Copyright Notes: Copyright of the Weiss Characters belongs to Koyasu Takehito . Yumi Tsukikage is the only one I claim right to.
Weib Kreuz: The Angel Chronicles
Chapter Two: Meetings and Struggles
The next day, Yumi awoke stiffly, to see that her wounds were wrapped up and matted blood wiped away clean from her body. Struggling to sit up, she noticed the door opening to see Hanae standing there with a try of breakfast and a shopping bag under her other arm. "Are you hungry for some food?" she asked her with a partial smile on her face.
Yumi leaned her back against the pillows as she gave Hanae a weak smile and a loud grumble to her stomach. "Yes please." She said with almost an innocent childish grin. As she watched Manx put the breakfast tray in front of her, she lifted up her utensils and said her quick prayer." Itadekismasu."
Manx smiled, happy to see that Yumi was slowly on the mend. Her state of mind last night when she found her was something that kept her worried for a while. "Did you sleep all right?" she asked her as she sat down on the edge of the bed next to the young woman.
Yumi nodded a little, not wanting to disturb Hanae with any mentions of the nightmares and visions that caused her lack of sleep to be an issue. "As well as I could." Was all she said with a gentle smile as she took a bite of her egg and toast, her eyes widening in happiness. It had been so long since she had good food to eat.
Manx couldn't help but grin gently at the pleasant look on her face, and brought out a black bag, "Here... I went out shopping earlier and got you a newer outfit, it's not much, but I thought you might like it..." she pulled out a cute pair of jeans, and a nice black sweater. The neat thing about the sweater, is on the arms, it held a cross type of pattern; A white cross pattern on both sleeves.
Yumi smiled, her eyes sparkling, knowing why Manx had bought the sweater for her, "Thank you Hanae.. it's perfect." She got up and marveled at it, noticing a pair of sunglasses... small wire framed ones on there, and looked up at Manx.
She looked right back at her, and smiled softly, "They were your fathers. He had ordered them for you as a special surprise after, what happened with your one mission." She noticed the look on her face, and gently wiped away a tear, "I know he would have wanted you to have them now."
Yumi nodded softly. She knew her father was indeed a strong, capable man; otherwise he wouldn't have been the police commissioner. But now that he was gone, it was up to her to help push them into the right direction. Reaching into the depths of her mind, she felt a flash of an image. It was that of Bombay, crouching next to a grave; their father's grave.
Opening her eyes, she looked to Hanae, "Manx… can you give me a ride to the cemetery? I wish to pay my respects to my father."
Manx smiled lightly, and pushed Yumi towards the bathroom, "Go on... go get cleaned up and ready..." She laughed as Yumi smiled a little, and went into the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Getting out at the entrance to the cemetery, she leaned over to the drivers door. "Thank you Manx.. I won't be long; I promise." Waiting until she got the nod of approval, and the bouquet of flowers of white/red roses and white lilies, she started to walk forward.
She didn't make it far when she stopped dead in her tracks; something made her body was shooting through her like a lightning bolt through her system... almost as if someone was taking her heart and squeezing it with an imaginary hand. Yumi gritted her teeth, as she fell to her knees, "Tch.. they found me…"
"Bzzz..Bzzz.." The voice in her mind started to echo through her subconscious as she looked around quickly, trying to decipher where his physical form was, "We always know that flies will return to the carcass eventually; meaning you to your father's final resting place."
"Stuff it Schuldich..." she hissed back in her own mind, cursing the fact that she didn't have her Sais with her anymore. "You were always such the indiscriminate cat who allowed his curiosity to get the better of him, and you know what they say about curiosity..."
"I don't think so dear kitten, you've just strayed too far from your owner. You're just going to be an extra in this, however we're stuck dealing with more pressing issues from the Old geezers. But don't worry. Crawford will be taking you back soon."
Feeling her head tightening with more pain and pressure, she suddenly felt a rush of open air; as if the pressure was relieved as she heard a young man's voice say, "Hey! Are you all right miss?" She looked up really quickly out of reflex... her eyes wide in shock. In front of her... was Bombay; Omi Tsukiyono.
