Well, I've been reading Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro fan fictions practically all day (and night, apparently, seeing as how it's 1 in the morning where I am XD) and I just had to do one of my own. I'm in love with this series, the characters, the story, everything, and I figure it's about time to do a fan fiction. This one is short, just a one shot, but I'm very pleased with it, being my first attempt and all. I believe I got the personalities pretty right, but if not, feel free to correct me! ^_^

I actually came up with the idea fro this story a while ago through a picture of Neuro that I was drawing, just a sketch of him working on a crossword puzzle while reclining at his desk, with the desk littered with completed crossword puzzles, all provided by Yako. Though now that I think about it, I don't know if they have crossword puzzles in Japan, so I made it Sudoku.

Enjoy, and please review! I'm very curious to see how my first Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro fan fiction will be received, so please let me know!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro. If I did, the name wouldn't be so friggin' long. But I'm just saying...

The Off Day

It was a slow day, but for Neuro's ever racing mind, it seemed like an eternity. Where was the louse when he needed her? Not that she was of much use anyways, save the entertainment he gained from torturing her, but in order to hunt down mysteries, she had to be there as his cover. But she wasn't there, which left Neuro feeling quite hungry, bored, and irritated with his Slave Number 1. How had she gotten past him?

She'd left the country without giving him the slightest hint or warning.

One day the little amoeba was at the office, happy and smiling (a.k.a. hanging from the ceiling over a large pot of boiling water with flesh eating monsters from the demon world swimming around inside), the next she didn't show up for work, and when Neuro had gone to her house to investigate his slave's mutiny, he discovered that she had packed quite a few of her clothes and various other possessions, hinting that her trip would be a long one, though where she would be headed on that trip he still didn't know. She'd left her cellphone behind as well, which meant it would be impossible to contact her. Neuro had immediately dismantled the phone down to its tiniest components and spread them out on Yako's bed for her to find when she returned home. Though that was just the beginning of the punishment that would be awaiting her.

Furious and ever so slightly – though grudgingly – impressed with her ability to escape him so easily, Neuro had stalked back to the office, though what he would do when he got there, he hadn't much of a clue. The daemon would never admit it, openly or even to himself, but any outside observer could see that without Yako around he was at quite a loss. The piggish detective being his cover so that he could solve and devour mysteries had its upsides and downsides. The upside was that Yako was obedient, albeit grudgingly so, and she'd yet to fully surrender herself to his control, but she was also fun to torture. The downside was that without her there, there was very little, if anything at all, the daemon could do by himself.

The louse will pay very dearly for this mutiny… Neuro thought, a sadistic smile already spreading over his face. Perhaps it was good that Yako had dared to rebel. All the more fun for him. But first he would return to the office and plan his next move. If he had any idea at all where Yako had run off to, he would follow in a heartbeat and drag her right back. If not, well… He was still planning for this to work out in his favor. It always did, after all.

Swinging the door open and closing it with a bit more force than necessary, Neuro first turned his acidic green eyes on the black braid peeping out of the wallpaper. Perhaps Yako had confided in Akane-chan? The two did seem to get along quite well, though for reasons Neuro couldn't fathom. What was the point in a relationship other than to take advantage of the other person in one form or another? There were many things Neuro didn't understand about the human world, and "friendship" was second on that list.

"Akane-chan, Slave Numer 1 has disappeared. You wouldn't happen to know where she went…" his eyes narrowed murderously, "…would you?"

Akane didn't respond to his threat, but merely flopped about, an obvious 'no.' Neuro gave the braid one last burning green glare, then turned away. There was always Slave Number 2, that less-than-worthless ex-yakuza member Godai. Neuro couldn't see Yako confiding in that dirty-mouthed tick, but then the chance to torture Godai a bit was something he couldn't pass up, especially not in his current foul mood.

He had the man's cell number on speed dial – he hated waiting. The phone rang twice, then Godai answered with a prompt curse word and a snarled, "What do you want, Monster?"

"Yako has disappeared," Neuro began. "If you have any clue as to her current whereabouts, I strongly advise you to tell me… or else…" He left the sentence hanging ominously in the air for a few seconds, then Godai answered, but not the way he was expecting.

