Meet the Parent

Disclaimer: I do not own Noir. I just own this fanfic myself..!

It was a sunny day. No sign of raining, storms, or any other thing from the sky that would make this pleasant bright day be disturbed. Some people were attempting to finish their job as usual, while the others were already having their freedom of doing leisure activities around at this time.

It was the same for Mireille and Kirika. They were in their small but comfortable apartment, doing their daily activities by their own. Although the apartment was a bit tiny for two residents to occupy, it seemed that it was enough for the two of them.

The Japanese girl was staring out from the window, looking at the blue sky ahead of her. Not even her partner, Mireille Bouquet, knew what was going on in her mind whenever the brunette did so. It was a mistery as to how such sun and star gazing could fascinate the quiet girl so much, but regardless Mireille just took no bother to do anything today despite her inner curiosity, and placed herself in front of her laptop, checking her e-mail.

"Seems that there is no job for us today," Mireille said, still paying attention at her laptop screen.

Kirika just nodded in silence, not even whispering a word as a reply. Her gaze was fully directed to that of the sky, of a black bird that stole her attention. Unconsciously her eyes went whenever the bird drifted off, following the movement of the bird. After a while of swirling and hovering, the black bird landed at a tree not far away from their apartment. After a few second of concentrating at the spot, Kirika realized that a bird nest existed there. The nest had about two little bird with different colors; one was black like the former, while the other one, the bigger one than the black, was entirely engulfed in white feathers .

Apparently the black bird who flew to the nest was the father; the fact that it brought some worms to the nest was enough to provide its intention. As the father bird put the worms into the nest, two hungry little birds hastily ate them, savoring them rather ravenously like those who had not seen food in months.

Then in the midst of all those normal activities, out of nowhere, all of the sudden, the older bird fell over from the tree.

No rough sound was made, but Kirika knew that the bird had fallen from the tree. Mireille, who was unaware of all these events, kept dazing still in front of her laptop, hands moving quickly on the keyboard. The blonde seemed to be busy sending some email.

Kirika turned around, then walked to the door without even glancing at Mireille when she said, "I'm going for a couple minutes." The girl drifted away, closing the door with a loud bang which still went unnoticed to the blonde inside.



Running outside, Kirika wandered her gazes around until she finally found the tree where the black bird got a nest. Hey eyes went bigger at the sight of the injured bird, lying unconscious beside the tree. It angered her as to why nobody noticed the bird's crucial condition, but paying not special attention to that she put the black bird on her palm then quickly ran back to the apartment. Kirika opened the door hastily as panic somehow crept its way in her mind. An animal lover as she was, the Japanese girl decided that she would not let this one life went away without any attempt whatsoever. Looking around, it seemed that Mireille was not in the vicinity of the living room, and judging from the sound of dropping water from the other room, Kirika concluded that the blonde was taking a bath.

'Where does Mireille put the first-aid kit..?' Kirika wandered around the house, still with the injured black in her hands.

In the midst of all her anxiety, she did not realize that she was later walking in circle. Pushing her feet to keep moving, the Japanese girl forced her brain to remember the last time she had seen the medicine kit. Somehow today, the panic had succeeded in overcoming the usual coolness in Kirika's head. The Japanese girl was fervently worried about the bird's wound. Despite all the panic going on, at first glance some people could tell right away that the bird only broke one of its black wings. Such knowledge of animal, however, did not exist in that of a genius assassin such as Yuumura Kirika.

Fortunately later, in the middle of Kirika's paranoid situation, Mireille stepped out of the bathroom. She had changed her clothes to a blue tank top with a mini leather skirt. She saw Kirika in the room, then smiled

" It was really just a couple minutes, eh..?" Mireille said, walking to her partner's direction. "So what did you do during those brief minutes?"

"?" Standing closer to the Japanese girl, now the blonde could notice something weird going on. The brunette neither answered nor made any inclination to response Mireille's question and just kept wandering aimlessly in circle. Usually she would nod or do something else, or at least made a bit reaction toward Mireille's inquiries. Now, however, her eyes were not shining with the same calmness the girl normally possessed, instead it showed some worry, one which almost looked like a fear.

"What happened??" Mireille asked, worry in her voice.

Like a miracle, Kirika stopped walking at that moment. She halted her steps, turned around, then looked at Mireille with the eyes of those who just noticed the other's unexpected presence.

"Mireille.." was all that came from the brunette's lips.

Then Mireille saw a black bird with a cricket wing in Kirika's hand, and everything became clear. Mireille had completely understood the affection Kirika harbored toward animals. She had come to realize that there would be no other option left when the short haired girl came to show up some animals to her. 

She would either ask her to take care for it, or cure it. And judging from the current situation, Mireille knew that the second option was the right one. She had seen the bird's wound, after all.

"Oh my... Let's go to the vet, then.., Kirika." Mireille muttered softly.

After 10 minutes walking in hurry, Mireille and Kirika finally found a vet clinic, not too far from their apartment. The clinic was a small, tiny cottage painted all over in yellow and red. Some Chinese symbols were also painted at the wall, emphasizing the oriental taste the owner had. When the two of them stepped in, they found a small room with another Chinese style, a low ceiling, and a small altar. Gazing around they found that there was no one here, thus the two of them were the only patient. They waited in silent, restlessly sitting on a comfortable little coach in the corner of the room. Stealing some glances to observe the environment, Mireille was aware of the fact that all the stuff in the room seemed to be brand new. There certainly were a lot of people migrating to live in this area, and this vet was likely to be one of them.

