Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Synthetic Emotions ❯ Phase 15: Noel's Dilemma ( Chapter 15 )

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Synthetic Emotions

By: Melissa Norvell

Phase 15: Noel's Dilemma

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He was a beautiful man with long, shoulder length straight hair, a toned, tanned body and a prince-like appearance. He was masculine enough to be distinguished as male but feminine enough to come from a fairytale. His narrowed eyes with long lashes and a soft glow made most women want to stare into them for an eternity but for now, he only walked up to one girl. This girl wore a maroon business suit with a short, tight skirt and black hose and heels. Her skin was dark tan and eyes were a light melon color. Her long, white, wavy hair was pulled half way back by a hair tie that consisted of a black rubber band and two large green balls on either end. Together, they seemed picture perfect for each other and it caused even the most popular girl's in school to blush.

"Look at that, isn't that Hiyasha Ashara?" Hanamei turned her head and pointed at the two.

"He's cute, definitely datable if he wasn't hanging around that Candi girl all of the time," Eri agreed.

"I'm so jealous," the black-haired girl wrinkled her face in disgust. Someone like Ashara shouldn't associate with a lowly school reporter like Candi. It made him look less noteworthy then what he actually was.

“She still isn't as popular as me," Eri told her friend with a flip of her white hair. This caused the curled up end to counce even more.

Noel had been silent, she simply stared at the couple and watched the expressions that both of them exchanged while they were talking. 'Ibane Candi...the school reporter and the one who is in charge of our school newspaper. She's pretty, popular and very nice. No one really hates her at all.' The pink-haired girl frowned deeply. '...Except me...I hate her because she always gets to be with Ashara, the man that I've always loved since I was transferred here. No one even knows if he has anyone that he loves. I wish that I could tell him that I love him, but Candi is always there...I can never get any time in with him.' The frustrated girl clenched the hem of her skirt tightly in her hand. 'I can't even touch him because she's there.'

Her pink eyes glared intently at the girl that she secretly despised and her two friends simply wore clueless, confused expressions. They didn't know what to think of her for wearing such a murderous expression.

"Noel, what are you staring at?" Eri finally asked, just to break the odd silence between them. She didn't like the feeling of tension. It made her nerves stress and to maintain her beauty, she didn't need to stress so much.

"Oh, Eri," the pink-haired girl blinked and jolted a little, as if she had snapped out of some sort of evil possession or something.

"Are you alright? You look majorly pissed," Hanamei looked a little worried.

"I was just thinking about something that someone did to me," Noel said darkly. This made her friends concern rise.

"Who?" Eri asked curiously. Noel usually had the calmest demeanor among the three of them and if something made her that angry then she'd hate to be that person.

"Yeah, tell us who made you so mad? We'll totally ruin their life," Hanamei suggested. They were the most popular girls in school and if it was someone who didn't live up to their status quo, then they could definitely do something to make them miserable for ever thinking about making Noel angry.

"No one messes with our friends," Eri replied.

The black-haired girl nodded in agreement. "Best friends forever!"

Noel smiled half-heartedly at them. "Thanks guys."

"No problem-" The white-haired girl began but was cut off by her angry friend.

"-but this is a problem that I'll have to deal with on my own," Noel didn't want to ruin Candi's life, or let them know that she was competition for them on the same guy. Being popular was a dangerous game at times, but Noel knew how to play it well. She would keep this kind of thing from her vengeful friends in order to remain in good standings with them. If Eri or Hanamei knew that she was serious about Ashara, then they would just be another problem and she didn't need that. 'Besides, there are underlying matters that I can't tell anyone, not even you guys.'

"Alright, but if you feel like you need our help you can always talk to us," Hanamei replied and Noel knew that the purple-eyed girl meant well.

"I'll be fine really; I have to go to class. See you," the pink-haired girl waved and walked away from her friends, who bid her good-bye as they walked off together, talking of the day's gossip and what the newest style of shoes would be for next month.

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At Mariko's house, she and Asagi were curled up on the couch, watching television. The green-eyed man glanced at the clock on top of the television and wondered why the blonde was still at home. Usually, she was in school by this time. Looking down on her, he asked her if she was staying home today.

"I don't have a date today," Mariko replied a little sadly.

Asagi was silent.

"Why don't you think I'm a slut?" The blonde asked. After all, it was her reputation in school and even he caught her on the couch with another man so why shouldn't he think it? Surely there wasn't a single person in the entire region who didn't think it about her. Asagi should simply wise up and keep up with the times. There was no doubting it- she was a slut.

