Author's Note: Um, hi? I'm not very good with summaries, sorry. And this is my first time, like ever, posting a fanfiction, but my friend insists that I post this, so... here goes? Please please please review and tell me if it's any good or not. *is overly self-concious*
-1990-
"Now, usually, when I want something to disappear, it does. Vanishes without a trace." He paced around the upholstered study, reciting the same lecture to an unreachable student. He let his hand rest on the back of the leather sofa, facing his audience. Behind him was the wall of windows leading to the balcony, enfolded in deep ember curtains.
He faced his hostage and the door, obviously guarded by two stiffs in boring black tuxedos. He'd have to change that.
"But when the object that I want to vanish is a person, there are complications." He nodded at one of the guards, and they withdrew, speaking to a comrade in the hall. Then they returned, again closing the formidable oak door. "Naturally, they will cooperate as smoothly as possible, and go quietly." He started pacing again, trailing his hand along the sofa.
He stopped, put both hands on the sofa and glared seriously at his captive. "I have a task for you. But it will not be easy."
-1933-
"We did good, neh, Miria?"
"Yeah, Isaac!" Miria jumped up and down in excitement. "Let's do more good things!" She danced backwards, making her red dress twirl around her ankles, and almost toppled over a suitcase placed in the middle of the sidewalk.
"Oi!" Miria yelled, whirling around angrily.
"Watch where you put your stuff!" Isaac said, shaking his fist.
"Yeah, watch where you put your stuff!" Miria echoed, mimicking him. The person responsible was wearing a fancy designer suit, tailored to fit them exactly.
She turned around and mumbled "Sumimasen," her short red hair bouncing around her face.
"Eh?" Isaac and Miria cried in unison, leaning forward "Ennis?"
"Ennis-chan!" Miria cried happily, throwing her arms around her in a hug.
Ennis blinked in surprise. "Isaac-san? Miria-san?"
"Ah!" Miria agreed, pulling back. "Long time no see! Me and Isaac have been having lots of fun!"
Isaac put his arm around Miria and pulled her close, the both of them grinning like idiots. "We sure have, neh, Miria?"
"Neh, Ennis-chan, why do you have that suitcase?" It was late in the evening, and the sidewalks were deserted, with people either in their homes or in bars getting drunk. Nevertheless, Ennis looked around before explaining the contents in hushed tones.
"Really?" Miria cried, eyes wide in disbelief.
Ennis smiled. "Really"
Miria drew back, a smile spreading across her face. "Neh, Isaac! Ennis-chan is a superhero!"
"Eh?" Isaac said, striking a pose in his usual way. "Ah, yeah! You're right! Neh, Ennis-chan," he whispered, nudging her with his elbow. "You know what this means, right?" Ennis blinked in confusion, not following their line of thought. "We have to celebrate!" he yelled, throwing up his arms.
"Yeah, celebrate!" Miria echoed, imitating Isaac's pose.
-3 months earlier-
"Neh, Maiza-san, are you sure about this? I mean, if this ends up in the wrong hands, we could have more immortal Dallas's to deal with," Firo said, playing with the brim of his hat.
They were in the basement of the Martillo family, rather plain, but not plain enough to be dilapidated. Many desks were set up around the room, with candles flickering on each one. The light reflected on the glass vials and etched creepy shadows on the walls. Stacks of boxes lined the room; each one marked 'fragile'.
Maiza and Firo stood next to one of the desks, Maiza about to combine the contents of two vials.
"If all goes well, Firo, we won't have to worry about Dallas or anybody else. This is the last time I'm making this." Maiza combined the liquids and a small puff of smoke escaped the new concoction.
Firo wasn't an idiot. He heard the implications in Maiza's voice. It was the last time he was making it, showing no positivity that the next person to lay their hands on this secret wouldn't wield it. "And wield it poorly," Firo thought.
But he watched in silence as Maiza made more of the solution and packed it into boxes.
-4 months later-
Jacuzzi blinked in confusion at the crate the deliveryman had handed him. "No charge," the man had said.
"Could it be a bomb?" Jacuzzi thought, as he closed the front door with his foot. He stumbled through the panelled hallway, his foot catching on the corner of the oriental carpet. "Eh!" he cried out as he tripped, but managed to catch his balance and set the crate marked 'fragile' on the end table. Jacuzzi stared at the tapestry on the wall as he thought through the options.
Finally, he shouted, "Nice! Did you order anything?"
Nice came down the stairway, holding an unfinished bomb in one hand and putting her glasses back on with the other. "Did I order anything? No," she said, walking over to him. "What's wrong, Jacuzzi?"
"The delivery man said it was free of charge," he whimpered. "What if it's a bomb, Nice? It could explode any second!" Jacuzzi threw his arms up in terror and was about to pull Nice into the adjacent dining room when she stopped him.
"Wait, Jacuzzi. If it was a bomb, they wouldn't have marked it fragile." She began to open it, and Jacuzzi waved his hands wildly.
"Nice, don't! It could explode on you!" He pulled her out of the way and resumed opening it himself.
Nice smiled slightly. "So you're fine with yourself getting blown to pieces?"
"If it's not you, I'm okay with it," he replied, an anxious expression painted on his features. Jacuzzi undid the last clasp and opened the lid carefully. Then he blinked, and his anxiety was replaced by confusion. "Sake?"
Nice laughed, and peered over his shoulder to look. "So it would seem."
There was a knock on their door, and Nice sidled over to open it.
"Konichi-wa, Nice-san!"
"Isaac-san! Miria-san!" Nice stood, shocked at the sight of the two. "What are you doing here?" Jacuzzi came up next to her, looking just as surprised.
"Yo, Jacuzzi!" Isaac said, mock saluting him. Jacuzzi's face broke into a smile, and he invited the two inside.
"Amazing! This is a nice house!" Miria cried in awe, frolicking around the first floor.
Nice smiled, Jacuzzi's arm having made its way around her waist. "Yeah, the money came from the bombs I sold," she laughed awkwardly.
Isaac and Miria caught sight of the package and gave each other a look. "Well, that's fantastic!" Isaac cried, throwing his arms up in the air. "Let's celebrate!" As usual, any occasion even remotely special called for celebration, in Isaac's opinion. Jacuzzi and Nice just smiled and decided to go along with it.
Isaac walked over to the package and pulled out one of the two bottles, and winked at them. "Every good celebration needs sake! So, where do you keep the glasses?" He asked, still grinning. Miria was dancing around the hallway cheerily, a big smile on her face as well.
Nice, trying not to laugh at their antics, replied "Third cupboard in the kitchen." Isaac and Miria skipped off in search as Jacuzzi freaked out at her.
"Eh? We're not really going to drink it, are we?" He flailed his arms around wildly, his panic (as usual) two levels higher than it needed to be.
Smiling, Nice caught his arms. "Jacuzzi, calm down. It's just a little sake. It was sent to us, so we might as well make use of it."
Jacuzzi closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and opened them again. "Nice," he started to say, but then Isaac and Miria swept back into the room with four wine-filled glasses. Both handed one to Jacuzzi and Nice, and raised their own in toast.
Nice looked at Jacuzzi, and he grimaced in defeat. They joined Miria and Isaac in downing their glasses.
