A Kiss In A Dark Alley. A Weiss Kreuz fanfic, by Pandora.
CHAPTER1:
Aya walked the dark alleys. The rain was pouring hard tonight, and he had wanted to be alone. Well. What else was new? He was almost always alone. It was more of a habit, now, than sincere dislike of people. Somehow...something had changed, but what?
He remembered her eyes. Deep, dark eyes. Almond-shaped, and glinting mischievously, as she pulled him to her. And kissed him. She left, abruptly, her silvery laughter floating through the night air. Who was she?
It was on a night like this that they had met. He was standing alone in the club, while Ken, Omi and Yohji entertained the group of girls surrounding them. Of course, it helped that he was standing in the darkest shadows, that they didn't see him. He wasn't as smart the last time. He almost got run over by the lot of them.
"How nice to finally meet you, Aya-kun." She had said. He could almost feel the heat emanating from her. "What exactly are you hiding from, out here?" she asked. He was quite sure that she was smiling.
"I am NOT hiding." was all he said.
"Oh, c'mon...then why are you here? I know I am."
"None of your business."
"Do you want to know why I'm hiding, my dear Aya-kun?"
He didn't answer. He was waiting for her to speak.
"Because...I am in love with someone I cannot see."
She had laughed at what she said. There was something different about her. He thought what she said was silly. Such fanciful notions. What could a girl know about such things? She was probably only a little older than Ken,(ang guwapo nun!)and yet, the sound of her voice, as the words fell from her mouth, held an all-too-familiar ache, that he himself felt.
"You know, Aya-kun, I'm really glad to have met you. And don't worry. I know you're trying to get away from those girls. I saw them almost run you over the last time. I won't call them over."
Aya blanched. So. She had been following him. Who was she? As if reading his thoughts, she answered.
"I'm just someone who wants to talk to you. That's all. I only happened to pass by the flower shop, when I saw you run past them, a few nights back. They really are pretty scary, aren't they?"
At this, Aya frowned, trying to keep from smiling.
They finally had some sort of conversation going, a few minutes later, which, in Aya's case was indeed, an odd occurence. Even Omi's jaw dropped, when he glanced in their direction. At this, Aya smiled. He knew that they all believed him to lack people skills. Seeing Aya smile only made matters worse. Omi now fell over and crashed on the floor. Ken and Yohji resisted the urge to see for themselves the cause of Omi's shock. Ken simply picked Omi off the floor, and resumed his position beside Yohji.
She grabbed him by the hand. Somehow, she had made him follow her without protest. Maybe he just felt stifled in there. Maybe it was the wistful note in her voice. Dammit. He was getting soft. Maybe he just needed to get out of there. He honestly didn't know. Her laughter echoed in the air, as they made their escape. They were out the door just before a group of Aya's fans caught a glimpse of them.
They ended up where he found himself standing now. The light was still quite dim. She faced him. And as she did, the the light showed a part of her face, and he saw her eyes, twinkling in pure delight. She pulled her closer to him. By now he was able to make out her face. Her expression was every bit as full of mischief as her eyes. A deep blue. She pulled him to her and kissed him. He had expected it to be very uncomfortable, due to the sudden movement, but he was mistaken. He felt a shock go through him, as the kiss felt soft and warm. He caught the spicy scent of her soft hair. He could feel his body loosen. He held her face and kissed her back, his mouth moving over hers, as he tasted her lips, an arm coming around her waist. He was surprised at his own reaction. He could imagine Yohji doing just this sort of thing...but not him. NEVER him.
"So sweet..." he thought, caressing her cheek.
He could feel the heat between them grow stronger. He held her tightly, as if not wanting to let her go. He could hear her whisper his name.
"Aya.....I..."
The kiss ended eventually, and she put her arms around him. Her warm breath made his skin tingle, as she whispered in his ear...
"I love you...Aya. My abyssinian."
Aya blinked in surprise. He instinctively jumped back, as the girl's lithe form released herself from him and ran swiftly away. He was too stunned to chase her. He just stared at the escaping figure, dark-brown curls flying, as she looked back at him. She laughed. Every note, sweet as the first morning dew.
"I'll be seeing you again, my Aya-kun!" she shouted, before disappearing through a corner.
"Aya!!!" A voice called out. It was Ken. He shook the memory away. He was about to leave when he found a blood-red rose inside his trenchcoat. There was a card. He opened it, and read the inscription:
My Dearest Aya,
Thank you for giving me my most cherished dream. I will never forget you.
-Pandora.
He walked out of the alley. The rain had stopped. He was joined by the others, as they got into his car and drove away.
Meanwhile...A dark-skinned girl jumps off the nearby roof, and lands on the pavement with utmost grace. She had long, curly, dark-brown hair, and had bangles on both ankles, and her left wrist. She held a set of binoculars in one hand, and a rose identical to Aya's, in another. She put the flower to her lips. She brushed off the remaining droplets of water from her own trenchcoat, and walked away.
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CHAPTER2:
"I love you...Aya. My Abyssinian..."
He could still smell the spice...feel the soft, smooth texture of her skin. It was almost as if he was...what? Aya stared at the ceiling. He ran a finger over his lips. The tingling sensation was still there. What was happening to him?
