Absence - By Kirika
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Chapter 9 - Revelations
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Rodoth was finally nearing the end of the blood trail. It had taken him longer than he thought; he didn't think a human could lose so much blood and still be able to keep moving. But then this female was no ordinary human. Rodoth couldn't believe she had fought her way out of his trap; the youma he had chosen were some of Khairephon's greatest warriors. But of course, Rodoth had prepared for even that scenario, no matter how impossible it had seemed at the time; he was commander of Makareus' youma here for a reason. He had ordered youma to watch medical facilities in the event the human escaped. However, Rodoth had few good youma agents to choose from, most were already in the field or still on the Pandemonium plane, so he had to use youma with little experience. While it would have been better if she had been ambushed and killed at a hospital, Rodoth was confident that the female would soon die, if not by her wounds then by him.
Rodoth's shadow moved silently up the stairs of the apartment building, the dark shape conforming to the steps. Following the blood trail, which had gotten more and more noticeable, Rodoth stopped at a door marked with the dried red fluid. His shadow slipped under the door and into the apartment. There was no one there. Rodoth returned to his corporeal form, a tall being with fingernails like daggers. He looked around the single room, taking note of the large bloodstain ingrained in the carpet. Rodoth picked up the business card lying on the desk.
`Sanjuro Watanabe'... ah yes, the reporter at the Yokohama Daily... Santhesis already had that situation under control. Rodoth replaced the card.
Rodoth moved over to the wardrobe and pulled it open quietly. There was nothing of any real interest, just normal human clothes. He closed the wardrobe. Rodoth picked up a framed picture sitting on a table next to a bed. He took note of the two humans in the photograph. While it was a possibility that neither of the females was the human he was looking for, both could be used against her... humans cared too much for each other. Rodoth was sure this apartment was the human's living quarters, but where was she?
Perhaps in one of the other apartments...
As Rodoth was about to check another apartment, he felt the first rays of sunlight hit him through a window. He had taken too long; he had to return to headquarters before the sun got too high. It was of no consequence though; he knew where the human lived and could come at his leisure tonight. But this time he would do it alone; he wouldn't trust this task to any of Khairephon's battle-rager youma again.
Rodoth re-entered his ethereal shadow form and left the apartment.
******
Rei tossed her head from left to right, trying to get rid of the tickling sensation on her face. Why was it her sleep was always disturbed? And she had been having such a good dream too... Rei smiled luxuriously at its memory. It had been very... vivid. Rei frowned, her eyes still closed. The tickling wouldn't go away. Rei began to raise her right hand to her face... and moaned in pain, her eyes flicking open.
Ohh... feels like a truck hit me
Rei's right shoulder ached... and her side... there was a sharp pain whenever she moved. There was something cold and wet under her shoulder. Rei turned her head and saw that it was an icepack. The tickling appeared to be being caused by air from a ceiling fan. Rei realised that she wasn't in her own bed. She quickly took stock of her new surroundings. The place Rei was in was bigger than her apartment, but was still just one big room. There was a couch in front of a small television off to her left, and a desk with a computer and chair to her right. A small kitchen was across from her. There was a dresser and wardrobe nearby the bed. The room looked very clean and tidy too... except for a pile of blood covered clothes on the floor near the bed. Blood covered clothes... what happened the night before came back to Rei.
Rei raised the bed covers and looked down at herself. She was in her underwear, white bandages wrapped around her stomach and upper left leg. The bandages around her stomach held a white pad slightly stained with red to her side. Rei let the covers drop.
Where am I? How did I get all bandaged up? Rei touched her forehead with her good arm, feeling the rough texture of another bandage.
Rei tensed as a door to her left was opened. She relaxed when she saw Tsubasa walk in holding a paper bag. Now Rei remembered, Tsubasa had found her in her apartment. Rei had thought that had been her imagination. This must be his apartment. Tsubasa looked surprised to see her awake.