"Because I'm not everyone else. We live together. I've seen things about you that no one else has, right?" Asagi didn't even look at her, his eyes remained focused on the television.

"I guess," her answer was unsure but it came all the same.

"Well, do you walk out of a shower butt-naked in front of everyone you meet?" He finally looked at her with those piercing green eyes. When they were illuminated by the television glow, they shimmered like Peridot (1) against the light.

"No! What are you trying to say?" Mariko was trying not to be offended by his words. He said it like she was easy or something! The blonde could feel the rage within her bubbling.

"Why are you offended at it?"

"Ugh..."

"Idiot, I was complimenting you," Asagi replied.

"I'm kind of worried," Mariko decided to change the subject. It was an awkward subject anyway and she didn't feel like becoming confused again.

"Why?"

"I went to one of those parties and all of the guys I was with or have been with ended up dead. I have to wonder if someone is stalking me," the blonde replied. This really did worry her. It wasn't a lie. Mariko didn't want to end up dead like her many exes and didn't know what to do. Since Asagi was an assassin, maybe he could help her. He at least knew how they thought.

"If they wanted to kill you, then wouldn't you be dead already?" The spiky-haired assassin asked. Any normal assassin wouldn't just kill people around her; they would go directly after her. Unless they were in to torture or kidnap her, then they would not have done this. They were definitely not into any such thing. He knew that for sure.

"Yeah and that's why I'm worried. Is someone targeting people who get with me? I mean, is someone trying to tell me something or trying to destroy my happiness?" The girl looked at him, her face full of worry and guilt.

"Guess you need some of those sorry excuses for men to step up and protect you and if they can't," Asagi smirked. "Then they can just die, can't they?"

"What? How can you say something so morbid in such a calm tone? Don't you care about me?" For all she knew, she could end up dead next and here was Asagi, smirking away and using that morbid sense of humor that he had. Not only that, he was laughing at his own jokes!

"Mariko, I'm an assassin. I think I'd know that any assassin who wanted to kill you would have killed you by now. Especially when you were alone and vulnerable so many times," the spiky-haired man explained.

"So, what do you think then?"

"Maybe he wants something from you."

"But what?"

"How would I know?" The comment that the blonde had made caused him to be uneasy. Had she seen through him? Did she know that it was him? He doubted it but he had to keep up his cover, no matter what. It wasn't time to unveil himself just yet.

"You seem to know a lot about him." That remark definitely seemed to insinuate something.

"He's an assassin, just as I am. It should be easy to crack into someone's mind that has the same profession as you," especially if that person was you.

"Isn't every assassin different?"

"We possess the same style," Asagi reassured the girl that he knew what he was talking about without giving anything away.

"Could you come to one of the parties with me?" She asked seriously.

"Why? Don't you want to invite some guy?" The assassin asked coldly. "I'd just slow you down because I have seizures, right?"

"What?" Mariko was shocked that he'd even use that against her.

"No thanks, I don't want to watch you ruin yourself on other men," the man declined her offer. It was too painful to see her do anything with anyone else. He had grown quite protective of her over the few months that they had been living together. There were too many times when she had come home, crying because of them. He hated all of them for what they had done to her.

"What if I only hung out with you?" Mariko asked.

"You'll have to prove it to me," this would be no easy task and the promiscuous blonde was sure of that but to her, it would be worth it to simply have him at her side. She didn't know why but she felt safe around him and she couldn't really say that for many of the other men that she'd been with.

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Noel sat in class with a hand propping up her head. Lonely pink eyes stared out of the window as the rain poured from the smoky skies and showered the greenery around the school grounds. The sound of the shower was peaceful and helped to calm her senses. For some reason, after she'd seen Candi and Ashara, her day had been as dismal as the skies above.

"It's really coming down hard, isn't it?" She asked aloud to strike up a conversation.

"Yeah, I'm glad that mom told me to take my umbrella or I'd be screwed," Hanamei agreed.

"Yeah, same here."

"We have five minutes until school is out," Hanamei's voice faded out as she concentrated on a lone soul who happened to be walking out in the rain. Noel stared a little harder and tried to distinguish their features a little clearer. Her eyes widened when she had figured out who it was.

It was none other than the drowned prince, Ashara.

'Ashara-kun? Why is he out in the cold rain with no umbrella? He'll get sick like that. If he's still there after class, I'll go and get him before Candi can.' Now was her chance, she could finally at least be in Ashara's sights. She couldn't wait for the bell to ring, and, as if God had been on her side, the bell did ring.

