InuYasha Fan Fiction / Gundam SEED Fan Fiction / S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction ❯ The Enigma Called Love ❯ Open-and-Shut Case, Almost ( Chapter 1 )

The Enigma Called Love

Part 1 - Open-and-Shut Case, Almost

 

By Robster80

 

 

Quick notes: As far as Scryed is concerned, I'll be jumping between the manga and anime versions regarding names, powers, etc. Sorry if this causes any confusion.

 

 

“Come in, Officer Adjani.”

 

Cherise marched into the office and gave a salute the moment she stopped several feet from the desk of Commander Zigmar. “Sir!”

 

Zigmar was in his seat, with his back to Cherise. “Tell me, Cherise… do you mind if I am familiar with you?”

 

Still saluting, Cherise replied, “Not at all, Commander.”

 

“At ease, Cherise; relax. Behind closed doors, I'm not the stiff everyone assumes I am 24/7.” Zigmar turned his chair to smile warmly at Cherise. “Now, what is it you wished to discuss with me? And why didn't you want your team involved.”

 

In the back of her mind, Cherise was thankful that Commander Zigmar didn't mention her team by their names, especially her cousin and Ryuhou. Slowly, she lowered her hand from her head. “Commander, it's about missing persons' case 52XZ.”

 

Zigmar raised an eyebrow. “The one being handled by-?”

 

“Yes, sir. Er, forgive my interruption-.”

 

Zigmar's smile was still warm. “That's alright. I understand you don't wish to speak of or even hear certain names. Anyway, what about that particular case?”

 

“Well, sir, my cousin and her `partner' have shown absolutely no results, let alone the drive to give any effort into finding the abducted. And our superior is fixated on that alter user who has been causing HOLY a lot of trouble.” Cherise was very careful to choose her words with her last comment. She didn't dare say that this alter user had practically wiped the floor with several HOLY officers already, including former member Asuka Tachibana, and had fought Ryuhou's alter Zetsui to a draw.

 

“Ah, yes… Kazuma the Treasoner. A pity, that one: He'd make a fine addition to HOLY, if given the chance. Wouldn't you say, Cherise? Oh, forgive me, we're straying from the subject.”

It was time to get to the point. “Commander Zigmar, permission to take over Missing Persons' Case 52XZ, effective immediately, sir!” Once more, Cherise gave a salute.

 

Rising out of his chair, Zigmar returned the salute to Cherise. “Permission granted, Officer Adjani. I'll inform your team that you've been reassigned and are working on it. Have you any leads?”

 

“No, sir. However, I do have a hunch I'll find him somewhere in the Lost Ground.”

 

“A gut feeling?”

 

“Mainly, sir, but also it would be the only logical place. He left home with no money, so he couldn't go to the Mainland; also, I helped search the entire city, so the Lost Ground-.”

 

“Would be the next step in the search,” Zigmar finished for her. “Very well. I assume you'll be going in undercover?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Carry on, Officer Adjani. You are dismissed to begin your investigation.” Zigmar returned to his seat as Cherise headed for the door out of the office. “One other thing,” he quickly said, halting Cherise's exit. However, he suddenly had second thoughts. “No, it's nothing. Good luck, Cherise.”

 

“Thank you, sir,” was all she said before Cherise left the office.

 

 

******************

 

 

Never thought I'd return here voluntarily and alone, Cherise thought as she began walking into the Lost Ground and away from the huge wall separating the city from the wasteland. She felt like an angry kid who ran away from home after a fight with her family, though the truth of the matter was not so different. Yes, she couldn't stand her cousin or her boyfriend because they focused more on each other than missions, but the main reason was Ryuhou's fixation with Kazuma.

 

What had happened to the man who rescued her from a gang of thugs years ago? What happened to the warm and caring man she devoted herself entirely to? She had shown numerous signs that she loved him, everything but telling him up front her love for him, but he seemed to either misinterpreted or ignore them completely. Her cousin teased her immensely for it, almost relentlessly.

 

Perhaps this was why she really wanted to take over this missing person case; to get away from her cousin and to get back at Ryuhou. But Cherise reminded herself that she took over the case because her cousin wasn't doing a damned thing to solve the case, and, as of recently, the mother of the abducted had requested the case be dismissed. When Cherise inquired as to why, there was no clear answer other than “He's safe, and alive. That's all I needed to know.”

 

But that wasn't enough for Cherise. She decided for herself that she would find him and see for herself what was really going on. And there was one person she knew to seek out first in her investigation: Kazuma the Treasoner.

 

After walking for what felt like hours, Cherise came across a sort of farming area. There were numerous men and women working the fields, fixing up buildings, washing clothes, etc. This was the perfect spot to begin her search. Approaching several women, she retrieved two photographs from her inner shirt pocket. “Excuse me?”

 

The women turned to look at Cherise, surprised by her sudden appearance. “Who are you,” one of them asked, “Have you come to help out today?”

