Title: Karmesinrot Rache
Mission: 10 Retter – Savior (Rising Hope)
Time: Kapitel, AU
Date: 06-03-04
Naitsuusha fumed inside her office, keying in an entirely new security program. Her thoughts became increasingly unpleasant towards the redhead assassin of Weiß. Her lithe fingers flew across the keyboard without making a mistake. Fujimiya had better not gone into Gabriel's room, Naitsuusha thought sullenly after she locked up his room first. Fortunately for him, Aya did not. A confirmation popped up on the screen before disappearing just as rapidly.
It took hours until Naitsuusha was finished and thankfully, no one interrupted her that did not fear her waspish attitude. Kirei and Kayla entered to inquire on her health and left her some food and a cup of tea after getting a brief answer. The plate of salmon sushi was left untouched and the tea was ice cold now but Naitsuusha appreciated the thoughtful gesture even though she failed to voice it.
Both younger girls retreated to the lower level of the house where Weiß faced a very nervous Neu. She was the center of their attention. Aya demanded the exact location of Schreient. Jade was still missing but Omi and Kirei were working diligently on the case.
"She went down fighting," Kayla said quietly, ignoring the loud proceedings from Aya's interrogation and the news program still left on from when Yohji and Neu were watching together before Aya got into their faces. "There's no way Jade would let the kidnapper take her without a fight!"
"I'm sure Akikou-san went down fighting too," Ken agreed wholeheartedly. It was just like Jade's personality. The assertive way she lived through life, giving orders and expecting them to be obeyed without question would manifest in her fighting skills.
"Why doesn't Chimera help us?" Kirei paused in her search. Omi took control of the laptop while she was talking to the others. "He's been out of contact with us for so long!"
"Chimera could locate her easily with her cell phone," Kayla said slowly. "Chimera should be worried about her too. But I don't know what's going through his mind if he's not trying to find Jade!"
"Do you always rely on Chimera for information?" asked Ken, frowning. "Who is this guy? Can you really trust him?"
"Of course!" both girls said loudly in unison. Everyone looked over at them to see their undying loyalty to Chimera in their eyes.
"Chimera's like Manx and Persia in one," explained Kayla. Aya turned back to Neu and Yohji after their outburst was over. "But that's all I can tell you about Chimera."
Ken's frown grew deeper as his brown eyes darkened with quiet thunder. "Because I'm Weiß?"
"Ken-san," Kayla apologized softly through the utterance of his name, ducking her head. No, I won't, thought Kayla suddenly. Ken-san has to know what I am. He can't forget that I chose to become an assassin. Kayla met his brown eyes squarely. "I'm Karmesinrot Rache's Falcon first. There are things about Falcon you can't forget just because you see Kayla now."
"Really?" Ken asked darkly, standing up. Kayla didn't take back her words after his defiance. "I'm less important than being an assassin? Is that how it is?"
"Of course," Kayla replied in an even voice. Ken stared at her wordlessly as he fought down a reply that he would regret saying.
"Ken-kun," Omi said, trying to calm Ken down. But Ken exited the room hastily to go upstairs to think.
"Kayla, you made him upset," Kirei said sadly. "That wasn't nice to say to him. He really likes you."
"I know that, Kirei!" Kayla stood up with a sigh. "But it's true. I can't have Ken-san having delusions! We have to be realistic here!"
"You should go talk to him," Omi suggested. Ken was his best friend, close enough to be family, and it made Omi sad to see Ken remain upset.
"I will," Kayla assured them before she traveled to Ken's bedroom. I can't leave this unfinished. I could be walking upstairs to end the best relationship I'll ever have in my life but I can't have him regret who I am. He has to know...and I have to tell him.
Omi and Kirei exchanged concerned glances after Kayla left the room. Omi smiled at her. "I can deal with your need for secrecy but I hope one day, there will no be secrets between us," Omi said to Kirei. "Do you think things will be okay between Ken-kun and Kayla-san? Ken-kun's very upset right now."
"So is Kayla," Kirei pointed out. "But don't worry about them. Kayla's not the type of person to hold grudges. I'm sure Kayla will explain things to him," reassured Kirei.
