Taunt

by Jack of Spades

He watched through narrowed eyes as his fellow Angels meandered about the place. Nobody approached him, all level-headed enough not to provoke his already simmering temper. He'd noticed too, that the female Dreamgazer was steadfastly avoiding him. Like he'd care what she thought of him. With Kakyou around, he didn't need her anymore. Besides, her powers were so limited. Made him wonder sometimes why he still hadn't killed her. 

He slouched deeper into his chair, feet casually dangling over the side of the armrest. He was bored, and the boredom was really getting to him. With the old Sakurazukamori gone, there was nobody else to talk to. At least Seishirou had been an intelligent fellow, not to mention dangerous and utterly ruthless. Well, he reasoned, pushing his shades up, a murderer could always talk freely to another murderer. 

The new Sakurazukamori, however; talking to him was like talking to a plant. It would have been easier squeezing blood out from a stone. Fuuma's lip curled in distaste. What a waste of power. 

A trill of laughter caught his attention. The water master was chuckling over something. That was another bastard. A cruel bastard, yes, but so charming it made Fuuma sick. He wasn't blind. The way Yuuto was playing Satsuki like a fiddle, he wondered how a smart girl like her couldn't see through the water master's shallow facade. Ah, well. Fuuma couldn't wait to see what BEAST would do to Yuuto once its mistress gave the command. Deploy, destroy. He knew the machine's jealousy ran deep, but how deep was it? 

Yuuto stopped laughing when he saw Fuuma's eyes on him. As he made his way out, the leader of the Angels smiled coldly. At least he knew his place. 

"Daddy?" came a hesitant voice behind him. Without turning he answered, "Yes?" 

"Are you angry?" Nataku came into view, eyes wide and expression guileless. 

"No, I'm not," Fuuma replied, smoothing his tone. He smiled at the bioroid. "I'm bored." 

"Bored?" 

"Yes. It comes from having nothing interesting to do." 

Nataku looked confused, but Fuuma had no inclination of staying and indulging the bioroid. He swung his feet to the floor and sat up. "I'm going off to stir up some excitement in the Seals' camp." He turned to Nataku and patted its head. "I'll bring back a toy for you." With a smile, he left. 

~~~ 

Ah, Kamui. 

Fuuma leaned out from the branch he was sitting on, lips curving into a thin smile. The spindly boy was walking down the path with his friend.....that loud blonde boy.....Segawa? 

The one who wished he had the power to stop earthquakes. 

Fuuma's smile broadened. A foolish wish, that was. Nothing came without repercussions. If he knew what he had to go through to achieve that....he wouldn't even have that wish in the first place. 

"Do you need some extra coaching for the test tomorrow?" Segawa was asking, gesturing to the pile of books in his arm. "I could help you." 

Kamui blinked. "We have a test tomorrow?" 

Segawa laughed heartily. "Ah, I thought you looked distracted. Of course! Looks like you're going to have to agree, otherwise you'll flunk it!" 

The violet-eyed boy cringed, whether from the prospect of studying or the constant lookout for trouble from the Angels, Fuuma couldn't tell. Not that he cared, really, as long as Kamui was in a state of permanent discomfort. When the pair got near enough, Fuuma jumped off his perch, landing smoothly on the ground, right before their startled eyes. "Hello, Kamui," he said pleasantly, "how was school today?" 

Segawa immediately shielded his friend. Aww. "Look, buddy, I don't know who you are, but if you're here to hurt Shirou-kun, I'm not going to let you!" 

Fuuma raised an eyebrow, sliding on an innocent mask. "What makes you think that?" 

The boy looked confused for an instant, but the protective expression returned swiftly. "I..I don't like how you're looking at him," Segawa said finally. 

"I'm not looking at him, I'm looking at you." Fuuma smiled. That should be enough of a warning, if Kamui was smart enough to pick it up. 

And of course, his adversary never failed to disappoint. He pushed Segawa out of the way, eyes burning with an intensity Fuuma never thought possible. "This is between you and me, Fuuma," Kamui said, voice taut, "leave Segawa-kun out of this." 

"But it seems to me...Segawa-kun doesn't share your opinion," Fuuma said. He cast a pointed glance at the bigger boy, who was all but flailing his arms about. He almost laughed aloud at the boy's indignantly furious expression, the look so familiar to those who had absolutely no idea what was going on, but wanted to do something about it anyway. 

Kamui's stoic posture wavered. "Segawa-kun," he said, "could you please stand back? This...is going to be dangerous." 

"Oh yes," Fuuma agreed readily, showing his teeth in a sly smile. 

Segawa hesitated. "Shirou-kun...." 

"Please, Segawa-kun!" Kamui's tone betrayed him. Desperation; the boy still hadn't learned to control it yet. 

"I'll go get help then!" the other called, taking off down the path like a frenzied rabbit. 

"Such a nice friend," Fuuma admired mockingly, watching Segawa's receding form. "Let me guess, you'd give anything to protect him, wouldn't you?" 

"Fuuma!" Kamui yelled. "If you touch Segawa-kun -- "

" -- you'll kill me," Fuuma finished, grinning. "Right?" He shook his head. "So predictable. It wouldn't be so bad if you'd actually surprise me on some occasions, you know." 

The hysteria bordering on Kamui's face threatened to pour forth. "You're not my friend Fuuma. I won't hesitate to hurt you." 

"No, of course you wouldn't. Even though that 'friend' of yours still lives inside me." 

Kamui's eyes widened slightly. Trust him to take that bait. And it was true, in a sense. The 'Fuuma' Kamui knew was still inside this body, buried so deep beneath he was almost gone. Yet his presence said nothing, not even when Kamui was broken and bleeding, not even when earthquakes caused by the current inhabitant of the body killed thousands. 

"Give him back to me, you...you...." Kamui struggled to find a term poisonous enough. 

"Kamui, Kamui," Fuuma sighed, as if forbearingly. "How can I give him back to you when he doesn't want to be given?" And he watched in satisfaction, as the pain flooded Kamui's face. "You would think," he continued, "that your friend would have the will to overcome me, wouldn't you? He wouldn't surrender so easily, unless..."

He let the statement hang, as more doubt and confusion clouded Kamui's judgement. 

That would give Kamui something to think about. Fuuma stepped back with a final smirk and leapt out of the school grounds. 

~~~ 

He returned to the basement of the Government building and laughed aloud. The female Dreamgazer flinched, but he paid her no heed. "Oh, Kamui," he gasped, falling back into his chair, "still so gullible....." 

"What's so funny, Daddy?" 

"Ah, Kazuki." He pivoted in the seat and fixed his eyes on the bioroid. "I said I was going to stir up trouble, and I did. I've just shattered more of Kamui's hope of finding his friend." 

"That's not funny." Nataku blinked. 

"It is if you're in my position." Fuuma remembered his promise and hurriedly pulled something out from the pocket of his jeans. "Look what I brought you." 

The stuffed toad was originally green, but half of it was stained crimson. Nataku took it and stared at it for a long time. Eventually it said, "Aren't toads supposed to be green?" 

"They are," Fuuma replied, smiling. "But this one got into a little accident."

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