Title: Ties of Darkness
Part 9: Disappearing
Author: Me…
Status: Incomplete
Warnings: Shounen-ai…
Rating: PG-13 for language and stuff
*blah*- POV
^blah^- telepathy
_blah_- emphasis
On with the fic!!
*Friday night, the one day of the week when you don't have to worry about homework. When you can hang out with your friends. Oh yeah this is what I call a fun time. Sitting in the bathroom, soaking wet. Yeah fun.... now if it hadn't been for that damned first year and her blasted rat I wouldn't have this problem! The damned thing has fleas! And now, so does my cat! That's why I'm sitting here in the bathroom on a Friday night soaking wet as my cat desperately tries to climb over me out of the massive bathtub. I don't blame him, wouldn't like water either if I'd been left in a thunderstorm to die.... but hey, he's my neko-chan now so it's ok. So long as that first year stays away from me! Who the hell does she think she is? Willard? Mou.... I swear, if she comes near me, I'll shish kebob her! *
Ara looked up from where she at the edge of the tub, covered in water and a black cat, as the door opened. In the doorway was a small, mousy looking girl in black robes. Ara quickly recognized her as the rat-girl and bit down a scream. It wouldn't help if their cover was blown this early in the mission.
"Hey, what're you doing?"
"What does it _look_ like?"
"Giving that cat a bath. He doesn't like it. You should stop."
"Gee, thanks Dr. Obvious. I wouldn't _have_ to bathe him if he didn't have fleas."
"But he's an indoor cat. He can't get them," the girl protested, still thinking the bath was some warped form of animal cruelty.
"He can if he's got to live in the same dorm with vermin who _does_ have fleas."
"Who has fleas in the dorm?"
"Gee, I dunno," Ara muttered, scrubbing the cat's back vigorously, "what is vermin? Do you know?"
"Are you saying that Kevin has fleas?"
"Precisely."
"But rats don't get fleas!"
"Uh-huh.... then how'd the Black Death get spread around? It sure as Hell wasn't by love and peace. That concept's a load of bull anyway, but that's beside the point..."
"Kevin doesn't have fleas!"
"Right, sure.... keep tellin' yourself that chickie...might come true one day. Baka."
The girl ran out of the bathroom in tears, Ara stared disdainfully at the spot where the girl'd been.
"Sho ga nai [1]. Not my problem..."
~*~
"Whoo-hoo! Halloween!"
"Big deal. Not like we can do anything fun anyway...."
"Don't be such a downer Nags...Omi'll get depressed if he sees you down, ne?"
"I guess so..."
"I know so, now come on! We have to get to Care of Magical Creatures."
~*~
*Why do I even go along with these schemes? Geez, we're going to get into so much trouble. Aya-kun will kill me.... for going along with it.... I can't believe I just nodded when Ara handed me that orange this morning when she and Nagi reached the class. The two of them and Schuldig are going to feed the plamuniks fruit! We were told day one not to do that! We're all going to get thrown out for this...*
*Heh...this'll be amusing. Watch all the little Gryffindor kiddies flip at he sight. I got Nagi and Schuldig in on this...Omi's just going along because of Nagi. Works for me, I won't complain but damn it! Hagrid, turn the other way so I can do this! *
"Now, 'ow's everyone's plamuniks doin'? They're aren't too much of a hand full I trust?"
The general answer was no. The giant grinned broadly and turned to get some more fish out of the large barrel in the yard. Soon as his back was turned Ara had a kiwi in her palm.
"Ne, Fluffy, want a kiwi?"
The small fuzzy ball of fluff sniffed hesitantly at the small fruit the girl presented before snatching it away with small paws. The kiwi was much to large for animal's grip and most of it rested on the ground. The small animal was nibbling away at the fruit as Nagi, Schuldig, and Omi offered their own plamuniks fruit. Schuldig watched in amusement as the tiny animal gobbled down the strawberry and began growing larger.
"Oh no," Schuldig said in mock horror, "my plamunik has taken my strawberry from this morning."
"Mine has taken my kiwi."
"Mine has stolen the orange from my pocket."
"My apple is gone, alas...."
