"Hmmm…it has to be a riddle," Noelle said as they ate at a small outdoor café. The sun was beginning to sink towards the horizon signaling that darkness would soon come "As night falls the broken heart rises," She sighed. Silence descended on them as their minds raced.
"We should go home soon," Hisoka said finally breaking the silence "Nothing good ever happens in a city after dark,"
"Yes, let's go," Noelle said standing. They'd finished eating and paid over an hour before.
"Leaving so soon?" a male voice asked from behind Noelle. She saw both Tsuzuki and Hisoka freeze and watched their faces change. Slowly she turned around and found herself staring up (She's 5'1" tall) at a tall pale man dressed completely in white. She noticed that one of his eyes was silvery gray while the other, hidden partly by his short platinum blonde hair, was pale blue, deformed, and cat like "It seems as though you've been avoiding me. We haven't run into each other for awhile," He said taking no notice of Noelle.
"Muraki," Tsuzuki said, the anger in his voice noticeable. Noelle stared from Muraki to Tsuzuki sensing an incredible tension between them.
"C'mon we have to go," Noelle said finally going over to Tsuzuki.
"Who's this?" Muraki asked his eyes falling on Noelle. She stared back at him defiantly as a knot formed in her stomach. His gaze made her uneasy.
"Noelle," She spoke her name before she could stop herself. Muraki smiled. A smile that sent chills down Noelle's spine. They left quickly and walked back to the house in silence even though a million questions were whirling in Noelle head. Questions that she knew she's need the answers to for some reason.
"So how do you know him?" Noelle finally heard herself say as she pulled her house keys from her pocket. They stared at her, baffled "You know, Mr. Creepy-ass back there," she walked into the kitchen and put on a pot of tea.
"It's a long story," Tsuzuki replied when Noelle returned with a tray carrying three teacups.
"I'm all ears," Noelle said taking a sip of tea and looking at them expectantly.
"It all began in Nagasaki last year," Tsuzuki sighed.
"Whoa. You've been through a lot of shit because of this guy," Noelle said when they'd finished telling her everything that had happened involving Muraki. She had listened closely wide-eyed, not even daring to breathe, drinking in every detail.
"What kind of gun is that?" Hisoka asked his eyes falling on the SK-50 in its holster at her hip.
"Oh this is my SK-50," She replied removing it from it's holster and placing it on the table "This is my B-45," She placed that on the table too "and this is my TB-900," she twirled the smallest of the guns on her finger, "The SK and B are for ghosts and the TB is for vamps," she explained.
"Do the letters stand for anything?" Tsuzuki asked.
"It's easier to refer to them by their initials, but SK stands for Shaman King, B stands for Bleach and TB stands for Trinity Blood," Noelle replied "enough about guns, we need to figure out what the riddle means before tomorrow night," she sighed.
Silence descended on them as they shifted uncomfortably where they sat. Someone's stomach rumbled noisily.
"I guess I'll go make us a snack," Noelle said getting up and going into the kitchen. She took a large bowl from the cupboard and a package of Jell-O pudding from the fridge. She read the back of the package before beginning to make the pudding. She sang quietly as she worked. Just as she finished Tsuzuki came to the doorway.
"What's that you're singing?" He asked her. She jumped, startled by his sudden appearance.
"It's a song that my mother used to sing," Noelle smiled sadly. She didn't turn around because she didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes.
"It's very pretty," Tsuzuki said leaning on the doorframe.
"After we eat some of this we can go to bed," Noelle said blinking the tears from her eyes and carrying the bowl into the living room, placing it on the coffee table. She yawned and stretched before returning to the kitchen for bowls and spoons.
After eating Noelle went to the closet in the hall and got pillows and blankets.
"You don't mind sleeping in my room do you?" Noelle asked from the hall. They joined her in front of the hall closet, "I mean it's been nearly four months since Cara left and it'd be nice…" She blushed "I don't like being alone," she sighed finally, feeling the tears in her throat and trying to hold them back.
