Fallen Angels
by Kandy
~~~~~
Aya turned the corner some stores down from Koneko. He looked up and across the street was a silver Infiniti. On the trunk sat Devin. Her eyes led up from that notepad she was writing calligraphy in the other day. Devin put her notepad in her car, rolled up the windows, and locked the doors.
The redhead watched as the girl crossed the street. She looked like she was Omi's age in the dark blue sundress and ponytail.
"Early again," she greeted him.
Aya walked down the sidewalk. The walking traffic was mild so he didn't mind keeping at a normal pace. Devin kept up suprisingly. The guys often complained that he walked too fast - even when he thought he was going slow...like he was in a rush to get somewhere or something. "You wanna pick up where you left off last night?"
'At least he's straight to business,' Devin thought. "Uhh...right...where did I leave off...?"
"You'd just accepted Kritiker's offer, a week after your sister's funeral, to start your life over by becoming an assassin-in-training."
Devin blinked, "Oh, yeah. That part. There isn't much to tell after that. Kritiker bought me an apartment at the Hamazuki Towers(1!). I haven't lived there for long...but I haven't seen my family or the people who murdered my sister, since. I guess I'm at peace..."
Aya could feel her vibes and knew that she was lying through her teeth. He decided to pick at her to see if she'd actually come around to admitting some of the truth. For now a shop caught his eye. The Ice Cream Shop.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"And just where is our fellow kitten off to?" Yoji spoke under his breath after watching Aya leave to building.
Kandy shifted her weight, "Where else? To check on Seattle."
Just then the door opened to the shop. All eyes were directed to a crimson-haired beauty, named Manx.
"Good evening all."
Ken opened his eyes to see her standing above him. He cringed and turned his head once he realized he was looking straight up her miniskirt. After apologizing to Manx, the guys greeted her warmly. Kandy, Vita and Bijou didn't respond at all. The french brunette rested her arm on the counter.
"Yo, Omi," she whispered, "Who's the chick? One of Yoji's girls?"
"I resent that, Miss la Salle," Manx cut in gliding her way across the floor. Putting her clipboard facedown on the countertop. Bijou reached to turn it over, but Manx slapped her hand.
"Hey!"
"Look but don't touch, Miss la Salle."
"Who are you?," Vita asked hand-fanning at her brow.
"I'm Persia's other secretary. Name's Manx. You three, I'm sure, might be quite fond of Birman? Tall, raven haired. Well I replace her every other day and every other order of business. When she's doing something important and Persia needs communication lines with Weiss, I come in."
Kandy took a place beside Omi behind the counter, "So when Birman isn't around, you do what she would normally do?"
"Exactly. Only you all will see me much more than you will her, so get use to it and over it."
Omi leaned forward, "What exactly are you doing here, Manx? Isn't Weiss already in the middle of a mission...or something like that?"
"Omi, I have some unfinished business with your student."
Bijou puzzled, "Huh?"
"Or should I say, all of your students. But Aya and Devin is missing, am I right?"
"You just missed 'em gorgeous," Yoji said going over to the counter as well, leaving Ken content in the floor.
"Shoot. I'll just have to come back later."
"Try tomorrow," Omi stated, "I'm pretty sure Aya won't be in the mood to talk to anyone after research with Devin."
"Yeah, Dev's a potential headache in action," remarked Kandy.
"Oh well!"
Manx turned on her heel and headed for the door.
"Wait!," Bijou stopped her. "What's on the clipboard? Anything for us?"
"You'll find out tomorrow when your all here and ready to respond." Manx tapped Vita on the shoulder as she placed a hand on the glass door. "And congrats Vita. I was watching you and Ken. Very competitive...he almost had you. Persia is quite impressed with you two as a team and feels that he has made a nice selection. Until later."
Vita bit her tongue to fight a blush. Persia thought that her and Ken made a good team.
Yoji put his hands on hips, "Okay...if whatever you two did this morning on that field got recognition from Persia...I wanna know what. Now."
Ken sat up and looked at the tall japanese man. "It was just a one-on-one soccer challenge. I don't see anything special about it at all. Especially to the point that Persia gives compliments."
Kandy exhaled and stretched. "This was a long day, yes? I think I wanna retire for the day. Anybody care to join?"
Yoji smirked, "I'd love to! Your bed or mine?"
Kandy smiled innocently, "Both. You go to yours and I go to mines."
"Oooo...roasted," said Bijou followed by an array of laughter.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Devin kicked her legs as she licked her vanilla ice cream silently. Beside her on the rooftop was Aya. Silently licking a scoop of strawberry off a sugar cone.
All was quiet. Just the sound of Tokyo, Japan - plowing forward and into the future below them. While they sat still in the present. Eating ice cream. Aya's treat. She could feel something funny about him...just like he felt something funny about her.
"When you said you were at peace earlier..."
Devin stopped eating ice cream, long enough to glance at him, for a split second.
"...did you mean to say that you weren't at peace in your past?"
"Peace was a rarity in my household. Like a precious treasure...but harder to find and harder to keep. And once you get a little taste of peace, you want the whole thing. Or you at least want another little taste to savor."
The kitten could relate. It was like Weiss. Working with them is heartache, headache, and keeping your cool. So when he occasionally got time for himself, which was an empty timeslot at the flower shop or Yoji accepting that mission Persia had sent for him, he never wanted it to end. And when it did end, all he could think about was how nice that alone time felt and when he would be able to do it again.
The only difference was that it only happened between Koneko and Weiss. His future. He could never remember chaos in his home. Him...and Aya-chan...and Mom and Dad were a poster family. So he could only imagine pain in the house as being triple as irritating as working at Koneko on a busy day right after Omi got out of school.
"Why was it like that? What did your family do?"
There was silence. Devin was hesitant to answer to his question. Aya didn't rush her, just give her time to sort a good lie...
"The family business...i-is an...illegal business."
...or not. Now he was getting somewhere. He could tell by her voice. It seemed to waiver when she was forcing the truth out. But a lie usually slipped out, no extra thought or feeling needed.