She had held his face so lovingly, as she stared into deep amethyst eyes. She shouldn't have said that. What was she to do? She shouldn't have come up to him like that. She knew that she shouldn't, but she did. She remembered the warm, silky feel of his skin. It had felt so good to finally be able to touch him. To kiss him. The air around them had been electric. How she melted when he kissed her. She had dreamt of it for so long, and the kiss had only made her want him more. If the kiss was like that...what would it be like to...but she just shook her head. She shouldn't think these things. She slanted the blinds on her window, and stared out at the moon, silently wondering what he was doing, now.
He heard her voice again. Heard her laughter. Saw her face...he was kissing her. He felt like a drowning man holding on to anything afloat. She almost reminded him of the carefree child his sister, and Omi should've been. The person even he should've been. he looked around. They were standing on a wide, expansive field, surrounded by flowers. She tugged at him again, and smiled.
"C'mon, Aya-kun." She beckoned.
They spread a cloth beneath a tree, and had a picnic. She read to him, while he rested his head on her lap, her voice clear and gentle. He yawned. She put down the book and kissed him on the forehead.
He could hear the doorbell ring. he opened his eyes, the sun's rays blinding him momentarily.
An envelope appeared under Aya's door. So. Here it was.
He looked at the picture of the girl. He went up to his room. No doubt about it. It was definitely her. According to the informer, she had jumped off the rooftop near the alley, the last time he was there. He looked at the eyes. There was no mistake. He knocked on Omi's door. It opened up soon after.
"I need you to give me a file on this person."
"Sure. Got a name? "
"Pandora. I need it by tomorrow night."
Omi looked puzzled, but just shrugged and did as he was told.
He went straight to the flower shop.
Aya got there a few minutes later, donned his apron, and went to work. As usual, Yohji was flanked by girls. Ken was in the greenhouse. He resigned himself to tending to the flowers in the shop. He was holding a bucket of roses, when the door opened. Everybody seemed to be busy.
He set the bucket down and wiped the sweat off his forehead, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, and saw a girl standing behind him. She twiddled her fingers, and began to speak.
"A-ano...Aya-kun...I...ah...could you...h-hand me..."
"Oi! Mi-chan!" Yohji called over his shoulder. "Here are the flowers you wanted."
Aya turned to see Yohji walk over and give the girl a boquet of roses.
"Arigato, Yohji-kun."
He was quite surprised. He looked for Yohji's adoring horde of fans. They had already left.
Yohji handed the reciept to the girl, and walked her out.
"She's a bit shy, but she's pretty. Not my type, though. Too skittish. What do you think?" Yohji seemed to remember something, and put both hands behind his head. "Ah, hell. Why am I asking you, anyway? You're not interested in these things."
" She has a tatoo of a star on the lower right corner of her right eye. "
Yohji actually turned his head and lowered his glasses, to look at Aya. He had been acting strange, lately. He just shrugged his shoulders, and smiled.
"Aya. I never would've imagined." He heard Yohji say.
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CHAPTER3:
Misanagi opened the door to the book store. Whew. She was really digging her grave on this one. She was acting extremely bold these days. What was wrong? She had been leaving too many clues. She opened the computer. She had to know the results of her experiment. She put the roses in a vase, and typed in the password.
"I knew it."
He was already on her trail. And he was getting close. She watched the computer screen, as the
files were being copied, one by one. It was probably Omi. She had been watching him for some time, now. She felt a surge of pride. Oh, no doubt about it. He was good. He was very good.
"She's a ghost. I can't find anything on her. No family, no background, not a thing. "
"Have you checked for a codename?"
"Yeah. I checked both codes and handles. I got a thousand hits. So far, I've traced 500. Not a thing. I'm still working on the others. Check with me later, Aya-kun."
The computer screen started to blink.
"Anou...Aya-kun...check this out."
A file appeared on the screen.
"Well?" Aya asked, in dry tones.
"I found a match nearby. For a store called THE BOOK BOX. It's two blocks from here. The owner's name was Pandora Ishikawa.There was no picture, but the description fits. She left it to her assistant Misanagi Kageyama, who went to the same school you did. She graduated top of the class, a year after you finished."
"Was?"
"They were on a car accident two years ago. Only the assistant survived."
"Where is it located?"
"Just two blocks from here."
Aya was about to leave, when something clicked in his brain.
Omi looked at him expectantly. "What is it?"
Misanagi Kageyama...
Misanagi, the shadow.
Shadows...
"...I'm in love with someone I can't see..."
The rose she had given him. It came from the flowershop.
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Aya had checked the video clips of the shop three times over. He was on his third run. Where was she? He was reviewing the one taken a few days back. He watched expectantly.
"A-ano...Aya-kun...I...ah...could you...h-hand me..."
"Oi! Mi-chan!"
He looked the girl over. There was definitely something about her...what was it?
His stomach rumbled. Ah, hell. might as well do the groceries, and pass by the bookstore. He was getting nowhere with the tapes. He knew that she didn't hire someone to go get the flowers. He had a strong gut feeling about it. She came in there disguised. But, who? He took the coat from the hanger, and left for the nearest grocery store. When he was done, he decided to pass by the book shop. He was there moments later.
"M-May I help you?" A familiar voice greeted him.
It was the shy girl from the flowershop.
"Hn. I guess. Where's the fiction section?" He asked evenly. Man. This was going well.
"A-Aya-k-kun....a-ano....it's..."
"Who do I talk to, if I need anything?"
"Me." came the small-voiced reply. "I'm M-Misanagi."
