The erratic tapping of Mia's pen against her desk was giving Celeste a headache. The cigar smoke from the earlier meeting added to the haze in her mind, making the usually barely noticeable taps sound like rocks cracking against her skull. She made a quick cutting motion across her neck and gave Mia a look. Mia dropped the pen, leaned against her chair, and stared at the towheaded young man in front of her, taking in his nervous expression. He was a new employee, just out of college, and oddly gentle, despite the aggressive atmosphere he was in. The other employees had a bet on how long he would last. He was brilliant, but Mia Repiamseu and Celeste Videame had fired better. Neither one of them had any tolerance for weakness; this was a cutthroat organization, and everyone had it in for someone else. "Motoki." Celeste broke the awkward, unnerving silence. "How long have you been with us?" "Ahh...a few months, Ms. Videame." The young man shuffled in his chair, moved his feet back and forth, ran his fingers through his hair. "A few months," Mia repeated, giving him an assessing look. Motoki almost cringed, but caught himself. "Do you enjoy your work here?" "Um, yes, I love it here. The people are very nice," he did not miss the amused glance that Celeste and Mia gave each other, "and you two, if you don't mind my saying, are very good employers. I mean, everyone said that I might have trouble here, but it seems nice." He bit his lip. Maybe he was trying too hard. Celeste shook her head. She hated suck-ups. "Right. You work in weapons development, don't you? Stealth equipment, if I am correct?" "Yes." Mia nodded her head, smiled. "Then we need you to make us something. Consider it a gift to your, 'very good employers.'" Her smile faded, and Motoki winced. He had tried too hard. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "So..." Kazuki's voice was a slow, lazy drawl. "She'll be arriving soon, am I correct?" Setsuna nodded her head, yawned. "You are correct." "Are the guard dogs still out there?" Kazuki rolled her eyes; Setsuna sighed, threw a pillow at her. "Most likely. You might want to quell the homicidal looks," she warned. "It makes our 'King' nervous." There was a hint of bitterness in her tone. "Hmph." Kazuki barely noticed the pillow that hit her. "I'll at least try. I can't promise anything." A fanged grin. Setsuna gave her a rare smile, pulled her closer. "Let me see if I can get a promise from you, hmm?" ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "Luna," Serenity murmured, scratching the black cat behind the ears, "what should I do? I do appreciate Demando's hospitality, but he and I both know that forced unions usually come up fruitless..." she winced. "The person has to be willing at some level, even one they don't know of..." She sighed, fell backwards against her bed. Coffins were another old wives' tale, something handed down from generations. She had slept in a coffin once, and it shook her to the point of never wanting to go near one again. She was, technically dead, but the thought of sleeping in something reserved for one who's soul had left their body gave her the chills. "I suppose I am guilty of his mistake as well. But all isn't lost...I still have a chance." She smiled, nestled into the covers and fell asleep, Luna purring at her side. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "This is insane," Mitsuki groaned, shook her head. "This is absolutely insane." "Well..." Rei said, "You can always stay here and wait for one of those things to find you, or you can come with us." Mitsuki winced, bit her lip and frowned. She sighed, reluctantly nodded her head. "Fine, fine. I'll come with you. But why do you need me?" Rei shrugged. "We've got the brains," she motioned to Ami, "and the leader, that's me. I guess...you're the comic relief." Mitsuki gave her a dirty look. "Why thank you. So. Your week is almost up, huh?" She grazed her fingers across the cover of Kazuki's diary, yawned. "Yep." Rei said. "I'm still a little sore, but they said that I suffered very few injuries, thank goodness." "You're going to have to take it easy though," Ami advised. "I really don't want you to run around chasing those things as soon as you go...you have to stay off of your feet." Rei rolled her eyes, waved Ami off. "I can't. I've been stuck in here too long, and there's always the chance that they might leave." "And so?" Mitsuki challenged. "That means they won't be here, and we won't have to deal with them." "But someone else will!" Rei said sharply. "Stop being such a coward." "I'm not being a coward, I'm being intelligent. Bravery is all well and good, but not when we're outnumbered by a bunch of undead monsters. You're not exactly a vampire slayer. Besides, seems like a shallow reason to go to me." "How is wanting to protect people shallow?" "Oh, that isn't shallow, I just think your reasons are different. That you might just be saying that to avoid what you really want to do when you find those vampires, specifically that Serenity individual." "And what is that, oh omnipotent one?" Mitsuki ignored the barb and continued. "I just think you have unfinished business with her, and not the kind that involves sticking a piece of wood in her chest." "That's ridiculous." "Think what you want." The two women glared at each other, and Ami sighed. This was going to be a long adventure. "You know..." she paused suddenly, biting her lip. "I really don't think I can get away for this journey." "What do you mean?" Rei asked sharply. "You said you would come and help us out." "First off, I know none of these vampires...as personally, as you two do." Rei and Mitsuki shared a confused look, and Ami continued. "Secondly, my job demands me too much. But I will keep in contact with you." Mitsuki looked disappointed, shook her head. "Does that mean I'm stuck with her?" Rei opened her mouth to say something, but Ami spoke before she could. "I'm afraid so. I...well, I don't wish I could come, but I hope that you two will be alright." Both Mitsuki and Rei blinked. "Well...thanks for the backhanded sentiment, doctor," Mitsuki said. "But I have to be going. You two take care of yourselves." "Where are you going?" Rei asked. Mitsuki looked over her shoulder on her way out. "To see if Kazuki has anything valuble we can use in that shop of hers." "Yeah," Rei muttered, "Because a vampire would have things to kill vampires." Mitsuki shrugged. "It's worth a shot. You take care of yourself, you grumpy thing" She left the room, and Ami bit her lip. "I have something I was supposed to tell her...but I can't quite remember." Rei shrugged her shoulders, leaned against her pillows and yawned. "It's no big. I'm sure you'll remember it before we leave." "Well...maybe it wasn't all that important," Ami said. "But you're right; I'm sure I'll remember it." ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "You can't leave the castle," Hotaru said sadly, playing with the fringes of her dress. "Well, we should at least try," Makoto said angrily, shaking her head. "You guys are such wusses." "It's not going to work. We've tried before, and well...it's just too much of a risk." Hotaru sighed, shook her head. "You should just sit down and be quiet. It's comfortable now, and maybe the Queen will think of a plan." "I doubt it," Makoto said. Hotaru sighed again. "So do I." ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ A shorter chapter, but I'm trying to lead up to something, you see, so forgive me.
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