Weiß Kreuz: Schatten und Lichter
Das Konzert version eins

Part One: Glühen
Chapter One: Velvet Underworld I

~--------Aa, how long can we live deceiving our hearts?~

The moon didn't rise over the city so much as it appeared. Fading into view from a shroud of darkness and the orange glow of noise pollution, until the full beauty of it's stark, barren face stood out amidst stars that couldn't compare. That fact itself was interesting, as stars made their own light, and the moon merely reflected. How true of the world it looked down upon. The only people who got anywhere in the world were the ones who stole from others; the ones who took light and life and made it their own, larger existence.

Not that it mattered. He'd long ago accepted the world for the way it was, and sometimes he wondered why he went on living at all. But up here, with the wind whipping around him and the air cold and thin atop the tallest building in downtown Tokyo, he could remember. He could remember living. He could remember the moon; and the moon was his alone to view.

But that wasn't all. From this point he could almost envision holding the city in the palm of his hand. Not that Nagi Naoe had any grand illusions of power, but even he had his moments of feeling small. Turning gracefully from the moon to stare at the distant strip of ground below him, he blinked his cerulean eyes and in that instant the ground was closer. Teleportation, no, just moving really fast. He stood on a ledge and watched something far more interesting than the moon and it's stars. He watched a group of thugs, nothing too intelligent, probably hired to do something or someone. Probably charged a high price. Definitely about to die.

One of these thugs reached his wit's end, if you could call it that, and stopped short, his sneakers scraping the pavement as he turned, pulling a pistol from his jacket as he went. The street was empty, being one of the oh-so-convenient side streets with nothing but downtown residences on either side. It would be messy in the morning. But for now the man could only watch as his newly pulled pistol seemingly thrust itself from his hands and went flying through the air. Sweat ran down his face, as he followed the trail of glinting silver from his gun down the length of wire to the man that wielded it.

" Zannen darou ne... " commented the man lazily, as the pistol clattered to the ground at his feet. He stepped over it, fully entering the light of the street lamp and allowing himself to be seen by his prey. A gloved hand flicked ash indolently from his cigarette, away from where it could mar the seamless navy of the trenchcoat that hung to his calves. As he moved his hand back to replace the cigarette where it belonged, the white stripes that came together to form a cross became visible, as did the clever green eyes that gazed from between the sunglasses perched low on his face and the thick wavy bangs that dusted his eyebrows. An amused tone curled lazily around his words, " Lose something? "

" Temee... " The man bared his teeth and crouched low for a fight.

" It's not the only thing he's gonna lose tonight. " Another voice; and it too was amused. When the younger man emerged with a cocky smirk, he had every right to, for when he pulled a tight fist, four blades emerged from the guards on his wrist with a frightening shiink.

" Kusssooouuuu... " one of the other members cursed in a low hiss. He turned, ready to flee, when three darts made a neat triangle around his foot. He gasped heavily, like there was water in his throat, or maybe it was bile, as he looked up into the smiling face of the third hunter.

Then came the fourth.

There was a rumor on the streets. A mere inkling whispered among petty thieves and those who dwelled in the dark alleyways of unpleasant places most city residents chose to forget the existence of. Fear the hunters that lurked somewhere in the city. But fear most the one who's hair mirrored the blood spilt when you died, with eyes the cool violet of shadows on the snow at twilight. When night came, he moved, and you died.

" Interesting, aren't they? " He asked, standing on the ledge next to Nagi, observing the aftermath with a cold, detached look. He didn't like fear anyway, not when he wasn't the cause. It just didn't seem the same.

" Hn, " Nagi's eyes trailed over the scene in the street below. Interesting.

(@)

" Irrasshaimase!! " It was a wonder he didn't go hoarse, calling it every time the little bell above the door rang to herald the arrival of yet another customer, or yet another visitor. Occasionally it was a curious passer-by, lured in wondering what the commotion was about. They usually left with a bundle of flowers and stars in their eyes. They usually came again.

Omi didn't mind the admirers, really. It was a little... uncomfortable at times, but as long as they bought flowers he could deal with it easily. He supposed he was a born businessman: it was better to think that than to consider the other things he'd grown up doing. Turning, he leaned against the counter and swept the cap off his head, running his fingers through his sandy hair before replacing it. Taking a well-earned break, he observed his companions fondly.

Ken, his messy brown hair having to be constantly brushed from his blue eyes, was helping a woman pick out flowers for a bouquet. He was talking easily, carrying on a light conversation around the decision. He made it easier on people, gently nudging them towards good combinations while they walked away proud of their choice. Yet, every once in awhile it showed, that lonely feeling behind the energetic exterior.