It couldn't be her. They were too different. The girl wasn't acting either. She looked scared.
Aya looked around the bookstore. Nothing was out of place. Everything was normal. Just your average, run-'o-the-mill, bookstore. He passed over the counter, mumbled a word of thanks, and left. It was off to the grocery store for him.
The pushcart was going to overflow any moment now. He didn't seem to notice. He just kept pushing it around, and adding in whatever was on the list. He had even paid for it, without thought. In this trance-like state, he wondered how long it would take to find her. Why did he want to find her? His single-mindedness in the matter was astounding. What was she to him? They had met in the shadows. How funny it all seemed. The darkness. The void. How he wished he could escape it.
And yet, even in the darkness, hope was afloat.
She who stalked the shadows. And yet her eyes held warmth and sun.
Maybe if he got a little closer to her, the sun would welcome him, as well.
It took a moment before he realized what had happened. He could hear shots being fired, as his body turned and dodged automatically, without thinking. Conditioned response. What was happening finally registered in his brain. He was being shot at, and someone was covering him. He heard the urgency in the voice of the unknown person who had pushed him to safety moments ago.
"Aya. Get out of here!" She screamed above the thundering noise around them.
"Go! Now!"
He ran to his car, and quickly revved up the engine. He was out of there soon after.
They had been surrounded. It was an ambush. And he hadn't been prepared. It had started to rain again. He stopped the car and just sat there, hands on the steering wheel, head thrown back. He shouldn't have left her there. He drove back to the scene of the confrontation, and all was as if nothing happened. Not a trace of gunpowder or bullets. Like the whole incident was erased. He drove back to his apartment.
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CHAPTER4:
"You betrayed us. You were supposed to take the boy, after you got rid of his guardian. Instead, you killed a lot of my men, in one night, and helped him escape. Don't tell me you love him, Pandora. I won't allow it. You had better explain this to me. OR ELSE. I will not be betrayed by my own sister."
Her brother was furious. His voice was soft as silk, yet dripped of poison.
"But I don't." she replied smugly.
"Explain yourself."
"I want to gain his trust. Use him. Use all of them, and turn them against him. I want him to fall in love with me, then I will break his spirit. Killing him now will be too easy. I want him to suffer. So you see...I had to do it. He has to trust me. Do you see it now, dear brother?" she asked, sweetly.
Her lack of emotion and human compassion never failed to amaze him. And she was dangerous. He couldn't take any chances. He put an arm around her.
"Yes. You're right. Then, we'll get Omi."
She went to her room afterwards, locked the door, and leaned on the hard concrete wall. What was she to do now? She would only be able to prolong Aya's life. She hoped it was enough time for her to figure out her next move.
-----------------------------------------
The rain poured down that night. Everyone was in the den, waiting for the next mission, doing some little mundane action, to while away the time. Aya stood up to get a beer, when he heard a string of gunshots fired, not that far away. A loud rap on the door soon followed, and Aya ran to open it. He found a woman, clothes drenched, bloody knife in one hand, a gash on her right temple. Like she was hit with a 2 by 4. Yohji, and Ken ran outside immediately, to take care of the assailants. Aya carried her to the sofa. Omi glanced for a moment to see if Aya was alright, and saw Aya's panicked face. He handed Aya a towel and dashed off to help the other two.
Aya looked at her. She was unconscious. The woman looked familiar...
dark-skinned. soft, brownish-black curls.
Pandora.
"Aya...." He heard her whisper. No doubt about it. It was her.
Her skin was unusually warm. It looked like she was going to come down with a fever. He brushed a finger over her lips. Soft. The way he remembered it. The door opened, and Aya lifted his gaze to the three. It seems they made short work on the gunmen. Yohji, Ken, and Omi walked over to look at the sleeping girl on the couch, who's head was on Aya's lap.
"So...who is she? A girlfriend?" Yohji asked.
Aya just gave him a dry look.
"I don't know." was Aya's only reply.
"Well...that's okay, but I'm a litle worried about the couch." Yohji stated.
Aya shrugged and carried the girl upstairs, and brought her to his room. The other three followed behind him.
He started giving out instructions, and before long, hot water was brought to the bathroom, and towels have been left on the bed. Aya, left alone with the unconscious girl, was now panicking. How was he supposed to go about doing this? He closed his eyes, picked her up, and laid her on the tiles. Damn. This was going to be hard.
He removed her shoes, and socks, noticing how lightweight they were, and the thin rubber soles that kept her from sliding off surfaces. Her clothes were as stylish as his and Yohji's, yet very utilitarian. Because of the lightness of her shoes, her movements would be more flexible and efficient. Because the soles were rubber, she wouldn't slip off any surface, except, maybe ice. She wore a plain, black trenchcoat that reached down to her knees, a short, sleeveless top, and soft, amazingly thin slacks that were so black, light wouldn't shine through. The coat would take care of chill and rain, while the clothes made her movements more free-flowing, making her a formidable opponent. And if the earlier ambush, and this night's activities were counted, one thing was certain. She was an assasin. And not just any kind. She was good. A professional. About the only frivolous item she possesed were the thick, metal bracelets and anklets she wore, that were, for the moment,wrapped in black, felt-like cloth. He took those off, as well.
