AN: This is the alternate story line for chapter 8. The alternate story line is pretty much the chapter with a few changes. This one is almost the same. Chapter 11 has the most changes with a few for chapter 13. Just so you know.

Chapter 8: Closet Otogi A

Name: Honda Hiroto

Age: 70

Birth date: April 19, 1990

Current Residence: The United States of America (City withheld)

Origin: Tokyo, Japan

Living Family: Otogi Ryuji (Significant Other)

Parents: Dead (All I know of them is that they were hunters)

Hair: Brown (I now have a few gray hairs as well)

Eyes: Brown

Height: 180 cm (5 ft, 9 in.)

Weight: 65 Kg (143 lbs.)

Identifying Marks: Various scars; Tattoo of flames around upper arm

Begin Entry

This is Honda Hiroto.

I apologize for replying to you e-mail in English, but my Japanese is a little rusty from fifty years of disuse. I hope you understand.

Anyway, it's nice to hear from you again, Kaiba. It's been a while since we saw each other last. I don't suppose you've aged a second since I last saw you; however, I have aged a good deal. Fifty years is an exhausting amount of time for us mortals. Yes, even us hunters. Contrary to popular belief, we age just as normal mortals do. Sucks, eh?

I'm afraid Otogi is unable to return your message. He is still… distressed over the whole ordeal. He's currently out at a meeting, so I've decided to use this time to reply to your e-mail without him around. His reaction wasn't too pretty and we had a bit of a fight. Let's just say I don't relish sleeping on the couch for another week; my back still hurts.

This might not be what you were looking for but, as one of my friends used to say, the only difference between WD-40 and grease is the box. Hmm, that sounds better in reference to our motorcycles, but the principle is the same. Anyway, since I am not Otogi, I can't tell you anything about his experiences or opinions on any of the matters. I'm just me.

I'm sure there are plenty of places I can start this story from, but they're all pretty boring. Prior to where I will begin, Otogi and I were just running around fighting a shit load of red tape. So, I'm beginning with Malik's funeral.

Frankly, the whole situation was a load of bullshit and I still hate myself for it. I actually talked with Malik a couple hours before he was shot. That little punk was a little antsy about something, but he wouldn't tell me what. I'd noticed he'd been acting that way a lot for a couple of months.

Personally, I suspected drugs. Wouldn't you? He'd get jittery, disappear for a while and come back a few days later sedate as a tranquilizer. I'd talked to him about it a few times and even got Otogi's dad to order a blood test on Malik twice, but he always came up clean, so I let the issue drop. I figured if he was clean enough for a surprise drug test, he was clean enough to be healthy.

God, I'm such a screw up.

Anyway, that's why I wasn't too worried about Malik when he just said he was going away for a bit. I asked him if he needed some money, but he said he didn't, so I told him to have fun and went back to helping Otogi with his work.

We were trying to get another group together to search for Ryou and Yugi. We were really worried, especially since this had been the second attack on Ryou within two months. Otogi had been badgering his dad to get some sort of bargaining committee together to negotiate with the vampires for the pair's release.

In hindsight, yes, our work probably did a bit to raise anti-vampire sentiment. On the other hand, all of the other clan leaders were angry about the kidnapping and two or three of the clan leaders had been initiated that year and were eager to make a name for themselves. Not to mention, there's always a group of hunters who'll take any reason to kill a couple of vampires and they were taking all the hits they could. The mix was pretty ugly and no one needed Otogi and me stirring it up any. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.

Anyway, a little bit later one of the clan leaders sent around a group of minions asking after Malik. I told them I hadn't seen him all day, because everyone knows flunkies from a clan leader are bad news, and I'm no rat. The underlings weren't too happy, but they left without much of a fuss and Otogi and I went back to work.

We didn't really think anything of it, until the next day when a friend of Otogi's father came by and told us that Malik was dead.

We finally made it down to the morgue and Otogi went in to look. I tried, I really did, but I found that I couldn't force myself to look at Malik's face. I don't know how Otogi did it; I couldn't handle it. In my defense, I managed to step through the door before I turned around and left. So I sat out in the hall and tried not to listen to Isis's tears or Otogi's voice. I tried to blank out my mind but I couldn't.

