Chapter 12
Shizuru took a deep breath, her resolve now stronger than ever, before leaving her father's office. As soon as she was away her mind started to wander.
'Ara, what will happen once I get Natsuki back? Will I have the courage to tell her or will I cower at the last second?' Shizuru placed a hand on her cheek. 'What are you doing to me Natsuki?'
'Shut up damn it!' Shizuru looked wide eyed at her inner. 'Natsuki is unpredictable, so you don't know what will happen, the important thing right now is to bring her back safe and unharmed.' Shizuru didn't know what to say to that.
Shizuru's back stiffened and her eyes narrowed as a naginata appeared in her hands. Her legs spread shoulder width apart and her knees were bent and ready to attack.
'Who are you and what have you done to my inner you imposter, speak up or you will forever hold it in.' Inner looked unfazed.
'Calm down Shizuru we need you to get your head together so we can create a battle plan.' Inner held up a hand in front of her and Shizuru lowered her naginata slightly, well more like half a centimeter. Shizuru eyed her 'inner' cautiously. 'Besides its your fault I'm like this anyway.' Shizuru glared.
'How is this my fault that my mind has been invaded by a foreigner?' Inner looked offended.
'I am your inner you tea addict! If you didn't give me that cup of tea I wouldn't be like this after the tenth cup!' Inner gritted her teeth afterwards.
'Ara, but I only gave you one cup.' Inner looked away while a knowing grin spread across Shizuru's face. 'You are addicted to tea!' Inner rolled her eyes.
'Don't get too excited.'Inner looked over at Shizuru who was beaming.
'Ara, I have never been so proud, *sniff.' Inner was horrified.
'Now that's just mean….you're making fun of me." Shizuru laughed as Inner pouted.
'Fufu.' Inner continued to pout as Shizuru giggled.
'Why are you laughing at a time like this when Natsuki is still out there with someone doing who knows what with her!' Shizuru's mirth immediately died and a somber aura surrounded her.
'Shizuru? Hey Shizuru are you alright?' Shizuru was completely lost in her own. She didn't even notice Raito walk up to her and wave his hands in front of her face.
'Shizuru…Raito has been trying for like five minutes to get your attention.' Inner flicked Shizuru's forehead causing her to blink and focus on Raito.
"Ara, hello Raito." Shizuru smiled a polite smile at her cousin.
"Well hello to you too…finally." Raito popped his hip out and leaned on it. "You know its not like you to space out cuz, what's on your mind?" Shizuru's face held a thoughtful expression, but her mind was a complete mess.
"Whatever could Raito be talking about?" Raito searched Shizuru's face.
"You're not still wound up about that Natsuki Kuga are you." Shizuru suddenly looked guilty and quickly masked it, but Raito caught it. "Don't worry too much about you friend Shizuru, she'll be alright…she does have some crazy fighting skills I mean did you see the surveillance tapes….she totally kicked those guys' asses." Raito wanted to do some of the moves Natsuki had done, but he reframed from doing so.
"Ara, I am afraid that is not the only thing that has my mind in turmoil Raito." Raito was very curious now, but even more puzzled.
"Then if you don't mind me asking what is the problem?" Shizuru looked uneasy. "You know you can tell me anything right?" Shizuru nodded her head slowly.
'Can I truly trust him with this? What would he think of me once I told him?' Shizuru stood in front of Raito in her signature thinking pose.
'WHAT! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!' Shizuru nearly jumped at Inner's voice. It was on pare with Haruka's. 'Since when did you start caring about everyone else's opinion…well other than Natsuki's?'
'Ara, you have a point.' Inner nodded her head smugly.
"Alright Raito, but can we talk about this some where else, maybe a bit more private?" Raito smiled before nodding his head. He followed behind Shizuru as they headed off to who knows where.
'I wonder what it is that could be so important that we have to go somewhere private to talk.' Raito held his chin in his hand while the other was put into his pocket. He then looked up at Shizuru's back as they started to climb down the stairs. 'She seems really concerned about Kuga-san….it really doesn't add up. Shizuru won't even give her fan girls a second look and Kuga-san has only been here for a few weeks and Shizuru is worried sick about her. The question is why is Natsuki Kuga so special. I mean Shizuru isn't the type to bond to people so quickly and to people so closed off…she always minded her own business when it came to people like that.' Shizuru disappeared down a dimly lit hallway and Raito followed after.
