Sacrifice - A Mai HiME Fanfiction

Obscurity

Her body felt like a lead weight. And it hurt. A lot. What the..? Her thoughts echoed around in her skull, causing the ache in her head to flare up. And why was it so dark? She couldn't see a thing. Then she realised that her eyes were closed and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't force them open. Her muscles refused to comply with her groggy brain's wishes. She tried to think what would cause this but found it hard to remember where she was. She could feel something firm beneath her and cool air on her skin. She could sense the goose bumps rise up from the chill in the room.

Sound drifted to her ears and she became aware of a soft whirring in the room. A few clicks joined the whirring and then a constant beeping completed the symphony. Her senses were awakening and she smelt something akin to a hospital. Oh, how she hated those places. The sickly scent of sterilisation filled her nostrils and her mind began to construct the blurred moments of the past days. Had it been days? Her concept of time had been severely warped by her ordeal.

Images and sounds flashed before her and she grimaced as she remembered the attack on her apartment and her capture. Where the hell am I? She vaguely remembered a stabbing pain in her arm but she wasn't sure when it had happened. As if triggered by the memory, she felt an ache on the inside of her arm, at the elbow. Still, she couldn't remember what had caused it. A different sound came to her ears and if she'd been capable of it, she would have tensed. Footsteps echoed in the room and she could picture polished shoes against a smooth tiled floor.

She sensed a presence beside her and she had to fight the panic that gripped her heart. There wasn't anything she could do even if she did succumb to it. Instead, she kept concentrating on the senses that did work, trying to garner as much information as possible. Hopefully, it would be something she could use later. If she ever managed to get out of this situation, that was. The hairs on her arm bristled as she felt rough hands grab her right hand and pull it into the air. Two calloused fingers were pressed against her wrist and she guessed they were checking her pulse. From the beeping of the machines around her, she wondered why they needed to do it manually. Unless, they had other purposes.

Her arm was then dropped back to the hard bed and pain shot up to her shoulder. She heard rustling beside her and something being dragged over something metallic. It was very hard for her to make out what it was; she desperately wanted to be able to open her eyes. Her arm was grabbed once more and she felt a prick where the ache in her arm was. She would have winced if she'd been able to control the muscles in her face. She could feel the needle slip under skin and into a vein and then came the searing pain. Whatever was being pushed into her bloodstream felt as though it was burning her.

What the heck were they doing to her? Her mind went through so many scenarios but she had no clue. Perhaps they were sedating her again. The searing heat travelled up her arm and across her shoulder, peaking in its intensity at her chest, where she felt as though she was being crushed. She found it hard to breathe and her mind screamed at her. She needed to concentrate on something else. At least until it passed, or she fainted from the pain.

Okay... so something else. Come on... Godammit, that hurts. Last happy memory? ... Shizuru... We went out... Dinner. How long ago was that? How... long have I... been here? It feels like I saw her... a few days... ago. And we went for a ride... I felt happy for the first time... in a while. Is she looking for me? Has she even noticed I've gone? Isn't it about time... this goddamn pain passed... What the hell..? My Ducati... I hope she's okay... Will anyone look after- Ngh- her? Wait... I don't want anyone damaging my... baby... Getting... hard... to... concentrate. I... I... wish... I... could see... Shizuru... just one... last...

Finally, the overwhelming sensations in her body forced her mind to shut down, her senses closing off completely and darkness enveloping her. With just the lingering memory of crimson and the scent of green tea, she fell into unconsciousness.

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Shizuru fought down the impatience, anguish and worry that were vying for dominance in her heart. She considered pushing past the police officer who stood guard outside of Natsuki's apartment but buried the urge, keeping her calm demeanour. He stood there, smirking at her, listening to her words but not moving to do anything about them. She'd come here and had been trying to gain access to the apartment, using her charm as she always did. It was obvious this man wouldn't stand a chance against her abilities but she'd perhaps overdone it. Now, he was just staring at her instead of getting his superior from behind the door as she had hinted at.