Aya took a lick of his ice cream, "The family business made problems?"
"Only for me."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"I didn't like obeying my parents. I am the youngest out of four siblings and I was the only one that caused problems."
"Why?"
"Why do you think?," her voice rose at him. Her ice cream was beginning to melt and his constant array of questions were making her angry...uneasy.
Aya knew why. She disagreed with whatever evil thing her family had picked up. She'd told him that honestly. A long silence followed. Devin went back to eating her vanilla. She took each lick with a long pause between them. It wasn't melting anymore. Just waiting to be gobbled up.
"I never caught your sisters name," spoke Aya quietly.
"Demeter."
"American?"
"Roman. Or greek, either way."
"And Devin?"
She eyed him, strangely, "European. It's a boy's name.(2!)"
"You're okay with a guys name?"
"And you're okay with a girls name?"
Cars blew their horns loudly below them. The sun sunk lower and lower under the horizon. It didn't take either of them long to finish their snacks. Devin swung her legs around.
"Wait."
She looked over her shoulder at him. She didn't feel quite to comfortable anymore - ever since those family questions. She loathed her family and bringing them up made her blood steam.
"If talking about your family upsets you...we're going to talk about them more often.(3!)"
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Night girls," Ken said waving from across the street. Omi and Yoji pulled down the shudders as Kandy, Vita, and Bijou got in Kandy's truck and rode off.
"Woo! I can't wait to fall into bed and get to sleep," Omi said stretching his arms out in front of him.
"Yeah, I-"
Ken glanced across, "What's up?"
He dismissed the question when Yoji's expression went from shocked to 'well, well'.
"If it ain't Red...," he mumbled.
They all glanced over right in time to see a Infiniti swooping around the corner at about 70 mph - driven by Ms. Takanaka herself.
Yoji smirked with immature thoughts in his mind, "...she looks pissed. Aya! Don't tell me you trying to heat things up with the Ice Queen?"
He was teasing him like always, but Aya didn't take jokes well. He gave him a rock hard glare and headed upstairs to his apartment.
Omi whispered, "Even if he was, he isn't gonna say anything.(4!)"
*~*~*~*~*~*
It was bright the next morning. Yoji, Ken, and Aya were keeping 'Koneko no Sumu Ie' like usual - while the kids went to school. Omi, Ouka, and Bijou were finally off their suspensions.
It was Thursday and Yoji's turn to fulfill the customers needs behind the register. Aya was helping a little girl and her mother find the perfect bouqet of spring flowers for their ill grandmother. Ken was talking back and forth to a man wanting flowers sent to his girlfriends job for her birthday, and another woman who needed four palm trees for the outdoor decorations of a new restuarant.
Then a woman walked into the shop wearing a wide brim straw hat, black bikini, flip-flops, and tiny beach bag. Quite strange seeing that there are no beaches in Tokyo - water parks, yes! Beaches...nope. She walked over to the counter and presented herself to Yoji.
The brunette's eyes slid down to the womans chest - but he shook his head and popped himself on the forehead.
"Nice to see you too, Balinese."
Yoji was about to question this woman until she raised her head.
"Birman! For a second I thought you were some beautiful, exotic island lady sent to give me a lifetime's passion in one night."
She chuckled at him. "Still trying to get me in the sack, huh?"
"Hey...a man can dream," he told her leaning forward on the countertop, "And I can help you with...?"
"The girls. Persia needs quite the amount of information."
"Like what?"
"Weapons of choice, work place, trials, everything to get them ready to be incognito - like Weiss."
"Wait a minute. You mean they get to -pick- their work place and stuff?"
"Kind of. Didn't you?"
"No. Kritiker told us flower shop, apartments above it, fail a mission and you die. No trials, no acceptance test, no choice home - no nuthin. What gives, Bir?"
"All Weiss needs to know is that this is all apart of the project - a big important project. Persia needs this to go as smoothly as possible. And that's all you'll ever know until this project is said and done," she replied sternly.
Yoji frowned while Birman kept her face. There was a tap on Birman's shoulder. She turned around to see the busy customers ready to check out.
"Step aside, please," Yoji told Birman, "Good evening, sir. Sorry about the delay - will that be all?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
*taptaptaptaptap*
The teacher rapped her pointer on the blackboard to regain control of the talktative class. Ouka grinned with Omi and her friends - while Bijou on the other side of the room, ignored her pals chatty gossip and flipped irrationally through the pages of the play they were reading: Shakespears 'The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet' - the real, 5 Act version. They were in Act 2 now - the famous balcony scene.
"All right, class. What the tape just finished has been one of the most famous scenes in playwright history. Romeo wooing young Juliet from her bedroom balcony after they have first met during the Capulet Party.
"Who out of my brilliant pupils cares to, gracefully and emotionally, re-read Romeo's solioquy to the class?"
Ouka waved her hand in the air. She adored this play and especially dashing Romeo. It was her favorite of all plays in time.
"Ouka."
She grabbed a book and went to the front of the class.
"How far?"
"Until I tell you to stop."
"Okay...
But soft! What light there yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady; O, is it my love!"
"Very well, Ouka! And because you did it with emotion...2 points to your final average this week."
"Thank you, Momuku-sama."
"You may sit now."
Ouka sat and gained praise from her peers.
"Now, for two points as well, who dare give me a challenging opinion of Romeo and Juliet's rushed love?"
The class is silent.
"Come now, I'm giving away two points to your final average - and some of you need it."
Bijou raised a hand.
"Ah, yes, Bijou. What is your thoughts of Romeo and Juliet in this scene?"
She stood shuffling her feet, shy about the words that were to come from her lips.
"Well, Momuku-sama...I feel that Juliet is young, stupid, and naive and that Romeo is a pervert and a sex fiend."
Many students whispered and many students blushed, even Ouka and Omi, whom their peers liked to nickname Romeo and Juliet occasionally.
Miss Momuku peered at the new student over her glasses, "Pardon?"
