Chapter Two: The New Girl & Old Memories

Parking his motorcycle he pulled off his helmet-letting raven locks blow in the icy breeze. There was a strange feeling following him around all morning. It was tingling in his chest and fluttering in his stomach, but he could not place its source or meaning. He had tried to call Nagahide back yesterday to see how things were going in Toyama. There was no answer all day and there was still no answer today.

Part of him wanted to ignore the strange air and the fact that he could not reach Nagahide. But the other part of him, the part that was more Kagetora, knew better. Something was going to happen and it was going to be big.

He sighed, scanning the lot with his spiritual powers, then with the coast clear, he unzipped his jacket. Helena's bright eyes blinked up at him.

"We're here. Out."

She gave a small kitty yawn and stretched against his belly and chest. She then hopped out of his coat and onto the top end of his bike.

"Good, girl," he murmured and scratched under her chin. "I'll be back later. Stay warm, kay?" At that he dismounted and walked into school.

He made a beeline straight for his locker. The funny feeling in the pit of his stomach started fluttering faster and faster. Something or someone was here. Trying to push down on the feeling he removed his coat and stuffed it in his locker, then he changed his shoes.

"Hiya, Takaya!"

He turned and smiled slightly at his golden haired friend. "Hi, Yuzuru. How's your morning been going so far?"

Yuzuru smiled at him and leaned up against the lockers. "It's been good. Saori and Yuriko want to go for hot chocolate after school today. Do you want to come with us?"

But before Takaya could answer his friend a loud ringing started echoing in his mind. It was like the pounding of a bass drum, but at a deafening pitch. He shook his head, then scratched it as if to get rid of the sound. The pounding, however, simply picked up and became louder.

"Wha?" he muttered gripping his head.

"I asked if… are you okay, Takaya?"

It beat more intensely, faster and faster, louder and louder. Takaya gripped his head and rubbed his temples. What was going on? Was this a migraine or was it a Possessor thing?

"Takaya?" Yuzuru asked, his voice full of concern. His friend had started trembling and groaning, pushing in on his skull as if to squash it. "What's wrong, Takaya?"

It was thudding louder and louder and louder… faster… faster… like horses running across his brain and then he heard it…

Look up!

His head whipped up and instantly the sound was gone. And his eyes locked onto a girl standing only a few feet from him.

"Takaya!" He felt Yuzuru touch his sleeve, but he ignored him his eyes only focused on the girl before him a few lockers away. She was extremely beautiful with ivory skin and raven hair. She had lush curves yet was petite with a slightly muscular build. She wore the traditional girl's uniform of olive and white, but let her hair fall freely down her back.

He blinked and she turned. He then found himself gazing into the brightest pair of blue eyes he had ever seen. They were the color of a summer sky or an icy pond and they were locked onto his. She suddenly broke her gaze and started walking towards him, her nose in the air.

"Yuzuru… who…"

His friend must have been as flabbergasted by the girl coming towards them as he was because he stuttered an, "I-I… d-don't know…"

Takaya could hear her shoes clicking on the title as she came closer and closer. His chest started burning, but he ignored it too caught up in the mysterious beauty walking towards him.

She then walked right past him without a second glance.

That's when he saw it. A disgusting image of a body on a cross, blood pooling at it's feet. It had no hair, no clothes and no hands. Lashes, cuts and burn marks marred the body of what he now determined to be a girl.

"Hanairo!"

He gasped as his vision cleared and the named died on his lips. Who is Hanairo? The girl continued on her way stepping past him as if he had not spoken. With the reflexes of a cat he grabbed her arm and spun her around. He found himself caught up in that gaze again. Then he heard the high pitched screams of terror in his mind and he released her arm almost violently.

Arching a delicate, ebony eyebrow she glared at him. "Excuse me? Can I help you?"

"Who is Hanairo!"

"Eh?" she asked blinking at him. "I have no idea."

"Then why did I say her name as you walked by? Who is she?" he asked grabbing her arm again. This time nothing happened, much to his own relief.

