WHITE ROSES - GOLDEN EYES
by SHIN-CHAN
A Yoroiden Samurai Troopers / Vampire Princess Miyu crossover side story.
The gang walked up the front entrance to the school. "Man, this is going to be so cool!" Shu exclaimed. "A masquerade carnival for Halloween. I can't wait until Friday!"
Touma shook his head, deciding not to answer. The others were equally excited. The school board had surprised everyone last week with the announcement. Most of the student body was busily figuring out costumes. The class presidents and various clubs were figuring out what booths to set up, and volunteers were being accepted to help with the Haunted Maze.
Shin shook his head at Shu's enthusiasm, then looked hopefully at Arial. A small frown came. Arial was the only one who didn't seem excited for the upcoming carnival. His frown deepened as he noticed that she wasn't even paying any attention to the conversation. Something was wrong. Arial should have been the first to exclaim how wonderful this was. She should have been busy figuring out costumes for everyone, whether they wanted her to or not. But instead, she acted as though nothing was happening at all. That was not like Arial.
Arial bit down on her bottom lip and chewed on it absently as she looked across the lawn. Shin turned his head and looked to see what had caught her attention. Several girls, from Arial's year. The five of them were talking and giggling, and looking toward them. They noticed him looking, and they blushed, giggled again, and turned away. One of them, the new transfer student, turned away slower than the others, a strange glint in her golden eyes.
*******
Arial took a step toward Shin, brushing up against him. She noticed him glancing down at her in surprise, but paid him no mind. She was giving one of the girls a warning look, the one that was dangerous. Arial kept her eyes on her until they entered the school, Shin holding the door open for her and giving her one of the worried frowns that he had been casting her way all last week.
All of the rest of the day, Arial acted on autopilot. She really didn't pay attention to what was going on in her classes, and spent the entire lunch hour in the library instead of with Shin and their friends. That evening, as Arial walked home with Sayuki, Seiji, and Shin, she noticed the concerned looks they kept casting her, but ignored their questions. Once she got home, she smiled at Shin and Seiji in an absent-minded way, and then rushed up to the small room that she used as her studio. Unseen behind her, the three she left behind exchanged worried looks.
*******
>With a great sigh of relief, Arial shut the door behind her and locked it. Sighing, she leaned against it. Alone. At last. <Gods,> Arial thought as she sat her school bag down on the floor and slowly sat on her stool, <they are so worried. They probably think I have gone crazy . . .> And they wouldn't be that far off. <I don't think even Shin would believe me if I told him . . .> Not that she would have been able to explain to him. How do you explain it? And how would she start?
She is not human?
'When I look at her I see . . .'
Shadows? Darkness? Power and despair?
'She scares me . . .' Like nothing else I have ever encountered. And because she hunts. And the prey . . .
Arial stared at the canvas in front of her. She hadn't picked up a paintbrush since she had arrived. Not after she had painted this picture, after the first time she had seen Miyu, on her first day. The canvas before her was a wild swirl of dark purples, blues and black. The gray skeletal remains of long dead trees and undefined shapes. And in the shadows, horrors from the depths of the human psyche. In the center, with a soft childlike smile was Miyu, a shadowy figure hovering protectively around her. She had painted it in one night, staying locked in her studio until it was time for school the next day. Arial had looked at it, in the morning sun, and had shivered in horror. She had covered the painting, and locked the door behind her. Every day since, she had come up and stared at it, at the golden eyes, full of inhuman purpose, and soul searing sadness.
The worst thing was, Arial thought, was when she looked at the picture, was that it was felt natural to see her there, in the dark . . .
*******
Sayuki sighed. <Arial, what in the world is wrong with you?> For the last couple weeks, Arial had started to . . . flake out was the best phrase she could come up with. Arial had become so spacy lately, like she didn't see what was around her. She and Shin, as well as Touma, had been commenting on it all last week. Today the others had seen it as well. As they entered the school. Sayuki repressed a shudder. The look in Arial's eyes as she stepped into Shin, the others didn't see it. Arial was scared. Really scared. And it was not like her paranoia about spiders, or her now brief panics over spirits. True fear. Mortal fear. Of something. And she was quite sure that Arial had no idea of what it was.
<It is something to be worried about,> a soft voice murmured in Sayuki's mind. <For something to have frightened Arial, a dragon-child . . .> the voice faded off.
<I agree Tiamin,> Sayuki answered. <Arial . . . I have never seen her like that. She has been edgy the last couple of weeks, but this week it has been getting worse. Shin really hasn't said anything, yet. But his eyes . . . >
<We will have to keep a close eye on her. Tell Shin and the others not to leave her alone. Whatever it is . . . > Sayuki felt a wave of worry emanate from her pendant. <We have to be on guard. From whatever it is . . .>
*******
Nasutei carefully cut out the article from the evening paper. It was about a wave of murders that had been occurring the last couple of weeks. A serial killer, the paper claimed. The police refrained from commenting, not wanting to cause a panic. A serial killer. Nasutei nodded and laid the article on her desk next to all the other articles. But not one the police could stop. The victims themselves were not strange. Five young ladies, all in their late teens, had been found murdered, their bodies discovered in public parks. There were no marks upon the bodies with the exception of thorn marks. Next to each body was a blood red rose. That piece of information was not known by the press. Nasutei had connections with the police force, and her friend had told her the details of the murders.