"Hey Shizuru, where did you go?" Raito found himself lost in a labyrinth of book cases and books. He continued to walk through the labyrinth until he reached a large open space. On the far wall was a large faire place that stood nearly as tall as Raito. The fireplace had twin snakes crawling up each of the four pillars holding up the structure. The snakes all had gleaming red rubies for eyes that flashed mischievously in the dim light. At the top of the fireplace was a red circle with a spike coming off of it and a red dot in the middle. What caught Raito's eyes was the stone wolves carved into the pillars that the snakes wrapped around. Their emerald eyes were staring down at him, daring him to come closer.
"Magnificent, is it not?" Raito nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Shizuru's voice.
"You startled me Shizuru." Raito turned to Shizuru who smiled apologetically before placing the book that she was holding back onto one of the book cases lining the wall.
"Ara. Forgive me Raito." Shizuru walked over to one of the big brown chairs, and smoothed out her skirt before sitting down in it. On the table next to the chair was a steaming cup of 1)green tea mixed with strawberries.
"There is nothing to forgive." 'Whatever she need to talk about must be serious, I mean I've lived here all my life and I've never seen this library. Raito took the seat opposite of Shizuru which also had a cup of tea waiting for him. He picked up the cup of tea and let it warm his hands before taking a sip. "Anyway…what is it that you wanted to talk about that needed such secrecy." Raito watched as Shizuru picked up a small leather book from off the table and began to read.
"A forbidden feeling I find it hard to ignore.
It's always her smile, I seem to adore.
It's eating me up, I can not deny.
This feeling I get when she looks me in the eye.
No matter what I know it's wrong.
why the hell do I feel this strong?
Maybe because I know I won't get hurt,
I won't be lead on and treated like dirt.
I still don't understand, why she makes me smile.
Why does she stay on my mind for quite a while?
Why do I hold on when I know it can't be…
She wouldn't feel the same, why can't I see.
A forbidden feeling that's driving me insane.
Do I only feel like this so I can't get hurt again?
I have no idea why she's always on my mind,
But this is defiantly a feeling I need to leave behind."
Shizuru looked up at Raito with sadness swirling within her red eyes and read the last line with out looking down at the book.
"For her happiness, I will pay at the price of mine…
Rubies are meant to shine brilliantly, so shine on even with out me."
Shizuru left the book open in her lap and reached for her tea with slightly shaky hands in an attempt to regain control over her emotions. She brought the cup to her lips and gently blew on it before taking a sip. Almost instantly her eyes closed and she felt her shoulders and all the tension in her body disappear. She opened her eyes after letting out a sigh of relief and looked over to Raito who held a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Raito….do you understand now?" Raito shook his head before speaking.
"Who is the author?"
"Ara, the author uses an interesting name, but I solved the mystery once I looked into the school's student information data base." Raito sat up a bit straighter.
"Well who is it….wait, how did you know that the author was from our school?" Shizuru had to smile at her cousin's curiosity.
"Ara, you know Raito…curiosity killed the cat." Shizuru teased.
"…and curiosity brought it back my dear cousin now please tell me."
"Well, one day while I was walking to the student council room I heard the most beautiful voice accompanied by such a sad song…." Shizuru started to space off with a gentle smile on her face.
"Hey Shizuru…earth to Shizuru Fujino." Shizuru blinked, but then raised an eyebrow at Raito. "You spaced out again."
"Ara, my deepest apologies Raito…anyway, where was I." Shizuru placed a finger on her chin. "Oh I know, I went into the room to find the person that the beautiful voice belonged to, but when I opened the door I only saw a flash of midnight blue hair. I looked around the room and found this leather bound book with song lyrics and poems lying on the floor next to a Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar." Raito's mouth dropped open. "Fufu, I know nothing about guitars Raito…I looked it up online."
"So that's how you knew about the author being a student here." Shizuru nodded her head.
"Yes, but after that one glance I couldn't find the person, so I used the name that the author used. I cross referenced it with the emails and usernames of all the students attending here…"
"Go on." Raito's curiosity was getting the better of him.
"I found one person with the username…my very own Natsuki Kuga." Raito's eyes widened.
"Do you know what that means?" Raito nearly stood up. "That Natsuki Kuga is in love with someone." Shizuru's smile faltered.
"Ara, I know and that is the problem." Raito shot up from his chair and went over to Shizuru to comfort her.
"What is the problem?" Raito asked slowly and Shizuru took a deep breath before answering.
"I don't just view Natsuki as a friend…" Raito's eyes widened. " I love her and I have been ever since the day she arrived and became my hero…and my secret crush." Shizuru's bangs shadowed her eyes, not wanting to look at Raito and see his disgust.
'Ara, what if I never get to tell Natsuki, or work up the courage to?' Shizuru buried her head in her hands.
'Suck it up girl!' Inner Shizuru stood over Shizuru in a green military outfit.