"I didn't think you would wake up for hours yet," he said, closing the apartment door, "I was worried to leave you alone, but I had to run down to the chemist to get more medical supplies." Tsubasa waved the bag he carried.
Rei just looked at him as he walked over to her. Rei panicked.
Tsubasa put the bag down on one bedside table, pulled the desk chair next to the bed and sat on it. "So, how are you feeling...? You've got your colour back,"
Rei blinked at him. "My colour?"
Tsubasa smiled a little. "Yeah, you were pretty pale... I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance to give you blood no matter what you said,"
Rei wracked her brain for a plausible explanation for what happened. "Umm, about what h- happened... and t- the `no ambulance thing'..." Rei stuttered, "I was... umm... attacked, mugged... heh, I guess I should have just let them have my money, there wasn't much anyway... but I put up a fight, you see... and well...I uh... have a phobia of hospitals... so, no ambulance..." Rei looked away from Tsubasa.
Tsubasa sat and stared at her for a moment. "Mugged, huh? They really did a number on you... we should call the cops,"
Rei looked sharply back at him. "Ah, no, that's alright... you know they never catch those guys..."
Tsubasa looked at Rei strangely. Rei didn't think he was buying her story. She swallowed nervously and tried to sit up. Rei winced as her side sent needles of pain to her brain. Tsubasa put a light, restraining hand on her chest.
"You shouldn't try to get up," he said gently, "the stab in your side was pretty deep."
Rei continued to sit up. "I'll be fine, it doesn't hurt so bad anymore,"
In a day or two it probably won't hurt at all... Rei silently thanked Sailor Senshi healing.
Tsubasa looked at her with a dubious expression but took away his hand. He picked up the icepack that had fallen off her shoulder and replaced it gently. Rei gave him a small smile and pulled up the bed covers, keeping her semi-nude body covered. Not that Tsubasa hadn't already seen it.
"I guess... you saved my life," said Rei quietly.
Tsubasa shrugged his shoulders and blushed lightly. "I'm just glad I remembered my first aid classes," he replied modestly.
Rei smiled. "Thanks anyway,"
Tsubasa blushed more and quickly asked her if she was hungry. Rei nodded and he went into the kitchen to make her a late breakfast. Rei looked at Tsubasa's wall clock. It was 11.05am. Rei had been asleep for some time. Rei glanced around the apartment again.
How come he got such a big apartment and I got a damn shoebox?
Rei shook her head slightly. She was just avoiding the issue... the youma had lay a trap and almost killed her... they had even waited for her at the hospital. Someone with brains was obviously leading them. Most likely Khairephon. But the main problem was; what was her next move? Rei had to be careful if she went back into the Hikodo gangland since the youma were getting smart... but she still needed to find out where they were all coming from.
Rei was brought out of her thoughts by Tsubasa's voice. "So... who's `Usagi'?"
Rei was momentarily stunned. How did he know about Usagi? Tsubasa walked over to Rei with her breakfast on a tray. He placed it carefully on her lap, minding her gashed leg.
"...Uh, who?" said Rei.
"Usagi. It's a girl's name, right? You called it out a few times while you were... hurt," Tsubasa said, "is she your sister or something?"
"My... sister?" Rei repeated, still a little caught off guard, "no, she's... she's my friend... my best friend..." she finished quietly, looking down at her breakfast.
"Oh. Maybe I can meet her sometime,"
"Yeah... maybe..." Rei said softly. She didn't like talking about this.
Rei started to eat her breakfast. It was pretty good, but then Tsubasa was an assistant chef. Tsubasa sat in his chair and watched her eat. It began to irritate Rei.
"Shouldn't you be at work or something?" she said.
"I called in sick, I had to take care of you after all," grinned Tsubasa, "I called Anna Miller's too, so they know you won't be in today."
Rei nodded her thanks. Once she had finished eating, Tsubasa pulled out a bottle of pills from the bag on the bedside table.
"Here, take these. It'll help with the pain,"
Rei swallowed the pills with what was left of her juice.
