A/N Yay! Finally, Dilly-kun's here! You might also realize that this chapter will probably not respect certain laws of nature. I'm sure the ones with scientific minds will point out that certain things don't make sense on a scientific level (besides the obvious fantastic elements that is) such as climate, geography, evolution, etc, but this is an A/U and as much as I'm like that as well, it's fun to be a kid sometimes and pretend that things are possible! So on that note, pretend away… (I hope this chapter delivers…)
Pre-note: Even if I'm writing this in English, in my head they're all talking in Japanese. It's so much sexier that way and also, I find Dilly-kun's voice to be very hot in Japanese (even if it's a woman!) but I imagine him to have a deeper, manlier voice in this fic yet still keeping the essence of it (his mocking tone that can only be done by the wonderful Takayama!). Basically the voice of Takayama as a mature man! Haha! I think I need professional help!
Thank you to you wonderful people who reviewed! Every single one of you! It means a lot to me! And I'll answer to the anonymous ones at the end of the chapter. Wow! I didn't think I'd get any! Woot! You guys rock! Actually, thanks to everyone who read the chapter till the end! It doesn't matter whether you liked it or not, you still gave me a chance so thanks! It was my fault for not delivering. cries
Disclaimer: I don't care about not owning Escaflowne but won't they just give me Dilly-kun! Please?... TT
Note: I've modified the original anime guymelef to look more like an AS or Arm Slave from Full Metal Panic! Okies?
Extra-note: In this chapter, there's some mature content. Nothing shocking (I think…) but don't say I didn't warn ya! And there's some coarse language.
"…" Talking. Erm, DUH, right? Right.
'…' Thinking
Italics mean everything else including flashbacks and other weirdness.
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A Moment in Time
Chapter Two: Sightings
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She lay there, watching him with her catlike yellow-green eyes. She could spend the rest of eternity like this. He was making a mess of her bed again. Grey ashes fell carelessly onto her expensive Indian silk sheets. She just smiled. She knew there was no real way she could ever reach him. The simple thought was as ridiculous as trying to catch the sun's rays. A child's fantasy and a woman's foolishness. The man was completely impenetrable but right now, it was of no importance to her because he was here with her, wasn't he?
Nothing else mattered when she was with him. The fact that he did not care about her in the least didn't matter to her either. It wasn't a suspicion but a fact. And he'd proven that fact countless times and in front of various people. He was poison, lethal and cruel but of course, she would gladly drink every last excruciating drop. It was that delectable. Besides, it was too late to save her now. The poison had already spread and seeped into her core. She suffered greatly but would remain silent. He was with her and he was actually being docile this time.
Last night she had begged him to come back to her place but he'd never given his consent until everyone was either passed out or asleep. He had roughly grabbed her by the arm while she was still sleeping and dragged her to his car. Although she was a little miffed that he had enjoyed the other women's company so much during the party (he even locked himself in his Grand Master Bedroom with five other tramps for two hours), it did not matter anymore.
That night, or rather early morning, they had shared hours of uninhibited and violent lovemaking. Well, she liked to think of it as such but she knew better. There was nothing gentle or equal in the way they exchanged kisses and touches. He only gave pleasure for his own selfish reasons or to satisfy his ego. Her role in their amorous trysts was to remain compliant and submissive. As much as she loved it, it was not so much a choice as it was an obligation. A soundless order he expected to be followed. She would probably scratch the eyes out of any other person who tried to force her to assume a certain role when it came to bed matters (she was always the dominant one), but with him, it seemed natural. And, truth be known, she was terrified of Dilandau Albatou.
He always had control regardless of the situation or circumstance, and it was no exception concerning carnal affairs. He could be dead tired, impossibly drunk and high or go without food or sleep yet, never lose control. His anger even served a purpose for dominance. And she, like many others had learned never to defy him.
If she was on top, it was because he put her there and it was like that with every other way they could be 'joined at the hip'. Even when she was just one of multiple other female partners in a ménage-à-plusieurs, his domineering personality and charismatic presence only seemed to weaken any resolve they might have had. He took iniquitous delight in breaking people's resolve and bending them to his will. He never had to try very hard to do it either. 'Only a God has that much power over people,' she mused. She wouldn't be surprised if he was.
She observed in silence as he absently rolled his cigarette between his strong thumb and forefinger. His every motion reflected intrinsic grace and elegance. He puffed in the sweet tobacco and exhaled through his nose while running a hand through his soft argent strands. They lazily fell near his eyes, not wanting to hide their beauty. Gods, he was beautiful. She was enraptured by the scene before her. A longing sigh left her bosom and images of numerous women who would kill to be in her position at this moment flashed through her mind. She could already name twenty without really thinking about it. 'Too bad,' she thought before burying her head in the pillow and immersing herself in his dizzying scent.
His back rested against the headboard, his right leg bent over the bed while his left dangled off its side to land on the soft carpeting of the floor. The arm with his precious Silver Cut (1) pivoted on his bent knee as it traveled up once more to present the addictive offering to his lips. He inhaled and let his arm fall on his leg once again.
She cracked open an eye and saw through black filaments that he was looking out the large window of her room. Golden rays penetrated through the glass to wash over his sculpted features. She let her eyes travel. A shirtless torso revealed a perfectly flat and taut abdomen only upset by the rippling muscles that sinewed their way up. Pale white skin enveloped every hard, toned and defined muscle of his chest, back and shoulders. His long neck connected with a strong masculine jaw. In contrast, his delicate facial traits helped soften the overall look of his visage: full pink lips, high cheekbones and a narrow nose. Any portrait artist's dream really.
