Chapter 13

丘の王

King of the Hill

In a week's time, Vermouth had established himself as the leader of the boys. He was smarter than them and, in addition, appeared to fear nothing. Tina and Jess quickly became aware of this and began watching carefully. Vermouth, however, had already begun to construct a plan to demonstrate his dominance.

"Even though Shima is an adult," Vermouth said to his minions in the boy's quarters, "I think this plan will show even her that I'm not one to be undermined."

"But Matin-san." One of the boys said raising his hand, "Won't Shima-san get mad at us? She may even send us to bed without dinner."

"Of course she will!" Vermouth said staring at him. "But she won't be able to do anything when this plan gets executed." Vermouth adjusted his glasses as they shimmered in the light. "This could really be a better plan than the one I used to get away from my parents." Vermouth chuckled to himself.

"What kind of plan is it?" Another boy asked.

"Don't question me! Just do what I tell you to do! If you do, you won't have anything to worry about."

One of the girls was hiding by the entrance to the boy's room. When she had heard all this she ran to the girls room to tell Jess and Tina.

"Onee-chan! Onee-chan!"

"What is it?" Tina and Jess said in unison.

"Vermouth-Kun is planning something bad. Like really bad." The girl then relayed everything she heard to Jess and Tina.

The twins looked at each other and nodded. "We have to tell Shima-san." Jess said. They then stood up and began to leave when they we intercepted by Vermouth and his minions.

"Good day girls. Going somewhere?" Vermouth said adjusting his glasses.

"To the restroom if you must know Matin-kun." Jess said quickly.

"Oh, sorry to get in your way then." Vermouth clapped his hands and the boys moved aside to let them through. Jess, Tina, and the girl then moved to the stairwell.

"Excuse me, Onee-chan," Vermouth said mockingly, "but the restrooms are that way." Vermouth pointing behind the girls to the bathroom.

"So they are." Tina said looking at Vermouth. "We're actually going downstairs. We don't need to use it anymore."

Vermouth smirked. "I knew you might try something like this, so I prepared a little surprise for you." Vermouth extended his hand to one of the boys. The boy simply looked at his hand. Vermouth made a more exaggerated movement with his hand but the boy kept looking at his hand. Vermouth then turned to the boy and yelled. "Give me the device!"

"Oh, yeah!" The boy reached into his pocket and placed a small object in his hand.

"Ready yourselves girls, for I have…" Vermouth extended his hand towards the girls who remained standing on the stairs from sheer curiosity. In Vermouth's hand was a small purple bean shaped object.

"A jellybean?" Jess interrupted as she looked at the object.

"Hehe. Not a jellybean, a special formula I concocted and made into the shape of a jellybean. When I throw this down at your feet, you will instantly be paralyzed and probably never recover from it. Enjoy your time in permanent rigamortis." Vermouth chucked the bean at the three girls with all his might. When it hit the floor it bounced lightly and tumbled down the stairs. Vermouth stood still with his hand extended in a throwing position.

"Boss, that was my last jellybean." The boy Vermouth had yelled at said.

"WHAT!" Vermouth said quickly turning to him. "You mean to tell me that that really was just a jellybean?"

"My last one."

"The what happened to my formula?"

"I think I ate it."

Vermouth stood stunned. "You ate the formula?"

"I don't know."

"I'm surrounded by imbeciles." Vermouth placed his hand on his forehead and pointed towards the girls with his other hand. "Know this girls: Today you were lucky, but tomorrow…"

"Boss."

"What? Can't you see I'm trying to be cool?"

"But they're not there."

Vermouth looked away from the boy back to where the girls were standing and saw that this was indeed the case.

"Damn!" Vermouth dashed down the stairs to catch up with the girls. "Hey, hey, hey! Wait up! I was just kidding!" As he was running down the stairs, he ran into Vanilla who was carrying a small load of laundry. Both of them fell down the stairs and landed on the ground as cloths scattered everywhere.

"Watch where you're going!" Vermouth said as he stood up and tightened his headband.

