Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ The Coven ❯ Think Twice ( Chapter 3 )

The Coven - Chapter 3 - Think twice

 

 

 

 

Stepping out of his car, Yoji whistled at the house that stood tall before him. It reminded him of the chalets he stayed during his holidays in Switzerland. Ivory white painted walls. The flower covered hedges. Humble imitations of Ann Hathaway's gardens. The place was huge enough for any functions. Not to mention, wild animal parties. According to Rex's information, the late Kelly's parents bought the place for a vacation chalet and they had granted her permission to use it.

 

 

“Bet they didn't know it was more than a group study,” he muttered, his hands dug into his pockets. “Hey, Omi. Are you coming?”

 

“Let me keep this first,” Omi replied, squeezing a stack of papers into a file. “Okay!” He hopped out of the car with almost one leg.

 

“Homework?”

 

“What do you expect? Think I can slip by as an undercover without doing any homework?”

 

“They said that school is the best time of your life.”

 

“Shut up, Yoji!” Omi snapped. “I'm not in a mood for any teasing.”

 

 

“You really dislike schools, don't you?” Yoji walked up the staircase. “Come on, then. Let's check out the room where it all began.” He took out a key from his pocket, slotted it into the keyhole and turned. At the click, he pushed the door opened.

 

 

The room was styled in a moderate hotel-like accommodation. There was a queen-sized bed with two pillows, a blanket and a comforter. Beside it, a study table with its lamp. Two cupboards. One for clothes. One for stationeries, books and any miscellaneous things. Its bathroom was almost half the size of the room. Nodding his head approvingly, Yoji proceeded to move towards the balcony. Placing his hands upon the wooden edge of the fence, he looked down and saw his car.

 

 

“Looks pretty high from here,” He commented. “Hiroto's ex-girlfriend, Kelly, broke her neck not far from where my car is.”

 

“Roberto, one of Hiroto's friends, said she was murdered.” Omi stood next to him. “What do you think?”

 

“Well, let's see.” Yoji pondered for a moment. “According to her medical history, Kelly had a alcohol allergy if she drinks too much, such as nasty itchy rashes. Takes quite a while for them to subside. Knowing how much girls want to look their best on parties, she will take extra precaution on her alcohol intake.” He took a glance at Omi. “Say, she was slightly shorter than you. Give her a pair of high heeled. You might… Okay, lean against the fence. Hmm… arms spread out. Relax your body.” He took a few steps backward. “No, that doesn't look right.”

 

“What?” Omi asked, puzzled.

 

“Assuming with the heels and Kelly was roughly around your height, a few inches shorter. Slightly intoxicated with alcohol. The fence is almost three quarters your height. I don't think it's possible that she slipped and fell.”

 

“What if someone push her?”

 

“The autopsy reports found no trace of human DNA or any physical findings that suggested that. If someone tried to, she would have scream for help and put up a fight. By the way, she did take part in a few basic self-defense classes. Anyway, they had a barbeque outside. If she had scream for help, someone would have heard her.”

 

 

“So how in the world could she have slipped?” Omi looked down at the wooden boards. “These are the type of wood that absorb rain water. Alcoholic beverages should have the same effect.”

 

“Therefore, leading us to one course of action.” Yoji took out a cigarette packet, shook one out and lit it. “That is to find out who is in that room with her.” Lavender blue wisps of smoke blew out from his nostrils. “Oh yeah, you said something about murder.”

 

“Her school friends said she were murdered.”

 

“And why do that say that?”

 

“It may sound stupid but they said they communicated with their spirits with a board. You know, that board that everyone puts their finger on the marker…”

 

“Oh.” Yoji raised a brow. “That board. Mumbo jumbo crap. It's all in their heads.”

 

“I don't know but they weren't joking at that time.”

 

“Well, they were frightened and traumatized so they will think of anything to make themselves feel better. For their sakes, I hope that they quit that stupid voodoo thing.”

 

“What if they are telling the truth, you know, hypothetically, the board is telling the truth.”

 

 

“Try explaining that to Rex.” Yoji blew a wisp of smoke at Omi. “Come on, Omi. You should know by now. We need hard-core evidence. In another words, you have to poke your nose back at the university. What time is it now? Hey, we still have time to visit Aya. Coming?”

 

“Yeah, guess so.” Omi sighed in resignation. “As if I have a choice.”