Men like this police officer were predictable. She could read his expressions like an open book. And it wasn't exactly a book that could hold her interest or was very deep and meaningful. She let him drone on for a while about how he'd joined the police and how sexy he thought he looked in his uniform. She'd perhaps had to stand here for fifteen minutes enduring this conversation and she hadn't even retrieved one iota of information on Natsuki or what had happened in her apartment. She inwardly sighed, her exterior showing no signs of her frustration.

Eventually, having had enough, she pointedly looked him in the eye and spoke with a soft tone. "Kanin na, but could you please direct me to your superior. I came here for a reason after all." She gave him her false smile for added effect.

That immediately quieted him down and he fidgeted a little under her intense gaze. She inwardly smirked, glad she still had that effect on people. Being around Natsuki could sometimes fool her into believing her mask was useless and everything she had worked so hard to hide was easily visible. Except, it wasn't. Only she could see those things, not even her family could pierce that invisible wall.

The uniformed officer hesitantly nodded and turned, opening the door quickly and stepping inside. Now that she was alone in the hall, she allowed herself to let out a forced breath, the tension in her shoulders easing a little. She allowed herself to examine the hallway more carefully now that he was gone, her eyes scanning the floor and walls. There didn't seem to be any signs of fighting out here. Her gaze rested on the door itself. Indeed, if she hadn't known Natsuki's apartment had been broken into before she arrived, she would not have known at all from outside. Even from below the balcony, on the street below, she could see no sign of the shattered window Mai had spoken of. That was probably due to the height of the apartment though, and the fact that the balcony itself hid the windows pretty well.

The door of the apartment opened once more and she found herself remembering the many times it had opened in the past. Always, Natsuki would be standing there with a slightly irritated look which Shizuru knew was just a facade, as much as her own stoicism was. She could see the happiness twinkle in those green eyes when they recognised who stood before her and that was something she yearned to see now. But instead, there stood a tall middle aged man, with too much stubble and not enough hair on his head. His receding dark hairline revealed a sweating forehead and he had rings circling his beady eyes. He looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and weariness.

"Yes?" He asked, his patience obviously worn thin years ago. His voice was deep and sounded as though he had smoked his way through life.

"Fujino Shizuru. Do I have the pleasure of greeting Inspector Oshiro?" She asked as sweetly as possible.

His eyebrow quirked slightly and he stepped out into the hall, ensuring the door was closed behind him. He had purposely blocked her view of the apartment and she hadn't been able to see anything of note. "Ah yes, I distinctly remember asking you to call back, not come in person." He stated bluntly.

"Ara, I thought it would be best if I came here, in case there was anything you needed to show me." She explained, the smile never leaving her face.

He let out a barely suppressed sigh and fished inside his long coat for a while before bringing out a small notepad and pen. He looked up at her from behind a heavy brow. "May I ask how you know Kuga Natsuki?" He reluctantly began, obviously wanting to get on with his investigation and then go home.

"We were school friends." She answered but countered with another question after a moment. "How did you get my number?" She was genuinely curious about this.

He paused and regarded her a moment, then flicked back through his notepad. "It seems a girl called Tokiha gave your details when she called this in." He said. "If you want to know any more, you can ask her. Now, can I continue with my questions?"

"My apologies, Inspector, please continue." She told him, not unaware of the disrespectful tone he was using with her. Not that she particularly cared what he thought of her.

"Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt Kuga?" He queried and he frowned when she shook her head. Though she could think of people that would want to hunt down the ex-HiME, she was sure none of those organisations existed any more. Or so she'd been told. "Did she have a boyfriend then?" He continued the set questions he'd obviously asked too many times.

"No." She answered a little too quickly. And when he looked questioningly at her she brightened her smile. "She was focused on her education."

He seemed to accept this and continued to stare down at his notepad. "When did you last see her?"

Shizuru's smile faded as the guilt crept into her consciousness. "Six days ago." He scribbled the answer down, oblivious to her reminiscent gaze. She'd intentionally seen Natsuki less and less, just so she could cope with her own feelings. And now, she may never even see the raven-haired biker again. I should have cherished the time I had with her. She thought but shook it from her mind. She couldn't think like that, she couldn't talk about her like she was gone.

