"Ooohhh, my aching head…" a hand struggled to lift itself off the position it's stuck in; between a warm body and bedding. "Damn, I think I can't pull my hand out off my back…" muttered Kaoru to no one in particular. (a/n: what? You think she's in bed with someone? Ha! o )
There was something covering her eyes, something damp and cooling. Fumbling a bit, Kaoru managed to pull her other arm out from under her head, but not with consequences. The jackhammers in her head starts to pound her brain with a vengeance. Whimpering, she stopped all movement and just stays there. A figure appeared overcastting a shadow over her and lifted the towel he put on earlier. "Feeling better?"
Kaoru kept her eyes closed and gave him the finger. Hiruma chuckled, that's what makes his day, the sadist bastard that he is. It's rare to catch his friend in a state of disarray and not in full capacity of her abilities. He's going to milk it for all its worth. But he's not a total jerk so he left her alone for a moment and return to her side with a cup of thick black coffee. The devil chuckled some more at her unladylike remarks as Kaoru mumbled something like "…damn bugger idiot for accepting M's invitation for a pre Halloween bash and drinking his potent cocktail surprise…never again, that bloody fucking bastard…" before the scent of fresh brewed grinded caffeine caught her attention. "Drink it, otherwise I'm taking it away."
She slowly pushed herself upright with difficulty and took the just rewards for her effort from his hand. "Ahh, now I feel more human. Thanks for letting me crash for the night in your apartment. Did you get my bike?" Hiruma nodded. When he received a call from her last night, he was very surprised. For once, it's Kaoru who called him; usually it's the other way around. When she starts to speck through the receiver, Hiruma immediately knew she's drunk. Not that she slur in her words, but her tone is strangely cheerful and she's mumbling very softly and gently. Kaoru is a cheerful drunk as he found out from Hanako during Cerberus's monthly check-up. And it's over her dead body if anyone thinks they can pull her off her motorcycle as she loves her bike to death. The devil has to tie her to his body to avoid accidents on the way back to his dwelling.
Today is All Hallow's Eve, a significant meaning to the quarterback. Kaoru looked at him from between her lashes and grin. She of course, knew why this particular holiday is special to him. Between them, no one knows much about the captain of the Deimon Devilbats until that unfortunate kidnapping pulled by his teammates months back.
Hiruma didn't talk about the incident, neither did she. There are memories that are better off hidden in the past. Then, out of the blue, Kaoru cursed. And it nearly made the foul mouth blond's ears turned red. "Suzuna. She's been stalking me laterly. God knows if she had followed me to last night's party." Hiruma put two and two together and cursed long and violently, the words are not the type suitable to be heard or repeated within polite company. He quickly took his binoculars and stepped out of his balcony. Kaoru followed closely behind him, ignoring the mini bombs exploding in her cranium. She did hiss in pain when one of the explosions rammed between her eyes.
"Damn, next time if you dump me on your couch, please arranged my head properly. Now, I'm feeling like I have a hangover." She grumbled, shuffling slowly towards the direction of the balcony. Hiruma snorted, every sane person will suffer a hangover after overindulging but not her. She can wake up as sober as the sun, with no side effects so he did what any envious person would do, make an alternative method to cause a headache the next morning. In her case, sleeping posture of her neck and upwards.
"She's not around the compound as far as I can see, let me check the security cameras from last night. If she's been here before, we might have a problem in our hands."
"Is she the type to keep a secret?" He shrugged, then added, "In a way, she did keep the identity of Sena's alter persona a secret even though she's supposed to be a spy for the sports magazine…Hee, hee…" Horns and tail appear as he cackled over something. Kaoru got a feeling it has something to do with a picture of the hound on the runningback's body that she found in his laptop.
"Then I suggest that we keep her clued in of whatever that is buzzing her curiosity." Hiruma looked up from his inspection of the videos. "No."
"Why?"
"You know why."
Kaoru sighed, "Fine, but that is only if she didn't appear on the video."
There was silence between as they watch the tapes from last night; no one appeared within the camera's range after the arrival of the bike. The two heaved a mental sigh of relief. Then a pop-up message appear at Hiruma's email. It's from Mamori, the team manager. Kaoru went over and click it open. "You-chan, it's a Halloween party at Deimon Senior High. The Junior High students have organize a bash together with the Senior High and it's later today at 5pm. Costumes are required. Everyone is entitled to bring two guests along. Going?"