But, what truly drew people into his web were his eyes. Those mysterious scarlet orbs that pierced your soul the moment they were fixed upon you. The long and thick, black eyelashes that framed the penetrating gaze oddly made them more hypnotizing. The whole scene looked too ethereal to be real. Suddenly, she found herself needing to know if he was real, needing confirmation that he was indeed there beside her and not one of her hallucinations of him.
"Won't you come back to bed with me, please?" the raven-haired temptress pleaded. A hint of desperation leaked in her voice. The man only smirked in his usual arrogant fashion without tearing his eyes away from the view and flicked his half-finished cigarette onto her carpet.
"Dil—" she stopped as her widening yellow eyes followed the white object. Oh God! She jumped out of the bed in such haste that she nearly stumbled, grabbed the glass of water sitting on the nightstand and splashed the liquid content onto the violated area where the smoke was gradually thickening. Exhale. Her heart was pounding in her ears but she could faintly hear the amused chuckle through all the pounding.
"That was dangerous!" the young woman exclaimed, visibly upset. "You know the last time I had to get Daddy to renovate this whole section," pointing to her immense walk-in closet, "and I had to buy all my designer gowns all over again," she finished, pouting heavily and trying not to sound as hurt as she really felt. It had little to do with her designer gowns. The man laughed still while nonchalantly slipping on his black long-sleeved shirt. He headed for the door.
"Dilandau-sama," she called out running after the indifferent man with her bed sheets draped about her. He turned around. "Will I see you again?" She dreaded the answer already.
"Don't count on it," he said smiling seductively and left. Her heart twisted painfully but she could not help smiling a little anyway.
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Apollo's streets were clean and well 'cared' for by the City. It was Gaea's capital after all.
Gaea.
It was a strange land indeed. The mere name sounded mystical. As if mythical creatures dwelled in such a place. They weren't completely wrong there. It wasn't uncommon for Gaean travelers to be "oohed" and "aahed" at when they were found to come from the mysterious island. Only two places had that kind of effect on people. Gaea was one of them.
An island roughly the size of France, the country now counted almost 15 million inhabitants in the last census thanks to the half-century of steady flow of settlers from abroad into the land. The great city of Apollo was last estimated to have 5 million citizens, thus living up to its name of being the largest city in area and most populated. It was conveniently situated near the East Coast of the island.
The country welcomed anyone with open arms. Anyone who was willing to brave the stormy and unstable waters or, had the monetary means to pay for the most skilled pilots to fly through the highly turbulent air. Some hundred miles off the island's coast, the land was surrounded by an inexplicable barrier of chaotic winds and seas stretching for a few hundred miles, much like its not too distant neighbor albeit nowhere near as deadly as the latter. In the recent past, the only ones who dared the challenge were usually the rich who possessed the newest equipment (including scientists and researchers), mindless daredevils looking for a new feat or desperate sea farers seeking solace from poverty. Even submarines seldom succeeded in crossing the infernal barrier, though the military ones had more favorable odds. The baffling stormy obstacle was named Ring of Zeus and rightfully so. The similar ring encircling its neighboring island was infamously known as Ring of Death.
However, some fifty odd years ago, the invention of Melefs had revolutionized air, sea and land travel. Frightfully resistant to damage and wear and tear and working on a different principle than other transport vehicles, Melefs were a blessing from heaven. The strange and rare metal that made up the structure was said to be found exclusively in Gaea and its sister island. The machine was invented by the team of Gaean scientists and researchers behind Adelphus & Co., a company that specialized in manufacturing the most cutting-edge technology including weapons. It was also known for making luxury cars; their best-selling model being the Neon-Helix. People who could afford the highly classy Adelphus cars were envied a great deal. The company, one of the most lucrative in the world, was owned by none other than General Aldous Adelphus and co-owned by business tycoon, Kirk Albatou. The Adelphus & Company Corporation was known by nearly every man, woman and child on the planet, often referred to as the "Melef makers".
No one quite knew how to build and manufacture Melefs except the Gaean engineers. In fact, no one except that specific team of scientists quite knew how they worked. Just that they did and that they required the most trained and skilled pilots to operate them. The would-be pilots were given specialized training in a secluded Kherss (2) military training base under the direct supervision of General Adelphus himself. The famous General was the first to operate a Melef and personally trained the pilots and soldiers before relaying to them the task of training the next generation of Melef pilots.
There were now different Melef models such as Romelefs for land travel, Skymelefs for air travel, Seamelefs and Submelefs for sea travel and finally, the Guymelefs for combat. Guymelefs were the latest in Melef technology and by far the hardest to pilot. Although being much more compact in size than its predecessors, they were the most versatile, being able to systemically modify its shape and mechanics to suit any land and surface; the only of its kind to be able to travel on land, in sea and air at any given time. A far cry from the standard Melef model.
But in the end, it all came down to money and who could afford Melef tickets. It was a big hit among the rich and could only be dreamed of by the poor. The asking price of 200,000USD per ticket was definitely not what one would call cheap. Nevertheless, Gaea quickly became the destination spot for the very wealthy. The country's exotic landscape, flora and fauna were the stuff dreams were made of. It was affectionately named Redgreen by its natives due to the unnatural red color that tainted its earth and the strange and beautiful green of the trees, adding to its appeal. Since then, businesses flourished and the nation's economy was envied.
Gaea also attracted tourists for its history and unique architecture. For many centuries, the land had drawn many a brave seafaring traveler who had heard that Gaea was the gateway to another land even more mysterious and alluring than Redgreen herself. The weary travelers had settled there after finding no such gateway and not wanting to go through the accursed Ring of Zeus a second time. The feared waters were much calmer then, but ships in those days were still primarily made of wood and were not resistant enough to last against the battering and merciless waves for another round. Many travelers from Japan, India, China, Europe and the Middle-East left their architectural mark in different cities. Some cities even felt as though you were in the country from whence the travelers originated. They had brought back a piece of home with them. The natives of Gaea though few were a very open and accepting people and often celebrated the traditional or religious holidays with their foreign guests.