The rest of the class (composed of sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins for future reference) looked up at the less than shocked outbursts and started screaming. Four plamuniks were rapidly growing to ten times their normal size (they're roughly the size of a six week old kitten, you do the math, I can't), eight inch claws sliding soundlessly out of padded feet, teeth just as long emerged from narrow mouths, all in all, the little things turn out to be quite scary indeed. Scary enough to send the sixth years that were presently running in all directions. Nagi started laughing first, followed by the other assassins at the childish antics of their classmates.
~*~
"That was a dangerous stunt! Someone could've been hurt!"
"Could have been. That's the key word, could've. No one was so it's all good."
Nagi sighed. This hadn't gone as planned. Hargid had freaked out and promptly caught the four plamuniks before they could injure someone. All that had happened was a couple of students getting a couple of bruises, maybe a scrape or two. The quartet had protested, saying the animals had taken the fruit but Hagrid didn't seem to believe them at all. He just insisted they be 'escorted' to have the problem dealt with.
"No, I'm 'fraid not. I'm gotta take ya ter see Professor Dumbledore..."
"Naze? No one was hurt!" Omi protested.
"Iie, Hagrid...don't bother taking them. I orchestrated the whole thing. My fault.... I'll take responsibility for my actions."
"Very well then..."
^Ara, what're you doing? ^
^Nandemonai. Just do me a favor, make sure Peeves gets a hold of a couple of those damned plamuniks, and tell him what to feed them ok? This'll be fun.... just do it so you can't be blamed ok? ^
^I see.... sounds good... ^
~*~
"Miss Nahoe, from what Hagrid has informed me, you cause quite a disturbance in your class today, bringing three other students into the fray."
"Mou.... the looks on everyone's panicked faces was _so_ worth it though! It was so funny to see everyone freaking out like that! Besides," Ara muttered in annoyance, "I'd be more worried about Peeves at this point."
"Peeves?"
"Aa, Professor Dumbledor, Peeves. See, the third years are rather forgetful and stupid and in my common room, they have a habit of loosing things.... you realize that this makes those things free game right?"
"Free game?"
"Yeah, if my hunch is right, what Peeves'll do will make my trick look like child's play. I'd hurry up if I were you before he gets a hold of a couple or maybe ten. It'd be chaotic."
"True…. how could you know this?"
"A third year was complaining that she'd lost hers this morning. I felt bad but I didn't notice too much. Too busy making sure that my cat was till flea-free after that blasted first year brought that infernal rat of hers…."
The professor looked up in shock as the sounds of shrieks reached their ears. Ara grinned in amusement. Schuldig had done perfectly….
~*~
"Bradley…."
"Don't call me that!"
Yoji frowned in annoyance. It's rather difficult to get laid when the person you're after is being a dick. Currently the pair was in the teacher's lounge and Crawford was reading by the fire, trying to ignore the blond beside him. No such luck, the other assassin was determined to annoy him. Crawford sighed; Yoji was as bad as Schuldig.
"Isn't there someone else you can annoy?"
"Sure, Aya but I don't wanna. He's having his quote unquote 'alone time'. He won't be disturbed then."
"So go annoy Schuldig."
"Can't. Students are stuck in their common rooms after Peeves got a hold of all those plamuniks."
"Go harass someone else."
"But I feel like bothering you. C'mon, put the book down."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like you."
"Liar. If you didn't like me you'd've left by now. You're still here. I win that argument."
"That doesn't mean I like you."
"True but it shows that you don't abhor my presence."
"Shut up and go away."
"Nope. Don't wanna. C'mon, put the book down and actually have a normal conversation. You'll blow everyone's cover acting like this."
"So you're saying I should act like you?"
"No. I'm saying lighten up a bit. So, c'mon put the book down and talk…"Yoji whined.
*This man is getting annoying! Gods I want to strangle him! How on earth can I be quote unquote civil with someone who won't even talk to me?
*Why won't he shut up? This is trying enough, as it is without him sitting there being so damned annoying! Argh!! Make him go away! *
"C'mon Brad…."
"Go talk to Abyssinian. Leave me alone."
