I'd like to dedicate this post to Fuji Syuusuke! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It's a leap year this year!

Achromatic Colors

VI. The Liars

"We just went a full circle." Fuji noted that this was the exact spot he had found the angel the very first time.

"Then leave," The said angel laid down against a tree. "I happen to like this spot."

He was a bit miffed by the boy's choice of action. "You are going to sleep with me around?" He questioned.

Fuji was expecting the boy to glare or actually get physically violent as he had hinted - he certainly looked the impulsive type. Instead, he grinned at him mischievously for the first time. Fuji was definitely surprised; he never knew angels could grin like that. He shouldn't try to speculate other's actions without adequate information, but he was sure he knew Earth angels well enough to stereotype. This one could be an exception. Unless-

Unless he wasn't an Earth angel? But that was very unlikely. They don't idle about and do nothing. It is known that a pass to the mortal world is tremendously difficult to obtain in the angelic world save for when they had a purpose being there.

"You're going to do something?" Ryoma grinned.

"Saa, you never know." Fuji grinned back.

He rolled his eyes and promptly curled himself on the grass facing his back toward Fuji. The cat mewed in protest at the sudden movement but then burrowed into her master for warmth.

If the angel thinks he can push Fuji away just by ignoring him, he is dearly mistaken. 'I accept your challenge.' He declared.

But first, he wanted to test his hunch.

He waited thirty minutes until he was sure the angel was in a state of deep sleep. Fuji then picked up a fallen leaf and rubbed it lightly between his fingers. He let the leaf go on top of the boy and let it sway down toward the sleeping figure. All his concentration was on the leaf.

When the leaf was just about to touch the sleeping boy's cheeks, it was suddenly deflected. His gaze had gone wary. 'He is strong.' Fuji mused. To put a barrier so close against his body requires skills. And it requires even greater skill to detect such a faint trace of his aura on the leaf. For the millisecond that Fuji was able to see, he could tell that the angel's contact activation barrier is perfect. Not a centimeter of blockade was constructed than necessary.

Next, his eyes tried to scan the boy using his Sight, but his magic slid against a glass wall like substance. He stopped. He dare not push any further by using the full extent of his power in case the boy wakes up.

But there was one problem, his presence was the low intensity of those Earth angels. That could mean one thing; his presence is covered up. Fuji slapped his own forehead lightly. How could he get tricked this easily? He is sure the angel's presence is much stronger than this – it was just toned down and all his abilities were hidden.

No Earth angel would be able to put up a barrier for protection. No weak angel would be able to construct a prefect barrier and especially not during their sleep. And certainly no ordinary angel could deflect the Sight so easily – even those in heaven. He must be here for a purpose but… for what? Is he a spy? Have the angelic side decided to move before they do? Were they finally going for the extermination they had pledged millennia back? He was extremely lucky to find him before he does any harm.

He sat down next to the angel and made himself comfortable. He would just have to stick around to find out.

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Ryoma rubbed his eyes. The sky had a slight orange tint to it. It was almost sunset. He gave a good stretch.

Just as he found his cat was not by his side and his eyes glanced around, he caught the figure in the corner of his vision. He came into contact with sapphire. The devil was eyeing him. He was a bit irked by this. For a fleeting second, he felt alarmed but his self-confidence ignored it. If he thinks Ryoma was entertaining to watch, he'll teach a thing or two to him.

"You're still here?" He demanded.

Ryoma saw he had a book in one of his hand. 'Meow' Ryoma's eyes traced its source. He gasped. Karupin was playing on his lap. He was petting his Karupin.

"What did you do to my cat?" He accused. Karupin upon hearing her master's voice directed at her, happily leaped out of the devil's lap and into Ryoma's receiving arms. She purred contently into his chest.

The devil closed the book and tucked it into his jacket – when did he summon a book and a jacket? He must be quite good to summon without Ryoma reacting to it in his sleep, but then again, he is a deep sleeper. "My dearest angel, your tactic is so simple and blunt that I just had to prove the incompetence of it." He reached over and patted Karupin lightly. "As for your cat, she's quite friendly ne?"

He scowled and pulled his cat away from the devil. 'Traitor,' Ryoma eyed her. Karupin yowled back affectionately.

Karupin is very sociable – a bit too sociable just like the time she approached Ryoma devoid of reservation. She doesn't understand that some things just aren't safe to approach. He was a bit worried. He would teach Karupin not to get friendly with strangers that before the week ends but right now he had a more important matter at hand.

'How can I make him leave?' He needed to go back. He cannot let the devil see him open a portal. He didn't have a curfew or time limit for his wanderings but the other angels may start to panic if he was missing for too long. He sulked for several minutes.

He needs to go back soon, but he can't use violence to prove his point. Devils were immune to verbal insults so that option is out. Threatening didn't work. Waiting him out definitely didn't work. If he tries to leave him, there is no doubt that the devil will start to tail him. Ryoma had absolute confidence that he will have no trouble shaking him off but if the devil was a good stalker, he will positively get suspicious of Ryoma's abilities.