"Some kind of demon, I am sure of it." The coroner had yet to find the cause of death. What else could kill in such a way, without a trace? But why? Shion from the UDF had been called in to check out the bodies. He had given the official report that nothing seemed out of the ordinary to him. She had spoken to him later, as he nursed a whiskey neat at a nearby bar, and he had told her that their life force was gone. Snap. Just like that. She had to wait until he tossed down three more before he spoke of the roses, and even now she didn't want to think of what he told her. She knew that she wasn't going to be sleeping well for the next several weeks. Roses blooming red from the blood of the victims. They each had the echo of the victims' aura. The roses were somehow the murder weapon.
"Nasutei, are you home?" Ryo's voice. The others must be home now. With a feeling of dread, Nasutei swept the papers into a file and quickly stuffed it into the desk. After a hesitant moment, she pulled out a key and locked the drawer. "I'm up here guys!" Nasutei called back. A chorus of male voices came back at her. She took a deep breath, adopted a pleasant look, and walked out of the study, the key in her pocket.
*******
<She is strange, is she not? She has a feeling for whom you are, and who you hunt, I believe.>
"Yes, I noticed that." A casual flirting smile. "She won't stop me, you know. I have taken care of that. I haven't met anyone like him in a long while."
<He doesn't seek the peace of forgetfulness.>
"I know. I wasn't planning giving him that gift. He is . . . special. He brings back memories . . . " soft golden eyes grew misty, "memories of the sea . . . "
*******
The next morning, Arial got up earlier than normal and left by herself. She was at the school by the time that her cousin woke up and found her note asking for her to fetch Touma that morning. While Sayuki gave the note a very nasty look, Touma had been staying at Nasutei's for the past five days, Arial slowly walked along the stone fence surrounding the front of the school.
"I am here, now what?" she called out to the waiting presence she could just barely feel.
"Ohayo." Arial spun around at the overtly-familiar greeting. "You are here very early."
"Hai," Arial gave the golden-eyed girl a cautious look, then jumped down to stand in front of her. "You want to speak to me, don't you?"
Miyu smiled, tilting her head to one side. "You are very perceptive Arial. I think I like you." Suddenly she spun around, her red ribbon wrapped ponytail swinging in the air. "But you are walking dangerous grounds."
The world shifted. That was the only word that Arial could think of to describe what had happened. Everything was dark, but she could see just fine. She swallowed roughly. She had seen this world before.
"Welcome to my home. Welcome to the Dark."
*******
Touma stumbled into the kitchen, nearly fully dressed, with a soft fur scarf made of blue tipped white fur wrapped around his neck. Sitting at the table was Seiji and Ryo. Shin was at the stove, and Shu had his face stuck in the fridge. "Morning."
Ryo and Seiji looked up. "Good morning Touma."
"Morning,"
An undistinguished mumble came from the direction of the fridge.
"Morning Touma," Nasutei came into the kitchen and walked around Touma. "Up a bit early?"
Touma shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. I kept having nightmares of showing up at the carnival in tights."
"Katari still wants the two of you to go as Romeo and Juliet?"
Nodding, Touma sat at the table. "She says she can get the costumes with no problem, but I am not going in tights, no mater what she says."
"Kiiirrrr," a soft trill came from Touma's direction and his scarf moved. A small kittenish face gazed crossly around the room.
"And even Miir agrees with you," Shin said softly. Touma and Nasutei turned to Shin.
"Shin, something wrong?"
"Hmmm?" He turned and gave Nasutei a faint smile that did not reach his green eyes. "Just worried about Arial."
Nasutei frowned. "Is something wrong with her?"
Shin blinked blankly at her, the others joined him. "You haven't noticed?"
She grimaced and shook her head. She had been so involved with her current project that the Youjakai could have invaded again, and she wouldn't have even noticed. "I have been a bit preoccupied lately."
"That is a lot like how Arial is acting, but more so." She turned to Seiji, who had a thoughtful look on his face. "As though all of her attention is focused on something. It's strange."
"Yeah," Shu finally closed the door to the fridge, not finding whatever it was he was looking for. "No kidding. Late last night Sayuki called, with a strange message from Tiamin. 'Keep an eye on Arial.' Sayuki couldn't give any reasons, just that Arial shouldn't be left alone."
"Shin, she hasn't said anything to you?"
