This chapter will be forever known as: Alibi
A/N: Okay, Ryoko gets taken away in this chapter and Hiyono and Kousuke are the only suspects…lets find out what happens shall we?
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Slowly amber eyes opened. Ryoko took a moment to grasp what was going on and where she was. Why was she in Kousuke's apartment? And why of all places was she in his bed? Then she began to wonder why there was something behind her. Something heavy. What was it?
She was stuck under the covers and could barely maneuver. Why was that? Painfully she turned around and stared in horror at Kousuke who seemed to be in a deep sleep. She wanted to scream but couldn't, she wanted to kick to shove him away from her but the blankets were too tight around her and she could barely move.
Finally she found her words and wasn't afraid to use them.
"Kousuke! What the hell are you doing?" Her sudden outburst awoke Kousuke very quickly. He wore a look of surprise while hers wore nothing but anger and rage. "Get away from me! Get—" She violently shoved Kousuke off of the bed and hit the floor with a loud thud.
"Well I can see that you're back to normal," he said as he stood up.
"What the hell were you doing? Answer me!" Ryoko jumped out of the bed scanning all of herself and then the floors.
"It's not my fault! You're the one that let the hunters drug you." Once again he was rambling…
"What are you talking about?" Ryoko still had an angry expression on her face and had her arms across her chest.
"You were fine after we left the house, do you remember that much?" Ryoko nodded with her expression still in a glare. "Well, after we stopped to talk to Hiyono you seemed to forget everything. You kept asking where we were going and what was going on. Thos hunters drugged you for one reason or the other. Maybe to keep you still when they were trying to attack you, or maybe they let you go on purpose thinking that it was going to kill you. But either way it wasn't safe for you to be out on the streets or for you to go home so I took you back here." Kousuke blinked a couple of times and Ryoko's glare hardened.
"And then what?" Ryoko asked as she glared coldly at him.
"Well, you got in the door and jumped under the covers of the bed and claimed that you were cold and directed me to keep you warm. Don't like it that's your problem. You were acting like a five-year-old."
"Why is that so hard to believe coming from you," Ryoko said letting her glare drop. She knew that her previous assumption wasn't correct and was more than happy about that. "Well either way I'm hungry so get me some bread…NOW!" Ryoko sent a kick for his head, but thankfully he moved out of her way not a second too soon.
"Alright, alright, geez. Just stay put, alright? I don't want the hunters to figure out where you are." With that Kousuke put on his shoes and then walked out of the apartment, locking the door behind him.
"That better be the whole truth, Kousuke. I'd kill you if I found out something else." Finding herself bored, Ryoko walked around the apartment straightening things up, starting with the bed which she had practically dismantled in her fit to get Kousuke away from her. She was rather surprised at how filthy Kousuke left his apartment. How could he live in this filth?
After about ten minutes the though that Kousuke might get attacked by the hunters while he was out getting her food. What if they killed him because he couldn't get away? That wouldn't be a very good thing…
She continued working silently. Her thoughts on what her future would be like if Kousuke were to die that day, but it wasn't him that she would be worried about. It was her safety that was in jeopardy.
So she continued cleaning…not taking notice of anything…at all…complete and utter silence filled the apartment, but Ryoko didn't notice. But she did notice when there came a sharp knock on the door.
"Don't tell me he locked himself out," Ryoko said to herself she walked towards the door. She didn't bother looking thorough the peephole in the door, although it would've been a very wise thing to do. "Kousuke, how stu—" She was preparing to insult the redheaded teen when she realized that it was not him at all. It was her hunters. The exact same ones that had targeted her before.
She attempted to slam the door as fast as she could but one of the larger men stepped into the doorway and held it open. So, knowing that she couldn't hope to break free of their human barricade in the door way, and she had no hope of survival if she jumped out of the window, she did the next best thing.
She screamed.
She screamed very loud.
She screamed so loud that it wouldn't be surprising if everyone in the apartment complex heard her.
As the hunters burst into action trying to attack her, she did the best she could to fight them off using her kicks and her speed as her leverage. She'd almost made it to the door when something heavy came down on the back of her head knocking her out instantly.
She had been caught by the hunters. But why didn't they just kill her? That was her last thought as she fell to the ground, halfway to freedom and the other half trapped inside the house with her hunters. (A/N: Basically saying she passed out half way out of the doorway)
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Meanwhile Kousuke was leaving the store where he always bought Ryoko's bread. He didn't know that anything was wrong until he made it to the front of his apartment building. There was a blood trail leading from the front door all the way the curb.
He knew what that blood was from.
He ran to his apartment as quickly as he could, not stopping to apologize to the people he was nearly running over. Once he came to his door his heart sank. The door was open and as expected, Ryoko was no where in sight.
In a few seconds he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see a police officer staring at him with somewhat rage in his eyes. As if accusing Kousuke of something.
