Disclaimer: I do not own Noir. Noir belongs to Ryoe Tsukimura and Beetrain. This story is rated T for slight shoujo-ai content, violence and disturbing images.

A Bouquet Of Memories

Chapter 7 – Moonlit Tea Party (ep.11)

Who was that strange girl? She had called herself The True Noir! What did that mean? I had never seen anybody who looked like she did. Her eyes...so black and cold, strange colored hair and that haughty little smile. Who did she think she was threatening me with a knife? Then challenging Kirika to see who was faster and reminding us that she was really true Noir. What did that make Kirika and I then? If we weren't Noir, who was? Please, don't tell me it's her...

Could it be Kirika and her?...No...it couldn't possibly be...

Could it?

I wonder about this as I sit at my desk, legs crossed and my elbow on the table with my chin resting in my hand. Kirika is sitting behind me on the floor, leaning against the radiator.

The phone rings unexpectedly. I let it ring a couple of times before picking it up.

"Bon Jour" I answer.

"Is this Noir?" a man asks, as I gasp and widen my eyes.

(Who would be calling my number and asking for Noir? It has to be them! The Soldats!)

I can feel Kirika stand up behind me.

"You must have the wrong number." I reply.

"I've sent you something in the post, perhaps you should look at it." he tells me firmly and hangs up.

I click the phone off and look over at my partner.

Here we go again. Another piece of this damn puzzle to play with...

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I am returning from the market as I notice a large envelope sticking out of my post box. I reach in and take it, pausing to study it for a moment. It is the same size envelope that I had received from Valnel. I hurry and turn to go into my apartment.

A few minutes later, Kirika is standing next to me as I open the letter. I pull out the contents and lay them down on the desk next to my other documents. I can feel Kirika looking at me with interest as I lean over and compare these new documents with the ones Valnel had gotten for me. Hmm, thats odd... They are just the same!

I lean up and look at my partner. "The same photocopy." I tell her in bewilderment.

"Is it? Look again." Kirika suggests to me softly.

"It's been copied from a book and that's the edge of the next page." I reply as I run my fingers along the edge of the copies.

I gasp as I notice something. "Most of the dirt and stains are in the same spot! Which means that it's likely that both copies came from the same book, but were made at different times." I explain to Kirika as I turn to look at her.

She looks up at me in agreement. "Probably and by different sources." she tells me softly.

As I look at her, I realize that she really is smart. I am finding that I value her opinion. She seems to always have a clear head about our work, even if she can't remember much else.

Then the phone rings. We both look down at the phone.

Sighing, I pick it up. "Yes." I say firmly.

"Have you both seen the photocopy?" the man asks.

"Who are you?" I ask in a clipped voice.

"I want to meet with you. Four in the afternoon in the gardens of the Lambert Memorial Hall." he replies.

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The Gardens of the Lambert Memorial Hall – next day- around four o'clock

Kirika and I are walking down the sidewalk to meet with our mysterious caller. The day is bright and clear as we walk along the gardens and next to a tall iron fence surrounding them.

"Our caller already knew my address and telephone number, what's more, he said he wanted to meet both of us." I inform my partner seriously.

"Soldats." she replies with a worried look crossing her face.

"It looks as though their ready to contact us." I agree.

"First, there's this True Noir named Chloe, and now this. It all has to be..." Kirika says, trailing off.

I know exactly what she's thinking so I finish for her.

"Related somehow I know, but exactly how I have no idea." I tell her.

We keep walking down the sidewalk for a moment, I feel Kirika fall back.

"Mireille." my partner warns suddenly. I suddenly sense the man's presense then.

I turn around to face the fenced gardens. I see a older man who is dressed in a hat, a high collar with a necktie and a suit. He has a long brown mustache and his style seems old fashioned but somehow dashing. He walks over to the fence.

"How good of you to come." he greets us pleasantly.

"You're the one who called." I reply, then I give him a wry smile.

"When needing a date, proper etiquette dictates that introductions are in order." I tell him flippantly.

"Just knowing my name would be meaningless. I believe it would be enough to say that I am loyal to the Soldats." he replies seriously.

