Disclaimer: These bishounen do not belong to Pyrochan or Shizuyoko. They
belong to Takehito Koyasu and Project Weiss and whoever owns them that we
didn't list here. Speaking of which, I'm sure someone has written something
similar to this (like someone hasn't conceived this idea). We don't
plagiarize fics. We didn't copy this from someone else's work, so if it
looks similar, don't email us. Please?
~~~
Youji stumbled in through the back of the flower shop (late, as usual), while trying to simultaneously tie his blonde hair back and light a cigarette. An obliviously busy Omi got in his way and both hair tie and cigarette went flying, landing in a flowerpot and Ken's hair, respectively.
"Oi!"
"Watch out!"
"Hey!"
Ken shot the oldest member of Weiss an annoyed look as he plucked the cigarette out of his hair and threw it at him. It bounced off Youji's arm and fell to the floor of the shop because Youji was too busy glaring at Omi to catch it. Omi was digging in the flowerpot for the hair tie and trying to avoid looking at the taller man.
Youji opened his mouth to yell but yawned instead. He decided it was too damned early to be angry and stretched before leaning over Omi's shoulder to pluck the hair tie out of his hand. A strand of his dark blonde hair tickled Omi's cheek and the younger boy brushed it away.
"Be more careful next time, bi-shou-NEN!" Youji whispered in Omi's ear before bending over swiftly to grab the abandoned cigarette and head for the coffeepot. Omi blushed and ducked his head. He HATED it when Youji teased him like that. Ken laughed at Omi's red face and went back to the flower arrangement on which he had been working.
Aya continued to wipe down the front window and ignored them all with a disapproving silence that was all too familiar.
It was a regular morning at the Koneko.
~~~
"Hai-hai," Youji hung up the phone and tossed a pad of paper at Ken. "Delivery."
Ken caught the pad easily and ripped off the top sheet to look at the order. "Why do I have to do it? It's your turn."
Youji yawned again and lit another cigarette as he propped his feet up on the counter. "I had a late night. You look all rested, so you get to do it."
The brown-haired assassin opened his mouth to complain and then shut it again without saying anything. When Youji was in a mood like this there wasn't anything anybody could do, except for maybe Aya, and Aya was behind the counter reading a magazine, still stoically ignoring everybody. Ken sighed and went to the cooler to get a bouquet of red roses out.
"Ja, Ken-kun!" Omi called to him as he left through the front door. Ken waved half-heartedly and got into the little delivery cart. The address he had to deliver to wasn't very far away, so the whole thing wouldn't take very long. Ken decided to give Youji a piece of his mind when he got back, just to make himself feel better.
He guided the florist cart through the crowds, the morning sun making the varied colors of the city sparkle. "Maybe I'll go to the park this afternoon and play some soccer," he mused to himself, stopping at a red light and smiling at the thought. "Youji can take care of the shop this afternoon, for once."
The bouquet of flowers started to slip and Ken reached out one hand to steady them, ducking his head down as he settled them more firmly into the carryall. As he straightened up a flash of red caught his eye and he turned to look. A girl with long bluish hair, hair that was streaked with silver, was speeding by on a motorcycle in the opposite direction. She passed by close enough for Ken to see the flash of brilliantly blue eyes. A tendril of the silver-tinged hair whipped into her face and she brushed it back impatiently, guiding the bike with one hand as she did so.
The light turned green but Ken failed to start the delivery cart right away. The people behind began honking and finally he let up the clutch and drove on to the delivery address, but his mind wasn't on the delivery anymore. It was on the distinctive woman he'd just seen.
"That looked like Hitomi," he said aloud to himself. "But. she's been gone for years. They never found her." He looked over his shoulder, putting several pedestrians at risk, but the girl was gone. Ken shook his head, telling himself he was seeing things, but he couldn't get her out of his mind. He finished the delivery and then drove around aimlessly for a while, trying to convince himself that he was being crazy.
It didn't work. He was convinced that the woman he'd seen was Hitomi. With a heart full of trepidation and confusion he turned the cart around and headed back to the Koneko.
~~~
"Oi, Ken, where've you been?!" was Youji's greeting. Ken waved a hand in a dismissive manner and muttered something about traffic as he dropped the delivery slip into the "Done" pile and sat behind the counter. His head ached and he rubbed his temples, trying to rid his mind of thoughts of Hitomi.
Youji looked at him speculatively. "What happ." he started to ask, but Aya came in the back door and interrupted him before he could badger Ken for answers.
"Close the shop for lunch. We have a mission," the red-haired man said tersely before disappearing back down the stairs.
Youji sighed and pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning on. "My hangover isn't even gone yet!" he complained before following Aya. Omi turned the sign over to "closed" and locked the door, and then he and Ken went to the basement as well, Ken trailing well behind.
A series of pictures were flashing on the wall screen. People in white robes chanting. A large building in the middle of Tokyo labeled "God-Given Industries." A photo of three men in dark robes, looking serious. A series of "missing person" ads, all teenagers in the 12-14 age range.
"What's all this?" Ken questioned. Youji shrugged and Aya didn't move from his position in the back of the room. Omi sat on the couch and watched the wall screen with interest.
Finally the silhouette of Persia appeared.
"These men run a business named God-Given Industries, known commonly as GGI. It is actually a cult of extreme power and influence. They have been kidnapping teenagers across Japan for the past 10 years and indoctrinating them, creating assassins that are used to ensure their dominance in the business world. Miura Hiroyuki is the man in charge of the identification and subsequent kidnapping of these children.
"Hunters of the night, deny this evil beast his future!"
The wall screen flickered and went out.
The room was silent until Omi turned around on the couch. "Did you see how young some of these kids were? We've got to stop them!" he said enthusiastically, as usual.