"I said Juliet is naive and Romeo loves sex."
Angry and embarassed Ouka stood, "Momuku-sama! She's making it up! Who would think such sick things about the greatest romance, unless that person had a sick mind themselves...or she's really desperate for those 2 points."
Bijou made no kind of attempt to prove her views as right - she knew she was right she she continued to stand tall and confident. Although vast majorities of the room laughed and agreed with Ouka.
"Sit down, Ouka," Miss Momuku ordered, "Bijou would you mind sharing with the class why you would suggest this from the play - and where if you really want to prove your statements?"
"I'd love to, Momuku-sama. My view is in this very scene. From line 1 to 213, all you have to do it skip the King James ancient english mumbo-crapo and get straight to the point. In actuality, Romeo is really looking in Juliet's window saying , 'Hey, lemme in!'. And she's like, 'Nu-uh, your not gettin in here unless you wanna marry me.'
And then Romeo goes, 'Okay, okay, I'll marry you. Now lemme in so I can hit it.' "
The class ripples into laughter but finishes quickly to hear Bijou.
"But Juliet says, 'Not until you go to Friar Lawrence's and get the papers.' So Romeo goes, 'Darn. Okay, I'll be back.' And then what we're about to read right now is Romeo and the Friar arranging for him and Juliet to elope tomorrow. Less than 24 hours after they first met each other at the party."
The class is quiet for a little while but then all becomes excited again - some even clap. But not Ouka who hides from Omi's line of vision to scowl at her.
"Settle down, class," The teacher said, pushing her glasses back up on her nose, "Miss Bijou...that was...original."
"It's nothing really. Just get to the point."
"I'm quite impressed. I think this counts for 3 points on your final average. You deserve it for your brilliance."
Bijou grins and sits back down to be congratulated by her peers.
"Turn to Scene 3."
*~*~*~*~*~*
"So...what do we have to do with any of this then?," Ken asked after they pulled the shudders on the store and served the customers.
Birman shifted in her seat in the basement to face Ken and Yoji. Aya was leaning against the wall, piercing expression as always.
"Just be here when Manx comes back to gather information from the girls. Your their teachers, now, so get used to it. Persia expects at least one of you to have your eye on one of the students at all times."
Yoji took a seat on the steps, "Well, I'm sure Omi is watching Bijou right now. Does that count?"
"For now. But straight to business. After we get them settled in their new lives, the girls will complete various mission trials - even for months at a time. Until they learn, teamwork, perfection, completion of objectives, timing, organization, and other key elements to succeed. Then will they go into a grace period. A period where they will prepare themselves for their final and most difficult test. Complete the test and they are official. Fail and they will have to face their past."
"How soon do they start?," Aya asked.
"As soon as they each have a stable working schedule. That shouldn't take longer than next week. Sooner if they're that good."
Yoji looked across the room. "What's wrong with you, KenKen?"
"That could be a problem with Ouka and Bijou, remember?"
"What problem?," Birman asked.
Yoji sighed and rolled his eyes, "Mighty Mouse and Danger Girl! I forgot about them."
Birman shook her head, "What are you guys talking about?"
"You know that Ouka and Omi are dating, right," Birman nodded and Ken continued, "Well some days ago Bijou came into the shop to buy some flowers and left threatening Ouka a straight face.
After that they got suspended for fighting in school during the lunch period. They just got off today. They made a truce, but with those two tempers and attitudes, it won't last long. And Omi'll be having living hell trying to stop them fighting again."
"...that's the suspension Bijou was talking about when she left Persia a message on his voicemail...telling him to pass it on to mère and père."
"She has direct connections to Persia...?"
Birman looked at Yoji. "Yeah, and I have no clue how. But I think mère and père is french for mother and father, so he must have direct connections to her parents somehow. But why...is another puzzle in itself."
"That's not important right now," Aya spoke up, "Where are they working?"
"You'll have to wait until everybody is here to find out, Aya."
She rose to leave, "I'll be back soon. Persia, also told me to inform you guys that you have saved up 3 days to close up shop for a few hours - accept?"
They exchanged glances then Ken and Yoji looked at Aya.
"Maybe an hour or two. Save up the rest for when we'll really need them."
"No problem. That'll do for now. Farewell, kittens."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Kandy slid open the balcony door and stepped out. She left the door open so she could hear her favorite TLC album. She leaned over the railing looking down. The view outside her window was beautiful. There was nothing like Japanese Spring. It was warm, people were out and about, and...and somebody was -watching- her...?
The blonde looked to her left. Nothing but ideally personalized balconies. She looked to the right. Balconies again. She looked down - like an idiot - and saw nothing. The only way else was up. She tilted her chin towards the air just in time to see a swish of cranberry over the railing, a little to the left.
The color cranberry could only mean in this portition of her life.
Devin Takanaka.
Kandy ran into her apartment and turned the music off. Barefoot, she took the elevator up one and knocked on a door which would be northwest from her own. There was music blasting, but it turned off completly once Kandy tapped a few times. There was silence.
'How dare she ignore me after staring me down,' Baltimore thought furious. She then beat on the door with both fists. "Devin! You bitch! I saw you! Open this door, right now!"
She fell flat on her face when someone yanked the door open. She looked up angrily to see a burly biker-type woman. Beside her was Devin, clutching a laptop at her hip. Neither were too pleased to see the 23 year old. Kandy sat up and giggled, "Oops. I'm sorry." The biker babe cracked her knuckles. "You know her?," she spoke to Dev without looking at her.
Seattle sighed, "Unfortunately."
Kandy stood up and brushed herself off, while taking small steps backwards into the hallway. Devin stepped out beside Kandy, thanking the woman and apologizing for her aquantince's behavior.
"Aquantince?," Kandy asked insulted.
"After what you just did, I don't want anybody to know that I'm associated with you. What are you doing up here anyway?"
"What are -you- doing up here?"
"I -live- here!," yelled Devin as she pointed at the door right next to the biker-woman's one.
