Disclaimers: We do not own these characters! They belong to the creator and publishing companies. We are simply borrowing them to have some fun!
Nemesis: You're late!
Sol: Gomen, Gomen! I swear it's not my fault! My word program isn't working... I had to copy all our story files to discs and transfer them to another computer before I could access them... I've uninstalled, defragged, scanned, reinstalled.... And still nothing.
Nemesis: Oh well, I suppose it doesn't matter...only one more review since the last chapter anyway. NO ONE LIKES US! Except of course, our dear DarkSapphireDragon Thank you!
Sol: True... maybe I shouldn't feel bad. However, once again, please let us know if you're reading this. If you really want, you can just sign your name and not type anything, just throw us a bone here... something to indicate you're reading... ANYTHING!
Chapter 5: Demons, Black Ash, and Props?
Yumi knew Miyu would be late, she just knew it. Tsuzuki, Hisoka, and herself had been in the crappy room for hours now, and Miyu hadn't shown up till just a few minutes ago. Watari had dropped her personally after she had managed to teleport herself into a bar, a bathroom on an airplane, and the Chief's office! Yumi, not wanting to hurt Hisoka ignored Miyu's entrance completely and continued reading a book.
"Sorry I'm late! But I brought presents! Here Tsuzuki-sempai, I got a nice bottle of Sake from the bar I was at earlier. And this is for you Hisoka-chan!" Miyu handed Hisoka a black leather wristband with three green stones set side by side. "It's a special talisman just for you! It's said that Malachite is great for warding off bad vibes! Not to mention it's very stylish! Here Tsuzuki-sempai! I made you one too. You guys stand together over there, you're so cute!" Watari left as she started taking pictures. She stopped for a minute as she looked around. "Umm, why is this room such a piece of crap? I thought this was a nice hotel... I can't have the best photo shoot possible unless it's a pleasing environment."
"Tatsumi's a bit of cheapskate, or hadn't you figured that out yet, despite the size of your allowance?" Yumi commented. "And is this what you made us wait for? To give Hisoka-kun fashion tips?"
Miyu shook her head while putting her camera down and gestured at her hair, which was now auburn in a short cut. "Hey, you're the one who lectured me for a half an hour about proper and business appropriate hair colours."
"If you'd stop playing dress up and act like an adult I wouldn't have to lecture you. Do you even remember what your natural hair looks like anymore? Or are you bald under all those stupid wigs?"
Hisoka braced himself for the wave of negativity but the charm seemed to work.
"Yay! If that can block her negative personality you'll be fine." Miyu cheered.
"Now back to business." Yumi said after rolling her eyes at Miyu's comment. They sat on the two beds that adorned the room and started. "Watari said the demon likes his victims smart. The higher the IQ the better, so since it's between the two of us," She glared at Miyu, "I'll be the bait."
"I think I'd be better for this job!"
"Why? Because you look like a worm?"
"No! Because a good reporter like me will be able to get more information, and my IQ is higher than yours."
"Impossible!"
"It has to be. After all I worked hard to be the best, and my IQ is now the same as Dr. Alexander Howell's, a perfect 260!"
"YOU? A 260?! You mean all that time on that computer of yours you were actually studying? That is completely and totally impossible. I refuse to believe that a slacker like you could match my IQ! You must have read the test results wrong! It must have said 26!"
Hisoka looked at Tsuzuki and just said to the women, "Both of you should go."
Tsuzuki handed Yumi the picture, "Here he is. He should be down in the bar. Our information says he stops every night after work for a drink."
"Thank you! Miyu get moving!"
After they left, Hisoka said, "At least it will be quiet for a bit."
Down in the bar Miyu pointed out, "There he is!"
"Well then, let's go take a seat at that table next to him." They headed over to the table and sat down. In a whisper, Yumi said, "Now try to keep up with me."
Miyu stuck her tongue out, but just called the waitress over and ordered drinks.
"You know, on my latest trip to Greece I found an interesting temple carving. I've been doing some research, and it seems to suggest that it comes from one of the temples that were dedicated to Aphrodite. It seems to be a picture of her, but there are some strange inscriptions on the bottom. It's similar to Greek, but it is a bit different. Here's a picture. You have any ideas?" Yumi pulled out the picture of Porre, but put it away right afterwards.
"Hmm... you're right. That does seem to be a carving of her on that tablet. The inscription is strange. Have you started deciphering it yet? If it's Greek... maybe an earlier version of writing?" Miyu said, going along with the story.
"Yes, the fragment is currently being restored and cleaned, so we can get a better idea, but a few of us have pictures so we can work on it in the meantime." Yumi continued on when someone appeared next to her.
"Good evening ladies, I don't mean to be rude, but I overheard you discussing something about ancient Greece?" Porre stood next to Yumi.
"Oh, yes, I'm an anthropologist, but lately I've been doing a lot of work with the archeology society, seeing as several of the archaeologists I work with are away in the Peruvian rainforest right now. The carving we were discussing is a find from a trip I filled in for." She stopped, "Oh dear, I'm being rude aren't I. Sir, would you like to sit down?" Yumi acknowledged him.
"No, but I thought you might like to come with me. I have a friend who is also a well-know archeologist. He lives nearby, so I just thought that maybe he could help you. I would be more than happy to introduce you." Porre continued in a smooth voice as he laid his hand on her shoulder.
"That's a wonderful idea Yumi. We might be able to find out some information. This has been troubling you, hasn't it?" Miyu spoke up, thinking, "Got him!"
"Well sure, but may I ask your name?"
"Oh yes, my name is Porre, I am the president of the bank across the street." He then turned to Miyu, "Miss, I didn't catch your name."