The city of Apollo had a very Japanese essence. Much of its old structural design was reminded of late Feudal Japan. This attracted more Japanese settlers later on. One such settler was the great-great-great paternal grandfather of a Hitomi Kanzaki, an outstanding navigator in his time. Her mother's forefathers had arrived some time lost to history so not much was known of her exact origins except that they were also Japanese.
The navigator had fallen in love and married a beautiful young Gaean native who happily agreed to adopt his ancestral culture. The only thing reminiscent of her was a strange jewel which was handed down from generation to generation. She had already known much of the Japanese and their way of life so she was familiar with certain rituals and was only too eager to learn more. She had also learned to speak fluent Japanese just like most of the citizens of today's Apollo. If they did not speak it, they understood it.
Hitomi paid for her coffee at a nearby stand which only served her kind and trudged along. Her coach had cancelled her practice today but she decided to stay to run a few laps around the large stadium in order to cool off from the day's earlier event. Just recalling it made her blood simmer.
……
"Well... let's just say it'll be a lot more exciting this way…" Yukari gave her best wink and smile to the now very weary teen slouching next to her. Hitomi had a bad feeling about all this. A gnawing feeling that everything would go wrong.
"What. Is. That. Supposed to mean?" She snatched the tickets from Yukari's hand which earned her a whiny "Hey!" and a playful slap on the arm. She took a closer look at the print and her eyes widened slightly.
"What's with the names? They sound kinda like," she paused, "porn stars." Gasp. "Please don't tell me…" But her speculation was cut short.
"No don't worry. I don't think that's what it is. You know how a lot of those classy girls change their names a bit to make them sound more sexy and famous? Well I think it's something like that," she said reassuringly and snatched the tickets back from the momentarily dazed Hitomi. The unconvinced girl only narrowed her eyes.
Just at that moment, a tallish young man with short spiky red hair stepped out of the classroom Yukari and Birdman came from. His big, droopy shoulders swung from side to side as he walked towards the two girls. His thick muscular neck gave him away as an athlete. It really was unfortunate that such a good private school as Adelph Quincy had to be a Mixed Private School. Unfortunate because they let in jerks like St-Germain in while Hitomi was still attending.
"Hey ladies," he turned to the green-eyed boiling kettle next to him, "Hitomi." She snapped.
"Don't even think about getting friendly with me Jared!" she spat at his name. "Whatever she told you was bullshit and you know it!" The infuriating boy only smiled.
"But you're still coming, right? And because you're more pissed off than usual, I'm guessing it's not all bullshit." He winked. She suddenly had the urge to gouge out his blue eyes and stuff them in his mouth. And sew his lips shut, just for good measure. She calmed down.
"Whatever. Now piss off before I do something I won't regret," she hissed.
"Geez calm down, honey. I was just trying to be nice. And since I am a nice guy, I'm offering we go all together to Mystic Moon and I'll even introduce you girls to my good buddies. They're real famous and I'm sure you'll be impressed." He tipped his head back and let out the most aggravatingly condescending laugh. The girls' lips upturned in apparent disgust. "You can think of it as a date. What do you say?"
"I say you should shove all that self-worship crap up your ass, you backstabbing brown nose!" She couldn't help it. She had been wanting to call him that for ages now. She always suspected him of climbing up the social ladder through needless flattery and being the lapdog to whoever he wanted "status" from or be seen with. He may have been rich but he wasn't part of the elite. And he stooped down to new levels to get what he wanted regardless of whether or not he was stepping on people. Yet, he still had the audacity to claim he was better than everyone. Hitomi couldn't even begin to describe how she hated people like him more than those rich socialites she vowed to never become, at least they had some pride.
"Ouch! That was harsh," he twitched but he tried to keep his cool. "Oh well, say what you want but I know you wish you were in my privileged shoes." At this moment, Yukari had to restrain her friend from hurting the spinelessly arrogant boy. As he turned to leave, he regarded them over his disproportionately large shoulders. "Don't forget to dress nicely."
……
"The nerve of that brown-nosed prick! Ghh" She shook her thoughts away. She had to stop herself from thinking about pointlessly maddening things. Lately, it seemed, she was always angry and knowing that made her even angrier. No! She had to stop it this instant! She sighed. At least, she was done with her exams. She was glad for that. She had studied very hard for them and was expecting good grades, as usual. In fact, she often over-studied just to prove to herself that she could be better than the people who put her down on a daily basis. Just to be one step ahead of those weak-minded… 'NO! I shouldn't think like that! What's wrong with me!' But she knew very well that was why she tried so hard; that was why she overworked herself to exhaustion on numerous occasions.
She took in the scenery before her. Apollo truly was a beautiful and lively city. Some children were playing tag not too far from her. She smiled sweetly as she watched a little ebon-haired girl in a yellow frock run and giggle simultaneously, trying hard not to get caught by the little boy chasing after her.
Her emerald eyes slowly drifted upwards toward the fancy district that separated the Elite from the rest of the populace of Apollo. She snorted. How typical. "Hypocrites," she muttered. Segregation between these two classes was rampant and she could only shake her head in disapproval at the injustice.
They were the ones who had come in floods to sweep over their beautiful land and sprout building after building. Yet, they had the nerve to demand separate "everythings" from the local people. Roughly speaking, East End district of Apollo was where the "average" people and local townspeople lived and West End was where the rich dwelled. And prices there were jacked up for just about everything that was purchasable. Probably just a form of psychological intimidation to drive away the "poor". 'How very smart of them,' she thought sarcastically.
