as the other conceded. "And
have her report to me in the morning."
*
Siren's was packed. The bass-beat of the high-energy music
thrummed through the bar stool and made the Mike's Hard Lemonade
bounce against the bottle. Requiem sighed doing his best to
ignore the man standing behind him.
"So, you want to dance or not, sweet thing?" the guy asked
again, his gold chains clinking as he leaned forward. "I know the
DJ, you know, he's my cousin's best friend's ex-boyfriend's old
roommate."
"Not dancing tonight," Requiem muttered, waving the guy off.
"G'way."
"Come on, don't be like that," the guy protested.
"My friend's in the bathroom," Requiem told him. "If you're
still here when he gets back, you'll get your ass kicked, I
guarantee it." He twirled around on the stool, considering the
matter solved, and settled into waiting for Yamato to get back
from the payphone.
"Ah, leave her alone, Rod," another voice behind Requiem
said. "Can't you see she's not interested?"
"Well, excuse me, Matt," Rod snorted. "I didn't realize
that just because you're not having any fun none of the rest of us
can."
"Beat it, Rod," the other guy said. "I mean it."
Rod snorted and walked away, shaking his head. The other
guy sighed and sank down onto the stool next to Requiem. "Just
ignore him," he said, "he's a jerk." The guy slapped the bar.
"Hey, can I get a Molson over here?" He turned and extended his
hand. "I'm Matthew Tyler, by the way."
"Requiem," Requiem replied, looking up. So _this_ was the
infamous Matthew Tyler? Hmm... not bad, not bad at all.
Certainly not Yamato, but tolerable. Nice brown eyes, kinda rock-
starish hair-style.
Matthew blinked. "Well, this is a surprise," he remarked.
"Are you sure you're not in the wrong place?"
Requiem straightened, glaring. "What do you mean 'wrong
place'?" he demanded.
"I didn't think the Goth Boi's came to this place, that's
all," Matthew replied.
"You'd be surprised what comes to this place," Requiem
replied, with a smile. "But I'm glad your eyesight is better than
your friend's."
"Maybe I just know what I'm looking for." Matthew returned
the smile. "Are you really here with someone?"
Hold on a minute. Requiem gave Matthew an appraising look.
Maybe this explained why the other was so easy to shrug off
Tenkou. "Oh, I did come with a friend," Requiem began, coyly.
"But there's nothing between us. He prefers girls."
"I don't mind girls sometimes," Matthew replied.
"I prefer them all the time," a voice said. Requiem turned
to see Yamato standing behind them. "Making new friends already,
Sunshine?" Yamato quipped.
Requiem bit his tongue, straining not to make a potentially
dangerous reference aloud. Matthew, for his part, simply turned
around and gave Yamato a very blatant once over.
"Zellar, this is Matthew Tyler," Requiem introduced.
"Matthew, my dear sweet straight-as-an-arrow friend Zellar."
Yamato gave Requiem an odd look, probably wondering why he'd
been introduced as 'Zellar' and not 'Yamato. Matthew and Yamato
shook hands. "I used to wonder why none of Requiem's friends
liked me," Yamato began, "and then I realized it was because I was
being introduced as the token straight friend."
Matthew chuckled. "Everyone's gotta have one," he remarked.
"What are you drinking?" Requiem asked Yamato, signaling for
the bartender.
"Oh, I'm not," Yamato replied. "Not tonight."
Both Matthew and Requiem stared at him. "Look, Puritan Boy,
you're not living with the monks anymore," Requiem began. "Feel
free to be a little naughty."
"I feel like being sober tonight," Yamato replied, with a
shrug, leaning against the bar.
"What?" Requiem pouted. "You think I'd try something?"
"Hell Bell's, Requiem, I _know_ you would." Requiem's
laughter mixed with Yamato's, and Matthew smiled.
"Is this the first time you've been here?" he asked them,
indicating the club.
"I've been in before once or twice," Requiem admitted.
"First time for Zellar. He's relatively new in town. You?"
"I know the owner," Matthew replied. "It seems like I'm in
here every other night. Last night my band and I played three
sets-- I don't know why I didn't just stay home and sleep
tonight."
