Part 9: Questions, Ducks, and Answers

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"Hello!" Rin yelled, bounding into the empty shop.

"Hello," Omi replied.

"Did Persia send you?" Aya asked.

"Nope," she said cheerily. "He tried to have us kill you, but we like you too much for that. They don't even know where you are."

"Good. Are you staying?"

"Yeah," Naoki said, joining his wife. "We'll be staying nearby."

"Good," Aya repeated, just as Yohji-chan walked into the shop.

"Hey, I thought you'd be closed by now," she said, before noticing and glomping Rin.

"Who are you?" Naoki aksed.

"That's Yohji. Obviously, Persia didn't tell you why he wanted us dead."

"Something about leaving Kritiker."

Yohji sighed. "Well, we've got curses. that's why we left." Although she didn't yet know if the Saguras were going to attack or not, she seemed perfectly relaxed.

Naoki noticed this. "You seem awfully calm fo rnot knowing if we'll kill you or not."

Yohji just smiled. "I've got protection. Besides, Schu told me what's going on."

Schuldich appeared behind her and wrapped an arm about her waist. "We were on our way home when she noticed that you weren't closed up yet and wanted to check," he explained.

Rin looked confused.

Omi laughed. "You may have found us, but it seems you didn't watch long ehough. Yohji and Ken have moved out, and Maki's moved in. We run the shop together because it makes money better when there's four guys and no girls."

"Four handsome guys, you mean," Rin said.

Omi blushed.

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"Well, they certainly seem to have broken up," Rin commented when they got home.

"Aa. So all they need is an eye. Himitsu?"

"Yes?" Himitsu said.

She laughed and helped them out of their facevaults. "I'm sorry. Was there something you wanted?"

"Do you always appear at your name?"

"Only when I feel like it."

Naoki sighed. "Well, we want to know about you."

"Then ask."

"You'll tell me?"

"My job is to answer questions."

"Alright." He took a deep breath. "Who are you?"

"Himitsu."

"Who are you really?"

"That's a secret."

"Are you human?"

"In part."

"Do you lie?"

"Depends," she said.

"Are you lying now?"

"No."

"Why do you hang around Weiß and Schwarts?"

"I like them?"

"You like them?"

"Yes."

"And that's it?"

"For the most part, yes."

"Why do you like them?"

"They're interesting."

"Anything else I should know?"

"Probably."

He sighed and rephrased his question. "What else should I know?"

"Many things."

"Such as?"

"Your name is Naoki."

"What?"

"That's something you should know."

"You are soooo annoying."

"Thank you."

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"What?" Ilde was so startled, she spoke aloud. Then she started laughing. "Oh, that's rich!" Stll with that same slightly-glazed look in her eyes that said she was sending over a distance, her laughter died down to a grin.

Then she broke it off and tured to her lovers. "Persia's been arrested and Kritiker got shut down."

Farfarello just grinned, but Brad raised an eyebrow. "The newcomers?"

"Yes."

"Good. Don't let them know we know."

^Of course.^ Ilde grinned again.

"And don't speak German!"

She laughed.

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"So. You seem to have had a run-in with Himitsu-style questions and answers. Yes?"

"I have," Naoki said cautiously. "What is it to you?"

"She's very evasive, and tends to answer questions literally. However, she never lied during a session. Outside of it, everything must be taken with a grain of salt. I wish you luck."

"Who--"

"Goodbye." The phone clicked. Naoki slowly put it down, thoughtful.

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Meanwhile, at the Cat Cafe:

"Back to work, Mr. Part-Time!"

Mousse was not a happy duck.