(Note: Aw, screw it. You guys know by now I hate Riho, and replaced her
with Hiromi. You don't like it, e-mail me and tell me why.)
Disclaimer: EEEeeeEEEE! The moon girl is happy! *dances* I got the last Hellsing DVD, and I finished my evil English essay! And you guys know what? I don't freaking care if she flunks me at this point! ITS OVER!!! *eats more sugar* You guys have no freaking idea how stressed I was over that. That's the reason this chapter took so long to fix; these people I live with keep talking about my needing to prioritize. Well, here's my newest priority minna!
Shido walked out of the closet yawning, and checked the wall mounted clock as he headed to the kitchen; 3:40 PM. He had slept in a little...
"You're getting lazy in your old age, Shido," he muttered to his reflection as he spread toothpaste over his toothbrush. His reflection stayed silent as he scrubbed his teeth. It was funny to think, but vampire's didn't actually *need* to brush; their fangs and teeth being so important, that they actually stayed like new with no maintenance. Still, Shido was almost completely sure he had brushed his teeth when he was a human, and the supposed habit had followed him over the years. Besides, Shido had read a few of those ridiculous vampire novels, most claiming that the breath of a vampire smelled of old blood. He wasn't about to give those hack writers any credit...
"No old blood smell here," he said again, rinsing his mouth out. "Just minty freshness."
"Shido, you have really got to stop talking to yourself," Guni's voice murmured above him. Shido looked up to see Guni standing on the shelf above his head and leaning her shoulder against the wall. "People are gonna wonder whether you're all there or not."
"You can't be completely sane in this world, and survive Guni."
The fairy rolled her eyes, "Ain't that the truth." She followed Shido as he padded back into the main office, and pulled his trench coat off the chair he had dropped it on last night and headed for his top hat. "Where we going?"
The vampire looked over at the couch where Hiromi had spent the night, only to find it empty, the girl curled on the floor, lost in an exhausted sleep. Shido tiptoed to the closest, and pulled down a heavy winter coat that Yayoi had left there once, and covered Hiromi with it. Immediately she cuddled under it, until her blood red hair only just peeked out.
"Shido?"
"We're heading for Hiromi's apartment," Shido whispered, as he opened the door. Guni settled on his shoulder and Shido started walking down the stairs, slipping on his coat, gloves, and sunglasses.
"Gonna see if we can figure out who broke in?" Guni asked as she moved into the hat Shido still carried so she could look him in the face. "Well, Sherlock?"
"Yes, if it was a human there would be obvious evidence."
"But you're thinking it wasn't a human. You're leaning more towards inhuman....."
Shido nodded at Guni, "Though it's not like a Breed to attack a person in their home, unless its host used to be a part of the family."
"And Hiromi doesn't have any family here," Guni finished for him, sliding to his shoulder and ducking under Shido's hair as he put the hat on and opened the door, stepping into early winter sunlight.
"Exactly. And the fact that it was Hiromi's apartment that was broken into, so recently after Cain showed up in town, almost totally rules out a human."
Shido turned north, walking through the Halloween shopping crowds towards the small apartment complex Hiromi lived in, feeling Guni slip from his shoulder to sit inside his coat's collar, "How can it get so freaking cold so early in the damn season?" she muttered, settling deeper.
"El Nino?"
"Funny..." the fairy growled in his ear.
Shido sighed and turned left into a cheap housing complex, and climbed to the second level. When he reached the top of the stairs, Shido paused only long enough to look at a small wall mounted directory.
"B-41...to the right...."
Shido turned and walked down the hall, easily finding the door, Hiromi's Starbuck's latte still staining the concrete floor. The door was still slightly ajar, and Hiromi's keys were sticky in the casualty of the spilled coffee. Shido picked the cup and the keys up, pushing the door open. Immediately, Guni left Shido's neck, and flew deeper into the apartment, though it was just as cold inside as out.
Shido sent his senses out into the apartment as he put the keys and cup onto an end table; from what he could feel, it was clean, with just a slight smell of sea water.
Shido walked deeper into the apartment, following the smell of sea water to a pale green room, dominated by a converted futon, pillows, discarded clothes, and quite a few books and notepads. Humming drew Shido's attention and he turned to see a small fish tank on a shelf, clown and angel fish swimming in lazy circles inside.
"Well, that explains the salt water," Shido thought, opening Hiromi's closet. He smiled slightly; he was checking for boogie men in the closet...