Uptown, more specifically, was an area within West End only the elite and aristocrats or people who could spends thousands in a single day occupied. Sure, anyone was allowed to venture in and out of those areas but generally not many people did unless they had a very very good reason to do so. If you weren't intimidated by the contemptuous and condescending looks from passersby, you were by the buildings and mansions… and possibly the mind-bogglingly stupendously exorbitant prices from shop items. In Hitomi's case, it was the latter but she was annoyed with all of the above. She hated the area and how everyone would just stare because of how you dressed or walked differently. And especially how they held their chin higher than everyone else. Thank God her private school was only a few minutes walk into West End or she would probably end up hurting someone.
The Downtown area (City Center) and the beach were the only places the two classes could mingle freely. People from all walks of life could gather there with no unwanted tense strings attached. Of course, the stores gradually became more posh and refined the more you went west but that was that.
She snapped out from her reverie when she felt a gentle tug on her t-shirt.
"Oneesan, are you okay?" inquired the little pigtailed angel. Hitomi had to suppress the motherly urge to hug her and rub her cheek against the little girl's all while making baby noises.
"Of course I am sweetey," she cooed, "thank you for asking," she said playing with the child's little black pigtails. "What's your name?" she asked, bending down to reach her soft brown eyes.
"Llya," the adorable one replied shyly, fussing with the hem of her frock. Just at that moment, the little boy she'd been playing with grasped her arm possessively and dragged her away, scolding her. "Didn't your mommy ever teach you not to talk to strangers," he chastised. Funny. That reminded Hitomi of someone long forgotten from her past on a fateful spring day.
"Bye Oneesan!" the little one cried out happily, trying to keep up with the older boy.
"Bye sweetey! It was nice meeting you." Hitomi waved back at her little retreating figure. 'Well that was nice,' she thought, before walking down the steps to the subway.
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"No way! I don't believe you," said one incredulous girl to another. If it weren't for their mismatched heights, they could have easily passed off as twins.
"Well believe it! I swear he is like the most handsome man I ever saw in my whole life! He's way hotter in person!" She stressed the "way" for a full second and began to frantically fan herself to calm down; it only made her excitement worse.
"You saw the Dilandau Albatou in person? Oh my God darling, you are like the luckiest girl in like ever!" No description needed at this point.
"He even looked in my direction but I don't think he saw me because he was talking on the phone and God he was so serious it was hot! But just the fact that he could have seen me…" The fake platinum blonde proceeded to let out an obnoxiously high shriek.
And so the conversation went on like that for a few more hours whereby the girls let everyone in their friend circle know of the "big event".
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The lads were seated comfortably in the 'Employees Only' section of the Vionne Club or more intimately known as simply The Vionne. It was Dilandau's club. He was the proud owner and he had every reason to be. The Vionne was world renowned. People came from all over just to see it. It was the gathering place for the world's crème de la crème. Today, however, it was closed. The Vionne only opened from Thursday through Sunday. But in reality, Dilandau was the one who decided that. If he wanted to close it on a Friday (usually the busiest day), he could and would.
The private room was very spacious and had high domelike ceilings. The interior decoration had a modern art feel to it minus the oddness. The lights were dimmed and left a reddish hue as it reflected off of the dark-colored walls. Chunks of broken mirrors were strategically placed on the walls; made to look like you were taking a walk in a land of glass and red. It was all very impressive.
"I don't know about you, boys," said a man with stylishly long brown locks and laughed, "but I just know it's gonna be fun." He laughed harder, diverting everyone's attention away from the very tall figure that was leisurely making his way over to the group.
"What's 'gonna be fun'?" he humored them and made it sound like a question while lighting up his cigarette. He missed the looks of fear and astonishment and the stiffened backs of his seated companions. He took a long drag and looked over at Dallet who instinctively shrank back in his seat just a little.
"Dilandau-san, welcome back," they said at different intervals. Some sounded generally pleased to see him while others sounded cautious, assessing his mood.
"What's with the tension all of a sudden," the handsome man half-heartedly asked. He was just trying to pull their legs a little and they knew it. His trademark amused look graced his features and he unceremoniously dropped his weight on his designer couch. The lads who were addressed quietly exhaled, realizing his mood was rather relaxed. The silver-haired young man let his arms fall limp over the armrests and leaned back into the soft cushion, knees parted to a comfortable angle. Even in this inelegant display of comfort, he still had poise and elegance. And above all, control. No one had to know that he was, in fact, tired. He hadn't even gotten any sleep yet.
"You're all quite early today, what gives," he inquired, raising a thin grey brow. Note that when Dilandau asked a question, he never let them know it was a question. He never acted surprised or curious to know the answer. Just mildly interested or in this case, amused.
"We thought we'd come early for a change," Shesta answered honestly. Their leader's long legs stretched to rest his feet on the oddly but pleasantly shaped coffee table, left hand tucked behind his head. He brought his beloved Silver Cut to his mouth and inhaled.
"I see," he replied and indicated tacit approval with a pleased nod. "Now," his lips tightened imperceptibly to blow out the smoke, "Gatti, I think you have something for me, right?" His deep yet light sing-song voice always held a hint of 'humor me' attitude which women and men alike found strangely appealing and slightly intimidating. He had given Gatti the package for a specific reason and now he was testing him.