Shin sat a plate of pancakes on the table, shaking his head. "I haven't gotten more than a dozen sentences out of her in the last three days. She just looks around with a worried, distracted look. Her teachers are even getting worried."
"Have you tried speaking to her?"
Shin nodded and began to say something when he was interrupted by the phone. It was a bit early for calls, and everyone exchanged looks before Ryo, who was closest to the kitchen extension, answered it. "Moshi moshi. Yagiyu . . . Sayuki?" Everyone looked at Ryo sharply and Seiji started to get up. "Slow down, I can't understand you . . . Gone? A note. School? Yes . . . Ja." Ryo turned to the others, but his eyes sought out Shin's. "Arial is missing. Sayuki woke up a little while ago, and found a note saying that she had already left for school . . . " Shin was out of his seat before Ryo could finish talking. With a shimmer of sea-blue, Shin was gone.
*******
Arial looked around, trying to find Miyu. The Dark. In capital letters. She -knew- of this place, had never heard of it before, or read of it, but she somehow -knew- of it.
"Shinma . . . " Arial whispered, not sure where the word came from.
"Hai."
Arial spun around. Standing behind her was Miyu, now wearing a white, short-skirted kimono styled dress with a long blood-red sash tied around her waist. Her feet were bare, and she had a red ribbon tied around one ankle. She was floating a foot off the ground. She smiled pleasantly and tilted her head to one side.
"You have been watching me." It was more than a statement than a question. Arial nodded. "And you know what I am?"
"You are of the Shinma," Arial whispered. "Those who are both God and demon. Those who left the world to humanity to live in the darkness of their fears." Miyu nodded, still smiling. Arial felt a presence at her back, but refused to look. She had a good idea of what was behind her. "You are of the vampire clan," Arial stated with a more confident tone of voice. For some reason, she wasn't as frightened as she was before. As though saying it out loud had released the fears she felt. "First Level Guardian of the Shinma." That got a flicker of surprise from Miyu. "Hunter of Shinma who prey on humanity, who preys herself."
"But not at the cost of their lives." Miyu gracefully lowered herself to the ground and approached Arial. She stopped an arm's length from the blond girl, their eyes level with one anothers. "The blood that flows through your veins, it is not human." Their eyes met. Brilliant gold and startling purple. Miyu nodded once, then stepped back. "We are a lot alike, you and I," she said softly, understanding in her voice. "We both long for what we never will be." Miyu flickered out of view and Arial spun around. Miyu was now behind her, standing in the embrace of a cloaked and cowled figure. "I like you, cousin of my soul."
Before Arial had a chance to figure out that, the world shimmered again, and everything returned to normal.
"Shimatta . . . " Arial whispered and looked around. Miyu and her servant were not in sight.
"Arial!" She spun around. Shin was behind her. Dressed in his school uniform, san jacket, with a very worried look on his face. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.
<Dangerous grounds, Cousin. Between me and that which I hunt.>
"I just needed to get out for a while Shin." She gave him a watery smile, then ran the short distance between them. She had her arms wrapped around him and her face buried in his chest before he knew what was happening.
"A-Arial . . . " Shin wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. Her eyes, they were more alert than they had been for a long while. She looked up at him, eyes moist with tears.
"Hold me Shin, please?"
"Arial . . . " Arial hid her face in his chest again, and he held her tighter. 'Arial . . . what happened to you? Why are you here?' he silently asked himself. After a moment of indecision, he teleported both of them back to Nasutei's house. Whatever it was, it was more important than school was today.
*******
*brrring*brrring*
Blindly Himiko groped for the phone on the night stand. "Moshi moshi," she mumbled sleepily and peered at the electrical clock. Seven a.m. Who called at this time of the morning?
"Himiko-san?"
Himiko sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. She had been up until three exorcizing a minor animal spirit from a ryokan it had been causing trouble in. She hated Halloween. Western holiday or not, she had noticed that the spirits always got more active the week before that holiday than during most any other time of the year. At least it was Thursday. Two more days and it would be all over.
"Himiko-san?" the voice repeated. Himiko groaned softly as she realized that she had gotten lost in her thoughts. She really needed a good nights' sleep . . .
"Hai. Himiko speaking. May I help you?"
"I sure hope so. This is Shion Amade." Himiko smiled. She remembered him. A spiritualist several years younger than her who lived in Kobe. They had run across each other several years ago, and kept in touch. It was always good to have an ally to fall back on in an emergency.
"Shion. It is a pleasure to hear from you, but isn't this a bit early for a social call."
"It isn't a social call Himiko-san," Shion's voice had taken on a serious tone. "Have you been following the news lately?"
"No, I have been out a lot. The spirits have been very unrestful."
"I know. I got called in to check something out, and to be honest it scared the hell out of me. I think this might be more up your alley than mine. Could you come and check it out?"
"Ahh . . . " Himiko grimaced as she thought of her current bank account. "It will be several hours before I can arrive in Kobe Shion . . ."