"Sure," Tsuzuki replied "are you okay?" he asked seeing her eyes moisten with tears.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Noelle replied her voice choked with tears, "Um…there are only two beds. So I hope you guys don't mind sharing a bed,"
"Uhh…" They both said in unison.
"Well it would be inappropriate for either of you to share my bed with me," Noelle blushed again at the thought.
"When you put it that way I think we'll be alright," Hisoka sighed.
"Good," Noelle smiled. Silently they walked up the stairs to the bedroom. She made the empty bed quickly, "It's too sad to leave it made up when there's no one to sleep in it," she said as she tucked in the sheets and adjusted the pillows. The room was big enough for four beds and was well lit by a ceiling fan light fixture. The walls were a pale cheery yellow and were hung with posters and pictures. A wooden night table stood silently next to each bed. One was bare while the other was cluttered with photographs, an empty glass, and a gleaming silver star locket, "Well, good night," Noelle said climbing into the already made bed while Tsuzuki and Hisoka hesitantly climbed into the newly made one.
"good night," Tsuzuki said as Noelle clicked out the light with a small remote next to her bed. Soon they were all fast asleep.
The morning sun found Noelle already up as it spilled into the room through the open blinds and sheer curtains. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and yawned before glancing over at the other bed. They were still asleep. Back to back. Noelle smiled as she stood and stretched. It was good not to be alone anymore. She descended the stairs, her clean clothes in hand and let herself into the bathroom where she hastily showered. Upon returning to the room she found that Hisoka had just woken up.
"Good morning," Noelle said dumping her dirty clothes in the hamper.
"Good morning," he replied standing and facing her. His left sleeve had rolled up to his elbow in his sleep and she noticed strange reddish marks on his exposed arm. She got the feeling that there was something they hadn't told her. His eyes followed hers and he quickly pulled the sleeve back down, covering his arm. He stared out the window, hand lingering on his sleeve for a moment.
"I guess I should go start breakfast," Noelle said and hastily left the room. She wanted desperately to ask him about the marks, but feared it would be a bad idea.
An hour later all three of them sat down to eat breakfast in living room.
"Noelle, who's that girl in the picture on your night table," Hisoka asked. She knew which one he meant. It showed a lovely fifteen-year-old girl with long curly blonde hair and dark eyes on a swing at the local park.
"Her name was Cara," Noelle replied "She was my partner and in a way my best friend and sister," she smiled through her tears "she died four months ago,"
"I'm sorry," Hisoka said looking down.
"It's ok. You didn't know. But I have to ask," Noelle said. Hisoka looked up at her "Where did you get those marks on your arm?" He looked away and then back at her. She looked curious, but there was fear in her eyes, a fear of the unknown.
"They're from the curse that killed me," He replied finally.
"Hmmm…" Noelle took a sip of her coffee. She closed her eyes for a moment.
"What are we doing today?" Tsuzuki asked when he'd finished eating. Breakfast had been good even if the conversation had been awkward.
"Today we have to figure out that riddle," Noelle replied standing and taking her empty dishes to the kitchen.
An eerie silence fell o them for the rest of the afternoon. Their conversation was spotty at best, but they'd had a very odd and hilarious discussion on why vampires don't eat cheese compliments of google.
"This isn't helping at all," Hisoka sighed getting up from his chair by the computer.
"Now what?" Noelle asked turning to him, "This is the only lead we've got," she was irritated because normally she'd have a case like this cracked wide open by now. Of course she was usually dealing with amateurs who left too much evidence or quick random murders whose perpetrators left behind just enough evidence to convict them. This case was different. There was still no evidence and soon to be two murders.
"Where are you going?" Hisoka asked as Noelle stood and went to the door.
"I need to go for a walk," Noelle replied "there's money on the table if you get hungry," she left the house and began walking towards the largest club in the city, the broken heart bar and club.
"Where do you think she went?" Tsuzuki asked after Noelle had left.
"That's a good question," Hisoka sighed "Do you think we should've went with her?"
"Maybe, but she knows this city better than we do remember? She'll probably be ok," Tsuzuki replied.