Youji spoke around his cigarette, "Well, they aren't in my age range since I only go for women over 18, but I hate to see a pretty girl treated wrong," he said, and then blew out a puff of cigarette smoke, narrowing his green eyes as he did so.
Just then Manx came down the stairs. "This is the information about the target," she told the assassins, indicating the thick folder she was carrying. "He'll be at the main building three nights from now."
Aya held out one hand silently and Manx handed him the folder. He began flipping through it, his expression unchanging as his violet eyes scanned the information.
"I assume that all of you accept the mission," Manx said, her tone half question, half statement. Aya didn't bother to reply, absorbed in the file. Youji nodded at her and Omi said, "Hai!" The room fell silent, and people began looking towards Ken. Even Aya noticed Ken's lack of reaction, and looked up curiously.
Ken was sitting on the back of the armchair, looking at his hands. His thoughts were running furiously and at first he didn't notice the silence. "Ten years. 12-14 years old. It's possible, just barely possible. Maybe they're the ones who kidnapped Hitomi!" He fisted his hands at the thought and then became aware of the attention focused on him. He looked up slowly and met everyone's eyes.
"I'm in," he said shortly, and remained quiet through the rest of the tactical discussion, unable to get a vision of blue, silver-streaked hair and vivid blue eyes out of his mind.
~~~
Nagi bit his pencil in frustration, nearly severing the wood. Was there no place in this apartment where he could get peace and quiet? He knew he could block everyone out by listening to music on his headphones, but his carelessness in leaving them on the coffee table had ended up with Farfarello taking apart his CD player "to see what was inside." There was actually quite a bit inside, but most of it wasn't functional by the time Farf lost interest.
Sitting on the couch with his books and notebook balanced on his lap, he knew it would take forever to finish his homework, especially with the continual racket that surrounded him. Brad's rule was that at any time the telekinetic was not devoting his efforts to Schwarz-related duties, he would be stuck doing homework or studying.
Nagi groaned, his way of hinting to Schuldig that the TV was too loud. If he verbally requested the German to turn down the volume, he knew it would be turned louder to piss him off and frustrate him even more. Schuldig was just like that. The only Schwarz member he even came close to respecting was Brad, and even that was doubtful a lot of the time.
The youngest member of Schwarz thought about doing his homework in his bedroom, but Brad was currently in his office at the computer. The sound of clickity-clacking keys - when not made by himself - was as annoying as the dripping of water from a leaky faucet. These people simply didn't care when he needed silence to concentrate!
He sighed, levitating his homework and setting it on the coffee table. He paused before heading to the kitchen. On second thought, he grabbed his homework and took it with him. If Farfarello got hold of that, how would he explain it to his teacher. (Um... Yes, Sakamoto-san, an insane Irish psychopath ate my homework. No kidding.) He could imagine the laughs he'd get from his classmates and the glare he'd get from his teacher. Quenching his thirst with a glass of water, he then headed to his bedroom, placing his homework in his schoolbag.
The room next to his was Brad's office. He knocked twice before entering.
"I'm going out. I can't do my homework here, so I'll do it elsewhere."
Brad paused in his typing, and Nagi could see the man's reflection in the computer monitor. He turned his chair to face Nagi.
"Be back before five."
"Five--?" Nagi started to complain.
Brad silenced him with an I-know-best-and-you-don't-so-there look.
Nagi sighed. "Four-thirty sound good?"
"Don't get side-tracked on your way home."
The boy nodded, "I can take care of myself."
Brad swiveled his chair back to face the computer and resumed typing. The telekinetic thought about seeing what he was typing about, but that really wasn't any of his business anyway.
Nagi closed the door behind him when he left the apartment. He headed towards the elevators, and afterwards exited the building. Briefly he wondered if he should have brought a light jacket along in case it got cold, but then he dismissed the idea entirely.
Now...where could he go to get some peace and quiet so he could finish his homework?
Nagi paused in front of the Koneko. He'd only been here once. Little had he actually known that he passed this place everyday on his way to school. When he transferred buses, he had to walk past the flower shop to the end of the block where the next bus stop was.
Today he wasn't heading to school though, but he was going just about the same route. Near his school was the library. And it was the library where he knew he would get silence and ability to concentrate on his work.
He looked at the sign that was hung on the door. 'Closed for lunch.' Glancing at his watch, he noted that Weiß was a little early eating lunch. It didn't matter. They were assassins, and their cover-up was working as florists. They were probably plotting and planning. To think that if he so desired, he could flick a wrist and watch this building crumble before him. Everyone, even Schwarz, had doubted his powers. But after Tot's death, they knew. They knew. None of them had acted quite the same way around him after that. Farfarello was more cautious; Schuldig had toned down his teasing. And Brad, well, he'd never laid another finger on him since.
He was a little thankful that Brad didn't feel pressured to cover up their identity with running a pet shop or bakery or something. Besides, at his age of sixteen, he was viewed as the average schoolboy. Average. Sometimes he wished he was just average, but would he be where he was now today, or would he be happier... with a real family? He closed his eyes and felt his power slipping before he snatched hold of the telekinetic reins again.
Adjusting his schoolbag, he started walking to the bus stop where a bus would be arriving soon. He quickened his pace when he heard the familiar engine sound of a bus.
Just in time, he boarded the vehicle of public transportation. It was crowded, as usual. He found he had to stand the entire ride. Nagi used his telekinesis to steady himself and put a slight shield around him. He hated when people touched him, and it was worse when they bumped into him. He was brought up to not be a touchy-feely person.
How could one be like that anyway, if they lived what he'd been through? It made him wonder what the atmosphere was like in Weiss household, because Bombay was so genki. So unlike him.
Daydreaming almost led him to miss the bus stop by the library. He got off and stepped through the large doors of the library and was immediately greeted by a burst of air conditioning. Nagi sighed in relief at the quiet atmosphere and went to find a carrel where he could study in peace.