"Yes, I have it right here Dilandau-san," Gatti said, taking out the white package from the interior lining of his shirt and handing it to his 'superior'. "By the way, does it have anything to do with the party over at Mystic Moon?" the teal-eyed lad knew it had to be a project for the Dragonslayers and not the Ryuugekitai, the Dragonslayers' "alter ego" so to speak. He reached that conclusion since their leader hadn't called the other members from the latter organization nor had he told them to specifically meet in the basement of The Vionne. This undeniably meant that the current project was probably more psychologically cruel than downright destructive. The garnet-eyed Adonis responded to his query with an unusually pleasant smile. Dilandau was rather glad he had asked. Gatti passed the test; he knew he could always count on him.
"So I see Shesta's already filled you in on the location. Good, I expect you all to be there to watch the show I have planned for the Birthday Girl," he stated, making no attempt to hide the malice in his tone. A faint knock was then heard. "Enter," he called. A man clad in clean black attire approached the leader.
"Some French red wine this evening, Sir?" the waiter asked politely and displayed the bottle. "It is a ChâteauHaut Brion Pessac-Lognan 1982. It has a wonderful velvety texture." The owner of the building nodded unconcernedly and the man poured the dark red wine into the round glass and handed it to the seated man. It was known that Dilandau preferred Gaean wine but one could never go wrong with finely aged French red wine. He took an experimental sip, jostled the dark liquid in his mouth for a few seconds with practiced efficiency and gave out his verdict. "Good." The waiter nodded meekly and calmly exited the conference room. A voice interrupted the silence.
"Dilandau-san, by Birthday girl, do you mean Eriya Nadir-Smithsonian?" queried the soft but confident voice. Shesta was now very curious and a little concerned, with good reason.
"Yes… her," the red-eyed Adonis uttered the word with such contempt and disgust that were it not for the fact that he was referring to a woman, he could have very well meant a slimy and repulsive creature from the swamp. The corner of his upper lip curled up slightly. A picture of pure disgust. "That bitch'll pay for thinking she could have the upper hand on me," he said as he took a quick gulp of the alcohol. His jaw muscle twitched from clenching his teeth. "No one makes a fool out of me," he warned with unblinking crimson eyes. Although unspoken, the threat was very much clear to anyone who dared to contradict him.
In reality, the only crime against Dilandau the poor girl had committed was that of being hopelessly infatuated with the young controlling genius. It was her misfortune of being in love with the one man a girl like her should have been avoiding like the plague. She was far too sensitive. He was far too wicked. She had spotted him at a banquet hosted by his father and silently worshipped him for many years.
At the time, she was not the most pleasing girl to the eye but she had gone through cosmetic surgery after cosmetic surgery to rectify this and that, however painful. To be the ideal girl, just for him, all for him. When she had mustered enough courage to court him openly, he had always ignored her advances with immense disinterest and a mocking smile. Somehow, through the years, he finally acknowledged her but never more.
She jealously watched as innumerable girls fawned over him and he had his pick at the one who pleased him most. The mere thought would make any sensible woman sick to her stomach but she could only fall deeper into the abyss. Recently, she had noticed that he was seeing the same woman on more than one occasion. So she did what any jealous and jilted ex-lover would do to protect her man. She poured all her resentment and hatred onto the new lover. Though she could only dream of having such a glorious title. No matter.
In her blind rage one evening, after the mysterious woman had left his private apartment, she cornered the raven-haired beauty and told her that he was two-timing her with someone more beautiful and that he was only using her. The fabrication was half-true as he was seeing more than one woman but Eriya hadn't known, she had bluffed hoping the woman would leave him. She was also hoping the slap mark would not be wasted.
Unfortunately for Eriya, the ebon-haired woman didn't, of course, and had instead relayed the whole situation to the man who was the reason for the minor uproar. Needless to say, he hadn't found it funny. Not one bit. To him, not only was it a sign of defiance against him but also a means of giving her the illusion that she could control his life, his fate in some way, however small. And Dilandau Albatou would never allow that. He would not let her insolence go without an appropriate punishment. That, he made sure.
"What do we have to do, Dilandau-san?" a very handsome looking young man with chocolate-brown hair and deep blue eyes asked, devotion clear in his voice. Garnet orbs regarded the young man in contemplation. The owner smirked, his playfully smug countenance returning.
"Before we get to that, I want to show you something," he said, taking out the white package and retrieving its contents. "I think you'll find it pretty funny," he tried not to laugh as he said it but it just looked like he was trying not to laugh at them. He handed some rectangular glossed papers in a short stack to Miguel and signaled for him to pass it around once he was done. Miguel regretted ever setting his eyes on them for as soon as he did, he visibly shuddered and let out a bewildered "What. The. Fuck!", nearly dropping the rectangular items as he looked away in disgust. The silver-haired Adonis allowed himself a genuine laugh, clutching his stomach to show his obvious merriment at Miguel's uncomfortable reaction. It was all so very amusing. Gray strands fell over his ruby eyes and hid the sinister look they had at this very moment.
As the glossy papers were being passed around, reactions ranged from shock, horror, absolute repulsion and disgusted pity. Most cried, "Oh God!" and "I think I'm gonna be sick…" while looking away and others even gagged. All in all, the lads looked clearly traumatized by what they had seen. The leader gave them some time to recover and looked unquestionably pleased with himself. The other members had many questions buzzing in their heads but could not voice them, in fear of their leader's wrath. Gatti however was more daring.
"What does that—" but before Gatti could finish, he was interrupted by an impatient and irritated leader.
"Not now Gatti, I'll tell you everything in due time," he said sternly and poured himself another generous helping of wine. "All you have to know right now is that this is the featured show for our Birthday girl and it's going to be grand. This time, I'm going to enjoy going to Mystic Moon," he said spitefully and chuckled staring at the wine glass he held up to his eyes.