At the back of the store was Youji. Omi couldn't help but smile as he caught sight of the man in the middle of the usual crowd of girls. While the man who hid behind sunglasses proclaimed to only date girls over eighteen, he always had a kind word for the rest. As usual, he wasn't doing much work, the extent of his work in any given day usually was restricted to just bringing in customers with his presence.

" Ah-! Lucky! " exclaimed one of the girls he'd just called welcome to. She grabbed her friend's sleeve and pointed across the store. " All four today! Look! There's Ayasan! "

" Hehhh? You like him? He's cute but he's cold. "

Omi had to laugh a little at that comment.

" Oh! Omisan! Konnichiwa, " the second girl greeted, approaching him.

" Konnichiwa, " Omi returned to her happily. " How are you today Yurikasan? "

" I'm fine, I guess. I have a paper due tomorrow but I thought I'd stop here first on my way to the hospital. " Yurika answered, twining her hair around her finger as the thought made her nervous.

" Haah. Are you visiting a friend? "

" Un. My friend Saeko is sick. Satomichan and I thought some flowers might cheer her up. Ne- Omi! What are some good flowers that say 'cheer up and get well soon!'? " She leaned forward on the counter and smiled up at him cajolingly.

" Ara, " said a woman to Omi's left, " Don't I know you? I think I've seen you around the hos-- " She was cut off as a small potted plant hit the ground and shattered.

" Aup. Sumimasen, " Aya said stiffly, sweeping up the broken pot and going to the back room with the dustpan.

The woman who had been speaking to him curled her fingers at her lips, perplexed. She noticed Omi and the girls looking at her and wandered over. " Ano... could you help me? I'm looking for some flowers to give to my niece, she's in the hospital... "

" Hey now! " Yurika protested. " Omisan was helping me first! "

Omi sweatdropped. " Maamaa... " he assured them. " Since you're both looking for something of the same kind I'll help you both. "

(@)

Aya stood washing the dirt off his hands in the small bathroom off the back room of the store. The earring that dangled to the left of his face caught what little light there was and drew attention to his reflection in the mirror. Dark crimson spilled across his forehead, nearly obscuring his narrow amethyst eyes, while two longer pieces of hair hung down from his ears to touch his shoulders. A thin mouth that had traded it's smile for a snarl showed no emotion at the reflection, regardless of the pain it caused inside.

Closing his eyes in something of a slow blink, Aya Fujimiya left the mirror behind and went back to work.

(@)

" Hoi, Crawford. "

Crawford slowed his steps to a casual stop and turned to look upon who had called his name with cool brown eyes. Dressed in his customary pristine white business suit, the American was the very portrait of perfection. The only exception was the ebony black hair that stubbornly betrayed his rare fallibility by never conforming. " What? " he asked, sounding bored.

" Are we going to have fun tonight? "

Crawford smirked softly, removing his glasses to wipe away an insignificant smudge he'd noticed. " You have a sick sense of fun, Schuldich. "

" The same could be said for you. "

" How very true, " the lenses were replaced over his uncommunicative eyes. " Remember, they're prey, not toys, Schuldich. "

" Like a cat with a mouse... " his mouth curved into a cruel smile as he toyed with his words. " What's the difference? "

(@)

Saeko Ueda curled into a little ball as violent coughs wracked her body. The force of which shook even her hospital bed. When the fit ended, she lay where she was, taking deep, shaky breaths. Perspiration beaded across her skin, and her unkempt dark hair snaked across her pillow and down her back.

" Daijoubu? " meekly asked the girl who shared the room with her.

Saeko nodded and managed a weak, " un. " She turned and gazed at her roommate with glassy eyes. " You just got here, ne? What's your name? "

The younger girl in the other bed peered fearfully over her blanket. " Mira. Shimizu Mira desu. "

" Ueda Saeko, " she managed a faded smile. " Pleased to meet you Mirachan. "

" Good, you're both awake, " the nurse commented, entering the room with a cart. She wheeled it over to Mira and placed a little cup of pills on the stand next to her bed. " Here's your medicine and some water... now I'm going to give you just one shot to try and make you better. "

Mira pulled the blanket up to her nose. " I duwanna needle. "

Saeko leaned back as her breathing became more laboured. She was hot and cold and overall uncomfortable. She hated it. The doctors didn't even know what was wrong with her, and judging by the procedure, Mira had the same thing.

" Now, now, you want to get better, don't you? This won't hurt a bit... "

Mira whimpering, " Itai, " was the last thing Saeko heard before she dozed off.

