Dlbn: Greetings, everyone! Welcome to the first update of March!
Nbld: I know I missed last weekend, but I had the flu and wasn't about to do anything, let alone update fanfics. I haven't touched my computer in like a week.
Dlbn: I've been working and doing stuff I have to do, at least,so I found some time to update mid week. There's a con this weekend I'm going to, so I don't think I'm going to be able to update between now and Sunday. I might cosplay Ritsuka,Soubi, and/or Yoji for the con alongside my other WIP cosplay (Bum from Killing Stalking)
Nbld: So let's hop into the Review Corner! Thank you to Sumeri and The DarkCat for reviewing! Pocky and Ramune for you both!
Sumeri: Thanks for reviewing! And welcome :) I noticed that most of the Loveless section on fanfic is...well...me and two other people that I know personally, with a couple one shots here and there by other people. I've wanted to get this story rolling for a while, and I'm glad I've been able to do so. Enjoy!
The DarkCat: I honestly get confused and forget who they are, myself. Kind of sad XD In a way, they're like Faceless; able to camouflage themselves so no one knows their real identity. They're not Faceless, though.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and various OC units. Everything canon belongs to Yun Kouga. I make NO money off writing this fic.
000
Ritsuka stood with Soubi outside the halfway house Utena lived in as she gathered her things she'd need at his place. The person in charge of the house was very audibly complaining about her up and leaving like she was, and refusing to give her the money she needed unless she got her head out of her backside. Ritsuka had half a mind to stroll in there and take over the situation, but he knew the Fighter could handle herself. He recognized someone coming down the street with another person. The one he recognized froze when they saw the Unit.
"A-Aoyagi?" It was Iza, the Sacrifice. He raced up to them. "What's going on? Is Utena alright?"
Ritsuka could practically hear the woman with him groaning. It had to be his wife.
"She's fine, relax." Ritsuka ordered, seeing relief dance across his face. "We don't think she is safe here alone, so she's coming with us."
"What? She can handle herself. Why do you think…?"
"Iza! Our reservation!" His wife called.
"Be there in a moment, dear!" He called back to her. "What's going on, Loveless?"
"She was confronted by that mysterious unit on her way home from work. They know where she works,and possibly where she lives. We're taking precautions. She's a witness." Soubi informed.
Iza sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Is this why she ran out in the middle of the night? We said it was fine to stay with us."
"Oh, I assure you, it wasn't that." Ritsuka rolled his eyes. "I won't be that guy, but someone chased her away."
"I...had a feeling." He sighed. "I just can't get her to understand…"
"Civilians rarely do." Soubi confirmed. "I'm just lucky Kio has learned to accept things at face value and stop asking questions."
"Who…?"
"His only friend." Ritsuka informed, earning a protest from Soubi that he waved away. "We've got somewhere for her to stay in the interim, and we're working on finding a place to go to after that. If you want more information, use your bond. We're not sure who's watching."
He nodded. "As long as she's safe. That's all I care."
"Of course it is!" His wife rudely objected. "Would you come on? We're going to be late, and they'll give our reservation away!"
"I'm coming." He rolled his eyes. 'She won't talk to me. I was hoping she would if I ran into her around here; that's the only reason we came this way. Please, can you convince her to call me? I'm worried."
"You should be worried about our reservation!" Yumiko called.
"With all due respect madam, mind your business." Soubi informed.
She gawked.
"A-Agatsuma-san…" Iza cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. "Well...thank you for protecting her...I wish I could help more…"
"It's alright." Ritsuka shrugged. "We'll figure it out."
"Yeah…"
"Iza! Let's go!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Iza groaned. "Damn nag…"
Ritsuka cocked an eyebrow, but neither he nor Soubi said anything as they watched the Sacrifice leave, giving one last longing look back at the halfway house as if he was hoping his Fighter would magically appear.
