Chapter 16: Surprises

Hiro was asleep... Well, she was trying anyway. She had a hard time sleeping after the sun hit her eyes, but the Leviathan's didn't stop yelling until 2:00 in the morning. Wait no, it was 2:01. Hiro was just glad there weren't customer rooms on this side. Hopefully they would continue to remember the sun up rule.

Or Hiro would make a cake dumpling out of their faces.

She sat up. "I can't sleeeeep... Daaaarrrnit aaaaalll!"

Linn and Kuhn walked in.

"Oh, you're awake." Said Kuhn

"We were just checking." Said Linn.

Hiro had dark circles under her eyes.

"I've been awake." She said angrily.

"Since, '2:01' in the morning. I've been awake..."

Kuhn sighed. "Yeaaahhh... They're a loud bunch, that's for sure."

Linn smiled. "If you want to go back to sleep for a couple of hours, that's fine too."

Hiro considered it, then she remembered...

...It was her birthday today.

She was up.

"Guy's, WAIT! I'M TEN TODAY!" She exclaimed.

Kuhn laughed. "I was wondering when you were going figure it out! ...Happy birthday."

Linn brought her a present.

"This is from both of us, go on. Open it."

She pulled off the wrapping paper, and looked at the nice wooden container. It was a chess set of her very own.

She gaped. "Guys!? This is awesome! Thank you!"

She ran up to them, and gave them a hug.

"You're so awesome!" She exclaimed.

Linn laughed. "Well, we try!"

"And this is from me..." Said Kuhn.

He handed her a shiv.

"Kuhn! I told you not too!" Linn yelled.

"Well, self defense is VERY important!" He exclaimed.

He moped. "And I thought it was a good gift..."

Hiro laughed. "I think it's funny. It looks like a metal carot! Thanks for the thought though... Dad. I'm not good with short or sharp... Things... Yeah..."

Linn smiled. "I thought he might, so I backed it up. Here, take this..."

She handed her a metal bat.

"This will work!" Hiro exclaimed.

Linn laughed. "I told you so! She's like me because she's bad with shivs and knives. I figured it had better be a weapon though... So I chose something blunt."

Hiro smiled. "Thanks mom... You too dad... I REALLY like the chess set!"

Kuhn shrugged. "Well, at least now I know who cracked the advanced padlock..."

She laughed nervously. "Yeah... Hehe, well, hmmm... That was me..."

He shook his head. "Trust me, I know." He laughed.

Hiro smiled. Why did she ever doubt them? They were really the best parents she could ever ask for.

...

I was up at 5:00 sharp. Everyone was still sleeping at that point. Come about 8:00, everyone was up and complaining about Leviathan's...

I shrugged. I couldn't hear anything.

Eiji walked back in the house around 9:30. He looked tired.

He sat down at my table, and laid his head down.

"Have you ever had a cake dumpling? Because they're actually pretty good... I never thought they were serious though... Uugggnnnhh... I'm so tired."

I shook my head. "That bad, huh?"

He was snoring softly.

I smiled. "I'll take that as a yes."

I was on my way up to the office where Kuhn and Linn usually worked, and I ran into Nina. She was wearing the most gorgeous white and green dress, displaying her elegant curves. It was a modest dress, but I couldn't help staring...

"You there?" She waved.

I shook my head. "Yes, how are you this morning Nina? I hope well."

She smiled sadly. "I'm doing okay, just a rough night at one of the mazes. Couldn't save anyone this time..."

I sighed. "That doesn't sound very okay... I'm sorry Nina, is there anything I can do?"

She looked down. "No, and you don't have to be so kind to me..."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't I be kind to you? You're kind to me, yes?"

She looked up. "Is that really the reason."

I shook my head... I can't believe I was about to tell her this.

"It's no doubt you're beautiful... If you were unkind to me, despite this fact, I would not show you kindness."

Her expression changed to one of curiosity.

"No, you are always concerned with others around you... It's a good trait."

I couldn't help but stare into her eyes, they were so wonderful...

"Wonderful..."

I started to lean in and kiss her.

I stopped.

"I-I'm sorry... I... I shouldn't be-"

She gave me a soft and lingering kiss, her lips brushing against mine.

I pulled her in, kissing her gently.

Her hair smelled like lavender, and her lips were so soft...

I ran my fingers through her hair, kissing her neck softly.

I wish I could hold her like this forever...

Kissing her like this...

Feeling her pleasure as my own.

We stopped.

I sighed. "We should probably..."

"Yeah..." She said.

She began to walk away, and so did I.

We turned around.

She held me in another kiss, and I felt my face grow hot as her lips trailed my jawline and neck.

"Do we have to stop...?" She whispered.

I opened the door behind us and entered a vacant room.

I held her against the wall, kissing and biting her.

"N-Not if you don't want to..." I said softly.

She flipped around and pinned me to the wall. She ripped off my shirt, and I let out a low, soft moan as she trailed her lips down my neck, biting my chest...

I practically threw her on the bed, slipping off her dress.

I trailed my lips down her chest, she moaned softly as I went lower. My hands sliding down her waist and down to her hips.

I bit her softly, and she jerked, letting out a louder moan. I moved up, letting my hand stay lower...

Her eyes rolled back, and I felt her trembling as she moaned... I was biting her neck, and teasing her earlobe... Feeling her jolt and moan with pleasure.

I brushed my lips against her chest, and she let out a long and soft moan, her body relaxing...

I let my lips brush against her neck...

Her lips...

"What about you...?" She asked softly.

I shrugged, and gave her a soft kiss. "I'm alright..."