Meanwhile…
Noelle had successfully entered the club using her fake ID. She inconspicuously took a seat at the bar, ordered a rum and coke (she could hold her alcohol pretty well), and let her eyes wander over the brightly lit crowded dance floor. Many people were grinding, probably with people they either didn't know or would soon forget as Nelly Furtado's ManEater blasted from the speakers.
"Aren't you a little young to be here?" A familiar voice asked from the barstool beside her.
"That's none of your business," Noelle replied and took a sip of her drink.
THE NEXT MORNING…
The sun blazed in the window and Noelle rolled over in her bed to avoid he bright light.
"Noelle? Are you awake?" Tsuzuki asked taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Noelle moaned and opened her eyes.
"How did I get home?" She asked groggily "More importantly when did I get home?" she looked at the clock. It read noon.
"You stumbled through the door around three this morning," Tsuzuki sighed as she sat up. Memories from the night before swirled through her head in no particular order. The phone rang sharply once. A few minutes later Hisoka came to the door.
"That was Miss Donna. There's been another murder," He said
"Where?" Noelle asked fearful of the answer.
"The broken heart bar and club," Hisoka replied. Silence descended on them as Noelle climbed out of bed, "Where were you last night?"
"I was at the…" Noelle started, but fear gripped her. It felt strange to walk.
"You were there weren't you?" Tsuzuki asked looking serious. Noelle froze and after a moment she nodded "Is that why you came home so late?"
"No," Noelle replied "I got home late because last night was my first time," she blushed. They got the message and both blushed as well.
One week and four murders later they still had no leads and no suspects.
"Noelle how is it that you're always at the place where the murders occur?" Tsuzuki asked as they sat around in the living room trying to decipher another riddle.
"It's the riddles," Noelle sighed "I know this city like the back of my hand. And besides I'm not alone when I'm out,"
"So you're always with someone?" Hisoka asked.
"Yes. It's always the same person though," Noelle replied feeling a sense of guilt overwhelming her.
"Really?" Tsuzuki asked "Do you know him?"
"Actually I don't know him that well, but you do," Noelle replied quietly staring at her knees. They stared at her in disbelief as she reveled in her memories…
The night that she had gone to the broken heart was a night she knew she'd never forget. As she sat at the bar watching the wild clubbers she had begun a teasing conversation with a man she didn't fully recognize until she turned to face him. At first a silent fear had gripped her heart, but it disappeared a moment later, fizzled out by unexplainable desire.
"It's too noisy here. Would you like to go somewhere…quiet," Noelle had asked with a slight smile. '
"If that's what you want," Muraki had grinned back. She slid off the barstool and headed toward the door. He followed.
"I know a hotel nearby. I'm ready," She'd told him as they exited. A tense silence fell on them as Noelle led the way towards a large brightly lit hotel and got a room near the top floor for the night. It followed hem into the elevator and remained until they were in the room. The door closed and locked tight behind them.
"Is it your first time?" He asked as she hesitantly took her clothes off.
"Yes it is," She replied quietly. He undressed and walked over to her wrapping his arms around her in a sensual embrace, "Let's do it," she said gently breaking free and taking a seat on the bed. She gave him a steamy look before lying down among the pillows. With a grin he joined her. Soon the covers and sheets beneath them were rumpled and two of the pillows lay abandoned on the floor. Noelle fell asleep for a little while after they'd finished, curled up naked among the rumpled bedclothes. She awoke around two fifteen am and got dressed.
"Did you enjoy it?" Muraki asked from the bed as she ran her fingers through her hair.
"I certainly won't forget it," Noelle replied "see you," She left for home.
The silence seemed to last an eternity between the three of them.
"Did you..." Tsuzuki started.
"Yes," Noelle replied knowing what his question was "I screwed around with him," She sighed "I'm regretting it now though," she said quietly "Because I think he's the murderer we're looking for,"
"Why is that?" Tsuzuki asked curiously.
"He just seems like the type who would do this," Noelle explained.
"So we finally have a suspect," Hisoka said
"Maybe now we can solve this," Tsuzuki said
"It's a start in any case," Noelle sighed.