Chapter Seven: Emotions Running Haywire

 

            *Hiiro sat up suddenly. His face was beaded with tiny drops of cold sweat. His palms were clammy, and his entire emotional stability had just been shaken from him. That had been one hell of a dream. Duo. A bar. Shade, flirting and dancing. What the hell had he eaten? Just the mere thought that the Perfect Soldier was capable of having such an unusual and wild dream bruised his ego. He stood and ran his hands through his messy and tangled hair. This place was eating his mind alive. The door was pounded on.

            “Yui. Family meeting; get into the meeting room. Now!” Someone yelled at him through the door. Hiiro shook off his dream. Seeing Shade before he had decided to sleep had not been a good idea. His original thoughts had been to kill her after he had seen how well she could fight.

But when he had watched her collapse after her long day, his heart had given him a jolt. He recognized, for the first time, that she was weakness that could affect him without even knowing it. Still, his heart was moved. Instead of killing her, he was just going to threaten her. His strong statement about her ‘dropping her guard’ hadn’t come out quite as menacing as he had wanted it to. Well, it had been sufficient. But that dream… he shuddered mentally, hoping he never heard Duo call him a ‘ladies man’ again. As Hiiro shut the door behind him, he couldn’t help but think of how in his dream things had felt so natural…

            The room was packed. Young and old, new and veteran members alike all stood behind the rusting broken pipes that formed a square ring around a large empty concrete room. Down the center of the room lay an oriental red carpet trimmed in gold. Members of the fighting portion of the Specters were dressed in their best black uniforms and stood at attention, guarding the doors and allowing admittances. Off to the side of the room stood Shade and Shin, both in the same black uniform, yet with gold trim around the edges, signifying their importance to the others who had not yet heard of or met them. Hiiro shuddered at the sight of Shade.

            He couldn’t understand why she worked for Darien of all people. Even if he had raised her, surely she would have seen the effect his actions were having upon people in and out of the gang. He knew, now, from experience, that she was just as perceptive as he himself was, yet after talking to her in her room, he merely had her motive, not reasoning behind the motive. No matter. She was a distraction and annoyance, and would be done away with. He would not allow a measly little girl to destroy his mission. He turned his head back to the scene and concentrated more on what this ‘meeting’ was all about.

            Never before had he heard of such a club, clan, gang, whatever they wished to label themselves as, as having such a gathering. It was almost like a military briefing, only more informal. There were more people now, and they were filling up the room quickly. The rag-tag team of lost children were not allowed cigarettes, cigars, alcohol, or any other drugs in this room, he noticed. There was no loud music- in fact, the room was deathly silent save a few murmurs flying around him. Those who had fights with each other had come together and were seated quietly and civilly next to each other. Gum had been spit out and cursing had stopped. Within a split second of entering this room the entire club of Specters were on their best behavior. Hiiro took a seat in the crowd to observe the entire eccentric operation at it’s peak.

            A drum that had been being beaten very softly was now becoming louder and more resolute. Chimes were added and finally a gong was rung. A thick and heavy stillness settled over the crowded and sticky room. A pair of large ornate red doors were pulled open and out sauntered Darien. Darien’s bright colors stood out in the crowd of blacks and other dark colors that the surrounding gang members wore. An oriental blood red robe decorated in bright blues and golds draped leisurely from his broad shoulders. Black pants with gold trim were the finishing touches on the expensive outfit. He looked like a wealthy man. Nor a smile or frown graced his face, merely an impassive smoothness emanated from him. He did not lack charm or charisma; that much Hiiro would give him. Finally, after Darien had turned three circles looking his members up and down, he smiled and gave a nod.

            “Good.” The smile left. Hiiro wondered if he had been counting the number of occupants in the room, but surmised he had not had the time to count all of them.

            “My children.” Darien began. Hiiro dropped his previous thoughts had turned his full attention to Darien’s upcoming brainwashing speech. “I have summoned you all here today to witness the birth of a new brother. This new brother is a stranger to us all, just as you once were. We accept him because he has nowhere else to go. No family to love him, to friends to support him. We accept him because he is one of us, one of the unfortunate who is not cared about, but instead is shoved aside by the will of the same society that shuns you. We will give him the acceptance he seeks, give him the care he deserves. Hiiro Yui, step forward to receive your new family.”

