Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Alice In Chains ❯ Crime 2: Contract ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: MellyN

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Alice in Chains

By: Melissa Norvell

Crime 2: Contract

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"You own this shop?" Yohru asked in shock as she saw the curly-haired woman standing a few feet across the room.

"Yes, I told you that when we first met. You were just in too much of a shock to comprehend it at the time," Alice replied quaintly.

"You know this woman, Yohru?" Taho looked to her friend in question.

"Yes…" The white-haired girl replied in a dazed state. She still couldn't believe that Alice's predictions had come true and that she actually saw her the day that she was told she would. It was like some freak prophecy. "She saved my life last night."

"How did she do that?" Taho was confused. Wasn't Yohru at home last night? She could have sworn that she was or at least, when they talked on the phone until midnight she had been. Did she go out for a walk or something?

"I was taking a walk and this crazy guy tried to kill me and she fought him off," Yohru explained.

"Wow! Seriously?" Michi squealed in admiration as she looked to the Lolita-clad woman. "That's so cool! You're a hero!"

Alice, however, was not so thrilled at being called a hero of any kind. She frowned deeply and glared at the wailing, swooning girl with slight anger on her features. "Don't speak such rubbish, little girl," her voice was sharp and it sent immediate chills down Michi's spine as the school girl tensed up and a look of fright crossed her features.

"I'm sorry, Alice-san. My friends don't know any better," the white-haired girl replied as she glanced around the shop full of oddities. "Are you the only one who works here?" She asked.

"Perhaps…Why does it bother you?"

"I was thinking that-"

"You can be my assistant?" Alice told her the other part of her question. For the second time, this made Yohru uneasy.

"Sure," she tried not to think about how Alice could be right on top of her sentences like that.

"Can we help?" Michi thought about how fun it would be to handle mysterious objects from other places and work in such a unique and fun atmosphere with her friends.

"No, I only want one assistant," the spiral haired woman enforced.

"That's unfair…" The blue-haired school girl began to argue but the shop owner was quick to cut her off.

"I never asked you for your opinion." It had been the same sharp tone as before and it rendered the girl speechless once again.

Once Alice figured that Michi wouldn't speak another word, she then turned to Yohru and told her that she could start the job today. The white-haired school girl seemed quite surprised at such a quick decision and asked her 'what' in response. The shop owner told her that she would pay her handsomely and at the point in time, Yohru felt as if she had an obligation considering she owed this woman her life. If she declined, it would make Alice think that she was ungrateful and she didn't want to do that. She eventually agreed and asked if she could inform her parents to let them know where she was.

Her two friends, of course, were against it. "You're just going to ditch us?" Michi was little angry at her friend for doing something like that to her and Taho.

"She has a duty to fulfill. You're bothering her," Alice snaked a long, pale arm around Yohru's shoulders. "Now, come and let's begin."

Large blue eyes looked to her two friends as they began to walk away, leaving them behind. The girl couldn't help but feel as though part of her was betraying them but she did owe Alice far more than she ever could her friends and ultimately, she took her side and uttered 'okay' as she tore her gaze away and walked with the Lolita-clad woman into the next room.

"What a cold woman," Taho stated once they were out of earshot.

"She's so creepy. She got offended when I called her a hero. Most people would be happy if they got called that but not her, oh no! It's all offensive!" Michi had already been angry that Yohru ditched her and not only that but for someone she barely even knew! It wasn't very fair at all!

"Let's just be nice to her," Taho reasoned. "She's our friend's boss and we don't want to get her fired."

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The room was trimmed in cherry wood and decked out in rich wood furnishings. The beige cloth shades around the windows filtered the sunlight in a way that caused it to cast an almost fog-like projection of the sun's rays that made the room glow like a mid-afternoon day. Alice sat behind her large, hardwood desk with a simple sheet of paper in front of her.

"I want to inform you that this shop has a very strict schedule. You are to be here after school and on Saturday at ten. Is that clear?" The woman asked professionally.

