| "Komban wa[1], Necee." "Oh, you scared me."� Necee clutched her jacket to her chest, her heart pounding against her ribcage.� "Where is he?" Kamara wrinkled her brow in thought for a moment.� "I am sure you could not possibly mean Denjiru.� You know he will be here. �Goshinpainaku[2]." Necee weighed the idea of Denjiru not arriving and decided it WAS unlikely.� He would show up, it was just a matter of waiting. �She watched as Kamara, a lighter poised in her fingertips, strolled across the dimly lit room leaving a trail of little flames as each candle was ignited.� A gust of wind from the open door send them flickering to their deaths and Kamara growled as she turned to repeat the process.� Adrik stomped the white powder off his boots and made a face as he swept the rest of the snow off his leather coat.� White did not look good on black and he was determined to keep the two separate.� "Adrik, glad you've decided to join us . . . especially since you couldn't be bothered with the last two meetings." �Kamara lit the last candle before taking a seat at the empty bar.� The Empress Tempura had become a favorite meeting place of the group now that it had become shut down to the public. "You have no idea of my reasons, so tourou tapshint itomai[3]." �Adrik snorted, his eyes focused on nothing at all, as if she wasn't there.� Kamara grimaced at his slaughter of her native language. "You know, for someone who is supposed to be able to speak every language with a fluid grace, you sure massacre the Asian ones." �Necee spun on her heals, letting out a squeal of delight, unlike Kamara, who calmly spun around on her barstool.� "Now that you're here, Denjiru, we can begin our meeting of business."� Kamara uncrossed her long, booted legs and stood up.� "To be painstakingly brief: the mission has been compromised and we must find the quickest way to finish it." "It can't be finished.� The mission has to be aborted."� Denjiru shook his head, long dark locks falling over his shoulder with each swing.� "We made a promise to complete the mission; but, with these circumstances it can't be done.� I say we abort it NOW." Necee smiled, Denjiru always knew exactly what to do.� "What happened?� Why do we have to abort?"� She turned her perfect blonde head to look directly at Denjiru.� He ignored her. "We have to abort, princess, because your lover-boy here made contact."� Adrik snorted in Denjiru's direction. Kamara stepped between them.� "Contact has been made, therefore code has been broken. This, however, is not something we have not dealt with before.� Necee had to make contact last mission and the mission was still a success."� Adrik took a step toward Denjiru.� "Sit down, Adrik.� I do not care what has compromised our mission. �It will be finished and with the utmost care.� Got it?"� Neither of the men spoke.� Adrik pulled a stool to the bar and shook the water out of his cropped blonde hair. Necee twisted her lips for a moment.� "What do you mean Denjiru made contact?"� The thought of Denjiru breaking confidence and speaking to his charge rebelled against her better judgment.� "Did he talk to her?" "Denjiru, why don't you tell her what happened?� I think she deserves to know."� Adrik smiled sardonically. "Non ima[4], Adrik.� She will not understand and you know it."� Kamara poured herself a kashu[5] from the bottles behind the bar.� She couldn't tolerate incompetence on a mission. "Don't get your halo in a tarnish.� She'll know when it's time."� Denjiru took his seat at the one unbroken table in the building. "Komaka[6]. . .fine. �How will this mission be completed?"� Kamara stared down the two men who were having a proverbial pissing contest. "Don't worry about the girl.� Leave this to me.� I made the contact, I will finish it."� Denjiru stood up abruptly, his wings unfurling through his leather coat.� Without another word, he disappeared from the room. "Necee, I want you to continue with your part of the mission as planned, do you understand?"� Necee nodded quietly.� "If he cannot deliver, you must."� Kamara turned towards the last member of the party, who was already shaking out his pale wings.� She stood in silence until Necee had vanished.� "Adrik, you WILL NOT do anything to compromise this mission.� You have your orders." As the last member of the party departed, Kamara sighed.� Deep down she loved them as her family but she knew that it was up to her to complete the mission if it was going to be a success.� The only thing she needed now was a miracle. |
| [1] Good evening. [2] Do not worry. [3]touhou tanshin itoma: Leave me alone. [4] Not now. [5] A strong drink made of several different hard liquors. [6] Fine. |
| "The Guardians' Meeting" |
 |
 |
 |