Meetings, Again and Again
Dane Soar
This'll be a fairly short fic, only two parts I think. Most of it was because I realized that in Chapter Black they never say how Sniper joined Sensui and I thought it would be interesting to think up a way.
Enjoy, and please review. Really, not kidding.
Part 1: Sniper; A Rebel With No Cause--------------------------------------------
The girls crowded around the motorcycle, staring at it with looks of those who knew nothing of such things, but were perfectly able to admire them anyway.
"He's so cute, isn't he?" One said to the other, twittering in a high voice, while shooting 'hands off, he's mine' glares at the other girls. They shot similar looks back.
"Even though he doesn't talk much, those purple eyes are to die for."
Another nodded. "I know, and the whole bad boy look…" she rolled her eyes and licked her lips. "…so working."
"Here he comes!" One girl squealed, hands over her mouth. "Here he comes."
Immediately the girls assumed poses around the bike, one even leaning over it so that her shirt pulled tight over her form, a tried and true trick.
"Kaname," the one near the back wheel purred. Hagiri was drawling near, schoolbag over his shoulder. His much admired purple eyes narrowed as the girls spoke. Every day. Every single day. This was ridiculous. "Are you doing anything this evening?"
"Slut." The girl next to her snapped. "Besides, he likes to be called Hagiri, right?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him.
Surveying them coolly, Hagiri listened to their twittering for a few more minutes, then thumped his bag down on the bike hard enough to make the girls jump. The one that had so bravely leaned over the motorcycle retreated hurriedly.
Turning to them, Hagiri raised an eyebrow. His expression was not amused. That was it. The girls scattered like wheat beneath the scythe and Hagiri took the opportunity to get on his bike.
The engine started up with a dull purr and before any of the girls could utter so much as a squeak of protest, he had sped away.
One of the girls fanned herself. "Sooo hot."
"A little shy, though."
"And scary, that look…" she shivered. "But maybe he'd soften up once you get to know him …maybe."
"But sooo hot."
"Oh, close your mouth, you're drooling."
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From the time he was a small child Hagiri had always been fascinated with motorcycles, especially the one his father owned. The hum of the engines and feeling of wind in his hair was something he could never get enough of. He dreamed of riding, and in the daytime was constantly pestering his father to give him a ride. On occasion he could be convinced to do so, other days Hagiri would leave the garage with a black eye.
Finally, one day, his father got on his bike, road away, and never came back.
His mother worked hard after that to raise him and his sister, and from that time on, Hagiri wanted his own bike. He knew that it was an almost impossible dream, but at the time, dreams were all he had.
Dreams of the wind in his hair and the thrum of the engines.
Years later, after countless part time jobs, and what seemed an age of saving, he had enough for a bike.
By then, he was in high school and the next year, would be able to ride it to school without breaking any laws. Strangely enough, the bike seemed to have an odd effect on his classmates, particularly the girls. That was then they started hanging around his bike after school let out, sharpening their claws, each wanting to be the one to snatch him up.
However, Hagiri had no intention on being 'snatched up'. He was determined to enjoy being single, for as long as possible. Plus, gas money didn't come out of thin air; he still kept up a few of his part time jobs.
And today had been particularly annoying. Someday, he would have to figure out a solution to that crowd of girls. For now, a few well placed cold looks would quell them, but he had a feeling that wouldn't work one day.
But for now it did and he would think of something else later, for now there was the wind and the buildings blurring as he passed them, and no one, no one at all could catch him. Hagiri had always been faster than the bullies.
Riding was all he had to enjoy these days, there wasn't really much else that mattered to him. School was a waste, home felt empty with only one parent, and there wasn't much else to his life. He was restless, itching to do something, anything, go somewhere, find himself. But there was no where to go.
Now there was only a job to go to, one that he'd be late to if he didn't lay on the gas a little more. With satisfaction he added it on, the buildings whipped past him at an incredible speed. This was the time he lived for, where no one could catch him, yell at him, or make him do anything. Not that it lasted forever, but it was enough. For now.
Ahead, the river stretched across the road and the traffic was backed up all along the bridge. The road was slick from the rain earlier; wheels skidded on it all over the city and cars crashed together. The resulting backups were enormous.
Just my luck. Easing off the gas, Hagiri coasted to a halt behind the last car, just over the edge of the bridge. Now I will be late.
The backup seemed to be going nowhere fast and so he propped his arms on the handlebar, and put a foot out to the ground to keep the bike from tipping over. It would be a long wait, he might as well not get angry over it.
SCRREEEEEEEEEEEE…
The thing that happened next would be something that Hagiri would always remember. For nights, years afterward he would go over the things that happened and wonder, if it had happened differently, what would have become of him.
He looked behind him and saw the horror that a car had skidded on a puddle and was headed right toward him. There was no time to think before it hit him. The fender impacted right behind his foot, crumpling the motorcycle around his leg and trapping it. Still the car came on, not able to stop, driving him across the road, toward the edge of the bridge.
If he fell, the water below would suck him down, trapped as his foot was in the bike. He would die.
As the car had hit him, the sharp jerk had made the clutch above the handlebar break off in his fingers. Hagiri, later, wouldn't be able to pin down the reason he had thrown it at the man driving the car, anger perhaps, of sheer retaliation at being driven to his death.
Nevertheless, he was surprised at the result. The clutch smashed through the windshield of the car right were the driver would be. This all happened in the span of a few seconds.
Then he toppled over the side of the bridge.
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Sensui looked with interest at the piece of medal imbedded in the headrest of his seat. If he had not moved his head at the last second it would have gone through it, instead of in the upholstery.