I kept getting stuck on the fact that Malik was dead. I knew he was never going to come back, but I couldn't get my head around it. I just couldn't imagine it. Have you ever seen a child, maybe a toddler? Well, if you're ever doing something when they're around and you tell them not to do something, they get this look in their eyes. They'll look right at you, do exactly what you told them not to do, and run off, ever so pleased with themselves. Well, Malik always had that look in his eyes. They shone with that mischievous light and I simply couldn't think of those eyes staring straight ahead, dead to the world.

I knew that he was never going to come over to my place for dinner or talk with me about bikes again or help me fix my own sorry excuse for a bike. He was never going to complain about Isis and Rashid, or wonder if he would ever find anyone for him. He was never going to listen to Otogi and me complain about each other again and he was never going to annoy my neighbors by roaring down my street at three in the morning. Otogi, Ryou, Malik and I were never going to go on an all-night ride again. We were never going to meet up for bike races.

He was gone and the fact ripped at my chest. I just knew that looking at him would have hurt too much, you know? I couldn't bear to cement the fact into my heart and mind, even though the elusive fact was already taking root.

I guess I was blaming myself for what happened. There was a bit of 'well, if only I'd watched out for him more' and a bit of 'why wasn't I a better friend'. All those ideas and all that guilt was bouncing around my head and they were sort of pressing me into the floor, like someone had taped an anvil to my back.

That was all before I read the report, before I found out he'd been shot by a silver bullet, before I discovered that our people had killed him. That was before I found out the hunter's records had his cause of death as due to a vampire attack. What a load of… of fucking bullshit!

That's really all I could think about until the burial two days after Malik's death. There was a large crowd at the funeral. The group was mostly hunters, but there were a few Malik had known from school. Otogi and I came together but we stood in the back of the large gathering. We kept our heads bowed during the entire service and stayed out of the way, unwilling to attract any showy attention and sympathy. Isis and Rashid, Malik's sister and brother-in-law, did not attend to funeral at all. To be honest, I really respect them for that. I know Isis must have been dying to attend, as she and Malik were really close; however, the false sympathy and half-hearted regret would have killed her.

The entire thing was a circus for the hunters. It was disgusting.

But Otogi and I stayed until the rest of the crowd had cleared out, which was around three, since the service had started around one. We didn't really discuss anything but we didn't really need to. We just stood there and thought.

Ironically, I think Otogi broke the silence first. Of course, he didn't speak because the silence was oppressive; not at all. He spoke because there were some things that needed to be said and understood between us.

"I hate them."

"I know. I do too."

"They… they killed him and then they come to his funeral!"

"They've also lied about his death. They won't take the blame."

"I know. I heard my dad talking about the cover up. The four murderers are being sent out of the country in a few months. They'll be put on low-risk assignments for the rest of their days. Those assholes are just hiding their embarrassing little secret."

"Well, the vampires aren't too happy either, I'd imagine."

"No, they wouldn't be, would they. We were fools, weren't we?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Perhaps. On the other hand, it's hard to resist twenty years of ingrained beliefs."

"But… was Malik a spy?"

"Maybe. Could have been. But I don't care. That's no reason to execute him on the spot. No trial, no mercy. He was killed like a vampire."

We stood in silence before I walked over to Otogi and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Otogi?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't support our people. This is wrong."

"I know… but…"

"But?"

"My father. It's more than just right and wrong. I can't go against him, Honda."

"You scared?"

"Yes. You don't get it, Honda."

"Then explain it to me!" I demanded, turning him around so I could look him in the face, but he wouldn't look me in the eye.

"They own me, Honda. I… You… Our status is so different. It's true that you're strong, stronger than I am. But I'm an heir! One day I'm going to be the leader of my clan! That's a lot of power, and they don't dish that out lightly. They've got me trapped; I'm shackled to them."

"What have they got on you? Didn't brush your teeth before bed once when you were six?"

