Story: Confessions (all chapters)

Authors: Bulmafox

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Chapter 1

Confessions--Part 1

By: Bulmafox

They finally found a lead. Mireille and Kirika learned that a copy of the Langon Manuscript existed in Vienna, Austria. But before they were due to take off, they ate at a little, out of the way bistro one last time, somehow knowing things would never be the same afterwards.

They took their time, not quite wanting their lunch to end. Kirika, in particular, ate extra slowly, observing the couples around her between bites.

"See something you like?" Mireille asked lightheartedly.

"Hmm."

"...You know, it's almost a shame I have to kill you. To think, you might've found someone nice to settle down with."

Kirika said to herself, almost inaudibly, blushing ever so slightly, "Like you?"

Almost. Mireille did a double take. "What did you say?"

"What? Oh, nothing."

"No, it wasn't nothing. You jsut said you wanted to settle down with me."

"Mireille, I--"

"Kirika, you know I'm going to kill you when we find out everything, so why get your hopes up?"

"I just--"

Mireille stood up suddenly, causing everybody to stare. "And besides, you don't love in our line of work. Remember what happened to the painter?"

"Mireille, they're staring," Kirika said.

Mireille grabbed Kirika by the wrist and dragged her away from the bistro. "Kirika, why? Why did you fall for me? We had a great plan going and you botch it all up by falling in love with me!"

Kirika looked away. "I... I couldn't help it."

"How long has this been going on?"

"..."

"Well?"

"...Since the desert. Since you rescued me. I'm sorry Mireille. I never meant for you to find out."

Mireille turned away. "I can't handle this. Our promise is over. Get out of here, Kirika. I never want to see you again."

"But Mireille--"

"I said leave. Before I do something I regret," she whispered harshly.

Tears starting welling up in Kirika's eyes. "Mireille, I'm so sorry," she whispered before she ran off.

Chapter 2

Confessions--Part 2
by: Bulmafox

Kirika walked in a daze, not really paying atention to anything. She played that last scene in her mind, over and over again.

*Our promise is over. Get out of here, Kirika. I never want to see you again.*

"I'm so sorry, Mireille," she whispered. "I wish I'd never let it slip." She was so caught up in her thoughts she almost bumped into a certain purple-haired girl wearing a green cloak. "Oh, sorry," Kirika mumbled as she narrowly missed her target.

"Hey," the girl said as she grabbed Kirika's shoulders, "Is something wrong?"

Kirika looked up. "Oh. It's you, Chloe."

"Is something wrong?"

Kirika looked back down. "...It's Mireille. I did something... terrible..."

Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"I told her I loved her."

Chloe tried not to let her jealousy show. "And?"

"And...she ended our promise. She never wants to see me again." Kirika's voice broke as she fought the urge to cry.

Once again, Chloe raised an eyebrow and tried to contain her jealousy. "Promise?"

"That she would kill me when we found the truth."

Anger gripped Chloe and she squezzed Kirika's shoulders. "What kind of 'friend' would impose that kind of condition on you?"

"I don't mind. Really."

"Well I do. I won't stand for it. She won't be killing you if I have my way. Come with me." She dragged Kirika by the arm.

"Where are we going?" Kirika asked as Chloe hijacked some abandoned car.

"We're going back home."

"Back home?"

"You do want to go somewhere you're appreciated, don't you? And learn about your past?"

"...Yes."

"Then let's go."

Chloe hotwired the car and took off for the Manor. "Tell me, why do you put up with what your friend does to you?"

Kirika looked down again. "She's the only one...who views me as a person. I'm just a target to everyone else. One they need dead."

"I view you as a person, too. There's no excuse for her using you like she does. I would never do that to you."

"Thanks, Chloe."

"Don't worry, once we get home, you'll find out everything, and not be killed afterward. And you'll be with me." Chloe cuoldn't help but smile at the thought.

Her expression grew sour as she added, "And your friend? I never liked her, but now I hate her, for what she did to you. If I ever see her again I'll kill her. And she's uninvited from tea."



Chapter 3

Confessions--Part 3
by: Bulmafox

They made it to the Manor. It wasn't easy, given the Knights of Paris and Soldat troops slaughtered an entire village to get to them, but Chloe and Kirika made it in one piece.

Altena welcomed them back with open arms. Afterward she left Chloe to reacquaint herself with her love. Chloe led Kirika to her room.

Chloe looked at her and said, "You know,--"

"Chloe, I have a name. It's Kirika."

"But it's not your real name."

"Please, just call me Kirika."

"Okay. *Kirika*. Do you know I fell for you when I saw you on your first mission?"

"You did?"