"Because it's Saturday night!" Requiem exclaimed. "No one
stays home on a Saturday night and sleeps. Except for you, of
course, Zellar."
Yamato shook his head a little smile on his face. "I'm
considering going home," he warned.
"You're no fun at all," Requiem told him. "Here I am trying
to have fun with our new friend Matthew and you're being all
'responsible'."
"Requiem, some of us have work to do," Yamato continued.
"Work, blah!" Requiem took a swig from his Mike's Hard. "I
don't want to hear that word again. There is no work tonight."
He raised what remained of his Mike's Hard in the air. "To
Saturday night!"
"Right," Matthew agreed and clicked his bottle against
Requiem's. "To tomorrow and new friends."
Yamato shook his head, stepping away from the bar. "Where
are you going?" Requiem demanded.
"The two of you are too cute for me," Yamato replied, with a
little wave. "I'll be back later. I just want to have a look
around."
"Suit yourself," Requiem waved. "I prefer the view from
here."
"I think we make him uncomfortable," Matthew remarked,
reaching for his beer.
"He's just no fun at all," Requiem agreed. "To us, because
we're fun."
"So fun that we're in need of more drinks," Matthew noted,
looking down into his empty bottle.
"I like the way you think," Requiem grinned. "Bartender,
two more over here!"
*
Yamato eased down the stairs. The door had read 'private,
no entry', and probably held no more than the extra supplies for
the bar and file cabinets. Yet, the door had still said
'private'. He'd learned over the years that that was all it took.
Something in him just couldn't walk away from secrets. One of
these days it was going to get him killed-- again.
The hallway at the end of the stairs branched out in two
directions. Peering either way Yamato frowned. The club was big
but not that big. The hallway was too long-- unless it wasn't a
hallway but a passageway. A small grin crept across his lips at
the thought. Now, where oh where could such a passageway lead?
The exit might even be guarded. This was definitely more fun than
watching Requiem get drunk. There was a chance that even might
even find something he wasn't suppose--
"Hello, Sunshine, fancy seeing you here," a cheery voice
remarked.
Yamato jerked around, his Shadow Sword in his hands and
swinging through the air towards his attacker--
Hikaru easily blocked it with a silver sai. "Now, what did
I ever do to you to deserve such a greeting?" he asked, pouting a
little.
"More things than I can name," Yamato replied, lowering the
sword. With a flick of his hand it melted away. He inspected the
other's outfit of black trousers, boots, and sleeveless black
turtleneck. A pair of long black gloves reached nearly all the
way up Hikaru's arms leaving only a small amount of skin beneath
his shoulder showing. He had a black bandanna pulled tied over
his head concealing all but the ends of his pale hair. Ah,
Hikaru's 'work uniform'. "What are you doing here, Hikaru?"
Yamato asked.
"Probably what you were just about to do," Hikaru replied.
"Hey, you could do me a little favor by holding this." He held
out a small wrapped object towards Yamato. "Just for a few
minutes."
Yamato eyed the package suspiciously. "The last time I held
something for you I was almost arrested."
Hikaru dismissed that with a wave. "You worry too much.
The most that these guys would do is shoot you."
"Oh, just shoot me? Is that all?"
"It's not like it would kill you. They have really poor
aim."
"Just because it wouldn't kill me doesn't mean I'm in a rush
to have it happen," Yamato snapped. He paused. "Wait a minute.
What guys?"
Hikaru pointed behind him. "The ones that will be coming
from that direction in about thirty seconds." He placed the
object in Yamato's hands. "Play it right and you might get to
meet the owner before they shoot you." Hikaru tugged the bandanna
off his head and pale silvery-blue hair fell around his face.
He yanked Yamato closer and tied the bandanna around the other
boy's head. Then Hikaru stepped back to give him an inspecting
look. "Yes, yes, this might just work," he muttered.
"What might just work?" Yamato asked, reaching for the
bandanna.
Hikaru smacked his hand away. "Don't," he told Yamato, and
then began to rummage in his pocket until he pulled out a pair of
mulberry-tinted glasses. He placed them on Yamato's face and then
pulled Yamato's collar up.
"What are you doing?" Yamato hissed, as the sound of running
echoed down the passageway.