 

Shaking her head, Cherise held out the photos. “I'm looking for these two men, preferably this one.” She pointed to the photo of a blond teen with blue eyes.

 

Several of the ladies gasped, but mainly at the other picture. “That looks like-.” “No, it can't be!” “But it does!” “Wonder what he did this time?” “Somebody go get Kanami, quick!” One of the women ran off to the nearby house and came back later, dragging a little girl with her.

 

Seeing the little girl, Cherise was unsure now if she should show the picture of Kazuma. After all, it was taken during one of his previous fights with Ryuhou and he did look a bit scary.

 

“Hello,” the girl said, blowing politely. “I was told you're looking for Kazu-kun.”

Kazu-kun? “Uh, yes and no. I need to ask him about this person.” Cherise held out the photo of the blond.

 

The girl smiled. “Oh, then you're a friend of Take-kun's then?”

 

Now the ladies took a real look at the photo. They recognized him right away.

 

“Then you know where I can find him?”

 

“Yes, ma'am. He's-.”

 

One of the ladies put her hands on the girl's shoulder, stopping her. “Wait, Kanami. It may not be a good idea to say anything about TK. We don't even know why this girl's looking for him.”

 

Kanami smiled. “It's okay. She's very nice, I can feel it. Besides, Take-kun's depressed again and I think he could use a friend other than Kaze-kun and the others.” She turned to Cherise. “Take-kun's staying with Kaze-kun and me at our house. It's not far from here. I can take you there in a minute, after I finish inside.”

 

Though she wanted to go right away, Cherise smield back at Kanami and gave a nod. “Okay, I can wait a little bit.”

 

It took two minutes for Kanami to finish her duties inside the house before she rejoined Cherise and they began their walk towards Kanami's home. “I'm glad you came to see Take-kun,” Kanami said as they walked, “We've been really worried about him, especially Kaze-kun and the other guys.”

 

Kazuma the Treasoner, worried about someone? The plot thickens. “So… how did Take-ku… I mean, Takeru come stay with you and Kazuma?”

 

“Kazuma and Kimishima-san found him one day passed out and half-starved. They brought him home and we've been looking after him ever since. He's very kind, and helps me around the house, but… he seems sad all the time. Even when his mother came out here looking for him.”

 

“Why didn't she take him home?”

 

“She said he would be better off out here, where Kaze-kun and the guys could look after him. However, she and the others wouldn't tell me why he was so sad. They said I was too young to understand-. Oh!”

Cherise looked ahead as Kanami pointed towards several rundown buildings several yards ahead of them, one being a clinic. But what Kanami was pointing at was actually a lone figure, Takeru himself. Kanami opened her mouth to call out, but the words never got out. Both she and Cherise looked with wide eyes as they saw a flash of metal and suddenly Takeru collapse to the ground ahead of them.

 

“Oh my god!”

 

“TAKE-KUN!!”

 

 

******************

 

 

“WHEW!” Dearka waved his hand under his nose as he exited the bathroom. It had felt like he had been in there for hours, and the room now smelled like a field fertilized with fresh manure, no thanks to whatever TK had slipped into Dearka's soda cup. “I'm gonna get TK back for that if it's the last thing-!”

 

“TAKE-KUN!!”

 

Hearing Kanami's panicked cry from outside, Dearka quickly looked around and realized he was alone in the house. “Oh shit,” he cursed as he bolted out the front door and looked to see TK lying on the ground, blood coming out of his wrists and two bloody knives right beside him, and Kanami running up towards their fallen friend with another girl right behind her. “That son of a-! KAZUMA, KOGA, GET YOUR ASSES OUT HERE NOW!”

 

Within seconds, two more men rushed out of the clinic and joined everyone around TK. Kanami was crying, begging for someone to do something and quickly, as Kazuma cradled her in his arms. Cherise immediately knew what had to be done. Ignoring the others' questions and remarks, she took TK's arms by his bleeding wrists and gripped them tightly. She closed her eyes and began concentrating. “Eternal Devotion!”

 

“What the hey,” the man with black hair done in a ponytail, Koga, remarked as Cherise's hands began to give off a rainbow-like glow. Within seconds, the blood ceased flowing down TK's arms and from between Cherise's hands and fingers. Almost a minute passed before the glow faded and Cheirse let go of TK's wrists, which were fully healed, though still bloody. Quickly, she checked for a pulse, and sighed with relief.

 

“It's fairly strong, but I think he'll be okay. If I were you guys, I'd take him to a doctor and see if he needs blood just in case.”

 

Kazuma looked right at Koga. “You're the fastest, Koga; get him to the doc's and pronto!”

 

“Color me gone,” was all Koga said before he scooped TK into his arms and took off, using his alter for speed. Once he was out of sight, Kazuma took a hand and gently tilted Kanami's head so she was looking right at him. “Kanami, why don't you show our guest our home, huh?”