"Oh...well...what the hell were you doing in that woman's apartment staring over her balcony at me?"
"If you have to know, I was getting my laptop fixed. The woman's a computer genius and offered to fix the screen for a small fee. And if you have to know more, she was putting the pieces back together, so I walked out on the balcony. If I'd known it was you I was staring down at, I would of just stayed inside."
"Very funny."
"You still haven't answered my question? What are doing on my floor?"
"Did you just hear me? I live a floor down, when I saw you looking down at me, I wanted to come up and investigate. Especially since no one had told me that you reside in the same building."
"Dumb ass," said Devin as she unlocked her apartment door.
"What?!"
"All four of us live in the same building, doe-doe. It's apart of Kritiker's plan."
"...to get us to become closer personally..."
Devin pushed the door open. She felt guilty about screaming at the woman. "You want a cup of tea or something?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Great act, Bijou-chan!"
The french student smiled as another friend tapped her shoulder about her 'speech' in World English 12. Almost everyone had been giving her props ever since. Except Omi, Ouka, and their clique.
Bijou entered Chemistry Class. She took a seat on one of the tall stools - equal to the black and wooden lab desks. She had few buddies in this class, so took out her supplies instead. She checked the book assignment on the board and headed her paper. Before she turned a single page in her textbook she glanced up. Omi was at another desk in the front of class.
He was surrounded by many classmates. He was selling something...was he? The bell rung and she swung her light green eyes back to her paper to begin the work before the teacher started. She loved being ahead. Omi pulled up a chair beside her.
"Hey," he spoke friendly.
Bijou looked up and spoke as well, "Yo." And as quickly as she started she went back to writing.
"Bijou...I know you've been hearing this all day, but I liked you opinion about Romeo and Juliet. Real outgoing. I was getting the same thoughts, but I was too shy to say it. Momuku-sama might of struck me down."
She looked up from her paper. "Then you should of said it before me. If she would of got on you, you wouldn't have been wrong...she would be."
"Yeah, but you did say it well. The other kids...they kinda admire you. They say your bold."
Bijou smiled, "Please. They think I'm some kind of hero cause of what I said? Tell everybody to study 13 years of Shakespear and see how well they interpret it."
The bell rung signaling the next to last class period of the day. The teacher boomed across the room as the students took their seats. "Your assignment is on the board."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Aya sat in his apartment. The shop would be closed for an hour. Ken and Yoji had gone CD shopping in the more trendy part of the city to waste time.
He couldn't stop thinking about her. It was driving him slightly crazy. By the way Devin stormed off, she didn't plan on talking to him again. His whole plan to milk breaking information out of her was shot. If he only knew he well enough to know some personal things. Other than Jan-chan's, caligraphy, soul music, and a disturbing home life, nothing else could assist him in ruining her.
Guess he would have to agree with Kritiker for a little while. After watching them do a few sample missions, learn her weapon of choice, how she works and plays, he could give her breakdown on his own.
He didn't like this girl. And he wasn't going to be her teacher for long. If she changed...there was slim light. But their wasn't room enough in Kritiker for two Aya's or two Devin's.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Kandy sipped from the China Teacup. She couldn't believe Devin actually used her China. She couldn't believe she lived above her. She couldn't believe how beautiful her apartment was. It was retro, yet stylish and clean-cut. She was impressed. Dev's apartment looked like something out of a Better Homes Magazine. Kandy's resembled the apartment of a Pier One New York Penthouse.
"So you ran off in a huff?" Kandy replied after Devin had told her the story of her talk with Aya that afternoon.
"What would you of done?" she asked turning off the stove's eye.
"Hmm...," Devin sat across from Baltimore and drunk from her cup, "I wouldn't of done anything much different. I mean he ticked you off. I guess it's easy for me to say cause I learned early that your family pisses you off. Maybe it was on acci...dent...?"
She regretted saying that last phrase when Devin looked over the rim of her cup to give her the evil eye.
"Sorry."
"I don't know what's his problem. Did Yoji bother you to death like this?"
Kandy placed her cup down on the coaster. "No. We met in the park, got in my truck, he asked about my origins, how Kritiker got me, you know stuff like that. He never tried to force anything from me."
"That's because you don't have anything you don't want to tell him...or anybody for that matter."
Devin felt a wave of sadness go over her face, while Kandy witnessed it. She smiled warmly, "Hey...don't do that. I have secrets too. The type you don't say outloud even when your in the house by yourself."
The younger woman grew a small smile. But it faded as quickly as it came. "But still, he wants to know about my family. You may not know...but I loathe my own fresh and blood. And talking about it does not make me feel better. It makes me want to kill."
"Maybe that's what he wants you to do."
Silence took over the apartment. Devin was staring down those pale blue-white eyes while Kandy tried to find understanding in her dark blue eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Their our teachers. So wouldn't it make sense for Aya to make you talk about your family - the one weakness he knows about you - to make you quit when really you'll be gaining drive?"
"When really I'll be what?"
"Gaining driiivvvveeee. Negativity - He wants to get in your head. He believes that the result of getting in your head will push you away from the job. That way you'll have to quit and Aya will be scott free of teaching you. Positivity - You don't let him get to you."
Devin was quite interested and sitting on the edge of the couch. Kandy said every sentence slowly, milking the value of what she telling her into her skull.
"Instead of becoming frustrated - what he wants you to be...let his attitude be your drive. Aya keeps on lighting the fire. Once he gets it good and burning he'll add fuel. But when you can't take anymore fuel, think positivity."
"Okay...your losing me."
"When I say positivity I mean stop letting him get so angry, girl! In a few months you'll be a trained and secretly liscensed assassin. You may not even see Aya ever again in your life. And from what I see, Kritiker is bound to recognize you as skilled early in the game. Just stop letting him get in your head. If you do, he's going to bring you down. And you'll never get away from your past: your family."