~~~
Aya closed the file of information that Manx had given him. The mission room was dark and suddenly quiet as the others watched the red haired man. Without a word he handed the folder to Omi, who accepted it with a curious look at the taciturn leader.
"Find us a way in, Omi," Aya ordered, and then put a foot on the stairway, ready to climb back to the flower shop. Omi opened his mouth to protest but stopped himself. Protests never got anywhere with Aya and he knew it. With a resigned look he plopped himself down at the Weiss computer and began searching for information.
Aya started up the steps and Youji took this opportunity to bother Ken again. Sliding over to the shorter man he elbowed him the ribs and leaned in close. "You've got something on your mind. Wanna tell me about it?" he questioned.
To his surprise the normally pleasant Ken moved away from him, muttering "Just leave me along, Youji. It's none of your concern." The tense tone in his voice caught Omi's attention and the boy looked up from the computer monitor.
"Ken-kun?" he said, worried, but Ken ignored the query and went up the stairs, shutting the door at the top with unnecessary force. Youji and Omi looked at each other and the tall blonde shrugged as he felt in his pocket for his cigarettes.
"I don't have any idea, either," he told Omi, "But Ken's not one to keep a secret so we'll find out soon enough, I'm sure." He lit the cigarette thoughtfully and braced himself on Omi's shoulders to see what he was doing. Omi slid a glance up at him.
"Shouldn't you go back to work?" he said.
Youji snorted, "They don't need." he started, and was interrupted by Aya's voice calling down the stairway.
"Youji!" was all he said, but it was enough. Omi snickered as Youji rolled his eyes and headed up the stairway.
"Oi, where's Ken?!" he said as he entered the flower shop. Aya looked at him and then went back to wiping the windows.
"He took the afternoon off," he answered shortly, and then waved a hand in irritation at the cigarette smoke that invaded his space. Youji sighed in response and sat behind the counter, putting his feet up.
"Maa, maa," he said, "Well, the fan girls are going to be disappointed to miss him this afternoon, I'm sure. I guess I'll just have to work extra hard then."
Aya stopped moving and turned to stare at Youji with disbelieving violet eyes. Youji smiled brilliantly at him and made a "go on" gesture at him before opening up the newspaper. Aya shook his head and returned his attention to the window.
~~~
Meanwhile, back at the GGI.
Miura Hiroyuki looked up from the papers spread on his desk. He carefully put down the pen he'd been using, aligning it perfectly with the papers, and then folded his hands precisely. His full attention was focused on the subordinate in front of him, causing the young man to sweat despite the overactive air conditioning of the building.
"Tha.. that's right, Miura-san. We've located the people responsible for the, um, incidents that occurred earlier this year."
A silence fell over the opulent office. Miura looked down and picked up his pen, suddenly bored. "Send Hitomi after them," he said, his mind occupied with another problem as he began to make notes. He didn't even bother to look up as the subordinate left the office to give the orders.
Hitomi had yet to fail them.
~~~
Nagi repeatedly pressed the button to eject coins. He frowned at the vending machine. Normally, he would just use his telekinesis to grab a snack from the rack in the machine, but Brad hated it when he used his powers in public. It got people's attention too easily when it was unwanted. It was bad enough that the three gaijin stood out in the Japanese crowds, Brad didn't want Nagi standing out as well.
(But...) Nagi thought (Brad's not here, is he?)
He concentrated on the packaged candy bar that he had intended to buy before the machine had eaten his money. Slowly it slipped forward.
"Excuse me." a boy's voice said.
He turned around, his expression as if he'd gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"If you're done staring at the machine, I'd like to purchase something." he smiled.
He narrowed his eyes, "Sure. It eats your money though."
He walked back to the table where his books were spread out. He thought he would reward himself with a treat for finishing his homework so quickly, but it had turned out to be more trouble than he intended.
Nagi placed his books back in his school bag and walked out of the library. It had started to drizzle a little, but it didn't pose a problem for him. He knew there was a fast food place down the street where he could grab a bite to eat.
Dinners were never too special in the Schwarz household. Brad would sometimes cook up a magnificent dinner. Unfortunately for the other three, that dinner would only serve one: himself.
Schuldig's idea of fixing dinner would be take out, but it wasn't too often he'd order for everyone.
They had officially banned Farfarello from making dinner after he had decided to drag in road kill to cook up. Brad hadn't been too happy about the trail of blood from the apartment entrance to the kitchen.
If Nagi were feeling generous, he would make dinner to serve everyone. But with school and Schwarz missions, he usually only had time to fix himself a sandwich or something.
All in all, it was survival of the fittest in that household. Sometimes he ached for them to act less formally as a team and more like... He shook his head, not letting the thought finish.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, and bent his head down so the rain would not get in his eyes. It had started to rain a little harder. Turning the corner he continued to head to the fast food restaurant, which was a little way down the street.
~~~
Brad picked up the freshly printed piece of paper from the printer tray. He glanced over it before placing it in a dark green folder with other papers.
He had finally been able to get the last piece of information on their enemy. This one contained information on their main target. Now there would be no silly games attacking the pawns when he now knew who the ringleader was.
It was Yamasaki Kazuo, the head of GGI.
He smirked to himself as he clicked on a computer program that would delete all the most recent files on his computer. He didn't need anyone following tracks back to his computer. As long as they did not know their exact location, Brad did not feel potentially threatened.
His eyesight blurred slightly and he stopped what he was doing to allow the full-force of the Vision to hit.
"Weiss?" he asked allowed, "So even Kritiker has caught on."
What could those self-proclaimed executioners of dark beasts accomplish that Schwarz hadn't? They didn't even have as much skill as Schwarz.
