Chapter 5.
"There has to be a better way, Pup," I looked at Natsuki, "…is what I'd like to say. But you and I are a bit more pragmatic than that. This calls for unconventional sources of information. But…"
Natsuki gave me a gentle smile, "You're worried about me, Nao? That's kinda troubling, actually."
"You haven't talked to this Yamada character in years," I reminded her, "And you're a known cop, so…"
"That didn't stop the thugs at Rorschach from trying to play grab-ass the last time I was there," Natsuki smiled, "I'll be fine."
Shizumi Fujino spoke up, "Surely we should go with you."
"Yamada is a paid informant. He's also remarkably paranoid. Occupational hazard, I guess. He knows I'm with the police department, so he's going to be on edge already. I don't need to spook him further by bringing strangers along. I promise, I'll tell you everything he tells me."
And with that, Natsuki headed out on her motorcycle, leaving Shizumi and me alone in her apartment.
"So," Shizumi looked around, "This is the place that Shizuru lived for all those years. It's nice. It's…it's comfortable. You can feel the love those two had for each other."
"Don't think I haven't noticed your interest," I smirked, "One of the many things you have in common with your sister?"
She flashed that infuriatingly calm Fujino smile, her crimson eyes meeting my own, "And you're not interested? Her lover has only been dead a week, and you want to put the moves on her? So shameless."
"You're no different," I countered, "Besides, I have no intention of doing anything until Natsuki is ready."
She gave me a cutesy smile, "Nor do I. Besides, it's customary for a well-to-do family to take in their child's spouse in the event that they've been widowed."
I leaned back, grinning wickedly, "Your parents know that you share your sister's 'affliction'? That's how they put it, isn't it? 'Affliction'?"
"You're one to talk," she laughed into the back of her hand, "Besides, what would it matter to you how my family viewed Shizuru or myself?"
"Personally? I don't really give a rat's ass. Except for one thing. Your folks made Natsuki cry. Shizuru was the most important person in her life, and they wouldn't even give her the chance to say goodbye properly."
"For what it's worth," Shizumi sighed, "Father would have been fine with it. However, the power and prestige all lay with my mother, and she was the one who objected. When she learned the truth about Shizuru…It was sheer terror for a month, for myself, for my Father, and for the staff in the household. And then she came out here to talk to Kuga and Onee…She came back with a bruised cheek and wouldn't say anything about what had happened."
I propped my elbows on the table and rested my hands on my chin, "Did your sister ever tell you what went down?"
Shizumi nodded, smiling. It wasn't the serene, fake smile of the Fujino family. It was the soft smile of a fond memory, "She did. She said that Mother came here and she found Kuga alone in the apartment."
"Kuga beat up your Mom!?" I sat up.
Shizumi gave me a tittering laugh, "Heavens, no. She was determined to maintain the peace. Mother apparently was laying into Kuga, calling her every name she knew for indecency, and Kuga simply let it slide right off her back."
I gave a soft laugh, "Yeah, well…she's not one to let people's opinions of her weigh her down."
"That's what Shizuru said," Shizumi laughed, "She said that she came home to hear Kuga saying, very nonchalantly, 'Yes, well thank you for stopping by. Please have a safe journey home.' Mother was apparently infuriated by Kuga's indifference, and she shouted at her, 'You slatternly witch, I don't know what spell you used to seduce my daughter, but…' and that's when Shizuru yanked her aside and slapped her. Mother can be intimidating when she's angry, but her fury is nothing…was nothing…," Shizumi quietly corrected herself, "To what Onee was capable of when she was angry. Mother shouts. Mother yells. Mother throws things. Shizuru? Shizuru became like ice, and her eyes seemed to be like blood. And you could feel that her fury was as great as Mother's, but all the more frightening that she needn't raise her voice to express it."
"Preaching to the choir," I said, remembering all too clearly being on the end of Fujino's murderous rage. She never broke a sweat when she attacked me, but she handed me my ass with the same level of effort as swatting a fly. She was a demon with a cruel smile. And Natsuki had stood between the two of us without fear. And the demon had been appeased.
"Shizuru said to her, 'Natsuki did not bewitch or seduce me. It was I who pursued her. And I betrayed her trust, only to receive her forgiveness. And if you ever come here to speak such ill to her again…yours would not be the first blood I spilled in her defense.'"
Yeah, it was known by all the HiME that Fujino had completely slaughtered the First District. There were over a hundred corpses with her name on them. And I almost joined them.
"Mother backed down right away," Shizumi looked out the window with a fond smile, "And she came home in defeat. After a conversation with Father, it was decided that the family would neither acknowledge nor forbid Shizuru's relationship.
"Father was the one who came to speak with Kuga when Shizuru died. He told her that it would be best if she did not attend the services. I think he was trying to prevent a scene between Kuga and my Mother."