"I already told you, he's having his alone time. There's no one else for me to visit."
"Go away."
"Quit being a prick."
*I have to look up from my book and glare at the blond across from me. This wasn't going as planned. The blond wasn't behaving according to his normal pattern. From what Schuldig had said, the blond was Weib's playboy. If there was a woman over eighteen, he had more than likely slept with them. So why was he hassling me? I'm most certainly not a woman. Nor am I throwing myself at him. Damn him*
*Ok, this is weird. All of a sudden he's looking at me as if I'm actually here. He's looking at me as if now he's just noticed me. How annoying. What the hell? He's got this weird look in his eyes; a look even I can't place and I've seen a lot of looks. Probably given people most of them. It's strange that I don't recognize the one in the oracle's eyes. He's just sitting there looking at me, staring through to my soul. It's scary…. it's almost as if…. kami-sama…*
"Bradley…. am I missing something?"
Crawford pulled away abruptly, "No."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like…I don't know…it's a look…"
"Which means what Kudo?"
"How many times must I tell you? Call me Yoji. And I don't know what it means."
"Then why are you so upset?"
"Because, the look creeps me out Bradley. That's why. I just want to know why you're giving me a look like that. It reminds me of that look Omi gives a computer program that he has to hack. A hungry look."
"Hungry?"
"Like it's some guilty pleasure. Like it's something…. you shouldn't have…. Bradley…?"
"Shut up Kudo."
*I'm terrified right now. He's just sitting there one minute and then he next he's got his lips pressed against mine in with such emotion that I can't help but kiss him back with all the passion I've got in me. Gods, this is…perfect. He's got really soft hair…*
~*~
"This is _so_ boring. I can't believe we're confined to our houses until they deal with the plamuniks. Mou…how annoying."
"Perhaps that'll teach you to leave the damned things alone."
"Naze? Where's the fun in that Nagi?"
"That's not the point. The point is that you shouldn't be trying to cause trouble. We have a cover to maintain."
"Fuck that mien freund. Demo…wanna play Chinese Checkers? I'm totally bored."
"Fine….."
"I call black."
"Whatever…."
~*~
Ara sighed. She and Nagi were on their eighth game straight and neither was tired yet. She wasn't in the mood to go to her room and read. That blasted rat might be there. After all, her sister was in the same year as Ara.
Nagi picked up his last blue marble and jumped six places to win the eighth game. Ara couldn't win a game of Chinese Checkers if her life depended on it so it wasn't much of a challenge to beat her. She frowned and set the board up again as the portrait door swung open.
Schuldig and Omi emerged through the door, searching half-heartedly. Nagi stood, hurrying over to hug the blond assassin. The pair embraced in the doorway and Schuldig just scowled. No fair that the chibis got to be all huggy when Ran was being a dick. He made his way over to the black-eyed girl, weaving through the few people in the common room.
"Ne, how's the world Schuldig? Or should I say the redhead?"
"Nothing with him. On a side note, Crawford says that some Ravenclaw girl's missing. That and some girl named Melissa."
"Melissa?"
"Ja, a first year."
"A first year huh? Did he say a house?"
"No…."
"Hey, has anyone seen Melissa?"
"Melissa? That first year?"
"Yeah…she's supposed to be working with me on our Potions work."
"Perhaps she's in my room. Her sister's in the same year as me."
"What's going on?" Omi inquired as the pair approached the duo.
"Some Girl's missing. Two right now."
"Two are missing? How odd."
"Aa. I 'm about to go check my dorm room."
Ara ran up the stairs two at a time, Schuldig, Omi, and Nagi hot on her heels. She swung the door open, mouth agape. Hanging on the wall was a dead rat. Kevin was hanging by his tail. She staggered forward, grabbing the folded sheet of paper off the bed. In short, crude English characters was a note.
"They were the first to go, more will follow?"
~OWARI
A/N: Well, part 9 done. Hooray! Well, to let everyone know, the next piece will take place around Thanksgiving. Then Christmas and the rating _will_ go up. Trust me. I realize that this one was kind of stupid. But please don't kill me. Please review!