Brad opened the dark green folder and flipped through the papers. There it was.
GGI was no normal cult. They were actually a small branch of Esset based permanently in Japan. The reason why they had not expanded as much was because their forte was not ESP as was Esset's. They trained normal people to excel physically at fighting, rather than rely on psychic powers as did those trained by Esset in Rosenkreuz.
Again a Vision hit him, this time the force of it more powerful. His mocha brown eyes widened slightly, and he stood up from his desk. Tossing the folder and its contents sloppily on his desk, he grabbed his car keys and a jacket. He headed out of the apartment fairly quickly, not bothering to inform Schuldig or Farfarello where he was going.
The streets were slick as he drove, the rain beating down on his car. (What street?) he thought impatiently. He hated this... hated this feeling that he would be too late to alter the future.
~~~
Rain dripped from his long bangs, getting in his eyes. With a frustrated sigh, Nagi pushed his hair out of his face again. He was going to be soaking wet when he got in the restaurant.
(Brad should've told me it was going to rain today.) Nagi grumbled, (Doesn't he ever check for weather?)
He re-adjusted his backpack on his shoulders and grabbed the handle of the restaurant's door. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of blue and silver. At the last minute, he ducked out of the way from getting punched.
He jumped backward onto the sidewalk and turned to face the one who attacked him. Cold blue eyes met his. The woman smirked at him. In a taunting gesture, she raised her hand, beckoning him to 'come and get it.'
Nagi frowned in confusion, then glared at her. Obviously she wanted a fight, but he didn't know who she was or for what reason she wanted to attack him.
She charged at him, and his eyes widened in surprise. He raised his hands to deflect her attack by putting a telekinetic shield in front of him. She leapt up in the air, kicking him in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards onto the hard cement.
He gasped for air, grasping his chest and trying to breathe. He sat up and looked at the woman who towered over him.
(Why didn't it work??) Nagi thought frantically, (My telekinesis?! Why did it fail on me?!)
She laughed a little, flashing a green stone talisman that she wore around her neck. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to resonate... He had no time to fool around. He had to get out of here fast!
He stood up, but something grabbed onto him. Invisible hands. She had telekinesis?! But where did his ability go? The woman smirked again, her outstretched palm closing into a fist.
Squeezing...squeezing tighter. The invisible hands wrapped around him, pressing against his chest and slowly suffocating him. He tried to fight it. So this is what his enemies felt like when he did this to them...
He moved his lips to speak, to say something. To beg for her to stop, but no words came out. He felt himself becoming more light-headed. No. he couldn't give in... The invisible hand landed a harsh blow to the side of his head and everything went black.
~~~
Brad's fingers gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He hated, utterly despised, Visions that gave him little or no time to react.
He currently had his car parked next to the curb where he'd seen a Vision of Nagi. Rain pitter-pattered on the roof of his car and windshield. He stared out the window watching in his mind as he played out the Vision again and again. Who was that woman?
He cursed under his breath. Had she been one of GGI's agents? How could he have not Seen it sooner? And why didn't Nagi fight back? Sure, it was a public street, but the boy knew he was allowed to fight back somewhat using his powers. In a situation like that, he should've been able to defend himself.
Unless...
~~~
Nagi's head hurt. It hurt a lot. It felt like Farfarello had pounced on him. He shifted his position on the hard cold floor. His wrists and arms were bound, so he ended up losing his balance and falling to the floor.
He opened his eyes in shock. He lay on the floor, and brought his wrists into view so he could examine what he was tied up with. Just rope? His captor didn't know him well if he was tied up with mere rope.
He focused on the threads, concentrating on splitting them apart to release the binds. Nothing happened. He blinked in confusion. What was wrong with his telekinesis?
He tried several more times to free himself, but all the attempts were in vain. Whatever happened, wherever he was, his enemy DID know his abilities.
He realized then that he was being watched. He turned his head and noticed the form of a woman standing on the other side of the room. Her eyes were conveniently hidden in the shadows, but he could see a thin smirk playing on her face.
What he would give for his telekinesis now.
"Who are you?" he shouted at the girl, "And what do you want?"
"I see you've finally awakened, Prodigy," she answered, "Welcome to the land of the living."
"Who are you?" Nagi repeated, his voice steady but stern. He wanted answers.
"My name doesn't matter," she told him coldly, the sneer fading from her lips.
He had to agree that he didn't care about her name. "Who do you work for? Who sent you?" Nagi clarified.
"I can't tell you that." She paused, her blue eyes glinting in the half- light. "They're coming," she said expectantly. Her expressionless face made Nagi feel cold. It was as if she lacked any ability to feel. She didn't seem quite human.
(They?) Nagi thought. The sound of footsteps echoed from the hall outside the room. Nagi looked toward the door and watched as four people in white robes entered the room. He attempted to use his telekinesis again, but it failed. Somehow he knew that the green talisman around the woman's neck was at fault for the disruption in his powers. (I have to get it away from me.)
"What do you want?" he asked the men bitterly.
They ignored him, one saying, "I see you captured him, Hitomi," to the strange girl.
The blue-haired girl nodded silently, her eyes never leaving Nagi.
One of the robed people, a woman, turned to Nagi and looked him over like he was a specimen of some sort.
"He is such a little one to be powerful."
The Schwarz member bristled at the comment and tried again to use his powers, but the part of his mind that held his telekinesis was dead. He tried to call to Schuldig across the link that was always present, although not always active, but to no avail. Nagi clenched one fist and began to feel true fear for the first time.
The robed people approached Nagi. He backed away as best he could, but without his powers he was helpless.
"Don't!" he cried as they manhandled him onto a bed. Nagi struggled and then gasped as the girl Hitomi approached him, punching him in the stomach with her full strength. The boy moaned and nearly fell unconscious. The pinprick of the needle as the robed ones injected him came as an afterthought. By the time he was aware that they had given him a drug, he was already fading away
"What do you...want...with me?" he asked before the injection kicked in and he passed out.