"Yes," Yohru would think about how to figure it into her schedule later. 'This is all going by so fast…but I do owe her. This is the least I can do- to help her take care of her shop since she seems to be here all alone. It must be a heavy burden to bear.'

"Keep in mind that this is a very special shop. All customers are treated the same no matter their age, gender or preference."

"Right, I'll do my best," she smiled in confidence as she walked outside behind the counter to see that Taho and Michi were in front of it. "Looks like I have a job, starting today."

"Are you sure about this?" Michi didn't want Yohru to seem like she had to do something for the cold woman. Alice seemed creepy and she worried about the time she'd be spending around her.

"I don't have a choice. I already said yes."

Taho sat a small bouquet of blood red roses on the counter. "I'd like to buy these," she told her friend. The least she could do was allow her to do her job.

"Okay, hey Alice!" Yohru turned to ask the woman. "How much do you charge for roses?"

Alice told her that they were a dime a piece and Taho blinked a little. She wasn't expecting an answer like that. Usually roses were so high, and these were absolutely beautiful. They appeared to be more than a dime. She had estimated two dollars but not a dime.

"That's cheap," Taho said, nearly in shock at such a price.

"I get them at a good price," Alice commented as the spiral haired girl took her money and told her 'thank you, come again' as she proceeded to put the money in the register.

"You know how to work a cash register?" Alice noted the girl's skills without being trained.

"Yes, I used to work at a grocery store," Yohru smiled.

"I see," the mysterious woman observed her answer carefully as someone ran through the wooden shop door. Alice's lavender eyes slowly went to the direction the fast clicking of heels came from as a distraught woman rushed into the shop with a shoe box in her hands.

"You're back," Alice stated simply, as if it didn't matter that much.

It was the mother from the day before. Pain reflected in her large brown eyes as crystalline tears flooded down her cheeks as she sobbed and flung the shoebox on top of the desk. She looked at Yohru and spoke to her in a pleading, emotional tone.

"This thing is a bad omen," the mother cried as she slammed the charm down on the countertop. It clacked on contact as Alice walked over to her.

"Bad omen?" She questioned coolly.

"After I bought this, I hung it in my husband's window. It was one of my charms that he actually did like. When I woke up this morning, the charm was on the floor," the mother wailed emotionally as she cried even more. The tears came without the slightest hint of drying up and she couldn't help but shed tears. "…and he was dead."

Yohru looked upset herself. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the weeping woman. "How awful…" she uttered in sorrow and sympathy.

"Do the two of you not sleep?" Alice questioned. It did seem off that someone would not sleep with their loved one.

"We do," she explained, "but last night Toki had a bad dream and said that he heard a knocking noise on the wall. I went to console him and I ended up falling asleep with him instead."

"How did he die?" Yohru asked.

It was painful for the mother to say. She strained out the words through unshed tears as she told her story of horror to Yohru and Alice. "I think…he was stabbed. I can't keep this charm…and if you'd be so kind," the mother gestured to an old shoebox that sat close by the charm. "Can you take all of my charms? I don't want any charms ever again. All they do is get me into trouble and cause bad luck."

"Charms are only what you make of them," Alice said pessimistically. "Depending on your superstitions, it's purely in your head."

"I just want to get rid of them, please," the woman wanted nothing more than to be rid of the charms that now haunted her life. The mother merely wanted them off of her hands and quickly, before they caused any more deaths in her family.

"I'll take them off of your hands," Alice negotiated. More charms would be good for her business, after all. People should be aware of their obsession with hobbies, despite what others may think and if the hobby is an endangerment to their relationship then they must figure out which they value more. The mother chose her hobby and for that something was sacrificed. Humans never go through life without making them so who was she to think that she was above the system which had stood in humanity for eons?

"Thank you, I'm so grateful," the mother clasped her hands together with bright, hopeful eyes and a warm yet sad smile at the two women who stood behind the counter.

"Does stuff like this happen often?" Yohru turned to Alice as the mother walked out of the shop, drying her tears. This had only been her first day and already so much had happened. She couldn't complain, however, it was far from boring.

"At times yes, at other times no," the cryptic words flowed from the shop owner's blood red lips.

