01 Start

The hall was quiet, save for the routine sound of her footsteps. Her heels clacked with every step she took on the tiled floor, her stride one of purpose. She was one who knew what she wanted, and she was one who knew how to get it. And it didn't matter who she stepped on or had to walk over to get there.

A door further down the hall opened with a creak, and she glanced back to see a young man. He was perhaps in his 30's she'd guess. He stepped out into the hallway, a briefcase in one hand, a newspaper under his other arm as he pulled the door closed, not bothering to lock it. He seemed startled when he saw her and she winked at him before she turned back around, her smile turning into one of malice as she continued on her way. Her destination was at the end of the hall, the last door on the right. Stopping before it, she pushed the buzzer and waited. She heard footsteps approaching the door from the other side, the sounds of a chain being undone, than slid back and out of the lock before the door opened.

" Eva."

" Ah, hello. I've come to say farewell." She said, a faint smile on her face as she glanced at her acquaintance.

" …So. You're the next to go, are you?"

" But of course. I can't allow them to have all the fun without me." She replied, dipping her head as her smile broadened slightly.

" Naturally. Interesting outfit you're wearing there."

" It is, isn't it? Now, if you'd be so kind, I came to reclaim my item. Thank you for your careful watch of it. I have a plane to catch in 2 hours."

"…Fine. Just try not to kill anyone if you can."

" I'll try, but I can't guarantee a thing, I'm afraid. We'll merely have to wait and see what comes about." She replied with a saccharine smile as her acquaintance nodded, and stepped aside to allow her entrance to the apartment. The door closed behind her as the only witness to her presence that evening stepped onto the elevator, the doors closing in front of him. The beautiful girl was already forgotten as he pulled his paper out from beneath his arm and snapped it open.

-----

It looked like rain today.

" Oh well. If it rains, it rains." Ayumu muttered to himself as he walked to school on a hazy Monday morning, the temperature already quite hot and unbearably humid. He shoved his hands in his pockets, aware that a certain someone was running down the street after him.

" Some days she just reminds me of the plague." He mused, the thought causing him to grin slightly as she caught up to him, leaping onto his back, an arm thrown around his neck.

" Good morning Ayumu!!" She exclaimed with a laugh, her voice bright and peppy. It was still too early in the morning for her to be so lively.

" Morning. Would you get off me? You're heavy." Ayumu replied with a grunt, staggering slightly from her sudden weight.

" You're mean! No fun at all, Ayumu!" She said with a pout as she let go, the 2 continuing on their way once she was beside him in the street.

" Well, if you wouldn't steal my lunch everyday and go back to those low-fat vanilla soy latte's you used to like so well…"

" It's not my fault you're such a good cook! You make all that food, and hardly ever eat it! Besides! You were the one who started it! With the selfless offering of those croissants so long ago…"

" I only offered them because you had information you were refusing to share unless I played the piano for you. How easily you forget when it's convenient for you. " Ayumu said dryly as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She had a bright smile on her face, a common occurrence for Hiyono.

" That's merely a technicality, Ayumu. You offered them because you wanted to. I think you're a gift from God. Thank you God for making Ayumu such a wonderful cook!" She exclaimed as she glanced up into the sky, one of the few weak beams of sunlight lighting up her features.

"Hiyono, I believe God knows you're thankful for my cooking skills. Since you thank him for them everyday." Ayumu replied as they approached the gates to the school.

" Well, I just have so much to be thankful for!" She announced gaily as she tucked her hand under his arm, beaming as she looked up into his face.

They probably made an odd couple. But the students at Tsukiomi were used to it, the rest of the student body jokingly calling them the Tsukiomi Highschool Private Eyes. Other schools had kendo or photography clubs. Tsukiomi had a one-person newspaper club and their own student-ran CSI unit.

" Um, excuse me." A voice suddenly said behind them. Ayumu and Hiyono both were startled as they turned around, a girl of average height standing directly behind them. She smiled at them hesitantly, her bag clasped in both her hands as she held it before her. Ayumu noticed she wore Tsukiomi's uniform, though he was certain he'd never seen her before. There was something about her that seemed vaguely familiar, however. She spoke with an American accent, but if he'd have to guess where she was from by her looks, he'd think Italy…perhaps Spain. Someplace in the Mediterranean. What with possessing such dark curls. Her hair color was truly what one would consider the color of jet black to be. But aside from that, Ayumu figured she was the type of person who didn't really stand out in a crowd.

" You go to this school as well, yes?" the girl asked, her voice neither too high nor low, but rather average in pitch, as well. And though her Japanese was flawless, Ayumu still noted that the girl was taking special pains to enunciate her words carefully. It was as if she wasn't too sure of her own abilities. A trait they both shared. Suddenly aware that Hiyono was speaking, he tuned himself back into their conversation, though he really wasn't interested.

" Oh, yes. Today is my first day. My name is Maylina Clark. I'm the new exchange student from the United States. How do you do?" She said with a smile, bowing.

" Oh, I remember now! My homeroom teacher told me you were going to be arriving today! I'm Hiyono Yuizaki. We're in the same classes. I'll be showing you around this week. Oh, and this is Ayumu Narumi." Hiyono bubbly replied, the girl nodding. Her eyes darted toward Ayumu when Hiyono said his name, and though her expression never changed, Ayumu had the distinct impression that she'd heard his name someplace before.