Neu regained some of her old confidence back after her efforts in their fight against Tokizo Masaya but the location of Schreient was still hard to locate in her scattered memory.
"Where's my sister?" Aya was saying in a tense voice over the weather broadcast.
"I'm not sure!" Neu cried at Aya, feeling fed up with this insistent man. "I can't remember with you yelling at me!"
"Asuka," begged Yohji tenderly. "You remembered Tokizo Masaya. We're grateful for that, aren't we?" Yohji turned to Omi and Kirei who quickly nodded their agreement. "Just please, try to remember!"
"Yohji, I truly am trying!" Neu shouted at him. "But it hurts! I can't stand it!" Neu launched herself off the sofa and ran from the living room into the kitchen. Yohji quickly went after her with Aya hot on his heels.
Omi and Kirei exchanged significant glances again. "I'm glad we're not having problems," Omi said gratefully.
The weekly forecast filled the TV screen. "Heavy rains for the rest of the week will turn into light snow in most parts of Tokyo," Kirei murmured. Winter was coming. If Jade was here, she'll probably grumbled about the snow. She hates winter! Kirei sighed heavily. If Jade was home, she could read Neu's mind to find out where Schreient is right away!
Kirei stood up. "I need to do something really quick," Kirei explained to Omi's questioning eyes. "It'll only take a few minutes." Kirei locked herself in her room as soon as she entered. She sat down at her desk. "I have to get in contact with Chimera," Kirei said to herself. "I don't care what he's doing but he has to help us! Omi-kun and I aren't getting anywhere and time's against us."
Chimera was always on top of things. For Chimera to neglect them, Karmesinrot Rache must have done something wrong. Kirei made a face. We definitely did. How many times did things go awry when we've fought against Eszet's team? Schwarz and Schreient both kicked our asses when we went up with them. But they had the element of surprise on their side. It's not going to happen again.
Kirei knew she promised Omi she'd only take a few minutes but the attempts to hack into Chimera's organization to gain Chimera's encrypted address was more difficult that she originally estimated. Of course it'd be hard, thought Kirei impatiently. He's not Chimera if he can't even protect his own files. Her repeated attempts to access Chimera's address failed. She growled, pride as the second best hacker on the team wounded. Naitsuusha would never stoop to begging information from Chimera so Kirei didn't bother asking for her assistance.
It was always a one-way path to Chimera. Each time a mission was completed, Chimera picked up all the original mission files and the mission reports. The only files they in their hands were the ones on Farfarello. Chimera already retrieved the ones about Weiß, ending their mission. Karmesinrot Rache was helping the other assassin team out of their free will.
"We need you right now, Chimera! Why can't you see that?" she cried to the silent computer. She closed the laptop and left, stomping towards the lower levels to rejoin Omi.
The sight of Kayla standing in his room doused his angry flames. She came to explain, not to fight with me, Ken reminded himself when she asked to come into his room in a soft voice. Let her talk. Just calm down and listen to her.
"Ken-san, do you remember when we were at that park behind Magicbus? When we were talking about how I didn't want to leave Karmesinrot Rache?"
Ken nodded. "You said the team is your family."
"Ken-san, it's still true today as much as when I first met them," Kayla emphasized quietly. "You have a good heart because you're willing to live on despite all the pain it might cause that strong heart of yours. But you can take it, Ken-san. You placed your love and trust in the people around you and you hold it close to you. That's how I am too. I'm here in this world as Karmesinrot Rache's Falcon. I will always be her as long as my family needs me." She paused in her monologue, preparing to share her past to a man who she knew would understand. "I should tell you everything about myself so you would trust me."
"I do trust you!" Ken exclaimed. "I never met Chimera so I can't fight this feeling that he's going to lead you into danger."
"Ken-san, he's Chimera! Of course he'll lead us into danger! He gives us our missions!" Kayla reminded him. "But you should know about me and make your decisions."
"I'm listening," said Ken, guiding Kayla towards the head of the bed and to the soft pillows that adorned it. The two of them settled on top of the bed in a more comfortable position.
"I was born in Florida. I'm not sure where. My biological mother put me up for adoption. My birth mother couldn't handle having me since I was blind." Ken could see no sadness on her face. The pain of the memory had vanished, just leaving it as a fact of life. "I was adopted when I was three years old after waiting for a year."