Hanamei told her to come with her but she was cut off in mid-sentence by the pink-haired girl who hurried to shove everything in her satchel and gather her stuff as she bolted out of the classroom door.

"Noel!" The wavy, black-haired girl called out to her friend but it was far too late, Noel had disappeared from sight. Hanamei placed a hand on her hip and gave a confused look. 'Now, where would she be going at a time like this?'

"Where's Noel off to in such a hurry?" Eri came walking up the hall from her classroom. She was nearly run over by the pink-haired girl.

"I don't know. She just ran off out of nowhere when the bell rang," Hanamei replied.

"How strange."

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Noel ran through the school grounds as quickly as she could in order to get the slightest glimpse of her secret love. If she happened to find him, then it could be a grand opportunity for them to be alone and try to at least communicate with each other. She hoped and prayed that he would still be in the spot that she had last seen him in. After all, it had been only five minutes since class had let out.

The pink-haired girl darted through the trees as she carried her umbrella. The harsh rain beat down against her skin and stung her face but she didn't care. As long as she could get to Ashara, then the pain would have been well worth it. After a few minutes of running, she came to the middle of a large, concrete intersection where a large fountain was present. A good thirty people could sit all the way around it. Noel couldn't believe what she'd seen at the fountain. On the opposite side of where she stood, was Ashara. He sat on the edge of the fountain and was soaking wet. His golden hair hung straight down and all of its usual volume was gone. Ashara didn't seem to care about his appearance and why should he? He was still as beautiful as he was dry to her.

The dejected male suddenly felt the absence of rain drops and looked up to see a red umbrella being held over his head. It was Noel. He looked at her with slight confusion as he asked her who she was.

"My name is Noel. You're Ashara, right?" Noel replied, even though she had already known who he was it was polite to ask anyway just as a confirmation.

"Yes but how did you know that?" Ashara asked. His eyes were still a little sorrowful but his smile was kind.

"I've sort of admired you from afar," the pink-haired girl admitted.

"Are you one of my fans?"

"Fans?" Noel had no idea that he had such a huge following. Maybe she had more competition then just Candi.

"Yes, I'm Captain of the Archery Team. I have many fans," the blonde smiled.

"I didn't know that you took Archery. That's so cool!" She didn't know why but she felt so casual around him. In the past, and with everyone else for that matter, Noel always thought that she had to be someone who was so perfect and carry the "popular girls" self-image but to him, it was different. Noel didn't feel any pressure at all. Was this a sign that at least a friendship could be formed between them?

Ashara smiled warmly. She could tell that he felt comfortable as well. "Well, it's nice to meet someone who isn't a fan. At least you don't scream at me and ask for an autograph or a date." Even though it was a bit of a joke, it somewhat intimidated Noel. She didn't intend on asking him on a date first thing, that would be more then rude. Not only that but she was very shy when it came to asking others for a date.

"No, I just wanted to help you. You looked so cold out here and I saw you standing in the rain from inside and I couldn't help but to come out and offer you my umbrella," the pink-haired girl replied honestly.

"Thank you, you're most certainly kind. How may I repay you?" The answer was so tempting for many requests but Noel decided to keep it simple.

"Can we be friends?"

"I think we can." That was an answer that she had hoped for.

"I've always wanted to ask you but I'm really shy and your girlfriend-" The girl began lowly and sadly as she averted her eyes and looked down before she was cut off by the male.

"My girlfriend?" Ashara seemed a little confused by her statement.

"Yes...Candi-" She was cut off again, but this time by laughing. Noel was a little offended that he'd laugh at her when she was being serious. She didn't find it funny at all, even though his young laugh was very cute. "What's so funny?" She asked as she looked at him with a pout.

"Candi isn't my girlfriend. She's just a good friend of mine. She's a reporter and she televises my activities on the archery team so that the school can watch us during tournaments," Ashara explained.

"What are you doing out here?" It was a little weird that he was outside on class hours all by himself, in the rain and with no umbrella to boot.

"I just feel a little gloomy. Memories haunt me of the rain..." Ashara looked straight ahead as a melancholy look crossed his face and memories of the past resurfaced in his mind.

'I want to die while I'm happy, so that I won't experience sorrow. I want to die while I still feel this joy in my heart.' A girl who appeared to be about sixteen said as she put her hand to her chest. Her features were very similar to his own; a slender, athletic body, long, blonde hair and slanted blue eyes framed with beautiful, long black lashes.