I nodded, "Sounds like it. And you? Where do you stand?"
She gave a mirthless laugh, "I miss my sister. And I find myself utterly infatuated with her widow, for let us be honest, that is what Kuga is. However, I see that you are also fond of her. And you have an advantage in that you know her."
"I'm not going to hit on her while she's in mourning," I shot.
"Nor I. But I will remain here while the mystery of what's going is unraveled. And I intend, quite fully, to learn more about that delightful and impressive woman."
"Get to know her all you want," I smirked, "But don't think that you looking like your sister is going to give you any advantage. Natsuki is my friend, and…"
"Natsuki, is it? Yobisute? You hardly seem the type. And that nickname you have for her? 'Pup'? Tsk tsk tsk, hardly suitable for someone so graceful and alluring."
"Oh, and I thought your sister was annoying…"
~~*~~
It was nearly midnight when Natsuki returned to the apartment. There was a concerned look on her face, and she shut the door fast and bolted it.
"Nao, Shizumi-san, we're about to have company!"
"What sort of company?" I asked, a bit stupidly in retrospect.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but we can always put on some music and see if they want to dance," Natsuki grinned.
She flexed her hands, and there was a tinkling noise. And then a pair of familiar pistols in her hands.
"Of course," I smiled, "With the marks back…"
"Yeah, I learned that a little bit ago. Had to get rough with some guys in black suits."
I held up my hand, and a set of all too familiar clawed gauntlets appeared before me. I grinned, "I can play rough if I have to. Yo, Fujino Junior!"
"Yes?"
"You've got a mark. You must have an Element. Show us what you've got."
She closed her eyes. There was a crackle of energy, and a black katana appeared in the air before her. It had strange vents on the side above the guard. She reached out and seized it be the hilt.
"This is…?" she swung it to get a feel for it. There was a strange humming noise, and a wave of red light flashed from the blade edge, following the direction of her sweep. Two lamps were sliced cleanly in half.
"Great, a katana with a razor wave," I sighed, "Make sure you don't have us in the way when you swing that thing!"
"I…have to use this on people?!" she looked very green.
"You're right, you are different from your sister," I sighed, "She wasn't squeamish about things like this."
"Not the time, you two!" Natsuki looked grim, aiming at the door.
There was a sudden heavy feeling in the air, and everything went grey, except for us. Well, us and…
"Nagi!" Natsuki growled the name.
"Not entirely here, though," I observed, as he was see through.
"No, I'm not technically in this world," Nagi shrugged, that annoying smile of his firmly in place, "I'm using a considerable amount of my power just to talk to you ladies. Natsuki, you've really come into your own, haven't you."
"Yeah, my eyes are up here, shrimp."
"Aw. Still so cold, though. Well, at least you can't shoot me when I'm like this."
"Are you responsible for this, Nagi?" Natsuki demanded.
"Nope. When the star was destroyed, you girls should have been left normal and in peace. But you destroyed the star on YOUR plane. Meaning there are fragments of it around. Someone figured out how to…"
"Wisteria Corporation. That's what Yamada told me before they shot him," Natsuki looked away.
"As I was saying, they figured out how to recreate the power. Hence, you girls have your powers back."
"Excuse me?" Shizumi blinked, "Back? I never…"
"Yes, you're a mystery. Dear little Shizuru never gave birth, so she shouldn't have lost her powers like Yukariko did. But the power remained in the bloodline. Interesting…"
"If there's a point, Nagi, I'd appreciate you getting to it, soon," Natsuki huffed.
"The point, dear little Natsuki, is that this is not over. They're coming for you. All of you. Not just the ones who got their powers back. "
"Great. How do we stop them?"
"Figure out who 'they' are, I imagine. And try to do a better job of it than you did with District One. You don't have your girlfriend to tip the table over, this time. You've got your Element. Go to find your CHILD. And then, put a stop to it."
"I swear, if you weren't intangible right now, I'd slug you."
"Then I've got no incentive to materialize any further," he shrugged, "I'll be in touch. I'll see what I can learn in the meanwhile."
He faded from sight, and the color returned to the world.
There was a sudden clattering noise outside the door, and then the knob began to turn.
"Natsuki, I'm coming in, so I'd appreciate it a good deal if you didn't shoot me!"
Natsuki dissipated her pistols, "Come on in, Alyssa."
Alyssa was seventeen now, and she stood three centimeters above her sister. She wore a lovely black dress with black leggings, making her blue eyes and blonde hair really stand out.
"I hope you don't mind, but I had Miyu attend to some vermin at the front door. You really should treat for pests, y'know."
Natsuki smiled, "I was just about to call an exterminator."
We dissipated our Elements.
"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on here?" I asked.