~~~
Youji stumbled in through the back of the flower shop (late, as usual), while trying to simultaneously tie his blonde hair back and light a cigarette. An obliviously busy Omi got in his way and both hair tie and cigarette went flying, landing in a flowerpot and Ken's hair, respectively.
"Oi!"
"Watch out!"
"Hey!"
Ken shot the oldest member of Weiss an annoyed look as he plucked the cigarette out of his hair and threw it at him. It bounced off Youji's arm and fell to the floor of the shop because Youji was too busy glaring at Omi to catch it. Omi was digging in the flowerpot for the hair tie and trying to avoid looking at the taller man.
Youji opened his mouth to yell but yawned instead. He decided it was too damned early to be angry and stretched before leaning over Omi's shoulder to pluck the hair tie out of his hand. A strand of his dark blonde hair tickled Omi's cheek and the younger boy brushed it away.
"Be more careful next time, bi-shou-NEN!" Youji whispered in Omi's ear before bending over swiftly to grab the abandoned cigarette and head for the coffeepot. Omi blushed and ducked his head. He HATED it when Youji teased him like that. Ken laughed at Omi's red face and went back to the flower arrangement on which he had been working.
Aya continued to wipe down the front window and ignored them all with a disapproving silence that was all too familiar.
It was a regular morning at the Koneko.
~~~
"Hai-hai," Youji hung up the phone and tossed a pad of paper at Ken. "Delivery."
Ken caught the pad easily and ripped off the top sheet to look at the order. "Why do I have to do it? It's your turn."
Youji yawned again and lit another cigarette as he propped his feet up on the counter. "I had a late night. You look all rested, so you get to do it."
The brown-haired assassin opened his mouth to complain and then shut it again without saying anything. When Youji was in a mood like this there wasn't anything anybody could do, except for maybe Aya, and Aya was behind the counter reading a magazine, still stoically ignoring everybody. Ken sighed and went to the cooler to get a bouquet of red roses out.
"Ja, Ken-kun!" Omi called to him as he left through the front door. Ken waved half-heartedly and got into the little delivery cart. The address he had to deliver to wasn't very far away, so the whole thing wouldn't take very long. Ken decided to give Youji a piece of his mind when he got back, just to make himself feel better.
He guided the florist cart through the crowds, the morning sun making the varied colors of the city sparkle. "Maybe I'll go to the park this afternoon and play some soccer," he mused to himself, stopping at a red light and smiling at the thought. "Youji can take care of the shop this afternoon, for once."
The bouquet of flowers started to slip and Ken reached out one hand to steady them, ducking his head down as he settled them more firmly into the carryall. As he straightened up a flash of red caught his eye and he turned to look. A girl with long bluish hair, hair that was streaked with silver, was speeding by on a motorcycle in the opposite direction. She passed by close enough for Ken to see the flash of brilliantly blue eyes. A tendril of the silver-tinged hair whipped into her face and she brushed it back impatiently, guiding the bike with one hand as she did so.
The light turned green but Ken failed to start the delivery cart right away. The people behind began honking and finally he let up the clutch and drove on to the delivery address, but his mind wasn't on the delivery anymore. It was on the distinctive woman he'd just seen.
"That looked like Hitomi," he said aloud to himself. "But. she's been gone for years. They never found her." He looked over his shoulder, putting several pedestrians at risk, but the girl was gone. Ken shook his head, telling himself he was seeing things, but he couldn't get her out of his mind. He finished the delivery and then drove around aimlessly for a while, trying to convince himself that he was being crazy.
It didn't work. He was convinced that the woman he'd seen was Hitomi. With a heart full of trepidation and confusion he turned the cart around and headed back to the Koneko.
~~~
"Oi, Ken, where've you been?!" was Youji's greeting. Ken waved a hand in a dismissive manner and muttered something about traffic as he dropped the delivery slip into the "Done" pile and sat behind the counter. His head ached and he rubbed his temples, trying to rid his mind of thoughts of Hitomi.
Youji looked at him speculatively. "What happ." he started to ask, but Aya came in the back door and interrupted him before he could badger Ken for answers.
"Close the shop for lunch. We have a mission," the red-haired man said tersely before disappearing back down the stairs.
Youji sighed and pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning on. "My hangover isn't even gone yet!" he complained before following Aya. Omi turned the sign over to "closed" and locked the door, and then he and Ken went to the basement as well, Ken trailing well behind.
A series of pictures were flashing on the wall screen. People in white robes chanting. A large building in the middle of Tokyo labeled "God-Given Industries." A photo of three men in dark robes, looking serious. A series of "missing person" ads, all teenagers in the 12-14 age range.
"What's all this?" Ken questioned. Youji shrugged and Aya didn't move from his position in the back of the room. Omi sat on the couch and watched the wall screen with interest.
Finally the silhouette of Persia appeared.
"These men run a business named God-Given Industries, known commonly as GGI. It is actually a cult of extreme power and influence. They have been kidnapping teenagers across Japan for the past 10 years and indoctrinating them, creating assassins that are used to ensure their dominance in the business world. Miura Hiroyuki is the man in charge of the identification and subsequent kidnapping of these children.
"Hunters of the night, deny this evil beast his future!"
The wall screen flickered and went out.
The room was silent until Omi turned around on the couch. "Did you see how young some of these kids were? We've got to stop them!" he said enthusiastically, as usual.
Youji spoke around his cigarette, "Well, they aren't in my age range since I only go for women over 18, but I hate to see a pretty girl treated wrong," he said, and then blew out a puff of cigarette smoke, narrowing his green eyes as he did so.