"You're ex, perhaps?" She shrugged and smirked at him. "I doubt, though, that she was as beautiful as me."

"And who are you?" he growled giving her arm a little shake.

She glared down at his hand and then drew her blue glaze up to him. "Release me this instant, you psycho, before I scream."

He did as instructed, but not without a few moments of deep consideration. She rubbed the slender limb and glared. Fluffing out her hair – a faint lemony sent reaching his nose - she turned to walk away.

"Who are you!" he yelled in his most 'commanding warlord' sort of way.

She stopped, cocked her hip and placed one delicate hand there. "I am Yakata Amiee. And who are you?"

"I am Ohgi Takaya," he nearly shouted.

She looked him up and down real good and he felt seconds away from shivering. "Pleasure," she drawled then turned and walked away.

"Who is Hanairo?" He did shout this time and followed after her. "Are you Hanairo?"

"Are you insane!" she asked glaring at him like an ice queen. "I have no idea. I told you that before. So how I could be Hanairo?"

"Then why did I say her name as you walked by… and what was with that image! Are you sick or something?"

This time both hands were on her hips as she blinked at him in rage. "What! What the hell are you talking about? I am Yakata Amiee and I transferred here from Suza High. I don't know Hanairo, and if I did I would tell her that it's a good thing she left you… you crazy bastard." At that she turned and started walking quickly away. "And if you come after me again… I'll kick you so hard in the testicles you'll have to pray for puberty to hit once more so that they descend again!" She turned the corner and was gone.

Takaya blinked wildly then turned and took off back towards his locker. He stopped short and stared at Yuzuru who had gone white and looked utterly sick.

"Yuzuru… are you okay?" he asked shaking his friend.

"She suffered so much and all because of you."

"What!"

Yuzuru blinked and rubbed his head. "Oh, Takaya, sorry… what happened just then?"

"I… I don't know. But I have to go." He grabbed his coat and shoes out of his locker. Quickly changing he asked, "Are you okay, Yuzuru?"

"Yes. I'm fine, why?"

"Because you said that 'she suffered and all because of you'." He slipped his arm into his coat, pulling out his cell phone and turning it on.

"I did?" the blonde blinked and shook his head. "I don't remember. That's weird."

"Yeah and that's not the only weird thing today." He dialed Haruie's number and listened to it ring. "Look, Yuzuru, I have to go. But I'll give you a call later tonight, okay?"

"Um… sure Takaya, is everything okay?"

"Yeah I…"

"Hello!" a perky female voice chirped into the phone.

"Haruie listen…"

"I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now…"

Takaya's face soured and he grumbled under his breath. "I hate her answer machine." Where the devil is she?

Meanwhile in Yokohama, Haruie sat neck deep in mud. Her golden hair tied up in a fluffy white towel. A muscled god kneeled behind her rubbing the back of her neck while a young girl filed her fingernails. New Age music played gently in the background.

Haruie sighed and wiggled deeper into the mud. "Yes… this is the life." The muscled man finished his message and placed two cucumbers over her eyes. "Oh yes," she murmured, "this is the life."

Takaya ran to his motorcycle all the while trying to dial Nagahide's number. Helena poked her little head out of his helmet and yawned jumping onto the ground.

The phone simply rang and rang until the stupid auto message picked up saying that the subscriber was out of range. Why was nobody around when he needed them?

"Hanairo…" he whispered into the icy breeze the name both foreign and familiar on his tongue.

He had to know who she was. The image that came to his mind when Yakata Amiee walked by him was more gruesome than he could handle. Was that body Hanairo's?

He shook his head trying to shake the bloody corpse from his mind. He needed answers and there was really only one other person left who could answer them. Granted he should call first just to make sure he was home and unoccupied, but, he was his servant. He should drop everything instantly just to see and obey his lord.

He nodded, mind made up, and hopped on his bike. Bending over he grabbed Helena and stuck her in his coat. Zipping them both up he put on his helmet and tore out of the parking lot. He would find out who Hanairo was and he would put his three-week dry spell to an end because, after all, Naoe would be happy to see him.