"You should go back to sleep, you need the rest," said Tsubasa.
Rei agreed; she would need to recover as quickly as possible. She couldn't afford to let the youma gain an advantage. Sleeping through the day should speed her healing process.
"Right. Wake me up at about six-thirty," Rei said, settling down in the bed, "... and thanks again... for everything."
Tsubasa nodded. "I should go finish cleaning the hall and stairs. I suppose we don't want people asking questions,"
Rei made a sound in the affirmative, already half asleep. Rei hoped she would get that dream again.
******
Rodoth moved literally like a shadow through the night. The sun had long since set; it was time to put the female out of her misery. While it would be good if she were already dead, Rodoth secretly held on to the hope that she was alive and helpless due to her injuries. He would enjoy taking her apart slowly.
Rodoth arrived at the apartment building. He slid inside then climbed the stairs quietly, moving up to the human female's residence. Rodoth noted that the bloodstains were all gone. Rodoth sniffed; he could still smell the blood. Rodoth's shadow slid under the door of the human's apartment. He looked around. She still wasn't there! Rodoth began to wonder if she had caught wind of him and abandoned her home. He pulled open her wardrobe. All her clothes were still there. He glanced behind him at the bedside table; the picture was still there too. She couldn't be too far judging by the blood loss she had sustained. Rodoth slid back out into the hallway and decided to check the next apartment. He would check this whole building if he had to.
******
Rei awoke suddenly, her instincts on overdrive. She quickly looked around the apartment, checking to see if anything was wrong. Tsubasa was sitting on the couch, watching TV. The tall lamp beside him was the only light in the room. Tsubasa looked over to her, startled by her abrupt awakening.
"Megumi? What's the matter?"
Rei ignored him and continued to look around. Something wasn't right. She sat up in bed, wincing slightly and letting the covers fall. Out of the corner of her eye Rei saw Tsubasa blush and avert his gaze. Rei continued to ignore him, reaching out with all her senses. There was like... a presence besides Tsubasa in the room. She couldn't describe it... she just had this uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Rei looked down at the floor, noticing a shadow of a gnarled tree branch appear on the edge of the lamp light. She looked up at the door of the apartment.
What is it? Something isn't... wait, tree branch? We're on the eighth floor!
Giving in to instinct, Rei rolled out the bed just as the sheets were torn to ribbons. She landed on her hands and knees, jarring her wounds painfully. Tsubasa stood up, wondering what the hell was happening. Rei crawled quickly away from the bed.
"Run Tsubasa! Get out of here NOW!" Rei yelled.
Tsubasa looked at Rei in shock. "What?! And leave you here? Not a chance!"
"You idiot, RUN!"
Tsubasa shook his head stubbornly. Rei got to her feet next to Tsubasa and turned around, facing the bed. Everything was quiet; she couldn't see any movement. Tsubasa moved in front of Rei.
"Stay behind me Megumi..." he said, pushing her behind him carefully with one hand.
Rei growled and pushed him back onto the couch. She returned her gaze to the apartment. Rei saw a flicker of movement near the edge of the light again, the light she and Tsubasa were in. As she watched, she could see the shadows of claw-like hands pierce the light pool then pull back, as if testing it. The next time the shadows appeared, Rei let out a yell and lashed out with a high kick using her good leg, aiming where she assumed the invisible creature was standing. She struck only air. Before Rei could contemplate what had happened, four bloody lines were sliced on her leg. Rei quickly pulled back further towards the lamp.
"Oh, god, stay back Megumi!" cried Tsubasa, who sat on the couch.
Rei looked down at the bleeding cuts. Just flesh wounds...
Rei looked over to the main light switch by the apartment door, surrounded by darkness. If she could make it there and flood the room with light, she'll be able to see the thing... maybe she'll even destroy it; it didn't seem to like light much.
"Tsubasa... stay in the light," Rei said seriously.
Tsubasa looked at Rei. "What are you going to do...?" he asked warily.