"There's just something I don't understand Dilandau-san, how are we going to organize something so big and make it look like we're not up to something?" the words just tumbled out of Shesta's mouth before he could stop them. That earned him a glare which soon turned into an indefinable grin. The leader hopped off his couch and casually strode over to Shesta, smiling all the while. His tall figure loomed over him. Shesta was now mildly confused as to what he would do but it was too late. In one swift motion, too fast for anyone to see, Dilandau took off his ring and backhanded the unfortunate young man with such force he fell out of the couch. His cheek throbbed painfully and would undoubtedly form a bruise in the morning but thankfully Dilandau had spared him from his more powerful hits. He had been in a forgiving mood. The towering man slipped his ring back around his little finger.
Although the fearsome young man had not liked how Shesta had questioned his abilities and efficiency, he decided he'd let him off easy this time. Shesta was probably just concerned about what would happen; always worrying over people he was. Fool. He opted to "play" with him instead. Dilandau usually let his victims anticipate the assault to instill more fear in them but this time he wanted to be unpredictable, which was also a major part of his personality. He went back to his couch and sat down more gracefully this time. He smirked.
"Simple," his smirk widened, "I offered to organize it." Everyone merely stared at him in awe. They knew the girl had been infatuated with their leader for a long time because she just happened to be wherever he went. Even the lads were getting sick of it. But they also knew she would slit her own throat before refusing such an offer. Their 'Dilandau-san' was always prepared wasn't he. He was a true leader. He was something else. Indeed.
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She unlocked the door and gave it a push. "Aya, I'm home," the emerald-eyed girl called out. "H-e-l-l-o-o!" she called out again taking off her runners and dumping them in the shoe rack.
"Would you stop yelling, I heard you the first time!" a young girl with aqua eyes and dark auburn hair barely out of her childhood phase came down the stairs and simply glared at the older girl.
"Did you go to your piano lessons, Aya?" the older girl inquired not paying heed to her little sister's words or attitude. The sister stuck out her tongue and grimaced.
"Did you go to your track lessons, Hitomi?" she mocked in a nasally and childish voice. Hitomi frowned.
"You should learn to respect your elders, you know!" she scolded the young lass, putting down her bags on the ground.
"Geez, stop trying to act like you're so important! You're not mom so stop ordering me around all the time!" the girl whined a tad more on the angry side though. She was thoroughly sick of always being treated like a baby by everyone. Hitomi must have felt a vein pop at this moment because she couldn't contain herself any longer.
"Yeah, well mom's not here most of the time. She does something called w-o-r-k so I have to be the one taking care of you! After everything I do for you, you're still ungrateful. I cook for you," she started counting off the points on her hand. Wait. Hadn't she done this earlier? Seemed like her unlucky day today. And her anger slowly took hold of her, yet again. "I tutor you, correct your home works, clean up after you, wash your dishes and worry about you and all you have to do is cut me some slack from time to time but n-o-o instead you complain and disrespect me. Well if you're not happy, I suggest you stop acting like a baby and get it together!" she was fuming now. 'Geez,' she thought, 'I'm gonna have to take anger management classes or I'll die early from a heart attack'.
She cooled off and sighed heavily, dropping herself onto the low couch. She felt like there was a mountain on her shoulders, her head was pounding, her back ached and she wanted to rip out all of her hair and scream. 'I see… so this is what a burnout feels like. I am so gonna die young.' But she pushed the depressing thoughts away as quickly as they came. She turned her head to look over at her sister. Her aqua gaze was fixed on the floor. The auburn-haired girl seemed to feel genuinely bad now but still tried not to let it show. She still had to keep her pride intact. How so very much like herself, she mused.
"Geez, you didn't have to get all panicky, you know. I didn't mean to be so mean to you… I'm sorry," she muttered loud enough so Hitomi could hear. "Next time, just… call me when you want me to do something," she had no idea how hard it was for Aya to say this, "and I'll do it," Aya finished, releasing a breath. That was the hardest thing she'd ever had to say. Hitomi smiled warmly. She knew that coming from Aya, it was like moving a mountain. She patted the seat next to her and Aya sat down.
"No, no, you don't have to do any of that. It's okay, I already forgive you. I just want you to understand that it's not so easy for me either. That's all," she said running her fingers through auburn locks. She had become like a surrogate mother to Aya after all those years of looking after her and caring for her. She actually did enjoy caring for others, just, not stressing for others. "So, how was your piano lesson?"
"It was pretty good. I'm getting really good playing with both hands now. I can read music sheets better and Mrs. Lorne even said I was one of her best students. I even taught myself how to play a Beatles' song from the practice book mom gave me," Aya was beaming now. Once you got her started on it, she was hard to stop. Hitomi was happy that her little sister had found her passion. Maybe she would become a great pianist someday.
"That's great Aya! I know you'll be great!" she praised. She stopped and remembered she was famished. "Hey, you hungry? I could make us something to eat. I'm starved!"
"No don't bother, Onichan bought take-out," the younger girl answered matter-of-factly.
"What? Mamoru's here? Since when? How come he didn't answer when I called?" she had a million questions to ask about their older brother. He had moved out a couple of years ago and lived in the Downtown area of Apollo and she had always looked forward to his visits home. But, a few months ago, he had to leave to another city for his work so she hadn't seen him since then and hadn't known he was back.
"Ah ah ah, Neechan's not being respec-t-ful," Aya playfully taunted as if singing the lyrics to an annoying song. Hitomi gasped. She was so shocked at her brother's unexpected arrival that she had forgotten to use his respective title. She had discarded using titles except for a select few she deemed worthy of it. Otherwise, she couldn't care less. "And yes he's here, he's in the backyard. Probably just didn't hear you. They were already here when I came home," Aya said and reached for her favorite book sitting on the table.