1- Oh well
Part 9: Disappearing
Author: Me…
Status: Incomplete
Warnings: Shounen-ai…
Rating: PG-13 for language and stuff
*blah*- POV
^blah^- telepathy
_blah_- emphasis
On with the fic!!
*Friday night, the one day of the week when you don't have to worry about homework. When you can hang out with your friends. Oh yeah this is what I call a fun time. Sitting in the bathroom, soaking wet. Yeah fun.... now if it hadn't been for that damned first year and her blasted rat I wouldn't have this problem! The damned thing has fleas! And now, so does my cat! That's why I'm sitting here in the bathroom on a Friday night soaking wet as my cat desperately tries to climb over me out of the massive bathtub. I don't blame him, wouldn't like water either if I'd been left in a thunderstorm to die.... but hey, he's my neko-chan now so it's ok. So long as that first year stays away from me! Who the hell does she think she is? Willard? Mou.... I swear, if she comes near me, I'll shish kebob her! *
Ara looked up from where she at the edge of the tub, covered in water and a black cat, as the door opened. In the doorway was a small, mousy looking girl in black robes. Ara quickly recognized her as the rat-girl and bit down a scream. It wouldn't help if their cover was blown this early in the mission.
"Hey, what're you doing?"
"What does it _look_ like?"
"Giving that cat a bath. He doesn't like it. You should stop."
"Gee, thanks Dr. Obvious. I wouldn't _have_ to bathe him if he didn't have fleas."
"But he's an indoor cat. He can't get them," the girl protested, still thinking the bath was some warped form of animal cruelty.
"He can if he's got to live in the same dorm with vermin who _does_ have fleas."
"Who has fleas in the dorm?"
"Gee, I dunno," Ara muttered, scrubbing the cat's back vigorously, "what is vermin? Do you know?"
"Are you saying that Kevin has fleas?"
"Precisely."
"But rats don't get fleas!"
"Uh-huh.... then how'd the Black Death get spread around? It sure as Hell wasn't by love and peace. That concept's a load of bull anyway, but that's beside the point..."
"Kevin doesn't have fleas!"
"Right, sure.... keep tellin' yourself that chickie...might come true one day. Baka."
The girl ran out of the bathroom in tears, Ara stared disdainfully at the spot where the girl'd been.
"Sho ga nai [1]. Not my problem..."
~*~
"Whoo-hoo! Halloween!"
"Big deal. Not like we can do anything fun anyway...."
"Don't be such a downer Nags...Omi'll get depressed if he sees you down, ne?"
"I guess so..."
"I know so, now come on! We have to get to Care of Magical Creatures."
~*~
*Why do I even go along with these schemes? Geez, we're going to get into so much trouble. Aya-kun will kill me.... for going along with it.... I can't believe I just nodded when Ara handed me that orange this morning when she and Nagi reached the class. The two of them and Schuldig are going to feed the plamuniks fruit! We were told day one not to do that! We're all going to get thrown out for this...*
*Heh...this'll be amusing. Watch all the little Gryffindor kiddies flip at he sight. I got Nagi and Schuldig in on this...Omi's just going along because of Nagi. Works for me, I won't complain but damn it! Hagrid, turn the other way so I can do this! *
"Now, 'ow's everyone's plamuniks doin'? They're aren't too much of a hand full I trust?"
The general answer was no. The giant grinned broadly and turned to get some more fish out of the large barrel in the yard. Soon as his back was turned Ara had a kiwi in her palm.
"Ne, Fluffy, want a kiwi?"
The small fuzzy ball of fluff sniffed hesitantly at the small fruit the girl presented before snatching it away with small paws. The kiwi was much to large for animal's grip and most of it rested on the ground. The small animal was nibbling away at the fruit as Nagi, Schuldig, and Omi offered their own plamuniks fruit. Schuldig watched in amusement as the tiny animal gobbled down the strawberry and began growing larger.
"Oh no," Schuldig said in mock horror, "my plamunik has taken my strawberry from this morning."
"Mine has taken my kiwi."
"Mine has stolen the orange from my pocket."
"My apple is gone, alas...."
