Author's Note: With standard disclaimers and warnings aside, I've got to say Chapters 5 and 6 really make me want to break my keyboard every time I read them...
(I've actually printed them out for the sheer angsty pleasure of ripping them up XD But that's just me...old bad writing makes me queasy)
I'll let you guys decide
The Magician and the Fool: Capitulo Cinco
"'Bout time you got your sorry ass up" Cici smirked, watching Kawari slowly creep into the kitchen, rubbing her head.
"You were snoring just as bad as me so you shut up…" she groaned, taking a seat at the table.
"Oh my heart! She abuses me with words!" Cici clutched the side of her chest sarcastically "There's another killing in the paper today" she changed the subject and offered the newsprint
"Ugh…three in a row, you'd think the police around here would get wise to who it was eventually" she rubbed her eyes and griped.
"Ha, in this city? They drop like flies as it is. I think it's kinda nice that someone's thinning out the dread down here" Cici chuckled and read the title. "Finally some excitement"
"Yeah but one would think they'd start to see a pattern or something…" Kawari finally started to wake up and feel the hangover start to clang in her head like the ten-ton bells in a cathedral.
"You have becomean outsiderhaven't you?" she laughed and took her attention off the article, never getting past the first sentence "You expect way too much of our government rats…Say, you never said why you came back. To York Shin I mean, didn't you already have a client back in Nagasaki?"
"He died" Kawari said very plainly and got up to get some aspirin.
"Died? Yeesh, you do get rough…"
"Nah" she laughed from the bathroom and gulped two pills "The Great and Powerful Oz took him in his sleep."
"Oh? Now Gabby-may, what have I told you about slipping people poisons?" Cici teased
"Never in the house…" she bowed her head apologetically "At any rate, the lazy bastard OD'd and checked out" Kawari put the kettle on and sat down.
"And you slipped away unnoticed?"
"Hell yeah. Got a little questioned, but there were pills still stuck in his throat when they found him. Said he went into convulsions and whatnot. Meanwhile I was still the nice little housewife and was out for groceries, so I even got a bit of insurance. God-forsaken bastard didn't even have any family."
"Well…that was convenient" Cici grinned wide at her wily friend. "You've been keeping something from me?"
"Nah-uh. All the truth. Sure as hell WAS convenient though" Kawari laughed "Finally I get some pay back for the bruises. Plus I got myself a nice little plane ticket"
"Yeah he was horrible, only saw him once or twice. But he spoke terrible to you even when I was right in the room. Knocked you to the floor with one whap." Cici put her hand on Kawari's shoulder to comfort her.
"Shouldn't speak ill of the dead, Satan rest his soul" she crossed herself with a wicked grin. The two laughed again. "The good news is I'm back home…"
"So that's why you're afraid to stick with Johnson right?" Cici's eyes softened, starting to understand.
Instead of breaking into sobs like she always did, Kawari's eyes were confused. "Johnson? Who the hell is Johnson? This guy's name is Hisoka"
"Hisoka? Hisoka what?" Cici blinked "Is that Johnson's first name? Sounds like a Japanese last name to me"
"Uh…I don't know" Kawari had a curious look about her. "The guy's a walking rubix cube, can't figure him out for shit. Have you met Johnson before?"
"Once, he's pretty sharp-looking with his hair greased back, thought you'd like him" Cici thought about the man she'd met "He was one hell of a sweetie, dumb as a friggen post though. Thick southern drawl right?"
"No…." Kawari's eyes widened "He doesn't talk much, and when he does it's confusing. He dresses like a clown and has a star and teardrop painted under his eyes. The only accent I picked up on is Japanese"
"HOLY SHIT! That's not Johnson!" Cici burst out of her chair. "Do you know what this means?"
"That I can get away from this weirdo?" Kawari stood with hopeful eyes.
"Well…that too…" Cici stopped to think, and then a determined anger filled her eyes again "It means this nut case has been mackin on you for FREE! Wait until I get my hands on that bastard…."
"We can beat the crap out of him later, right now I need to get this straightened out! Can you help me Ci? Please?" Kawari pleaded, getting her hopes up.
"Well…I can't do a thing for you." Cici sighed. "You gotta talk to the higher-up's. And I know you don't care much for Don" she said with a light chuckle
"The guy beat me over the head with a PVC, would you like him?" Kawari sat back down cynically.
"You could always talk to Veto, we're his best girls" Cici batted her eyes and scribbled something down. "Did you ever get his address?"
"Nope, you know I never get the memos" Kawari sneered with growing angst. She looked at the napkin her friend presented with a smile and started to grin. "CECILIA I LOVE YOU!" she squealed and bounced, hugging the life out of the blonde.
"Now get the hell outta here and find your man!" Cici squealed with her and smacked her playfully on the butt as she left. "Don't be a stranger you bitch!"