"They?" Hitomi asked getting a little suspicious of her little sister's whistling and bobbing her head left and right.
"Well… he's not alone…" and right then Aya burst into a self-induced fit of giggles to prove her point. Hitomi unconsciously reached for her pendant and started to fiddle with it, growing slightly nervous. "Your honey's here…" Aya taunted and proceeded to explode into another set of contrived giggles which turned into outright laughter when she saw the look on her Neechan's face. No one noticed the tall, broad-shouldered man stepping up behind them.
"Oi Aya-chan, stop pestering your poor sister," the man playfully teased; his jocular nature betrayed him from maintaining a straight face or any seriousness whatsoever. But that was why they both adored their brother. Always funny and cheerful, he was a gifted tension-beaker. He was also a natural charmer and flirt which was one of the reasons he was so popular with the ladies. Besides his obvious good looks, that is.
"Hey Tomboy 'Tomi! How ya been?" he asked energetically and smiled knowingly when he saw Aya's after-a-good-laugh look and Hitomi nervously toy with her pendant. His slate hair was short but stood up a little near his forehead. Sort of like Tintin except a lot nicer and slicker and not shaved around the "spike" but rather proportionate to it. Seeing Hitomi lost in her thoughts, he continued.
"Good, good! I'm happy for you, really! No, really, I am. I didn't think you'd be doing this great after only two months of my absence," he said, waving a careless hand hither and thither and obviously enjoying every bit of the charade. He loved to be dramatic in times like these and proved to be an excellent actor. "I mean honestly, just look at you! You look radiant! No problem! Oh, me? I'm great too. See, I've been working with my partner over a year now and we're fi-na-lly doing a real case. He's also my senior so he had to show me the ropes all this time but… as you can see… MAMORU KANZAKI IS FINALLY READY!" he exclaimed in an operatic baritone voice while flexing his muscles.
Aya looked up from time to time from the teen romance novel (her favorite book) she was busying herself with to watch her older brother's antics. She was used to this; she had to endure it before her sister came home. Hitomi on the other hand, buried her face in her palms in apparent exasperation but hid her wide smile. She was really happy he was back and only wished she had that kind of energy. She shook her head at him with a beat look.
"So, what's the case about anyway?" she said casually. The buffoon crossed his arms over his broad chest, assumed a stoic expression and cleared his throat rather obnoxiously.
"Sorry Miss Kanzaki, but I am not at liberty to disclose any information regarding my assignment," he said noncommittally. "Damn that sounded cool," he added. Hitomi and Aya simultaneously rolled their eyes. "But," he looked over his shoulder lest his partner should walk in on him divulging information to his two young sisters, "all I can tell you is that it's a cold case they decided to reopen after a decade. And it's a big one!" Decidedly, Mamoru had a big mouth, but despite his appearance he proved to be very dependable and trustworthy in the toughest of situations.
"Sounds pretty interesting. Is someone big involved or something?" Hitomi prodded, just to see how far she could take this.
"Well, as much as I'm dying to tell you, I am not at lib—"
"Shut up!" the girls shouted in unison. "So," Hitomi continued, "what are you doing here anyway?"
"What? Can't a brother visit his family without having an ulterior motive?" he cried plaintively. "And, in answer to your earlier question, big time! It's the victim or deceased at this early stage. Her death was classified as accidental but who knows," he finished. Yes, Mamoru had a big mouth. Basically he was there to gloat about first real case, and a big one according to him. 'Ha! He's so predictable,' Hitomi thought.
"So who's the famous victim?" she asked, smirking.
"There's no way in hell I'm telling you that," he said closing his eyes and pressing his lips tightly shut lest the words should accidentally escape his innocent mouth. They both knew he was itching to tell someone. He looked over his shoulder carefully before dropping down to her level, "A certain Ana Schezar, if you must really know," he whispered quietly in her ear and gave her a proud grin. Hitomi thought for a second. She knew that name. She had heard it somewhere. It dawned on her.
"Wait, isn't that the actr—"
"Shhhh don't say it out loud! I'm not supposed to be telling you, remember? No one's supposed to know," he scolded. But no one heard it except her since Aya was completely engrossed in her novel. 'Wow,' she thought, 'this is getting really interesting.'
"So how did you ever get to have a case like that?" the teen inquired disbelievingly.
"I'll have you know that I'm a very capable officer little girl and besides, it's still too early to tell if we've got something or not. They found stuff that didn't add up so they asked us to investigate," he said, more seriously this time. "It also helps to have the best partner in town!" he finished proudly.
At the mention of the word "partner", Hitomi remembered that they had a guest in the backyard. A very particular guest. She stiffened. As if sensing the changing atmosphere, Aya, looked up from her book, focusing her full attention on the pair. The change did not go unnoticed by the man and he smirked.
Abruptly, Mamoru stooped down and 'got in her face'. His hand was covering his mouth from 'the public' which was a now snickering Aya. "By the way," he whispered softly, "your Folkie's here!" but that part just mysteriously happened to be loud. Aya's giggling came back with renewed vigor.
"MAMORU (STUPID)-NIICHAN!" the enraged green-eyed teen yelled.
"I missed you too," he innocently replied. They all couldn't help but burst out laughing from all the happiness and excitement. Hitomi let it out after a few failed attempts at keeping it in. Mamoru had told her she sounded like when "you're trying to start the engine of a car" and that did it for her. It really was good to have him back.
"Looks like you girls really missed him," a soft but deep manly voice cut into their laughter. It came from the hallway. "Sorry," he said coming closer to the trio. "I didn't mean to interrupt but I was wondering where the noise came from. Looks like Mamoru knows how to get the crowd started anywhere he goes," he said happily. He leaned against the wall and gave them all a warm smile.