Hikaru stepped back, nodded once, and then patted Yamato on
the shoulder. "Make me proud, Sunshine," he said, flashing a
thumbs-up as he dashed away. "Gambatte!"
"Where are you-- Hikaru, come back--" Yamato swore under his
breath as he watched Hikaru disappear up the stairs. Of all the
crazy stupid stunts to pull. He sighed. Well, it just proved
that when you went looking for trouble, five armed and very
pissed-off-looking hired thugs found you.
*
Hikaru slipped out into the club looking around. It
appeared that he hadn't been seen. Good. He paused for a moment,
assessing whether or not he should feel guilty about what had just
happened. No, it wasn't worth it. Yamato could take care of
himself, he'd been taking care of himself for centuries.
Besides, what could come of the case of mistaken identity would
bring a few things to Yamato's attention.
But now what? He should get out of the club. After all, if
someone were to discover that he was here they'd start questioning
who they had. Hikaru knew that no one would dare make a move
against him, it was all part of the game. However, if they were
to discover that the 'Hihane' they had was really Yamato-- things
could get ugly.
"There he is," a voice behind him said. "We were starting
to think you got lost."
Hikaru sucked in a breath, made himself presentable, and
then turned around. "Heya, Princess," he smiled. "You wouldn't
believe the line for the guy's bathroom. It's as long as the
girls'."
Requiem gave him a little pout. "There you go," he began,
"leading me on with those little pet names. You're breaking my
heart."
"I can't help it. You're such a cute drunk."
"I'm cute all the time," Requiem affirmed. "Anyway, Matt
and I are ready to leave."
Hikaru whistled, raising his eyebrows. "Well, that was
fast. His place or yours?"
"Oh, shut up." Requiem made a face. "It's nothing like
that. We just want to go to a place where the drinks are
cheaper." He paused. "You can come too if you want."
"Thanks, but no, I'm good," Hikaru replied. "I have a few
things to do tonight and--"
Requiem put his hands on his ears. "Gah, what did I tell
you about talking about that working tonight?" He removed his
hands and shook his head. "You are seriously no fun, Yamato."
"Oh, I am fun," Hikaru corrected. "Just not of the drunken
stupor kind."
Requiem faked a hurt look. "You're so cruel to me.
Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you." He shook his head.
"I'll catch up with you tomorrow."
"After your hangover passes."
"Bah, kid, only the weak get hungover."
"Don't call me 'kid'." Hikaru paused, watching the other
boy lingering off to the side. The other checked his watch and
then gave Requiem an impatient look. Hikaru looked back to find
Requiem was regarding him with an odd look on his face. "What?"
he asked.
"Something seems different about you," Requiem remarked,
eyebrows knotting together slightly. "I just can't put my finger
on it."
"Have another beer, Sunshine," Hikaru suggested.
Requiem's expression brightened. "That's it," he remarked.
"The way you've got your hair right now makes you look _exactly_
like Hihane." He nodded, pleased with himself. "Flames, Yamato,
it's damn scary."
Hikaru smiled. "Don't do anything stupid tonight, Requiem,"
he paused. "I get a bad feel from 'Matt'."
Requiem snorted. "You get a 'bad feel' from everyone."
"Humour me. Watch what you say to him."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll be good and careful," Requiem muttered.
"Later." He waved and walked back to where the other boy was
standing. The two of them then began to make their way through
the crowds to the door.
" '_Exactly_ like Hihane'," Hikaru repeated, shaking his
head. "Idiot."
*
Yamato was escorted down the passageway and then up another
flight of stairs. He was led down a nondescript hallway, but from
what he could make out of the darkened building it appeared that
he was inside the Morningstar Gallery. The Gallery composed a
fair chunk of the Morningstar Foundation's buildings on the
outskirts of town.
There was a thug on either side of Yamato; the one in front
seemed to be leading the way, and the other two behind kept their
revolvers pointed at his back. The leader took them down another
hallway all the way to the end, and then knocked on the only door
Yamato had seen since they'd left the passageway.
After acknowledgement from inside, the thug gestured for
Yamato to be taken into the room. Beyond the door lay a spacious
and expensively furnished office. A leather chair was turned to
face the window behind the desk, and Yamato guessed whoever he'd
been brought to was sitting in it. The thugs took him to a plush
chair before the desk and stopped.