"Hmm... Do you know anyone who might have seen her after that?" His words broke her thoughts.

She shook her head slightly. "Her classmates perhaps. Other than that... I'm not sure." She admitted.

He scratched at his stubble thoughtfully for a few moments. "Okay... Thank you for your cooperation. If we have any further questions, we'll be in touch." He nodded at her before moving to re-enter the apartment.

She quickly spoke up, knowing this was her last chance to gain access. "Ara, you're not going to invite me in?" She asked nonchalantly.

He glanced over his shoulder at her, a disbelieving expression on his withered features. "This is a crime scene." He stated gruffly.

Shizuru smiled cheerfully at him. "But I know Natsuki's apartment better than most. If something is out of place, I'd be able to tell you."

He let out a weary breath, opening the door and stepping over the threshold. He paused but didn't turn to face her. "Take one step out of place and I'll throw you out myself."

She felt the anxiety in her gut lift and she stepped forwards, her smile spreading further. She followed him inside, receiving a few questioning looks from two men in white overalls and a woman in a brown suit. She looked to be roughly ten years older than Shizuru and perhaps was Oshiro's partner. The other men were probably crime scene investigators. They quickly returned to their tasks when Oshiro shot them a warning glare.

Her eyes quickly scanned the room. Mai had been right. The balcony window had been smashed and there was blood on the floor near the sofa. Her heart stuttered in her chest at the thought of Natsuki lying there, bleeding. There was some dust on the carpet near one of the suited investigators and she noticed a hole in the wall. There didn't appear to be any other outward signs of a struggle in here though. Whatever had happened had happened quickly.

Oshiro stopped in the center of the room, having a quiet word with the only other woman there. She nodded at him, glancing at Shizuru for a moment. Oshiro then strolled back towards the young Kyoto woman. "So..?" He asked, a hint of doubtful expectance in his tone.

She took that moment to have a more thorough look around the room and stepped carefully around the sofa. She wanted to reach out and touch it, remembering all the times she'd sat there with Natsuki but restrained herself, knowing the police inspector would not be happy about that. Natsuki had threatened to throw it out, regarding its worn material and squashed cushions but then Shizuru would complain that she'd be throwing out their memories too. She was teasing her but she'd not gone through with the threat yet so she guessed it had hit home.

Her eyes reached the small desk Natsuki had set up in the corner of the room and she moved towards it, noticing the clean pad of paper and the pile of textbooks. The chair wasn't tucked under the table so she guessed from that and the open books that she'd been sitting here before the place was attacked. Not that Natsuki was a particularly neat or orderly person but Shizuru knew she would have needed these books for school.

She heard a cough come from behind her but she ignored it. She wasn't going to be pressured into hurrying just because Inspector Oshiro wanted to go home. Her feet led her into the bedroom and she noticed Oshiro's partner moving to intercept her but the aging inspector grabbed her arm. Shizuru paid them no heed and entered the small room, her crimson gaze moving directly to the bed. A dull ache had spread across her chest now and every memory brought her pain and doubt. What if Natsuki really was gone? What if she'd been killed? She couldn't bear the thought of it.

The first thought that struck her when she tore her eyes off the unmade bed was how messy the room was. Several articles of clothing were strewn across floor and furniture alike. On a chair sat a crumpled pair of jeans and a shirt, whilst on the floor beside the bed was a sweater and some socks. She noticed the socks didn't even match. A sad smile crept its way onto her face, pulling lightly at her lips. She ambled from the doorway to the right hand side of the bed and up to the little table that held a few of Natsuki's belongings. There was the hated alarm clock that looked slightly worse for wear having received many beatings in its short life. Shizuru had gotten into the habit of giving her a new one each Christmas as the previous year's one had usually given up on life by then, much to Natsuki's chagrin.

