Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Brother's Keeper ❯ Chapter 5

-Chapter 5

 

-Well, updates are still on the slow side. After this, my next update should be… actually, I have no clue. While I do plan to work on Fallen Blade sometime in the future, Something else might get in front of it before hand. Hmm. We'll see. ^_^

 

-Without further ado, on with the story!

 

Outside Keitaro and Naru's Apartment

 

“Wait, wait, wait!” Ishikawa said in a shocked tone. Completely taken by surprise by Haruka's assertion. “I'm the authority here. You're supposed to be at most, observers. This is…”

 

“And I suppose you are already doing that right?” Haruka glared at the Inspector with a questioning cold glance.

 

Ishikawa sank down a bit from Haruka's intense stare. “Well, no but…”

 

“Then what are you waiting for?” Haruka said in a slightly elevated voice that was normally in opposition to her normally mellow personality. “Or are you saying that you can't handle a simple procedural matter like that right Inspector?” Haruka crossed her arms to emphasize the point. “Or does your honor mean that little to you?”

 

“Um, uh… no.” Ishikawa quickly said. Although he was taken aback by the notion that Haruka go so far as bring up his `honor', at the same time, she did have a point that this should have been standard procedure during a kidnapping investigation. “I'll… get on it right now!”

 

Haruka watched Ishikawa trotted off to his underlings to order his subordinates before she took out another cigarette, placed it on her lips, and lit it with a lighter she always seemed to have handy at a time like this. After she took a long drag, she eyed the Hinata Sou residences behind her.

 

All stared at her with an astonished expression.

 

“What?” Haruka calmly replied as she removed the cigarette from her mouth and blew whiff of smoke out of the corner of her mouth.

 

“Eh…” Kitsune frantically waved her arms in front of her, hoping to not incur the `wrath' of Haruka. “Nothing! Nothing! I mean…” While she herself hasn't really seen a different side of Haruka besides her, cool demeanor. A demeanor that at times seemed to be her only expression that she allowed to show. Well, when it did not have to do with Keitaro calling her `aunt', or when she and Seta had issues to deal with before they made up.

 

Haruka stared at Kitsune, changing her expression back to her normal self. “My nephew and his wife are missing. How would I be able to face my brother if I told him I didn't do everything in my power to find them?”

 

“Well…” Motoko rubbed the side of her gi nervously. “You could always say that you left it to the police and that it was up to them. It is their job to find them after all.”

 

“I could.” Haruka said. “But it doesn't mean that I still couldn't have done something.” She then turned to Su who simply blinked at Haruka with wonder. “Isn't that right as Su?” After she watched Kaolla nod, she took her used cigarette and dropped it on the floor. Once the cigarette hits the ground, Haruka stomped and crushed it.

 

-Meanwhile…

 

Unknown Location - Dining Room

 

“Did you find the dinner much enjoyable?” Kanako said as she tapped the side of her mouth with a cloth napkin.

 

“I um, yeah! It was very good!” Keitaro said quickly. While it was quite delicious Keitaro would admit, at the same time, he was not in the mood to enjoy it that much. This was especially true given the lingering issue about the location and safety of his wife Naru. Not to mention Kanako's sudden reappearance, her evasive answers to Keitaro's many questions, and where exactly this place was.

 

“I'm glad you like it!” Kanako clapped her hands once and smiled. She then stood up from her chair. “If you will excuse me, I have some… preparations I have to do right now. We'll be catching up later oniichan! Byeeeeeeee.” Kanako gave a quickly wave before she departed through the double doors that were situated behind her, pausing only to give a quick whisper to one of the maids next to her. The Japanese looking maid quickly followed her while the Russian looking maid stayed in the room.

 

“Wait!” Keitaro bolted from his chair and jogged his way towards where door. Right before he could reach it however, the Russian maid stepped in front of him blocking his path. Given Keitaro's luck, he was too late in stopping and wound up crashing right into her.

 

“Oft.” Keitaro shook his head at what felt like very soft cotton material. Though it felt much softer than it should be. `Uh… what the…' Keitaro's eyes suddenly shot open as he realized where his head was resting on. “IIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!” In a flash, he got off of the maid stood up, and bowed many times. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!”