'Ara, are you by chance…bipolar…are we bipolar?' Inner looked offended.
'What the hell are you talking about Lieutenant Fujino!' Inner boomed.
Shizuru walked over to her Inner's computer and looked at the screen.
'Ara, Monster by ShayP?' Shizuru raised her eyebrows at Inner Shizuru.
'Hells yeah! It fit's the situation perfectly….plus I needed a boost since I'm out of Na…' Inner quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.
'Out of what Inner-san?' Shizuru smiled maliciously. 'You wouldn't be taking Natsuki shots would you?' Inner shook her head rapidly. 'Hmmm…then what could this be?' Shizuru bent down to pick up a bottle of Natsuki shot. She stood up and her mask nearly cracked. 'Are, are you insane…we are suppose to be helping Natsuki not doing this!' Kiyohime rose up behind Shizuru and Inner ran off.
'AHHHH! SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME!'
'Ara, what am I going to do?' Shizuru pinched the bridge of her nose to try and stop an on coming headache. She then refocused on Raito.
"Well you have to focus first on rescuing Kuga-san first, then once she is alright tell her how you feel." Shizuru nodded her head at Raito's words. "We do have to get to school first." Raito grinned at Shizuru when she half-heartedly glared at him.
"Ara, you are right…unfortunately." Shizuru and Raito both stood up before heading towards the exit.
With Natsuki
"Urgh…ah…shit my head." At first Natsuki couldn't see anything, but darkness, but ever so slowly she creaked open her eyes. When she completely opened her eyes she was blinded by the light coming from the window and quickly shut them.
'Fucking hell, why does the sun have to be so bright?' Natsuki's eyes had finally adjusted to the light and so she observed the room she was in. 'What the hell?' Natsuki was in a small sterile room that smelled of Clorox and plastic. She found that she sitting up on a metal table with her back against the wall and her hands tied behind her back, but her feet were left untied. 'Score!' Natsuki tried to swing her legs over the side of the table, but her legs wouldn't move.
"Damn it!" The door to the room suddenly swung open just as soon as the words left Natsuki's mouth.
"Why hello there Kuga…how's your head feeling?" Natsuki growled. "That bad huh? Good." The person stepped into the room causing Natsuki to bare her teeth.
"Tomoe….just wait until I get my hands on you, you slack-jawed bitch before rip your intestines out and strangle you to death with 'em." Natsuki was interrupted.
"You can try, but you won't succeed because one; you have been injected with muscle relaxants. Two; I am the granddaughter of the head of the Makanda family." Natsuki's eyes widened. "Yes, I am part of the very family that took your's away from you and made you the pathetic little orphan you…" Natsuki got control of her right leg and didn't hesitate to send it crashing into Tomoe's face. The teal haired girl went crashing into the cupboards filled with various drugs and syringes.
"I'm not as helpless now am I?" Natsuki smirked as blood gushed from Tomoe's nose.
"I think you just broke my fucking nose you crazy bitch!" Tomoe tried to stop the bleeding with her hand, but the blood kept coming.
"You're calling me crazy…have you ever looked in a mirror?" Inner Natsuki mentally gave Natsuki a high-five for that one.
'That's what's up beoutch.' Natsuki nearly laughed at her Inner's gangster expression. Tomoe's eyes widened as Natsuki flexed her now mobile muscles and stood up.
"You're gonna wish you were never born." Natsuki's eyes hardened and Tomoe wanted to run as far away as she could, but she didn't. Although she unconsciously, but still managed to keep a sneer on her face.
"Y-You don't scare me." Tomoe tried to sound strong, but it failed.
"Really now…then why are you backing up?" Natsuki roughly grabbed Tomoe by the collar of her shirt lifted her up, and slammed her into the wall next to the door. "What you did to my family was unforgivable…" Natsuki raised her fist. "Now its time to pay up." Just as Natsuki was about to swing, the door sung open again.
"Tomoe-sama!" Tow big bulky guys in black suits grabbed Natsuki and restrained her, but not before landing a few kicks. Natsuki didn't go down without a fight though. She slammed her head back into the guy's head that was restraining her hands.
"Son of a bitch!" The guy quickly let go of Natsuki to nurse his nose. Natsuki didn't waste any time and landed a high kick to the other guy's head, instantly knocking him out.
"Ha! Take that asshole!" Natsuki grinned triumphantly down at the guy as Tomoe ran out the door. Natsuki was about to follow, but she had to quickly duck to avoid the fist that was swung at her. She rolled away from the guy before standing up. "Seriously, what the fuck is it with you people and hitting me in the head…it's like you want me to get head trauma." The man slowly pulled out a gun from his suit.
