Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Clips ❯ Clip 6 ( Chapter 6 )

- Clip Six: Conversation -

 

From his study room's window, KR had an excellent view of the gardens and the series of corridors enclosing it. He watched amusedly as Michel cajoled and dragged the newest members of Krypton Brand to the parlor room for tea. He saw Chloe approaching the small group from the opposite direction and had to smile when Michel greeted him exuberantly.

“They are good, are they not?” he suddenly asked aloud.

“Yes they are,” Mihirogi answered. Quietly, she crossed the carpeted floor. “I'll never understand how you always know when I'm in your presence, Sire.”

“Trade secret, Mihirogi.”

His elegant Japanese secretary joined him at the window. “Are they what you are looking for?”

“The initial results are encouraging. They passed their `entrance test' with unexpected flying colors. Especially the one named Fujimiya. He was still injured during the test, I believe?”

“Yes. He caught Chloe by surprise as well.”

“And our gentleman hunter is bloody hard to surprise.”

“I feel they have a long way to go before they can become true members of Krypton Brand.”

“Oh?”

“They came to us with excess baggage.” Mihirogi moved away from the window to the fireplace. “They were with their previous team too long and Weiss didn't disband on exactly benign terms. What kinds of scars did it give them? Hidaka had to spend time in jail to work things out and Fujimiya…I heard he wandered aimlessly for two years. I'm not so worried about Hidaka but Fujimiya is another question. When we found him, he held his own against Chloe and yet a group of idiotic policemen nearly took him down. That is not what I expected to find in a killer of his supposed caliber.”

“What are you saying?”

“Sire, pardon my bluntness but you're not blind. Have you not noticed his depression? His emotional state is not what it should be for an assassin.”

“Chloe did mention something similar,” KR admitted.

“If he's to become one of the co-leaders of the new team, he must get over whatever is keeping him so off-balance. I'm not sure if he even can. How am I to trust the lives of the others to a leader so…?” Her voice trailed off, unable to find the right word to describe her misgivings.

KR pondered upon her words, absently tapping a finger against his walking cane.

“I have heard,” he said slowly, “that when he joined Weiss, he was a closed-off, stone-cold, abrasive young man unable to get along with nearly everyone around him. It was said he lived for revenge and nothing else matters. And yet, Weiss's success record improved by leaps and bounds during his stay. That must say something about him, doesn't it?”

“I suppose,” Mihirogi allowed.

“We have four members now. He's been with us for less than two weeks and already Michel is fond of him and he has snared Chloe's attention. Don't tell me you didn't see it coming,” KR chuckled at Mihirogi's disapproving expression, “Chloe with his taste for things of beauty.”

“He should know better than to fraternize with his teammate.”

“Chloe will always be Chloe. He's a law unto himself - as we found out the hard way,” KR said dryly. “The both of them are drawn to Fujimiya, even if they themselves do not realize it. Certainly Fujimiya is not aware of it either. Even in his off-kilter state, he still responds like a hunter and behaves like a leader.”

KR turned back to the window. “Give him time, Mihirogi. His presence could only benefit this new team.”

“Sire…”

“This new team, Mihirogi, it must not end up like the first one. And I trust Fujimiya to do everything in his power to keep that from happening.”