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| Disclaimer: Que sera, sera... Very
unlikely... okay I'll stop spouting random French in my chapters now.
Notes:
I've tried to keep the quality of writing up but I should probably invest in a thesaurus. I keep feeling like I'm repeating expressions. -_- Also tried to re-post the last chapter with the address for that pic TAFKAE drew me in every way I could think of... with the html, without it, lopped off the 'http', hid the address... didn't work. @_@ One time it actually chopped off about a third of the chapter as well for no reason that I could logically fathom. So go to my webpage through my bio and look in the guest art section for "Ed" or e-mail me and I'll mail it to you. ^_^ And remember, e-mail and reviews are the food of starving artis- authors!! Liz_Hallington@hotmail.com Is This Normal?! "I don't suppose you'd care to explain what you're doing out here so early? I'm pretty sure that's not normal teen behavior," the policeman drawled, arching an eyebrow and crossing his arms over his chest. In the darkness, his badge glinted coldly on his belt. Ryou winced. Oh heck.
Chapter 7 - Feint a Faint The cop frowned as he assessed the boy in front of him with cold detachment. The night had been hectic enough when he'd run across the panicking Machines, one of the local gangs. Now if the information he'd managed to piece together from their ramblings were accurate, he was standing face to face with none other than the source of their fear, and something that could spook one of the meanest gangs around was nothing to sneeze at. In reality however, our resident white-haired terror's thought patterns pretty much consisted of: Oh bad ohbadohbadohbadohbad! The cop was bound to ask questions, and there were just some questions he wouldn't... couldn't answer. Having dressed to impress Jade-san and her girls as per Bakura's orders, Ryou fell a few steps short of his usual "respectable" and landed somewhere closer to the "young mafia" category. Somewhere along the way, Ryou had lost his hair band, and now his snowy white locks fell around his shoulders in disarray, framing his equally pale face. Given the moonlight and the steady cloud of steam rising from the grates, dark trench coat and pale skin, the hikari looked more like an apparition than a human. If he didn't know any better, the old policeman would've thought he was facing a ghost, or maybe even a vampire. The boy's stature held a natural grace that could well be dangerous. Either that or the kid was one hell of an actor because the instant he blinked, the image was gone and was replaced by the image of an ordinary, exhausted, faltering teen, barely managing to stay on his feet. "Well?" the officer growled, keeping his face carefully blank. Ryou smiled weakly and did the only thing he could think of to get out of this without further bodily harm, gruelling interrogation or possible arrest... He fainted. And somewhere in the back of his mind,
someone stirred...
To say that Shimoda Anoshi was less than pleased when he suddenly found himself with an armful of unconscious, suspicious teenager would be an understatement. In all his years as a cop, this one had to take the cake. "Well, how 'bout a name? Heck, it doesn't even have to be your name. Right now I'd settle for the name of your barber," Shimoda grumbled exasperatedly at the white-crowned head, but his words were left unanswered. "That's just peachy..." Grumbling, the veteran cop shifted the boy onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry and stalked out of the alley towards his car and his curious partner, who stood when he heard his superior approaching. Arching an eyebrow, the bright-eyed rookie cop quickly took in the boy's appearance and quickly matching it to the descriptions of the their last run-in with The Machines, he smirked. "Found our psycho mind-controller, eh?" A grunt. "What happened?" Another grunt and the rookie rolled his eyes. "Well, maybe after turning his mind-blowing powers on the unsuspecting Underground, taking over every illicit business in the area and becoming filthy stinking rich, his super brain decided to short circuit and leave him wandering through the city like a dribbling, soul-less zombie?" Shimoda shot him a look to kill but the younger partner, having long since developed a resistance to such glares, only smiled and said, "What part of that theory didn't you like?" "The part where you were talking," came the low growl. Opening the passenger door and setting the boy into the seat, Shimoda's hard face softened a miniscule amount when he regarded the teen's slightly scratched profile. Looks like he got roughed up a bit. "Did you get a name?" "No," Shimoda groused searching through the boy's trenchcoat for anything that might ID him. "He fainted on me before I could get any answers." "Not surprised..." the young man whispered to himself. "What was that?" "Nothing, Boss." A beaming smile. Shimoda rolled his eyes. Awfully convenient time to fall sleep,
the veteran cop mused with a hint of disgust. But I guess the poor guy
really is exhausted. Wonder how long he'd been running before the Machines
caught him?