"It must have been lonely without anyone," Ken said softly.
"I dealt with it. I didn't make many friends at first since I was blind and I started to talk at six," Kayla admitted. "But they taught me Braille and I learned to talk, write, and read with time and tons of practice." Kayla laughed at the memory. "It was so hard to write!"
"I've never seen your handwriting," said Ken. "Do you use your Braille computer?" He was curious about Kayla's equipment.
"I'll show you when we get back to our house in Tokyo," Kayla assured warmly. "The family who adopted me was named Keough and that's my last name. That you already know." She smiled wanly at him. "The couple who adopted me were having 'empty-nest' syndrome since they were pretty old. Their own children were already married with their own kids and had moved to the other side of the country in California. I was with my new family for about twelve years. My adopted mom, Virginia, died at seventy-nine and soon after my dad, Richard, passed away at eighty-two."
"Were they good to you?" Ken asked her. "Did their children become jealous?"
"Oh no!" Kayla laughed at the absurdness of his suggestion. "They were fine with the fact I was adopted." Kayla shook her head. "They treated me like family. They were a very loving family."
"I'm glad to hear that," said Ken honestly.
Kayla returned to her autobiography. "I was very overprotected by my family. I had a chaperone for everything. I think the thing I craved most growing up was total independence. When I turned sixteen, my adopted parents died so I was sent to live with the youngest daughter of my parents. I left Sarah's home because I've been having these consistent…" Kayla paused, wanting to say "dreams" instead of "visions." The thought of telling Ken one of the biggest secret of her life was terrifying. "I've been able to see bits of the world around me as I was growing up. At first it scared me but I realized I could see the future too."
Ken was shocked. "Are you a pre-cognitive?"
"Yes," Kayla said tentatively, sounding worried. "The loss of my parents made me grieve deeply because I loved them. But I was really tired of people trying to tell me how to live my life like I couldn't figure it out myself after their deaths. I think it led me to have these visions about a male I've never seen before. It was Chimera and he was my future."
"Chimera rescued you?" Ken asked her.
"He did," replied Kayla with a smile. "I'll never forget how clear he was in the first vision. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a light blue polo shirt with the left collar flipped up against his neck because it was windy that night. He had blue eyes and his blonde hair was really short. He was definitely taller than me and at that time, looked to be in his mid-twenties."
"How did Chimera find you?"
"I'm not sure," admitted Kayla. "I asked him of course but he said I was the one who found him. He came to me after my seventeenth birthday. He told me about Karmesinrot Rache and he knew what I could do. He gave me another loving family that didn't plan out my meals or what outfits I could wear for the day."
"Akikou-san?" Ken asked her.
"Jade and Tsuu were the first of the team Chimera said I would meet," Kayla explained. "I didn't even know who they were but once we all got together with Kirei joining the team, it was one of the happiest memories I have."
"But how can you trust Chimera?" Ken asked her in bewilderment. "I understand he gave your family and friends to you but you're killing people for him without ever questioning him!"
"You should be able to understand it," replied Kayla in a strong voice. "Don't you love your family and friends? Aren't they your treasures?"
"Yeah but-"
"Chimera saw me," Kayla said firmly. "He saw me for what and who I really was. He saw all the potential that dwelled inside even I wasn't aware of. The reason I can walk without fearing I'll stumble into something is because of his training. I have pre-cognition but the ability to be confident in myself…that was Chimera's teaching. I don't owe him my loyalty and trust…he deserves it."
"I...see." Ken could see her reasoning after her earnest explanation. He mused over what she spent the last hour telling him. It was all he wanted to know. And now I know it, Ken thought shocked. I know everything about her. And I still care about you. He was surprised at his own emotions.
"Ken-san?" Kayla's voice broke into his thoughts. "I want to know something….what do you look like?" Her first and only vision of Ken during their meeting at Sasaki Omizu had him shrouded in shadow. His finer features were a mystery.
Ken gaped at her. Of course she doesn't know what I look like! She's never seen me before. Ken mumbled self-descriptions. "I have dark brown hair, darker than yours. But maybe...you wouldn't know what brown is..."