*~*~*~*~*~*
All done. Well this was long. It's longer that Pimptress. The next chapter is going to have the preperations of the girls' job and their first trial.
by Kandy
~~~~~
Aya turned the corner some stores down from Koneko. He looked up and across the street was a silver Infiniti. On the trunk sat Devin. Her eyes led up from that notepad she was writing calligraphy in the other day. Devin put her notepad in her car, rolled up the windows, and locked the doors.
The redhead watched as the girl crossed the street. She looked like she was Omi's age in the dark blue sundress and ponytail.
"Early again," she greeted him.
Aya walked down the sidewalk. The walking traffic was mild so he didn't mind keeping at a normal pace. Devin kept up suprisingly. The guys often complained that he walked too fast - even when he thought he was going slow...like he was in a rush to get somewhere or something. "You wanna pick up where you left off last night?"
'At least he's straight to business,' Devin thought. "Uhh...right...where did I leave off...?"
"You'd just accepted Kritiker's offer, a week after your sister's funeral, to start your life over by becoming an assassin-in-training."
Devin blinked, "Oh, yeah. That part. There isn't much to tell after that. Kritiker bought me an apartment at the Hamazuki Towers(1!). I haven't lived there for long...but I haven't seen my family or the people who murdered my sister, since. I guess I'm at peace..."
Aya could feel her vibes and knew that she was lying through her teeth. He decided to pick at her to see if she'd actually come around to admitting some of the truth. For now a shop caught his eye. The Ice Cream Shop.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"And just where is our fellow kitten off to?" Yoji spoke under his breath after watching Aya leave to building.
Kandy shifted her weight, "Where else? To check on Seattle."
Just then the door opened to the shop. All eyes were directed to a crimson-haired beauty, named Manx.
"Good evening all."
Ken opened his eyes to see her standing above him. He cringed and turned his head once he realized he was looking straight up her miniskirt. After apologizing to Manx, the guys greeted her warmly. Kandy, Vita and Bijou didn't respond at all. The french brunette rested her arm on the counter.
"Yo, Omi," she whispered, "Who's the chick? One of Yoji's girls?"
"I resent that, Miss la Salle," Manx cut in gliding her way across the floor. Putting her clipboard facedown on the countertop. Bijou reached to turn it over, but Manx slapped her hand.
"Hey!"
"Look but don't touch, Miss la Salle."
"Who are you?," Vita asked hand-fanning at her brow.
"I'm Persia's other secretary. Name's Manx. You three, I'm sure, might be quite fond of Birman? Tall, raven haired. Well I replace her every other day and every other order of business. When she's doing something important and Persia needs communication lines with Weiss, I come in."
Kandy took a place beside Omi behind the counter, "So when Birman isn't around, you do what she would normally do?"
"Exactly. Only you all will see me much more than you will her, so get use to it and over it."
Omi leaned forward, "What exactly are you doing here, Manx? Isn't Weiss already in the middle of a mission...or something like that?"
"Omi, I have some unfinished business with your student."
Bijou puzzled, "Huh?"
"Or should I say, all of your students. But Aya and Devin is missing, am I right?"
"You just missed 'em gorgeous," Yoji said going over to the counter as well, leaving Ken content in the floor.
"Shoot. I'll just have to come back later."
"Try tomorrow," Omi stated, "I'm pretty sure Aya won't be in the mood to talk to anyone after research with Devin."
"Yeah, Dev's a potential headache in action," remarked Kandy.
"Oh well!"
Manx turned on her heel and headed for the door.
"Wait!," Bijou stopped her. "What's on the clipboard? Anything for us?"
"You'll find out tomorrow when your all here and ready to respond." Manx tapped Vita on the shoulder as she placed a hand on the glass door. "And congrats Vita. I was watching you and Ken. Very competitive...he almost had you. Persia is quite impressed with you two as a team and feels that he has made a nice selection. Until later."
Vita bit her tongue to fight a blush. Persia thought that her and Ken made a good team.
Yoji put his hands on hips, "Okay...if whatever you two did this morning on that field got recognition from Persia...I wanna know what. Now."
Ken sat up and looked at the tall japanese man. "It was just a one-on-one soccer challenge. I don't see anything special about it at all. Especially to the point that Persia gives compliments."
Kandy exhaled and stretched. "This was a long day, yes? I think I wanna retire for the day. Anybody care to join?"
Yoji smirked, "I'd love to! Your bed or mine?"
Kandy smiled innocently, "Both. You go to yours and I go to mines."
"Oooo...roasted," said Bijou followed by an array of laughter.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Devin kicked her legs as she licked her vanilla ice cream silently. Beside her on the rooftop was Aya. Silently licking a scoop of strawberry off a sugar cone.
All was quiet. Just the sound of Tokyo, Japan - plowing forward and into the future below them. While they sat still in the present. Eating ice cream. Aya's treat. She could feel something funny about him...just like he felt something funny about her.
"When you said you were at peace earlier..."
Devin stopped eating ice cream, long enough to glance at him, for a split second.
"...did you mean to say that you weren't at peace in your past?"
"Peace was a rarity in my household. Like a precious treasure...but harder to find and harder to keep. And once you get a little taste of peace, you want the whole thing. Or you at least want another little taste to savor."
The kitten could relate. It was like Weiss. Working with them is heartache, headache, and keeping your cool. So when he occasionally got time for himself, which was an empty timeslot at the flower shop or Yoji accepting that mission Persia had sent for him, he never wanted it to end. And when it did end, all he could think about was how nice that alone time felt and when he would be able to do it again.
The only difference was that it only happened between Koneko and Weiss. His future. He could never remember chaos in his home. Him...and Aya-chan...and Mom and Dad were a poster family. So he could only imagine pain in the house as being triple as irritating as working at Koneko on a busy day right after Omi got out of school.
"Why was it like that? What did your family do?"
There was silence. Devin was hesitant to answer to his question. Aya didn't rush her, just give her time to sort a good lie...
"The family business...i-is an...illegal business."
...or not. Now he was getting somewhere. He could tell by her voice. It seemed to waiver when she was forcing the truth out. But a lie usually slipped out, no extra thought or feeling needed.