The Soldats! I knew it! The Soldats- who I know had some part in my family's murder's. Why would they contact us? I would never help them...but I needed to find out who was responsible for my family. Who exactly did it and more importantly, why?

He looks at us warmly. "I am most pleased to meet you at last." he tells us.

I fix him with a look. "Is that so? And I could have thought you were trying to kill us." I tell him lightly.

"And so we are, the orders to sanction both of you still stand. You must take care." he warns us.

"So are you holding out a dagger or an olive branch?" I ask curiously.

"There are no friends or foes in our world. You two should know that all too well, correct?" he responds firmly.

I don't answer him. What is he implying, I wonder? I do agree though, there are no friends ... what do I consider Kirika then, if not a friend? What is she really to me?

"I am only acting on the will of the Soldats, just as the two of you are," he says.

Us? Acting on the will of the Soldats..? What does he mean by that?

"Stop speaking in riddles!" I yell at him. I have had enough of this talk!

"I intend to but the time is not yet right." he replies vaguely.

"And what does that mean?" I ask harshly.

"That you do not yet comprehend the enormity of the Soldats, my dear. Think of them as an enormous shroud encompassing the very earth itself." he responds, then he turns and starts walking alongside the fence. Kirika and I follow him.

"I have the book. The source of the photocopy I gave you. The beginning of all of this is inscribed within it. In three days time, I will reveal it's location. We shall meet here at the same time and place." he tells us.

He turns and begins to walk away. (I haven't gotten all my answers. I want them NOW!)

"Hold On!" I yell at him as I reach inside my coat and pull out my gun. As I point it on him, the man disappears behind some trees. (Damn It!) I think as I run up and grab the fence in frustration. I turn and start running with Kirika right behind me.

I find a small opening gate and kick it open, as my partner and I run inside. We split up to try and find the Soldat man.

I run around the gardens but cannot find him. As I come up behind Kirika, she whips around and points her gun on me. She lowers it as she realizes it's me. I give her an unhappy look.

We lost him. Now we'd have to wait three more days and meet him here again to get the answers he promised us.

Three days- then hopefully I would fit these pieces together at last...

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3 days later – The Gardens of Lambert Memorial Hall- 4.00

Not only is it pouring down rain as we go to meet the Soldat man, but instead of him we get a nasty surprise.

The gardens are full of men who try to kill Kirika and I.

But with Kirika's and my skill combined, we are more than a match for the men.

We are able to take them all out.

It seems we were set up as usual.

But by who this time?

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Paris at night-

Mireille's apt-

I am standing in my long white nightshirt as I put the tea kettle on the burner and turn the stove on. A nice cup of tea is just what I need after being drenched by the cold rain. Kirika is beside me wearing on oversized pink sweater and denim skirt and she is reaching for our white tea cups and saucers. We work well together in the kitchen it seems, she always knows what I am needing and always makes herself useful in that way.

I sigh as I sit down at the table, waiting for the tea water to boil. It has been a long night... Kirika sits down next to me and also gives a small sigh.

"So instead of our dapper friend, we got a bunch of half-rate henchmen who left no traces as usual, thanks to the rain." I tell Kirika, then I rest my chin against my hand.

"That really chafes my butt!" I reply sarcastically, as I look at my partner.

She looks back at me intently. "But the man we met three days ago felt like more than just fate." she tells me softly.

"That's true. He was definitely trying to tell us something." I agree.

Then my partner looks down and a worried look crosses her face. "He did say we were to be careful." she says softly as she looks back up at me. "And that the orders to sanction us still stood."

"Which implies different factions within the Soldats?" I ask as I look down in thought. "What's worse, we didn't even get the book, assuming that it even exists at all or if it's really important. Oh! This is making my brain itch!" I cry out in frustration. (All these damn pieces...)

Then, there is a knock on the door. (Who could it be? Is it them?)

I give a small gasp in surprise and feel a bit uneasy as I get up from the table to go over to the door. I can feel Kirika looking over at me.

"Who is it?" I call out, as I unlock and slowly open the door.