 

Kanami was still crying. “But… but Take-kun-.”

 

“He'll be just fine. This lady saved him in time. Trust me, okay?” Kazuma then kissed Kanami on the forehead before he stood up and looked at Cherise. “Would you mind taking her inside and getting her a drink for me?”

 

Nodding Cheirse, took Kanami by the hand and walked with her away from Kazuma and Dearka, leaving them alone. Once they were inside, however, Kazuma's calmness faded away to make way for his anger. A scowl on his face, he turned and punched Dearka in the face, hard. “YOU IDIOT!!”

 

Lying on the ground, Dearka put a hand to his swelling cheek. Looking up at a fuming kazuma, he said, “Okay, I deserved that-. Hey!” Kazuma ahd cut him off by picking him up by his shirt.

 

“You deserve a lot worse, believe me,” Kazuma said, trying his hardest not to shout again so Kanami wouldn't overhear him and get more worked up. “It was your turn to keep an eye on the kid, and you let him get a hold of two knives and let him kill himself in front of Kanami!”

 

“Gimme a break, Kazuma! That bastard slipped something into my soda and I had to shit like you wouldn't believe-.”

 

“Why does it smell like something crawled in here and died like twice?” came Cherise's voice from inside the clinic.

 

“See?” Dearka said, freeing himself from his friend's grip.

 

“Okay, new rule: whenever each of us is watching TK, we make him taste-test any food/drink during our shifts.”

 

“Noted and logged, believe me.” Dearka then looked back towards their home. “Say, was I seeing things, or was that chick-?”

 

“You weren't, it's her,” Kazuma stated quickly, “but let's hope her partner isn't anywhere nearby.”

 

“Funny, you never backed down from a fight with him before.”

 

“Think about it, Dearka; if we fought here, Kanami and TK would get hurt or worse.”

 

“YO!”

 

Both men looked behind them to see a dune buggy driving up towards them, with a familiar figure behind the wheel. “I just saw Koga rushing off towards the doctor's,” he said, “so what happened?”

 

“Dearka will fill you in while you both keep an eye out for any surprise visits from HOLY, preferably that stiff-ass Ryuhou. Let me know the moment you see them heading towards us! Dearka, there's a waterhole nearby. You'd better take those knives and clean `em there and then hide `em someplace nobody else can get to them. I'm going to check on Kanami.”

 

As Kazuma headed back to the clinic, Kimishima looked at Dearka, who sighed heavily before explaining what had happened.

 

 

******************

 

 

Cherise left Kanami to sit on her bed as she headed out of the room, where Kazuma was waiting for her. “She's a bit shook up,” she said, “but I think she'll be okay.”

 

“I appreciate you looking after her, and I'm thankful for what you did for our friend. However, that doesn't change much of anything. You may not be in uniform, but your hairclip there gives you away, HOLY girl.”

 

“You're more cleaver than I gave you credit for, Treasoner. And you're unnervingly calm about this.”

 

“Why are you here? More importantly, where's your boss?”

 

“Off hunting for you somewhere. And no, he doesn't know I'm here. Your friend TK was reported missing last month by his mother up until recently when she asked for the case to be forgotten. I came to investigate why she did.”

 

Kazuma crossed his arms. “We didn't kidnap him, if that's what you believe. We found him-.”

 

“I believe you. Actually, I believe Kanami, since she told me that you found him out here in the Lost Ground. But what I'm here for is to find out why he's even out here in the first place.”

 

“None of your business.”

 

Cherise narrowed her eyes at Kazuma. “I'm warning you, my alter-power can also dish out pain as well as heal. How do you think Ryuhou's arm got fixed up after you broke it last time you fought him?”

 

“Interesting power you got there. Too bad you don't use it out here where a ton of people need treatment badly-.”

 

“I HATE this place,” Cherise stated, raising her voice a little. “I was held prisoner out here for six years, scared to death that I'd be killed or raped or-. Why am I even telling you this?”

 

Shrugging, Kazuma replied, “I dunno, I didn't ask about your life story. Look, you saved TK from dying, and that's why I don't send you packing right now, as well as that you personally don't bug me like the rest of HOLY does. You wanna figure out the mystery behind TK's coming out here? You can ask him when Koga brings him back. In the meantime, keep your hands to yourself and don't get in our way. Also, while you're staying with us, no harm will come to you, I promise. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm on dinner duty tonight and I gotta start cooking.”

 

Watching him walk away, Cherise was more puzzled than ever. Never would she dare think that Kazuma the Treasoner gave a damn about anyone, let alone a little girl and some guy he just found out in the Lost Ground. Not to mention that he was showing leniency towards her even though she was a member of HOLY. This case was far from shut, she realized, and it was doubtful that it would be closed even after she spoke with TK.

 

Well, it's not like anybody'll miss me back at the base.

 

 

To be continued…