"Do the charms really have that strong of power?" Yohru held the charm up in front of her face and gazed into its amethyst depths as it reflected the sunlight and shimmered with radiance. She looked at the elaborate gem in deep contemplation.

"They do many things and since you are now my employee, you will soon find out their many secrets."

The curious girl continued to stare at the charm. 'It's all just a coincidence, isn't it?'

Alice gazed critically at the girl. "What are you doing? You should get to work," she commanded as her apprentice looked over her shoulder at the shorter woman.

"What do I do, exactly?" Yohru didn't know the first think about her position since it had never been explained to her. If Yohru was going to do her job, she wanted to do it right. She didn't want to get fired on the first day.

"Stand by the desk and check out my customers," Alice explained. "I'll inform them about the charms, or you can simply look them up in this."

A large book that looked similar to a dictionary was placed in the girl's hands. She had to hold it with both arms because the book was so heavy, holding it with one hand would result in injury. Yohru blinked and was in surprise as she marveled at how heavy it was. Could there possibly be that many items in her shop? The little shop didn't seem like it held that much at all.

"This is a big book," Yohru stated the obvious.

"It has all of the information that you could use. Everything is in here but the flowers and suckers. Only read the description and not the causes as a result."

"Isn't that a little shady?" The white-haired assistant wasn't so sure about that. She had always been honest with people in the past. She didn't want to lead people on into believing that they would get something for nothing with no price to pay.

"Shady? I don't really think so," Alice replied. "If you buy anything with a magical property then they should know what the effects are and that they should be careful what they wish for." It was all a matter of karma to the shop owner. If you don't know what it could do to you upon purchase by having knowledge of the item, and then suffer the consequences.

People should be careful of their desires.

"I also need to see you after work."

"Why?"

"I am going to draw up a contract and I simply need your signature," the woman replied before walking off towards her room in the back of the shop. Yohru agreed as she began her new job. Things seemed to go smoothly as she went throughout the day telling people about the charms and selling various items such as roses and suckers to the customers. Many people took two or three charms and despite the girl's growing worry, she looked upon them with a bright smile.

Her work soon ended and she found herself in that familiar, dimly lit room. She stood in front of the desk as Alice looked at her from behind it with her ever present lazy eyes with large lashes. Alice was beautiful, like a Japanese painting and her milky skin caught the rays of sunlight and turned a pastille orange and her spiraled hair, a light purple. Before her, was a contract and that same small knife from before.

After Alice had told her to come in, she couldn't help but wonder why the knife was there. Perhaps it was for something minor, like peeling apples or something of that nature but judging from what type of person Alice was she highly doubted it.

"What did you want, Alice-san (1)?" Yohru looked at the contract. "Oh, is that my contract?"

"You could say that," Alice said with a slight air of amusement.

Yohru glanced around, as if she were looking for something. "Where's the pen? I'll sign it." Everywhere she looked, she could not seem to locate a pen. There were no pens of even the faintest sight of one on the dresser- no pen holders, or cups with pens…or anything. It was slightly irritating and even a little creepy that the only thing that could be found was a knife.

"You don't need a pen," Alice remarked simply as she rested her chin on the back of her hands.

"I don't?" She looked confused. 'What kind of contract doesn't allow for a signature?'

"It's a blood contract." Those very words sent a chill up Yohru's spine as she froze in place. The air was cold and thick between them as she stared into lavender eyes from across the room.

"What?" The words barely escaped her lips in a quiver of emotion.

"That's what the knife is for, my dear," the response was so calm, as if she'd done this a million times. How could she say something so creepy in such a lighthearted tone? Yohru had never done anything occult or blood sacrificial. She stared at the knife with unwilling eyes. The sheer thought of maiming oneself didn't appeal to her at all.

"But that means that I sell you my soul or something, doesn't it?" Yohru was a little unsure of what Alice was requiring, or even if she wanted to do it.

"It's just a simple contract," the woman assured.

"Why can't you just take a signature?" Yohru asked nervously as she felt a bead of sweat run down the back of her head.