'No, that's wrong! You should live life to the fullest!' A child that was about ten in age replied as tears of sorrow ran down his cheeks. His hair was long, to his jaw line and blonde in coloration as innocent eyes looked helplessly on through the light rain as he begged his sister not to do the unspeakable. 'Please don't do this! There's so much more to live for! You're not well Sahara!'

The older blonde girl smiled kindly at him. Sahara's smile was somehow eerie and tranquil. It was as if she was truly accepting of all things that were to come. It was a look that truly shook his nerves. 'Don't try and stop me. I'll die loving life as it is...' She then jumped off the side of a high cliff and shouted the word 'happy'. It was the last word that she uttered before her death and the word rang through Ashara's senses, even now as the images faded and he was brought back into reality.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Noel looked down, a little regretful that she had asked. It was really none of her business and his sister's suicide was something that should have stayed a secret, even though, in a strange way it was nice to learn his pains so that she could comfort him when he needed it.

"It's fine."

"But you seem so sad," the girl replied.

"It's not something I've ever told anyone," he didn't know why he had told her but he felt comfortable enough to tell her his problems. Even if they had only just met, it seemed to him like they had known each other for a lifetime. It was a strange feeling that he couldn't explain but he felt loose around her.

"Well, I'm not going to ask you. It would be rude to ask someone I barely know about their personal life." It was a little overstepping the boundaries for Noel, especially on a first encounter.

"Thank you. You are the sweetest girl that I've ever met," Ashara closed his eyes and smiled. He liked her timid modesty. It was charming to him.

This caused the girl to blush a little. "You really think so?"

"Yes, I think we'll get along well," he assured and Noel returned his comment with a simple smile.

'This is the happiest day in my life!' Noel thought happily to herself. She had finally spoken to the guy of her dreams, not only that but they can be on the path to being friends. She got along with him and that was always a plus. Noel had never felt that comfortable around anyone before, not even her own friends but that is understandable when your friends are among the most popular girls in the school.

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That night, the party got off to a roaring start as flashing lights, blaring sound and various activities took place both inside and outside of the residence that threw the party. Asagi had gone to the party and sat in the corner of the large room, right beside of the punch bowl in a cherry wood chair. He was dressed formally in a black coat with long, flowing tails, black slacks and a white, button-up shirt with a red tie. Given his form of dress, one would mistake him from coming from the Victorian Period rather than modern times. Mariko was at his side in a red, form-fitting, sexy dress with red, lace-up heels and a red rose in her hair, tucked safely behind her right ear.

"So, what now?" Asagi looked to his partner.

"I want to find that killer," Mariko seemed very set on accomplishing her goal.

"What? I thought you wanted me to protect you?" The spiky-haired man asked. How could he protect her if she was heading straight into the danger? If she was that brave then what did she need him for?

"I do. If I got in trouble, you'll save me." Was he a protector or a human shield?

"Do I look like your slave?" Asagi was a little irritated with her remark.

"What if I pay you?" Mariko figured that she at least owed him that much. She knew that she was hard to live with sometimes and she couldn't help but to still feel guilty about what had happened after he woke up from his seizure.

"What?" The lime-green eyed man nearly did a double-take at her offer. Before he could even say anything other than a question in response, the girl pulled out a wallet from her bra and dug around for some money. The girl then took his hand and sat a wad of cash in it. Then man declined by placing the money back in her own hand. "I'll do it for free."

"What?" Mariko was flabbergasted. This was the first time someone denied wanting her money for a service that wasn't of romantic nature. She wasn't a prostitute so she'd never do anything for money but she would offer her money to others who took it without any protests what-so-ever. Why was he so different? Who'd want to decline money and a large sum of it at that? She truly didn't understand his way of thinking.

"Your life means a lot to me," Asagi looked into the blonde's eyes with all of the honesty that he could muster. He wanted her to be know that even though everyone else may leave her side, that he would always stay. Asagi wanted her to know that he was the one stable, faithful thing in her life.

"Asagi..." Mariko turned to the assassin and stared into his eyes. It was only then when she had realized the true depth of his emotions. People had once told her that a person's eyes were mirrors to their souls but when she had stared into the lime-green gems that were his eyes, she was more than convinced that the saying was true, at least with him. She couldn't tear away from his gaze for a good five minutes. It was a gaze that tantalized her and even scared her. The depths of his passion and will were far more than her emotions could take. In a way, his eyes were very captivating and pulled you into temptations of commitment and fond feelings for her. Whether or not it was friendship or something more was beyond her and who was she to assume that anyone would want to make that type of commitment to someone like her.