Hiruma looked at the digital timer on the monitor, 7.08am. "You decide. But if we're going, we need to go there earlier." Kaoru nodded, "And we need to find all the clothes we need for our costumes." Even though this is a last minute announcement, neither of them are planning to wear the full suits the school kept in the storage for the Deimon Sports Day. For a relay, fine. Not for a costume party, regardless how well kept they are.
"You-chan, we try this. Its costumes are mainly in the clothes and you get to wield your guns about." Hiruma looked at her portfolio and smirked. "You can wield a gun around as well. And Cerberus can be in costume as well. We just need another person to complete the assembly."
"And I know the perfect person. My stalker. She'll make a perfect Victoria. You-chan, you bring Cerberus to my home at 2pm with the guns and hair products. I'll get Suzuna and we'll go shopping."
With the plan in mind, they set off in their individual tasks. Kaoru called Suzuna and they both meet outside a shop specialized in selling Victorian wear. The little girl is very excited about the costume and dragged Sena along for the ride. Seeing the two together gave Kaoru an idea. "Midori, long time since our last meeting. How are you."
The pixie size girl grinned and waved in greeting as the trio entered the beautifully decorated Victorian parlor. "Excellent, all thanks to you and your art college. The drama club wants me to convey their thanks at the recommendation of this place. They love this place."
"Glad to be of help. Do you remember the promises you made when on the opening of this shop?" The green haired girl giggled and that brought her boyfriend out from the backroom. "Hey, what's the commotion about?...Oh, it's the Cat. You want your costumes this year?" Kaoru nodded, as Sena and Suzuna looked at each other in puzzlement and growing interest.
"Yes, Seiji. But could you do adjustment of these characters' costume according to these measurements?" She handed them a piece of paper. The couple looked at who's wearing which costume and gaped at her outrageous execution. "Well?" Kaoru probed.
"I'm glad you are not mine, Midori is. You are one scary creature when you put your mind to it." Kaoru just smiled. "Ok, the both of you can follow them to the backroom to look for the costumes. I have a call to make." As the four disappeared to the back of the shop, she speed dials Hiruma's number. "Moshi Moshi, You-chan? Ya, it's me. Look, there is a slight change of plans."
At the school hall of Deimon High
Everyone is excited about their first Halloween party at Deimon. The games and food stalls have been set up outside the hall and are buzzing with creatures that goes bump in the dark, purchasing goodies and playing stuff that will look very scary if it wasn't due to the day it's being held in. Some students dressed up as their favorite manga characters or game role players. Mamori is keeping an eye out for her childhood friend. Sena doesn't seem to be in school yet and the party's about to start. She did saw a number of people who dressed up like zombies appearing at the gates and wondered if Resident Evil 4 has became a fever here.
She spotted a number of the Amefuto members in their costumes; Kurita in a Mr. Marshmallow suit, Monta as one character in MARS, lopping around with a shovel. Mamori herself decided to dress up as the witch in MARS as well, much to the delight of the wide receiver. Doburoku sensei remains in his usual attire, while three linesmen decide to appear as the Three Musketeers. She commented about the realism of the costume and Juumonji said it's all due to Kaoru's help. She gave them an address to a costume shop and they have everything. Musashi appeared in a priest costume and the manager hurried over to his side.
"Musashi, why are you in this attire?" He shrugged, "It's Hiruma's idea. I didn't ask why. Nice getup you got there, Mamori." She smiled and thanks his compliment. Then they saw Taki appearing as himself. When questioned, he said this is his costume. Everyone on the team anime sweat.
Meanwhile, up at the top of the school stage, four figures overlooked the crowd that has gathered before them. "All the ghouls and zombies are in place, waiting for the signal. Yukimitsu is also in place, waiting to give the instruction to the principal."
"Excellent, now if we want this to pull off as a success, no one must back out at the last minute. That goes especially for everyone here."
"But wouldn't this be dangerous? I mean Mamori-neechan…"
"Fucking pipsqueak, are you in or not?" He nodded his head. "Good, then no regrets. This will work. Now places everyone and let the games begin, Ya-Ha!"
The school principal finally appeared at the stand and announced the start of the party but before the fun begins, there is a special program for everyone and wants everybody to gather inside the hall. Immediately after that sentence, the doors of the gym hall slammed shut and the surrounding spotlights prepared earlier went dark.