"Yes. You were the epitome of a true Noir. From then on I decided to be like you; to become a Noir by your side."

Kirika looked down sadly. "To think, someone loves me for my ability to kill."

"Hey..." she hesitated before using her name. "Kirika. That's only part of it. I love everything about you." 'Except your compulsive devotion to *her*', she fumed silently.

"Here, I want to show you something." She pulled out a small utensil from her cloak.

"That's--"

"The fork you gave me, during the tea party. It's my treasure."

"No. Why are you telling me all this?"

"I want to show you. Someone loves you. You don't need Mireille Bouquet anymore."

Kirika lay her head on the windowsill. "But I still...love her. I can't help it."

'I can make you forget about her.' But she said nothing. Instead she lay her head down beside Kirika's.

*********************

The next morning, Altena called the girls to the chapel, to start the Noir ritual.

"First," she said, "The child needs to remember."

"Remember what?" Kirika asked.

"Everything. Your gun, please."

Kirika hesitated.

Chloe gave her a 'Trust her, she knows what she's doing' look.

Kirika tentitavely gave her gun to Altena.

Altena aimed for her head. "Now accept... the final guidance," she said, as she shot. Kirika fell to the floor.

Chloe rushed to her side. "Altena--"

"Don't worry. I only nicked her hair. She will remember everything."

**************

*Kirika walked into an expansive room. Before her were a middle-aged blond woman and an older man sitting at a table, and a boy reading a book. It all looked familiar to her. The blonde in particular. Without a word, she lifted her gun and shot them all.*

**************

Kirika arose like a shot.

"Kirika! Did you remember?" Chloe asked hopefully.

Kirika ran out the door.

Chloe ran after her. "Kirika wait! Where are you going?"

"To find Mireille. I need her to kill me."

Chloe tackled her to the ground. "No you don't!"

Kirika flailed against her. "Chloe! Y-you don't... understand. She's been looking for... her family's killer. And it was me! And I can't atone."

"No, you don't understand. It was a trial. It was a trial. It's what we go through. I'm not letting her kill you!"

"But... but I..." Kirika broke down and cried as Chloe held her tightly.






Chapter 4

Confessions--Part 4

by: Bulmafox

Mireille stood on a cliff overlooking the Manor. A high-ranking Soldat named Remy Breffort had come to her a few days ago to invite her into the fold. He explained Noir and the trials and then told her she was aslo a candidate. Then Breffort told her that since Kirika and Chloe have made it to the Manor and interfering in matters there was taboo, that they needed Mireille to kill either Kirika or Chloe and take her place, to foil Altena.

However, that wasn't the real reason she was here. She missed Kirika. It wasn't that she couldn't live without her; in fact, she went right back to her old routine. But she was just going through the motions, her mind always on Kirika, asking herself why she pushed her away. And what did she mean by 'before I do somethng I regret'. She had already known the answer; she just refused to accept it. Mireille had already cared too much for Kirika and couldn't kill her. She knew her walls were breaking down, that she was losing control of her feelings. Kirika's admission had forced her to see that. And so she pushed Kirika away.

But no more. She was going to get Kirika back, even if she was doing exactly what the Soldats wanted. She'd deal with them later.

She got back into her Jeep and drove to the Manor.

********************

Kirika and Chloe were about to start the purification ritual, one of the last rituals before they would become Noir. They had already stripped and were bathing at opposite ends of the spring, with their backs to each other.

Chloe tentatively glanced at Kirika. It surprised her how close they'd gotten in only a few days. Maybe Kirika remembered their time together, before she woke up in Japan? Whatever it was, she was glad it happened and that the accursed blonde hadn't shown up. She looked at Kirika again and made her way to the other side of the spring.

Kirika turned around and before she knew what was happening, Chloe kissed her. On the mouth. Using her tongue. On an impulse, Kirika deepened the kiss. She couldn't remember when she'd started loving her. She was sure they'd been close before; maybe those feelings were coming back to her. She turned them around, pushed Chloe to the edge of the pool and started exploring her body.

*******************

Sometime later, Mireille showed up at the ruins. She could've sworn she saw two people, in the nude, doing something in the grass. She tiptoed closer, making sure not to alert them. Her eyes widened as she saw Kirika and Chloe making love in the grass, by the pool.

"Kirika?!"

Chapter 5

Confessions--Part 5
by: Bulmafox

"Kirika?!"

Kirika flew to her feet like a shot. "Mireille?"

Chloe got up and dressed in her toga. She glared daggers at Mireille and prepared to fight.

"Kirika," Mireille asked again, not quite believing qhat she saw. "W-what's going on?"

"It was an impulse."

"An impulse?! What, were the two of you swimming or whatever, and out of the blue you just say 'let's do it'?"