"That was very close," remarked Itsuki from the opposite seat, in the silence that followed the bike's drop over the edge. "A human cannot usually have that kind of aim. Or power."
"I don't think he was human, Itsuki. I believe that we have witnessed the birth of a psychic, and a one with a great amount of power. Interesting. Perhaps some kind sniper."
"A psychic…well then, do you wish me to…?" Itsuki raised an eyebrow and a hand in question.
Considering for a few moments Sensui finally nodded. "Yes. If you would be so kind?"
With a mere blink of power, Itsuki summoned another set of his arms into being. Catching the falling youth just before he went into the water, the green and eyed arms flicked a finger, and sent the twisted remains of the motorcycle spinning away. It splashed down into the water, and sunk instantly. Raising the young man up they carefully set him back on the bridge.
Opening his car door Sensui stepped out onto the street, going over to crouch by the unconscious form whose one leg as twisted at an angle never seen in whole bones.
"You hit him," Itsuki commented. "it seems almost intentional."
"Perhaps," replied Sensui, reaching to check for a pulse in the young man's neck. "Perhaps."
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Drifting in seas of unreality, Hagiri remained very happily unconscious.
Then a voice nearby, as annoying as a buzzing insect, said. "Hey, you, Red, wake up, I saw you twitch, I know you're not really asleep."
He groaned and tried to wake up, but his eyes remained firmly shut. Even if his mind really had wanted to wake up, his body was bound and determined to stay as it was.
A finger poked him in the ribs. "Red, hey Red, wakey wakey." His leg throbbed, along with various other aches and pains.
Red…? Who… that's not… But of course. His jacket, the one he wore constantly regardless of any weather. It was warm in the winter and cool in the summer and was colored a deep red.
The finger came again. Poke. "Rrrrreeeeeed." Poke, poke, poke. "Come on. You're awake, I know, stop pretending." The voice was singsong, and high, probably a kid, or someone young.
He groaned again, shifting, trying to bring himself to open his eyes.
"Come on, Red."
That was it.
The kid stepped back as calm purple eyes glared at him. Then he grinned. "I said so Red. You were awake."
"...smysname's not Red." Hagiri said, slurring the words.
The boy, because he couldn't be more than eleven, grinned impudently. "Yes it is." he pointed at the jacket that lay over a nearby chair. "See, Red."
"…right."
"Or I guess I should call you Sniper, that's what Mr. Sensui said you name was."
Hagiri's head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Were was he…? How did he…? He sat up and then remembered in a jolt. Putting his hands over his face, he sighed. My bike is totaled. Oh, damn.
"What's the matter, Sniper?"
"My name is not Sniper. And why do you keep calling me that?"
"Yes it is, Sniper. My name is Amanuma and they called me Gamemaster. And it's what Mr. Sensui named me." He said the name that he had mentioned once before as if it was golden.
"Who is that, anyway?" Hagiri looked between his fingers. "You talked about him before."
"Mr. Sensui is…" Amanuma started but cut off as a tall man walked in.
"Gamemaster, you seem talkative today." The tall man had an enchanting voice and piercing blue eyes. "How long has he been awake?"
"Not long, Mr. Sensui." Suddenly the child was polite and could speak without babbling insanely.
"I see. Now, Gamemaster, please go, I think you should practice your games a bit. You'll want the be prepared when the time comes." The man, Sensui, seemed to invoke some sort of awe in Amanuma. He nodded and then scurried out of the room.
Sitting up the rest of the way, Hagiri winced as his leg throbbed once, then settled down to a dull ache around the ankle. His ribs hurt too, and he was going to bet he had a spectacular set of bruises. Then he matched the face of the man before him with that of the person behind the wheel of the car.
"You hit me." It was a clear accusation.
A smile touched the man's face. "Yes, I did. It was an accident, but a fortunate one for you."
"Fortunate? My bike must have been wrecked."
"Yes, it was. I can get you another."
It had seemed so casual to the man that it immediately sparked a bit of anger in Hagiri. "That bike took me years to save up for!"
"And I will replace it, as I said."
There was really no replying to something like that.
"And of course, where are my manners?" The man shook his head. "My name is Shinobu Sensui and I have a proposition for you."
"Oh, really?" Hagiri's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Yes. I saw your potential when I saw the incredible power you wielded on the bridge."
"What power?"
"That piece of medal you threw at me. It was quite a throw, the accident must have made your power suddenly manifest."
"I still don't understand a word of what you're saying. And how did I get here anyway? My leg must have been broken at least by that impact." It didn't hurt near enough for that.
Sensui chuckled, enjoying a private joke. "It was; one of my associates, Doctor, was able to dull it down to a twisted ankle only. I'm sure you appreciate that."
"How did…?"
"Later," said Sensui. "for now, I have something I want to show you."
"See what?" asked Hagiri cautiously.
"Oh, nothing much, just a film."
"A film?"
"Yes, and believe me, everything will make sense after that."
"What's it called?"
"Chapter Black."
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It was quite a while after that, after the new bike had appeared in the driveway, his leg had healed the rest of the way, and the gun appeared in his room, that Sensui told him to go pick up something for him.
Having been told of the plan, the tunnel, and the power situation, Hagiri was very quietly in his element with them. He had found a cause to fight for. And it was a perfectly good one too. If humans had done all that…well, they might as well be killed.
"Why?" He asked Sensui. "You usually have Doctor get things for you."
Sensui smiled an unusual smile. "Today I have a feeling, that you might be the better person to do this. And if you just happen to meet someone odd, take him back here."
"There's more to this than you're telling me, isn't there?"
"It's just a hunch, Sniper, just a hunch. Now, off with you."
And Hagiri obeyed, as he would for many more days.
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