"Oh no," Shion quickly interrupted. "I am based here in Tokyo now. Have you heard of the UDF? I am on hire by them. Stop in the main office today anytime that is convenient. Please."
"It is that bad?"
"Probably even worse. Remember when you told me of your little gold-eyed friend? That kind of serious."
"I will meet you within the hour."
*******
"You are not going, and that is final!"
Shin crossed his arms and stared at Arial. After whatever had happened Tuesday morning, Arial was almost back to normal. She had insisted in going back to school, claiming that she couldn't afford to miss the class time, and now she wanted to go to the carnival. "I am fine Shin. How many times do I have to say it?"
"Until we start to believe you." Ryo stepped into the room wearing a fancy red silk tunic and matching vest over a pair of black breeches. Shin and Arial stared at him. He also had a long embroidered gold velvet cloak and a gold coronet around his head, which failed miserably to hold back his wild black hair. "If you give us an explanation as to why you were acting so strange in the first place, and that it won't happen again . . . and why are you staring at me?"
"Gee your Highness," Shu, dressed in a very snappy white suit came down the stairs. "I don't know. Maybe because you look like you stepped out of a fantasy novel."
"I knew this was a bad idea," Ryo groused. "Rashell said she wanted to see me dressed ~properly~ for once, and she figured with everyone dressing up that this would be the perfect time."
"I take it she is dressing normally?" Shin asked.
"Yes, and I hope none of the teachers question her about her sword. She refuses to wear a fake one . . . "
A lovely young lady with long blue-black curls haughtily walked into the room. She was dressed in a red tunic similar to Ryo's, but in a more military fashion. She was wearing arm and leg bracers and shoulder guards under her lightweight black cloak. Her hair was pulled back by jeweled combs, prominently displaying her long, delicately pointed ears. "As if I could protect you with a piece of plastic. I refuse to be shamed in such a manner, My Prince."
A long-suffering look passed across Ryo's face. "Could you please stop calling me that?"
Arial turned away from them and gave Shu a close look. "Niiice Shu. And you even combed your hair. I am impressed."
Shu straightened his collar and turned away, his nose in the air. "I am not listening."
"But you do look nice. I knew it would suit you." Shori walked down the stairs. Her costume was a flapper dress made of yellow glass beads. She came to a stop next to Shu, and Arial had to admit that they did look good together.
"Vell, how do ve look?" Sayuki asked in a fake Transylvanian accent. "Za Count and his lady appear."
Arial turned, and could not repress a shudder as she saw what Seiji and her cousin had dressed up as. Vampires. Just what she did not need.
"Arial?" Shin had noticed her shudder, as had everyone else in the room.
"Are you okay?" Sayuki quickly approached, her long black dress dragging on the ground behind her.
"Yeah, I just did not expect that. Vampires?"
"Why not? At least we are dressed nice for it."
"Any reason to dress in a tux, Hmmm Seiji?"
"Tuxedos are not just for special occasions Shu."
"Arial, Shin, you are not ready yet?!" Katari rushed into the room and frowned at them. Everyone looked at her in astonishment.
"I swear, we are going to be so late! Your costumes are upstairs, now hurry and put them on!" Everyone continued to stare at her, and she stomped her foot in frustration. "What is with you guys?"
"I think I preferred the tights." Touma stepped in the room, wearing nothing but a brightly colored square of blue flower print cloth rapped around his hips and several shell necklaces around his neck. Miir was calmly sitting on his shoulder, his long tail wrapped around Touma's neck loosely.
Katari spun around, her grass skirt swirling around her as she did so. "I think it is perfect! This way I can see your chest as well as your legs." Touma blushed and Shu began to strangle. Shin gave her a very cautious look.
"You say you chose our outfits?" Even more reason not to go. "We are not going to be dressed for a luau as well are we?" 'Because if we are, Arial and I are definitely not going, no matter how she feels.'
"Nooo, of course not. Greek outfits. Arial looks great in white, with her hair and all."
"Thanks. We ought to go and change then Shin. We really don't want to be late."
Shin frowned. Arial was wearing that worried look again. "Why?" Everyone looked at him. Normally one did not hear him use a tone that flat, and especially toward Arial. "The idea of going obviously upsets you. Why go?"
Arial's voice was very faint, and they almost didn't hear it. "Because what could happen if I am not there worries me even more."
"Why?" Shin asked again, determined to find out what was going on. "What is going to happen?"
"I am not sure." Arial bit her lip. "I just want to keep an eye on her."
"Her who?" Several people chorused.
Arial looked around the room. It looked as though she would have to tell them. She didn't seem to have much choice. Whether or not they believed her . . . "Miyu. I need to keep an eye on Miyu."
"Miyu? Miyu Hikami? The new student?" Arial nodded. "Why."
"Because," Arial glanced around at everyone. "Because she is dangerous. And no one besides me knows it. She is hunting someone," and I would feel safer if all of us were together . . .