he put her in the bathtub, after removing the coat. Aya took a deep breath. He had to do this. He put an arm around her, and lifted the shirt from her damp skin. He tried to put the rush he got moments after out of mind. He unhooked the slacks, and pulled the material off long, slender legs, while ignoring the scent of fresh rain and earth that still clung to her. He then poured the warm water into the tub. He looked around for some kind of soap, then remembered the bubble bath Yohji gave him, last christmas. The scent of pears and apples started to fill the bathroom, as he splashed the water, waiting for the foam to form. There he was, sitting beside the tub, splashing the water, when he glanced at her face. She looked like she was asleep. He felt a little relieved. At least she wasn't taking a turn for the worse. Now the hard part. he was going to have to remove her underclothes. He closed his eyes. Surely he was better than this! Surely he can tend to her without...without...he stopped that train of thought while he slid off the straps of her brassiere. His hand rested on her back, when realization dawned upon him. The catch was on the front! His hand traced the lower edges, and the wire until he found it. His hands stayed a bit longer on the material, soft flesh, pushing the cloth taut. He unlatched it quickly, and peeled off the rest of the damp cloth that was wreaking havoc on his brain. He then slid his hands down to where the last undergarment remained, pulling the cloth down smooth, supple flesh. He was now feeling extremely giddy, and at the same time, thoroughly disgusted with himself. And he still had to give her a bath.
Downstairs, Yohji had an annoying smile on his face, as though he could very well imagine, and was thoroughly enjoying what version of hell Aya was going through, that very moment.
Aya was now contemplating what to do next, when he heard the knock on his door.
"Who is it?" his surly voice inquired from inside the bath.
"It's Manx."
Aya breathed a sigh of relief. whew. That was close.
He opened the door and let her in. Manx took one look at the girl, and then stared at the red haired, red-faced youth trying hard not to look helpless in the current compromising situation he was in. Well...Aya. With a girl. Very surprising indeed. She waved Aya away with her hand and simply said,
"Go. I'll take care of it."
Aya nodded his assent, and went down the stairs.
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Chapter5
Pandora opened her eyes. Faint light streamed in through an open window. The sun was just about to rise. She glanced at the figure sleeping beside her. He had watched over her all night. He looked more tired than usual, his hair hanging loose. She propped herself against an elbow, ignoring the pain she felt on her head, and smiled. She stared at the man she loved. How wonderful he looked in the morning. She got off the bed and walked to the window, and for the first time, noticed the green silk pj's she wore. She giggled softly as she started to move fluidly, dancing to some imaginary tune that seemed to progress with the sun's appearance on the horizon.
She hadn't noticed the other three people in the room other than her and Aya.
Omi looked in wonder.
Ken was a little suprised.
Yohji admired the grace of her movements.
Aya was watching in rapt attention.
Her movements were so slow and smooth, that the only sound that could be heard was the soft "chink!" of her brass bangles, and as the sun had finally made it's ascent, so had her dance ended. She bowed low to her audience, who now feigned sleep, and as she made her way to the other side of the bed, she saw the other three. She took blankets out of the cabinet, and put one over each of them. She lingered over Omi.
"he looks so kawaii when he sleeps." she thought, giving him a kiss on the forehead. She padded her way out the door, down the stairs, planning to make breakfast.
"how come Omi gets a kiss..." Yohji grumbled, stretching his limbs.
"Because I'm so kawaii!" Omi answered, smiling as he did.
"You think she should start moving about like that?" Ken asked, yawning.
Aya opened his eyes. he had to get answers. He took a shirt out of the closet, and followed her downstairs.
He stared at the monitor. There she was, humming a happy tune, while preparing what seemed like fried rice and spring rolls. She was acting so naturally, as if the night before was nothing but a forgotten dream. Yohji grabbed a chair, and sat beside him, and gave him the report.
"When we got there, only a few of them were still tailing her. We traced the path she took. We found ten bodies. I'm guessing she's got martial skills, and her main weapons are guns and blades. Two headshots at point blank. Several had extreme internal injuries. Three, had slit throats. She's almost as disturbing as you."
Aya shot him THE look. Yohji put his hands behind his head, and ignored the death glare the younger man was subjecting him to.
"Anyway, breakfast is getting cold. I'm heading downstairs. Enjoy your isolation, Aya-kun." Yohji mentioned affably, giving him the annoying smile. "Ja!"
Aya gave the moitor another look, and seeing as the others were already there, went down, himself.
....................................
"Mmmm...I smell something good!" Omi commented, as he sat down for breakfast.
Yohji on the other hand, was once again, being his charming, playboy self.
"Good morning. I trust you slept well? Allow me to introduce myself. Yohji Kudou, florist extraordinaire. And you are...?"
"Pandora. Pan. You know...greek mythology."
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Theresa's thoughts: Good one, Jazz. Could have done better myself (whoo...strong gusts of wind coming my way...too strong...).
Anyway, you had told me the chapter one and read the rest. The rest was also so good, especially chapter three (I think) when Aya was in charge
of bathing her. Man. Yohji's reaction is so cool! (So annoying too). I can't wait for the last part. Oh by the way, my disk drive is working so
this message is from my computer. Anyway, I want to have a copy of this once you finished it. PLEASE!! PLEAAAASSSSSSEEEEEE!! PRETTY PLEAAASSSEEE!! WITH SPRINKLES
ALL OVER AND ICING ON TOP (Hey, wait a minute! I'm turning into one mean Angelica---From rugrats).
Keep up the good work......