Standing there is the strange tall girl in the green cloak. The one is claims she is The 'True Noir'. She is looking at me with her eyes narrowed and a bitchy expression on her face. I want to tell her to go away. She had already threatened me with a knife to the throat! I didn't want her here! Why was she here?

As soon as I start to tell her to leave, she barges right by me and goes into my apartment. (Damn it! ) I turn to look back at her in anger and annoyance. She walks into my small living area...I see Kirika take a few steps back as the purple haired girl approaches. I am right behind her and I make my way over to my pool table and over to the gun that I have hidden underneath it. I watch and wait.

The girl stares at my print of purple flowers that I have hanging on the wall with a dismissive expression. Then she reaches down and flips carelessly through my fashion magazine before putting it down. (She is really pissing me off!)

Then she walks over to the window and over to my plant.

I slowly begin to move closer to the gun that I have hidden under the table. I begin to bend down to grab it, all the while keeping my eyes on this intruder of my home. The girl begins to grab one of the leaves of my plant and slowly runs her finger down it.

How dare she? How dare she act like this? In my home? I want her to leave my plant alone...I don't want her touching it! I only let one other person besides myself tend to it and that is Kirika. This girl touching it will taint it somehow...

"Go ahead, take it out." the girl tells me, her back turned to us as I am in the process of reaching for my gun. Kirika is just staring at the girl.

"Really, this is your home, after all." The girl replies.

I grab the gun from it's hiding place and point it on her. I look at her angrily.

"Right. We'll just do what we please then!" I tell her with a warning edge in my voice.

Suddenly, the tea whistles on the stove. I hear Kirika gasp before she leaves me to go into the kitchen. I hold my gun on the girl as she stands there unmoving.

My partner comes back from the kitchen. "Um, would you like some tea?" she asks the girl softly. I turn to look at Kirika in shock. (What did she just ask?)

I can't believe she is asking this..this..strange girl to stay for tea! What the hell is wrong with my partner? I want the girl to go away, not stay for tea!

The girl turns at looks at Kirika softly. "Yes, thank you." she tells her gratefully.

I gasp. Why the hell is going on? This is our enemy, isn't it? She threatened me and I don't want her here! I look back over at the strange girl angrily.

"I only have orange pekoe right now. Is that all right?" my partner asks the girl.

The girl turns back around to look over at Kirika. "Yes, thank you." she responds sweetly to my partner.

'Excellent." Kirika answers back in the most charming voice I have ever heard her use. (What? She never answers me like that! What is going on with her!)

"Wait a minute! Stop that!" I yell over at my partner angrily as she goes to sit down at the table. She just ignores me...

I turn to the lanky girl who I still have my gun pointed on. 'What the hell are you thinking?" I yell at her. She doesn't listen to me, she is staring out the window.

"The moon is soo...beautiful." she says dreamily. Then she looks over at Kirika and I.

"Can we turn off the lights?" she asks, looking over at Kirika.

"The lights? Are you crazy?" I ask in astonishment. ( Cut the lights out? With her around? She must be insane!)

I notice Kirika is looking up at the moon from her seat at the table. She has the same dreamy expression that this strange girl has. "It..is lovely." she agrees.

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I can't believe I am sitting here in my apartment with a obviously insane, very dangerous girl and my partner- another very dangerous killer with no memory of who she is. I am sitting here with the lights out. How did I get myself into this situation anyway? Even though I am sitting in the middle of the two girls, I feel like a third wheel, like I don't belong. I don't like this at all. It seems like my partner and this girl have something between them...

I watch them sip their tea...I don't feel like drinking mine...

"It's good." Chloe tells my partner pleasantly as she puts down her cup.

"Yes, isn't it? I tried something new, I learned it from a book." Kirika tells her softly.

The girl looks at my partner with a very sweet look.

I find I can't stand to see them act this way around each other. They have a naturalness about them that makes me feel...jealous? No, that's ridiculous! I can't feel jealous. Why would I feel that? But I have never seen Kirika act like this with me before...

I turn and look over at the purple haired girl harshly.

"So what are you here for?" I ask her firmly. She doesn't answer me.