Her saddening look fell upon a photo frame and her eyes widened in surprise. Here was something she hadn't seen before. Inside the plain wooden frame sat a photograph of her raven-haired friend and herself. Natsuki wore her usual stern expression but she could see that glint of fondness encased in emerald. Shizuru wore her student council uniform whilst Natsuki was in her usual school clothes. The Kaichou had her arms wrapped around Natsuki's waist and wore a genuine smile, one she was not used to seeing when she looked in the mirror. She remembered that day, remembered snuggling into Natsuki's back, remembered the scent of her dark hair as it tickled her nose, and remembered the other girl's half-hearted complaints. It had been on her graduation day and Natsuki had insisted she set up the camera on a nearby wall, in that special garden.

Tears stung at the corner of her eyes as she stared at their faces. Why had Natsuki put this picture here? She'd never shown any interest in having any of her around the house before. Even the picture of her mother sat in the living room, never in the bedroom. She blinked away her pain, refusing to surrender to it. There would be time for that later, when she'd discovered Natsuki's fate. She felt a presence behind her and she straightened, turning her head to see the suited woman standing there. Her long brown hair was pinned up into a bun and she wore dark rimmed glasses. The whole ensemble gave her a very severe look.

"That's you and her?" The woman's voice was quite deep and had a very controlled edge.

Shizuru nodded. "Yes." She was glad for the years of hiding her emotions from the world around her. If she hadn't of had that experience, she knew her voice would have shook with barely hidden pain.

The older woman eyed the picture thoughtfully. "You look happy." Was all she said but the words stung her.

"We were." She replied. The words would have been sad if it were not for her forced cheer. She turned away from the picture and walked back out into the living room. Being in that bedroom was not helping her keep control. She could pick up the scent of Natsuki just being near the bed. She continued to ignore Oshiro and moved around to the broken window. She expertly avoided the shards of glass on the floor and as she got closer to the balcony she could see something lying on the floor outside. It appeared to be something thin and metallic.

"Lockpick." Grunted Oshiro from behind her, obviously following her gaze.

She glanced back at him and nodded. So whoever had smashed the window had tried picking the lock first? It seemed their entrance had not gone as planned. Knowing Natsuki, she had caught them in the act and forced them to take more forceful measures. She scanned the pieces of glass on the carpet, hoping to spot something the police had missed, but it was unlikely. Admitting defeat, she moved away from the window and paused near the patch of blood once more. There wasn't a lot of it but there was enough to suggest its owner had suffered a fairly bad wound.

She turned back to Oshiro. "Kanin na, but I don't think I'll be of much help, Inspector." She apologised.

The aging man rolled his eyes, having expected that answer all along it seemed. His partner was still eyeing her thoughtfully but kept silent. "Fine. As I said before, we'll contact you if we have any questions... Now if you'd please excuse yourself, we have work to do." His tone was impatient and she would have found him rude if she cared about what he was saying at all. She had far more pressing issues on her mind.

Shizuru inclined her head towards Oshiro and then his partner and then turned to leave, watching her step as she made her way out of the apartment. The uniformed police officer she had spoken to earlier was standing in the kitchen area and now shuffled after her, closing the door behind them both once they were in the hall. He moved his mouth to speak but nothing came out so Shizuru took the opportunity to leave before she was dragged into another boring conversation. Soon, she was down the hall and at the elevator before he could even find his voice.

She took the lift down to the ground floor and walked through the foyer, noting that there were two uniformed officers standing and chatting to a woman by the entrance. She slipped past them without drawing much attention and out into the evening air. A cool breeze hit her skin and she paused, breathing in the fresh air. As fresh as the town air could get, anyway. The sun was almost completely swallowed by the horizon now and soon the town's night life would soon kick in, releasing a different kind of culture onto the streets altogether.

She pulled her light jacket around her tighter and turned left, heading down the street. Before she could start formulating her next move, a noise caught her attention. Her head shot up and her crimson gaze settled on a nearby alleyway. The narrow passage led between Natsuki's apartment block and similar one. She couldn't see what had made the noise though. Deciding it was just her jumpy mind at work, she moved to continue the way she was heading but the same noise stopped her again. It was akin to a whistle but more muted. She peered down the alleyway once more.