 

 

 

 

At a lecture theatre in Zena University…

 

 

 

Humming to himself, Roberto Churko carefully stapled the papers together, one stack at a time. Being a subject representative, it was his duty to make sure that every student had their lecture notes, no matter how meager it was. Frankly, most lecture notes are based on reference books. A little bit from here and a little from there. After counting the entire lot, Roberto looked up. From his position at the lecturer's table, it looked pretty daunting to stand in front of a class, to impart knowledge that might be useful in their bright future. Roberto looked around. The room was very quiet. Too quiet for comfort. In the past, he loved the stillness of the night. Besides the concentration it gave him for his studies, it made feel him very peaceful, like the world didn't exist at all.

 

Rubbing the back of his neck, Roberto took a second look around the room. Somehow, he was not able to shake this eerie feeling he had since Kelly died. That cold slimy feeling that someone was watching him every minute. Like leprosy that plagued every single living cell on his skin. He rubbed his hands. The air seemed to grow cold. He saw the hairs on his arm standing rigidly straight.

 

 

“Hello?” he said loudly. “Is there anyone there?”

 

 

He waited for a while but nobody answered. He dug his hands into his pockets. The room was beginning to feel like Antarctica. White wisps seeped out from his lips. Not understanding what was going on, Roberto headed for the door. His numb fingers bent over the handle. Pushing it down, he tried to open the door. It didn't move. Trying not to panic, Roberto attempted to kick the door down. The door refused to budge a single inch, much to his dismay. Turning around, he saw white mist sliding down onto the chairs. As it touched the surface, the mist crystallized itself, forming thin layers of frost. Feeling his heart almost stopped beating, Roberto beat the door with his fists, screaming.

 

 

“CAN ANYONE HEAR ME? PLEASE! GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT!”

 

 

 

Turning around, he saw the frost extending almost half of the room, its coldness silently conjoured the space between itself and him. Suddenly, an invisible force pinned him face down to the floor, dominating him. Gnashing his teeth, Roberto struggle to move. His elbows jut out helplessly under the crushing weight. At the corner of his eyes, he saw the snow mist withdrawing. Flowing like a river, the mist moved, revealing a fair woman. It was Kelly. Her body sprawled lifelessly upon the floor like a broken doll. The whites of her eyes showed beneath her half-closed eyelids. Her bloody mouth gaped opened. There was blood leaking at the corners of her bruised lips. Petrified, Roberto screamed.

 

 

“My,” exclaimed a voice from nowhere. “For a man you can really scream.”

 

 

Roberto looked up. He saw an electric orange haired boy towering over him. Then, he realized he could move. The snow mist and frost disappeared. The cool atmosphere was gone. There were no signs that anything happened. Shaking, he forced himself up. The chill was still in his bones.

 

“Your face is terribly pale,” Gau commented. There was a jester's smile on his lips. “Especially when you see a dead body.”

 

“How did you know?” Roberto asked, bearing with a pain in his chest. “Moreover, how did you get in? There's only one door.”

 

 

 

“Oh, there are doors and doors,” Gau moved backwards slowly, step-by-step. “Takes practices but this is not why I am here. Hmm…” He sneered. “What happened to us, Roberto? We used to be such great friends. You, Kelly and me. What happen? What change us? What is it that made you and Kelly avoid me so much? Did it change when you and Kelly become members of the student council? Did you two feel superior? Was I considered a low caste in your blind eyes?” From his pocket, he produced a pencil. “Did you two ever bother to think of my feelings every time you left me out?” With his fingers, the pencil was placed to stand at its tip on the table. “All those time, my time was wasted thinking, trying to understand the gap between us. Wondering if the gap was caused by me?” He rotated the pencil, sighing riotously. “I shed tears at nights, crying out my pain to its darkness, screaming for answers that were never given. Then, one day, I stopped crying. I stopped thinking. I stopped looking back because I have something better now. Much much better.”

 

 

 

He released his hand. Naturally, Roberto assumed the pencil would drop onto the floor. To his shock and astonishment, the pencil continued turning, grinding its carbon tip to powder. Roberto moved back like he was blown away by a mighty wind. Gau saw the horrifying perceptiveness in Roberto's face. He loved it.

 

 

 

“I don't know how it happened. In time, I was able to use it as and when, all done exactly as I want it. And I wanted more. I found others who have the same ability as me. Together as a coven, we will take back what it has been so denied. We will crush you insects!”

 

 

 

His fingers tightened into a ball. The pencil shattered into splinters, flying all over the room. Roberto raised his arms to shield himself. As he did so, he saw the door handle a few inches besides him.

 

 

“You aren't thinking of leaving, are you?” Gau pointed his finger at him. “We are not done yet. You see, I have an interest in Kazuki Asataka and I can't afford people like you to interfere.”