"I do know," Kayla admitted. "My visions come to me in color. I love getting them."
Ken chuckled. He took Kayla's hands and placed them in his hair. "My hair's dark brown. It's pretty short right now." Ken guided Kayla's hands through his hair until it ended at the base near his neck. "My eyes are almost the same color." He brought Kayla's hands forward slowly until they reached his face. He pressed her fingertips gently over his eyelids and brought them down to his nose. "I have my mother's nose and mouth." Ken then led them to his chest. "I'm embarrassed to say I'm really skinny. No muscles at all."
"I bet you're muscular underneath your clothes," Kayla said boldly. "You must have nice arms...because of your heavy bugnucks." Kayla squeezed Ken's upper arms gently. "And muscular legs from all that soccer playing." Ken blushed when Kayla's hands went to feel on his legs. "Tell me more?" Kayla begged him after Ken's blushing caused him to become silent. "I want to know about Ken-san."
Ken mumbled some more. "I'm not that tall as you can probably tell."
"Don't worry about it!" Kayla beamed up at him. "Short people rule."
Ken laughed at that. "I hope you don't mi-", then he cut off after Kayla succumbed to her powers. "Kayla?" he said, a little shocked when her eyes dilated until all color was lost from the irises.
The short silence was broken when she babbled. At least to Ken, it sounded like rambling. Kayla jumped off his bed, knocking his pillows to the ground. "He knows what happened to Jade!" she exclaimed excitedly before running out of the room.
Naitsuusha appeared out of her office, pulled from unplanned slumber. Kirei rushed upstairs after hearing Kayla's shrieks and nearly missing colliding with Aya. Kirei twirled around him gracefully and ended behind the other girls.
"Kayla! Slow down!" Naitsuusha begged the female archer. "I can't understand you!"
"Christopher Merache knows what happened to Jade!" Kayla declared in rushed words. "He's been watching our house!"
"Who's Christopher Merache?" asked Aya, confused. "How do you know?"
"You had a vision, didn't you?" Ken asked her, awed. "You went stiff and quiet for a few seconds!"
"Vision?" Yohji asked. "You can see-"
"Kirei!" Naitsuusha said quickly, cutting across Yohji's questions. Kirei looked at her expectantly. "Look up Christopher Merache and see what you can find out about him."
"He's a businessman," said Omi abruptly. Everyone looked at him. Omi elaborated his quick answer. "I remember his name from the mission to kill Sasaki Ginji."
"The mission where we met up," nodded Ken, recalling the files. "Merache was a partner of Sasaki's business."
"Sponsor," corrected Omi. "They weren't official business partners."
"Omi-kun, want to help me?" Kirei asked Omi. Everyone followed the youngsters into Omi's room.
"He owns Seito forest!" exclaimed Kirei in awe. "He owns the entire forest!"
"What?" Naitsuusha shouted furiously. "This is my land! This house and the land it's sitting on belonged to my father!"
"Not according to these records from the city," pointed out Omi. "He's been the owner of this forest since the beginning of the year!"
"We were in Kobe at that time," said Naitsuusha. "Chimera sent us there."
Omi turned to look at Naitsuusha with a confused look. "This house isn't even listed on the records! This house doesn't exist."
"That fucking Chimera," said Naitsuusha darkly. "I knew I shouldn't have let him moved me from Tokyo! I'll kill him!"
Weiß stared at Naitsuusha wordlessly. This was the first time they all seen this side of her. Kirei and Kayla smiled through it all. "Don't worry. Chimera's heard that threat before," Kayla reassured the group quietly. "He's still alive after hearing them from both Jade and Tsuu."
"Why haven't we seen his house?" Naitsuusha asked them. "There is no way that I can live here all these years and not see a mansion!"
"His mansion is nestled in a large grove of trees. I think it's camouflaged like how this house is."
"He knows where Jade is," said Kayla.
This was the first time Weiß was aware Kayla had visions. What powers did the other members of Karmesinrot Rache have? "You use fire and wind," said Aya bluntly to Naitsuusha. "Kayla-san has visions of the future. What about Kirei-san and Akikou-san?"