"Sir, we've received over a dozen calls that they heard a woman's scream coming from your apartment, and when we questioned a few people they claimed that they had seen you bring a young girl around the age of sixteen or seventeen into your apartment by the name of Ryoko Takamachi."
"Yes, she's my friend from school. She was attacked this morning by some goons driving a black car and she came here on her own all cut up and bleeding because she had been stabbed. I took care of her a little bit and then she said she wanted to leave. I didn't want to let her go on her own so I walked with her. We talked to a friend for a minute and then when we started walking again she started forgetting things. Like where we were going and after a few minutes who I was. I knew that she'd been drugged by those people and they'd either expected her to get knocked out instantly or something like that."
"And then what? Why did she come back to the apartment?"
"I didn't feel that it would be safe for her to be on her own in the state that she was in, her house is unoccupied this time of the day, so I found it safer if she stayed at my apartment until she was better. She was acting like a little child all giddy and carefree and as soon she got in the apartment she climbed into the bed and went to sleep." Kousuke took a breath and then continued. "After about two hours she woke up and was back to normal and asked me why she was there and basically freaked out."
"And that's when she screamed?" The officer asked as he paused from writing his notes.
"No, she's a friend of mine and I normally buy her lunch so she asked me if I could get her something to eat and I agreed. I told her to stay here because I didn't think that she was stable enough to go out in the open with those people still out there looking for her. They'd been following her for a while because earlier she had called me telling me that she felt that a black car kept following her. And she hung up abruptly and then when I went to look for her that's when she first came to the apartment."
"Alright, sir. And was your house unlocked when you left her here alone?"
"No, when I left I locked the door behind me. I'm guessing that the people who took her knocked on the door first checking to see if she was there and she might have thought it was me and answered it."
"And you are assuming that she was kidnapped?" Kousuke was getting annoyed now. Why else would she have screamed? It wasn't that surprising if you could open a door.
"Yes. I could find no other reason for her to be yelling." Kousuke stared at the officer straight in the eyes.
"Is it a possibility that she maybe saw a rat or spider that caused her to scream?"
"Ryoko isn't afraid of that sort of thing."
"But are you sure that she was taken?" The officer continued writing notes.
"Judging by the blood leading from the front door to the curb then, yes." Kousuke looked the officer square in the eye. He had a deceptive attitude about him, and the officer wasn't sure if he was innocent in this situation at all. He did have a good alibi, and some of the witnesses had claimed that the girl had come to the apartment and ran out of the building smiling with the boy following after, almost as if it were a game. But he had said they'd 'walked' together.
"The first time the victim left the building to head home or wherever it was that you were going were you walking, or running, or did you have some other form of transportation?" The officer looked up from his notepad.
"We were running. Ryoko is a high school track star. She loves to run and I suggested that I walk her home to make sure she got their safely. She was against it, but made a deal that if I could keep up with her I could tag along. Of course I agreed to her terms." The officer jotted down that note before speaking.
"One more thing. Who was the friend that you two stopped to talk to?" Kousuke knew that he didn't want to drag Hiyono into this, but he was aware that he had no other choice.
"Hiyono Yuizaki." Kousuke looked away from the officer, obviously giving off a hint of deceit.
"And do you know where we can find her?" The officer looked at him intently suspicious.
"No. But if I could take a guess I would say that if you find Ayumu Narumi she won't be too far away." Kousuke allowed a smirk to cross his face. "Is that all you needed, because I don't have anymore information." The officer shook his head and turned to leave.
Before he left he asked one last question, naturally going against his word.
"These people who kidnapped your friend, do you have any clue as to who they might be?"
"No." Kousuke watched the officer leave and then slammed the door shut behind him. Finally he could let his emotions loose. You can't act worried in front of an officer if your being interrogated. They will suspect you, you have to stay calm as if you couldn't care less about what happens to you. But you must show some concern, and only answer the questions they ask. Never give them more or they will instantly assume you as the culprit. He knew very well that he was the only suspect. And if nothing else turns up, he is guilty.
For a moment Kousuke stood still, letting his though incase him in a dreamlike state. Where would the hunters take her? It was obvious that she was being used as bate for him and the others or they would've just killed her before.
Letting out a frustrated sigh at the thought of the hunters toying with him and probably doing unspeakable things to Ryoko. Tortures in many different ways. She was assuredly not safe or comfortable in anyway. She would be scared, perhaps for her life, but more or less his and anyone else who she fears might come to her assistance. And most likely she was angry at the thought that if someone did come to help her and died, it would be like she was the one who killed them. That would destroy her, Kousuke knew that for a fact.
It was then that he noticed it. In a rage he broke free from his thoughts to find some way to vent his rage. He spotted a lamp and went for it. Taking it in his grasp he tossed it at the door where he knew the hunters were standing as they took his Ryoko away.