Vanilla removed the shirt that had landed on her face and propped herself up to look at Vermouth.

"Va…Vanilla?" Vermouth said losing his swagger. "I'm sorry about that. Here, let me help you out."

Vanilla watched as Vermouth began to quickly dash around the room grabbing the cloths that had fallen and place them back in the basket she was carrying. Vanilla then stood up and began gathering the cloths as well.

"Oh, this is pretty." Vermouth said holding a small locket. Vanilla looked over to Vermouth. She then felt around her neck for her locket but couldn't find it.

"I wonder what's in it." Vermouth said as he began to open it. Suddenly it was snatched out of his hands.

"No one is allowed to touch this." Vanilla said glaring at Vermouth.

"O.K., O.K. Take it easy. I didn't know it was yours." Vermouth said with his hands raised in defense. Vanilla tucked the locket away in her shirt, grabbed the rest of the laundry and proceeded back up the stairs.

Vermouth watched as she ascended.

"Matin-kun." Shima said strictly behind him. Vermouth scrunched and turned to face her.

"Yes mam'?" He said meekly.

"I believe you have some explaining to do."

Shima took Vermouth to her office and sat him down in between Jess and Tina.

Vermouth quickly explained that the events that took place and the things that Jess and Tina had described to them by the girl were merely parts to a much bigger joke. A very elaborate and well thought out joke, but only a joke nonetheless.

"Shima-san." Jess said, "He needs to be punished you know."

"We can't have him spreading these kinds of ideas around the boys." Tina continued. "Especially if he's going to remain their leader."

"I agree." Shima said. "But what sort of punishment do you give to someone with this kind of authority over the boys?"

"Make him do chores. Boys hate doing chores." Tina said quickly.

"CHORES!" Vermouth said turning to Tina. "Anything but chores! I hate doing chores."

"See what I mean?"

"Then it's settled. Matin-kun will help with all the chores for a week." Shima said.

"Aww man. My parents made me do chores and I hated them then too." Vermouth said folding his arms and slouching in his chair.

"Then maybe after this, you'll learn not to act in such an irresponsible manner." Shima said. "Your punishment starts now. Please go to the kitchen and help prepare dinner."

Vermouth sighed as he hopped down from his chair. As he exited the hall, all the boys were waiting for him.

"Boss! What did she do to you?" One boy said. "What's your punishment?"

"Chores." Vermouth said looking down at the ground.

All the boys began to laugh at him. "Even Boss can't get out of punishment."

"Yeah, yeah." Vermouth said as he pushed his way to the kitchen. When he entered, he found Vanilla and another older girl preparing dinner. Vanilla looked at him momentarily and then continued working. The other girl focused on him.

"What are you doing here?" The girl asked.

"I've been punished. I'm supposed to help."

"Oh, good." The girl said. She moved over to Vermouth, took off her apron and shoved it into his hands. "You'll need this. Just follow the instructions and you'll be fine." The girl then left the kitchen. Vermouth put the apron on begrudgingly and got to work at the half sized kitchen appliances.

"I'll show them." Vermouth said to himself. "I'll be king of the hill one day. Then they'll see how great I am."

"Matin-san" Vanilla said.

"Yes?" Vermouth said in the sweetest voice he could muster in and attempt to impress Vanilla.

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

Vermouth continued to smile as he ran the question in his mind again. "Eh?"

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

"What does that have to do with cooking?"

"Nothing, but I was just wondering. Most everyone here doesn't but I don't know what you believe yet."

"Why does it matter?"

Vanilla paused momentarily. "Because one is following me. I talk with him sometimes but our conversations are never very pleasant. So if you see me talking with no one, I'm talking with him."

Vermouth scratched his head in confusion, "Not that I do believe in ghosts or anything, but why would one be following you?"

"That…" Vanilla put her hand on her locket that hung around her neck. "That's personal."

"Well jeeze, how do you expect me to believe you if you won't even tell me why a ghost is following you?"