After a few moments of digging and disappointment, Shimoda finally pulled something out of a pocket and handed it to his partner, who examined it in turn. The rookie took the pencil and stared at the engravings. "Hokushin High School?" The older man nodded. "I'll take him there." "Just you?" the younger asked. "Your shift is over, rookie. Go get some sleep." A laugh. "Who sleeps anymore?" "Faine..." "Yeah yeah..." "Ride?" "Nah, I'll walk. S'not far and there's no way I'm riding in the back. Y'know there's a lose spring that digs right up-" "Goodnight, Faine." Shimoda slid into the driver's seat slammed the door shut, muffling whatever else his boisterous young partner had to say. Waving pointedly, he arched an eyebrow and drove away, too preoccupied to notice the slight twitch of the lips his sole passenger had developed. After about 15 minutes of silent driving, the cop pulled up by the school and eyed the "sleeping" teen, almost hating to wake him. The white-haired boy looked so young with his hair falling around this face, but his mind still nagged him. The more angelic they look while they sleep, the more hellish they are when awake. A flicker of movement caught his attention to the left and he turned just in time to catch sight of a figure walking towards him, dog in tow. "Shimoda-san?" the figure called out. Stepping out of the car, Shimoda stood and graced the early-riser with a very rare smile. "Ohayou, Hana-san," he greeted smirking slightly as he took in her slightly bedraggled appearance. "You're out early today." "Not by choice," the woman groused tugging the leash that was connected to a perfectly innocent looking dog. Shimoda snickered quietly and bent down to pet the troublesome dog fondly. "That' a boy, Mikon. You keep her on her toes." "Mou, Shimoda-san!" Hanako glared, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "What about you? I didn't think you patrolled this area during the pre-dawn shift." The cop shrugged. "I don't. I'm just returning something that was lost." "What?" Hana blinked in confusion, turning up the collar of her coat against a sudden chill. Jerking a thumb, he gestured to the inside of his car. "Found him wandering down an alley. I think he's one of yours." "Oh?" Hana peered curiously into the car, paused, and blinked again. "Shimoda-san," she drawled, "Have you had your morning coffee yet?" "No, why?" Straightening Hana levelled an eyebrow at him, ignoring the fact that Mikon was running circles around her and winding his leash around her legs. "'Cause there's no one in your car." A beat. "-WHAT?!" Ducking down, the cop glared into the window and stared wide-eyed at the empty seat. There wasn't even a depression in the worn, black leather to show that there had ever been anyone sitting there at all. Growling, Shimoda strode over to the passenger side and wrenched open the door, searching through his car with growing disbelief. "I swear, Hanako, he was here!" In his haste, he'd forgotten to address her properly and fell back to using her first name. "Kid about 15-16 years old, roughly 5 foot 8, white hair and brown eyes like a doe that could knock Bambi off his feet faster than a freight train." Hana frowned. "White hair?" she repeated distantly. Shimoda immediately pinned his sharp eyes on her. "Know him?" "I think so... But... He-He's very polite and quiet and I can't even begin to imagine him running around dark alleys..." The cop fixed her with a long, grim stare that made Hana want to cower, but having worked for 10 years as a teacher/counsellor, she'd had her share of glares thrown her way. "It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for, Hana-san. You should know that by now." "W-well..." she stuttered, trying to regain
her composure.
"Keep an eye on him, Hana-san," Shimoda frowned. "He's good. I can't think of many people who can sneak out of a cop's car unnoticed, and he managed to scare the wits out of the Machines tonight." Hana started. The Machines weren't scared of anything! They were one of the toughest gangs around! "He did?" she asked, voice rising in amazement. The cop nodded, frowning. "So keep an eye on him," he repeated earnestly. "This kid had a cut or something on his right palm. Look for it the next time you run across your quiet kid... and you know my number." With a last distinctly disgruntled look, the cop brushed his way past her and slid into his car, giving her an absent-minded wave before driving off, a glower etched firmly into his face. Mikon whined as he sat at his mistress' feet, sensing her distress. My, what a tangled web we weave...
"MOU! Mikon!"
Bakura, meanwhile, watched silently from around the corner, lips quirked in a smirk as he lounged against the rough brick wall. Too easy... He turned his attention to Hanako as she and her dog shuffled off, deep in thought. That woman was far too nosy, and she had the tendency to pop up at just the wrong times... or right times, depending on your point of view. He grunted in disgust. Something might have to be done about her, the yami's eyes narrowed, glinting in the murky pre-dawn darkness. Turning away, the spirit glided across the concrete courts towards the dorms, deftly climbing up the drainpipe. Although it was true that he and his hikari shared the same body, it always seemed to perform better when he was in control. Maybe it was a mind thing. He was pretty sure the same could be said for the Pharaoh and the Shrimp. Hoping onto the slim ledge of his window, he pushed the glass open, having left it unlocked before he left, and slid inside, sprawling lazily across the bed and ignoring the twinge as his stomach protested. Idly he stared at the red smeared handkerchief wrapped around his palm, lost in thought. What exactly was going on between Keith and Kurokaze? He didn't much care, except for the possibility of blackmail, but his intuition was screaming that this was something bigger. Keith, whether he was aware of it or not, was usually just another pawn, dancing to the tune of a master puppeteer. He sneered, clenching his hand tightly and drawing new blood. Perhaps it was worth looking into... But... first... //Oi!!! Baka!