 

“It's… okay.” The maid said as she slowly stood up from her location. “It was my fault for standing in your way.”

 

“Nonono! I should have stopped! I mean I wasn't trying to…” Keitaro suddenly paused as he an image of Naru's beautiful face popped into his head. While he normally feared it when something like this happened, he suddenly began to miss the accusation of perversion followed by a punch that would send him on an aerial trip over Hinata. “I mean, I just wanted to speak to my sister. That's all.”

 

“I'm sorry Master Keitaro. Mistress Kanako wishes not to be disturbed right now.” The maid said nodding. “However, she wants me to show you your room from now on.”

 

“Room from now on?” Keitaro repeated, confused with the word usage. “What do you mean by `from now on'?”

 

The maid simply stepped into the hallway without answering him. Seeing that he did not know how big this mansion was, and did not want to get lost in such a mysterious and strange place, he followed the maid without saying another word.

 

Unknown Location - Hallway

 

“I'll show you to your room now Master Keitaro.” The Russian maid said as she led Keitaro down the darken hallway. Lit only by the ornate wall lights that appeared to be hand crafted by a skilled blacksmith somewhere in medieval Europe, and then imported here to Japan by some rich socialite. This, supposing that Keitaro was still in Japan, and somehow not flown secretly to Europe on a supersonic jet. The only thing going against this idea in Keitaro's head would be the time he fell asleep, and when he woke up did not seem to be long enough to sneak him from Japan to Europe. Supposing this was the same night and all.

 

Either way, what this place has to do with Kanako was a complete mystery to him.

 

Keitaro eyes darted from corner to corner. The gothic feel of the hallway did nothing to calm his frayed nerves. Not to mention the millions of questions that kept bubbling up from the deep depths of his mind. Questions that seemingly appear with each step he took in this strange place. “Um,” Keitaro sounded, grabbing the attention of the maid. “I am… umm… Maid-san? Um… you…”

 

“Agafia.” The maid quietly said.

 

“Huh?” Keitaro said, stunned by the sudden response.

 

“My name is Agafia. Agafia Svjatoslava, M… m…master Urashima.” The maid reiterated.

 

“Umm… hehehe…” Keitaro laughed nervously as the atmosphere began to thicken a bit again. “Okay Agafia-san?”

 

“Yes Master Keitaro?” Agafia said. She looked nervously at Keitaro.

 

`She's more nervous than I am!' Keitaro surmised as he viewed the girl's eyes. He had a hint of it during dinner, but now with them alone… Keitaro took a big gulp before continuing. “Um, well, you can stop calling me Master now! I mean I…”

 

Agafia shuffled her feet a bit. “But that is what Mistress Kanako…”

 

“Please! I'm not… comfortable being referred to as Master!” Keitaro gave a wide smile in the hopes of calming the maid down. “You can just call me Keitaro!”

 

“Okay… Keitaro…” Agafia shifted her eyes a bit.

 

Any hope Keitaro had that the tension in the hallway would be lifted appeared to be premature. “Well… um, about this Master thing um…” Keitaro's eyes wondered to the elaborate hallway and the medieval looking paintings hanging on the wall. He decided to ask the question that had been nagging him since he first woke up here. “What… is all this? What's going on?”

 

Agafia stared at Keitaro confused. “This is a mansion…”

 

“Uh eh!” Keitaro frantically waved his hands in front of him after he would admit was a fairly lame opening question. “Nononono! That's not what I meant. Hehehe. I mean… what does this mansion have to do with Kanako and, what exactly is going on here?”

 

“You do not know?” Agafia said in a questioning tone. “This mansion has been owned by the Urashima family for generations.”

 

“It… has?” Keitaro said amazed. He then reexamined his surroundings. He noted all of the expensive looking furniture and ornaments, and then quickly shook his head disbelief. “You're saying that our family… owns all this? I know Grandma was quite well off but… but… no way our family owns all this! I mean my father was a baker and um... And all Grandma owned was the Hinata Sou! Which I admit, given the amount of land it was on, that alone was quite impressive on its own right. But, given how expensive land in Japan is, no way we could also own this place?”