"Miyu?" Sayuki crossed her arms and gave her cousin a level look. "Dangerous. Come on, she is the same height that you are, she looks as though she is still in junior high school, and you say she is dangerous? How is that?"
"She is a vampire . . . " Shu started to cough immediately. Sayuki and Seiji exchanged speaking looks. Ryo rolled his eyes, Touma lowered his head and Shin just stared. Katari, she gave Arial a speculative look. Since meeting Toum-chan, she was open to anything. Rashell eyes narrowed, she and Arial were still not on comfortable terms with each other, and she gave Arial a sharp look.
"A vampire. I have heard of such creatures. Are they not vulnerable to sunlight?"
"Miyu is a special case. I don't want to confront her. Just keep an eye on her."
"Arial . . . " She spun around to Shin.
"Please, do you think I would kid about this? That I would make something like this up?" And if you have a hard time believing this, what will you say about the rest?
Shin gave her a searching look. She did have a point there.
"Shin, she knows I know. I spoke with her the other morning. She is going to be at the carnival, and I have to be there." Arial's voice was getting a bit desperate.
The Troopers quickly conferred amongst themselves. It was a bit wild, but if Arial was right . . . and the odds had always favored her before . . . it did help explain some of her actions for the past week . . .
"Okay Arial. Lets get dressed. And then you can brief us on what exactly what we are to expect from this 'vampire'."
*******
The carnival was going strong when they arrived a bit after six. Touma had continued to complain about his costume and Katari had finally given in on one point. Of course, even Katari had to admit that running around barefooted all night would not be fun. At least it was still very warm outside, so she and Touma wouldn't freeze. She hadn't even attempted to try to make Miir stay behind.
Arial loved her costume. All white, with a gold cord to tie around and define her bodice. She had piled her hair on top of her head (gaining nearly a half-foot of height as she did so), which made her look older than she normally did. Shin was dressed in white robes, which looked a bit strange to those use to seeing him in blue robes. It did set his auburn hair and green eyes off, though.
"Okay, what now?" Shu asked, eyeing all the food booths around them. He was receiving quite a few strange looks from his classmates, some of who did not recognize him.
"Why," Katari glomped onto Touma and smiled suggestively up at him, "have fun, of course." Touma immediately broke out into a cold sweat.
"You two can do that at home," Touma immediately blushed. "We ought to wander around though. Keep an eye on things. And for Miyu." Ryo had not liked what Arial had told them about her. A vampire, but without limits. She had told them not to confront her if possible. She didn't kill at random, but there was no need to take chances. Arial had also told them that Miyu had a guardian. If he showed up, call for help, immediately. And then Arial had told them, after Shu had asked how they could destroy her, that they were not going to destroy her. Just keep an eye on her, try to protect people from her, and let her leave when she was ready. They nearly had a collective apoplexy on that one.
'Miyu is the guardian of her people. She protects us from them, and them from us. We can't destroy her.'
"Come then, Ryo-sama," he winced. He wished that Rashell would just call him 'Ryo' once. He turned to her and held out his arm. She placed her hand on it, and the two walked away.
"Oohhh Toum-chan!" Katari rushed over to a booth with Touma stumbling behind her. "Look at those cute toys!"
'I.e., can you get me one?' Touma sighed and looked to see what kind of game it was, then smiled wickedly.
"Hit the target three times and win the lovely lady a teddy. Three bulls-eyes and win the big teddy."
Touma glanced over to the side. A huge brown bear with a great big blue satin bow was sitting next to the wall. Standing up it would be as tall as Arial. He laid down three dollars and picked up the bow. Three bulls-eyes in a moving target? At fifteen feet? "What are you going to name your bear?" Touma casually asked as he shot an arrow dead center on the first target.
Katari clapped her hands together as Touma easily hit the second target. "Chibi-chan!"
*******
The others watched as Touma hit the third target, and laughed at the look on the vendor's face. Their laughter faded as the young man handed the huge bear to Katari.
"I ain't carryin' that," Shu flat out stated. "Lets get before Katari foists it on one of us." The other five wholeheartedly agreed and they split off into three different groups.
Seiji and Sayuki headed off for the Haunted Maze, Shu and Shori for the food booths, and Shin and Arial just started to wander.
*******
Shion and Himiko were walking down a quiet side street several blocks away from the Kaze Ryu Acadamy.
Himiko had confirmed Shion's suspicion on how the now seven young ladies had been killed. A Shinma. One of the most powerful type of demonic creatures in existence. Nearly impossible to kill, the only way she knew how to defeat them was to send them back to the Dark with the use of their names.
"And she is reliable?" Himiko asked as they turned into a small coffee shop. Shion nodded.
"Yes. She has access to all sorts of information, and she has been following this since it began. I called her yesterday and told her what you told me. Today she called and asked that we meet her here. She thinks she knows who it is."
