Notes from the Author: Hi!It's back from the grave for me as I try to return to my unfinished stories. Anyway, I just had to start this one but don't worry, the plot has been laid down and is actually finished; it will just depend on your comments as to how much I can twist things. I will be working on the rest of my stories as best as I can to bring them to a close, as for this one, as it is my new creation, please be gentle. As a bonus I have included the first chapter with the prologue to curb my evil habit of leaving cliffhangers. Enjoy and feedback is more than welcome!
Chapter One
Nagi Naoe looked up uncertainly at a small rundown building a few blocks from the old investigator he hired himself to help him find Schuldig. After the last mission, half of Schwarz went missing, and while Crawford assured him that all of them are still alive, he made no move to look for them either. Months passed, and slowly Nagi came to the realization that Schwarz is no more; Crawford had taken up a new job as a business consultant who more or less dealt with illegal matters along the way to earn a living. There were a few assignments tossed over to him but most deal with having to be a bodyguard of some wealthy businessman and that was it.
To Nagi it didn't feel right to just abandon all hope of having the two of their comrades remain missing. They might have been the bad guys but at the end of the day, those had just been missions they were assigned to complete, nothing more. They took care of each other in their own way, no matter how unconventional a family they were, a family they were still to Nagi's eyes nonetheless.
Crawford mostly left him to his own devices as he was too busy to look after him; add to that among the three of them, Crawford found Nagi the most dependable and so he trusted him to be alone and not screw anything up. When Nagi brought up the matter of him trying to find Schuldig and Farfarello, Crawford merely shrugged and told him to do whatever he wanted provided he didn't cause trouble.
And so he found himself scratching his head, examining the scribbles on the paper the investigator gave him. He apologized having to turn the case over to another colleague, but he promised that this person was very good at what he does and that he will be able to help him.
He trudged inside the nearly empty apartment and jogged up a short flight of stairs into the small hall where the office was located.
Yohji couldn't believe his eyes. He stood frozen in front of his door staring at Prodigy from Schwarz. Each item from the description in the file fit him perfectly, and suddenly, the missing man had a face.
Schuldig.
"There must be some mistake." Nagi finally said, turning to leave.
"Wait." Yohji put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, only to wince and move back when Nagi whipped his head back to glare at him. "Uhm, Mr. Kanzaki is a friend of mine. We used to share cases in the old days. I'm just starting out again in the business and he has given me some of his assignments to work with."
Nagi frowned at him. "I doubt you'd help me."
"Listen." Yohji sighed wearily. "Could you just, come in. Please?" When Nagi finally relented, he stepped aside to lead him in. He offered him the couch, and then sat on a chair beside his table, forgoing the comfort of his old armchair.
"So?" Nagi mumbled after a while, shrugging. It has been a good few minutes since Yohji said anything, and it appeared he himself didn't know what to do next.
Yohji ran a hand through his hair. "Look. Naoe-san." He paused, having tried the young man's real name out loud for the first name. He knew him more as Prodigy, but that was way back then. "Let's leave all that in the past. I'm no longer your enemy." He stood up suddenly, taking Nagi aback. "Sorry, I just, I'm Yohji. Kudou Yohji." He offered a hand awkwardly which Nagi shook. "Bet you knew that already, though."
"U-huh." Nagi muttered, watching Yohji go back to his seat.
"Like I said, I'll help you. It's my job now." Yohji said, more to himself than to Nagi.
Nagi looked around at the small office, unable to suppress an amused smile. He did read from the mission files before that Balinese used to be a good private investigator. From the looks of the place, he seems to be starting over. Resting his eyes on Yohji, he frowned. "What of the talks I've heard of Weiss regrouping?"
"Um," Yohji pursed his lips, brows furrowed. "Well, there have been plans, but as far as I'm concerned, I don't think I'm coming back." He shrugged, giving everything around him a once-over. "I don't want to put this to waste. I've worked so hard to get this."
"So...that's why you want to help me? So you can pay this off?"
"You can say that." Yohji said half-annoyed. "Look kid, if you really don't want me to handle this you can go back to Kanzaki-san and explain it to him. I still got a few more cases on me, but I'd hate to give myself a bad rap about being choosy. You know what I mean?"
Nagi nodded mutely and sighed. From the looks of things it seemed Weiss wouldn't be able to regroup completely now with Balinese out of the picture. It would be lucky if he found Schuldig and Farfarello, and right now, that was his main concern. Crawford didn't mention seeing anything about Balinese or Weiss so he assumed that this move was harmless.
"So are we up for it?" Yohji pressed, leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees.
"Yeah." Nagi muttered uncomfortably.
