Chapter 10 Chevalier

Himi skipped around a bush, humming to herself, coming into view of the three seated round the table by one of the many fountains in the huge greenhouse. Nathan looked up over his glass of wine, the red liquid reflecting a red circle of light onto his smiling mouth. James and Solomon followed his gaze, Solomon's soft face curving into a smile.

"Himi, it's so nice to see you again." Solomon smiled, getting up to greet Himi with a kiss on either cheek. Himi submitted to this greeting with a sly grin, before appearing suddenly beside the table. Solomon stood and glanced back, still smiling gently. James glanced up at Himi as she stood next to him, leaning forwards and tilting her head.

"You're not going to greet me, James?" She said, her voice playful, but somehow half threatening at the same time.

"Of course I was. You simply did not give me enough time." James said, getting up from his chair and kneeling before Himi, taking her hand and kissing it as she giggled.

"So slow, James." She smiled. Nathan grinned at her.

"Are you bored, Himi dear?" Himi pouted.

"Well, Diva is still sleepy, so I can't play with her. Where's Amshel? I want him to hurry and give her the blood of awakening so she can play with me again." She said petulantly. Nathan smiled, as Solomon seated himself once more.

"On that note, where is big brother Amshel? I received word that he would be late, but…" Solomon asked, as James drew up a chair for Himi to sit on. Nathan shrugged, taking an elegant sip of his wine.

"I expect he's on business somewhere. He'll turn up at soon I'm sure." Nathan said, uncaring. There was a small silence, while Himi swung her legs in a bored fashion, eyes closed.

"Russia. He's in Russia, I think." Himi said softly, eyes still shut. All three chevaliers jolted and stared at Himi as she opened her eyes slowly. There was another pause, before Nathan spoke, swirling his wine around his glass gently.

"I wonder what he's doing in Russia." Himi giggled.

"That's where the Red Shield is. I expect he's gone to take a look at Saya." Himi gave a tinkling laugh through her fingers. Solomon blinked, while James sat back in his chair; he wasn't interested in what Amshel and Saya, their arch-enemy, might be doing unless it involved Diva.

"Ah yes, I heard that Saya doesn't remember anything this time." Himi stretched and stood, her skirt swishing around her legs, and promptly fished Solomon's credit card out of his pocket. Smiling, she began to leave, as Solomon looked slightly exasperated, but amused, at having his credit card stolen.

"No, she doesn't. She didn't even know who Hagi was!" Himi danced along the path and then out of sight, her last words floating in the air. "I'm going to buy some things for Diva." Solomon and Nathan watched her go, James still bored and uninterested.

"That's quite incredible. She didn't even remember Hagi, her own chevalier?" Solomon commented to Nathan, pouring himself a glass of wine himself, and filling Nathan up while he was at it. Nathan chuckled.

"I'm sure that was a shock for poor Hagi." Nathan took a sip of his wine thoughtfully. "Mmm. Hagi."

-n/s-

I get stared at whether I'm Kata or Himi, huh? Himi thought with a sigh, as she left the shop, carrying yet another carrier bag to add to a grand total of 13 designer shopping bags, containing various things from dresses and hair accessories to puzzles, books and toys. Trying to ignore the admiring stares drawn from all the males(and quite a few females) in the area, and the jealous stares from everybody else, Himi strolled along the street, grateful that at least the stares meant most people moved out of the way and gave her a clear path.

Himi loved and hated having two identities. Both sides of her had perks; as Kata, she could be with Saya, be sarcastic and make fun of people -especially the Red Shield members and Hagi- and best of all she could fight all she wanted. But as Kata she was mistrusted, feared, and even hated by the people who surrounded her. Himi was well aware that even Saya did not completely trust her. And the Red Shield would be positively delighted to see her dead, but Himi supposed that at least the feeling was mutual.

As Himi, she could be with Diva, and have fun just playing around and giggling and teasing people in quite a different way, and she was adored, even if the only reason the Chevaliers tolerated her was on Diva's orders. She could dress up and let her feminine side come out to play, and although she couldn't fight, she could eat. She didn't have to squash her natural instincts, and that was fantastic. But Himi lived in fear for her life. If Diva's chevaliers were to find out about her double life, no matter how much they proffered love to her and showered her with praises, Himi would be killed, but more importantly, Diva would be upset. Probably.

I really don't know which is best. Well, Himi thought, her face fixed in a lazy smile as she continued down the streets of the town, unconsciously heading back towards the greenhouse (which she had since discovered to be a museum). Neither of them is really me. I'm not Himi, but I'm not Kata either. I don't know who I am. I… I don't even know what 'I' really means. 'I' don't have a name, so how can 'I' have an identity? Himi's pace slowed with the sudden seriousness of these thoughts, though she kept walking. She was now in the park, which she had already taken to calling 'The Marie-Antoinette Playground'. Her habit of naming things was one of the few things, other than her appearance, that stayed with her as she switched between identities. Without a name, I am nothing.