Himiko nodded. Knowing the name of the Shinma would be very useful. She clutched the handle of her briefcase. If she could find a way to destroy the Shinma herself . . . She took a deep breath and followed Shion into the coffee shop.
He lead her to a small table in the back of the room. A young lady was sitting there, long brown hair falling over her shoulder as she worked on her laptop. She looked up as the two approached.
"Hi Nasutei. This is Himiko Se. Himiko-san, Nasutei Yagiyu."
"Good evening." Nasutei smiled at the older woman. "Shion has told me quite a bit about you, Himiko-san."
Himiko smiled and sat across from her. "All good, I hope." Nasutei smiled and waited until Shion sat down next to Himiko to continue.
"I have been running the information Shion gave me through my files. My grandfather had found information on the Shinma during his research. Not much, but more than most know." She turned the computer so that the screen faced Himiko. "This is what I found in the past twenty-four hours. A recorded listing of nearly fifty Shinma, covering close to three hundred years. Their names, descriptions, and habits. I hope this helps."
Himiko was rendered speechless for several minutes. This was more information than she had managed to find in over two years. "Yes . . . you cannot imagine how much help this is." Quickly she opened her briefcase and pulled out a handful of papers, all the information she had been able to gather herself. A photo separated itself from the pile and slid across the table to stop in front of Nasutei. She picked it up, and gave it a casual glance before handing it to Himiko.
"A client of yours?" she asked. Himiko looked at the photo, then shook her head.
"No, that is a Shinma . . . " she paused as Nasutei's fingers tightened on the photo. Suddenly, she had a bad premonition. "You have seen her before." It wasn't a question.
"Yes," Shion craned his head to look at the picture. It was of a young teenage girl with long brown hair in a ponytail and large golden eyes. "Several times. She goes to the nearby high school."
*******
The sun had gone down and the carnival was going full swing. Touma had won several more toys for Katari, which he carried. Katari was proudly lugging Chibi-chan around, basking in all the envious looks sent her way. Shu and Shori had hit almost half of the food booths before she insisted that they do something else, before she got sick. They were now waiting in line to get into the Haunted Maze.
Seiji and Sayuki had found the maze a bit childish, but had enjoyed it all the same. They were at the fortune teller's booth. The fortune teller, who was legitimate, was having a really bad night. Shin and Arial had already visited (and had given the poor lady more shocks in five minutes than she had received in the past ten years - each), as had Ryo and Rashell. She was planning on closing for the night as soon as Seiji left and before anyone else showed up, and hitting a bottle of sake, hard. Telling gullible young boys and girls who they would marry was one thing. Having Gods, elementals and elves show up was quite another and not in her contract, thank you very much.
Ryo and Rashell were currently eating, and Shin and Arial were at the dunking booth, where her first hour teacher was taking his turn.
"Oooooh," Arial's eyes lit up with what could only have been described as mischievous delight. "Shin, please?"
"This won't help you any the next time you are late, you know."
"Exactly." She gave Gendo-sensei an evil look and then a wistful look at Shin. With a sigh he pulled out a couple of dollars and the attendant gave Arial three baseballs.
"Miss Ryunosui, you don't believe for a moment you can come anywhere near hitting the target." His voice was low and disapproving. She giggled and tossed one of the balls into the air before catching it. He looked down his nose at her. She smirked and pitched.
Arial would later say that the best part of the night was seeing the look on his face as he fell into the cold water. All three times. Arial had turned back to Shin, who was smiling in an indulgent manner at her, to ask for more money when Seiji and Sayuki rushed up to them. "We just saw Miyu."
*******
Himiko, Shion and Nasutei were at the far end of the carnival, near the trees, when they saw a sudden flash of white. "Miyu," Himiko breathed. It was her. And she was dressed in her normal outfit, which meant that she was hunting. The question was, was she hunting Shinma, or for her latest meal?
"Yes, that is her," Nasutei whispered, "Miyu Hikami."
"Pretty little thing to be a demon," Shion murmured, then recalled Keirkis, the very human looking, bishonen Dark Lord.
"That is how she hunts." Himiko frowned. She could see several shadows moving in the distance. They moved out into the moonlight, and Himiko realized that it was a small group of teenagers heading into the woods.
"Oh great!" Shion shook his head and stood up and whistled. Himiko gave him a startled look. The six teenagers turned and stared at them.
"What are you doing?" Himiko demanded as the costumed teenagers approached. She almost laughed when she noticed that one couple were dressed as vampires.
"Damage control," Shion told her. He glanced at Nasutei. She shrugged and indicated that the choice was his. He sighed and looked at the teenagers.
"Hi guys. What are you doing here?"
Shin gave him a curious look. "Shouldn't we be asking you that?" He glanced over at Nasutei, then at the strange woman next to him. Arial's grip on her arm suddenly tightened and he looked down at her. She was staring at the woman, a look of startlement on her face.