Would lying work? Something inside him told him it wouldn't. It didn't matter, Ryoma decided, he will try to anyway.

"Leave." He commanded.

Fuji smiled. "Ya-da," Is that the best the angel can come up with after he contemplated for the situation for a whole minute? He was not impressed.

"Why are you still here anyway?" He inquired.

"I'm bored."

He twitched. "Then go find something more entertaining."

"I think you are very entertaining." He could see the angle bristle. 'Oh, you're definitely entertaining to watch.' He grinned. "Have you met a devil before?"

"No." he growled.

"Them you'll know that we devils are very relentless once we find a likable target."

"Really," He raised his eyebrows. He was rather skeptical about that. "I heard that they flee rather quickly in face of danger."

"We judge when it is beneficial to let go something for better interests," He paused. "Well… at least I do."

That was understandable and somewhat admirable. Ryoma was often scolded by other angels for not knowing when to back off. "Then you better leave soon, there are other angels are coming to meet me." He lied.

Fuji smiled. "Really? I'll gladly meet them."

Ryoma sighed. It didn't work; he knew it wouldn't. He opened his mouth to lie more but something within him made it die in his throat. He has no choice; he would have to come to a compromise. "Leave me alone for today." He muttered grudgingly.

"Just for today? Why?" His tone was elated with triumph.

"Please." He gritted the word through his teeth. Ryoma wanted to hit himself. He sounded like he was almost begging.

"What are you going to do that you need to be away from me so desperately?" The angel is getting distressed. Was he late for his 'mission'? Fuji could tell that the angel was not use to losing or pleading. From the venom poured from every word the angel now uttered, he asked himself if he would have back down if he wasn't a Fuji. Maybe. The angel is strong, but Fuji is the tensai heir.

"It's none of your business." Ryoma scowled.

"Then I'm afraid I can't let you go. That response is not good enough."

He furrowed his brows. Back home he would never be defied directly like this. It wasn't that challenge that annoyed him. He usually welcomes challenges with open arms provided that the opponent was worthwhile. It was the fact that he can't confront back in this circumstances. "…I'm just going home."

"Hmm… I'll take your word for it." It was true. His Sight is his verification. It made sense if the angel didn't want to reveal an entrance to a devil. But this still doesn't explain why he was here in the first place. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"To see my cat," He looked up. The devil is sharp. Is he doubting his identity already?

Fuji was not satisfied with that response. That could be only one of his purposes. He shouldn't prod any further or he'll seem fishy. However he wasn't going to let this golden opportunity slip away. He might as well weasel something out of him. "I'll leave you alone for today," he stressed those words. "But in exchange, may I have a name?"

The angel frowned. He obviously didn't want to give up any personal information. "It's impolite to ask for someone's name without giving yours first."

"You're right. Please excuse my rudeness, my name is Raphael." Fuji plastered his trademark smile.

"…Michael." He muttered and petted the cat.

He frowned. 'Liar.' Not only he had found an antisocial angel, he found a lying one.

Ryoma didn't miss the slight frown that flashed across Raphael's face for a fraction of a second. Why did he frown? What significance did the name Michael had to him? He just randomly picked a name that popped up. He had already felt inside of him earlier that lying to him wouldn't work. He somehow did not like lying to the devil. Ryoma suddenly gasped. Everything clicked together. "You have the Sight!" He exclaimed. "You knew I was lying the whole time!"

Fuji was slightly shaken by the sudden outburst, but he maintained his outside appearance. Never had anyone guessed his special ability precisely in such a short time. If his speculation was correct, this boy had someone around him who is a Sight user to make such immediate guess. "Saa, Sight? You're giving me more creditability than I deserve. I have a lie detector." He did have the device with him just in case someone demanded how he detected their lies.

"A lie detector?" Ryoma quirked his head slightly. He mentally hit his own head. How could he ignore that possibility? That would explain his uneasiness to lie to this man. His Gift sensed it. Lie detectors are much more widespread than Sight. But Ryoma is an archangel, and elites are surrounded by elites. He had too many people with Sight lingering around him.

"Mm-hmm." He nodded. The tension in his mind relaxed. Looks like the angel bought it.

"If you have lie detectors in your possession, pray tell me your class that allowed you to purchase such tool."

"Not really, lie detectors are a common device in my world. Perhaps not so much in yours?"

"Not so much." Ryoma agreed. "You should have been expecting my real name when you lied about yours."

Fuji was surprised. The only outright falsehood he had told so far was his name. "If you demanded my rank due to my ownership of a lie detector, then may I know yours to possess one as well? Or do you have the Sight?" He questioned back. It was unlikely that the angel could have it. Since powerful Sight could always detect its lesser version, he doubted this angel could possess one more powerful than the royal family's.