 

“Hmmm…” Agafia said as she looked down at her hands. “Perhaps I have said too much…”

 

“Huh?” Keitaro raised an eyebrow at the Russian girl's answer.

 

“Maybe… maybe… maybe…” Agafia shifted her eyes to the side. “Maybe Master Kanako wanted to tell you in person about this. All about `your family'.”

 

Keitaro continued to stare blankly at Agafia as he tried to wrap his mind around this latest revelation. `My family? I admit I don't know much about our history but…' “Exactly what is going on?”

 

Agafia lightly shook her head again. “That is for Mistress Kanako to disclose. I… she gave specific orders that she will be the one to tell you personally.”

 

Keitaro stared at Agafia bewildered. “Disclose? What exactly is she hiding? And can you at least tell me where I am?”

 

Agafia shook her head. “Again, Mistress Kanako will explain everything in due time.”

 

“I see. I guess.” Keitaro said disconcerted. He then patted down his clothes and realized, besides the clothes he was wearing, he did not have anything else with him. Like the cell phone he recently got in order to stay in contact with Naru when they were away. `Maybe I left it at home when… wait, how exactly did Kanako bring me here?' “Can I… let me guess, you can't tell me how I was brought here right?”

 

Agafia lightly nodded her head. “Again, Kanako will tell you in due time.”

 

“Okay.” Keitaro gulped at the answer. “Then, can you at least tell me where the nearest phone is? I need to tell the others that I'm safe. I'm sure they're all worried about me.”

 

To his surprise, Agafia shook her head. “I am not supposed to allow you to contact anyone on the outside.”

 

“What?” Keitaro burst out. “Why?”

 

“Mistress Kanako's orders.” Agafia simply said.

 

“But… but… why would she bar me from talking to anyone on the outside?” Keitaro said, now even more perplexed about his situation than before. “I mean, I just want to tell them I'm alright and…”

 

“Master Kanako just wants you to be safe Keitaro-san.” Agafia replied. Her eyes shifted to the side nervously. “She is concerned that the people that would want to hurt you might discover that you are here.”

 

“People that would hurt me?” Keitaro's chin began to quiver. He suddenly flashed back to the time when he first entered his apartment. The state his apartment was in, the holes in the wall, the eerie silence, and the red drops that he now fears were drops of blood. He quickly shut out the voice that would even suggest that it was Naru's blood he saw.

 

Agafia nodded lightly. “Do not be concerned, for Mistress Kanako's is deeply concerned about your safety, and will not let any harm come to you.” She turned her head towards the darkened hallway. “Now please follow me. I'll show you where your room is…”

 

“O…okay.” Keitaro responded nervously. His safety however, was not the one he was immediately concerned about. `Naru…'

 

Yokohama Police Station - Hallway

 

The Hinata girls' were all packed inside the dimly lit narrow hallway. Despite protest from Inspector Ishikawa, given threats by Su and Haruka's `outside' connections, Ishikawa easily folded to their demands. Once the manager was found, he was quickly taken into the interrogation room for questioning. After giving lecture about not interfering with the questioning of the `witness', something that went over the heads of a few of the girls, Ishikawa entered the room, and slammed the door shut behind him. As they peered through the two way mirrored windows, they could see a balding middle-aged man slumped into his chair. He was clearly sweating under the intense light shining above him. The man dropped his sweaty hand onto the metallic table. Ishikawa sat directly across from him and sat back in his chair, looking completely relaxed in his stance. Despite what appeared to be a lengthy questioning session from Ishikawa, the discussion remained one sided as the bald man refused to say anything.

 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Ema carefully said as her head shifted from the single sided window of the interrogation room, and then to the, somewhat relaxed expression on Haruka's face. This was in contrast to the apparent tense situation that they have all been thrown in on this night. “I mean, I… I like to do as much as anyone else but… Wasn't it you that said we shouldn't get involved and just let the police handle it?!”

 

Haruka eyed the nerdy looking girl carefully. “That was then, this is now.” A frown appeared on the side of her face. “Besides, will that stop any of you from not trying to find them on your own?”

 

The girl's looked at each other for a few seconds, before most of them, Motoko, Mutsumi, Shinobu, Kitsune, and Su all turned to Haruka and shook their heads.