Suddenly a lady dressed with white showed up from the back of her little desk at the end of the room. Her steps were swift and brisk, and sensing her presence, both Mireille and Kirika stood up. The vet was a female who was now wearing a mask and white hat; aside from her eyes, all she wore was colored in white. At first glance, the lady was nearly in her thirty from the enigmatic look and the body posture.

" Can I help you, young ladies..?" the vet smiled at them.

Mireille replied her smile, then said "We need your help to examine this bird, please."

Kirika stepped forward and closer to the vet as she handed over the bird to the vet. The woman received it deliberately. Carefully the doctor brought the black bird to a small white table. She worked slowly, flashing light every now and then, changing tools rapidly, and made an unintelligible comment sometimes. The activities kept going in such way for at least fifteen minutes, all the while Mireille and Kirika waited in silence.

Too worried to wait any longer, Mireille inquired, "Sorry, Doctor-?"

"Just call me Doctor Naomi." answered the doctor, still busy examining the bird.

Dismissing the thought to ask such a trivial question, Mireille just decided to wait patiently and gave the doctor the space she needed to concentrate.

Half an hour later, feeling that she had restrained herself enough from speaking, Mireille chose to ask, "Doctor Naomi-"

" How is the bird..? " Kirika asked abruptly, cutting Mireille's line. The Japanese girl was obviously in panic, despite the stability of her physical look.

"It's over now, ladies." Dr. Naomi said, facing both of the girls with a smile on her face. She then gently removed her mask, so now both Mireille and Kirika could see her face a little more.



Doctor Naomi had a pair of crisp brown eyes; quite big for a Chinese, but too small for a Spanish. Her curly long black hair flowed down her shoulder like a mantle, adorning her heart shaped face beautifully. Her lips were small and delicate, almost resembled that of a petal. The vet directed some warm gazes at her patient, and the environment changed abruptly from very tense to that of calmness.

Mireille could not help but feel amazed as to how the vet reminded her of the figure of somebody she probably knew in the past. Hmm..

"What do you mean by saying that..?" Kirika asked, her tone indicating the urgency she believed had not yet left the arena.

"Well.. She is fine by now, if you ask me." Doctor Naomi said, still smiling. Putting the unconscious black bird in her palm, she approached Kirika and handed over the bird back to the Japanese girl who gratefully received it.

Awake from her thought, Mireille said, "Thank you very much, Dr. Naomi. How much do we have to pay, then?"

"Ah.., don't bother to pay. It is a relief that both of you are satisfied with my work," the vet replied kindly.

"We are really grateful for what you've done, and I think we need to act out our gratitude towards you by paying, Doctor." Mireille replied, taking out her purse.

Dr. Naomi smiled, "No.. No.. It's really nothing to bother.."

In the end, Mireille and Kirika paid nothing but a chat with the doctor. Mireille simply wanted to go home after finishing her business with the vet, but she knew that her small Asian friend did not want to go home yet. From the glimmering light in her eyes, Mireille could tell that Kirika was curious to learn more about animals with the vet.

To Mireille's surprise, they actually chatted until dusk. For their long chit-chat, the two finally knew that Doctor Naomi had just opened her clinic about a month ago. She lived in America before moving in here in order to meet her relatives in Japan. When asked more about themselves, Mireille and Kirika provided some safe and necessary information regarding themselves, and answered every question politely. They never even once intended to reveal their true identity as an assassin, no less to a stranger they just met. Finally as it began to grow darker, Mireille and Kirika excused themselves and walked home.

"Phew.." Mireille sighed.

Kirika said nothing but kept hold of the black bird as safely as she could. The blonde stole a glance at her expression, and finding nothing more than relief, smiled to herself. Neither of them tried to open up a conversation, thus they remained silent until they reached the apartment.



Mireille unlocked the door, then stepped in slowly. Marching to the pool table, she hopped and sat herself. "Do you want to take a bath first?" asked Mireille.

Kirika seemed to hesitate at first, but nodded in return. "Yes," she answered.

"Let me take care of him, then." The blonde suggested, pointing at the black bird wrapped in Kirika's small hand.

After making sure that Mireille could handle the bird while she was taking a bath, Kirika gave the bird to the blonde. Silently, she walked to the bathroom, never once leaving her eyes out of the bird in the blonde's palm.

As she heard the bathroom's door shut, Mireille gently put the bird in bed. She had no idea where else to put the bird for they simply did not have a cage for it. A bed might be the best place for it to rest, she decided. Satisfied with the way the bird now resting, Mireille turned on her computer to check her mail. Just when her mind started to think whether she should take a bath one more time or not, Kirika stepped out of the bathroom, revealing her white skin that was barely wrapped with towel.

The brunette expressionlessly whispered softly, "The bathroom is yours now, Mireille."

Lazily, the blonde stood up. "Thanks.."

-- This is basically my first fanfic.. Maybe all of you feel confused with the "un-Noir-like" story, but this is only the prologue. Please forgive me for any grammar, spelling or else mistakes in this fic. I would gladly appreciate if you will review this story..! And of course, this story hasn't ended yet, so keep on reading..! Thanks for reading..! --