"You should see her kitchen," came Guni's voice. "There's almost no food in there! Just basic instant stuff and a whole shelf devoted to coffee!"
"Maybe cooking's not Hiromi's forte," Shido said, moving to the window, and looking at the sill. It looked over the city, with no place for a human to stand and force it open.
"Wow, Shido check this out."
Shido glanced behind him and saw Guni sitting on the bed, looking a sketch book. The fairy was looking at a realistic penciled drawing of Yayoi. The image was sitting in one of the office chairs, her legs crossed, a mug held near her lips, and was talking to someone unseen in the picture. It was an almost perfect replica of the original.
Guni turned the page, "Hey, she did me too!"
Guni's picture was sitting on a doorknob, her arms crossed, sulking with a sour look on her face. Shido smiled a bit; this was another near perfect picture of the model.
"I don't look that pouty...." Guni muttered, turning the page again. This one was a picture of Shido with his hair undone, leaning against a wall and looking lost in thought as he stared at nothing near his feet. Near the sketch was Hiromi's untidy scrawl, "Too serious. Fix!"
The next picture was of Shido again along with Yayoi, and was much more gruesome. Yayoi laid in his arms, holding her jacket away from her throat, as Shido bent over her, the slightest hint of fangs showing from his lips, and suddenly Shido remembered the night Hiromi had learned he was a vampire. Again on the sketch, was Hiromi's writing, "Better, but still not right. What am I doing wrong?"
"That's enough Guni, let's check out the rest of the apartment..."
"Wait, I wanna see the next one," the fairy said, and turned the page again. The final picture was colored and shaded with pencil, clearly showing the blood. Hiromi was kneeling in a puddle of someone's blood, looking at her hands, and crying as she tried to wipe her hands clean.
"Shido look," Guni pointed and the vampire focused on two very small shapes in the blood: what looked like rings.
***
"Ahhh!"
Hiromi sat straight up, panting in sheer terror at the intensity of her dream. "Its okay... I'm okay..."
She leaned forward and put a hand to her sweaty head and grimaced, "I need a shower..."
She pulled the coat that someone had draped over her off and carried it to the closet. She was about to open it, when she remembered Shido's coffin was in there. She knocked gently, feeling like an idiot, "Shido, you up?"
there was no answer and she cracked open the door, peeking in. the white polished surface of the coffin gleamed a little in the dim light from the crack, but remained silent; no one spoke and its lid didn't crack open. Suddenly Hiromi had the urge to rap 'Shave and a Haircut' on the wood. She bit her lip and grinned; what if the vampire decided to finish off the rhythm?
Hiromi shook her head. She had no idea where the idea came from but she wasn't about to do it. The telephone rang, and Hiromi jerked. She dropped the jacket on the couch and ran for it, something telling her that it was important, "Tatshuiko Detective Agency."
"Hiromi?" came Yayoi's voice. "Let me talk to Shido."
"Um...I'm not sure but I think he's still sleeping."
"Go wake him up then; this is important."
"How do I wake him up?!"
Yayoi sighed, "Open the lid, and poke him."
"Well duh," Hiromi thought. "Just a sec, Yayoi."
She put the phone down and moved back to the closet. Hiromi kneeled next to the coffin and put her hands on the smooth surface. "Come on, you coward," she told herself. "You always wanted to do an Indian Jones; here's your chance."
She pushed the lid up, surprised at how heavy it was; the coffin must have been top of the line when it was new...
And there was no vampire inside, just a slightly sunken indentation of where he had lain on the satin. Hiromi got up frowning, "He could have at least left a note..."
"Yayoi?" she said picking up the phone again. "We've got ourselves a wayward vampire."
"He's not there?"
"Nope, looks like he's been gone for a while."
"Wonderful. I told him to get a cell phone, or at least a cheapy pager... Listen Hiromi, there's been another murder. Tell Shido as soon as he walks through the door. Here's the address..."
"Hold on, let me get a pen." Hiromi dug through her pockets and pulled out a pink gel pen she had bought on impulse. She didn't even know why she had spent the eighty cents on the damn thing; she hated pink. "Okay, go ahead Yayoi."
"It's at Windsong, and Silveroak. The house number is 9016, got it?"
"Windsong, Silveroak, 9016."
"Good, Shido won't be able to miss it; it's the only one with green trimming and a bright green door."
"Green trimming and a green door."