Hiiro stood, slightly shocked. As he listened to Darien’s speech, he shuddered in convulsion. Was this truly what Shade thought Darien wanted for these misfits? Darien was feeding them a line, brainwashing them with untrue falsehoods of how society hated these people. Darien was using their emotions to get what he wanted- whether it was money, power, he was going to get it if this kept up. But Dr. J had ordered Hiiro not to make a move until further instructions had been passed along. So until then, he had to play the part of one who believed Darien. He had to stand and accept Darien’s bull like he believed it. It was his mission to do so. And he never failed his missions.

Stepping down out of the crowd, he walked down the aisle and knelt before Darien, bowing his head in a sign of respect. Darien grabbed his hair and yanked his head up so he could look into his eyes. He saw nothing in the boy’s eyes. No hatred, no fear, no thanks, nothing. It momentarily shocked him. How could such an unemotional person exist and thrive as this boy had done? No matter. The boy was swearing loyalty to him, and with boys like this one on his side, he would reach his goal in no time. He had been right to decide to promote the boy as quickly as he had. Now he held out the same black mask all other Specter fighters wore and placed it over his head.

“Hiiro Yui. In wearing this mask, you here by swear your loyalty to me and only to me. Does this please you?”

“Yes.” Hiiro accepted gravely, knowing he had just created and sealed a pact with the devil incarnate.

“Then, from now on, you are a brother to every man, woman, and child in this room. You will help them when in need and protect any of them at all costs. You are not only a member of my fighters, you are the now the third in my elite class. You answer directly to Shade and Shin, my other elite fighters. You are to wear your uniform with dignity and pride.”

“I understand.” Hiiro choked out. He was a member of the devil’s elites? An equal to Shade? Yes. He could see Darien’s reasoning. If Darien believed Hiiro was on his side and was such an extraordinary fighter, it was only natural for him to want to keep a closer eye on him. Keeping the enemy close was always a good thing to do.

“Then, go. Make us proud, your brothers and sisters. Make me proud.” With his final words, Darien swirled around and strolled out of the room. Shin tapped Hiiro on the shoulder and pulled him back into the corner behind the gong. Then another Specter hit the gong and all hell broke lose. It was a mad dash for the mislead teenagers to get out of the meeting room and back to their sinful lifestyles.

Through the entire ceremony Shade had had her eyes trained on Hiiro Yui. She was vaguely surprised he had not tried anything- no assassination attempts, no rude statements, no disruptions. She still knew deep down that this boy would be her downfall. She could feel it in her bones, like the dull ache of pain after a long, tiring day of nothing but taking continuous hits and blows. She should have told Darien to delay the initiation. She should have told him to kill the boy and been done with him. Especially after the stunt he had pulled by sneaking into her bedroom. She should have. But her damn mouth hadn’t moved when she had wanted it to. The words wouldn’t form and her knowledge of the vocabulary needed to express her distress over the boy had suddenly been lost to a wave of fire. The intensity of the flames had scorched everything her mind and heart had worked on. All the long hard hours of building ice walls were beginning to be wasted they were melting so quickly.

Why though? She didn’t understand what it was about this man. Boy. He was a boy. Only a year older than herself. But he was almost younger than her in some respects. After all. She trusted Darien. She knew Darien was only helping the other lonely street born children just like she had once been. Darien had them fighting so they could help other like themselves. This Hiiro Yui simply didn’t understand this yet. While his fighting skills were nearly as developed as her own, his mind, in her eyes, was far from being as developed as her own. Well. It was too late now. Darien had not only given him full membership, but he had promoted him to being an elite Specter as well. She would just have to be more alert with this Hiiro Yui around Darien; that was all there was to it. But no matter how hard she tried to reason it all out, she couldn’t forget the feeling he had made her feel when he had surprised her in her room the night before…

And now here he was again. Hiiro Yui. Near her. Hell, he was pressed up against her in the tight corner behind the gong. She had to scrunch in even closer to him when Shin joined them. Her back now rested against his stomach, her shoulders against his broad chest. She felt slightly claustrophobic. The same frilly giddiness that had over taken her senses the night before was returning full force, only this time it was  some how stronger and more dizzying than ever before. The feel of his rib cage expanding as he breathed, the hot expel of his breath across the her icy skin. None of it helped… her concentration was gone.

“Hiiro. You are now one of us.” Shin grunted at him.