The rest of the class (composed of sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins for future reference) looked up at the less than shocked outbursts and started screaming. Four plamuniks were rapidly growing to ten times their normal size (they're roughly the size of a six week old kitten, you do the math, I can't), eight inch claws sliding soundlessly out of padded feet, teeth just as long emerged from narrow mouths, all in all, the little things turn out to be quite scary indeed. Scary enough to send the sixth years that were presently running in all directions. Nagi started laughing first, followed by the other assassins at the childish antics of their classmates.
~*~
"That was a dangerous stunt! Someone could've been hurt!"
"Could have been. That's the key word, could've. No one was so it's all good."
Nagi sighed. This hadn't gone as planned. Hargid had freaked out and promptly caught the four plamuniks before they could injure someone. All that had happened was a couple of students getting a couple of bruises, maybe a scrape or two. The quartet had protested, saying the animals had taken the fruit but Hagrid didn't seem to believe them at all. He just insisted they be 'escorted' to have the problem dealt with.
"No, I'm 'fraid not. I'm gotta take ya ter see Professor Dumbledore..."
"Naze? No one was hurt!" Omi protested.
"Iie, Hagrid...don't bother taking them. I orchestrated the whole thing. My fault.... I'll take responsibility for my actions."
"Very well then..."
^Ara, what're you doing? ^
^Nandemonai. Just do me a favor, make sure Peeves gets a hold of a couple of those damned plamuniks, and tell him what to feed them ok? This'll be fun.... just do it so you can't be blamed ok? ^
^I see.... sounds good... ^
~*~
"Miss Nahoe, from what Hagrid has informed me, you cause quite a disturbance in your class today, bringing three other students into the fray."
"Mou.... the looks on everyone's panicked faces was _so_ worth it though! It was so funny to see everyone freaking out like that! Besides," Ara muttered in annoyance, "I'd be more worried about Peeves at this point."
"Peeves?"
"Aa, Professor Dumbledor, Peeves. See, the third years are rather forgetful and stupid and in my common room, they have a habit of loosing things.... you realize that this makes those things free game right?"
"Free game?"
"Yeah, if my hunch is right, what Peeves'll do will make my trick look like child's play. I'd hurry up if I were you before he gets a hold of a couple or maybe ten. It'd be chaotic."
"True…. how could you know this?"
"A third year was complaining that she'd lost hers this morning. I felt bad but I didn't notice too much. Too busy making sure that my cat was till flea-free after that blasted first year brought that infernal rat of hers…."
The professor looked up in shock as the sounds of shrieks reached their ears. Ara grinned in amusement. Schuldig had done perfectly….
~*~
"Bradley…."
"Don't call me that!"
Yoji frowned in annoyance. It's rather difficult to get laid when the person you're after is being a dick. Currently the pair was in the teacher's lounge and Crawford was reading by the fire, trying to ignore the blond beside him. No such luck, the other assassin was determined to annoy him. Crawford sighed; Yoji was as bad as Schuldig.
"Isn't there someone else you can annoy?"
"Sure, Aya but I don't wanna. He's having his quote unquote 'alone time'. He won't be disturbed then."
"So go annoy Schuldig."
"Can't. Students are stuck in their common rooms after Peeves got a hold of all those plamuniks."
"Go harass someone else."
"But I feel like bothering you. C'mon, put the book down."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like you."
"Liar. If you didn't like me you'd've left by now. You're still here. I win that argument."
"That doesn't mean I like you."
"True but it shows that you don't abhor my presence."
"Shut up and go away."
"Nope. Don't wanna. C'mon, put the book down and actually have a normal conversation. You'll blow everyone's cover acting like this."
"So you're saying I should act like you?"
"No. I'm saying lighten up a bit. So, c'mon put the book down and talk…"Yoji whined.
*This man is getting annoying! Gods I want to strangle him! How on earth can I be quote unquote civil with someone who won't even talk to me?
*Why won't he shut up? This is trying enough, as it is without him sitting there being so damned annoying! Argh!! Make him go away! *
"C'mon Brad…."
"Go talk to Abyssinian. Leave me alone."