"Oh, I'm Miyu. Pleased to meet you!" She answered standing up. She went over to Yumi and pulled her up as well. "Come on, this may be very beneficial to you!"
As they headed down an alley, Yumi thought, "Hmm...suppose I should play the part of someone beginning to worry about their safety." She then spoke, "Mr. Porre, where are we headed? We don't seem to be going to any buildings."
"My dear, we are stopping right here," He said as they hit the darkest part of the alley. "You will now serve as fuel for my power!"
With that Porre physically transformed into a large twisted creature. Within seconds, FLASH! "So, Makaku. You finally show your true form, huh?" Miyu spoke up, snapping a photo to blind him.
"What? How do you know who I am?" A deep voice came out from the creature.
"We're here to see that you don't live to kill anyone else!" Yumi spoke up in response as she faced him, staring him in the eye.
Makaku eyed the women carefully, "Ah, I see, shinigami. This will be a marvelous meal."
Back at the bar, Tsuzuki and Hisoka were standing outside trying to figure out if Makaku had made his move yet. "Tsuzuki-san, Makaku should have made his move by now. It's been thirty minutes. I'm becoming worried."
"You're right, but I haven't sensed him anywhere." Tsuzuki looked at his partner.
"I can't sense him, but there is danger...wait a sec!" Hisoka glanced down at the talisman on his wrist, "Could it be these work a little too well?"
Just as he removed the bracelet and sensed the evil, a bright flash of light came from down the street.
"There!" Tsuzuki shouted, and both shinigami ran towards the alley.
In the alley, Makaku glanced them over one more time before lunging toward the two women. Yumi's eyes grew big as she saw the beast headed for her. She threw a fuda towards him, muttering an incantation, but it didn't do much damage and in preparation for impact, she threw her hands up in front of her face. However, the impact never came. She looked up and saw something glowing on her wrist.
Miyu used a fuda as well, but it didn't do much damage either, and threw her hands up as well when beast lunged towards them, but when she looked up there was a strange light surrounding her as well, and nothing had touched her.
"Tsuzuki! Look!" Hisoka pointed out as they landed. They had got there just in time to see a barrier form automatically around Miyu and Yumi.
"That's good," Tsuzuki answered as he looked on. "Their spells seem to be working."
Makaku, still blinded from the lights, hadn't noticed the new presence, nor made another move.
Behind the barrier, Yumi focused on her wrist and realized the source was the bracelet she was wearing. "What? Is this my 'power', a barrier? No... there's something else."
Tsuzuki and Hisoka looked on, "Watch." Tsuzuki said. "We're about to see something interesting."
Hisoka remembered something that Tatsumi had mentioned when he told him about Yumi. "Oh... she had some type of ancient magic in her right?"
Tsuzuki nodded. "Supposedly, there's something that made Enma interested. Also, Miyu is supposed to have some sort of ability that balances and supports Yumi perfectly... they're not sure what yet though. All we know is that when they've combined powers, albeit grudgingly, it has had awesome destructive force. I must admit, I'm very interested. Their powers are almost like two halves of a whole."
Hisoka thought, "Hmm... maybe Tsuzuki feels as if he's found someone like him... lots of innate power and that's why he's so into this."
Yumi spoke, "Power of the sun... the strongest flame in existence. Listen to me and come forth, power of the sun god Ra!" A flame came out of the bracelet as Yumi moved her left hand up and over. She turned her hand palm up and a flame sat there. She then put her right hand next to the left one, and looked at the flame. It shot out of her hand and at the beast. Makaku was blasted backwards into the wall, but he wasn't finished yet.
"Hmm... the chief and count will want to know this. She can call on the power of the strongest deity in the ancient Egyptian culture. That's quite an accomplishment." Tsuzuki stated, readying himself in case they needed help.
"What...it's not strong enough...not yet." Yumi said as she repositioned her hands and tried to cast it again.
Before she could start the spell, Miyu stepped forward, camera in hand, with a fuda in front of it.
"Smile now my pretty, and I'll grant you the eternal memory of what you've become tonight! I spent all my life exposing monsters like you for what they are! And in my death, you'll pay for the arrogance of thinking you could hide from me forever! You're nothing but a body snatcher, and you'll be nothing when I take that body back! Say Good night Gracie!"
The light from Miyu's next shot completely blinded Makaku as the fuda shot towards him. In the next instant the alley was dark again and Porre's body was nowhere in site. Makaku stumbled and fell, twitching like a cockroach, dragging himself farther down into the darkness.
"Wha-what have you done? The pain! It's unbearable! N-n-need endorphins...must..."
"Die?" Yumi asked. Repositioning her hands she cast fire at Makaku one last time. Without a supporting body, or the energies he had gained by devouring human brain cells, he was left as nothing more than black ash that was swept away in the night breeze.
Hisoka looked a little longer. "What about the camera? Is it enchanted or something?"
Tsuzuki sweatdropped, "Actually, I think that's just a prop..." A duplicate sweatdrop appeared behind Hisoka.
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Miyu: I'm free! Even though I wish Shaku-sempai had only released me, and waited for at least 10 reviews before un-gagging mighty mouth over there... Oh well! Just means we'll have to press on!
Yumi: Whom are you calling mighty mouth you Tell-all-tattle-tail! Reporters like you should be kept in your own little rubber rooms. Though, as unthinkable as it seems, I agree it'd be nice to get a few more reviews.
Miyu: Gee...That little hint was about as subtle as Tomokazu Seki doing an impression of Jackie Chan in Accidental Spy running around nude with yellow and green powder covering his cute backside and nothing but a tambourine in front...
Yumi: Get your Seki-obsessed mind out of the gutter! I've been putting up with you for too long! Stupid long hiatus... sol, nemesis! What have you been doing?