 

Ema looked backed at the rest of the girls and felt extremely embarrassed being the only girl `not' wanting to find Keitaro. At least, having the appearance of not wanting to find him. In reality, staying with Keitaro and Naru, she began to see why everyone wanted to find them. And while she herself did not see the attraction, she did want to see his smiling face again with his `explosive' wife. “Um, I didn't mean it that way. I… mean um… I mean, this is going to be dangerous and…”

 

“Do not concern yourself.” Motoko patted Ema's shoulder behind her. “I felt the same way about this when I first heard about this. Not necessarily on my safety, but for the safety of everyone else here.” Then her eyes hardened, and her grip on her sword tightened. “But if you saw what I saw… there is no way I will let sit back and do nothing to save them! And since they hurt Naru…”

 

“Hmph!” Su nodded as she scowled. “But I would have been doing this anyways no matter what any of you have said. They are a part of the Hinata Sou family! We can't let anyone of us be harmed!”

 

“So, you really have grown up.” Haruka commented in a near monotone voice. “Now…” She raised her hand to the girls and eyed each one of them. “I'd like to hear what's happening in there. Seems the `Inspector' finally got him saying something.” Haruka said in a near whisper mocking tone. “Let's here what he has to say.”

 

“I… I don't know anything about it!” The bald man said, his voice reverberating through the intercom.

 

Yokohama Police Station - Interrogation Room

 

“Oh come on.” The Ishikawa said as he sat back and crossed his arms. “Mister Kurosawa, can you explain to me why there was no sign of force entry?”

 

“Um… maybe… I… I don't know!” The sweating manager said as his eyes shifted from side to side. “Maybe, she stole one of the copies and…”

 

“First of all, what makes you so sure that it was a `she' that stole one of the copies?” Ishikawa glared at Kurosawa. “And isn't it against your apartment's policy for its residence to make copies?”

 

“Well… I… um…” Kurosawa's hands began to shake. “Maybe they…”

 

“The only extra set of keys for any of the twenty units in your building, belongs to you.” Ishikawa held up an evidence bag. In it was a set of keys around a silvery key ring that has since lost its luster over time. Ishikawa jiggled the bag in front of the manager. “What a coincidence… one key appears to be missing. Can you guess which one?”

 

Kurosawa's mouth began to quiver. “I… I…”

 

“Right now, we can keep you as an accessory for a kidnapping. Now, you can help save yourself by telling us where Mister Urashima and Miss Narusegawa are right?” Ishikawa leaned back on his chair, creaking ever so slightly. His eyes narrowed as he felt the trap begin to spring.

 

“I… I…” The manager began to shiver violently as he finally snapped. “I can't tell you where they are! They… they will kill me!”

 

“And who exactly is `they'?” Ishikawa leaned in closer to the sweating man.

 

“The… the…” The sweating man looked over from side to side. “She… she said she belonged to the Urashima family!”

 

A smirk appeared on Ishikawa's face. “You're kidding right? That name scares no one anymore! And last time I checked, the couple you `sold' out on had that very name.”

 

“I… I know but… but…” The bald man's nails began to scratch the metallic top of the table. “She said… the family was rising back to its `rightful' place! Back from the veil of deception that tried to destroy it! She… she…”

 

“Oh don't make me laugh!” Ishikawa slammed his hand on the table. “If you truly are in danger we can protect you from `them'. But we can't do it unless you tell us where they are!”

 

“No… no… no!” Kurosawa quickly shook his head. “They'll kill me!”

 

Yokohama Police Station - Hallway

 

Inside the hallway, Mutsumi blinked at the on going events inside the room. “Um, Haruka? What did the Inspector mean when he said `that name scares no one anymore'?”

 

Kitsune also caught the same thing. She looked at Haruka and asked a similar question. “Um yeah. What did he mean by that?”

 

“Honestly… I don't know.” Haruka said, raising an eyebrow at that revelation. She let out a whiff of smoke before she eyed the curious girls. “Maybe they saw mother's dark side?” A grin appeared on Haruka's face as the reaction she received was a bunch of blank stares. Her eyes then narrowed as she returned the events that were happening inside of her room. “However, I'm more concerned about my nephew. And this `manager' is hiding something.”