She looked at me with those same curious eyes...

I smiled. "Don't think too much about it, you'll drive yourself crazy..."

I gave her another soft kiss.

I held her, and for a short time we fell asleep.

...

Hiro was walking over to Eiji. She was so excited to show him her new chess set. He was sleeping at a table.

She tapped him on the shoulder. He didn't budge.

She shook the box in front of his face.

"Earth to Eiji... New chess set."

He shifted slightly, but continued sleeping.

She took out the board, and set up the pieces.

"Black or white."

He sat. "White! I always choose... Oh, hi Hiro."

She slapped her palm to her face.

"I take it you were up early? Wait, yeah of course you were."

He sighed. "Earlier than I would have liked... Is that? Oh! It's your birthday! I am so sorry, I haven't gotten you anything yet!"

She laughed. "You never have gotten me anything."

He sighed. "I know that, but... I'm mortal now. I can get you something..."

She shook her head. "Eiji, I don't care! Let's just play chess. You beat me last time, and I'm still not over it..."

He laughed. "I'd hate to see what happens when I win a second time!"

She grinned. "We'll just see about that."

She beat him both rounds.

He gaped. "How did you do that!?"

She smiled. "Not telling."

She'd practiced with Nina. If Kahn wasn't currently with her, he could have seen it all over her face.

Nina was good.

She put up the chess set, and they walked around outside. Hiro brought her bat with her, because lately? Nothing good came of wandering. However, they were so stir crazy, they'd chance it.

Eiji laughed. "Have you ever tried a cake dumpling!? I thought they'd be terrible, but they really are awesome!"

She perked up. "Really!? Do they have any left?" She asked.

He smiled. "By now I'm sure they have a warehouse full. They can be pretty crazy, but I guess I don't mind them..."

She laughed. "Yeah, the way they were going on about them, you'd think they'd found a pile of jewels."

"I don't know..." Said Eiji. "They are pretty delicious..."

"MASTER! MASTER! Max was poking me! CAN I EAT HIM!?"

Eiji held the bridge of his nose. "No, you cannot eat him. Max, say you're sorry."

"Sorry... Master." He said.

Eiji sighed. "No, tell Talin that you're... No Talin, you can't eat Max, and Max, stop poking him."

"YES MASTER!" They screamed.

"Then can I eat Fred...?" Talin asked.

"Me too!" Said Max

"No! None of you can eat each other!" Eiji exclaimed.

"YES MASTER!... But, should we starve?"

They pouted, and started whining.

"We... We l-love you master! Pretty please can I eat Fred!?"

Fred walked up, and cried. "D-Don't worry, I'll just eat Talin LATER!"

They all burst into tears.

Hiro was trying hard not to laugh.

"Cake dumplings...?" She offered.

"I heard they're pretty good."

They cheered. "CAKE DUMPLINGS!"

They stopped and stared at her.

"MISTRESS!" One screamed in the back.

"A MISTRESS!" They screamed.

Max poked her. "C-Can I have your autograph?"

She shrugged. "Sure..."

She found a pen, and signed his claw.

"I DID IT!" He yelled. "I'm never washing this claw again..."

Hiro laughed. "These guys are hilarious!"

Talin stopped. "Wait... THE GUY!"

"THE GUY!?" They screamed.

"THE GUUUUUUY!" He replied.

Their expressions darkened.

"Master Eiji, Mistress Hiro. You may want to evacuate."

Eiji and Hiro stopped.

"What's going on?" Eiji asked.

"Look behind you." Talin said.

They did.

There were corpses running toward them.

Hiro held out her bat.

"Wh-What is this!?" She exclaimed. "What's wrong with them!?"

She sighed. "Oh well, nothing a good knock to the head won't fix!"

She launched one in the air, knocking it away with her bat.

It landed on the ground, got back up, and punched Hiro in the ribs.

The blow sent her flying into a tree.

Eiji snapped.

He looked at the corpses with a dark glare.

Silver threads shot out of his fingers, and half of the corpses were his.

He smiled. "Who wants to play a game of chess...? The rules are, my pawns destroy yours."

Leviathan's flanked them at the sides, while Eiji's puppet corpses handed the main blows. It was down to three corpses on both sides. A familiar face was among them.

"Z-Zeniba...?"

She was under his control, and easily wiped out the other pawns.

There were two corpses left, one was Ami, and the other was Zeniba. Both under his spell.

He released the threads, and they fell. Eiji looked at his hands...

...They were bleeding.

The threads had left, leaving holes in his finger tips. He fell to his knees, and pain burst through his arms. He looked over at Hiro.

He bit through the pain, and began to carry her back. Her ribs looked completely crushed, and she was barely breathing. Eiji walked through the lobby, carrying Hiro toward her room.

Someone grabbed his shoulders.

His dad was looking at him, he looked scared, and was saying something. Eiji couldn't hear him, he just kept walking. Someone tried to stop him, and Eiji backed away, clutching Hiro close to him.

He was sitting on the ground holding Hiro, his back against a wall.

Wasn't I walking just now...?

He held Hiro loosely, and stared at his hands again.

...Why are they still bleeding?

The others surrounded them.

What's going on...?

They tried to take Hiro.

"NO!" He yelled.

"No... Hiro... Hiro!"

He started crying. He felt someone holding his arms... And they filled with pain.

There was this horrible screaming...

It went on and on, ringing in Eiji's ears.

He felt his body tense.

If the screaming would stop, I could sleep...

Sleep... I need sleep...

Eiji closed his eyes...

The screaming stopped.