Watching the glass shatter he felt instantly relieved of some of his tension. He sat down on his bed and cradled his head in his hands as he thought of some way to get Ryoko back. Not even half an hour ago he was sleeping next to her while she was passed out from the drugs that the hunters had slipped her, and not twenty minutes ago he had nearly been kicked in the head by Ryoko as she thought that he was keeping a dirty little secret from her. And not fifteen minutes ago he had left her in the apartment all by herself when he knew that it would've been safer for her to just come along.
It was his fault that she was gone.
So she cleaned a little while I was gone. Kousuke thought as he looked at the made up bed and the nicely dusted nightstand that sat next to it. She must've gotten bored. Damnit, why did I leave her here alone? She was perfectly fine. I could've taken her along. I'm sure she would've refused, but eventually I would've been able to persuade her into it. I should've never let her leave the apartment in the first place. I should've kept her here until I was sure that nothing bad was going to happen. I could've stopped this whole thing from happening…but I didn't.
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Meanwhile on the other side of town the officer had called Madoka to see if she knew about the whereabouts of her brother in law or his suspected girlfriend Hiyono Yuizaki. She told him that Ayumu and the girl were to meet up at some restaurant near the edge of town for lunch, Ayumu's treat of course. The officer thanked her and asked for a physical description of said girl and boy. After getting it he hung up the phone and set off to check out all of the restaurants on the edge of town.
In about ten minutes the officer had found the two people who fit the description. Girl with long blonde hair kept in loose braids and a male brunette with wild hair and a pierced ear.
The officer approached the two and addressed the girl.
"Hiyono Yuizaki I assume?" The girl nodded.
"Is there a problem officer?" Hiyono played her innocent bid and Ayumu just watched.
"I'd like you to answer a few questions about a missing person." The officer looked at her and ten his eyes traced over Ayumu before returning to her.
"A missing person?" Hiyono blinked and looked at the officer.
"She goes by the name of Ryoko Takamachi and was last seen with a boy named Kousuke Asazuki. Are you familiar with either of the two?" Hiyono nodded.
"They're my friends from school." Hiyono was worried and it showed. So the hunters got Ryoko. She thought. I wonder what Kousuke did when he found out.
"According to Asazuki they'd left his apartment heading for Ryoko's house when they stopped to talk to you. Is this true." The officer eyed her.
"Yes, they seemed to be in a hurry actually." Hiyono began rummaging trough her memory.
"May I ask what was said in your conversation?" The officer pulled out his notepad and jotted down that the girl had indeed talked with the two before the girl's disappearance.
Knowing that she couldn't tell the officer about the hunters so she just referred to them as strange people.
"Well, I asked them why Ryoko was in bandages and she had said that earlier that day when she was out for a morning run she had seen this black car that appeared to be following her and that she had been attacked by a group of strange people, but had managed to get away only getting cut with a knife that one of them was holding. She went to Kousuke's apartment where he'd taken care of her wounds. Then they ran off in the direction that they were previously heading like nothing was wrong." Hiyono thought for a moment making sure that she didn't leave anything out. "I don't know what happened after that. I stopped at Ayumu's apartment so we could go to lunch."
The officer finished jotting down his notes.
"Are you sure that that is all you know? Was Asazuki acting different than usual, edgy or worried?" Hiyono nodded.
"It was obvious that he was worried about Ryoko, but I don't really think that he would do such a thing to her. They have a past it's obvious, but I know nothing about it. They seem like close friends and they're always looking out for one another. If it helps at all, Ryoko has been attacked by strange people before. She's quite popular at our school. She's the schools track star." Hiyono silenced herself before she gave out too much information. But she knew that if she didn't say something they were going to try to pin this on either her or Kousuke because they were the only suspects that the police had.
"Can you give me any names of people that you might suspect?" Hiyono shook her head.
"No." Hiyono looked at Ayumu noticing that he was deep in thought already thinking about the hunters and what they were up to.
"Thank you for your information." The officer turned and walked away looking at his notes.
"So Ryoko let her guard down and got kidnapped," Ayumu said as he stared at the ground. "I just wish that we knew more about what happened. She must've been separated from Kousuke judging by the fact that he wouldn't let anything harm her without a fight. Obviously he must've been away from her. Perhaps he'd even left her at her house."
"I don't know," Hiyono said. "Do you think we might be able to get the information from Kousuke?"
"I doubt that he wants us to get involved, he likes to work alone with the help of the other blade children. He's probably already pissed because someone called the cops about it." Hiyono nodded and allowed herself to slip away into thought. The hunters wanted more than just Ryoko. They wanted all of the blade children that they could get. And Hiyono knew that they were going to get Kousuke if any of the others.
He just loved her too much…
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A/N: Well, what do you think? Tragic enough? Wondering what happened to Ryoko? Well, this is my longest chapter yet, 8 pages normally I only have 5 or 6…Well, just so you know Ryoko isn't dead…yet….want a little secret? Scroll down if so…
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I plan to let you readers decide how my fic ends…whether you want a happy ending or a tragic ending. Start sending me your messages of what you want, write tragic or happy okay? Thank you for your time, feel free to post reviews thank you for reading…bye-bye now…