*Jeez, Yohji is pretty annoying!*
*Who is Misanagi? Whoa, mystery...*
CHAPTER1:
Aya walked the dark alleys. The rain was pouring hard tonight, and he had wanted to be alone. Well. What else was new? He was almost always alone. It was more of a habit, now, than sincere dislike of people. Somehow...something had changed, but what?
He remembered her eyes. Deep, dark eyes. Almond-shaped, and glinting mischievously, as she pulled him to her. And kissed him. She left, abruptly, her silvery laughter floating through the night air. Who was she?
It was on a night like this that they had met. He was standing alone in the club, while Ken, Omi and Yohji entertained the group of girls surrounding them. Of course, it helped that he was standing in the darkest shadows, that they didn't see him. He wasn't as smart the last time. He almost got run over by the lot of them.
"How nice to finally meet you, Aya-kun." She had said. He could almost feel the heat emanating from her. "What exactly are you hiding from, out here?" she asked. He was quite sure that she was smiling.
"I am NOT hiding." was all he said.
"Oh, c'mon...then why are you here? I know I am."
"None of your business."
"Do you want to know why I'm hiding, my dear Aya-kun?"
He didn't answer. He was waiting for her to speak.
"Because...I am in love with someone I cannot see."
She had laughed at what she said. There was something different about her. He thought what she said was silly. Such fanciful notions. What could a girl know about such things? She was probably only a little older than Ken,(ang guwapo nun!)and yet, the sound of her voice, as the words fell from her mouth, held an all-too-familiar ache, that he himself felt.
"You know, Aya-kun, I'm really glad to have met you. And don't worry. I know you're trying to get away from those girls. I saw them almost run you over the last time. I won't call them over."
Aya blanched. So. She had been following him. Who was she? As if reading his thoughts, she answered.
"I'm just someone who wants to talk to you. That's all. I only happened to pass by the flower shop, when I saw you run past them, a few nights back. They really are pretty scary, aren't they?"
At this, Aya frowned, trying to keep from smiling.
They finally had some sort of conversation going, a few minutes later, which, in Aya's case was indeed, an odd occurence. Even Omi's jaw dropped, when he glanced in their direction. At this, Aya smiled. He knew that they all believed him to lack people skills. Seeing Aya smile only made matters worse. Omi now fell over and crashed on the floor. Ken and Yohji resisted the urge to see for themselves the cause of Omi's shock. Ken simply picked Omi off the floor, and resumed his position beside Yohji.
She grabbed him by the hand. Somehow, she had made him follow her without protest. Maybe he just felt stifled in there. Maybe it was the wistful note in her voice. Dammit. He was getting soft. Maybe he just needed to get out of there. He honestly didn't know. Her laughter echoed in the air, as they made their escape. They were out the door just before a group of Aya's fans caught a glimpse of them.
They ended up where he found himself standing now. The light was still quite dim. She faced him. And as she did, the the light showed a part of her face, and he saw her eyes, twinkling in pure delight. She pulled her closer to him. By now he was able to make out her face. Her expression was every bit as full of mischief as her eyes. A deep blue. She pulled him to her and kissed him. He had expected it to be very uncomfortable, due to the sudden movement, but he was mistaken. He felt a shock go through him, as the kiss felt soft and warm. He caught the spicy scent of her soft hair. He could feel his body loosen. He held her face and kissed her back, his mouth moving over hers, as he tasted her lips, an arm coming around her waist. He was surprised at his own reaction. He could imagine Yohji doing just this sort of thing...but not him. NEVER him.
"So sweet..." he thought, caressing her cheek.
He could feel the heat between them grow stronger. He held her tightly, as if not wanting to let her go. He could hear her whisper his name.
"Aya.....I..."
The kiss ended eventually, and she put her arms around him. Her warm breath made his skin tingle, as she whispered in his ear...
"I love you...Aya. My abyssinian."
Aya blinked in surprise. He instinctively jumped back, as the girl's lithe form released herself from him and ran swiftly away. He was too stunned to chase her. He just stared at the escaping figure, dark-brown curls flying, as she looked back at him. She laughed. Every note, sweet as the first morning dew.
"I'll be seeing you again, my Aya-kun!" she shouted, before disappearing through a corner.
"Aya!!!" A voice called out. It was Ken. He shook the memory away. He was about to leave when he found a blood-red rose inside his trenchcoat. There was a card. He opened it, and read the inscription:
My Dearest Aya,
Thank you for giving me my most cherished dream. I will never forget you.
-Pandora.
He walked out of the alley. The rain had stopped. He was joined by the others, as they got into his car and drove away.
Meanwhile...A dark-skinned girl jumps off the nearby roof, and lands on the pavement with utmost grace. She had long, curly, dark-brown hair, and had bangles on both ankles, and her left wrist. She held a set of binoculars in one hand, and a rose identical to Aya's, in another. She put the flower to her lips. She brushed off the remaining droplets of water from her own trenchcoat, and walked away.
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CHAPTER2:
"I love you...Aya. My Abyssinian..."
He could still smell the spice...feel the soft, smooth texture of her skin. It was almost as if he was...what? Aya stared at the ceiling. He ran a finger over his lips. The tingling sensation was still there. What was happening to him?
