Chapter Seven: Mysteries At Midnight

Riddle Seven: If Life Were a Game, Then Humans Are the _

"Gah! Why do you always do that?" Haya said as she shakily moved her hand to the chess board, "You're so vulnerable...yet your defenses are high,"

"What's the matter?" Chiyo said seriously, "Afraid you'll lose your knight?"

Haya paused then crossed her arms.

"This game is stupid. I'd rather run a hundred laps in an hour," Haya commented as Chiyo organized the pieces back into place, "Although..." Haya started, gaining attention from Chiyo.

"Although what?" she said in immediate response.

"If life were a game of Chess, would we be the pawns?" Haya asked. Chiyo got up from her seat and pushed it in.

"Don't ask such stupid questions..."

"What if Black Class was a game of Chess?" Haya asked. Chiyo came to a complete stop, "Do you play Chess with me because you think the Class is a game of chess?"

"...more or less," Chiyo said bluntly as she adjusted her thin frame glasses, "I don't ponder it much, but I know if I were to simply challenge Kamiko to a game of Chess, put her life and my life within an equal bet, I would surely win,"

"If it was that simple, then why haven't you done it already? And if you think this is a game of Chess, who are the pawns? Who is the Bishop? The Queen? The king?" Haya asked. Chiyo grabbed her bag from a hook and slid it on.

"Even if I were to tell you, my knowledge of it would be too hard for your small intelligence quantity to understand. There's no straight way of putting it. You just have to figure it out yourself," Chiyo said, and left the room. Haya crossed her arms.

"So much for a straight answer from miss know-it-all," Haya sighed, and took her bag.

Although...she seems confident in the fact that she is so smart. She knows all sorts of tactics in Chess as if she played it for years! Maybe she has been playing it for years. Maybe she's been a pro since she was like, seven. Or not. She's hiding something. And I have to find out what.

Haya put her hand over her stomach and faked a groan.

"How could I forget? I have to throw up..." Haya looked out her window and watched Chiyo walk to class, "Being a little late isn't going to harm me," Haya said, and began going through Chiyo's drawers and suitcases.

She has to be hiding something! She has to be...and that's what my gut is telling me. I gotta trust in it!

Haya continued to go through the suitcases and felt a bulge on the side, but found no zipper or button for it. She tilted the suitcase to the side and felt over it.

"What do we have here? A stitched pocket?" Haya felt it with her fingertips and ran to the kitchen part of the dorm room and took out a knife. She cut the stitching as precisely as she could and found a dark-black wooden box, "Oh, hello there..." Haya smiled and opened it. Haya passed out and the box rolled out of her hand and onto Chiyo's feet as she walked into the room.

"I knew I should have chosen to have a dorm to myself," Chiyo said as she picked up the wooden box, "It seems humans of this age are far incapable of seeing what true history is,"

The day went on, and Haya woke up to blurry darkness as she weakly tilted her head against what felt like the bark of a tree. Soon, she heard growling, then saw red eyes nearing her. Haya struggled to move and realized she had been tied to a tree, left to die. To her right, she saw a golden wolf place its paw along a red card. It sniffed it, then approached Haya with the card in its mouth. Haya grimaced at the sight of this snarling wolf with terrible breath walking up to her.

"Just...just take it, I don't care. If you're gonna kill me, just do it," Haya said. The wolf howled and the black wolves behind it snarled at Haya before running away. She realized that something was up. The wolf pawed at Haya's face and nuzzled its face against hers. Scared and confused for her life, Haya gulped and tried to stay calm.

Does this wolf want me all to itself? I wanted to die quickly not slowly! I gotta get out, I gotta get out!

Haya thought to herself over and over as she struggled to break free, her eyes firmly closed. After a few seconds of quiet, Haya grew hesitant to open her eyes. Assuming the wolf was gone, she opened her eyes fully and gasped as a Kaya Azami in worn school clothes stood on her hands and knees.

"K-Kaya?!" Haya almost screamed in surprise. Kaya smiled and caressed Haya's cheeks as she pointed towards another part of the woods. Haya looked in that direction and saw several flashlights nearing them, "Y-you got help?" Haya asked. Kaya smiled and nodded.

"Yes. I can't just have you assassins attacking each other. The year will be shorter that way, and my chance to strike will come sooner rather than what I'd hoped,"

"Wait where did that wolf go?" Haya asked. Kaya shrugged.

"Don't know,"

It then processed through Haya's mind.

"You're the wolf! A golden one? That's really scary," Haya said as Tokaku and her group neared where Haya was wrapped up. Haya smiled.

