Title: Rebirth: Noir
Author: Arjen
Length: About 15.000 words.
Rating: PG-13, but I confess I don't understand these ridiculous things. So if I'm wrong and it should be higher, tell me and I'll change it.
Summary: Returning home from a pleasant day Mireille and Kirika find something that will once again turn their lives around.
Pairings: Nothing explicit. It isn't important for the story and I've kept that part of their lives hidden so if you prefer Kirika and Mireille as lovers that is possible. If you like them better as good friends that won't be a problem either.
Disclaimer: Everything recognizable belongs to their respective owners, in the case of Mireille, Kirika and all things Noir this means ADV films. Everything I have created is thanks to those same owners, so I can't/won't really claim that either. If you like something enough to use it yourself, be my guest. Just drop me a line so I can read it.
Spoilers: This takes place after the series so there will be spoilers. If something isn't spoiled in this story, it probably will be in the sequel.
Feedback: Read it, enjoy it (or not) and if you want to you can tell what you liked and didn't like. I like constructive criticism, I can learn from that. Flames are silly and will likely be ridiculed in the next post.

Background: This takes place about 2/2.5 years after the series. Mireille and Kirika have continued earning their daily bread but have taken a live and let live approach when it comes to Soldats.

Prologue:

"Miss Bouquet? Can I have a word with you?"

Heaving a sigh in frustration, Mireille looked at the opened door to their apartment. She really didn't want to talk to Mrs. Bedeau, but a glance at the woman showed her that the widow was determined to speak to her. "Of course, I'll be right there." She then turned to her partner who she quietly told. "Why don't you go inside, make us some tea. I won't be long."

With a slight smile on her face Kirika nodded her approval of this and entered the apartment. Mireille looked after her, with a frown. The girl knew just how much she hated these discussions with their neighbor and liked to tease Mireille about it. While she was glad Kirika had been developing something of a sense of humor, which the girl could definitely use, she didn't appreciate the fact that most of the time she was the subject of the girl's little jokes.

Sending a final fake glare in the direction of her partner, Mireille headed down the stairs in order to confront her neighbor. Upon reaching her, Mireille could smell the mix of oriental herbs coming from the woman's apartment. Apparently she had been making dinner when she heard the two of them enter but hadn't let this stop her from once again causing trouble. Today had been nearly perfect so far and now this woman had to be difficult. Again! Taking a deep breath she managed to control her temper, a feat her uncle had been quite insistent on having her practice until she was able to do so. After all, being overcome by emotions at the wrong time could cost you your life, not that even now she was always capable of doing so.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Bedeau. What can I do for you today?" She asked with what she considered a fairly good attempt at a pleasant smile. While Mrs. Bedeau had lived in the apartment below their own for several months now, she was still unaware of the woman's first name.

"I have a complaint." Now, why did I see that coming?

A complaint, it was always complaints with this woman. She wondered about the woman's hearing as she herself never really noticed anything loud happening in their apartment, but they still got an almost weekly complaint about noise. "Really? And what is it about this time?" Her temper was starting to show but she honestly believed the annoying woman could drive anyone into homicidal rage.

"While you and your friend were out today," she sniffed at the word friend, indicating she still thought it inappropriate for the two of them to life together, "the repairmen of your television came to exchange it. And they weren't exactly quiet while they did this. I wasn't trying to hear what they were doing of course, but the way they handled their stuff was enough to really scare my poor Bazoo. I want you to tell me where I can send my complaints."

Mireille however hadn't paid any real attention to anything the woman said after mentioning the repairmen. Since the two of them didn't own a TV, they must have come for something else. But it couldn't be a theft. Had they been robbed, Kirika would have told her by now. What could they have been after then?

"Are you listening to me, girl? I said I want to know who those repairmen worked for."

"So do I." She bit back at the aggravating woman.

This reply seemed to perplex the woman. "What do you mean by that, don't you know?"

"We don't have a television."

"But that's what they said they came for. No," the woman seemed shocked, "you mean to tell me they lied about that? You young people, don't have any respect do you? Tell your friends, that I do not like being lied to or I will report your behavior to the owner of the building."

The conversation had ceased to be important however and Mireille decided to go upstairs in order to find out what the men might have been after. Turning her back on the woman she had barely reached the stairs when from their apartment Kirika yelled a warning. "BOMB!"

Diving down to the floor she barely made it before her senses were overwhelmed by the barrage of sound, light and heat that emanated from their apartment. The heat that engulfed her was terrible and she screamed in agony. But even over the loud explosion she could hear the building shaking on its foundations and the sudden creaking of the stairway. She had already seen the unprepared Mrs. Bedeau being flung down the stairs by the shockwave and realized that if she wanted to live she needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

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Post-fic comments: The story is finished, except for some final touch-ups so the parts will come 2 days apart. The other chapters aren't as short as this one either, so don't worry you'll have to wait too long before it's finished. In case you actually like my writing, I've also written a Noir/Buffy the Vampire Slayer crossover posted here on fanfic.net called Black Sunrise. Sequels for both stories are in the make or even finished.