 

Yokohama Police Station - Interrogation

 

“No! I can't!” The bald man frantically screamed back at the Inspector. “If I talk, then they'll hunt me down and kill me!”

 

Ishikawa sighed. “Again, we'll protect you from…”

 

Suddenly, the door slammed open.

 

“What the?” Ishikawa shot his head back to see the `near' incensed face of Haruka. “Hey! You can't be in here!”

 

Haruka glanced for a section at Ishikawa before ignoring him entirely. She casually walked around him and stood in front of the bald manager. She crossed her arms as she glared down on him.

 

“Um… Haru…Haru… Haruka?” Shinobu shakily said. “Shouldn't we… um…”

 

Haruka, without saying a word, raised her hand at Shinobu, stopping her concern dead in her tracks. She then focused her attention on Keitaro's and Naru's scared bald little manager. “I don't know why you're so afraid of the `Urashima' family. Since right now, the only Urashima you should be sacred of is me!”

 

“Ehhhh…” Kurosawa's sweat poured down his face. “Ura… Ura…”

 

Haruka slammed her foot down into the guy's chest, knocking him to the ground. “Now tell me where my nephew and his wife is?” In a low, but still threatening tone.

 

“Ahhhhhh!” The man shrieked.

 

“Haruka?” Su said in a slightly stunned voice.

 

“I don't… I don't…” The bald man muttered out.

 

“Wrong answer.” Haruka said as she dug her foot deeper into his chest.

 

“Ma'am!” The Inspector said startled. “You can't assault…”

 

Haruka eyed Ishikawa from the corner of her eyes. “Why are worried? If someone complains, you can just say some crazed woman came in and assaulted the witness.”

 

“Uh… um…” Ishikawa sputtered out.

 

“Now where were we?” Haruka said as she returned her attention to the man she had under her foot. She leaned in closer to see the details of the iris of his eyes.

 

“Well… you see… I don't know where they are!” The bald man squeaked out through tears. “They never told me anything!”

 

“Oh. In that case, why didn't you say so in the first place?” Haruka said as she lifted her foot from the man's chest. “I mean if you didn't know anything, you had nothing to worry about right?”

 

“Uhhh…” The bald man gulped nervously.

 

“I mean, if they didn't tell you where they were taking them, then you shouldn't have to worry about anyone going after you right?” Haruka said, tapping the ashes off her of cigarette. “So I should apologize for what I just did.”

 

“Well, I… um…” The bald man slowly backed up from his position.

 

Su's eyes widened a bit, before narrowing as she began to catch what Haruka was implying. “Except you know something don't you?”

 

“Um…” Kurosawa gulped again. “It isn't… well… it…” Suddenly, he felt something cool on the side of his throat as a new face, one with long flowing black hair, and was wearing some more traditional clothing, occupied his view. “Eep!”

 

“Tell us everything you know, or things might get a little messy if my hand `accidentally' slips.” Motoko said in a low threatening voice.

 

“Guh. Eeeeeeeeh!” Kurosawa started before breaking down. “Okay! Okay! We met at the bar a few blocks from the apartment. She brought two men, one fat middle age man and a thin man about the same age with her and basically told me everything she planned to do!”

 

“Why would she tell you everything?” Haruka asked as she raised an eyebrow.

 

“Um, not about what she planned to do with them or anything…” The bald man eyed Haruka for a second, then the long blade that was running next to his neck. “But what she planned to do to me and my family if I didn't cooperate.”

 

“And what exactly did she plan?” Motoko said as she edged the blade even closer to his skin. “Can't be any worse than what I would do could it?”

 

“Um, um, um…” The bald man gulped again. He nearly shook his head until he remembered the blade that was riding his neck. “She said that she would cut my balls off if I didn't cooperate!”

 

Motoko frowned. “That's it? I'm disappointed.”

 

“I… I didn't even get to the part of what she would do to my kids!” A drop of sweat poured down Kurasawa's face, and landed on Motoko's blade.

 

“Now now.” Haruka said as she took out a new cigarette and lit it. “He's being cooperative right now. As long as he continues, he doesn't have to worry about losing the ability to have anymore children.”