She had held his face so lovingly, as she stared into deep amethyst eyes. She shouldn't have said that. What was she to do? She shouldn't have come up to him like that. She knew that she shouldn't, but she did. She remembered the warm, silky feel of his skin. It had felt so good to finally be able to touch him. To kiss him. The air around them had been electric. How she melted when he kissed her. She had dreamt of it for so long, and the kiss had only made her want him more. If the kiss was like that...what would it be like to...but she just shook her head. She shouldn't think these things. She slanted the blinds on her window, and stared out at the moon, silently wondering what he was doing, now.
He heard her voice again. Heard her laughter. Saw her face...he was kissing her. He felt like a drowning man holding on to anything afloat. She almost reminded him of the carefree child his sister, and Omi should've been. The person even he should've been. he looked around. They were standing on a wide, expansive field, surrounded by flowers. She tugged at him again, and smiled.
"C'mon, Aya-kun." She beckoned.
They spread a cloth beneath a tree, and had a picnic. She read to him, while he rested his head on her lap, her voice clear and gentle. He yawned. She put down the book and kissed him on the forehead.
He could hear the doorbell ring. he opened his eyes, the sun's rays blinding him momentarily.
An envelope appeared under Aya's door. So. Here it was.
He looked at the picture of the girl. He went up to his room. No doubt about it. It was definitely her. According to the informer, she had jumped off the rooftop near the alley, the last time he was there. He looked at the eyes. There was no mistake. He knocked on Omi's door. It opened up soon after.
"I need you to give me a file on this person."
"Sure. Got a name? "
"Pandora. I need it by tomorrow night."
Omi looked puzzled, but just shrugged and did as he was told.
He went straight to the flower shop.
Aya got there a few minutes later, donned his apron, and went to work. As usual, Yohji was flanked by girls. Ken was in the greenhouse. He resigned himself to tending to the flowers in the shop. He was holding a bucket of roses, when the door opened. Everybody seemed to be busy.
He set the bucket down and wiped the sweat off his forehead, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, and saw a girl standing behind him. She twiddled her fingers, and began to speak.
"A-ano...Aya-kun...I...ah...could you...h-hand me..."
"Oi! Mi-chan!" Yohji called over his shoulder. "Here are the flowers you wanted."
Aya turned to see Yohji walk over and give the girl a boquet of roses.
"Arigato, Yohji-kun."
He was quite surprised. He looked for Yohji's adoring horde of fans. They had already left.
Yohji handed the reciept to the girl, and walked her out.
"She's a bit shy, but she's pretty. Not my type, though. Too skittish. What do you think?" Yohji seemed to remember something, and put both hands behind his head. "Ah, hell. Why am I asking you, anyway? You're not interested in these things."
" She has a tatoo of a star on the lower right corner of her right eye. "
Yohji actually turned his head and lowered his glasses, to look at Aya. He had been acting strange, lately. He just shrugged his shoulders, and smiled.
"Aya. I never would've imagined." He heard Yohji say.
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CHAPTER3:
Misanagi opened the door to the book store. Whew. She was really digging her grave on this one. She was acting extremely bold these days. What was wrong? She had been leaving too many clues. She opened the computer. She had to know the results of her experiment. She put the roses in a vase, and typed in the password.
"I knew it."
He was already on her trail. And he was getting close. She watched the computer screen, as the
files were being copied, one by one. It was probably Omi. She had been watching him for some time, now. She felt a surge of pride. Oh, no doubt about it. He was good. He was very good.
"She's a ghost. I can't find anything on her. No family, no background, not a thing. "
"Have you checked for a codename?"
"Yeah. I checked both codes and handles. I got a thousand hits. So far, I've traced 500. Not a thing. I'm still working on the others. Check with me later, Aya-kun."
The computer screen started to blink.
"Anou...Aya-kun...check this out."
A file appeared on the screen.
"Well?" Aya asked, in dry tones.
"I found a match nearby. For a store called THE BOOK BOX. It's two blocks from here. The owner's name was Pandora Ishikawa.There was no picture, but the description fits. She left it to her assistant Misanagi Kageyama, who went to the same school you did. She graduated top of the class, a year after you finished."
"Was?"
"They were on a car accident two years ago. Only the assistant survived."
"Where is it located?"
"Just two blocks from here."
Aya was about to leave, when something clicked in his brain.
Omi looked at him expectantly. "What is it?"
Misanagi Kageyama...
Misanagi, the shadow.
Shadows...
"...I'm in love with someone I can't see..."
The rose she had given him. It came from the flowershop.
--------------------------------------
Aya had checked the video clips of the shop three times over. He was on his third run. Where was she? He was reviewing the one taken a few days back. He watched expectantly.
"A-ano...Aya-kun...I...ah...could you...h-hand me..."
"Oi! Mi-chan!"
He looked the girl over. There was definitely something about her...what was it?
His stomach rumbled. Ah, hell. might as well do the groceries, and pass by the bookstore. He was getting nowhere with the tapes. He knew that she didn't hire someone to go get the flowers. He had a strong gut feeling about it. She came in there disguised. But, who? He took the coat from the hanger, and left for the nearest grocery store. When he was done, he decided to pass by the book shop. He was there moments later.
"M-May I help you?" A familiar voice greeted him.
It was the shy girl from the flowershop.
"Hn. I guess. Where's the fiction section?" He asked evenly. Man. This was going well.
"A-Aya-k-kun....a-ano....it's..."
"Who do I talk to, if I need anything?"
"Me." came the small-voiced reply. "I'm M-Misanagi."
It couldn't be her. They were too different. The girl wasn't acting either. She looked scared.