"Another thing, have Shido call me on my cell when he gets back, would you?"
"Call crazy lady."
"Oh, hush up Hiromi. I haven't even had any coffee yet."
"Neither have I. I'll have him call you, okay?"
"Alright, see you later Hiromi."
"Bye."
Hiromi hung up and read over the pad she had scrawled Yayoi's message on. Her writing was really, really bad...
"I hope he can read it," she muttered, tucking the paper's corner under the phone.
She turned back to the coat and picked it up, heading back to the closet. Now that she was sure that Shido wasn't in there, she didn't have a single qualm about cleaning up after herself. She pulled a hanger down and hung the jacket, leaning in to hang them both back up.
"No monsters in the closet today," she smiled. Though she didn't really count Shido as a monster. Oh sure, he wasn't human, but he had a humane soul. As far as she was concerned, the only monsters in this world were those who destroyed lives without remorse.
She shook her head, realizing she was getting philosophical again. "I've gotta get more sleep tomorrow..."
As she closed the closet, a chill came over her body, and she wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering. It passed quickly and Hiromi blinked; probably just the shivers.
"Little Hiro..."
Hiromi's eyes went wide. That was her mother's voice!
"My Little Hiro, on the principal's list again. I'm so proud..."
"Mama?"
Figures solidified in front of her face: two young women, both with blood red hair. Megumi Takabe hugged her daughter; Hiromi's fifteen year old self pushed back, "Does this mean I can go to Aya's party?"
Megumi smiled a little, "Okay Hiro, but no boys, no drinking, and no drugs."
"Thanks!" Hiromi hugged her mother and walked out of the room, leaving Megumi to finish dinner.
"Be back at eight, okay Hiro?"
"Sure mom!"
The door slammed and Hiromi's memory faded. That was the last time she had ever seen her mother alive...
Then there were two more people: herself dancing to silent music, and a man dressed as a cop coming up behind her. The cop tapped her on the shoulder, "Miss Takabe Hiromi?"
"Yes?"
"I'd like to talk to you outside."
Tears were streaking Hiromi's cheeks, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. Her fault. It was her fault.
She turned and left the office, leaving the door wide open. She didn't care anymore. She just wanted to forget, forget everything that hurt in this world. And she knew just how best to forget...
Disclaimer: EEEeeeEEEE! The moon girl is happy! *dances* I got the last Hellsing DVD, and I finished my evil English essay! And you guys know what? I don't freaking care if she flunks me at this point! ITS OVER!!! *eats more sugar* You guys have no freaking idea how stressed I was over that. That's the reason this chapter took so long to fix; these people I live with keep talking about my needing to prioritize. Well, here's my newest priority minna!
Shido walked out of the closet yawning, and checked the wall mounted clock as he headed to the kitchen; 3:40 PM. He had slept in a little...
"You're getting lazy in your old age, Shido," he muttered to his reflection as he spread toothpaste over his toothbrush. His reflection stayed silent as he scrubbed his teeth. It was funny to think, but vampire's didn't actually *need* to brush; their fangs and teeth being so important, that they actually stayed like new with no maintenance. Still, Shido was almost completely sure he had brushed his teeth when he was a human, and the supposed habit had followed him over the years. Besides, Shido had read a few of those ridiculous vampire novels, most claiming that the breath of a vampire smelled of old blood. He wasn't about to give those hack writers any credit...
"No old blood smell here," he said again, rinsing his mouth out. "Just minty freshness."
"Shido, you have really got to stop talking to yourself," Guni's voice murmured above him. Shido looked up to see Guni standing on the shelf above his head and leaning her shoulder against the wall. "People are gonna wonder whether you're all there or not."
"You can't be completely sane in this world, and survive Guni."
The fairy rolled her eyes, "Ain't that the truth." She followed Shido as he padded back into the main office, and pulled his trench coat off the chair he had dropped it on last night and headed for his top hat. "Where we going?"
The vampire looked over at the couch where Hiromi had spent the night, only to find it empty, the girl curled on the floor, lost in an exhausted sleep. Shido tiptoed to the closest, and pulled down a heavy winter coat that Yayoi had left there once, and covered Hiromi with it. Immediately she cuddled under it, until her blood red hair only just peeked out.
"Shido?"
"We're heading for Hiromi's apartment," Shido whispered, as he opened the door. Guni settled on his shoulder and Shido started walking down the stairs, slipping on his coat, gloves, and sunglasses.