"Sit," the leader instructed, pushing Yamato down into the
chair.
"That will be all," a voice from the leather chair said.
"Yes, sir." The thugs bowed and then left the office,
shutting the door with an ominous thud.
"Ah, Hihane," the voice from the chair continued. "To what
do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" The chair began to turn.
"I must admit I find your methods to be so very-- cute. Anyone
else would have simply made an appointment to speak to me, but not
you. No, you put on these little theatrics of breaking into my
gallery to get my attention." The man placed his hands together
in a steeple fashion. "Tell me, is there even some point to what
you've taken from my collection, or did you simply 'snatch'
whatever you first came across."
"Oh, no," Yamato hissed, as his eyes meet those of the man
sitting behind the desk.
The man had white skin of a Star, and the marking on his
forehead was of the outline of two triangles intersecting to form
a golden six-pointed star. His eyes were concealed behind a pair
of grey metallic shades. His expression was cold with the hint of
malignant amusement. He was dressed in an expensive black suit.
Both of his elfin ears were pierced with three silver rings.
Their sharp points jutted out from behind his silky ink black
hair.
"What was that, Hihane?" the man asked, leaning forward.
"You'll have to actually speak to me. I'm not in the mood for
your little silence games."
"Oh, no," Yamato repeated louder, his mind fumbling for
something to follow it. Oh damn it, oh hell's bells-- He glanced
down at the cloth-wrapped bundle in his lap. An ornate dagger
gleamed in the folds of the silk wrappings. "I like shiny sharp
things," Yamato replied, lifting the dagger. "Dawn Star."
"My, aren't we pretentious." Dawn Star pursed his lips.
"Of course." He reached forward taking dagger from Yamato's
hands. "Well, well, this is an interesting choice, now isn't it?"
He turned the dagger over in his hands inspecting it. "Do you
know what this particular 'shiny sharp thing' is used for,
Hihane?"
"Making people bleed?" Yamato guessed. What was going on?
Didn't Dawn Star realize that he wasn't Hikaru? Yes, he and
Hikaru looked alike but not close enough to fool _him_.
Dawn Star chortled. "Actually, yes. This is a ceremonial
knife used to spill the blood of the vessel during a binding
ritual."
Lovely.
"Of course, this isn't the one used in your father or
uncle's binding," the man continued. "But, then, I no longer have
those pieces in my collection."
Father and Uncle? Yamato frowned. Hikaru never spoke of
his family, but Yamato had heard that he was the son of Dace, a
powerful Southern Lord. Dace didn't have any brothers-- just many
wives and so many children that he'd lost count.
The Star set the dagger down. He smiled at Yamato, but the
expression lacked any warmth. "I know why you're here, Hihane. I
know it has nothing to do with binding ceremonies. So why don't
we just drop the act and speak our minds?"
Yamato didn't answer. How could he?
Dawn Star slid open a desk drawer and pulled something out.
He set it on the desk between them. Yamato's eyes narrowed at the
golden feather, it shimmered silver and then gold again as Dawn
turned it over in his hands. " 'Judgement and Twilight in one and
borne of truth,' " the man quoted. " 'He shall bring the flames
to those who dare to repeat their sins, and those born of him
shall return what was first taken by the Sinner'. So say the
prophecies of Lady Avalon, but I'm well aware that you're familiar
with them." He paused. "The Hope of the Revolutionists and
similar fools like you." He sneered. "Your prophet can say what
she likes of the boy, I know the brat doesn't have it in him."
Yamato remained silent, trying to look disinterested or
bored or anything that would hide the utter confusion he felt.
Dawn Star picked the dagger up again. "He'll never survive
the awakening," he told Yamato. "I'm actually looking forward to
it," he continued, running a finger along the edge of the dagger.
"Not only will that shameful mistake of Daylight's be gone from
this sphere forever-- but I will also have the distinct pleasure
of watching your face as you lose the chance to ever be known to
your son."
Dawn Star stood. "I'm glad we had this little chat." He
turned back to the window and clapped his hands. The door to the
office opened, and the leader of the hired muscle stepped back in.