Aya took a lick of his ice cream, "The family business made problems?"
"Only for me."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"I didn't like obeying my parents. I am the youngest out of four siblings and I was the only one that caused problems."
"Why?"
"Why do you think?," her voice rose at him. Her ice cream was beginning to melt and his constant array of questions were making her angry...uneasy.
Aya knew why. She disagreed with whatever evil thing her family had picked up. She'd told him that honestly. A long silence followed. Devin went back to eating her vanilla. She took each lick with a long pause between them. It wasn't melting anymore. Just waiting to be gobbled up.
"I never caught your sisters name," spoke Aya quietly.
"Demeter."
"American?"
"Roman. Or greek, either way."
"And Devin?"
She eyed him, strangely, "European. It's a boy's name.(2!)"
"You're okay with a guys name?"
"And you're okay with a girls name?"
Cars blew their horns loudly below them. The sun sunk lower and lower under the horizon. It didn't take either of them long to finish their snacks. Devin swung her legs around.
"Wait."
She looked over her shoulder at him. She didn't feel quite to comfortable anymore - ever since those family questions. She loathed her family and bringing them up made her blood steam.
"If talking about your family upsets you...we're going to talk about them more often.(3!)"
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Night girls," Ken said waving from across the street. Omi and Yoji pulled down the shudders as Kandy, Vita, and Bijou got in Kandy's truck and rode off.
"Woo! I can't wait to fall into bed and get to sleep," Omi said stretching his arms out in front of him.
"Yeah, I-"
Ken glanced across, "What's up?"
He dismissed the question when Yoji's expression went from shocked to 'well, well'.
"If it ain't Red...," he mumbled.
They all glanced over right in time to see a Infiniti swooping around the corner at about 70 mph - driven by Ms. Takanaka herself.
Yoji smirked with immature thoughts in his mind, "...she looks pissed. Aya! Don't tell me you trying to heat things up with the Ice Queen?"
He was teasing him like always, but Aya didn't take jokes well. He gave him a rock hard glare and headed upstairs to his apartment.
Omi whispered, "Even if he was, he isn't gonna say anything.(4!)"
*~*~*~*~*~*
It was bright the next morning. Yoji, Ken, and Aya were keeping 'Koneko no Sumu Ie' like usual - while the kids went to school. Omi, Ouka, and Bijou were finally off their suspensions.
It was Thursday and Yoji's turn to fulfill the customers needs behind the register. Aya was helping a little girl and her mother find the perfect bouqet of spring flowers for their ill grandmother. Ken was talking back and forth to a man wanting flowers sent to his girlfriends job for her birthday, and another woman who needed four palm trees for the outdoor decorations of a new restuarant.
Then a woman walked into the shop wearing a wide brim straw hat, black bikini, flip-flops, and tiny beach bag. Quite strange seeing that there are no beaches in Tokyo - water parks, yes! Beaches...nope. She walked over to the counter and presented herself to Yoji.
The brunette's eyes slid down to the womans chest - but he shook his head and popped himself on the forehead.
"Nice to see you too, Balinese."
Yoji was about to question this woman until she raised her head.
"Birman! For a second I thought you were some beautiful, exotic island lady sent to give me a lifetime's passion in one night."
She chuckled at him. "Still trying to get me in the sack, huh?"
"Hey...a man can dream," he told her leaning forward on the countertop, "And I can help you with...?"
"The girls. Persia needs quite the amount of information."
"Like what?"
"Weapons of choice, work place, trials, everything to get them ready to be incognito - like Weiss."
"Wait a minute. You mean they get to -pick- their work place and stuff?"
"Kind of. Didn't you?"
"No. Kritiker told us flower shop, apartments above it, fail a mission and you die. No trials, no acceptance test, no choice home - no nuthin. What gives, Bir?"
"All Weiss needs to know is that this is all apart of the project - a big important project. Persia needs this to go as smoothly as possible. And that's all you'll ever know until this project is said and done," she replied sternly.
Yoji frowned while Birman kept her face. There was a tap on Birman's shoulder. She turned around to see the busy customers ready to check out.
"Step aside, please," Yoji told Birman, "Good evening, sir. Sorry about the delay - will that be all?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
*taptaptaptaptap*
The teacher rapped her pointer on the blackboard to regain control of the talktative class. Ouka grinned with Omi and her friends - while Bijou on the other side of the room, ignored her pals chatty gossip and flipped irrationally through the pages of the play they were reading: Shakespears 'The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet' - the real, 5 Act version. They were in Act 2 now - the famous balcony scene.
"All right, class. What the tape just finished has been one of the most famous scenes in playwright history. Romeo wooing young Juliet from her bedroom balcony after they have first met during the Capulet Party.
"Who out of my brilliant pupils cares to, gracefully and emotionally, re-read Romeo's solioquy to the class?"
Ouka waved her hand in the air. She adored this play and especially dashing Romeo. It was her favorite of all plays in time.
"Ouka."
She grabbed a book and went to the front of the class.
"How far?"
"Until I tell you to stop."
"Okay...
But soft! What light there yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady; O, is it my love!"
"Very well, Ouka! And because you did it with emotion...2 points to your final average this week."
"Thank you, Momuku-sama."
"You may sit now."
Ouka sat and gained praise from her peers.
"Now, for two points as well, who dare give me a challenging opinion of Romeo and Juliet's rushed love?"
The class is silent.
"Come now, I'm giving away two points to your final average - and some of you need it."
Bijou raised a hand.
"Ah, yes, Bijou. What is your thoughts of Romeo and Juliet in this scene?"
She stood shuffling her feet, shy about the words that were to come from her lips.
"Well, Momuku-sama...I feel that Juliet is young, stupid, and naive and that Romeo is a pervert and a sex fiend."
Many students whispered and many students blushed, even Ouka and Omi, whom their peers liked to nickname Romeo and Juliet occasionally.
Miss Momuku peered at the new student over her glasses, "Pardon?"
