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Thanks for the feedback. Actually I honestly did not think about that. So … a little less gratuitous cruelty and a little more humour. Just some last bits to work out for continuity!

Disclaimer: I do not own Noir.

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When the Lights Go Out
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Mireille made good on her vow and dragged them all out the next afternoon, crossly leading the way to her preferred beauty parlour on the other side of town. Chloe followed at a distance, dressed in a pink body suit and poncho she'd found in Kirika's wardrobe (Altena had insisted way back when that they have matching outfits). She was relieved somewhat at this, as having something so familiar to wear made it easier to endure the great farce in which she had found herself.

Kirika trailed behind demurely carrying a box of ice-cream cones, so she could stick one in her mouth for that irresistible cute look in case Mireille's plan went too well and she preferred the look of the made-over Chloe.

The salon was a formidable building with large glass windows. Mireille strode in completely unfazed, pushing Chloe in front of her and nodding at the beautician. Her reputation preceded her something chronic in this part of town and she was known to every hairdresser and beauty artist in Paris.

The beautician looked past her at Chloe, eyebrowless and bald, sporting the body suit and poncho complete with hefty eyebags and two missing teeth. At once all the clients in the parlour ran towards the door screaming in disgust and the beauticians ganged up to bodily shove them out, slamming the door shut behind them.

Kirika immediately crammed a cone in her mouth as Mireille was looking angry, but the fuming blonde barely noticed. Instead she clenched her fists, and after a minute bowed her head and turned away.

'I cannot look at you now. You are a disturbing enigma, to my fashionable eyes. Kirika, take her home.' She started to walk away.

'Mireille – wait – where are you going?'

'I'm going to go do what I do best. KILL THESE WHO HAVE SHAMED US IN FRONT OF ALL OF PARIS.'

An awkward silence complete with tumbleweed.

'Just kidding,' Mireille added. Nobody laughed. 'I'm going to shop, what else? Go home. I'll see you later.'

Kirika let her go, watching with a look that was puzzled, amused and concerned all at once. She rolled her eyes at Chloe and shrugged.

'Women!'

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Kirika pushed in the door of the apartment and headed straight to the kitchen to make (what else?) some tea. Chloe sat at the table, waiting, and fidgeted. When Kirika returned she was relieved to see that the cup she handed her actually contained tea, sweet brown milky tea.

Nevertheless she sat there and kept fidgeting throughout the afternoon tea, barely eating anything. Kirika was quick to notice this and gave her the same look she had given Mireille earlier.

'Kirika … what happened to you?' Chloe said, quite sadly. 'Before all this … you were different. You cared— … We were special. What happened? Did Mireille hypnotise you? Even that day when she came for you … and you—'

At the mention of her partner Kirika's eyes suddenly went swirly and she began to chant in an extremely un-Kirika-like deep voice,
'Mireille ... is … sexy
made … outta … Pepsi
Mireille … wears … cotton
looks … really … hot on—'

'Please, Kirika!' yelped Chloe.

'Sorry …' said Kirika snapping out of her trance instantly and blushing furiously. 'I'm sorry, Chloe. I think it is Mireille … If you ever saw legs like hers you would also—uhhh … I mean.' She was stumbling. 'I'm sorry I was so bad to you last night. It was just that we were … umm … well just before you came, Mireille was … ah … I—' Kirika was the colour of a very red vegetable.

'Never mind,' said Chloe faintly. 'I think I get the picture.'

'Will you forgive me?' Kirika pulled the huge reddish-brown deer eyes that nobody could resist, and gazed at Chloe. Chloe felt something funny that was like her soul being entirely absorbed.

'You know, considering everything we've been through, we probably all deserve to be killed by each other. But,' Chloe paused for a gasp of air, feeling a strange rush of adoration returning 'let's just see what life now brings us …'

At that moment, all the lights in the apartment flickered and died.

'Huh?'

The light of afternoon outside made the difference barely noticeable, until Kirika went in to get more hot water and discovered that nothing in the apartment was working. No heat, no gas, no electricity …

'Uh-oh.'

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It was already evening and starting to get properly dark before they heard a key scraping in the lock. A lithe white figure stumbled through the door weighed down at the arms with rustling bags.

'Mireille?' called Kirika. She scrambled over and kissed her.

'Hello, darling. (-cough- Hello Chloe.) Whatever's happened to the lights?'

Just then there was a small explosion from somewhere in the kitchen. They rushed in just in time to see the dishwasher burst briefly in flames. Some small red rectangle envelopes were visible in the middle of the fire.

'Overdue bills!' cried Kirika.

Chloe spluttered. 'In the dishwasher?'

'Don't tell me they cut us off! Curses!' Mireille stamped her foot impatiently. A faint cry of annoyance floated up from the apartment below. 'We can't—'

'… what?'

Mireille bit her lip, and Kirika suddenly noticed her new haircut which was exactly the same as the old one. Chloe was purposefully prodding at the sea of shopping bags all over the floor.

'What?' snapped Mireille. 'All right, so I spent all my money. It's your fault. Buying Home Brand doesn't qualify as retail therapy you know.'

'What are we supposed to do now?'

'I'll get dinner,' Kirika offered. Chloe and Mireille were obliged to return to the window where they stood glowering at each other in the moonlight.

Then Mireille gasped. 'Your hair!'

It was true, Chloe very suddenly had a full head of hair regrown. She returned the irritating smile of last night.

'You should know, Mireille Bouquet. Our kind grow in the dark.'

'Is that Engrish, horticulture or just strange use of a thesaurus?'

'Is that an insult?'

Just as they were about to start fighting again, Kirika appeared with dinner. There was no way of cooking anything so they had no choice but to eat raw. Raw carrots, raw cabbage, raw rice, raw fish.

'I think this is supposed to be popular in Japan …'

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Chloe retired after dinner to enjoy the night with her new-grown hair. Kirika and Mireille took the opportunity for another romantic moment at the window, where they stood soaking up the moonlight, so close they trembled together in the cold of the apartment. Kirika slid her arm shyly around Mireille's waist and snuggled against her.

It was really quite a beautiful scene, the two standing there side by side, gazing at each other, understanding each other's heart without even needing words.

Gee, said Kirika's gaze, it's really cold in here.

I know, said Mireille's gaze in reply. Why the hell did I decide to buy that brand new exactly-the-same-as-what-I-always-wear red top instead of that foot warmer that was on special? We could have been wrapped up and cosy with our feet toasty warm, not that we would have had any hot water but I'm sure we could've lit a fire or something, or borrowed from next door. Sure they still owe me for the time I—oh damn it all, it's too cold for this! Come on, baby, let's get to bed.

Okay.

Kirika closed the window shutters and made her way in the direction of the bed.

'OOF!!'

A sharp pain told her she had tripped over something. Mireille was lying on the floor having bumped into an unidentified object. The shutters blocked out the last of the moonlight, and the dark was very disorientating.

CLANG!

'ACK!'

CRASH.

'Oooof!'

BANG!

'Ughh!'

THUD.

'Owww …'

At last they made it to the bed and collapsed gratefully upon it, slightly bruised, and huddled together under the covers.

'Good-night, Mireille.'

'Good-night, Kirika …'

They leaned in towards one another and missed, Kirika's lips brushing a mass of hair, Mireille's mouth taking in a heap of fluff from the pillow. Spitting, Mireille cursed.

'We really must get rid of those bills.'

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