 

“Um, there is no smoking…” Ishikawa began before dropping his head in defeat. “Never mind.”

 

Motoko glared at Kurosawa for a bit, before lifting the sword ever so slightly off of his neck.

 

“Is there anything else you can tell us?” Haruka said as she hovered over the man.

 

“I… she told me to monitor their activities. When they were home and so forth.” Kurosawa relayed. “And then give them my copy of the apartment key when the time came. That's all I swear!”

 

“Hmph.” Haruka said and she began contemplating. “Can you at least tell us what bar you went to?”

 

“The… Cat's Paw.” Kurosawa nodded furiously. “That's the place!”

 

“Cat's Paw?” Kitsune blinked.

 

Haruka eyed Kitsune. “You know that place?”

 

“Yeah!” Kitsune replied. “I go there… um, every other Thursday! Heheh.”

 

“How come I'm not surprised?” Motoko sarcastically commented. “But didn't you say…”

 

“Hey! I did say every other Thursday you know.” Kitsune retorted before Motoko could finish her sentence.

 

“Hmm. Maybe we should pay them a visit.” Haruka offhandedly said. “Maybe the bartender knows something.” As she was approaching the exit, she suddenly stopped and turned back to the bald man. “Oh, and you never mentioned who `she' was. Can you tell us that?”

 

“She… she didn't give a name.” Kurosawa recounted as he eyed Haruka carefully. “Only that… that… um… she had a cat.”

 

“A cat.” Haruka frowned.

 

Unknown Location - Keitaro's Room

 

“This is your room.” Agafia said as she gestured Keitaro to check it out. “Your bed, your drawer, chest…”

 

“Wow.” Keitaro said amazed. He stared at `his' bed in amazement. Not only did the room rival anything he had stayed in the past, the amount ornate furnishing that resided in this room left Keitaro simply speechless. A painting hanging over the bed showed a lighthouse with crashing waves. Though he would later feel that the painting would have a contradictory emotional tone to it. It had a calming feel given the warm color tones, but then, the sailing ship that was on it appeared to be on a collision course with the rocks on the beach. Moving on from the painting a bit, he stared at the ornamental light that hung on the ceiling. “This is like one of those classical European movies!” He looked at the chest in front of the bed, which had a painting in the front of a little girl staring at a dog stuck between a log, was surrounded by gold trims that seemed to fit nicely with the dark mahogany wood. His eyes then shifted to the objects on the desk. Most notably of the collection was a small brass pendulum clock sitting on the desk's corner. “Most of this stuff you'd find on that Antique Roadshow series! If not, a museum!”

 

“If you follow me, I'll show you the bathroom.” Agafia continued.

 

“Ba…ba… bathroom?” Kietaro blinked. “There's a bathroom here?”

 

Agafia opened a doorway that was to the left of the bed that led to a massive bathroom, with a bowl shaped sink, a mirror with gold trim, and a bath that occupied the rest of it… a bath that could be better described as a hot tub, or even a mini-pool. It had a lion shaped facet that seemed to be keeping watch over this domain. With the exception of the modern but very expensive looking toilet, which was covered with gold and silver trims, modern day shampoo, conditioners, and gels sitting next to the bath, Keitaro could have swarn that he stepped into the past when he entered this bathroom. “Whoa… imagine what the others would think of this room?”

 

“I… I am… I'm glad you like it Mas… Keitaro. Mistress Kanako would be happy.” She then shuffled her feet a bit. “If… if you have anymore request, I am at your disposal.” Agafia quietly said from the corner of the bathroom.

 

“Disposal?” Keitaro said, as Agafia's words interrupted his previous line of thinking. “What do you mean?”

 

“I've been… I'm, completely at your service Mas… Keitaro. I… can make you feel comfortable.” Agafia shifted her eyes to the side. “If you need to, I can provide… some extra service for you tonight.”

 

“Service?” Keitaro blinked confused. “What do you mean by service?”

 

“I mean…” Agafia began fumbling with the threads in front of her dress. “I can… make you very comfortable.”