Just then Manx came down the stairs. "This is the information about the target," she told the assassins, indicating the thick folder she was carrying. "He'll be at the main building three nights from now."
Aya held out one hand silently and Manx handed him the folder. He began flipping through it, his expression unchanging as his violet eyes scanned the information.
"I assume that all of you accept the mission," Manx said, her tone half question, half statement. Aya didn't bother to reply, absorbed in the file. Youji nodded at her and Omi said, "Hai!" The room fell silent, and people began looking towards Ken. Even Aya noticed Ken's lack of reaction, and looked up curiously.
Ken was sitting on the back of the armchair, looking at his hands. His thoughts were running furiously and at first he didn't notice the silence. "Ten years. 12-14 years old. It's possible, just barely possible. Maybe they're the ones who kidnapped Hitomi!" He fisted his hands at the thought and then became aware of the attention focused on him. He looked up slowly and met everyone's eyes.
"I'm in," he said shortly, and remained quiet through the rest of the tactical discussion, unable to get a vision of blue, silver-streaked hair and vivid blue eyes out of his mind.
~~~
Nagi bit his pencil in frustration, nearly severing the wood. Was there no place in this apartment where he could get peace and quiet? He knew he could block everyone out by listening to music on his headphones, but his carelessness in leaving them on the coffee table had ended up with Farfarello taking apart his CD player "to see what was inside." There was actually quite a bit inside, but most of it wasn't functional by the time Farf lost interest.
Sitting on the couch with his books and notebook balanced on his lap, he knew it would take forever to finish his homework, especially with the continual racket that surrounded him. Brad's rule was that at any time the telekinetic was not devoting his efforts to Schwarz-related duties, he would be stuck doing homework or studying.
Nagi groaned, his way of hinting to Schuldig that the TV was too loud. If he verbally requested the German to turn down the volume, he knew it would be turned louder to piss him off and frustrate him even more. Schuldig was just like that. The only Schwarz member he even came close to respecting was Brad, and even that was doubtful a lot of the time.
The youngest member of Schwarz thought about doing his homework in his bedroom, but Brad was currently in his office at the computer. The sound of clickity-clacking keys - when not made by himself - was as annoying as the dripping of water from a leaky faucet. These people simply didn't care when he needed silence to concentrate!
He sighed, levitating his homework and setting it on the coffee table. He paused before heading to the kitchen. On second thought, he grabbed his homework and took it with him. If Farfarello got hold of that, how would he explain it to his teacher. (Um... Yes, Sakamoto-san, an insane Irish psychopath ate my homework. No kidding.) He could imagine the laughs he'd get from his classmates and the glare he'd get from his teacher. Quenching his thirst with a glass of water, he then headed to his bedroom, placing his homework in his schoolbag.
The room next to his was Brad's office. He knocked twice before entering.
"I'm going out. I can't do my homework here, so I'll do it elsewhere."
Brad paused in his typing, and Nagi could see the man's reflection in the computer monitor. He turned his chair to face Nagi.
"Be back before five."
"Five--?" Nagi started to complain.
Brad silenced him with an I-know-best-and-you-don't-so-there look.
Nagi sighed. "Four-thirty sound good?"
"Don't get side-tracked on your way home."
The boy nodded, "I can take care of myself."
Brad swiveled his chair back to face the computer and resumed typing. The telekinetic thought about seeing what he was typing about, but that really wasn't any of his business anyway.
Nagi closed the door behind him when he left the apartment. He headed towards the elevators, and afterwards exited the building. Briefly he wondered if he should have brought a light jacket along in case it got cold, but then he dismissed the idea entirely.
Now...where could he go to get some peace and quiet so he could finish his homework?
Nagi paused in front of the Koneko. He'd only been here once. Little had he actually known that he passed this place everyday on his way to school. When he transferred buses, he had to walk past the flower shop to the end of the block where the next bus stop was.
Today he wasn't heading to school though, but he was going just about the same route. Near his school was the library. And it was the library where he knew he would get silence and ability to concentrate on his work.
He looked at the sign that was hung on the door. 'Closed for lunch.' Glancing at his watch, he noted that Weiß was a little early eating lunch. It didn't matter. They were assassins, and their cover-up was working as florists. They were probably plotting and planning. To think that if he so desired, he could flick a wrist and watch this building crumble before him. Everyone, even Schwarz, had doubted his powers. But after Tot's death, they knew. They knew. None of them had acted quite the same way around him after that. Farfarello was more cautious; Schuldig had toned down his teasing. And Brad, well, he'd never laid another finger on him since.
He was a little thankful that Brad didn't feel pressured to cover up their identity with running a pet shop or bakery or something. Besides, at his age of sixteen, he was viewed as the average schoolboy. Average. Sometimes he wished he was just average, but would he be where he was now today, or would he be happier... with a real family? He closed his eyes and felt his power slipping before he snatched hold of the telekinetic reins again.
Adjusting his schoolbag, he started walking to the bus stop where a bus would be arriving soon. He quickened his pace when he heard the familiar engine sound of a bus.
Just in time, he boarded the vehicle of public transportation. It was crowded, as usual. He found he had to stand the entire ride. Nagi used his telekinesis to steady himself and put a slight shield around him. He hated when people touched him, and it was worse when they bumped into him. He was brought up to not be a touchy-feely person.
How could one be like that anyway, if they lived what he'd been through? It made him wonder what the atmosphere was like in Weiss household, because Bombay was so genki. So unlike him.
Daydreaming almost led him to miss the bus stop by the library. He got off and stepped through the large doors of the library and was immediately greeted by a burst of air conditioning. Nagi sighed in relief at the quiet atmosphere and went to find a carrel where he could study in peace.