Himi stopped completely, before mentally slapping herself and banishing those depressing-soul-searching words from her head and hurrying towards Diva.

When she arrived however, she was disappointed to find her friend still sleeping, though it looked like Himi had missed a brief fit of wakefulness; Diva had moved a bit and broken and torn toys, books with pages ripped out and leaves from the nearby bushes were scattered around the steps where the Blue Queen lay. Himi stood for a while, watching the even rise and fall of Diva's shoulder as she breathed, vaguely hearing Nathan comment on how late 'that Amshel' was. As she watched, a leaf, perfectly innocent, green, freshly torn from its branch and resting on a curve of Diva's pool of dark hair, suddenly crinkled and darkened to a dead brown. Himi smiled, and put her many shopping bags discreetly in a bush.

Solomon was startled suddenly, splashing his wine and only his chevalier fast reactions saving his expensive white suit from complete ruin, as Himi appeared and casually slipped Solomon's credit card back into his pocket. She had only been gone for maybe two hours, but her chair had been respectfully left in readiness, and Himi now re-seated herself, ignoring the slightly exasperated look from James as she interrupted their conversation.

"I don't suppose I get any food until Diva wakes up properly?" Himi suggested hopefully, and was met with indulgent smiles from Solomon and Nathan.

"I'm sure big brother Amshel will return soon." Solomon said complacently, ignoring the red splash at his feet and refilling his glass again. Himi pouted, and then suddenly smiled, gleeful.

"He's nearly here!" She half-sang, her smile widening and her pointed canines coming into view. All three chevaliers stared at these teeth, but before any questions were asked Amshel arrived.

Well, correction, a pretty Russian woman with blue eyes and a Red Shield crystal on her bracelet arrived and sat by Diva, greeting her and stroking her hair. Himi's eyes narrowed possessively at this, for of course not one person was fooled by this disguise; it was most certainly Amshel and as he stood and walked towards them he regained his true form; a big man, but not exactly muscular like David and Hagi, with black hair combed back and a moustache that was supposedly typically 'Français'. His suit was, in Himi's opinion, quite a revolting shade of prune, but Himi made no audible comment.

Oh honestly. Chevaliers do not exactly move with the times, huh? Nathan is dressing like a transvestite, Solomon looks like some idiot pretending to be a prince or an angel or something, Amshel looks like someone out of a really old, really bad sitcom and don't even get me started on Karl. Himi frowned, Kata's personality briefly shining from her eyes, but nobody caught it as Amshel reached the table.

"Himi. It is a pleasure to see you again." He said formally, mimicking James's actions and kissing her hand. Himi smiled, but her eyes were icy, and she none too discreetly wiped her hand on her skirt afterwards. Amshel, however, chose to ignore this and simply seated himself.

"I'm sure Diva will wake properly soon, so you shall not be bored much longer." Amshel addressed Himi, but somehow the words were meant for everyone.

For what is more exciting for a dog than to have their master awake? Himi thought with a smirk. Polite conversation ensued, but all the while Himi was picking through Amshel's brain, discovering what had been happening in Kata's absence, and the revelations Amshel, in Liza's form, had made to Saya.

-n/s-

It hadn't been what you would call 'a good day's work' at the Red Shield. Their plan to let Saya remember her past on her own had backfired rather badly; with disastrous consequences that really drove home just how useless the Red Shield was without Saya and Hagi, who had, of course, followed his master faithfully. Himi was lying across the steps, the swathes of Diva's long hair entangled around them both. Diva was still sleeping; it seemed just a tad weird that after doing nothing but sleep for thirty years you would be tired, but there you go. Maybe it was to readjust to your centuries of memories.

Himi, however, having been awake for quite some time, was reflecting, staring up at the domed glass ceiling of the greenhouse, or museum, with vague interest. It was late afternoon, and the sunlight had turned golden, sparkling through the glass and glinting off the dust motes to give that rare impression that one was in the middle of fairies at work. Himi had no such delusions about fairies performing magic above her head but even she would have admitted that it was rather pretty; thus it wasn't with an expression of complete boredom that she brooded over the information she had picked up from Amshel's brain earlier.

So Saya… she didn't even realize that she was a chiropteran? That she wasn't human? ... Wow. That's… one damn perfect example of complete denial. Huh. And now Saya is on the way to the Zoo, where it all began, and Hagi is, of course, following. Why is Hagi letting her do that? Seriously? Why? Urgh. Dissatisfied, and still struggling with Saya's incredible slowness, Himi shifted impatiently.

"Himi?"