"Same to you Ho-bag!" Kawari laughed and ran down the stairs with the napkin in her pocket.
--------------------------------------
"Uncle Veto! Long time no see!" Kawari's voice was cheerful as she burst in the door, though her eye was on the prize the whole time.
"Well if it isn't one of my favorite china dolls," a thick deep voice spoke from behind an oak desk. "You're back so soon, is everything all right?" His voice was kind, with a bit of an Italian twist.
Kawari shook her head "Veto, I have to talk with you about my client"
"We never go back you know." His voice became stern "You stay with your client until the end, or if something comes up"
"But something has come up Veto!" Kawari cried, stepping closer to the desk. "My client, he isn't Johnson!"
"I know." Veto said quite flatly
"What…?" her eyes were wide with shock, her voice a hoarse whisper. "What do you mean you know?"
"Take a look for yourself." He said grimly, tossing the day's newspaper to the opposite end of the desk. "Johnson is dead."
Her eyes quivered with what looked like horror, when in actuality it was merely disappointment. This Johnson fellow was her only way to get away from the strange clown. "B-but this can't be!" her eyes skimmed over the article and she shuddered.
Calm murder for once…
One man found dead in his apartment peacefully…
Mysterious in the very sense of…
Even civilians suspect poison…
Finding the criminal will not…
In only a few hours…
No evidence as to the killer…
Dog found whimpering next to body…
Matthew Johnson, a simple man…
Enigmatic.
"Take it easy, you didn't even know the man…" Veto stood, and tried to comfort the woman, noticing her sobs.
"It's not that…" her voice shook "This man I'm with now…h-he's crazy…" Kawari continued to mumble more to herself than to Veto. "He did this…He wants me to stay"
"Now, now girl! Don't go blaming honest people!" Veto scolded her and offered her a tissue. "Who is this man then?"
"Hisoka. That's all I know of his name" she blew her nose and spoke bitterly. "He dresses like a clown, with a star and teardrop under his eyes and—"
"Hisoka? Does he carry a deck of playing cards?" Veto's eyes were wide with attention.
"YOU KNOW THIS MAN?" Kawari spun back with even more surprise
"I know of him" he looked at her with a pleased grin "Don't you go speaking of him like he's a monster, Gabrielle. He's a hunter like us, a very skilled one at that."
"I-I can't believe this!" Kawari backed away with anger starting to well up as well as fear.
"We've crossed paths only once, but even by that I can tell he's a highly respectable young man. And it would be in the company's best interest to keep such a powerful man under our watchful eye" Veto grinned and nodded his head. "So it's settled."
"What? What's settled! WHAT'S SETTLED VETO?" she rushed to his desk and slapped her hands on the surface.
"You're cuddling up to him quite nicely aren't you?" a thick chuckle rumbled in his double chin. "I think it wise to stay in your position, stay on his good side you know?"
"GOOD SIDE! Listen Veto, I've been with this guy for three days tops and I've YET to find a good side!" she took her boss by the collar and shook him "Already I can see that he's a nut job you hear me? NUT JOB!"
"Which is exactly why you two are so suited." Veto laughed and nodded his head again, taking Kawari's hands from his shirt. "I just had this dry cleaned too…"
Kawari's eyes shrunk to grains of sand. "I can't believe this…" she muttered. "YOU ARE RENTING ME OUT TO A MURDERER VETO! HOW CAN YOU SIT BACK AND KNOW THAT I'LL BE ALL RIGHT!" she yelled suddenly, only to here another deep laugh getting up from the desk.
"Gabby, Gabby, Gabby, my girl!" Veto stood and held her face. "You are perfect for this! I couldn't have set it up better myself. You see? The gods have a plan" he stood next to her and smiled out the window.
"DON'T GET ALL PHILOSOPHICAL ON ME OLD MAN!" she screeched, this time more with annoyance. "Do you even CARE that I'm going to die?"
"Gabrielle, you are one of my best girls. I wouldn't let you go off on this if I wasn't absolutely sure of your abilities." He turned up her chin. "You did not get that license by running away you know."
"I did you geezer…"her dark eyes hitthe floor,starting to be backed into the proverbial corner. "It was a miracle…"
"And miracles happen every day" He smiled so warmly. That warmth that said to Kawari 'now-run-along-and-sleep-with-this-crazy-bastard-like-a-good-little-surveilance-camera'
He ushered her out quickly with a few more nicey-nice words. (which of course didn't mean shit to her and he knew it.) Kawari stared blankly at the opposite wall of the hallway outside of the previous room and sighed cynically, starting on the stairs. "I hate my job"
End Capitulo
-----------------------------
I'd really like reviews for these,
please I can't tell what's writers' insecurity or completely bad content XD
If you actually like it then you've made my day,
If not then you'll find Tums and Pepto Bismol near the snack table on your way out, and please bear with me! These are old chapters --¿