"Gonna see if we can figure out who broke in?" Guni asked as she moved into the hat Shido still carried so she could look him in the face. "Well, Sherlock?"
"Yes, if it was a human there would be obvious evidence."
"But you're thinking it wasn't a human. You're leaning more towards inhuman....."
Shido nodded at Guni, "Though it's not like a Breed to attack a person in their home, unless its host used to be a part of the family."
"And Hiromi doesn't have any family here," Guni finished for him, sliding to his shoulder and ducking under Shido's hair as he put the hat on and opened the door, stepping into early winter sunlight.
"Exactly. And the fact that it was Hiromi's apartment that was broken into, so recently after Cain showed up in town, almost totally rules out a human."
Shido turned north, walking through the Halloween shopping crowds towards the small apartment complex Hiromi lived in, feeling Guni slip from his shoulder to sit inside his coat's collar, "How can it get so freaking cold so early in the damn season?" she muttered, settling deeper.
"El Nino?"
"Funny..." the fairy growled in his ear.
Shido sighed and turned left into a cheap housing complex, and climbed to the second level. When he reached the top of the stairs, Shido paused only long enough to look at a small wall mounted directory.
"B-41...to the right...."
Shido turned and walked down the hall, easily finding the door, Hiromi's Starbuck's latte still staining the concrete floor. The door was still slightly ajar, and Hiromi's keys were sticky in the casualty of the spilled coffee. Shido picked the cup and the keys up, pushing the door open. Immediately, Guni left Shido's neck, and flew deeper into the apartment, though it was just as cold inside as out.
Shido sent his senses out into the apartment as he put the keys and cup onto an end table; from what he could feel, it was clean, with just a slight smell of sea water.
Shido walked deeper into the apartment, following the smell of sea water to a pale green room, dominated by a converted futon, pillows, discarded clothes, and quite a few books and notepads. Humming drew Shido's attention and he turned to see a small fish tank on a shelf, clown and angel fish swimming in lazy circles inside.
"Well, that explains the salt water," Shido thought, opening Hiromi's closet. He smiled slightly; he was checking for boogie men in the closet...
"You should see her kitchen," came Guni's voice. "There's almost no food in there! Just basic instant stuff and a whole shelf devoted to coffee!"
"Maybe cooking's not Hiromi's forte," Shido said, moving to the window, and looking at the sill. It looked over the city, with no place for a human to stand and force it open.
"Wow, Shido check this out."
Shido glanced behind him and saw Guni sitting on the bed, looking a sketch book. The fairy was looking at a realistic penciled drawing of Yayoi. The image was sitting in one of the office chairs, her legs crossed, a mug held near her lips, and was talking to someone unseen in the picture. It was an almost perfect replica of the original.
Guni turned the page, "Hey, she did me too!"
Guni's picture was sitting on a doorknob, her arms crossed, sulking with a sour look on her face. Shido smiled a bit; this was another near perfect picture of the model.
"I don't look that pouty...." Guni muttered, turning the page again. This one was a picture of Shido with his hair undone, leaning against a wall and looking lost in thought as he stared at nothing near his feet. Near the sketch was Hiromi's untidy scrawl, "Too serious. Fix!"
The next picture was of Shido again along with Yayoi, and was much more gruesome. Yayoi laid in his arms, holding her jacket away from her throat, as Shido bent over her, the slightest hint of fangs showing from his lips, and suddenly Shido remembered the night Hiromi had learned he was a vampire. Again on the sketch, was Hiromi's writing, "Better, but still not right. What am I doing wrong?"
"That's enough Guni, let's check out the rest of the apartment..."
"Wait, I wanna see the next one," the fairy said, and turned the page again. The final picture was colored and shaded with pencil, clearly showing the blood. Hiromi was kneeling in a puddle of someone's blood, looking at her hands, and crying as she tried to wipe her hands clean.
"Shido look," Guni pointed and the vampire focused on two very small shapes in the blood: what looked like rings.
***
"Ahhh!"
Hiromi sat straight up, panting in sheer terror at the intensity of her dream. "Its okay... I'm okay..."
She leaned forward and put a hand to her sweaty head and grimaced, "I need a shower..."