'Aw fuck.'
'You can say that again, but I got a few words for baldy over there.' Inner Natsuki growled as she faced the man in the suit. 'Listen to me as hard as you fucking can asshole. If you say one more fucking word to me…if you even look at me wrong…I'm gonna be eating my fucking cereal out of your fucking skull….RAHH!' Inner finished just as Natsuki landed a kick between the guy's legs.
'That's a bit fucked up you know.' Inner just looked at Natsuki as if nothing was wrong. 'Wow you are seriously messed up.' Natsuki watched as the guy passed out. "Heh that'll teach ya not to mess with Natsuki Kuga." Natsuki then ran out the door intending to collect payment from an evil little teal haired girl.
'Ouch…that's gonna be hurting for a while.' Inner Natsuki started to poke the unconscious guy with a stick.
'Now which way to go?' Natsuki was standing before a two way hallway.
'Try inny, Minnie, miney, Moe…it has never let us down before.' Natsuki nearly face palmed at the suggestion.
Just as Natsuki was about to reply, she felt a small pain at the back of her neck. She turned around, slightly unbalanced to see Tomoe with a gun.
"What the fuck did you do…" Natsuki's vision became blurred and all consciousness left. She fell Towards Tomoe who simply watched as she hit the floor.
"Tsk…what people see in this pathetic little girl I'll never know." Tomoe glanced at the guys as they came from down the hall and picked up Natsuki by each arm.
"Your Grandfather wishes to see this girl." Tomoe shrugged her shoulders. "He also said that he hopes you don't mind this girl being returned in a different condition that she is now." Tomoe grinned evilly.
"That's quite alright, tell him I said have fun. Although I wish I could stick around, I have school so see ya." Tomoe turned and headed towards the exit.
"Tomoe-sama…you forgot your bag." The man threw Tomoe's bag to her. "Have a good day." With that the thugs dragged Natsuki deep within the mansion she was brought to.
With Shizuru
Shizuru was walking alongside Raito about half a block away from school, smiling her false smile at all her fan girls and fan boys.
"Hey Shizuru?" Shizuru looked over at Raito in acknowledgement. "Where is your number one stalker…I mean fan girl?"
"Ara, are you referring to Tomoe-san?" Raito nodded his head. "I honestly don't know." Shizuru looked across the campus as soon as they reached the school and saw a flash of teal.
'Ara, very strange usually she sprints toward me when I am within five minutes of the school.'
'I agree…we should follow her.' Inner Shizuru was fully dressed in black and was secretly following in Tomoe's shadow.
'What is wrong with you…ara, I don't think I want to know.' Shizuru put on her most charming smile and winked at all of her fans causing them all to faint.
"Dang, you got skills cuz." Shizuru through Raito a smile that said 'I know' before quickly heading in the direction Tomoe headed, towards the locker rooms.
'No, don't go in there Shizuru!' Inner was holding onto Shizuru's legs and was being dragged. 'I'm to young to get raped!' Shizuru continued to ignore her inner as she stepped into the locker room.
Shizuru walked quietly around until she head hushed voices towards the back of the empty and dimly lit locker room. She sneakily crept up to the voices and hid behind a locker to listen.
"So what happened to your face?" Tomoe huffed and looked away. "Looks like someone roughed you up a bit." Tomoe faced the girl in front of her and sneered.
"It's not my fault that bitch needs elephant tranquilizers to restrain her." Tomoe continued. "I mean come on Kari, those pills were suppose to last for hours and they wore off of her in thirty minutes!" Tomoe slammed her fist into one of the lockers and the sound echoed throughout the room.
"Well you should've did your homework before you decided to capture a girl with a metabolism like hers." Kari started to zone out. "How else do you think she keeps her body so fit and sexy." Kari nearly drooled at the thought of a sweaty Natsuki.
'How dare she even think about my Natsuki like that!' Inner was fuming, not to mention ripping the stuffing out of a Kari and Tomoe doll.
'Ara, we don't even know if they are talking about Natsuki just be patient…' Shizuru didn't finish her sentence because of the sight she saw. Inner had stuffing falling from her mouth, a crazed look in her eyes and stuffing was everywhere. 'Do we hate those girls that much?'
'You have no idea.' Inner was glaring.
'Oh, but I do.' A dark aura surrounded Shizuru causing Inner to shiver and back away. Shizuru continued to listen to the conversation.
"Stop day-dreaming about that stupid bitch…" Suddenly Kari stood up and glared fiercely.
"Natsuki is not a stupid bitch…" Kari smirked. "I mean she did kick your ass even though she was tied up and drugged." Kari walked over to Tomoe and flicked her bandaged nose.