"Blood is more permanent. If you're willing to commit then you truly feel that you should have the job," the woman was amused at how Yohru would handle the situation.

"That's a little extreme, don't you think?" Yohru asked apprehensively. She really didn't want to sign a contract in blood. It was creepy and something about it really irked her.

"You must be willing to sacrifice if you want this position."

"It's just running a shop," Yohru didn't know why Alice was taking everything so seriously about something as trivial as running a shop. You sold things, up kept the shop and kept track of stock. What was so hard about that? Why was it so out of the normal? She didn't understand why one would want to go through such lengths for something that seemed so simple.

"These are my terms and conditions. I think once you've worked here for a while you'll find it to be quite a unique experience. It will be like no other, I assure you that," Alice seemed as if it were a guarantee with those words.

'How can running a shop be that exciting?' The girl wondered to herself. She had worked there a day and when she thought about it, she didn't do anything out of the normal. "Well, I did agree so I guess I still owe you one." Yohru came to terms with herself and smiled. "Then we'll be even!"

"Or more so, I think," Alice commented smoothly.

"I'll do it," the girl was more confident then what she was as she beamed to herself, then slowly reached down to grasp the knife on the countertop. She lightly grasped it with her delicate hand and held it to her bare wrist. Extending her arm, she concentrated on that single spot. No matter how hard she wanted to cut herself, she couldn't seem to bring herself to do something like that. Every time she felt a burst of confidence, it was quickly brought down with a slam by edginess and she felt herself failing. 'I've never done this before…'

"Anticipation is a breeding ground for doubt and fear. Just hurry and do it. The less time there is to think, the easier making a decision will be," the patient woman stated.

"What if I cut too deep?" Yohru didn't want to make a fatal mistake.

"Then you die," the answer again, was nonchalant.

"What?" Her eyes widened in response with fear and indecision.

"I grow wearily of waiting."

"You act like it's so easy and simple," the white-haired girl had begun to feel backed into a corner by the small woman from across the desk. Lavender eyes seemed to be nothing but condescending and judgmental on her, which made the girl feel all the more pressured into slicing her wrist.

"It is. You're just a pathetic little weakling who doesn't know pain and would rather play the damsel in distress role as most sorry excuses for women these days. Grow a backbone," Alice hated the weak women who would rather hide in the shadow of a man and act defenseless in the heart of danger. It was cliché and gave people all the more reason to view them as such frail creatures instead of the strong goddesses that Alice believed they were.

"I'm not a sorry excuse for a woman!" Yohru had been through a lot in life and she wasn't about to let someone who looked like a porcelain doll call her weak.

"Your actions speak louder than your words."

All of a sudden, Yohru felt even more determined than ever as she took the knife firmly in her hand and, without a thought more, ran it across her flesh with one smooth, quick manner. She could feel the sharp blade as it stung against her open flesh and blood ran down her arm in a couple of small streams.

"I'm not weak," she said in a strong tone.

Alice seemed amused as a smile slightly tugged at her lips. "The things we do when we are offended- it's truly remarkable."

A few red spots appeared against the white of the contract in front of her as Yohru looked at her with fire in her eyes and tried to ignore the stinging pain in her wrist. Alice then took out a small brush and ran it across the open wound, causing the girl to flinch on contact. She then handed her the brush.

"Your initials will do," Alice informed simply as the girl signed the contract. "Do be advised that this is a binding contract. You are to abide by it until I feel that you have worked off your debt."

"I understand," Yohru nodded in response as Alice leaned over the desk and took her wounded wrist in her hands. Her touch was cold and ghost-like against her skin.

"Now, we can't have our customers thinking that you cut yourself. Such self-destructive natures would get you reported," the woman securely wrapped the girl's slender wrist, and then placed a scrunchie around the bandages to help mask them. "This should keep them from questioning your condition."

Yohru smiled at her kind actions. "Thank you," she said as the sharp noise of squealing tires could be heard loudly from the back of the shop. Shortly after, there was a sharp, feminine scream was heard, followed by a commotion. It seemed close and it caused Yohru's head to snap in the direction of the incident, her long, coiled ponytail whipped around her face gracefully. Alice's lavender eyes simply moved to Yohru's form as she stood straight up.