She pulled the coat that someone had draped over her off and carried it to the closet. She was about to open it, when she remembered Shido's coffin was in there. She knocked gently, feeling like an idiot, "Shido, you up?"
there was no answer and she cracked open the door, peeking in. the white polished surface of the coffin gleamed a little in the dim light from the crack, but remained silent; no one spoke and its lid didn't crack open. Suddenly Hiromi had the urge to rap 'Shave and a Haircut' on the wood. She bit her lip and grinned; what if the vampire decided to finish off the rhythm?
Hiromi shook her head. She had no idea where the idea came from but she wasn't about to do it. The telephone rang, and Hiromi jerked. She dropped the jacket on the couch and ran for it, something telling her that it was important, "Tatshuiko Detective Agency."
"Hiromi?" came Yayoi's voice. "Let me talk to Shido."
"Um...I'm not sure but I think he's still sleeping."
"Go wake him up then; this is important."
"How do I wake him up?!"
Yayoi sighed, "Open the lid, and poke him."
"Well duh," Hiromi thought. "Just a sec, Yayoi."
She put the phone down and moved back to the closet. Hiromi kneeled next to the coffin and put her hands on the smooth surface. "Come on, you coward," she told herself. "You always wanted to do an Indian Jones; here's your chance."
She pushed the lid up, surprised at how heavy it was; the coffin must have been top of the line when it was new...
And there was no vampire inside, just a slightly sunken indentation of where he had lain on the satin. Hiromi got up frowning, "He could have at least left a note..."
"Yayoi?" she said picking up the phone again. "We've got ourselves a wayward vampire."
"He's not there?"
"Nope, looks like he's been gone for a while."
"Wonderful. I told him to get a cell phone, or at least a cheapy pager... Listen Hiromi, there's been another murder. Tell Shido as soon as he walks through the door. Here's the address..."
"Hold on, let me get a pen." Hiromi dug through her pockets and pulled out a pink gel pen she had bought on impulse. She didn't even know why she had spent the eighty cents on the damn thing; she hated pink. "Okay, go ahead Yayoi."
"It's at Windsong, and Silveroak. The house number is 9016, got it?"
"Windsong, Silveroak, 9016."
"Good, Shido won't be able to miss it; it's the only one with green trimming and a bright green door."
"Green trimming and a green door."
"Another thing, have Shido call me on my cell when he gets back, would you?"
"Call crazy lady."
"Oh, hush up Hiromi. I haven't even had any coffee yet."
"Neither have I. I'll have him call you, okay?"
"Alright, see you later Hiromi."
"Bye."
Hiromi hung up and read over the pad she had scrawled Yayoi's message on. Her writing was really, really bad...
"I hope he can read it," she muttered, tucking the paper's corner under the phone.
She turned back to the coat and picked it up, heading back to the closet. Now that she was sure that Shido wasn't in there, she didn't have a single qualm about cleaning up after herself. She pulled a hanger down and hung the jacket, leaning in to hang them both back up.
"No monsters in the closet today," she smiled. Though she didn't really count Shido as a monster. Oh sure, he wasn't human, but he had a humane soul. As far as she was concerned, the only monsters in this world were those who destroyed lives without remorse.
She shook her head, realizing she was getting philosophical again. "I've gotta get more sleep tomorrow..."
As she closed the closet, a chill came over her body, and she wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering. It passed quickly and Hiromi blinked; probably just the shivers.
"Little Hiro..."
Hiromi's eyes went wide. That was her mother's voice!
"My Little Hiro, on the principal's list again. I'm so proud..."
"Mama?"
Figures solidified in front of her face: two young women, both with blood red hair. Megumi Takabe hugged her daughter; Hiromi's fifteen year old self pushed back, "Does this mean I can go to Aya's party?"
Megumi smiled a little, "Okay Hiro, but no boys, no drinking, and no drugs."
"Thanks!" Hiromi hugged her mother and walked out of the room, leaving Megumi to finish dinner.
"Be back at eight, okay Hiro?"
"Sure mom!"
The door slammed and Hiromi's memory faded. That was the last time she had ever seen her mother alive...
Then there were two more people: herself dancing to silent music, and a man dressed as a cop coming up behind her. The cop tapped her on the shoulder, "Miss Takabe Hiromi?"
"Yes?"
"I'd like to talk to you outside."
Tears were streaking Hiromi's cheeks, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. Her fault. It was her fault.
She turned and left the office, leaving the door wide open. She didn't care anymore. She just wanted to forget, forget everything that hurt in this world. And she knew just how best to forget...