"Okay." Yohji slapped his knees with finality and stood to relocate to his favorite chair. His lower back has been pestering him for days.
Nagi noted how the older man looked much thinner than when he last saw him, and attributed it to the change they underwent after the last mission, which threw them off course.
"I need a few things from you, though." Yohji was saying, consulting his file. "I need you to sign some stuff, you know, official business."
Nagi snorted and stood, amused at the irony that Yohji was into legalities. Nevertheless he took the pen and signed on the bottom of the page, stating he agrees to give his full cooperation and will be jointly responsible with any technicalities stated therein. Nagi almost felt like he was standing in Oracle's own study, only this one was less grandiose.
And a little bit more homey.
Nagi couldn't believe he'd just thought up that word.
"Great." Yohji closed the folder and motioned towards the chair he recently vacated. "Please have a seat. I need you to answer a few more questions."
Yohji drummed his fingers against his desk, pondering at the thought as to whether to mention his chance meeting with Schwarz to Omi or to keep it private. Since it would be a breach of contract if he did, he decided against saying anything about it to anyone.
Nagi left about an hour ago, and as promised had given his full cooperation, albeit with a bit of reluctance. From what Yohji had gathered, their last mission severed not only Weiss but also Schwarz. Half of the team was nowhere to be found, and Nagi was irked at the fact that Oracle didn't seem the least bothered about it.
He knew each member of Schwarz possessed a certain power, talent as they called it, and asked if it was possible to find their team members within their own means, to which Nagi scowled at. Apparently, kinesis has nothing to do with finding people, and Oracle could only look into the visions given to him, not choose them. If any, the person who would be of more help would be Schuldig, since he can reach people with his telepathy, although given a limited radius.
Apparently, he was one of the missing persons on Nagi's list. So, yeah.
He mentally drew up a list of places to look at, the place where their last mission played out as one of his priorities. It was the last time Schwarz saw Schuldig and Farfarello alive.
Schuldig. Yohji tried the foreign moniker a few times. Tall, redhead German with cerulean eyes, unlike Omi's which are a shade of cornflower blue. If I were him, where would I go? Why would I disappear? Did I want to disappear or did someone get me? Am I still alive or has someone...
"...sakes Yohji. Open the door."
Yohji abruptly stood and hurried to the peephole by the door. Ken's impatient pout looked back at him. "Sorry!" He opened the door and grinned at him. "Missed me already?"
"Shut it." Ken growled, barreling inside without Yohji's invitation and dumping himself on the couch. "You said no again?!"
"Kenken,"
"I don't understand you." Ken frowned at the older man as he watched him close the door and sit down wearily on the chair beside the table. "You need the money, Yohji."
"That's why I'm working, all right?" Yohji said exasperatedly, running a hand along his hair. "Look, Ken. It's about time Kritiker found a replacement for me. I'm a bit too old for this."
Ken sighed longingly, crossing his arms, that adorable pout once again on his face. It made Yohji laugh. "Shut up!"
"What do you want me to do, Ken?"
Ken closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he glanced around Yohji's meager office and sighed. "I wish for things to be the way they were."
Yohji's smile slowly faded away, as he recognized the same longing as Nagi had. Maybe that was it, did Schuldig still want to come back? Or did he find a new life of his own? "Oi, don't sleep. I'm about to lock up."
"For a second hand, this is a very comfy couch." Ken muttered. Even back in Weiss, everything Yohji owned screamed comfort, if not luxury. That was more Aya's thing. Ken has always been all about sports right down to the coffee mug he used, and Omi, well he bought anything techie he could get his hands on. But given any four of their rooms, next to his, Ken found hanging around Yohji's the most cozy of all - if not for the smell of cigarettes which constantly lingered around the older man. "How am I supposed to live without this?" He despaired, much to Yohji's amusement. "All right. I admit. I miss you like hell."
"We still have the flower shop, Ken. I still work there, you know that. Right?"
"Yeah, but..." Ken frowned, not wanting to finish the thought out loud. He didn't understand why Yohji had to move out too. He was afraid that it was only a matter of time when Yohji would also leave the shop. He winced as Yohji ruffled his hair.
"We better go." Yohji said.
Ken stood up and trudged after Yohji. While he waited for Yohji to finish closing shop, he leaned on the opposite wall of the narrow hallway. "What gives, Yohji? You wanted out of the business, but here you are as private investigator. You're bound to encounter the same demons sooner or later."
Yohji paused and turned, only to find Ken making a move to go ahead out the building. With a sigh, he gave the door a nudge to see it wouldn't give in, before following the younger man out.