"Um...yes?"

"'Um yes?' What kind of answer is that!? I thought you loved me, Kirika."

"Do I sense *jealousy* in your voice?" chloe sneered.

"You shut up!" Mireille shouted at the smirking purple-haired assassin. "Well, Kirika?"

"I do love you, but..." Kirika shifted her eyes and looked down, "...I love Chloe, too."

"When did that happ--"Mireille paused as she remembered something. "Right. In Corsica. Chloe told me you two were special. So how long have you been 'special' together for?"

Chloe drew a knife. "None of your business. You had your chance and you blew it." She narrowed her eyes. "She's mine."

Mireille drew her gun. "Oh really? Says who?" She said gently to Kirika, "Come on. Let's get out of here. Forget about *her*"--she glared at Chloe for a moment--"We'll go someplace private and talk."

Tears welled up in Kirika's eyes. "I...I can't. I can't go with you."

"Why not?"

"I killed your family, Mireille. It was me. I did it," she whispered.

"Who told you that? Chloe?"

Kirika started crying. "I remembered."

Mireille looked away painfully.

"Mireille, please kill me."

Chloe did a double take.

Mireille looked at Kirika in shock. "Kirika, our pr9omise is over. You know that."

"I don't care! I killed your family! Your family, Mireille!"

"I know that, Kirika! Look, I'm furious you slept with Chloe and killed my parents, but I'm not going to kill you over it!" Then, almost in a hushed whisper, she asked, "Remember when you told me you loved me and I pushed you away?"

Kirika nodded.

"I told you to leave before I did something I'd regret. That 'something' was killing you.Back there, at the bistro..." Mireille paused, trying to will herself to say the words, "I...already loved you."

Chloe threw her knife at Mireille's hand, disarming her. "Enough of you drivel! This ends now." She chuckled and muttered, "This'll be fun" before tackling her.

Kirika stood on the sidelines and watched as the women took their pent-up anger out on each other.

"You know," Chloe said as she grabbed Mireille in a chokehold, "I never liked you. Then she told me of your promise." She released Mireille and kicked her down. "Now I hate you."

Mireille flipped over and tackled Chloe. "The feeling's...mutual!" She emphasized 'mutual' as she punched Chloe in the face. "In fact, I think I'll kill you myself." She ran for her gun, only to be brought back down by Chloe.

Kirika kept watching as the two wrestled, neither gaining an advantage for long...until they reached Mireille's gun. Mireille grabbed her gun, Chloe drew a knife, and both were poised to kill.

Kirika's eyes widened as she screamed. "Chloe! Mireille!" She ran toward them and threw herself in the middle just in time to get shot on one side of the shoulder and stabbed in the other. Time stopped for an instant and both women recoiled as Kirika collapsed.

"No!" Both of them shouted. Mireille told Kirika she'd be right back and ran for the first aid kit in her Jeep. Chloe grabbed Kirika's toga--still by the spring--sliced it, and hastily bandaged up Kirika.

"Why?" Chloe asked. "I was about to be rid of her."

"I..know," Kirika winced as Chloe tightened the cloth a little too tightly.

Mireille came back with the first aid kit, frowned at Chloe's rush job, and removed the makeshift bandages.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Chloe scolded, "She needs that!"

"Obviously you don't know how to treat a wound," Mireille bit back. "You idiot," she told Kirika as she cleaned her wounds. "You could've gotten yourself killed."

"I know, Mireille." Kirika winced again as Mireille bandaged her properly. "And I'll do it again, I swear." She looked at Chloe, to show the threat applied to her, too.

"But--" Chloe protested.

"I mean it. If either of you try to kill each other,...I'll do it again. And I might not be so lucky next time."

Chloe asked, "Why would you--"

"--For her?" Mireille finished.

"Because," Kirika looked up at them. "I love both of you. I'll die before I let you kill each other."

Mireille and Chloe aighed and sat down. "So what do we do now?" Mireille asked.

*************************************

The sun was setting when the three of them decided to leave. They had discussed the matter at length and came to an arrangement: Kirika would be with both of them and share her time between them equally. In return, Mireille and Chloe grudgingly promised not to kill each other. It was a fragile arrangement, vulnerable to Mirielle and Chloe's jealousy, but it was a start.

As for Noir...Chloe decided to ask Altena for advice. Mireille was no problem; she was the one left to the wind and wanted no part of it anyway. The problem was Kirika was as firmly against becioming Noir as Chloe was for it, and for Chloe, becoming Noir without Kirika would be meaningless.

Mireille and Chloe helped Kirika up and, with no idea what to expect, started toward the manor.

THE END

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