"Ow! What the fuck!" Tomoe grabbed her nose carefully. "You should be careful about what you do and say because I can have that Kuga killed at any moment." Tomoe was slammed into the lockers.
"Don't you dare touch her! She is mine!" Kari hissed and Tomoe just looked amused.
'YOUR'S? HELL NO!' Inner Shizuru started beating the shit out of a Kari dummy.
"Do you honestly think I'd let her get away with doing something like this to my face?" She pointed to her nose and black eye.
"What the hell did you do to her?" Tomoe still had that smirk on her face.
"Nothing much, just a few bumps and bruises." Kari didn't buy it. " But I don't know what gramps is gonna do to her. Tomoe put on a fake thinking pose when Kari let go of her.
"Why would your Grandfather mess with your affairs?" Shizuru put two and two together and had to place a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp.
'All the girls that were murdered…were fans of mine.' Shizuru's eyes were wide.
"Well you should've done your homework Kari." Tomoe walked over to Kari. "Have you heard about the Makanda family?" Kari nodded her head. "Do you know about the relationship between the Makanda family and the Kuga family?" Kari shook her head while Shizuru held her breath. "The Kugas or rather the Krugers were a well known business family dealing partly with the fashion industry as well as dealing with automotives, specifically motorcycles. Well the Makanda family wanted to use the vehicles the Kugas created to smuggle drugs into all the countries around the world, they would make billions. The Kugas opposed the idea because of the belief of good clean business. When the Kugas refused the Makanda did everything to ruin the Kuga corporation, but nothing seemed to phase them. So the Makanda family realized the only way to get back at the Krugers was to eliminate them." Kari gasped and Shizuru was shaking with rage. "It looks as if gramps missed one Kruger and specifically the heir to the Kuga Corporation…don't worry he won't kill her just mess her up a lot. He'll leave the killing part to me…" Tomoe was slammed into the lockers once again and a fist was slammed into her face.
'Ara, I you have no idea of how much I wanted to do that.' Shizuru was seething and her hands were clutched so tight that she was leaving crescent shaped indents in her palms.
'I wouldn't just slam her into the lockers and punch her…I'd do this.' Inner Shizuru grabbed Tomoe by her fucked up hair cut, shoved her head into the locker, then repeatedly slammed the locker door on her head. 'Take that bitch!'
'Ara, I wanted to do that.' Shizuru pouted.
'Yes, I brought you over to the dark side…told you it was sweet.' Inner pulled out a plate of cookies and tea. '…and we have cookies.'
'Ara, maybe later Inner-san, right now I need to find out where they are hiding my Natsuki.' Shizuru listened even more closely to the duo.
"I really don't care about past affairs or grudges, all I care about is the presnt." Tomoe looked impressed. "So when will I get to see her?" Kari crossed her arms.
"Well we don't have school tomorrow, so we could probably head over there today…that way you can have the whole night with your Natsuki." Tomoe wagged her eyebrows suggestively.
"I like the sound of that." Kari grinned a perverted grin.
'Ara, that bitch! How dare she…let me at her, let me at her!' Inner Shizuru was struggling to hold Shizuru back.
'Damn woman, heel, heel!' Shizuru stopped struggling and turned to face her Inner.
'Ara, did you just order me around like a dog?' Shizuru's cold, hard, and emotionless tone sent her Inner running for the hills.
'Ahhh get away! Get away!
Shizuru quickly hid in a stall and silently watched as the two girls headed towards the exit while talking.
"I'll text you the details near the end of school 'kay?" Kari nodded her head and with that the two girls left leaving Shizuru to her thoughts.
'Ara, I wonder how I will get the information I need…hmm.' Shizuru pondered the different, and some painful, ways to get the information from Tomoe.
'Well that freak is your number one fan right?' Shizuru's eyes widened and a cruel smile made its way onto her face.
'Ara, you are right.' inner beamed. 'I know exactly how I am going to get the information as well as work off a bit of anger towards the girl for what she did to my Natsuki.' Inner watch as a skyscraper huge Kiyohime appeared behind Shizuru, but it was the dark crimson eyes swirling with darkness and the naginata held within Shizuru's grasp that scared the shit out of inner.
'Oh shit…she is thoroughly pissed off.' Inner whispered, fear evident in her voice.
TBC
A/N: Well there you have it. Now Shizuru knows and is itching for some oh so sweet revenge on Tomoe…don't worry Kari will get hers later on =). Hmm…well if you wanna find out what Shizuru is gonna do send this story a shout out and review…hey that rhymed :P. R&R.
-jswiss