Aya looked around the bookstore. Nothing was out of place. Everything was normal. Just your average, run-'o-the-mill, bookstore. He passed over the counter, mumbled a word of thanks, and left. It was off to the grocery store for him.
The pushcart was going to overflow any moment now. He didn't seem to notice. He just kept pushing it around, and adding in whatever was on the list. He had even paid for it, without thought. In this trance-like state, he wondered how long it would take to find her. Why did he want to find her? His single-mindedness in the matter was astounding. What was she to him? They had met in the shadows. How funny it all seemed. The darkness. The void. How he wished he could escape it.
And yet, even in the darkness, hope was afloat.
She who stalked the shadows. And yet her eyes held warmth and sun.
Maybe if he got a little closer to her, the sun would welcome him, as well.
It took a moment before he realized what had happened. He could hear shots being fired, as his body turned and dodged automatically, without thinking. Conditioned response. What was happening finally registered in his brain. He was being shot at, and someone was covering him. He heard the urgency in the voice of the unknown person who had pushed him to safety moments ago.
"Aya. Get out of here!" She screamed above the thundering noise around them.
"Go! Now!"
He ran to his car, and quickly revved up the engine. He was out of there soon after.
They had been surrounded. It was an ambush. And he hadn't been prepared. It had started to rain again. He stopped the car and just sat there, hands on the steering wheel, head thrown back. He shouldn't have left her there. He drove back to the scene of the confrontation, and all was as if nothing happened. Not a trace of gunpowder or bullets. Like the whole incident was erased. He drove back to his apartment.
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CHAPTER4:
"You betrayed us. You were supposed to take the boy, after you got rid of his guardian. Instead, you killed a lot of my men, in one night, and helped him escape. Don't tell me you love him, Pandora. I won't allow it. You had better explain this to me. OR ELSE. I will not be betrayed by my own sister."
Her brother was furious. His voice was soft as silk, yet dripped of poison.
"But I don't." she replied smugly.
"Explain yourself."
"I want to gain his trust. Use him. Use all of them, and turn them against him. I want him to fall in love with me, then I will break his spirit. Killing him now will be too easy. I want him to suffer. So you see...I had to do it. He has to trust me. Do you see it now, dear brother?" she asked, sweetly.
Her lack of emotion and human compassion never failed to amaze him. And she was dangerous. He couldn't take any chances. He put an arm around her.
"Yes. You're right. Then, we'll get Omi."
She went to her room afterwards, locked the door, and leaned on the hard concrete wall. What was she to do now? She would only be able to prolong Aya's life. She hoped it was enough time for her to figure out her next move.
-----------------------------------------
The rain poured down that night. Everyone was in the den, waiting for the next mission, doing some little mundane action, to while away the time. Aya stood up to get a beer, when he heard a string of gunshots fired, not that far away. A loud rap on the door soon followed, and Aya ran to open it. He found a woman, clothes drenched, bloody knife in one hand, a gash on her right temple. Like she was hit with a 2 by 4. Yohji, and Ken ran outside immediately, to take care of the assailants. Aya carried her to the sofa. Omi glanced for a moment to see if Aya was alright, and saw Aya's panicked face. He handed Aya a towel and dashed off to help the other two.
Aya looked at her. She was unconscious. The woman looked familiar...
dark-skinned. soft, brownish-black curls.
Pandora.
"Aya...." He heard her whisper. No doubt about it. It was her.
Her skin was unusually warm. It looked like she was going to come down with a fever. He brushed a finger over her lips. Soft. The way he remembered it. The door opened, and Aya lifted his gaze to the three. It seems they made short work on the gunmen. Yohji, Ken, and Omi walked over to look at the sleeping girl on the couch, who's head was on Aya's lap.
"So...who is she? A girlfriend?" Yohji asked.
Aya just gave him a dry look.
"I don't know." was Aya's only reply.
"Well...that's okay, but I'm a litle worried about the couch." Yohji stated.
Aya shrugged and carried the girl upstairs, and brought her to his room. The other three followed behind him.
He started giving out instructions, and before long, hot water was brought to the bathroom, and towels have been left on the bed. Aya, left alone with the unconscious girl, was now panicking. How was he supposed to go about doing this? He closed his eyes, picked her up, and laid her on the tiles. Damn. This was going to be hard.
He removed her shoes, and socks, noticing how lightweight they were, and the thin rubber soles that kept her from sliding off surfaces. Her clothes were as stylish as his and Yohji's, yet very utilitarian. Because of the lightness of her shoes, her movements would be more flexible and efficient. Because the soles were rubber, she wouldn't slip off any surface, except, maybe ice. She wore a plain, black trenchcoat that reached down to her knees, a short, sleeveless top, and soft, amazingly thin slacks that were so black, light wouldn't shine through. The coat would take care of chill and rain, while the clothes made her movements more free-flowing, making her a formidable opponent. And if the earlier ambush, and this night's activities were counted, one thing was certain. She was an assasin. And not just any kind. She was good. A professional. About the only frivolous item she possesed were the thick, metal bracelets and anklets she wore, that were, for the moment,wrapped in black, felt-like cloth. He took those off, as well.