"See to it that Hihane is escorted off the premises," Dawn Star
instructed
"Sir," the thug replied, bowing. He then gripped Yamato by
the arm and pulled him up out of the chair.
"And put a bullet in his back for the trouble he's caused."
*
The thug took Yamato out of the gallery to the open field
behind the Morningstar Foundation. Yamato knew that field
stretched all the way to Siren's with nothing else but trees on
either side of it.
"I'm going to enjoy this," the thug replied, pulling out his
gun.
Before Yamato could react, a silver sai caressed the Adam's
apple of the thug. Hikaru stood behind the thug, his lips close
to the other's ear. He whispered something very softly -- so
softly that not even Yamato's hearing could make it out. Hikaru
released his sai as the thug's eyes went wide and he moaned as he
slumped to the ground. Stepping over the crumpled man, Hikaru
walked over to Yamato.
"What did you do to him?" Yamato asked.
Hikaru reached forward and pulled his glasses from Yamato's
face and slid them back on. "I told him a secret," he replied,
running a hand through his pale blue hair. In the moonlight his
silver highlights shimmered. Yamato caught sight of the mark upon
Hikaru's forehead before his long fringe concealed it again.
It was a silver spiral marked at the four compass points
with two small lines. A spiral -- like his own marking...
"So, did you learn anything interesting from the ol'
bastard?" Hikaru asked, casually placing his sai back at his
waist.
"He showed me a feather and the he told me he was going to
kill your son," Yamato replied, blinking. "And not once did he
let on that he knew I wasn't you."
"That's most likely because he didn't know," Hikaru replied.
"He's a powerful one, he is, but easily fooled." He pulled a
mirror out from his pocket. It was a small, circular, and set in
a glistening silver frame. The same spiral and line markings had
been etched in deep sapphire blue on the other side of the mirror.
Hikaru tossed it to Yamato. "So he thinks he can kill my son."
"I didn't know you had a son," Yamato remarked, catching the
mirror.
"Didn't you?" Hikaru asked, calmly straightening his
clothes. "Well, I suppose that's something we ought to have
discussed then-- among other things."
"Other things like?"
Hikaru waved his hand. "It can wait until tomorrow," he
replied. "Why don't you ask the question that's really ignited
your curiosity?"
All right, he'd take the bait. "Why didn't Dawn Star know I
wasn't you?" Yamato asked.
Hikaru stopped messing with his gloves long enough to stride
over to Yamato. Taking the mirror from Yamato's hand, he held it
up before the other's face so that he could look into it.
Yamato's mulberry-colored eyes widened. The face reflected in the
mirror wasn't his own but Hikaru's. So that had been why
Dawn Star had never suspected.
"How did you...?" Yamato asked, looking from his reflection
to Hikaru.
"As I said," Hikaru replied, calmly pocketed the mirror and
reaching for the bandanna on Yamato's head. "We have a number of
things to discuss." He retied the bandanna on his own head.
"But, incidentally, it's a good thing they didn't pull off this
bandanna, ne? We might not be talking right now if they had."
Hikaru yawned. "I'm sure you've got a lot of questions, Sunshine,
and I'll be happy to answer them as best I can-- tomorrow." He
took a couple steps backwards. "Ja!"
Yamato made a face at the empty air where Hikaru had been.
"I hate it when he does that," he muttered.
The thug remained in his position on the grass, whimpering
softly. Yamato paused, wondering if he should try to attend to
the man. Shaking his head, he decided it was pointless. Without
some hint of what Hikaru had done it was impossible to reverse it.
He walked off into the trees, and within a few steps he'd melted
into the shadows, vanishing without a trace.
*
4.09 Oct 15, 2000
10.14 Oct 22, 2000
11.05 Oct 26, 2000
1.02 am June 3rd, 2001
11.16 pm Aug 17, 2001
"Karu" on its own means "Hunter". The kanji for Hihane would read
Fire ("hi) Feather ("hane"). I've only seen the line for the
men's bathroom being longer than the women's once. It was at one
point during the cheap night at Gaspanic in Yokohama, the night
before I left Japan.
Gambatte is of course, "do your best!".