Vanilla shrugged and resumed cooking that evening's meal.

Vermouth looked at Vanilla for a moment then got back to what he had been assigned to do.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!" Vermouth yelled. "GOD IT BURNS!"

Vanilla turned to see Vermouth swinging his hand around in a frenzy.

"Matin-kun? Are you all right?" Vanilla asked quickly.

"OF COARSE I'M NOT! I JUST BURNT MY HAND TO HELL!"

"I'll get Shima." Vanilla said as she rushed out the kitchen.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! This will ruin my reputation." Vermouth said as he clinched his hand in pain.

Shima rushed into the room with Vanilla following close behind. "Vermouth! Let me see that hand." Shima said kneeling down to where Vermouth sat crumpled up against a wall.

"What? Are you a doctor?"

"I'm the closest thing you've got to one. Now let me see that hand."

Vermouth extended his hand. Shima took it and examined it. Vermouth's hand had bad burns on it in the shape of what appeared to be a pot handle. "Vanilla, call the hospital."

"Right." Vanilla rushed out the door.

"Matin-kun, I'm going to get some ointment. Stay right here." Shima said as she left the kitchen.

Vermouth pulled his hand back into his chest and put his head against the wall.

"Shit."

"Damn. That must have hurt." A voice said to his side.

Vermouth turned to see a tall man with blood running down his face.

"Wha..?"

"Oh, you can see me? Well this is first, isn't it?" The man said bending down to Vermouth's level. "Wasn't exactly expecting a response. Just kinda speaking my mind." He said pointing to the large hole in the side of his head. "That's a joke, kid. You can laugh you know."

"Are… Are you…"

"Dead? Yup, dead as a door knob."

"Matin-kun" Vanilla said entering. "The doctors will be here in…" Vanilla stopped when she noticed that Vermouth was looking right at the man that had killed her family. "Matin-kun. You can see him?"

"Sure as shit." Narthex said. "Why don't you introduce me toy your boy toy, doll? It would be rude if you didn't."

Vanilla grabbed Vermouth by the hand and pulled him out of the kitchen.

"AHHHH! SHIT! THAT'S MY BURNT HAND!" Vermouth yelled as Vanilla pulled on him.

"We have to stay away from him." Vanilla said as they moved into the main lobby.

"Is he the ghost you were talking about?"

"Yes. His name is Narthex. He… He killed my parents and he's still after me."

Shima entered the room with the ointment. She was surprised to see Vermouth and Vanilla standing in the main room. "I thought I said to…"

"Couldn't. There was a ghost. She saw it too." Vermouth said pointing to Vanilla with his uninjured hand.

Vanilla nodded.

Shima looked back and forth from Vanilla to Vermouth. "Vanilla, is he still here?" Shima said uncapping the ointment.

"Not in this room right now. But he's around sometimes."

"I thought he hadn't been around for three months now." Shima said putting ointment on Vermouth's burn.

"He wasn't, but now he's back."

There was a knock on the door and Shima stood up to answer it.

"Mam' we're here to take a recent burn victim to the hospital for further treatment."

"Thank goodness." Shima said. "Matin-kun. Please come this way."

"No." The doctor said. "Leave him there. It's best if the patient moves as little as possible."

Shima moved out of the doorway as a doctor came in with a hovering device. He lifted Vermouth onto it and moved out the door with the hovering device moving behind him.

"We'll be in touch." The doctor said. He then moved to follow the other two. Shima closed the door.

"How fast did they say they would be here, Vanilla?"

"Two minutes."

Shima sighed as she ran her hand through her hair. "That was more like three wasn't it? They just like taking their time don't they?"

"I'll be in the kitchen." Vanilla said as she moved towards the door.

"No, no, no." Shima said stopping her. "You go on upstairs and send Jess and Tina down."

"All right." Vanilla said as she turned around to go up the stairs.

"Vanilla-chan." Shima said. "You we're very brave today in dealing with Matin-kun. Keep up the good work."

Vanilla smiled and continued up the stairs.