He looked at her with worry in his features, "Are you all right miss? I saw you fall over... are you hurt?" he asked concerned. When he saw the face of the young woman who was right there, somewhere in the back of his mind he realized who this young woman was. Being the Computer Geek that he was, he knew of all the former Kritiker members who had been reported either "missing" or "killed" in action. And the face of this woman was all too familiar; especially after finding out of his own past. "Russian…blue…"
She felt her own eyes tear up as she nodded weakly, "Bombay..." She returned the whisper as she leaned against the tree. Without warning she felt the young man make a mad dash for her and throw himself against her, holding her as tightly as possible. Ignoring the pain in her injuries, she held onto Omi tightly with her arms, refusing to let go of him. Feeling the dampness of her shirt begin to grow from his tears soaking in, she felt her own well up in the corner of her eyes. "Omi-kun…"
He pulled back slightly as he looked up at her, his eyes filled with the massive amount of tears as he then noticed the wounds and bandages around her body. "Where were you Yumi-chan? Reports before said you had been killed in action…"
She said nothing at first; gently brushing the stray bangs out of his face. "Taken captive… said to have been killed." She looked down at him as she rested her hand against his cheek to wipe a tear away, "Omi…I'm so glad you're safe."
"That's supposed to be my line!" he retorted as he then stopped, looking back towards the place he was just at and where she had to be going, "You heard about Oji-san…"
She nodded a little, reaching down to pick up her flowers she had dropped, but saw Omi doing it for her. He gave her a gentle smile as he watched her hobble towards the grave, before he joined her after a moment.
Sensing Omi behind her, she reached her hand up behind her as she felt him place it against her shoulder; holding his hand in place. "You did all you could Omi-kun, you know I don't blame Outou-san on you… or any of the others."
His eyes widened a little, before realizing he needn't be surprised. The reason why she had been chosen for that special mission was because of her "special abilities". She knew how to get inside other people's minds, and manipulate them to her advantage for deep covert operations. His Uncle Shuichi knew this.. and it was one thing when he learned the truth that he couldn't understand how he let her do this. Perhaps, it was the fate of their family… surrounded by so much darkness. "We weren't able to make it in time." He then waited a moment, and then whispered in a quiet tone of voice. "Yumi-chan… what happened to you? What did my father do to you?"
Yumi hesitated for a moment. 'He doesn't know the truth yet… I don't believe he should... not right now. Not with the possible threat still looming overhead.' "..Oji-san wanted to kill me right then and there when my cover was blown, however the members of Esset had other plans for me. They ordered him to turn me over to the custody of Schwartz.. a group working for Esset in Japan by using your father as the front man.. before his demise."
Omi's eyes widened in shock; unable to comprehend what she was saying. Schwartz? Those four guys who were bodyguards for his father? Esset? Was it possible that all of this … wasn't over at all? "Schwartz…" he whispered in anger.
Yumi nodded solemly, before squeezing his hand tightly, "I don't know how long I can stay with you guys…they've already had a tag on me. Schuldich found me here just before I made it..."
"We're going to need all the resources we can." A voice spoke up from behind them as the two remaining Takatori members turned to face the voice. They saw Manx and another woman with short brown hair standing there next to each other.
Manx stepped forward as she saw the tenseness between the two of them, "This is Birdie, another member of Kritiker. She's one of us, so it's all right."
Birdie spoke up as she stepped forward, "Bombay, Blue Russian… we are reopening Weiss. Some situations have re-emerged."
Omi stepped forward as he heard the phrase she spoke of, "What do you mean, situations have re-emerged?" He then noticed Yumi's skin went pale and she felt her knees slump before Omi could help steady her. "Yumi-chan? Doushita?"
Yumi felt the turmoil seem to stretch through her body as if it were her own. She looked up towards Manx and Birdie as if to confirm her fears before she looked down, "Abyssinian… they've taken Aya-chan. Esset…"