" Huh. Peculiar." He muttered under his breath as he nodded at the girl, unsmiling. "We should get to class. The bell's going to ring soon." He stated, turning to head for the school building without a backward glance. There was something about that girl, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. But concerned he was not. Hiyono would know all there was to know about the girl before the week was out. Of this he was sure.

-----

" And lastly, we come to my office! I'm the editor-in-chief of the school paper." Hiyono chirped excitedly as she swung the door to the Newspaper Club open, Maylina behind her.

" Oh! You're on the Newspaper staff!" Maylina replied as they walked in, stating the obvious.

" She is the school newspaper." Ayumu replied dryly from where he sat watching the Home-shopping Network, not even bothering to glance in their direction as Maylina glanced at Hiyono inquisitively.

" He merely means I'm the only person on the Newspaper staff. But of course he can't say that like a normal person. But it's that quirkiness I like about him." Hiyono said with a laugh, Ayumu glancing in their direction as he cocked an eyebrow at them.

" You do everything yourself? Wouldn't that be hard?" Maylina asked as she crinkled her nose, appearing to be deep in thought.

" Hah! For anyone other than her, it would be extremely difficult. But Hiyono's natural curiosity gives her more than enough stamina to get things done." Ayumu replied before he stuck a spoonful of yogurt in his mouth, his attention fixed again on whatever they were selling on TV.

" You're so mean Ayumu!!" She snapped, though she didn't really seem too angry as Maylina glanced from her to Ayumu before her gaze settled on Hiyono again.

" I used to be on the school paper at home. Do you think I could help out?" Maylina asked as she wrapped and unwrapped a strand of hair around her finger.

" You…you want to help?! Did you hear that, Ayumu?! There are people gullible enough to want to work with me on the school paper! " Hiyono announced triumphantly, Ayumu and Maylina both staring at her strangely. Suddenly what she'd said registered in her mind.

" I…I didn't mean that the way it sounded!" She stated desperately as Maylina began to laugh, even Ayumu cracking a grin as he shook his head. That girl.

-----

"She had always loved the sound of the city after dark." she mused, watching the red taillights of cars and motorcycles flash by far below her as she leaned on the rail of the balcony, a cell phone pressed to her ear. She was still waiting for him to answer a glass of Pepsi in her other hand. She held it with 2 fingers, her forefinger twitching as she stood there, contemplating dropping it onto the cement below just to watch it shatter. But she thought better of it as he answered, sounding wary.

" Hello?"

" Na-chan. You sound depressed. Missing me already?" She said as she grinned mischievously, turning to lean against the rail then, bringing her glass to her lips to take a sip as she awaited his reply.

"…You do know you're using that honorific improperly, do you not? Yet than again, why did I even bother to ask that of you. Of course you'd know. Hence your reasons for choosing to annoy me in such a fashion." He replied, the dry wit barely noticeable in his voice. But none the less, it was there to be found by those who were really listening.

" Still as sharp as ever. " She replied lightly, tilting her head back to stare up in to the night sky.

" Are you enjoying your self, Eva? I do miss your visits; how long do you plan to stay and play charades with the other children?"

" As long as I must." She replied vaguely as he sighed, sounding tired when he spoke again.

" I'd be lying if I said I understood what it is you're trying to accomplish. You are quite different from the others, you realize. Did you honestly need to go all the way there just to discover that for yourself? If so, I find that surprising. You were always the one who trusted me."

She drained her glass of soda as she listened to the words he spoke, slanting a glance sharply to the side before she pushed away from the rail, sauntering into the darkened living room of her penthouse apartment.

" And trust you I do. That wasn't my reasons for coming here. You should have know that." She said sharply as she sat the glass on the coffee table before she threw herself onto the couch, propping one foot on the arm of the couch.

" Ah. So it comes to this. You still insist on using your mind games on me. I hope you don't think this is all a game. You're playing with real playing pieces."

" You worry needlessly, Na-chan. I have no intention of doing anything to harm anyone. I am, as you said, different from the others. You told me once the Blade Children were like Caged birds. And that for whatever reason, I was the only one allowed to live free. I want to find out that reason ultimately, but this particular bird is also craving the companionship of her own kind. And to unlock the cage, one need's the key. And that, Na-chan, is what I just so happen to posses."

He was silent and she knew then that he was angry. Angry that she held the pieces to the puzzle he was unable to finish. Angry that she would be able to help the Blade Children in a way he would never be able to. But above all, he was angry that this particular bird had slipped through his fingers as well. That he wasn't able realize what he'd had until it was gone.

" I saw him today." She said finally, changing the subject. Not that this new one was any more welcome for discussion than the previous one.

"…Well. That's fast work. Even for you, Eva."

" It was merely a fascinating stroke of luck. He looks like you, you know. But he possesses one thing you do not." She announced as she studied her fingernails.

"…And what would that be?"

" The heart of one who believes in and accepts him for himself. If it weren't for her, you and he would be so alike it would be truly frightening. Have a pleasant afternoon, Na-chan." She said as she clicked the phone off, sitting it on the coffee table. She laid there in silence a moment longer, than got to her feet, crossing the room to reach her computer, the glowing of the monitor eerie in the darkened room.

" As I'd thought. He wasn't alone when I'd called."

01 End.