“Hnn.” Was all he manage in response. Something was wrong with him. Hiiro couldn’t think straight. Why? Standing right in front of him was Shade. Her back was pressed against his stomach, and he could feel every tiny move she made. He could feel the rise and fall of her chest as she took her long, slow deep breaths of air, and he could feel her shoulders tense as she became lost in thought.

“I am no longer your Master. You will address me as Shin.” Shin told the boy, slightly dismayed at his response. Shin was not used to being ignored.

“Hnn.” Was Hiiro’s response again. Shin looked at Hiiro hard.  Then he saw the funny look on Shades face. Not one the one of contempt she usually wore when she was close to another man, but one of a slightly more relaxed version of herself. A very light smile even tugged at the corner of her mouth. Hiiro too, had his impassive stoic face on, but a certain uncomfortable spark lay deep in his empty eyes. Was it possible that Shade and Hiiro…? No. Impossible. Shade did not take well to the advances of men. Any men. This, he well knew.

Everyone in the club knew Shade had turned down any and every man who had ever tried to date her. Rumors had been flying for quite a while that Shade and Darien were secretly sleeping together, but Shin knew that to be untrue. He knew, however, that Darien himself wished they were true. But Shade had made herself untouchable. Dating only a few men and never dating twice. In fact, it was also rumored that the last three men she had gone out with were never seen alive after the date. Whether or not it was just rumor or there was truth to it, Shin did not want to know. Shade certainly had the cold reputation she did for a reason, and he knew that she probably felt no remorse if she had killed those men.

And this Hiiro boy. He seemed to be as cold and distant as Shade. What he had been able to dig up on the boy’s past  had been more than minimal. All he had found was a birth certificate. But from his personal experience so far, Hiiro could be just as heartless and brutal as Shade. And he was just as skilled. A perfect deadly combination; heartless and skilled. Shin was glad Hiiro Yui had joined their side. But Darien would not be pleased to hear that Hiiro and Shade might be becoming more than friends. In fact, if Darien knew, he would probably have Shade kill Hiiro. Well then, that left only one option. Refrain from mentioning this to Darien. Unless he was asked. Then he would have to speak- Shin never told lies to Darien. Never.

“Well then. Since we have finished with the initiation, we are finished here. Hiiro. Your five-hour time spent training had been lessened to two and a half now that you are one of us. Another perk. Well. Shade can answer any other questions. Good day.” With that Shin left.

“Any other questions?” Shade asked coldly as she stepped away from Hiiro. The sudden lack of warmth and feeling of relaxed safety was no lost to either of them.

“No.”

“Then good day.” She nodded curtly and began to walk out of the empty concrete room. Even the ornate carpet had been removed.

“Wait.” Hiiro commanded. He was going crazy. He had to be. But that dream was still fresh in his mind, and he did have to admit that it had had more effect on him than he had originally assumed it would. But his mission… could wait he decided.

“What?” She sneered, trying to be as cruel and heartless sounding as possible. She couldn’t be around him. She couldn’t be… he was bad for her mental health.

“Join me for a drink?” Hiiro more asked then commanded. What was he thinking… Shade faltered.

“Yeah. I need to get out of uniform first though.” What was she doing? Losing it...

“Fine.” Hiiro nodded. He caught up with her and the two walked silently out of the empty room. As they reached Shade’s hallway, she spoke.

“I’ll be back out in five.”

“Hnn.” She punched in the code and entered her room, shutting it behind her. What in the cosmos did she think she was doing? There was no way she could go through with this. The last man she had ‘had a drink with’ had tried to rape her. Of course, his body had yet to be recovered. Still. The fluttery feeling in her stomach would not leave. It pushed her into saying yes, and now she was stuck with her commitment. Damn obligations.  She shuddered as she grabbed her best gun and checked it for bullets. Opening the door, she inwardly breathed deeply and sighed. What was she thinking?

Hiiro leaned against the wall next to her door, arms crossed, eyes closed, breathing deeply. He was not nervous, but he could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Why? He had had drinks before. Even drinks with women before. Given it had been on a double date with Duo and he had ended up wanting to kill the girl if she said ‘like’ or ‘um’ or more darn time. Now here he was, the one to initiate the date. Was that what this even was? Just like in his dream. This was not a good idea after all. But when her door opened and she stepped out, short white skirt and ice blue tank top with her black leather jacket on with her gun in hand, he left his doubts behind and fell in step beside her, letting her chose whichever bar she wished. What had he been thinking about before she had stepped into the hall again?*