"I said Juliet is naive and Romeo loves sex."
Angry and embarassed Ouka stood, "Momuku-sama! She's making it up! Who would think such sick things about the greatest romance, unless that person had a sick mind themselves...or she's really desperate for those 2 points."
Bijou made no kind of attempt to prove her views as right - she knew she was right she she continued to stand tall and confident. Although vast majorities of the room laughed and agreed with Ouka.
"Sit down, Ouka," Miss Momuku ordered, "Bijou would you mind sharing with the class why you would suggest this from the play - and where if you really want to prove your statements?"
"I'd love to, Momuku-sama. My view is in this very scene. From line 1 to 213, all you have to do it skip the King James ancient english mumbo-crapo and get straight to the point. In actuality, Romeo is really looking in Juliet's window saying , 'Hey, lemme in!'. And she's like, 'Nu-uh, your not gettin in here unless you wanna marry me.'
And then Romeo goes, 'Okay, okay, I'll marry you. Now lemme in so I can hit it.' "
The class ripples into laughter but finishes quickly to hear Bijou.
"But Juliet says, 'Not until you go to Friar Lawrence's and get the papers.' So Romeo goes, 'Darn. Okay, I'll be back.' And then what we're about to read right now is Romeo and the Friar arranging for him and Juliet to elope tomorrow. Less than 24 hours after they first met each other at the party."
The class is quiet for a little while but then all becomes excited again - some even clap. But not Ouka who hides from Omi's line of vision to scowl at her.
"Settle down, class," The teacher said, pushing her glasses back up on her nose, "Miss Bijou...that was...original."
"It's nothing really. Just get to the point."
"I'm quite impressed. I think this counts for 3 points on your final average. You deserve it for your brilliance."
Bijou grins and sits back down to be congratulated by her peers.
"Turn to Scene 3."
*~*~*~*~*~*
"So...what do we have to do with any of this then?," Ken asked after they pulled the shudders on the store and served the customers.
Birman shifted in her seat in the basement to face Ken and Yoji. Aya was leaning against the wall, piercing expression as always.
"Just be here when Manx comes back to gather information from the girls. Your their teachers, now, so get used to it. Persia expects at least one of you to have your eye on one of the students at all times."
Yoji took a seat on the steps, "Well, I'm sure Omi is watching Bijou right now. Does that count?"
"For now. But straight to business. After we get them settled in their new lives, the girls will complete various mission trials - even for months at a time. Until they learn, teamwork, perfection, completion of objectives, timing, organization, and other key elements to succeed. Then will they go into a grace period. A period where they will prepare themselves for their final and most difficult test. Complete the test and they are official. Fail and they will have to face their past."
"How soon do they start?," Aya asked.
"As soon as they each have a stable working schedule. That shouldn't take longer than next week. Sooner if they're that good."
Yoji looked across the room. "What's wrong with you, KenKen?"
"That could be a problem with Ouka and Bijou, remember?"
"What problem?," Birman asked.
Yoji sighed and rolled his eyes, "Mighty Mouse and Danger Girl! I forgot about them."
Birman shook her head, "What are you guys talking about?"
"You know that Ouka and Omi are dating, right," Birman nodded and Ken continued, "Well some days ago Bijou came into the shop to buy some flowers and left threatening Ouka a straight face.
After that they got suspended for fighting in school during the lunch period. They just got off today. They made a truce, but with those two tempers and attitudes, it won't last long. And Omi'll be having living hell trying to stop them fighting again."
"...that's the suspension Bijou was talking about when she left Persia a message on his voicemail...telling him to pass it on to mère and père."
"She has direct connections to Persia...?"
Birman looked at Yoji. "Yeah, and I have no clue how. But I think mère and père is french for mother and father, so he must have direct connections to her parents somehow. But why...is another puzzle in itself."
"That's not important right now," Aya spoke up, "Where are they working?"
"You'll have to wait until everybody is here to find out, Aya."
She rose to leave, "I'll be back soon. Persia, also told me to inform you guys that you have saved up 3 days to close up shop for a few hours - accept?"
They exchanged glances then Ken and Yoji looked at Aya.
"Maybe an hour or two. Save up the rest for when we'll really need them."
"No problem. That'll do for now. Farewell, kittens."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Kandy slid open the balcony door and stepped out. She left the door open so she could hear her favorite TLC album. She leaned over the railing looking down. The view outside her window was beautiful. There was nothing like Japanese Spring. It was warm, people were out and about, and...and somebody was -watching- her...?
The blonde looked to her left. Nothing but ideally personalized balconies. She looked to the right. Balconies again. She looked down - like an idiot - and saw nothing. The only way else was up. She tilted her chin towards the air just in time to see a swish of cranberry over the railing, a little to the left.
The color cranberry could only mean in this portition of her life.
Devin Takanaka.
Kandy ran into her apartment and turned the music off. Barefoot, she took the elevator up one and knocked on a door which would be northwest from her own. There was music blasting, but it turned off completly once Kandy tapped a few times. There was silence.
'How dare she ignore me after staring me down,' Baltimore thought furious. She then beat on the door with both fists. "Devin! You bitch! I saw you! Open this door, right now!"
She fell flat on her face when someone yanked the door open. She looked up angrily to see a burly biker-type woman. Beside her was Devin, clutching a laptop at her hip. Neither were too pleased to see the 23 year old. Kandy sat up and giggled, "Oops. I'm sorry." The biker babe cracked her knuckles. "You know her?," she spoke to Dev without looking at her.
Seattle sighed, "Unfortunately."
Kandy stood up and brushed herself off, while taking small steps backwards into the hallway. Devin stepped out beside Kandy, thanking the woman and apologizing for her aquantince's behavior.
"Aquantince?," Kandy asked insulted.
"After what you just did, I don't want anybody to know that I'm associated with you. What are you doing up here anyway?"
"What are -you- doing up here?"
"I -live- here!," yelled Devin as she pointed at the door right next to the biker-woman's one.