Inwardly shrugging, she marched towards that alleyway, wondering why someone couldn't just speak to her instead of whistling at her if they wanted her attention. It would be much simpler and less confusing. She slipped between the two buildings and the awful stench from the trash cans instantly hit her nostrils. She considered retreating back the way she had come but it was then that she spotted the figure huddled at the far end. Whoever it was had wrapped themselves in a long beige coat and wore a similarly coloured cap. Their face was well hidden and it was hard to tell if they were male or female. She approached them warily, unsure as to their intentions.

"You must be a friend of Kuga's." Came a surprisingly youthful male voice and the mention of Natsuki's name caused Shizuru's pace to quicken. She was standing in front of the stranger quickly. She didn't speak; she merely waited for him to continue. He looked up, revealing a young handsome face, clean shaven and unblemished. He was probably a little older than Shizuru but not by much. "Well?" He asked, his eyes showing a hint of rebelliousness.

"Who are you?" Shizuru asked, cautiously.

His lips thinned as he pressed them tightly together, his brow creasing at her question. "I'm asking the questions here. And if you want any information you'd better answer 'em."

"Very well. I am a friend of hers, yes." She admitted. He seemed too inexperienced to be much of a threat to her.

A slight smirk pulled at one corner of his mouth. "Good girl." He muttered.

"Have you got anything worthwhile to say to me?" She said, her voice betraying none of the anger she was feeling.

His eyes narrowed at her words but then he laughed. "Yeah. You're trying to find Kuga right?"

Shizuru's heart skipped a beat. Could he possibly know where she was? "Yes." She decided it would be best to keep her cool with this man, he seemed to be led by his ego.

"I've worked with her before. I owe her so..." He trailed off, looking Shizuru up and down once. "This should make us even." He finished, pulling something out of his coat.

A thin manila envelope was brought into view and she found it amusing that it was the same colour as his coat. There didn't appear to be much in the envelope but he passed it to her without a word. She looked at him questioningly but he just nodded at it and smirked. As she began to open one end of it, he pushed himself off the side of the building and shuffled away.

"I'll leave you to it." He remarked when he noticed her look once more.

"Where did you get this?" She asked, not even sure what was in the envelope.

He shook his head before disappearing around the side of the building. "One musn't reveal their sources." And then he was gone. Obviously he only cared about repaying his debt and not what occurred afterwards. She briefly wondered how Natsuki had helped him before her attention fell to the manila envelope again.

She hastily pulled one end open and parted the sides of it, peeking inside. There were a few pieces of paper inside and she tipped it up to empty its contents. Two photographs and a piece of paper fell out onto her hand. Her eyes widened as she saw one of the photographs. It was in black and white but she could clearly see Natsuki being dragged into a van. A black nondescript van. From the picture, the biker seemed unconscious. Shizuru was finding the anger welling up inside her harder to temper at that sight. The second photograph had zoomed in on the van and one of the men's faces. She could just make out part of a licence plate. The man's face appeared bruised too. She smirked at the thought of her Natsuki putting up a fight.

She then turned her attention on the single piece of paper. There were a few things scribbled down on it. At the top was the licence plate numbers from the photograph. There were also some times, an address and two phone numbers written below that. In messy handwriting was a note saying: Call the first number to find out about the licence plate. The second will get you some info on that guy, if anything can be found out. That's all from me. You're on your own for the rest of the way. Tell Kuga about this once you've bailed her out.

She wondered how she was meant to tell Natsuki about his assistance when he hadn't even given his name. She decided it wasn't all that important right now. She was getting closer to finding out what had happened and perhaps even to finding out where Natsuki was. That's all that mattered.

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END OF CHAPTER

Author's Note: That second scene was much longer than I intended but never mind, it just means the story's going to go on for a bit more. Heh. Blame 808tenshi for this taking so long to be updated. It's always her fault! (Okay, so not really but I need someone to blame!) And thanks to Azn-anime for being my beta-chan!