(@)

The television clicked on, warming up to a picture of a man hidden in shadow. He sat at a desk with only the thin lines signifying closed blinds behind him for light. This was Persia, the nameless face associated by them as their leader. The nameless face who had somehow recruited them. The nameless face that had taken what they had been and made them what they were.

" Those of Weiß, there is a new sickness overtaking young girls in Tokyo. It is indiscriminate of age, but so far nobody male has been affected. This is no natural sickness, each of the victims were recently known to visit a new health store called 'Cherry Dreams'. "

" Kf- What a lousy name for a health store; sounds more like an ice cream shop. "

Undaunted by the commentary, Persia continued, " The store is run by this man, " a picture of a middle-aged man appeared on the bottom right of the screen, " Matsumoto Keiichite. His partner is a nurse, " another picture to accompany the new name, " Tsuneo Morie, who handles the victims when they reach the hospital. "

" Ehh... what a horrible thing... "

" White Hunters in the Dark, Fight the Futures of these Dark Beasts. "

As Persia disappeared from the screen and the lights came back on, Youji leaned back and complained, " I still say it's a lousy name for a health store. "

Manx shook her head, a patient smile on her crimson lips. Her thick red curls swayed in tandem to her hips as she strode to the centre of the room and faced Weiß, folder in hand. " We've determined that Matsumoto and Tsuneo are testing out new drugs on the victims by initiating their sickness. The latest victims are two young girls named Ueda Saeko and Shimizu Mira-- "

" Ah! " Omi interjected at the names.

" Doushita, Omi? " Ken inquired with a curious look. " You know them? "

Omi nodded. " Yurikasan was in the store today to buy flowers for Saeko, and I also helped a lady who said her niece Mira was in the hospital. She and Yurikasan talked about it and discovered that both girls had the same sickness, and that the doctors didn't know what to do about it. "

" Why only girls, that's what I'd like to know, " Youji asked, turning his eyes to Manx for answers.

" That's undetermined, it might be the nature of the drugs themselves. " She closed the folder and put her hand on her hip. " So? Are you all in for this one? "

" Aah, " Aya agreed immediately, getting to his feet and heading up the stairs.

" Even if they weren't attacking girls, I'd still be in it for that lousy name... " Youji commented, following Aya.

" I'm in. " Ken agreed. He looked at Omi, as did Manx.

" I'm in. "

(@)

Late that night, the head nurse slowly creaked open the door and silently walked to the nearest bed. Reaching down, she touched the forehead of the little girl and frowned sadly as her fingers encountered the slick heat that resided there.

Mira cracked open her eyes at that touch and whispered, " Obasan. "

Nurse Shimizu offered her niece a faint smile. " How are you feeling Mirachan? "

" Icky. The nurse gave me a needle earlier and now my arm hurts. "

Shimizu furrowed her brow. A needle? She hadn't authorized any shots today. She gently pushed up Mira's sleeve and gasped when she saw the green and purple bruise that had spread from the small puncture wound in the crook of her elbow. Trying not to let her concern show to the girl, she asked, " Did the other girl get a needle today too? " When Mira nodded she went to the other bed, and discovered the same bruise. " I never knew a thing about this... "

" And so it should have remained. "

Shimizu gasped and spun around to face Tsuneo standing in the doorway.

(@)

As Omi pulled on his coat and double checked the inside of it to make sure he had all his darts, he related the plan. " Youjikun and Kenkun will go to 'Cherry Dreams' to get Matsumoto, Ayakun and I will go to the hospital after Tsuneo. That sound alright? " He bent down and tied the laces on his red sneakers. Omi probably beat Ken for casual wear during a mission, wearing just a coat, t-shirt and shorts, because that was what he felt most comfortable in. All black, of course, so he could easily blend into the night. He didn't see the point in Youji or Aya's trenchcoats, they were conspicuous, even in a big city where the unusual was the norm.

" Sounds good, " Ken agreed, tightening the orange shirt tied around his waist over his jeans. " Youji, let's go. "

They split up at a street corner, Youji and Ken going one way, Aya and Omi the other.

The heavy black leather trenchcoat flapped around his legs as Aya ran. Omi may not have seen the point, but he did. It was added armor, extra protection to his shell that made him an assassin. His fingers gripped the hilt of the kitana he carried with him, while the sound of his and Omi's footsteps filled his ears. He dipped his chin into the collar of his black turtleneck as a chilly wind met them head on.

As their destination came into view, Aya grimly set his jaw. The hospital. It just had to be young girls at the hospital...

ching

" On the move again, are they? " Schuldich asked, reaching up to silence the windchime his arrival had set swaying. Nagi didn't answer, it was a rhetorical question anyway.