"I think they are here for the same reason we are," she whispered.
Ryo muttered something darkly under his breath. "Shion, Nasutei, want to go first?"
"I will." Himiko stepped forward. "Himiko Se, spiritualist. We are hunting the Shinma Haku Ka, and the Shinma Miyu. I would highly advise returning to the carnival where it is safe."
"Shinma?" five of the teenagers chorused.
"Who is Haku Ka?" Arial asked. She had not known of a second Shinma.
"Shinma Haku Ka is responsible for the recent string of murders." Himiko noticed that several of the teenagers gave a start at that. The little blond remained quiet. "You said that we were here for the same reason you were. What reason is that?"
"We are following Miyu. To make sure she doesn't cause any trouble." The blond gave Himiko the strangest of looks. "If she is hunting this other Shinma, we shouldn't get involved. It doesn't have anything to do with us."
"How much do you know of Miyu?" Arial turned away and looked into the woods.
"A bit. I am not in the same position as you, so there are things I don't know, but enough."
"Same position?" Himiko asked.
"You and Miyu have known each other for a very long time, haven't you?" Himiko jerked back as though she had been struck. "I have only known her for a couple of weeks."
"But sometimes time doesn't matter, does it?"
Everyone spun around. Sitting on a tree branch was Miyu, dressed in white. In a nearby tree was a shadowy, cloaked figure. "Himiko, you always seem to show, don't you?" Miyu giggled, a soft, knowing giggle. "Haku Ka is out of your league, you should not pursue this anymore."
"And of whom else you hunt?" Himiko demanded. "I will not let you send another into an eternal dreamworld."
"Oh, him." Miyu lifted up one leg and rested her cheek on it. "That is not the gift I will bestow upon him. To do that would change what I want to preserve," the smile faded from her face for a moment, then returned. "I think you are more familiar with the gift I am planning than any other Himiko."
Himiko gazed at Miyu uncomprehendingly for a moment, then paled as she realized what the vampire princess was planning. "no," she breathed. Then louder, "No! Miyu . . . "
Miyu was gone.
"It looks as though Arial was correct after all." No one looked at Rashell.
*******
Further in the woods, a young man dressed as a pirate was handing a young lady dressed as a playboy bunny a long-stemmed white rose just beginning to bloom. She smiled at him, and reached out her hand . . .
*******
"We have to stop her . . . " Ryo barely said when a faint scream filled the air. Everyone turned to the woods.
"Damn!" Shion cried out and started running, followed closely by Himiko. The others were right behind them.
It only took a couple of minutes to reach the small clearing. They got there just in time to watch Miyu disappear after a gaudily dressed person. Lying on the ground was a young girl, a red streaked white rose clenched tightly in her hand.
"Natsuko!" Shin exclaimed, recognizing a girl who shared his third hour class. He rushed toward her and rolled her on her back. She limply sprawled on the ground, her arm tossed to one side, blood dribbling from her hand. Shin reached out to remove the rose, but Shion's sharp command stopped him.
"Don't!" Shion approached and knelt next to Natsuko. He held his hand over hers, then turned away, eyes closed. "It's too late."
"No, it's not!" Seiji shoved past him and reached for her arm. Shion grabbed Seiji by the wrist.
"Seiji, it is too late. She is good as dead."
Himiko had come up behind them. "I am sorry, there is no way to save her."
Seiji looked at Shion, then at Himiko. "I do not accept that." He jerked his wrist free, and reached out for Natsuko's wrist. Shion didn't try to stop him this time. He carefully wrapped his hand around her wrist. A soft glow emanated from his fingers, and Natsuko's hand spasmed, releasing the rose. Himiko gasped. Without removing his hand, Seiji carefully positioned Natsuko so that her head was resting on his lap. He gave the abandoned rose a look of revulsion. Its red veins were pulsating.
"It is still feeding off of her." Seiji looked up at the gathered crowd. "The only way to save her is to break the Shinma's hold on her.
"How long will she live," Himiko asked. Seiji turned and gave her a long, silent look.
"As long as her life force holds out." He didn't mention that the only reason she was alive at the moment was because he was supplementing her life force. "Until dawn." After that there wasn't anything even he could do to save her.
"Okay then," Ryo looked around at the gathered people, "Lets go find him." He quickly looked around and motioned for some people to follow him several feet away. Arial had sat down next to Seiji, and Ryo did not want to include her in the conversation. "I think we need to split up and look around." Several nods of agreement. "Seiji seems to be fine here. Nasutei, Sayuki, you two stay here. Rashell, you too." She opened her mouth to argue. "This is a direct command. I don't want that thing to come up behind them." She nodded sullenly. "Shion, you will come with me, Himiko, you are with Shin. Any questions?"
"Yes!" Himiko looked at them as though they had all gone crazy. "Have you gone crazy? Do you honestly think you can stop a Shinma?"