"Tell you what. I'll find a way to keep you after your first red card has timed out if you ever use it. In return, no one must know what I can do," Kaya said. Haya shrugged.

"I don't know if I can trust you. I'm starting to notice that more and more of our class is hanging out with Kamiko. That means that plan of hers is working...somehow," Haya said. Kaya glanced at the nearing group.

"...this never happened," Kaya said, turned into a wolf, and ran away. Haru stopped in her tracks as she, along with everyone else, gazed at the golden wolf as it ran away.

"Haya!" Tokaku said as she went to cut the girl loose. Haya pulled her wrists from the loosened rope and rubbed them softly.

"Damn wolf...damn box...damn roommate," Haya muttered to herself. Haru ran over and helped the girl up.

"Are you okay?" she asked Haya, who looked at the growing team of Kamiko. Here she could make her move, but could put her own life at risk...worth getting rid of whatever team she assembled. Then again, Kaya seemed like she knew these students would form. And a ripping of the red card meant expulsion upon school grounds. Why wasn't anything happening? Haya gave herself some time to think before she picked the drool soaked card off the floor.

"I'm fine...I just wish that stupid Chiyo was dead," Haya commented and ripped the drenched card in half, "I'll join you if it means I get an advantage over Chiyo. I can't just return to my dorm with that smart ass bitch living in it,"

"What about your stuff?" Haru asked.

"Screw my stuff. I've got nothing valuable in any of my bags. Except my notebooks. Which by now I probably have to purchase new ones this weekend," Haya admitted, as Koneko made her way to the unbound girl.

"Is there something about Chiyo you wish to tell us about?" the sphinx asked. Haya shrugged.

"If I could tell you, I would...but it was so strange. One moment I look into a black box...something came out, I don't know what. It was far too bright. It blinded me, and I blacked out. When I came to, Chiyo was standing over me, and said something about me not telling anyone anything or whatever. That box wasn't anything human,"

"Wait," Raku interrupted. Haya turned to her.

"Oh, it's miss annoying. What do you want?" Haya said smirking. Raku smiled back.

"Just wanted to to know what the black box looked like,

"Are you challenged?" Haya asked, "It's a black box, there's no other way to describe it,"

Mai then walked forward.

"She probably means any intricate designs that were carved or signed into the box itself. I have plenty of jewelry cases that have all sorts of fashionable designs," Mai explained. Raku nodded and Haya thought to herself, trying to remember how she examined the box when she found it.

"Umm...oh! It had a face of some sort engraved on one of the faces of the box, since it was more like a cube,"

"Can you be a bit more descriptive on what that face looks like?" Raku asked. There's no wrong way of putting this. Something coming out of a black cube...it has to be her, no doubt. But why was she in this class? Does she mean to have the same wish as me? Either way she was always so smart. I don't stand a chance against her if she ever...

"It looked like a demon girl. Straight hair, horns. Sharp eyes. Why would you even ask?"

Meanwhile Kamiko and Tokaku distanced themselves from the group just enough so that no one could see who they were messaging. Kaiba was usually the type to want himself secret, regardless his 'outgoing' personality.

"What do you think the answer to this riddle is?" Kamiko asked. Haru stood behind a tree, keeping a close eye on the two Azuma girls, one of which being her lawfully wedded wife. Tokaku started typing.

"Wait a minute. I sent the last one, it's your turn,"

"Family members always help out," Kamiko grinned. Tokaku wrapped her arm around her neck, smiling.

"Hey, you're nothing like any Azuma I knew when I was small. You can't possibly be my family. And besides, your eyes are red," Tokaku said as she looked into Kamiko's eyes, pointing out the color.

"Really?" Kamiko asked, blinking her eyes and staring back into Tokaku's.

"Yeah. You never looked in a mirror before?"

"No,"

"Ever saw your reflection in a lake?"

"No,"

"What about-"

"I blind brush my hair. I find mirrors and reflections bad omens, and I don't want any connection to that other world,"

"Other world?" Tokaku asked. Kamiko let her eyes leave Tokaku's.

"Yeah...it's a feint memory, a bit blurry, but I remember when I was little, I looked into a mirror. Something...scary happened. My reflection changed shape, and I screamed and passed out. Ever since then I never look into a mirror to see what I look like. I performed my training in areas outdoors, but nowhere near any place that could hold a reflection,"

"But you looked at a place that holds a reflection," Tokaku said.

"Where?"

"In my eyes. The way that the pupils work is strange, but you can still catch a glimpse of your reflection,"

"That's..."