"Oh...well...what the hell were you doing in that woman's apartment staring over her balcony at me?"
"If you have to know, I was getting my laptop fixed. The woman's a computer genius and offered to fix the screen for a small fee. And if you have to know more, she was putting the pieces back together, so I walked out on the balcony. If I'd known it was you I was staring down at, I would of just stayed inside."
"Very funny."
"You still haven't answered my question? What are doing on my floor?"
"Did you just hear me? I live a floor down, when I saw you looking down at me, I wanted to come up and investigate. Especially since no one had told me that you reside in the same building."
"Dumb ass," said Devin as she unlocked her apartment door.
"What?!"
"All four of us live in the same building, doe-doe. It's apart of Kritiker's plan."
"...to get us to become closer personally..."
Devin pushed the door open. She felt guilty about screaming at the woman. "You want a cup of tea or something?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Great act, Bijou-chan!"
The french student smiled as another friend tapped her shoulder about her 'speech' in World English 12. Almost everyone had been giving her props ever since. Except Omi, Ouka, and their clique.
Bijou entered Chemistry Class. She took a seat on one of the tall stools - equal to the black and wooden lab desks. She had few buddies in this class, so took out her supplies instead. She checked the book assignment on the board and headed her paper. Before she turned a single page in her textbook she glanced up. Omi was at another desk in the front of class.
He was surrounded by many classmates. He was selling something...was he? The bell rung and she swung her light green eyes back to her paper to begin the work before the teacher started. She loved being ahead. Omi pulled up a chair beside her.
"Hey," he spoke friendly.
Bijou looked up and spoke as well, "Yo." And as quickly as she started she went back to writing.
"Bijou...I know you've been hearing this all day, but I liked you opinion about Romeo and Juliet. Real outgoing. I was getting the same thoughts, but I was too shy to say it. Momuku-sama might of struck me down."
She looked up from her paper. "Then you should of said it before me. If she would of got on you, you wouldn't have been wrong...she would be."
"Yeah, but you did say it well. The other kids...they kinda admire you. They say your bold."
Bijou smiled, "Please. They think I'm some kind of hero cause of what I said? Tell everybody to study 13 years of Shakespear and see how well they interpret it."
The bell rung signaling the next to last class period of the day. The teacher boomed across the room as the students took their seats. "Your assignment is on the board."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Aya sat in his apartment. The shop would be closed for an hour. Ken and Yoji had gone CD shopping in the more trendy part of the city to waste time.
He couldn't stop thinking about her. It was driving him slightly crazy. By the way Devin stormed off, she didn't plan on talking to him again. His whole plan to milk breaking information out of her was shot. If he only knew he well enough to know some personal things. Other than Jan-chan's, caligraphy, soul music, and a disturbing home life, nothing else could assist him in ruining her.
Guess he would have to agree with Kritiker for a little while. After watching them do a few sample missions, learn her weapon of choice, how she works and plays, he could give her breakdown on his own.
He didn't like this girl. And he wasn't going to be her teacher for long. If she changed...there was slim light. But their wasn't room enough in Kritiker for two Aya's or two Devin's.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Kandy sipped from the China Teacup. She couldn't believe Devin actually used her China. She couldn't believe she lived above her. She couldn't believe how beautiful her apartment was. It was retro, yet stylish and clean-cut. She was impressed. Dev's apartment looked like something out of a Better Homes Magazine. Kandy's resembled the apartment of a Pier One New York Penthouse.
"So you ran off in a huff?" Kandy replied after Devin had told her the story of her talk with Aya that afternoon.
"What would you of done?" she asked turning off the stove's eye.
"Hmm...," Devin sat across from Baltimore and drunk from her cup, "I wouldn't of done anything much different. I mean he ticked you off. I guess it's easy for me to say cause I learned early that your family pisses you off. Maybe it was on acci...dent...?"
She regretted saying that last phrase when Devin looked over the rim of her cup to give her the evil eye.
"Sorry."
"I don't know what's his problem. Did Yoji bother you to death like this?"
Kandy placed her cup down on the coaster. "No. We met in the park, got in my truck, he asked about my origins, how Kritiker got me, you know stuff like that. He never tried to force anything from me."
"That's because you don't have anything you don't want to tell him...or anybody for that matter."
Devin felt a wave of sadness go over her face, while Kandy witnessed it. She smiled warmly, "Hey...don't do that. I have secrets too. The type you don't say outloud even when your in the house by yourself."
The younger woman grew a small smile. But it faded as quickly as it came. "But still, he wants to know about my family. You may not know...but I loathe my own fresh and blood. And talking about it does not make me feel better. It makes me want to kill."
"Maybe that's what he wants you to do."
Silence took over the apartment. Devin was staring down those pale blue-white eyes while Kandy tried to find understanding in her dark blue eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Their our teachers. So wouldn't it make sense for Aya to make you talk about your family - the one weakness he knows about you - to make you quit when really you'll be gaining drive?"
"When really I'll be what?"
"Gaining driiivvvveeee. Negativity - He wants to get in your head. He believes that the result of getting in your head will push you away from the job. That way you'll have to quit and Aya will be scott free of teaching you. Positivity - You don't let him get to you."
Devin was quite interested and sitting on the edge of the couch. Kandy said every sentence slowly, milking the value of what she telling her into her skull.
"Instead of becoming frustrated - what he wants you to be...let his attitude be your drive. Aya keeps on lighting the fire. Once he gets it good and burning he'll add fuel. But when you can't take anymore fuel, think positivity."
"Okay...your losing me."
"When I say positivity I mean stop letting him get so angry, girl! In a few months you'll be a trained and secretly liscensed assassin. You may not even see Aya ever again in your life. And from what I see, Kritiker is bound to recognize you as skilled early in the game. Just stop letting him get in your head. If you do, he's going to bring you down. And you'll never get away from your past: your family."
*~*~*~*~*~*
All done. Well this was long. It's longer that Pimptress. The next chapter is going to have the preperations of the girls' job and their first trial.