The very tall man had long light cerulean hair that was half spiked up and half hanging around his face. He possessed the kindest looking almond-shaped eyes Hitomi had ever seen despite their dark maroon pigment. He had a long oval-shaped face with a strong jaw. There was an airy natural grace about him that indicated he was probably born into nobility. It was clear. He was undoubtedly one of the most handsome men she had ever met. Suddenly Hitomi didn't feel so relaxed anymore.
"Oh, don't be silly Folken-san," Hitomi said, trying to sound as cool as possible. The blue-haired man was also another person she used titles with. Not so much because she respected him (she didn't know him all that well) but more because he seemed unreachable. "You didn't interrupt at all," she said nervously and let out a funny giggle. Didn't this happen earlier today as well? Why was history repeating itself twice in the same damn day! She wasn't sure if she sounded as tense as she was. She hoped not. "In fact, I'm happy you interrupted," she realized only too late what she had said. "I mean, I'm happy you came—" Oh God! She was acting like a tongue-tied loser. "I mean—" It was Mamoru's signal to come to her rescue. He made it his personal duty not to let any sister of his embarrass herself like a bumbling idiot. He suppressed the brotherly instinct to point and laugh.
"I think what Hitomi means is that you're more than welcome to join in on the fun," Mamoru said smiling at his flustered younger sister. Folken slowly nodded with an 'Ah I see' expression and smiled dazzlingly.
"It's been a while since I last saw you Hitomi." The handsome guest said. "Aya tells me you're the female star of your school track team. That's quite impressive," he continued, looking at Hitomi with kind welcoming dark eyes. Her pink blush was deepening and spreading viciously. Why did he have to be so darn handsome and nice? She tried to regain her composure.
"Ah, that, well it's just practice really," she knew that didn't make any sense for an answer but she couldn't help it when he was looking at her so intently. "There's nothing impressive about that, I just train a lot," she clarified.
"Well, that's very admirable. I know you work very hard; your brother tells me that all the time. I admire hardworking people greatly," he stated. She froze. He had done it. Now, she was cornered. How was she supposed to reply to that without saying something insanely stupid? Folken. No, Folken Lacour de Fanel just told her indirectly that he admired her. Her. She must have looked like a ripe tomato at this moment. Seeing his sister zoning out, Mamoru took his cue once again.
"Yup, she's definitely hardworking! But that makes her really moody too! She has, what you might call, anger management issues," he said to his friend as if it was the most dangerous thing to mention. Mamoru then turned to her with a comically serious expression. "You know Tomi, you need to lighten up sometimes. Maybe that's why you don't have a boyfriend. You scare them all off…" he said matter-of-factly. Hitomi's bad mood made a swift comeback and she forgot all about her initial embarrassment.
"Ma-mo-rru," she uttered darkly, not even bothering with the title anymore, "if you don't stop being an incessant ass, I'm gonna kick your sorry clown butt back to your stupid Police Academy!" she screamed. Sure, she could take the teasing and taunting and insinuations but discussing her love life in public and in front of her first real crush was just the last straw. Mamoru feigned a hurt expression and sighed dramatically.
"See what I mean?" he stated. Tension; gone. They all laughed in unison for a second time joined by their guest. Hitomi felt like she had been in a roller-coaster ride of emotions today, especially since she entered her home and even more so due to a certain gallant blue-haired man. She allowed a contented sigh to escape her lips before snapping back to her practical no-nonsense self. And her practicality demanded that her stomach be fed.
"So, I hear you guys brought take-out," she said, reaching for the big white paper bag. "Wait, let me guess, Chinese," she added sarcastically and looked at her brother who was currently rubbing the back of his neck and smiling sheepishly. Chinese it is.
"Okay then, let me go prepare the food and set the table. I'll call when it's ready," she said as she walked away with the food. She was hungry and she wanted to eat as soon as possible.
"I'll help set the table," called a bouncy preteen following her sister into the kitchen. Folken turned to his partner.
"She's wonderful. You're lucky to have her as a sister," he said truthfully. Mamoru smiled his first genuine smile.
"I know," he said simply.
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A/N Phew! Well that was that! I know it was long, I just hope it wasn't boring. Well, I introduced some new characters! I hope they're OK. I'm not happy with this chapter but what can I do. I really SUCK at description. YAY! Folken's here! Yes he said Folkie!
And I love Mamoru-kun like this. I thought it'd be nice to have a goof as a brother and hence the birth of an older, goofier officer Mamoru! Dilandau is so gorgeous! Gah! I love him! I just hope the first part didn't drag on too much.
By the way, if there's ANY mistake with the Japanese use of titles and stuff, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I'll correct it right away.
Also:
1--- a made-up cigarette brand inspired by the British Silk Cuts.
2--- Kherss is also an invented small island. I will elaborate more on it in later chapters but for now, I'll just say that it has the best and most sought after military schools.
To the reviewers:
To Rina: Thanks! All I can say for the Mystic Moon meeting is that, it's going to get crazy! Dilandau and Hitomi will meet in the next chapter. Sparks will definitely fly but will it necessarily be a good thing? Hmm… I suppose not! But it'll get intense!
To Dilly-sama is my husband: Wow! You're lucky! I wish he was my husband damn it! And thank you SO MUCH! Your compliments were TOO much! I'm just trying to write them as best I could… I just hope my best is not sucky… Yes, Bad Boys are hot and Dilandau is no exception! As for Hitomi and Dilandau hooking up… it'll get interesting but I can't say more for the moment.
To Litschi: Thanks! Yes, I shall! I've got loads of ideas. I just hope they work out somehow!
Thanks for reading! And if you can, please review and tell me what you think! I need major input man!