"Iza was here...wasn't he?" Utena came out of the shadows by the front door as soon as Iza left. "I sensed him…"
"Yeah, he and his wife were walking by." Ritsuka replied. "I know you don't want to talk, but he looked distraught, and he's worried about you."
"I know...I'll come around to it when I feel okay. I just…"
"We understand; we won't push you." Soubi stated. "But he wishes that we would."
She giggled. "Thank you both, again, for taking care of me like this…"
"Of course." Ritsuka nodded. "Let's get going. I have curfew soon and a meeting tomorrow I need to be rested for."
The three of them walked down the cobblestone walkway of the halfway house and vanished down the streets under the watchful eye of a slowly setting sun and auburn sky.
000
Ritsuka and Soubi stood on the doorstep to the home owned by Hostile and her husband. The younger of the two gripped the metal door knocker and tapped the front door with it three times as she had instructed whens he given him the address. The door opened slightly and Hostile peeked out, closing the door quickly before unlocking a chain and yanking Ritsuka inside. Soubi followed instantly without a word, not too happy with how rough she was being with his lover.
"Sorry, I don't want to be caught having strangers in my home." She stated. "You never know how much the neighbors will gossip to my husband."
"Has it happened before?" RItsuka adjusted his now rumpled up sleeve.
"A couple times, but he always chalks it up to chatty housewives with nothing better to do."
"Lucky for you."
She nodded. "Mm." A sigh. "Come in, sit down. What did you want to discuss?"
"We've been getting some conflicting information regarding the case of your son's murder."
"What conflicting information…?"
"The young woman we encountered that was posing as your son's Sacrifice." Ritsuka informed.
"Posing?" She cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
They sat down when she did.
"The woman we spoke to was at least twenty or so years old, but a classmate of mine recollects working on a school project with her in fourth grade. Meaning she can't be any older than sixteen."
"She's seventeen." Hostile responded with a nod. "Could you perhaps just be thinking she looks older than she is?"
"She's gone missing." Ritsuka replied. "I can't figure out where she got off to. We searched her home, and its been wiped clean of everything."
"That's unusual…" Hostile paused. "She was spooked by my son's death. Like I said, she kept apologizing and wishing she could have stopped it. Useless brat."
"Do you think she just ran?"
"It's possible, but to wipe her own home clean of any evidence that she was ever there? That doesn't make sense. Who cares if there's proof she was there? She lives there."
"With family?"
"Yeah, her parents. The father's a Fighter. I'm not too fond of him, myself. Always looking at my son like he's going to do something inappropriate to his precious little tool." She rolled her eyes. "
"She was the only one present when we went to the home." Ritsuka stated. "Said her family didn't care what happened to her."
"Bullshit!" Hostile laughed loudly, laying her head back on the couch. "Her father was practically up her ass. Her mother was a little aloof, but she was a homemaker. She stayed home all day, every day, taking care of that kid from the moment she was born. They weren't as close as Kaji and I are...were...but it was close. The mom's a civilian, so she didn't understand my son's position with her daughter. Since he's a sensei, they passed it off that he was tutoring her. Mother was none the wiser but the father knew."
"Fighters can be protective of their territory, including their Sacrifices and family members."
"Someone should give Akame a lesson or two in that last area. His entire family hates him." Soubi snorted.
"And from what I know, the feeling's mutual." Ritsuka chuckled.
"Hence someone giving him lessons."
"I see." Hostile paused. "Your brother's Fighter, right?"
"That's correct."
"Your brother...wasn't involved with any of this…?"
"Nothing about it screams Aoyagi Seimei, but he's concerned with its proximity to me. Both your son's murder and the double murder of Victorious may be connected to my school somehow, since the bodies were found there."
"You don't think it was the murder sight, do you?"
"Your son was restrained for a long time." Soubi informed. "It would be impossible for him to have been held captive and killed at the school. Someone would have found him before he died."