Mariko was more than convinced that there was no one for her, so why not get affection as it was offered?

After a good ten minutes passed between them, Asagi finally spoke up and told her that they should go. The two of them headed towards the dance floor, in search of a killer that they would never find. As they neared the packed floor, Mariko's eyes lit up. She swiftly grabbed Asagi's forearm.

"Let's dance!" She smiled as she pulled him out with her.

The two of them danced closely as loud, Japanese pop played and the flashing green and red lights illuminated the background and tinted their skin colorful shades.

'I can wait this out.' The assassin smirked. 'Patience is the key to a true murder.'

Across the dance floor, the two dancers were spotted by a few close friends who had been dancing on the outskirts of the crowd.

"Hey look!" Sonata pointed to Mariko and Asagi.

"Herm?" Momo drew out the word with curiosity as he turned to see the two dancing a few feet away. "Well, what do you know? She brought the one guy that I actually like to the party. They probably won't do anything though." The wavy-haired girl nearly sounded sad at the fact.

"That's really none of our business, you know," Sonata replied. Momo had a habit of being far too open and delving far too personally into people's lives. It was almost as if she had no shame, though he couldn't say much for standing beside of someone who wore short, vinyl shorts, lacy, black hose and a corset with her black vinyl hat that covered her eyes, as usual. It almost looked as though she could be his mistress or dominatrix of sorts.

"Yeah but still, I kinda wish they would," Momo was way too interested in this subject.

"Why? She wouldn't be faithful to him either."

"You really think he's no different than any other guy?" She was surprised that he couldn't see that there was chemistry between either one of them. To her, it seemed obvious that they were made together and it wasn't simply a fangirlish match-making habit.

"I don't know," Sonata didn't want to delve into Mariko and Asagi's lives. It really was none of his buisiness and he really just wanted Momo to change the subject.

"I'm going to get some punch. I'll be right back," the vinyl-clad girl excused herself as she exited the dance floor to go to the refreshments table. Only a few minutes later, did Mariko excuse herself for the same reason. She had been dancing so hard that she was beginning to sweat a little and with the amount of people on the dance floor, it was a little stuffy.

"Sure," Asagi replied to her statement. 'Now's my chance. My next target is...' His lime-green eyes scanned the dance floor before they fell upon a young boy who danced alone. A wolfish grin crossed his face as the predator sighted his prey. 'There he is. That is the guy who made out with Mariko the other day. He's standing by an open window as well. This will be easy.'

The spiky-haired man threw out a hand sign and lightly whispered the word 'shatter'.

The window did as it was commanded and broke into large, jagged shards that rained on the helpless boy. He opened his mouth to yell but his horrified yell was silenced by a gloved hand. A large shard, about the size of an opened umbrella was shoved through the boy's chest, killing him instantly. His body was shoved back from the force of the blow and he landed on the floor with a single thump. Since he was in an area where he was alone, the only indication that something was wrong would be the large, ceiling to floor window that had been busted and caused a draft to flow into the party room.

Soon, there would be students and staff of the party around to see another murder by the mysterious killer. Asagi lived for moments like this.

"There's one down," he spoke quietly to himself. "Not a spot of blood on me either. That was easy. Mariko won't expect a thing."

A few moments later, the sound of red heels on marble floors caught him senses and he turned to see Mariko walking towards him.

"There you are," the blonde had been looking for him since she went to get some punch.

"Look what I found," Asagi gestured to the body that was surrounded by shattered glass.

"That's Tetsuki. Why is this happening? It's like I'm marking their death," the girl's horrified and confused expression could only show just a bit of the mixed emotions that she had been feeling about the series of murders. She hated that every party she showed up at, someone she knew or had been involved in had ended up dead. It was a very pressing issue that saddened the stressed her out simply by thinking of it.

"I noticed a draft and I came to this window and saw him lying there with glass through his chest. It's a pretty tall window. Do you think it could simply be an accident?" Asagi faked his concern for the boy and lied to Mariko.

"I don't know but if I ever meet this man face to face, there are a lot of things that I want to ask him," the angry girl tried to keep the tears from falling and balled her fists to her sides.

'Little do you know, he's standing right beside of you. I won't stop killing them, not until I get to you.' After all, these killings had meaning. Asagi wanted to be noticed as a force to be reckoned with and he would prove his faith to Mariko by killing all who had hurt her.

The only thing he had ever wanted, was to simply see her happy.

To Be Continued...

NOTES

1. Peridot- a lime green stone. This was made to be a comparison with Asagi's eyes.