"Oh, hi Diva. Sorry, did I wake you up?" Himi sat up, and Diva followed, her long hair catching on Himi's fingers and keeping the pair with their shoulders touching.

"Yes you did. You had some very angry thoughts there, Himi." Diva laughed softly, as Himi smiled in return.

"I'm hungry. Aren't you hungry? All you've had is Amshel's blood, and that's not incredibly exciting." Himi replied, still smiling, and disentangling herself from Diva's hair. Diva smiled back, a dangerous gleam appearing in both girls' eyes.

"Amshel." And now Diva's voice held a tone of command, and her faithful chevalier obeyed and appeared by the two.

I wonder if Amshel would be slower if Diva didn't command him. Actually, he's a dog, so he probably wouldn't care and would just come anyway, huh? Himi pondered, as Diva haughtily requested some food. Blinking herself back to reality, Himi stood, the last locks of Diva's hair falling from her frame gracefully. Her shoes were kicked to one side, and the white stone of the floor was cool against her bare feet as Himi reached out a hand to Diva, who ignored it and got up. Himi shot her a questioning look, and Diva smiled.

"We can have a game later, can't we Himi? And then you must tell me what my dear sister Saya has been doing while I have been sleeping." Himi nodded her assent, and Diva's attention was soon distracted by the sight of a couple being led towards them by Amshel; probably randomly picked off the street, the pair couldn't have been more than twenty five, and were exclaiming excitedly to each other about the wondrous beauty of the museum. Diva's lips curved into a smile, her canines pointed and eyes gleaming. Before the couple even noticed Himi and Diva standing there, Diva was gone, having appeared again behind the woman.

"You smell nice. Himi, I'm having this one. After all, I haven't had any female blood for thirty years…" And with that, just as the poor woman, who was quite pretty in a mundane way (though whatever beauty she possessed paled considerably in comparison to Diva's alluring charm and eternal beauty and Himi's mysterious quirkiness; whether she was Kata or Himi, she had that kind of beauty that was subtle and dramatic all at once, and her face somehow never left you, whether you thought her stunning or not.) with curly brown hair and wide brown eyes, began to scream, Diva sank her fangs into the woman's neck, cutting short her scream. The woman choked, her mouth open in readiness for a sound that would never come out as Diva greedily drank her dry, the woman's blood trailing down Diva's mouth and staining her face and dress.

The woman's partner was one of those steadfast people who were hard to scare and slow to panic, but the sight of his girlfriend's blood being drained by an extremely beautiful young woman with glowing eyes made even him cry out in panic, clutching at her hand. Amshel would have intervened, but Himi was hungry.

"Hello handsome." Himi breathed down his neck, restraining him with one slender, but strong, arm around his neck. Using this leverage to bring the man down to her level, Himi smiled and bared her own fangs, as Amshel watched with frustrated curiosity, while Himi's eye began to shine an unnaturally bright shade of blue. Then Himi bit, and slowly but surely both the man and woman lost their grip on life and said goodbye, their blood draining from their veins.

"Aww, Diva, you made a mess of your dress again." Himi complained, using her hand to wipe her mouth.

"Hypocrite. Look at your dress!" Diva said defensively, while Amshel sighed quietly and frowned, gesturing to James to dispose of the two drained bodies, which he did, all without the notice of Himi or Diva.

Himi looked down at herself in surprise, noticing a small stain of red on her lavender bodice, before shrugging.

"At least it's an excuse to dress up. Look!" Himi exclaimed gleefully, dragging Diva by the hand over towards the bush where she had placed the many shopping bags. Diva looked on in surprise while Himi dragged out bag after bag, before frowning.

"When did you do this?"

"When you were waiting for Amshel's blood, sleepy head." Himi answered, before pulling out a new dress for Diva with a flourish; white and graceful with pale blue borders on the sleeves, hem and neckline.

"Here, put this on."

"Not until I see what you're wearing." Diva countered, even the casual conversation turning into a game. Himi rolled her eyes; another gesture that was carried between Himi and Kata.

"Fine. Here." Himi rummaged through several bags, before finding a dress identical to Diva's, but with a shorter skirt, and in different colours; where Diva's was white, Himi's was dark purple with white borders, and a much more flared skirt. Diva appraised it thoughtfully, before smiling and accepting her dress.

"Mine is prettier, right? Hey, do you think because sister Saya woke up earlier, I am prettier? I have had more beauty sleep!" Diva laughed, while discarding her bloodstained dress carelessly on the floor and pulling on her new one. Himi, having changed at a lightening pace, was already dressed and followed suit by also dumping her stained dress. Himi stepped forwards, knowing that Diva required no answer for those questions, and buttoned her dress. Diva smiled slyly again, and linked arms with a slightly startled Himi, before they both set off; strolling at a gentle pace around the greenhouse and leaving their mess behind for Diva's chevaliers to clear up.