 

 

His fingers began to curl. Roberto felt an extremely sharp pain triggering in his chest. He felt his heart beating rapidly, producing fiery heat as if it was set on fire. Clumsily, he fell to his knees, with his head leaning against the door. Flashes of black and white went before his eyes. Between those flashes, he saw Gau towering over him once more. His jester's smile stretched wider and wider. Summoning his final strength, he stretched out and grabbed what he believed to be Gau's leg and gripped it firmly, tightening with very last breath he exhaled till he could feel no more.

 

 

 

At a hospital…

 

 

Following Yoji from behind, Omi watched the nurses in their crisp white uniforms walking past him. Hips swinging. Arms holding papers all clipped together into a file. Beneath the professional images, their faces showed no expression. Omi moved faster. Hospital was his second disliked place. The squeaky-clean floors and walls failed to hide the smell of death that lingered odiously over the wards. He could see Death in his mind, holding its scythe with its skeleton arms, waiting, deciding to over which patient it could pluck for the next kill. The doctors and nurses were its subjects, preparing bodies like sacrificial lambs. Aya should not be here.

 

 

“Hey Omi,” Yoji snapped his fingers at him. “You okay? You look dazed.”

 

“Nothing.” Omi croaked weakly. Every time now and he could dash for the nearest exit.

 

“Well, come on. Aya is waiting.” Opening the door, he slightly pushed Omi inside. “I will be in the next room with Ken.” Before Omi could react, the door closed.

 

Turning, Omi saw Aya sitting in the balcony, with the comforter surrounding him as he sat in his chair, all dressed up as a patient. Straight long locks of red hair broke around his shoulders. From his position, one could easily mistake him as a woman. As Aya turned his head, Omi could see the white bandages wrapped around his eyes. Omi parted his lips in feeble attempt to speak but nothing came out. His tongue remained immobile in his mouth.

 

“Omi, is that you?” Aya asked. “Come here and sit beside me. The weather is very good today.”

 

 

Dumbly, Omi obeyed. As he approached closer, scenes of the past kept erupting in his mind. He tried to push it to the back of his mind but the memories refused to comply. Forcefully, he pulled up a chair and sat opposite Aya.

 

 

“Come closer.” Aya beckoned. “Yoji told me that you have grown a lot recently.” Omi bent forward, guiding Aya's hands towards his face. “Time has gone by very fast.” Omi felt his fingers gently stroking downwards. “You are becoming a fine young man.” Then, his fingers went upwards. “Are you keeping long hair…”

 

A clamp of pain stopped him. Omi saw Aya turning his face away, not wanting to see the agony in him. His hand placed upon his side, the cause of the pain that now encircled his waist. Omi rushed forward to help.

 

“It's alright,” said Aya faintly. “I must have exerted myself a bit too much.” Quickly, Omi led him to lie backwards, pulling the comforter securely around him. To see Aya degrading to an old man was too much for Omi.

 

 

“Maybe you should rest, I will get the nurse…”

 

 

“No.” Aya gripped his arm. “I'm sick of lying in bed. I want to lie here in the open air. To feel the wind and sun upon my face.” He waved his other hand. “Please. Sit. Yoji told me that you doing a mission almost on your own. Come. Tell me about it.”

 

 

Briskly, Omi told Aya everything he knew despite his attempts to exclude certain things. Aya had been in more missions than anyone in Weiss. It was no point trying to hide anything.

 

“The most challenging thing is to connect the killers to the scene of the crime,” said Aya thoughtfully. “However, without DNA or physical proof, it is impossible. Furthermore, it will be difficult for Rex to explain to her third uncle and the Kazeyousei family if we fail. Unless…”

 

“Unless what?”

 

 

“Unless the killers have certain supernatural abilities. That could have explained why many of the students are afraid of Gau, Michalik and Raphael. If that is the point… then, this is a different ball game we are playing. A dangerous game. Too dangerous for you.”

 

“Dangerous or not, I cannot fail. The students' lives are at stake.”

 

“You are not dealing with ordinary people,” Aya warned. “These are people who literally sold their souls to the Devil. They cannot be killed through ordinary means. You must be careful.”

 

“Don't worry. I have assassinated many people. What makes this one so different from the others?”

 

“It is the not the killing. It is how you are going to accomplish it that concerns me. Omi.” Aya gripped Omi's hand tightly. “No matter what, you mustn't give in.”

 

“Aya, please...” Omi hated the way Aya said those words. It made him feel like a kid.

 

“Omi,” Aya said gently, in a forgiving sort of way. “It wasn't your fault.” Omi stiffened like a board. “That man has a way in influencing people.”

