Chapter 3: Moving In with the Makashiros
Thanks for the reviews, Cavalyn! You gave me a couple of ideas for the storyline, so props to you. And yes, Chloe is the same Chloe in Noir, but I have no idea what Chloe talks like though….Now, on to the story….
"Right, if everything's settled, then let's get you to your rooms." Kyoko chirped, in quite a happy hostess' voice. Without turning around, she called out, "Kenwa! Can you come down and help Noir with their luggage? They've just arrived."
A young man, about a year older than Kyoko, came bounding from the back of the estate. He obviously exercised a lot, judging by his toned muscles. Kenwa was taller than most people, but not that tall. His tight black shirt was covered in rips and….yellow jelly?
"Oh dear, what happened to you?" The Japanese woman eyed her friend suspiciously, with her eyebrow arched, much like Mireille did when she was skeptical.
"Moto's newest weapon: exploding jelly. Worse thing is, it won't come off!" He started desperately clawing the offensive material off; it exploded, true to its name.
"Hack, hack…" Kenwa now looked like he had taken a nap on a barbeque grill, without all the fancy little lines. "Here, I'll take the luggage. Whoa…."
Yuumura didn't have a lot of belongings; just two duffel bags were enough for her. Bouquet, however, was a whole different story. She had at least eleven mega-sized rolling suitcases, and another taxi was unloading another trunkful of her trunks.
"Well, I did tell them to pack heavy…." Kyoko looked slightly aghast at how much Mireille HAD packed. "Oh, if memory recalls, you did a little trick to move a lot of objects at once, right, Kenwa? You know, the one you called 'Ice Path'?"
"Oh yeah." Kenwa stuck his arms straight out, positioning his fingertips so that they pointed to just ahead of the luggage. With a squint of his eyes, he shot ice, pure and clear, out of his hands. Then, walking at the same time, he strolled into the Makashiro mansion, still shooting the ice onto the floor, making a glassy and slippery path. Then, he pushed the luggage along the path, finishing in quite a short time.
Kirika was anxious to get in. She was afraid that if she stayed any longer in the open, something else was guaranteed to happen. Judging by the way things had already turned out, she had the feeling that the word impossible meant nothing to the Makashiros.
A twinge of pain ran along her shoulders, where the shadow had pushed her hardest. "Ahh…." Pointing her eyes downward, Kirika could see a faint lane of dark skin cross from shoulder to shoulder.
Mireille was concerned. "Kirika, are you alright? You only got pushed; what's wrong?"
Kyoko turned around, hearing Kirika's small gasp of pain. Kneeling down, she examined the place where the shadow touched Kirika. "Oh, wonderful. It used dark energy." The Makashiro grabbed Kirika's shadow, and by some miraculous act, pulled it off the ground with a snap!
"You buffoon, look and see what thou hath done to thy creator. Do thou wish for me to inflict upon thee my punishing technique, Shadow's End?" The shadow suddenly shuddered greatly, a horrible stinging sensation racking it body, its form distorting. Bowing its head in apology, it made a sign of subservience. Kyoko dropped it.
"Idiot shadows, never have any control. Not even on their own creators." Kyoko rubbed her foot in the shadow. It now lay still.
"Sorry about that. You see, shadows don't have a shred of self-control. So when you send it to do something, it always overdoes it. Then I have to punish them hard; otherwise they never learn. Here," at this point Kyoko's right hand reached out and hovered over Kirika's shoulder, "if you'll let me touch you, I can stop the shadow pain. Not a normal wound, as you can see. If you will let me, it should be gone by tomorrow." Kyoko's eyes were not on Kirika when she said this, however, they were focused on the shadow, willing it to try to do something to her.
"Erm, fine." Kirika mumbled. Kyoko's hand then descended on her shoulder. Her hand glowed with a black light, sending a ripple effect through Kirika's wound. It returned to its normal shade of paleness immediately. The horrible throbs also stopped.
Inside of her heart, Mireille felt a pang of….jealousy? Searching within herself, she contemplated why she felt that way. Does it have to do anything with that woman, Kyoko, touching Kirika? But, then would that mean?….
"Hello? Helloooo? Your partner's back up, Mireille." Kyoko had been waving a hand in front of Mireille's face for the last, oh let's say thirty seconds. Looking at the Corsican's face strangely, she pointed to the doors to the mansion, where Kirika was waiting.
"Oh, sorry." What could this mean? To me, and to Kirika?
But, just as soon as they all set foot in the mansion, Mireille quickly forgot her query.
Obviously, the words grand and huge could describe the interior of the Makashiro estate. But, the same sadly couldn't be said for its inhibitors.
"Part-ay! Let's have a part-ay!" The living room, the room that the three woman had just set foot in, was covered in various teen party accessories: balloons, DDR machines and dance pads, TVs with karaoke on them, and a whole crowd of people around the DJ station, where pop and rock were violently being pumped out of the speakers.
Mireille and Kirika watched as Kyoko closed her eyes, trying to control her rage. Summoning up her voice, she yelled stentorian style. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF FRAT BOY PARTIES ARE YOU GUYS UP TO IN HERE! AND JUST WHEN OUR GUESTS HAVE ARRIVED!"
Everyone could hear the record being played on the DJ station screech to a halt as everyone just STOPPED. Turning their heads around slowly, like in a bad horror movie, they all visually blanched at the sight at I'm-pissed-off-like-hell Kyoko.
"K-Kyoko-sama…."
She cut the boy off. "Dut dut dut! I am so not taking excuses from any of you. Now, as punishment," she thought for a second before her eyes lit up with a demonic look (and it sure wasn't that black light again), "tonight, EVERYONE'S going to have a extra public practice session! One on ones, teams, and free-for-alls. And, our guests will watch."
A moan of bewilderment and fake pain emitted from the party group. "Or, I could have you practice with tutus on and fairy wings strapped uncomfortably to your behinds…."
They all shut up.
"Right. Now, practice time is right after dinner, back lawn. Don't be late, or I'll just extend the period."
"Yes, Kyoko-sama." The partiers started to pack up all the party stuff.
Kyoko sighed. "With that taken care of, let me show you to your room." With that, she led to a room on the first floor, at the end of a short corridor. Opening the door, she led them to a large and luxurious room, much like everything else in the Makashiro estate. One thing surprised Noir however. The bed was very lush, it was true, but was only a double bed. The both of them had thought that the bed would be huge. Could Kyoko know more about them than they perceived?
"All of your luggage is in that closet." Said closet was big enough to be a deluxe suite bathroom. But, hey, everything in this mansion was like that.
An awkward silence settled over the three of them.
Mireille felt she had to break the silence; its stifling nothingness was getting on her nerves! "So, when is dinner?"
It seemed that Kyoko was having the same sentiments. She replied almost with a relieved sigh. "Oh, 6:45 P.M. Dining Hall on 5th floor."
"You'll come to get us? I'm pretty sure that we'll get lost with you guiding."
Kyoko thought for a bit. If I sent him, would she recognize him? Time to find out. "Oh, I'll send someone along to show you…."