"Wait. It's almost midnight," Tokaku said as she flipped her phone open and took Kamiko's. In both she answered the riddle.

Life's luxuries lie in memories

"Why would you put that down?" Kamiko asked. Tokaku handed back her phone, then pocketed hers in her denim shorts.

"Because of Haru," Tokaku said. Haru was watching from the trees, and heard her name called by the group not far way. Not hesitating to get caught, she went to the group. Why did she say my name? Does she not like me anymore? What's going on between them, I have to know! Haru thought to herself as tears formed at her eyes. Unknown to the fact that Haru had been spying on them, Tokaku and Kamiko continued talking.

"You must really love her," Kamiko said to Tokaku. Tokaku smiled.

"Yeah. I love her a lot. When I arrived in Black Class, I was focused on the mission Kaiba gave me, and I wanted to graduate the stupid class and get it over with. When I got to know Haru, I developed feelings for her, and when I learned she was the target, I ripped my red card, much like your group did, to protect her, as they now protect you. After Black Class ended and Haru managed to graduate, I spent every day with her in my arms and we always went somewhere new to have fun. When we turned twenty-one, we got legally married, and spent every precious moment together. That is why I put down memories for life's luxuries. One way or another, the days you spent with the one or ones you love are the richest of your life, not life in general. Remember that," Tokaku said, "You only have a hundred years tops, maybe a little more in this world. Make every day count with someone you know you love. Because when they're gone, one way or another, all that's left is the memories. It is a treasure to keep close and always remember. It is life's luxury. Memories will always be carried with you,"

"That's so sweet," Kamiko said smiling, "And also pretty sad. I mean...I don't think I ever said I love you to my father, nor did the words ever leave hismouth towards me. I was confused because I heard what love was, I just never felt it," Kamiko confessed, her head bowed down sorrowfully as her blue hair hung and spread along her shoulders.

"I thought you were more confident judging by the way you act,"

"That's because it is an act. I have no faith in myself. I am terrified I won't survive the mission Kaiba gave me,"

"And what mission is that?"

"I...I can't tell. He was very descriptive, and not even his top Azuma agent couldn't know,"

"That's...very well. But if it's to kill the Chairwoman, then know you have a whole team now to back you up. You don't need the whole class, now that the supporters you have outnumber and out-power her. That information, is true, that she may be a devil or a demon, but she is nothing compared to the future we want. As long as we have this group, and you keep your cool, this team will hold just as strong as you hold yourself. I may be the leader, but you are the founder. We are Class White,"

BZZZT!

Tokaku took out her phone and read Kaiba's mail. She quickly pocketed her phone after flipping it shut and took out a knife.

"Now who are you?" Tokaku asked as Kamiko smiled and sheathed her sword, sliding it in an 'x' shape along Tokaku's knife.

"I'm Kamiko. Kamiko Hikari. My faith is in the light, and I am a being of light. I will prevail in this mission. The light will be shed upon Class Black, and the Chairwoman will be bested,"

Tokaku smiled and sheathed her weapon.

"That's the Kamiko I know," Tokaku said and hugged Kamiko, "Oh, and don't forget I don't just hand these out, so don't get used to them," Tokaku said seriously. Kamiko giggled.

"Oh, trust me. I won't. Even though they feel so nice..."

"Mmmff!" Tokaku let out and pushed Kamiko away from the kiss she gave her. Tokaku coughed up blood and fell to her knees shuddering, and began to see the world as blurry, and struggled to get up. Kamiko's eyes glowed a grim red, as she stared up from Tokaku at the moon, "W-what the hell?" Tokaku said as she began to pass out. Kamiko let out a terrifying shriek, that of a monster, and the group began running to investigate. Tokaku noticed changes in body when Kamiko's red eyes returned to normal and she fell to the floor. Tokaku reached out to help her, and the creature became Kamiko again.

"Light is a joke," it growled, "Kamiko is lingering where her reflection does not like," it hissed, and Kamiko coughed out blood that splattered along the blades of grass, and onto Tokaku's reaching hand. Tokaku gripped the blades of grass and soil weakly as the world began to fade.

"That creature...is..."

*Author's note: For those who don't know about it, I used victim/witness testimony when Haya explained what happened when she passed out when Chiyo entered the room. Memories are forged in an instant, when asked to remember when one is harmed. Sometimes words may forge in one's head based on how someone knew the inflicter. Since Haya knew how Chiyo was, words were placed into Haya's head as if they were actually said, although Haya had never even been awake at that time. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews. I love you all ^^