"Not blackmail; it's not them. I'm just… scared. I'm nothing without them. I'm not strong and powerful like you are. But the people are watching me. If I step out of line, the people will notice and some might follow me. I'm a danger and the clan leaders won't hesitate to crush me in an instant. I can't escape; even my dad's on their side."

"So you're just going to let this happen and… and go along with it?" I spat, pulling away sharply.

"Yes." I saw Otogi nod and I gaped at him stunned. I was saved from trying to formulate a response by Isis's arrival with Rashid. They came without a word and stood by Malik's grave, quietly paying their respects. Otogi and I didn't say a word, understanding their need for silence.

I, for one, could not believe what was happening. Otogi was usually so confident and assured. I'd seen him bluff his way out of fights. I'd seen him come out of the closet without breaking a sweat or worrying a moment. Hell, he never cared what people thought about him. That was one of the reasons I loved him so much. He was who he was and he never cared. But this. Going against the clans and siding with the vampires seemed to shake him beyond anything I had ever seen. I… didn't understand it.

Isis and Rashid stood in silence for a while before Isis turned to look over at Otogi and me.

"Thank you for coming," Isis nodded, her normally serious face pinched with stress. I looked closely at her eyes, but I couldn't see any emotion. She just looked… tired.

"We came because we were friends," Otogi replied.

"Were any others?" Rashid asked, his voice rumbling in his chest.

"A few. Mostly normals," I replied.

"Understandable," Isis nodded again. "Otogi. Your father and the others are talking war. They are preparing as we speak."

"When will it be official?" Otogi asked nervously.

"I don't know; no one does. The leaders will wait until the vampires declare it, but they want to be ready."

"Is there another way?"

"No. There is too much outcry on both sides. The route of fate has been set."

"Hn," I grunted, letting her know what I thought of her fate.

"We're canceling the wedding," Rashid interjected, cutting off Isis's angry tirade before she could start. She always did take fate seriously.

"What? Why?" Otogi asked.

"We're going out tonight to have it done quietly. Isis feels that a war is an inappropriate time for a wedding."

"And I do not wish to wait," Isis muttered, her eyes meeting Rashid's.

"We'd better go then," Rashid sighed and Isis nodded. "Good night. Stay safe."

"Stay safe," Isis echoed and the pair left, without waiting for a response.

Otogi let out a small sigh and turned to leave. He paused when he reached my side and kissed my lips softly.

"See you at home."

"But… what about the war?" I asked, putting my hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"The clans have me in a tight hold, Honda. I can't do what I want; not like you."

"What is that supposed to mean for me?"

"Look, I'm not going to hold it against you… if you leave the hunters."

"And if we face each other in battle? What'll we do then, eh?" I snapped angrily.

"I guess we'll find out then," Otogi shrugged, loosening my hand from his shoulder. He walked out of the cemetery and waved at me over his shoulder. I frowned and looked back at Malik's grave.

"Damn it, Malik, look what you've begun. You just had to do this. Don't you see what you've done? There's a rift. A fucking rift in our clans, and it's never going to heal; it's never going to mend. There's going to be a war, and I know I've got to pick a side. But it's a catch-22; either way I'm screwed," I whispered. "I just… I guess… I… goodbye, Malik."

I turned to go and slowly made my way towards the exit when a slight movement caught my attention. Just inside the cemetery limits, there was a man leaning his back against the fencing of the cemetery and he was looking over at Malik's grave as if examining it from a distance. I blinked quickly, not believing my eyes. It couldn't be Ryou! I took a few steps towards the man before realizing that it wasn't Ryou.

However there was a good deal of similarity. The man and Ryou had the same color hair and eyes. They were even close to the same size in height--only an inch or so difference--but there his hair and eyes were more angular and sharp. His attitude and posture were more aggressive.

But this man must have known Malik, I thought, or at least known of him. I made up my mind to talk with him and began to cross the cemetery grounds, but after a second the man looked over at me and cocked an eyebrow as if daring me to come closer. I hesitated for a second and before I knew it, the man was gone. He had disappeared before my eyes.