"What was that?" Yohru wondered aloud.

'It looks like another's wish had been fulfilled.' Alice thought before she replied. "It sounds like someone was hit by a car."

"I've got to go and look!" Yohru ran out of the room and headed towards the front of the shop. Someone could be dying out there without any help. She had to see what was going on and if she could be of any help. She darted out of the front door to see a crowd in front of the shop's patio. A car had been stopped in front of the building and a man was holding a bloody woman in his arms. He was on his knees and crying softly as he held her form close.

'How terrible…' Yohru thought as her blue eyes burnt the image into her mind. "Huh?" She blinked as she scanned over the situation and saw that, a few feet away a purple charm had lain on the ground. She concentrated on the object- one of the shop's own charms. It was identical to the one that Alice had sold the mother prior to this accident. She could faintly hear the man uttering that he was sorry over and over again as he wept.

Casually, Alice looked over the situation with her ever-present stoic expression. "It seems unfortunate but people should be aware of the consequences of their actions."

"That charm…"

"We shouldn't be prying, you know," the Lolita-clad woman looked offhandedly over to her assistant.

"How can I not?" Yohru looked back at the woman, who stood a good three feet from her. "Someone was just run over in front of the shop." When the girl ended that phrase, the sirens of an ambulance could be heard growing closer to them.

"They are already dead. There isn't anything you can do," Alice walked away from Yohru. She causally strolled to the curb and picked up the charm, and then she headed back inside. Blue eyes watched the small woman as her countless black and white frills bounced with each step and her two mid-length curls trailed past her form.

'That's the second time that this has happened. Something bad took place and those charms were present. I hope that it's just a coincidence but it doesn't sound like it.' She stared into the shop door for a few moments, and then took one final glance at the accident that had occurred only moments before. "I guess I should get back to work and just hope that the rest of the day at least tries to go normally."

Yohru walked back into the shop as the ambulance drove off with the injured woman inside. She hoped that nothing else bad would happen. It was only her first time at work and already so much had happened. Perhaps Alice was right, maybe the job would be what she least expected it to be and filled with more excitement than she dared to hope for.

To Be Continued…

NOTES:

-san and other honorifics. People not familiar with Japanese or my works will not understand this- so let me explain to you the list of honorifics. Here are some honorifics that are commonly used in my works, manga and anime alike as well as other's works around fictionpress.

-san: This is the most common honorific, and is equivalent to Mr., Miss, Ms., Mrs., ect. It is the all-purpose honorific and can be used in any situation where politeness is required.

-sama: This is one level higher then 'san' and it is used to confer great respect.

-dono: This comes from the word 'tono', which means 'lord'. It is an even higher level of -sama and confers utmost respect.

-kun: This suffix is used at the end of boy's names to express familiarity or endearment. It is also sometimes used by men among friends or when addressing someone young or of a lower station.

-chan: This is used to express endearment, most towards girls, it is also used for little boys, pets, and even among lovers. It gives a sense of childish cuteness.

-bozu: This is an informal way to refer to a boy, similar to the English term for 'kid' or 'squirt'.

-sempai/kohai: This title suggests that the addressee is one's senior in a group or organization. It is most often used in a school setting, where underclassmen refer to their upperclassmen as 'sempai'. It can also be used in the work place. It connotes that addressee is of lower station.

-Kohai: This is the opposite if 'sempai' and is used toward an underclassmen in school or newcomers in the workplace. It connotes that the addressee is of lower station

-sensei- Literally meaning 'one who has come before', this title is used for teachers, doctors, or masters of any profession or art.

-(blank) Usually forgotten in these lists, but perhaps the most significant difference between Japanese and English. The lack of honorific means that the speaker has permission to address the person in a very intimate way. Usually, only family, spouses or very close friends have this kind of permission. Known as yobisute, it can be gratifying when someone who has earned the intimacy starts to call one by one's name without an honorific. But when that intimacy hasn't been earned, it can also be very insulting.