"I don't have a lie detector with me." He quickly replied.

It wasn't a lie although Fuji didn't miss the phrase 'with me'. "Then how did you know I lied about my name?"

"I didn't." He smirked. "I guessed."

He was pleasantly surprised. The cocky angel had more brain cells than Fuji first gave credit. "Then may I know your real name please?"

"Why should I give it to someone who lied about their own name in the first place?"

"Saa, technically it is not a lie if the name was actually in use. Raphael happens to be one of the names I use, though it is not my true name."

"Hmm, then as long as the name is used it is not considered a lie isn't it?"

Fuji was grinning. "That is correct."

"Then-" Ryoma gave a thoughtful expression, and then he smirked, "call me Prince."

Fuji almost gaped but he beamed instead. "Tensai." He countered.

The angel raised his eyebrows. "Tensai? Really? What makes people call you that?"

"It means that I'm very exceptional." He grinned.

Ryoma rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you are." The remark was dripped in sarcasm. Fuji ignored it.

"So what makes a sweet angel to become a compulsive liar?"

"If you think every angel is sweet, you have something seriously wrong with your head."

"But I think you are sweet." He teased.

He huffed. "I don't know if I should feel insulted."

Fuji laughed genuinely for the second time in ages. The first time was just earlier that day when the angel had physically threatened him directly. Though now that he somewhat knew the boy's capacities and must take the threat to some extent seriously, he couldn't help but think it was cute. The second was even more unexpected. He thought that the angel would scowl at him for trying to sweet talk him. He lightened the mood with a simple but unanticipated joke. "You didn't answer my question." He said after he calmed down.

"No reason," he shrugged. He just doesn't like giving out real personal information that's all. Even if he did it wouldn't matter since no one aside from heaven knows who he is. "So what makes you to become a compulsive liar?" He questioned back. A smirk played on his lips.

"I'm not." He grinned. "I'm a pathological liar. There is a difference."

"Oh?" Ryoma raised his eyebrows.

"I believe the dictionary definition for compulsive liar is someone who lies out of habit. Lying is their normal and reflexive way of responding to questions. Compulsive liars bend the truth about everything on both large and small scale and telling the truth is very awkward and uncomfortable. A pathological liar on the other hand," Fuji pointed to himself, "is usually defined as someone who lies incessantly to get their way - like me."

Ryoma eyed Karupin. "A pathological liar is also often goal-oriented and has little regard or respect for the rights and feelings of others. They often come across as being manipulative, cunning and self-centered." He looked up. "I noticed that you fit in all those categories. And since pathological lying is often viewed as coping mechanism developed in early childhood and it is often associated with some other type of mental health disorder, it makes me want to question the sanity of the devils in the underworld."

"Thanks for the compliment." Fuji whistled, "So you do know your stuff. That was the most amount of words you've said since we met by the way. It's quite an improvement for one day's work."

"Perhaps," Ryoma was a tad amazed himself. He doesn't remember the last time he said so many words at once. Tezuka should be proud if he knew about this. He even joked earlier to counter the devil's sweet talk. "What makes you a pathological liar?"

"I was trying to get your name. Technically it's a purpose."

He wasn't too convinced on that. "How do you know I'm not a pathological liar?"

"Hmm you could be. But the whole point of that exercise was to get us to have a civil conversation. It wasn't so hard was it?"

The angel fixed him with an angry stare but said nothing. Fuji noted that the fierceness had diminished compared to earlier.

"My name is Syuusuke, please to meet you." Fuji was amused that he gave the angel his real name even though he now knew that the boy couldn't tell lies. It didn't matter. No one in the angelic realm heard of the heirs' names.

The angel nodded. "Hi."

"And your name would be-" The angel isn't going to give it to him, he knew it.

The angel smirked again. "Just because you told me your name doesn't mean I'm obligated to tell mine."

Syuusuke grinned. "Then my dear prince, would you care to join me for a walk on our next meeting?"

"No. I'd rather not. I thought you were going to leave me alone now."

"You didn't give me a name."

"If the name is in use, it was fine. You said so yourself. Are you going to leave me alone now?"

Fuji grinned. "Yes, I suppose I did promise."

"Yes, devil promised." He grinned back.

Fuji looked at the sky. The sun was already disappearing into the depths of the forest. His council was probably going to skin him for disappearing so long, but he was more troubled for Yumiko and Yuuta. He needed to go home soon as well; to stop making his family worried too much. "I'll see you tomorrow noon?" He asked playfully.

Ryoma watched the sunset through the vegetation. The Himalayan cat mewed into the angel's arms. "No you won't." He said with a slight frown on his face.

Phew… I made it! (at least on my time zone) Sorry Fuji, no vacation for you after all.

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Published: 29/02/08 HAPPY BIRTHDAY FUJI!

Revised: 03/06/08