"Logical." Hostile tapped her chin. "I'm afraid I can't help much more than I already have. Not because I don't want to, but because I simply don't know anything more. It's hurting my head to think about this case any longer on my own. I try to push it from my mind unless necessary, like when you contacted me earlier."
"I know it's not easy. I experienced the same thing when we thought that Seimei had been murdered." Ritsuka informed. "Thank you for all the help you've been able to provide us with."
She nodded. "Did you get anything from the Victorious slayings?"
"The person who killed them is likely the one that killed your son. Same methodology, same restraint tactics."
She shuddered. "So there's a chance this is just some random psycho in our world that has managed to slip through Septimal Moon's cracks."
"Can you think of any reason Akito may want to run from her Fighter?" RItsuka asked.
"Pardon?"
"Someone suggested to me that perhaps this was meant to just be a separation, but someone took it too far."
"Doubt it. But if that was the case, then Victorious probably wouldn't have died. I don't even recognize that name, and I doubt they have anything to do with my son." Hostile sighed. "Perhaps someone has a grudge...as I said, I think this is all either connected to you or your school, not the victims themselves."
"Find a connection between the victims, find the killers." Soubi stated. "It's a tactic, but we don't have a connection as of yet."
"I'll have Seven dig up some dirt for me." Ritsuka typed on his phone as he spoke. "If anyone can track the connection of Units, its her."
Hostile nodded. "If I can be of any further assistance, or you discover anything, please let me know. This investigation has gone on long enough. I'm starting to doubt your ability, Loveless."
He glared. "I know it's hard because of your name, but don't get standoffish with me, Hostile. I won't put up with it."
"Sorry, sorry. Thanks for understanding." She sighed. "My kids should be coming home soon. Do you mind cutting this conversation short, since it's just dwindled to speculation now?"
"Yeah, we'll get going...one more thing."
"Hai?"
"Do you have any idea where she could have gone off to?"
"If her parents are gone as well, I'm pretty certain they're together. I'm not too worried." Hostile waved him off. "If her father knows about the murder like the rest of Japan, he probably took her somewhere safe."
"I see." Ritsuka nodded, standing. "Well, thanks for your help."
"Of course."
She led them outside, locking the door behind her. When Soubi started driving away, Ritsuka noticed a group of young kids running down the street, splitting into different homes. Four went to Hostile's home.
"Just in time." Soubi chuckled.
"Mhm." Ritsuka looked out the window.
"Something bothering you, kitten?"
"She's probably right, that Akito is in hiding with her family." Ritsuka replied. "But a connection between Tamed and Victorious? I don't see it."
"Have Seven look into it, like you said you would."
"Yeah." Ritsuka dialed the bluenette's number.
"Seven Voices Security." She greeted.
"It's Loveless." He replied.
"Oh? What are you calling me for?"
"I need you to look into something for me. You have access to all of Septimal Moon's vital records, no?"
"Of course. What is it?"
"I need to look into a possible connection between either member of Tamed and either member of Victorious, the other victims." Ritsuka informed. "I think we may be missing something. Hostile suggested everything might be connected before, but she's not the only one to have had that train of thought."
"It wouldn't surprise me. Choosing victims at random doesn't fit a serial killer; they normally have a type, I do believe."
"Yeah, for the most part. Let me know what you found. We're going to keep looking for the real Akito."
"I'll run a search across a few external databases and see if her last name appears anywhere."
"Please do." Ritsuka replied. "Hostile said her father is a Fighter, but I don't have a name."
"Ritsu could help with that. He's pretty good with family connections and all that."
"Fantastic."
She laughed. "I know, you don't want to speak with him if you can help it. But try it this one time for me. One less thing for me to do here."
"Yeah, I'll try. Arigato."
"You're welcome." She responded, hanging up before he could speak again.
"She's going to database search Akito's last name for any recent history and look into a possible connection between the victims."
Soubi nodded. "And where does that leave us?"
"Three steps forward, seven steps back."