he put her in the bathtub, after removing the coat. Aya took a deep breath. He had to do this. He put an arm around her, and lifted the shirt from her damp skin. He tried to put the rush he got moments after out of mind. He unhooked the slacks, and pulled the material off long, slender legs, while ignoring the scent of fresh rain and earth that still clung to her. He then poured the warm water into the tub. He looked around for some kind of soap, then remembered the bubble bath Yohji gave him, last christmas. The scent of pears and apples started to fill the bathroom, as he splashed the water, waiting for the foam to form. There he was, sitting beside the tub, splashing the water, when he glanced at her face. She looked like she was asleep. He felt a little relieved. At least she wasn't taking a turn for the worse. Now the hard part. he was going to have to remove her underclothes. He closed his eyes. Surely he was better than this! Surely he can tend to her without...without...he stopped that train of thought while he slid off the straps of her brassiere. His hand rested on her back, when realization dawned upon him. The catch was on the front! His hand traced the lower edges, and the wire until he found it. His hands stayed a bit longer on the material, soft flesh, pushing the cloth taut. He unlatched it quickly, and peeled off the rest of the damp cloth that was wreaking havoc on his brain. He then slid his hands down to where the last undergarment remained, pulling the cloth down smooth, supple flesh. He was now feeling extremely giddy, and at the same time, thoroughly disgusted with himself. And he still had to give her a bath.
Downstairs, Yohji had an annoying smile on his face, as though he could very well imagine, and was thoroughly enjoying what version of hell Aya was going through, that very moment.
Aya was now contemplating what to do next, when he heard the knock on his door.
"Who is it?" his surly voice inquired from inside the bath.
"It's Manx."
Aya breathed a sigh of relief. whew. That was close.
He opened the door and let her in. Manx took one look at the girl, and then stared at the red haired, red-faced youth trying hard not to look helpless in the current compromising situation he was in. Well...Aya. With a girl. Very surprising indeed. She waved Aya away with her hand and simply said,
"Go. I'll take care of it."
Aya nodded his assent, and went down the stairs.
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Chapter5
Pandora opened her eyes. Faint light streamed in through an open window. The sun was just about to rise. She glanced at the figure sleeping beside her. He had watched over her all night. He looked more tired than usual, his hair hanging loose. She propped herself against an elbow, ignoring the pain she felt on her head, and smiled. She stared at the man she loved. How wonderful he looked in the morning. She got off the bed and walked to the window, and for the first time, noticed the green silk pj's she wore. She giggled softly as she started to move fluidly, dancing to some imaginary tune that seemed to progress with the sun's appearance on the horizon.
She hadn't noticed the other three people in the room other than her and Aya.
Omi looked in wonder.
Ken was a little suprised.
Yohji admired the grace of her movements.
Aya was watching in rapt attention.
Her movements were so slow and smooth, that the only sound that could be heard was the soft "chink!" of her brass bangles, and as the sun had finally made it's ascent, so had her dance ended. She bowed low to her audience, who now feigned sleep, and as she made her way to the other side of the bed, she saw the other three. She took blankets out of the cabinet, and put one over each of them. She lingered over Omi.
"he looks so kawaii when he sleeps." she thought, giving him a kiss on the forehead. She padded her way out the door, down the stairs, planning to make breakfast.
"how come Omi gets a kiss..." Yohji grumbled, stretching his limbs.
"Because I'm so kawaii!" Omi answered, smiling as he did.
"You think she should start moving about like that?" Ken asked, yawning.
Aya opened his eyes. he had to get answers. He took a shirt out of the closet, and followed her downstairs.
He stared at the monitor. There she was, humming a happy tune, while preparing what seemed like fried rice and spring rolls. She was acting so naturally, as if the night before was nothing but a forgotten dream. Yohji grabbed a chair, and sat beside him, and gave him the report.
"When we got there, only a few of them were still tailing her. We traced the path she took. We found ten bodies. I'm guessing she's got martial skills, and her main weapons are guns and blades. Two headshots at point blank. Several had extreme internal injuries. Three, had slit throats. She's almost as disturbing as you."
Aya shot him THE look. Yohji put his hands behind his head, and ignored the death glare the younger man was subjecting him to.
"Anyway, breakfast is getting cold. I'm heading downstairs. Enjoy your isolation, Aya-kun." Yohji mentioned affably, giving him the annoying smile. "Ja!"
Aya gave the moitor another look, and seeing as the others were already there, went down, himself.
....................................
"Mmmm...I smell something good!" Omi commented, as he sat down for breakfast.
Yohji on the other hand, was once again, being his charming, playboy self.
"Good morning. I trust you slept well? Allow me to introduce myself. Yohji Kudou, florist extraordinaire. And you are...?"
"Pandora. Pan. You know...greek mythology."
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Theresa's thoughts: Good one, Jazz. Could have done better myself (whoo...strong gusts of wind coming my way...too strong...).
Anyway, you had told me the chapter one and read the rest. The rest was also so good, especially chapter three (I think) when Aya was in charge
of bathing her. Man. Yohji's reaction is so cool! (So annoying too). I can't wait for the last part. Oh by the way, my disk drive is working so
this message is from my computer. Anyway, I want to have a copy of this once you finished it. PLEASE!! PLEAAAASSSSSSEEEEEE!! PRETTY PLEAAASSSEEE!! WITH SPRINKLES
ALL OVER AND ICING ON TOP (Hey, wait a minute! I'm turning into one mean Angelica---From rugrats).
Keep up the good work......
*Jeez, Yohji is pretty annoying!*
*Who is Misanagi? Whoa, mystery...*