The ex-yakuza member let out a long, loud, hearty guffaw.

Fury rose into Neuro's brain. How dare this pathetic slave mock him! He swore then and there that the next time he saw Godai he would toss him out the window again the moment he saw a large truck coming ready to squash him.

"She finally quit, I knew she'd run away someday! And right out from under your nose, too!" Godai shouted into the mouthpiece, laughing so hard Neuro could imagine him in tears. He was also imagining blood and several broken bones, just more torture for these rebellious slaves.

Hanging up on the tick's obnoxious guffawing, Neuro sat down behind his desk and leaned back in the chair, thoughts racing, full of sadistic plans. So, he didn't know where Yako was, or how long she would be gone. That infuriated him more than anything. How long was he supposed to go hungry while the stupid dishrag frolicked about? In order to not attract attention, he'd only be allowed to chase after small mysteries, and those could satisfy him for only so long. Sooner or later, he would need a larger puzzle to sate his hunger, and for that he needed Yako.

Needed. What an obnoxious word.

Already bored and in a bad temper, Neuro decided to sift through the drawers of his desk in order to choose the ideal torture tools to use on Yako and Godai. He would set a most elaborate trap for them.

Then a thought occurred to him that he hadn't bothered to notice before. How could it be that Yako had run away to who knew where without giving him so much as a hint, and he still expected her to return? After all, it could very well be as Godai said, that she had finally run away from him and his daily tortures and had no intention of coming back. Why did Neuro so strongly not believe that to be the case?

Could it be that thing that humans talked about so many times, that thing called trust? The word was used far too liberally, and was so easily betrayed. Any human would feel betrayed by these actions of Yako's, their trust in her crumbling to dust and scattering in the smallest breeze. But Neuro did not waver, nor had it ever occurred to him to do so. The louse would return. He may not fully understand how he knew, he just knew. And he also believed it would be soon, which was why he needed to start the preparations immediately.

Opening the first drawer, Neuro fished out a long rope and a pair of handcuffs, a few of his favorite torture tools. His genius mind was already plotting their use in his latest trap. Upon opening the drawer below that, a much deeper drawer, the daemon was surprised to find that the hundreds of nails inside were gone. Instead, there was a large black bag he recognized to be Yako's. Lifting it out, Neuro was also intrigued by how heavy the bag was – well, not to him of course, but to a normal human it would be a difficulty to lift.

Impatiently, Neuro unzipped the bag. A dozen or so Sudoku puzzle books spilled out at once, and there were many more inside, along with various other little puzzle games, all of them at the highest level of difficulty. It seemed that before she left, Yako had stuffed the bag to the breaking point with snacks for Neuro, little snacks, but snacks nonetheless.

Before this turn of events had quite sunken in, Neuro spotted a folded note among the books. It was folded like an origami turtle, slightly crushed, but still recognizable. Neuro opened it.

Dear Neuro,

I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly, but my mother's job required her to take a trip to America, and she wanted me to go with her. It's been a while since I've spent some personal time with my mom, so I decided to go. I knew that you would want to come along and drag me into more detective work, or prevent me from going at all, so I didn't tell you. Though now you'll probably come after me anyway, since I've told you where I am I left you some puzzles that I hope will make up for think you'll enjoy, even if they're all too easy… I'll be gone for a week, and I've already got my eyes open for anything that might make a good mystery for when I get back. Until then,

Yako

For the first time in his long life, Neuro couldn't think how to react. His first idea was anger at his slave's cheek, and to mock the gift she'd left him, but neither of those seemed to quite fit. Maybe he was impressed by the consideration the louse had shown him. No, impressed wasn't the right word. The closest word he could think of to describe what he was feeling was 'touched.' But that was too much to admit. What a pathetically human word.

I will most severely punish her for this…

Snorting indignantly, Neuro set the note on fire and watched it float to the ground, where it became a tiny pile of ash within seconds. Then he settled himself in his chair, picked up a Sudoku book, and began the puzzle.

Now I have the strongest urge to play Sudoku, though I really should go to bed..... O_O Please review!!