Rei ignored him and picked up the lamp stand. She began moving towards the light switch, constantly in a circle of light. Tsubasa stuck close to her, looking around the room as if every shadow was going to come alive and attack him.
Who knows, thought Rei, maybe they will
When Rei had almost reached the light switch, she felt a tug on the lamp cable. She looked behind her and saw the cable was floating in mid air, being pulled backwards. Tsubasa moaned at the sight. Rei tugged harder on the lamp, trying to break the shadow's grip. Suddenly, the cable frayed, the rubber insulation cut.
"Damnit, it's going to cut the cable!" said Rei through gritted teeth.
Rei quickly ran straight at where the shadow should have been standing, causing it to drop the cable and blend into the other shadows of the room. Rei came to a halt, Tsubasa still beside her.
"Well this is getting us nowhere," said an annoyed Rei.
Rei considered transforming and using her powers to light the room, but firstly, she didn't want Tsubasa to see her transform, and secondly, Rei didn't want to burn down his apartment or the building.
"I've got an idea," said Tsubasa.
Rei looked at him in disbelieve. "I've got an idea," he repeated.
Rei looked out into the darkness of the room, and then indicated that Tsubasa should whisper it in her ear.
After hearing his plan, Rei said, "Okay, but I do your part,"
Tsubasa opened his mouth to disagreed, but saw the no-nonsense look Rei was giving him, and closed it. Rei gave Tsubasa the lamp. She nodded to him, and then bolted for the light switch. Tsubasa ran behind her, swinging the lamp wildly in circles, spreading the light as far as he could. Rei was nearly at the switch when she heard a loud crack, and the room was plunged into darkness. Tsubasa looked at the end of the broken cable in fear.
"Uh..."
Tsubasa howled as his chest was slashed open. He moved backwards, clutching his four wounds and bumped into the wall. Rei shut out his cry and concentrated on making it to the light switch. She felt something dry grab her ankle, pulling her back. Rei cried out and tried to kick it off. She screamed in agony as she felt four daggers stab into the back of her left leg.
"I've already been stabbed!" she yelled furiously.
The shadow roared and let go of Rei as the television fell on it screen first, the light giving its body corporeal form. Tsubasa lowered his leg, having kicked the television off the table.
"Go Megumi!" he cried, one hand clutched to his chest.
Rei flicked the light switch, switching on the ceiling's globes, filling the room with light. She turned around and saw the TV roll off the invisible thing. It climbed to its feet. Rei looked at the shadow on the floor.
thought Rei.
Rei watched the shadow move into a combat stance, its stiletto fingernails extended. Blood dropped to the floor from the air where one of the youma's claws would be.
Rei smirked.
Rei entered a combat stance of her own, focusing on the youma's shadow.
The youma let out an inhuman cry and stabbed at Rei, who ducked and delivered a punch to its stomach. Rei rolled to her left, cringing as she felt her old stab wound open a little. The youma turned around, ripping the air behind him as he did so. Rei darted backwards and kicked the youma right in the face. Rei saw the shadow stumble backwards. Rei jumped forwards, ignoring the blood that rolled down her left leg, and delivered a crushing flying kick to the youma's head. The shadow flew back onto the kitchen counter, sending utensils careering away, and slid off, falling to the floor behind it. Rei took this opportunity to hobble over to her blood-soiled clothes and pull out an ofuda from one of her jacket pockets.
"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen. Akuryou taisan!"
Rei saw the youma's shadow leap on the counter and then jump at her, the fingers on both hands extended out in front of it. She threw the ward, the paper landing on the youma's face, floating in the air. Rei stepped aside as the youma crashed to the ground paralysed. Rei struggled over to the kitchen counter and grabbed the biggest knife she could find. She staggered back to the prone youma.
"Yah!" shouted Rei, stabbing the blade where the youma's upper left back would be, getting some revenge.
The youma let out a growl of torment, its blood seeming to spill out of nowhere. Rei crouched beside it and planted a knee on its back, still holding on to the knife.