"Himiko," she turned and looked at Shion. "They are actually our best chance of defeating Haku Ka. Trust me on this one."
She gave him a long look, then nodded. They couldn't do any worse than she could.
"Okay then," Ryo gave them a grim smile, "lets go."
*******
"Arial, what are Shinma?"
"Huh?" Arial glanced up. Seiji was looking at her, his lavender eyes boring into her purple ones.
"Did you know about this?"
Rapidly she shook her head. "I didn't know about this, this second Shinma. All I knew about was Miyu."
"And the Shinma?" Nasutei sat down across from them with Sayuki beside her.
Arial looked away. "I know about the Shinma."
"Why didn't you tell us about Miyu sooner?"
"I . . . couldn't. These last two weeks . . . " she shook her head as if to clear it, "I knew about Miyu, but I didn't -know- about her until I spoke to her on Tuesday. It was all buried in the back of my mind, and I couldn't reach it until then . . . " She looked around, looking for Shin. "It's hard to explain. Where is Shin?"
Nasutei shook her head. With everything going on, some things always stayed the same. 'If she hadn't asked, I would have been worried though.' "Ryo and Shin went off with Shion and Himiko . . . "
"WHAT!!!" Arial jumped to her feet in a rush and rapidly looked around. The only other person in sight was Rashell.
"What is it?" Rashell strode over and glared at Arial. "So they left you behind. Deal with it!"
"You don't understand!" Arial was desperately peering into the forest, trying to sense Shin. She gave them an undecided look, she didn't have the time to explain, then bolted into the woods.
*******
"So how did you guys find out about Miyu, and where are Touma and Shu?"
Ryo gave Shion a startled look. "They are still back at the carnival. Touma isn't dressed to run around in the dark, and we couldn't reach Shu. As for Miyu, Arial told us about her."
"Figures."
"I think she left out a few points though. She did not mention anything about Shinma. What are they?"
Shion shrugged. "Bad, very bad. From what I know, they have always existed. They are said to be both Gods and demons, and that they willingly imprisoned themselves in the Dark when mankind was still in its infancy. Himiko-san is one of the few people who know anything about them, she has been running across Miyu for several years now."
"Miyu hunts other Shinma?"
"Yes, from what Himiko-san said. She guards their sleep, and returns stray Shinma to the Dark. I called her in for the murders. We didn't know about Miyu until we saw a picture of her that Himiko-san had. What did Arial tell you?"
"That Miyu was a vampire. And that she is a guardian of some sort. She only told us about this today."
A branch broke in the distance, and the two young men froze. After a moment of not hearing anything else, they continued.
"Now explain the wisdom of trying to track down two Shinma at night, in the woods, with no idea of what we are doing to me again Ryo."
*******
Miyu leaned back into Larava's embrace. "Quick, isn't he?"
<He was interrupted. He will be looking for a new victim.>
"And when he does, I'll find him." Miyu reached up and wrapped her arms around the other Shinma's neck. "He is totally vulnerable when he feeds. I shouldn't have a long wait."
<He comes . . .>
"Hmmm?"
*******
Shin and Himiko walked silently through the woods.
"What is your girlfriend's connection with Miyu?"
Shin gave Himiko a startled look. "Connection?"
"Miyu usually doesn't associate with anyone except her victim. Your girlfriend knew about Miyu, and did not act. Don't you think that is strange?"
Shin paused and sat down on a fallen log. "Arial . . . has a tendency to look at things differently. She doesn't believe in getting involved in things that don't concern her."
"Shinma concern everybody."
"What is your connection to Miyu?"
Himiko sat down next to Shin. "In my job, I have a tendency to run into the unusual. On one job several years ago, I ran across a fox spirit posing as a vampire. It was actually a Shinma and Miyu had been hunting it. Since then, it seemed that every time I ran across Miyu a Shinma was nearby, or it was the other way around."
"Your destinies are bound someway then."
Himiko thought back on her childhood memory of Miyu and shuddered. "Someway."
A flash of white appeared in front of them. Shin jerked up. "Wasn't that . . . "
Himiko nodded and got to her feet. "Miyu."
Shin stood up and took several steps forward. "She headed this way Himiko . . . " Shin turned back to Himiko, then froze. She was standing behind him, frozen. A long fingered hand was clasped over her mouth, an arm around her chest.
"Don't worry about Himiko, nothing will happen to her." Slowly Shin turned. Standing several feet in front of him was Miyu.
*******
"Your eyes, they look like the sea."
Shin cautiously kept an eye on Miyu as he slowly started to walk to the left. He wanted to keep an eye on both Miyu and Himiko. "Yes, I know. People have told me that before."
"Ever changing, with hidden depths," Miyu continued. "As a child I always loved to watch the sea. The waves climbing up the sand, reaching toward you . . . "
Himiko's eyes widened as Miyu slowly took a step toward Shin. She tossed her head, trying to break free and warn Shin.