 

“Eh… eh…eh!” A sweat drop appeared on Keitaro as he realized what Agafia was saying. “Nononononononononononono! That isn't necessarily! Hehehe. Um… I'm fine! Yeah! I'm perfectly fine!”

 

“Are you… sure?” Agafia turned her eyes away from Keitaro.

 

“Yeah yeah yeah! I can handle myself! I mean, not in that way! I mean…” Keitaro began to panic.

 

“O… Okay.” Agafia slowly dropped her head. “I… I'll be waiting in the next room. If you need anything, please call me. Again, I am at your disposal.”

 

“Sure sure!” Keitaro said waving her away. After Agafia left the room, Keitaro let out a big sigh and dropped his shoulders. He sat on the `stairs' that led to into the bath. “What a night. And all I want to know is, where Naru is.”

 

Unknown Location - Kanako's Room

 

“Meow!” A certain black cat said on top of an antique looking dresser drawer.

 

“Wait right here Kuro-chan.” Kanako smiled as she patted him over the head, bring a smile to the cat. “This is something that only I should do.” She turned to the dresser drawer and opened the cupboards. She riffled through her collection before removing a simple buttoned up shirt and dress slacks. She removed her long coat and dress shirt and hung them up in the dresser. She removed her skirt and dress shoes, and placed them neatly in the drawer. In its place, she carefully put on the dress slacks, and the buttoned up shirt, and tucked the bottom of the shirt into her slacks. She then took out two black leather boots and put them on.

 

She then looked to the side of the dresser's door and noted a heavy worker's apron hanging on one of the hooks, appearing out of place to the gothic dresses hanged in the drawer. She took the apron, brought the top strap over her head, and tied the two straps on the side behind her. She looked up and noted a box full of latex gloves. She removed two gloves, put them on, and finished as by making a loud SNAP, confirming that the tight flexible gloves conformed completely to her hands. She then reached up to the top of the drawer, and took out a surgeon's facemask, promptly putting it on. After she was done, she stood upright, stared at herself in the mirror, and waiting for a few seconds before she spoke. “Do you have everything Kyoko?”

 

“Yes mistress.” The Asian looking maid replied, holding up a suitcase sized wooden box in her hands.

 

“Good.” Kanako said, as she turned around to view her subordinate. “Follow me.”

 

Unknown Location - Basement

 

DRIP

 

Naru's eyes wavered in and out as she tried to let the inclination of sleep takeover.

 

DRIP

 

But each time, just when she felt like she can let the unconscious world take over, a drop of water would rip her away from it.

 

DRIP

 

“Mmmmm.” Naru groaned as she tried her hardest to ignore it.

 

DRIP

 

The cool wetness trickles down her forehead.

 

DRIP

 

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Naru screamed at the top of her lungs. She violently banged her confined arms on the pipes. “Someone get me the fuck out of here!” Suddenly, she stopped her movements as a new sound followed. The sound of locks and gears being moved. Her consternation, instead of dissipating, began to heighten. “Eeeeeeeeeh?!” Naru shot her head up to the heavy door in front of her.

 

CLICK

 

The final bolt unlocks, and the door creaked open.

 

Water trickled down into Naru's eyes, blurring her vision for a second. She shut her eyes and violently shook her head. After she was certain that the excess water was out of her eyes, she slowly opened them. The first vision she saw was of someone wearing thick black boots and dress slacks standing next to someone wearing leather shoes, white socks, and a black maids dress.

 

Before she could look up to see their faces, a certain sound reached her eyes. It was a tapping sound. Naru slowly raised her head to see what it was, and was horrified to discover the source.

 

Kanako, wearing a heavy apron and a facemask, was tapping a red plumber's wrench repeatedly in her hand. “Hello Naru. You are an honored guest to my home.”

 

-------End of Chapter 5

 

That, was Chapter 5. So, not dark enough for ya? I can make it darker. Oh yes. I can. Hehehe.

 

Anywys, next on my planning stage, Fallen Blade? Fullmetal Evangelion? Silent Titan (my return from hiatus from the Teen Titan section?) Conflicted Hearts? Valiant Shinji? Bleach fic? Gah! Too many stories, so little time!

 

Next Chapter… what do the Hinata Sou gang find out? And what does Kanako plan for Naru? Until then… later!