"You didn't come here just to have tea, did you?" I ask.

The girl looks down at the table. "There are biscuit's too." she tells me lightly.

"Stop it!" I chide. (Will she ever answer me seriously?)

I take a sip of tea, then look back over at the girl. 'So when you said you were the 'True Noir' just what did you mean?" I ask curiously.

"That I'm different than you, of course." she tells in in a soft voice that has a hint of arrogance in it.

"And exactly what do you mean by that?" I ask sharply.

The girl sighs. "It is all inscribed within the book." she tells me mysteriously.

"Book? The book those copies came from?" I demand.

(The Soldats book? Is that what she means? Is she working with the Soldats? Why won't she answer me?

She ignores me and turns to Kirika. "You know, I was watching you today at Lambert Hall. There was no doubt that you would win." she tells her admiringly.

Kirika just looks confused.

"So you were the one who sent those men? Answer me!" I yell at her. I am really tired of this whole little game she is playing. Damn her! Who does she think she is?

Chloe just sits there and ignores me again. I begin to reach for my gun.

"An answer is something you must find for yourself. That's what Altena always says to me." she tells me cryptically.

"Altena? Who is Altena?" I demand, as I once again am ignored.

"Cut it out, damn it! This whole thing is turning into a mad tea party!" I cry out in frustration.

"Huh?" Kirika looks over at me in confusion.

"Like "Alice in Wonderland." the girl explains to Kirika softly.

I look over at her. At least she has been educated. That's something I guess.

"Well, at least one of you has had some literary schooling." I respond lightly.

She doesn't answer me as usual. She turns and stares out the window again.

"The moon is so beautiful..." she says.

"Would you like another cup?" Kirika asks softly.

"Yes, please." the girl responds.

Well, nobody asked me...but if you can't beat them...join them..

"Make mine dark with sugar." I tell Kirika.

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I throw on some pants so Kirika and I can walk our so-called guest out of the apartment. (Finally...the girl was leaving...)

As we come to the street, the girl faces us. She looks over at Kirika softly.

"Thank you, the tea was delicious." she tells her.

Then she walks up to Kirika and grabs her by her right arm and brings it to her eye level. She stares down the sleeve of my partner's sweater before reaching in and pulling out a two pronged cake fork. She stares down at it with a loving expression.

I feel my body tense at this act. What is going on?

"May I please have this?" she asks Kirika softly. My partner just stares at her.

"Perhaps we'll have tea again, one day perchance." She tells Kirika sweetly, before turning away slowly and walking away.

What is going on with this girl? She definitely seems to have feelings for Kirika. Is she part of my partner's past? Like I thought earlier...is she and my partner...could they be...the true noir? I just feel like the outsider now... Also I wonder...

I walk over to stand next to Kirika. "About that fork?" I begin.

"When I made the tea, but she never let her guard down, not ever." she explains.

"The man who contacted us, the man who said he'd tell us the location of the book, I'm afraid he's no longer alive." Kirika tells me somberly as she stares straight ahead with a sad look.

I know. It seems we won't be finding out those answers any time soon. I know that girl is going to change everything. Will I lose everything in the end?

"I agree." I respond softly to my partner. I stare ahead after the strange girl who has disrupted my life...

Chapter 8 - 'A Bouquet of Flowers for Mireille'- ep. 14

A/N- I want to clarify why I am writing these. It is not because I think I am a expert on Noir. I started this as a project and wanted to analyze the different viewpoints to see if I could learn anything about this series I might have missed. I am not trying to bore people who have seen this series on purpose. I realize most people have seen the series and all I can say if you don't enjoy these- don't read them and don't leave flames.(or a flame written as a review- hii dollface- I'm talking to you!)

For the ones who don't mind these stories, thank you for reading. I value any input- if you think I got a key element of story wrong, a characterization is off, or have any hints – please let me know. I don't mind Constructive criticism- it helps me learn!

I am going to finish up the rest of this episode over on 'Just a piece of the game' (Chloe's Pov). Noir belongs to Beetrain! Not me..I'm just playing in their sandbox.

Please review- my weary soul needs them:) Thanks!