Holiday But Not Vacation

The jolt of the aeroplane woke Ritsuka as they landed on the runway. He sat up and stretched his arms and yawned. Soubi was tense in his chair.

'What's wrong Soubi?' Ritsuka asked softly.

'Oh nothing Ritsuka I had a nightmare is all. I'm just unsettled.' He replied. In fact Soubi was actually telling the truth. He had slept horribly. He dreamt that they were followed. That the other sentouki pair had found their apartment. They turned it completely upside down and wrecked the place looking for them only to find that Ritsuka had left a leaflet laying around somewhere. They knew where they were and they were coming.

But it was only a dream right. They aren't coming. Surely not.

I took a deep breath and sighed.

'You may retrieve your bags from the overhead bays and leave via the exit. Please leave in an orderly fashion. Thank you for flying with Djubja Air'

Ritsuka paid little attention to the flight attendants announcement. He was looking out the plane window.

'Soubi look. Its amazing. The buildings here look so different, they are all in weird shapes too.'

Soubi leaned over Ritsuka and peered out the window.

'Wow, looks like you'll have loads of fantastic pictures to show the others when you get back.'

They retrieved their carry-on bags and slowly walked to the exit. They waited as the bags from the plane came down the conveyer belt and began rotating around the centre of the airport arrival. Soon enough their bags came round. They grab them and wheel them outside.

Soubi stood and waved for a taxi. One stopped and let them in. The kind driver also helped them to put the bags into the boot. When they were all done inside and buckled down the driver turns to them from the front and asks;

'Tourists by any chance?'

'Yes we are' Ritsuka replies smiling.

'I hope you enjoy your time here' The driver spots the small ring. He is confused but doesn't judge them. 'So where to?'

'A hotel where we can stay. Do you know a nice place that isn't too ridiculous for price as we are going to be here for three weeks' Soubi replies.

'I know a place lads, I'll take ya there' The driver starts up the engine and begins on the way.

Ritsuka was staring in awe out the window at all the views shooting past. Soon they arrived at the hotel.

'Thank you driver.' Soubi said as he pays the driver and offers him a generous tip for his help. In return the driver carried their bags to the hotel door for them. He nods his head and waves them goodbye before driving away. Soubi felt it just then. A fighter domain. This may be a holiday, but he could not possibly call it a vacation from everything he was at fear of. Unbeknownst to Soubi, Ritsuka also felt it but was determined to still have a good time on his holiday. This Sentouki may just be a fighter unit that lives here. It is possible that they aren't going to bother them.

(Before back in Japan)

Keiko and Reiko were walking home from their food shopping trip. Keiko gasped. Reiko turned to where she looked. It was Ritsuka and Soubis home. The door was blown in. It wasn't knocked down it was blown. Reiko dropped her bags and ran to the door. She closed her eyes and focused, she ran her hand down the frame of the door. When she reached the first broken bolt she felt it. She opened her eyes and turned to Keiko.

'It was a fighter unit. They used a spell.'

'Are they in trouble?'

'Not sure. They aren't here. Let's look around. Hopefully they are out.'

Keiko nodded and followed her inside. What they saw worried them. There was no thing in its place. It looked as though a bomb had exploded inside. Everything was broken, knocked over and thrown around. Keiko ran from the bedroom.

'They aren't here they went to Great Britain. I found this holiday leaflet. They must've gone on holiday. But if I found this leaflet then whoever was looking for them found it too. They are in danger. '

Reiko was worried. 'shall we call them ? We can't worry them and ruin their time away.'

'Then there's only one thing we can do' Keiko replied cryptically.

'What's that then?'

'We will have to secretly protect them. Get some time off work Reiko, we are going to the UK'

We have to protect them.

(England present time)

The night was almost peaceful. As Ritsuka looked out the hotel window he saw a plain black sky dotted with hundreds of stars. Lights on the outside of almost every building were luminating the surroundings in all sorts of colours and patterns. An arm stroked Ritsukas back.

'You should take a photo of it kitten. Maybe I could paint it when we get back. The contrast is just perfect.'

Why didn't I think of that?

Ritsuka wondered as he retrieved his new camera from his backpack. He lined up the shot and took the photo. He looked at the preview and smiled.

'Wow it's so pretty. Its a shame we can't have a view like this at home.' Ritsuka whispered.

Soubi smiled. 'It's getting late, let's go to bed.'

Ritsuka put his camera back in its case. Soubi was in the bathroom so Ritsuka climbed under the duvet of their kingsize double bed. The mattress was so soft and squishy. It was like sleeping on air. The duvet was like velvet and soothed his senses when he stroked the material along his face. He laid on the cotton pillow and was instantly at peace and that's when he felt it. A presence. Someone was nearby. Was watching them. He closed his eyes and focused. He found no sentouki domain but it doesn't mean that they weren't in danger. He opened his eyes. There was a shadowed figure standing at the foot of the bed, staring at him. He saw red eyes. It's all he could make out but red eyes? Ritsuka was full of fear and was frozen in his place. The figure moves around the bed towards him holding something that caught the light from outside. A knife. Ritsuka opened his mouth to scream for Soubi's help but no sound came out. The figure raised the knife above their head and let out a low quiet chuckle.

'Your time has come Aoyagi' The figure laughed.

Ritsuka closed his eyes and waited. Waited for the pain to overwhelm him. He only prayed that it will be over quick and he wouldn't be in pain.

(In the bathroom)

Soubi was completely oblivious to what was unfolding in the next room. He was brushing his teeth and humming his favourite song. Soubi felt something. It seemed like fear. He shook it off, he was probably still worried about the danger that's hopefully dissolving at home. He heard a small chuckle, he figured Ritsuka was up to no good as he always is. Soubi finished cleaning his teeth and smiled in the mirror.

He picked up the mouthwash but dropped it when an overwhelming feeling of fear washed over him. He turned to the bedroom.

Ritsuka

Soubi panicked. Ritsuka was feeling more fear now then ever before. He began running toward the bedroom. Just as he put his hand on the door handle there was a burning sensation throughout his stomach. Ritsuka could be hurt.

Please let it be a spell. Please say Ritsuka is unharmed.

Soubi fought through the pain and pulled on the door handle. He swung the door open and fell through to the bedroom. The pain was only getting worse. He looked up.

'Oh my GOD!' He screamed still withering with pain on the floor. He found the strength to look up. Tears fell from his eyes. And they became heavy.

What have I done? What have...I...Done