~~~
Aya closed the file of information that Manx had given him. The mission room was dark and suddenly quiet as the others watched the red haired man. Without a word he handed the folder to Omi, who accepted it with a curious look at the taciturn leader.
"Find us a way in, Omi," Aya ordered, and then put a foot on the stairway, ready to climb back to the flower shop. Omi opened his mouth to protest but stopped himself. Protests never got anywhere with Aya and he knew it. With a resigned look he plopped himself down at the Weiss computer and began searching for information.
Aya started up the steps and Youji took this opportunity to bother Ken again. Sliding over to the shorter man he elbowed him the ribs and leaned in close. "You've got something on your mind. Wanna tell me about it?" he questioned.
To his surprise the normally pleasant Ken moved away from him, muttering "Just leave me along, Youji. It's none of your concern." The tense tone in his voice caught Omi's attention and the boy looked up from the computer monitor.
"Ken-kun?" he said, worried, but Ken ignored the query and went up the stairs, shutting the door at the top with unnecessary force. Youji and Omi looked at each other and the tall blonde shrugged as he felt in his pocket for his cigarettes.
"I don't have any idea, either," he told Omi, "But Ken's not one to keep a secret so we'll find out soon enough, I'm sure." He lit the cigarette thoughtfully and braced himself on Omi's shoulders to see what he was doing. Omi slid a glance up at him.
"Shouldn't you go back to work?" he said.
Youji snorted, "They don't need." he started, and was interrupted by Aya's voice calling down the stairway.
"Youji!" was all he said, but it was enough. Omi snickered as Youji rolled his eyes and headed up the stairway.
"Oi, where's Ken?!" he said as he entered the flower shop. Aya looked at him and then went back to wiping the windows.
"He took the afternoon off," he answered shortly, and then waved a hand in irritation at the cigarette smoke that invaded his space. Youji sighed in response and sat behind the counter, putting his feet up.
"Maa, maa," he said, "Well, the fan girls are going to be disappointed to miss him this afternoon, I'm sure. I guess I'll just have to work extra hard then."
Aya stopped moving and turned to stare at Youji with disbelieving violet eyes. Youji smiled brilliantly at him and made a "go on" gesture at him before opening up the newspaper. Aya shook his head and returned his attention to the window.
~~~
Meanwhile, back at the GGI.
Miura Hiroyuki looked up from the papers spread on his desk. He carefully put down the pen he'd been using, aligning it perfectly with the papers, and then folded his hands precisely. His full attention was focused on the subordinate in front of him, causing the young man to sweat despite the overactive air conditioning of the building.
"Tha.. that's right, Miura-san. We've located the people responsible for the, um, incidents that occurred earlier this year."
A silence fell over the opulent office. Miura looked down and picked up his pen, suddenly bored. "Send Hitomi after them," he said, his mind occupied with another problem as he began to make notes. He didn't even bother to look up as the subordinate left the office to give the orders.
Hitomi had yet to fail them.
~~~
Nagi repeatedly pressed the button to eject coins. He frowned at the vending machine. Normally, he would just use his telekinesis to grab a snack from the rack in the machine, but Brad hated it when he used his powers in public. It got people's attention too easily when it was unwanted. It was bad enough that the three gaijin stood out in the Japanese crowds, Brad didn't want Nagi standing out as well.
(But...) Nagi thought (Brad's not here, is he?)
He concentrated on the packaged candy bar that he had intended to buy before the machine had eaten his money. Slowly it slipped forward.
"Excuse me." a boy's voice said.
He turned around, his expression as if he'd gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"If you're done staring at the machine, I'd like to purchase something." he smiled.
He narrowed his eyes, "Sure. It eats your money though."
He walked back to the table where his books were spread out. He thought he would reward himself with a treat for finishing his homework so quickly, but it had turned out to be more trouble than he intended.
Nagi placed his books back in his school bag and walked out of the library. It had started to drizzle a little, but it didn't pose a problem for him. He knew there was a fast food place down the street where he could grab a bite to eat.
Dinners were never too special in the Schwarz household. Brad would sometimes cook up a magnificent dinner. Unfortunately for the other three, that dinner would only serve one: himself.
Schuldig's idea of fixing dinner would be take out, but it wasn't too often he'd order for everyone.
They had officially banned Farfarello from making dinner after he had decided to drag in road kill to cook up. Brad hadn't been too happy about the trail of blood from the apartment entrance to the kitchen.
If Nagi were feeling generous, he would make dinner to serve everyone. But with school and Schwarz missions, he usually only had time to fix himself a sandwich or something.
All in all, it was survival of the fittest in that household. Sometimes he ached for them to act less formally as a team and more like... He shook his head, not letting the thought finish.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, and bent his head down so the rain would not get in his eyes. It had started to rain a little harder. Turning the corner he continued to head to the fast food restaurant, which was a little way down the street.
~~~
Brad picked up the freshly printed piece of paper from the printer tray. He glanced over it before placing it in a dark green folder with other papers.
He had finally been able to get the last piece of information on their enemy. This one contained information on their main target. Now there would be no silly games attacking the pawns when he now knew who the ringleader was.
It was Yamasaki Kazuo, the head of GGI.
He smirked to himself as he clicked on a computer program that would delete all the most recent files on his computer. He didn't need anyone following tracks back to his computer. As long as they did not know their exact location, Brad did not feel potentially threatened.
His eyesight blurred slightly and he stopped what he was doing to allow the full-force of the Vision to hit.
"Weiss?" he asked allowed, "So even Kritiker has caught on."
What could those self-proclaimed executioners of dark beasts accomplish that Schwarz hadn't? They didn't even have as much skill as Schwarz.
Brad opened the dark green folder and flipped through the papers. There it was.