Everyone was in shock, and then a strange moaning sound starts to echo eerily into the setting sun. The people that came in as zombies start to behave like the real thing, attacking any human beings within its range. At first, there wasn't any reaction when one ghoul gripped onto someone and dragged it down. But when the victim starts to scream and blood is jetting out from the wound inflicted upon, pandemonium started. Screams and shouts echoed as more horrible sounds of moaning and yowling of ghouls and zombies are being mixed into it.
The team had no idea what to do in this situation, it's beyond comprehension. Musashi had a flash of insight when he looked at his costume and the walking corpses. He shook his head and laughs a little, catching Mamori's attention. When she asked why, he just said wait and see.
Suddenly, a spotlight appeared on the stage and someone walked up to the microphone. All activities stopped as their attention are diverted to the lone figure. It's Hiruma and yet it's not. He's in a black suit, with a red cravat, a strong contrast against his white dress shirt. A pair of glasses donned on his nose, his usual spiky hair is tamed and he had a cigar on his mouth?!
"Akado!" Another figure appeared out of nowhere beside Hiruma and it's Kaoru in a red Victorian costume. Big red hat, white gloves and orange tinted glasses completed her outfit of the trashman of a vampire extermination organization. "Orders, my Master."
"All those who oppose us must be laid to waste!! Anything that stands in our way will be completely obliterated!! My orders are final! No matter what!! Search and Destroy! Servant! In the name of God, all impure souls will be banished to eternal damnation. Amen." (a/n: copyright of Hellsing by Hirano Kohta)
"Yessss, my Master. Police Boy! Captain! Angel!" The spotlights shine onto the two back corners and front center of the hall. Sena in military uniform and equipped with a heavy duty gun, Suzuna in a cowgirl attire and an eye patch over her left eye, apair of Colts in her grasps and finally Yukimitsu in a butler's uniform and black gloves on both his hands. "Last person to finish gets penalty game." With that, she disappeared and reappeared in the middle of the ghoul infested crowd and start shooting them.
The non participants of the program immediately make their way to the sides of the hall and watched the characters of Hellsing start massacring the undead, minus the explosion of dust, blood and actual bullets. Instead, paint balls, physical collapse of zombies and sounds of gun fire vibrates within the hall. Only thirty are the zombies and soon all the bodies lay waste on the floor. 'Walter' didn't do much other than to pull some strings out from his gloves and flick them in the general direction of the ghouls. About five fell from his strike. Hiruma, not acting like the Director of the Hellsing would, jumped in to the chaos and shoot a few undead himself. His 'Ya-Ha' can be heard in the midst of his machine gun. Kaoru, Sena and Suzuna had fun shooting the zombies down. Two of the extras are freaks and they are quickly finished by Hiruma and Kaoru respectively.
Cheers and shouts of exhilaration erupted from the viewers after the act is done, nearly deafening the five who had gathered in the center of the hall. The zombies and ghouls all stood up and took their bow. The Devilbats team surrounded them and congratulates them on this impromptu event. The principal called for quiet and announced the official start of the party. The Juniors surrounded some of the zombies, who were friends of Kaoru's, asking for tips and stuff about the production. Sena and Suzuna explained everything to Mamori and the others about the wacky idea. Kurita was cheering on Yukimitsu's act and the skinny boy flushed at the compliment.
Musashi looked around and notice the red and black figure escaping the place by the side door. He looked around to make sure no one noticed him and slipped after them.
Kaoru and Hiruma sat on the grass, both facing the football field in front of them. The noise and sounds of the party tells them that it's already in full swing. Both have removed most of the outer layer of their costumes. Kaoru is the first one to break the peace between them.
"It was a success…So you do like it?"
The devil turned his head towards her and smiled, "It's the best gift I've received from you yet. Your ingenious and generous manner of preparing it always exceeds my expectation." Kaoru likes his gentle and relaxing smile. It's not everyday he gets to relax his guards and be himself for a short while. Not unless they are alone.
"Happy birthday, You-chan."
"Arigatto, Kaoru-chan."
They didn't speak after that. In the shadows, Musashi stood there, listened to their earlier conversation and replaying them in his mind. So, it's his birthday. Now that explains why he was less obnoxious at middle school during this time of the year. Since you want to keep it a secret, I'll keep it from the others until you're comfortable to share it. Musashi walked back towards the celebration, replaying the smile he saw on the quarterback's face. And the cheerfulness on Kaoru's expression when she saw that smile. Have they gotten closer without realizing their feelings for each other? He shook his head, it's none of his business, and closed the door behind him after entering the hall.
Owari