"I've finally got one of you bastards! Now talk! Where are you coming from, where?!" Rei screamed.
Rei felt the youma's body tense trying to break the ofuda's hold on it. Rei cruelly twisted the knife in his back.
"I said TALK!"
The youma spluttered, trying to talk through the pain of the stabbing and the effects of the ofuda. "Gates... gates to our plane, our dimension..."
"Where are these gates?!"
The youma growled, muscles tensing and relaxing, and Rei twisted the knife a little more. "Grrr! There's one... in a place here... called Chinatown..."
"Where in Chinatown?!"
The youma spat and drooled, the clear fluid just appearing on the carpet. "...Wong Fei's... a store..."
Rei smiled in triumph. She finally had something to go on. Rei was going to burn every one of these creatures. The youma suddenly threw himself to his feet, the ofuda dissolving in mid air. Rei lost her hold on the knife and fell off his back, ending up on her feet. The youma sliced backwards, causing Rei to dodge to the side, and then threw itself through the apartments lone window. Rei hurriedly limped to the window ledge, in time to see sparks fly down the side of the building, no doubt from the youma using its claws to slow its descent.
"SHIT!" Rei cried out.
"What?!" shouted Tsubasa, running over to her from where he had been watching her combat skills in awe, "are you going to die or something?" He looked at Rei's blood covered body.
"No, that youma got away! It knows me, IT KNOWS ME!"
Tsubasa stepped away from Rei, a little afraid. "So...?"
"`So?' `So?', He knows what I look like, where I live!" Rei panicked. She had to get out of here now.
Rei rushed over to the bag that Tsubasa had brought earlier that day and upturned it, searching for more bandages to staunch her injuries until she had time to do a proper job.
"You mean you're leaving?" said Tsubasa.
"Yes, you idiot! That thing is going to bring back a horde of creatures here!" Rei began tying a tourniquet on her leg.
Tsubasa digested this. More of those things... here? Oh crap! There was no way in hell he was staying here then!
"Where are we going to go?!" Tsubasa said, beginning to reach Rei's level of panic.
Rei stopped tending her cuts and looked at him. "What do you mean, `we'?"
"You think I'm going to stay here if weird invisible monsters are going to show up?! Look at me, I've already been hurt!" Tsubasa pointed to his cut chest.
"Those are just flesh wounds you wimp," said Rei, looking at his cuts, "just pack up your things and go stay in a hotel or something."
"Hell no! I'm staying with you, if one of those things found me; I'd just get scared and die! I don't know any martial arts!"
Rei cursed under her breath. She didn't want to take care of this guy; she had enough trouble taking care of herself. But now the youma knew that Tsubasa was connected to her in some way, and would most likely use that knowledge to its advantage. Rei cursed again. Rei looked at Tsubasa; he looked ready to bolt in any direction she said.
Damnit. Well, he did save my life... looks like its time to return the favour
"Fine, you're with me. Pack your things," ordered Rei.
Tsubasa bobbed his head repeatedly and ran over to his wardrobe, beginning to pull out clothes.
"Where are we going to go, a hotel? I don't have much money..." Tsubasa said as he packed.
"Well I don't have much either," said Rei angrily, "you're supposed to be the hot shot chef!"
"-Assistant- chef," corrected Tsubasa.
It was hard enough to find an apartment in this city, and that went for hotel and motel rooms too.
Not that we have enough money for anything but the cheapest hotel. God damnit these cuts sting!
"Don't just stand there, what are we going to do?!" yelled Tsubasa.
Rei blinked. She had someone she could call... but she really, really didn't want it to come to that. But what choice did she have? Rei was bleeding everywhere, which was becoming a habit, and soon youma were going to be assaulting the apartment. And Tsubasa was annoying her. It didn't get any worse than this.
Rei finished her rushed bandaging. "I've got someone I can call," she said, limping over to her apartment.
Where did I put that card?
Part ten |
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