(@)

Youji quietly pushed open the door and peered inside. Signaling to Ken, he stole inside and shut the door after the other man entered. Catching some of the wire from his watch in his lips, he drew out a preumptive length and nodded at Ken to follow him towards the square of light at the end of the hallway.

Passing by the entrance way to the main area of the store, Youji glanced inwardly and made a face. " Mazui... it even looks like an ice cream store. "

" Shh, " Ken warned, going past him in the direction of their goal.

At the end of the hall, the light came from a small room that had been made into an elaborate chemistry lab. It was like a scene out of a 'mad scientist' movie. Test tubes stood at attention on racks upon racks, while strange coloured chemicals bubbled over Bunsen burners, or dripped slowly into others. At the centre of it all sat the mad scientist himself, hunched over a microscope. When Ken poked a beaker, causing it to tip over, he spun around and demanded, " Who's there?! " He reached for his pocket as the two assassins registered in his vision.

Youji took a step forward, tossing out his wire and masterfully manipulating it so it strung Matsumoto up among his laboratory. Pulling the wire taut, he hissed, " Attacking young girls is unforgivable. "

Ken extended his claws and ran in to finish the job. The cry of 'No!' went unheeded and unheard, as the parallel blades buried themselves to the hilt, then sliced upwards. The back wall splattered with blood, and Youji let the body drop to the floor.

(@)

Tsuneo charged Shimizu, using her body to slam the head nurse into the wall. She turned her body and shoved her elbow hard into Shimizu's midriff.

" Obasan! " Mira wailed, watching as her aunt slid to the floor.

Saeko awoke at her cry and blinked blearily at Tsuneo. She turned her head and noticed Shimizu slumped against the wall. Bolting upright into a sitting position she cried, " Nani?! "

Tsuneo turned to face her, the light from outside casting eerie shadows. To Saeko's fevered mind, she looked like a monster. Thin tendrils of hair snaked into her face, having escaped the bun during her exchange with Shimizu. She leaned down over the bed, her long thin hand snaking around Saeko's neck. " You've reached the limit of your usefulness, Uedasan. "

Saeko squeezed her eyes shut and choked. " I... ya... "

A whooshing sound accompanied by four short 'thunk's put a stop to all action in the room. Tsuneo turned her head to the doorway, blood creeping from the horizontal cut where one of the darts had grazed her cheek. She watched as one of the figures in the doorway took hurried steps to the other bed and quickly pulled the blanket over Mira's head.

" Just say under there and you'll be safe, okay? " Omi said kindly to the little girl. He caressed her head through the sheet and then looked up at the nurse. A hardened glare overtook his wide aquamarine eyes.

Tsuneo took in the boy next to the bed and the man still in the doorway. Cutting her losses, she gave a frightened outcry and pushed past Aya into the hall. Aya nodded at Omi and followed her.

Omi quickly moved to the other bed to check on Saeko. As he reached her bedside she slowly opened her eyes and croaked, recognition somehow possible despite her condition. " O- Omisan? "

" Iie, " Omi said with a smile, not missing a beat. " Bombay desu. "

(@)

One missed slash and Tsuneo collapsed to the ground in her attempt to avoid. Stumbling to her feet, she looked back at her assailant and cried, eyes wide. " Wh-Who are you?! "

Aya leveled the blade and growled, " Weiß, " before making the final blow.

(@)

Schuldich stood with his back against a street lamp, watching from a distance as Aya and Omi left the hospital. Jade green eyes followed them as they made their way back home, in no hurry at all. They'd left no sign, no clue, just a body; the same way they always did. Schuldich tilted his head to the side, thick orange hair spilling over the shoulder of his green blazer as he caught the last possible sight of them before they disappeared around a corner.

When they were gone, he looked back at Nagi, who was standing slightly behind him, watching with that perpetually indifferent expression on his face.

Schuldich smiled. He liked to smile, and did it often. " Very interesting. "

~(@)~

~--------Tsuzuku~

Translation notes:
ahh gomen gomen, somethings just aren't the same in English. anything where the translations are in '...' means it's a loose translation. >;; Also, if translations happen to change from chapter to chapter it's because I'm translating them in the context they're being used in. Lessee... oh! If I forget one, please let me know and accept my apologies.

Zannen darou ne - 'aw, that's too bad'
Temee - 'why you...'
Kuso - damn
Irrasshaimase - Welcome! traditional greeting to a customer when they enter a store
Konnichiwa - hello
Sumimasen - excuse me
Maamaa - 'hey hey'
Daijoubu? - Are you okay?
Itai - 'ow'
Doushita - 'what is it?'
Obasan - aunt
nani - what
Iya / Iie - no
Tsuzuki - to be continued

[Written by Inseiko, 2001]