// the yami cried, kicking roughly at his other's soul room. /Mmh?/ Ryou started abruptly awake, taking in his surroundings and relaxing when he realized that there wasn't a cop in sight. Wait, rewind, the transfer student's mind ordered groggily. No cop. Mou hitori no boku awake...... That's not good! /What happened?/ the lighter half slurred with a slightly panicked edge in his voice, wincing as he flopped over onto his back. //Man Eater Bug has a new chew toy. Choked on the badge though,// came the very, very dry reply. /That's goo- WHAT?!/ Ryou shrieked as his voice hit the higher registers, bolting up on the bed. His yami had said it with such unwavering surety that he had to do a double-take. /Tell me you didn't send a cop to the Shadow Realm! That's... t-that's.../ Ryou got the impression of his yami with a cat-like grin spread across his face... far to much like a cat that had just swallowed a canary. //Isn't it? Although I'm sure there's a law for the Protection Of Shadow Monsters Against Indigestion Due To-// /Yami!/ //Or we could always say Man Eater Bug merely chewed in self-defence...// drawled his other almost conspiratorially, radiating dark humor. /YAMI!/ the hikari wailed, eyes wide as he clutched his hand over his frantically beating heart. Listening to his frazzled other, the yami started snickering quietly, ruining the effect and giving away the game. That was just the kind of slip Ryou needed. /That wasn't funny!/ //Oh yes, it was,// disputed the spirit smugly as his smirk widened and his eyes gleamed. //Gullible, aren't we?// Ryou paused mid-ramble and gapped at his other. He couldn't mean... /Ugh.../ Groaning, Ryou dug himself deeper into the sheets, burying his face in a pillow to hide the faint red tinge that was spreading quickly across his cheeks. He could easily imagine his yami standing with his arms crossed, a snarl replacing the previous smirk. /You were watching that?/ he asked meekly. //Your little imitation session in the alley? Unfortunately.// Ryou let out a sheepish, slightly fearful chuckle. /It... seemed like a good idea at the time?/ he offered hesitantly. Exasperatedly, the yami growled. //Of all the-// "Ow!" Ryou protested out loud as he was unexpectedly hit on the head with a dented first-aid kit, which had apparently been picked up by a tread of Shadow. He winced and rubbed his latest bruise, the irony of it registering in the back of his mind. //Watch your back, hikari. I'll get you back for that stunt,// the spirit promised as he retreated into his soul room, leaving his counterpart alone. Staring at the ceiling, Ryou groaned quietly, still tense despite the fact that his yami had withdrawn. This really just isn't my day... His body begged for sleep and he was more than willing to surrender. He'd had enough trauma for one day. He barely managed to remember to remove his newly acquired knife and place it on the nightstand before curling up under the sheets, coat and all. Maybe if I'm lucky he'll just forget... The hikari sighed, although he knew the chances of that were slim to none. And I really should... take care of... my hand... first... Not long after, his breath deepened as sleep claimed him. As such, he failed to notice the darkening shadows around him, moving as if it had a mind of its own. //Baka.// Ryou jerked automatically at the voice,
but refused to wake. Slowly, air and shadow seemed to waver and then solidify
as the yami separated from his host, accompanied by the customary flashing
of the Ring. Standing about a meter from the bed, the spirit crossed his
arms and growled, glaring quietly at his other as the last lingering slivers
of moonlight played across their near-identical features.
Ryou woke up with a start when his alarm rang a few hours later and was somewhat relieved by the fact that he hadn't slept through the noise. Usually after a night of yami-approved excursions he slept like the dead. The last thing he needed was to be late on the second day of school, especially given the fact that he already lived on school grounds. Reaching up to brush the hair out of his eyes, he suddenly froze. His hand had been dressed and expertly re-bandaged with a proper strip of white gauze. Funny, I don't remember doing that... He didn't contemplate it for long, however, and jumped when the snooze alarm went off. Leaping into action, he stumbled over the first-aid kit that had been left carelessly on the floor by the bed and yelped as his elbows hit the carpeting. Hopping his way comically to the door, he hastily threw his coat over the chair, grabbed a towel and went to wash up before breakfast. He didn't notice Taro watching guardedly from across the hall. TBC
Next chapter: Either a cafeteria scene or a classroom scene... more of the Underground and... Ryou goes clubbing! End Notes:
I hope you guys didn't mind that whole
scene where "Ryou" did nothing but look unconscious and vulnerable while
the OCs talked over his head. I'll try to shorten those scenes if you found
it boring.
Hey, on the plus side, I think I finally have a concrete plot to work with! **muses celebrate** Yes, you will eventually find out the story behind Kurokaze and Taro and all those other little irregularities that have been popping up. Bear with me? **puppy dog eyes** Thanks to:
Special thanks to:
TAFKAE, who read the earlier drafts but... x_x Thank goodness for libraries, ne? Gyakutenno Megami, who actually reviewed all seven chapters, almost in a row, even though she apparently started reading this fic long after it was first posted. o_O Kirurie, who offered to beta... BUT MY E-MAIL GOT SENT BACK TO ME! **sniff** S. A. Bonasi, for pointing out that it's "Rishid". **salutes** I'll remember that for next time, although I still think Rishid sounds like mispronounced Arabic... **makes a face** And that being said, I think I'll just wait for some guy named Rishid to bean me over the head for saying his name sounds weird. **looks around nervously** It sounds better than Odion? ...Eep! **gets chased by the Odions of the world** |
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