"I already told you, he's having his alone time. There's no one else for me to visit."
"Go away."
"Quit being a prick."
*I have to look up from my book and glare at the blond across from me. This wasn't going as planned. The blond wasn't behaving according to his normal pattern. From what Schuldig had said, the blond was Weib's playboy. If there was a woman over eighteen, he had more than likely slept with them. So why was he hassling me? I'm most certainly not a woman. Nor am I throwing myself at him. Damn him*
*Ok, this is weird. All of a sudden he's looking at me as if I'm actually here. He's looking at me as if now he's just noticed me. How annoying. What the hell? He's got this weird look in his eyes; a look even I can't place and I've seen a lot of looks. Probably given people most of them. It's strange that I don't recognize the one in the oracle's eyes. He's just sitting there looking at me, staring through to my soul. It's scary…. it's almost as if…. kami-sama…*
"Bradley…. am I missing something?"
Crawford pulled away abruptly, "No."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like…I don't know…it's a look…"
"Which means what Kudo?"
"How many times must I tell you? Call me Yoji. And I don't know what it means."
"Then why are you so upset?"
"Because, the look creeps me out Bradley. That's why. I just want to know why you're giving me a look like that. It reminds me of that look Omi gives a computer program that he has to hack. A hungry look."
"Hungry?"
"Like it's some guilty pleasure. Like it's something…. you shouldn't have…. Bradley…?"
"Shut up Kudo."
*I'm terrified right now. He's just sitting there one minute and then he next he's got his lips pressed against mine in with such emotion that I can't help but kiss him back with all the passion I've got in me. Gods, this is…perfect. He's got really soft hair…*
~*~
"This is _so_ boring. I can't believe we're confined to our houses until they deal with the plamuniks. Mou…how annoying."
"Perhaps that'll teach you to leave the damned things alone."
"Naze? Where's the fun in that Nagi?"
"That's not the point. The point is that you shouldn't be trying to cause trouble. We have a cover to maintain."
"Fuck that mien freund. Demo…wanna play Chinese Checkers? I'm totally bored."
"Fine….."
"I call black."
"Whatever…."
~*~
Ara sighed. She and Nagi were on their eighth game straight and neither was tired yet. She wasn't in the mood to go to her room and read. That blasted rat might be there. After all, her sister was in the same year as Ara.
Nagi picked up his last blue marble and jumped six places to win the eighth game. Ara couldn't win a game of Chinese Checkers if her life depended on it so it wasn't much of a challenge to beat her. She frowned and set the board up again as the portrait door swung open.
Schuldig and Omi emerged through the door, searching half-heartedly. Nagi stood, hurrying over to hug the blond assassin. The pair embraced in the doorway and Schuldig just scowled. No fair that the chibis got to be all huggy when Ran was being a dick. He made his way over to the black-eyed girl, weaving through the few people in the common room.
"Ne, how's the world Schuldig? Or should I say the redhead?"
"Nothing with him. On a side note, Crawford says that some Ravenclaw girl's missing. That and some girl named Melissa."
"Melissa?"
"Ja, a first year."
"A first year huh? Did he say a house?"
"No…."
"Hey, has anyone seen Melissa?"
"Melissa? That first year?"
"Yeah…she's supposed to be working with me on our Potions work."
"Perhaps she's in my room. Her sister's in the same year as me."
"What's going on?" Omi inquired as the pair approached the duo.
"Some Girl's missing. Two right now."
"Two are missing? How odd."
"Aa. I 'm about to go check my dorm room."
Ara ran up the stairs two at a time, Schuldig, Omi, and Nagi hot on her heels. She swung the door open, mouth agape. Hanging on the wall was a dead rat. Kevin was hanging by his tail. She staggered forward, grabbing the folded sheet of paper off the bed. In short, crude English characters was a note.
"They were the first to go, more will follow?"
~OWARI
A/N: Well, part 9 done. Hooray! Well, to let everyone know, the next piece will take place around Thanksgiving. Then Christmas and the rating _will_ go up. Trust me. I realize that this one was kind of stupid. But please don't kill me. Please review!
1- Oh well