GGI was no normal cult. They were actually a small branch of Esset based permanently in Japan. The reason why they had not expanded as much was because their forte was not ESP as was Esset's. They trained normal people to excel physically at fighting, rather than rely on psychic powers as did those trained by Esset in Rosenkreuz.
Again a Vision hit him, this time the force of it more powerful. His mocha brown eyes widened slightly, and he stood up from his desk. Tossing the folder and its contents sloppily on his desk, he grabbed his car keys and a jacket. He headed out of the apartment fairly quickly, not bothering to inform Schuldig or Farfarello where he was going.
The streets were slick as he drove, the rain beating down on his car. (What street?) he thought impatiently. He hated this... hated this feeling that he would be too late to alter the future.
~~~
Rain dripped from his long bangs, getting in his eyes. With a frustrated sigh, Nagi pushed his hair out of his face again. He was going to be soaking wet when he got in the restaurant.
(Brad should've told me it was going to rain today.) Nagi grumbled, (Doesn't he ever check for weather?)
He re-adjusted his backpack on his shoulders and grabbed the handle of the restaurant's door. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of blue and silver. At the last minute, he ducked out of the way from getting punched.
He jumped backward onto the sidewalk and turned to face the one who attacked him. Cold blue eyes met his. The woman smirked at him. In a taunting gesture, she raised her hand, beckoning him to 'come and get it.'
Nagi frowned in confusion, then glared at her. Obviously she wanted a fight, but he didn't know who she was or for what reason she wanted to attack him.
She charged at him, and his eyes widened in surprise. He raised his hands to deflect her attack by putting a telekinetic shield in front of him. She leapt up in the air, kicking him in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards onto the hard cement.
He gasped for air, grasping his chest and trying to breathe. He sat up and looked at the woman who towered over him.
(Why didn't it work??) Nagi thought frantically, (My telekinesis?! Why did it fail on me?!)
She laughed a little, flashing a green stone talisman that she wore around her neck. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to resonate... He had no time to fool around. He had to get out of here fast!
He stood up, but something grabbed onto him. Invisible hands. She had telekinesis?! But where did his ability go? The woman smirked again, her outstretched palm closing into a fist.
Squeezing...squeezing tighter. The invisible hands wrapped around him, pressing against his chest and slowly suffocating him. He tried to fight it. So this is what his enemies felt like when he did this to them...
He moved his lips to speak, to say something. To beg for her to stop, but no words came out. He felt himself becoming more light-headed. No. he couldn't give in... The invisible hand landed a harsh blow to the side of his head and everything went black.
~~~
Brad's fingers gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He hated, utterly despised, Visions that gave him little or no time to react.
He currently had his car parked next to the curb where he'd seen a Vision of Nagi. Rain pitter-pattered on the roof of his car and windshield. He stared out the window watching in his mind as he played out the Vision again and again. Who was that woman?
He cursed under his breath. Had she been one of GGI's agents? How could he have not Seen it sooner? And why didn't Nagi fight back? Sure, it was a public street, but the boy knew he was allowed to fight back somewhat using his powers. In a situation like that, he should've been able to defend himself.
Unless...
~~~
Nagi's head hurt. It hurt a lot. It felt like Farfarello had pounced on him. He shifted his position on the hard cold floor. His wrists and arms were bound, so he ended up losing his balance and falling to the floor.
He opened his eyes in shock. He lay on the floor, and brought his wrists into view so he could examine what he was tied up with. Just rope? His captor didn't know him well if he was tied up with mere rope.
He focused on the threads, concentrating on splitting them apart to release the binds. Nothing happened. He blinked in confusion. What was wrong with his telekinesis?
He tried several more times to free himself, but all the attempts were in vain. Whatever happened, wherever he was, his enemy DID know his abilities.
He realized then that he was being watched. He turned his head and noticed the form of a woman standing on the other side of the room. Her eyes were conveniently hidden in the shadows, but he could see a thin smirk playing on her face.
What he would give for his telekinesis now.
"Who are you?" he shouted at the girl, "And what do you want?"
"I see you've finally awakened, Prodigy," she answered, "Welcome to the land of the living."
"Who are you?" Nagi repeated, his voice steady but stern. He wanted answers.
"My name doesn't matter," she told him coldly, the sneer fading from her lips.
He had to agree that he didn't care about her name. "Who do you work for? Who sent you?" Nagi clarified.
"I can't tell you that." She paused, her blue eyes glinting in the half- light. "They're coming," she said expectantly. Her expressionless face made Nagi feel cold. It was as if she lacked any ability to feel. She didn't seem quite human.
(They?) Nagi thought. The sound of footsteps echoed from the hall outside the room. Nagi looked toward the door and watched as four people in white robes entered the room. He attempted to use his telekinesis again, but it failed. Somehow he knew that the green talisman around the woman's neck was at fault for the disruption in his powers. (I have to get it away from me.)
"What do you want?" he asked the men bitterly.
They ignored him, one saying, "I see you captured him, Hitomi," to the strange girl.
The blue-haired girl nodded silently, her eyes never leaving Nagi.
One of the robed people, a woman, turned to Nagi and looked him over like he was a specimen of some sort.
"He is such a little one to be powerful."
The Schwarz member bristled at the comment and tried again to use his powers, but the part of his mind that held his telekinesis was dead. He tried to call to Schuldig across the link that was always present, although not always active, but to no avail. Nagi clenched one fist and began to feel true fear for the first time.
The robed people approached Nagi. He backed away as best he could, but without his powers he was helpless.
"Don't!" he cried as they manhandled him onto a bed. Nagi struggled and then gasped as the girl Hitomi approached him, punching him in the stomach with her full strength. The boy moaned and nearly fell unconscious. The pinprick of the needle as the robed ones injected him came as an afterthought. By the time he was aware that they had given him a drug, he was already fading away
"What do you...want...with me?" he asked before the injection kicked in and he passed out.