 

 

 

“I almost killed you!” Omi blurted. Tears were beginning to form at the bottom rim of his eyes. “What's worse is that I really meant to do it.” He pulled his hand away from Aya. “If I was thinking more clearly, I could have shot him instead. Jeez, you must have hated me!”

 

 

“I've spent too much time living in hatred.” He replied slowly. There was peace in his voice. “My sight is a small collateral damage. At least, I survived.”

 

“Isn't it worse than death?” Omi spat. “That witchdoctor got away.”

 

“Yes, but he failed to take away something.”

 

“What?”

 

“What the Devil wants from me,” answered Aya, straining a smile. “My soul.”

 

 

 

 

In the next room…

 

 

 

Yoji sat patiently, resting his chin resting the edge of his palm. His other fingers strayed across the table that had been wiped by the cleaner endlessly. That was the beauty in cleaning. One sweep of the arm and all of the dirt goes away. If only things were that simple. He heard footsteps. Barely moving his eyes, he knew it was Ken with two cups of coffee from the vending machine. He gazed at the blackish brown liquid. Tiny bubbles of foam clustered together in a spiraling fashion. The aroma was in his nostrils. It smelt acceptable. He took the cup in his hands, lifted it to his lips and drank. If it were not for the sugar, he might have spit out the synthetic liquid.

 

“Sorry about the coffee,” said Ken, slipping his. “Can't expect much from a machine.”

 

“No, we can't.” He agreed. “Say, ever thought of highlighting your hair? Brighten up your image with a couple of new colours.”

 

“No thanks. I'm not crazy as you, hacking off your locks. You looked like you have just gotten out of prison.” Ken laughed.

 

“Very funny. So, what did the doctor say?”

 

“Well, he is recovering…” Ken replied slowly as he went softer. “However, he may not regain his sight. The doctors are opting for a cornea transplant but they are getting difficulty in finding a suitable donor. How's Omi coping?”

 

“He's with Aya now. I had to drag his butt down here. Hopefully, he could get it off his chest.”

 

“It wasn't his fault. He was too powerful for all of us to handle. Nevertheless, I wish…”

 

“Any trace of him?”

 

“I tried everything.” Ken shook his hand. “He's gone into thin air.”

 

“Then, we have to keep trying. It's only our option. Till then, we have to take care of that Kazeyousei case first.” Leaning back to stretch his back, Yoji continued. “According to Omi, that Hiroto got into some bad company, a bunch of misfits. It affected his relationship with his girlfriend Kelly that resulted in a breakup. To cheer her up, Kelly's friends set up a party at that house that Omi and I visited earlier today. Somehow, she fell to her death from the balcony.” He scratched his cheek. “I am guessing that Hiroto was there, intending to salvage what's left of their love life. Poor kid. A week later, he found dead in his house. Both wrists were slashed. Now, what really puzzles is how Kelly died. There is no way she could physically fall off the balcony without foul play involved.”

 

“Did Omi have any suspects?”

 

“Yeah, that bunch of misfits that Hiroto hanged out with. Hell, some students used some board to prove that she and Hiroto were killed.”

 

“Ever consider the possibility?”

 

“On some mumbo jumbo?” Yoji dug into his pockets for a cigarette. “Oh please.”

 

“Why not? I didn't believe in it till I met him.” Ken locked eyes at Yoji. “We have to include the possibility that we are dealing with such people.”

 

“What do you expect us to do? Upgrade ourselves like some scripted television series? Ken. Evil comes in many forms, tempting us to cross certain lines. If I do that, I lose.”

 

“Surely, there is a way for us to win without crossing those lines. I don't want to get beaten up like the last time.”

 

“I know. Ken. I know.” He felt his handphone vibrating in his pocket. “Hold on a minute. Yeah. Hello. Oh, it's you, Rex. What? When? Right, Omi and I will be there in a jiffy.”

 

“Rats!” Yoji stood up to leave. “Another student dead.”

 

 

 

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

 

 

Mind of GeneWeiss:

 

For those who are wondering who's the one who caused Aya's blindness as mentioned earlier and chapter two, it's none other than Muraki Kazutaka from the anime, Yami no Matsuei. This fic is may be considered as a `sequel' to `Witchdoctor' [It's currently undergoing revamping because GeneWeiss finds it very pathetic]. It's not necessarily to read it since this fic is purely Weiss Kreuz but you welcome to do so.

 

Secondly, this fic is greatly inspired by the movie, `The Craft'. (Pls don't flame GeneWeiss!!!)

 

 

Thank you for your kind attention. All comments will be highly appreciated.