"So, what has my dear sister been up to?" Diva asked, snuggling up to Himi who grinned.

"Oh, all sorts of things. She's been awake for almost two years now, and she's been having a very exciting time." Himi smiled; able to vent aloud the thoughts that Kata thought while in Saya's company. Diva giggled gleefully, Himi requiring no prompt to continue.

"When she woke up, Hagi wasn't there, that naughty chevalier."

"I always thought she had chosen him badly." Diva commented. "So she didn't get the blood of awakening?"

"No. She didn't remember a thing, not even her own name. She was raised like a human daughter of a man called George Miyagusuku, along with two boys; Kai and Riku. Riku's only fourteen, and very innocent, and very irritatingly faithful in finding good in almost everyone. Kai's older, and he's ginger." Himi and Diva shared a disgusted look, before Himi continued. "She's very loyal to all of them, it can be quite sickening."

"Tch. My sister is being loyal to humans again." Diva complained. Himi squeezed the arm that was linked through hers sympathetically.

"And she didn't want to fight at all when the Red Shield came for her, and then because of that she got her father killed."

"Only the old man?" Diva said. Himi nodded, understanding, if not empathizing, with Diva's disappointment.

"Oh, but you'll like this, Diva, guess how he died?" Himi said suddenly with a dry laugh. Diva blinked before shrugging.

"Delta67. It turned him into a chiropteran and then Saya had to kill him." Himi said, while Diva's eyes sparkled with glee. There was a small silence, while Diva digested this information.

"How… attached is sister Saya to these humans?" Diva asked tentavely. Himi glanced at her thoughtfully.

"Even more attached than she was to Joel. Only now, she's only just realized that she's not human, the stupid girl, so now she's on her way to the Zoo to try and recover some of her memories." Himi said quietly. Diva raised an eyebrow.

"The Zoo? Maybe I'll go and greet her… Anyway, I'll have to get rid of her new 'family'. I'm her only family." Diva said possessively, her eyes narrowing. A sad look of longing passed across Himi's face, but Diva didn't see it.

Only family, huh? Not your only family.

-n/s-

Diva's eyes seemed to glow even brighter in the gloom of the ruins of her tower. Unlike Saya, Diva did not appear to have any qualms about returning to a place haunted by memories, no matter how painful, but Himi knew that Diva didn't feel completely comfortable in the tower where she had been kept like an animal for so many years. Not that that discomfort stopped her from acting completely normal. Normal for Diva, that is, as Himi stepped out of the gloom now her identity was safe; the person who might have recognised her for Kata no longer had their eyes open.

Himi appraised the unconscious nearly dead Riku lying in Diva's arms, blood trailing down his neck and into his shirt. Himi's shoulders had been hunched while, hidden, she listened to the sounds of Riku's life being taken from him by Diva, but still her face bore no expression. Diva, still drinking, did not notice Himi standing there, and with something like regret, Himi faded out of sight once more and left.

When she wasn't being Kata or Himi, but just an unknown person who was still taking form, a person who was as fragile as a newborn baby, and had just as much personality, she referred to herself as 'Ibukishi', the surname she used as both Himi and Kata. Ibukishi was half a person, she didn't know herself at all. She was the person without a true name that Ibukishi might have been, before it all started. 'Ibukishi' rarely surfaced; only when neither Kata nor Himi would help with her situation, when, for once, all she wanted to do was to be as true to herself as she knew how.

Ibukishi stood by a collapsed cliff; looking vaguely uninterested. She still wore the dress she had been wearing as Himi, but without Himi's girlish demeanour it looked out of place; like a dirty orphan dressing up in a rich girl's clothes. She was barefoot; for some reason as Ibukishi she never felt the need for footwear, and had always felt more comfortable when she could feel the earth beneath her feet. Ibukishi nudged the edge of the mud half heartedly, her expression bigger, before with a Kata like sigh, she began to dig.

Several muddy minutes later, Hagi had finally been dug up. So intent was he on rushing to Saya's aid that he only vaguely noticed that 'Kata' had helped him, and he didn't notice at all that 'Kata', wasn't really 'Kata' anymore. Ibukishi watched the faithful dog hurry to his master with a far away expression on her face, before an obviously placed footstep made her whirl around, ready to shift into either Himi or Kata depending on the person's identity. But the person who had stepped out of the bushes required neither; and with a mix of alarm, horror, hate, longing and love, all fighting for dominance, Ibukishi stayed as the half person she viewed as her 'true' self.

"Nathan." She said bitterly. Nathan met her gaze sombrely, his blue eyes filled with sadness.

Hooray! I finished this much faster than the last one on sudden (thank you god) inspiration. I don't actually like this chapter much until the end, but oh well, it should get better.

Hope you like (if anyone's reading) and please review!