Naitsuusha gave him an icy look. "Why should I tell you? Didn't you steal enough information from us already?"
She's mad at me for going into her bedroom, Aya thought, feeling somewhat ashamed. I expected that. Why am I so bothered? "You stole files from Magicbus Hospital before," Aya pointed out in the same tone Naitsuusha used.
Fire danced across Naitsuusha's hands, unbidden as it was born from the ferocity in her heart. "Do you really want to go down that path with me, Fujimiya?"
"Another night," Aya bowed his head curtly before he walked past her fire to leave.
His hair would look better if it was on fire, Naitsuusha thought bitterly as she watched the redhead leave. Her anger disappeared after she heard his bedroom door close and so did the fire in her hands. "I'm going to bed," Naitsuusha told the others. Kayla gave Naitsuusha a hug to her surprise. Kirei gave Naitsuusha a kind smile.
"Don't be mad at him," said Kirei. "Aya-san's sorry about what he did. He doesn't know how to show it."
Naitsuusha's face shifted into an unreadable expression at Kirei's words. "Night," Naitsuusha said to her two friends before she turned to leave. She paused to add over her shoulder, "Kirei, do the research in your own bedroom. Let Tsukiyono sleep in his."
Aya took what little refuge he could in "his" bedroom. The philosophy book allowing him to open all the doors in the house was open in his hands. The appearance of Naitsuusha in his bedroom didn't make him raise his eyes off the book.
"I want my book back," Naitsuusha demanded as she walked into his room to stand near him.
"I'm still reading it," replied Aya, finally looking at Naitsuusha to see a look of irritation on her face in response to his answer.
"It's my book," replied Naitsuusha hotly. "You didn't ask me for it."
"The library was unlocked. I assumed any interested parties could read whatever material was inside." Aya gave her a cool look. "Am I wrong?"
"It's locked now," replied Naitsuusha with her hand held out for the book. "Return it to me."
Aya's pale features seem disturbed. He lowered the book slowly. She locked the library? Does she distrust me that much? "That's a shame then," Aya said softly.
"You like reading?" Naitsuusha asked him, raising an eyebrow.
"I try when I have the time to," replied Aya. Shirasagi Reiichi was overjoyed when he found out Aya shared his hobby of reading for pleasure. He was still Ran when he was with Crashers. Shirasagi pushed him into reading a wide selection of literature. "I'll return your book to you," Aya said to the owner of the house, closing the book. He had been enjoying it but there was something more he could have.
"But?" Naitsuusha asked him, sensing there was something he desired from her. It was in his bright violet eyes, a hunger and a need.
"Would you unlock the library for me?" Aya asked her politely.
Did he just ask me nicely to do something for him? Naitsuusha thought, floored by his request. Naitsuusha stared at the man. His body healed from the injuries from Schwarz but he still looked delicate. A gentle burst wind from her powers could plow the man over without much difficulty.
Aya saw her azure eyes going over his body carefully. It oddly made him feel strangely warm from being placed on the spot. She's judging how bad my health looks...but I've always looked this way. But she wouldn't know that.
"Keep the book, Fujimiya," Naitsuusha decided finally to his surprise. Maybe Fujimiya would lock himself in the library with my books and keep himself out of trouble. "I'll unlock the library tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, Fushiro-san," said Aya gratefully as he held the book closer to him.
Naitsuusha blinked a few times at his words and then frowned at him. She was confused by Aya's efforts to make progress with her. Kirei and Kayla had seen before us Weiß weren't bad people. I've got to give them more credit. "You can call me Naitsuusha."
"…Alright," Aya replied, feeling a mutual trust growing shakily between them. "You can call me-"
"Aya-san?" Naitsuusha smiled at him, warming the hazel specks in her eyes until they seemed to sparkle.
Aya stared at them, captivated by the dancing lights until the words left his mouth. They surprised even him. "Ran," Aya replied.
"Good night...Ran."
Aya's gaze stayed on the door after her departure. Somehow he just allowed the girl he called a demon before to use the name no one else had the privilege to use except for his little sister. He didn't want to think about the reasons. To avoid the issue, he reopened the book to locate the page he read before the dark angel entered his room.