Chapter 5

Kaoru opened his eyes to the sun pouring in Yoshiki’s bay windows. The party was long over and the guests were either gone or taking advantage of Yoshiki’s large array of beds and couches. Across a glass coffee table from the couch Kaoru occupied lounged Toshiya with the raven perched on his arm. The two had that far away look again and Kaoru’s heart twisted with jealousy.

"We both say ohayo." Toshiya said quietly not breaking eye contact with the bird. "Taro says it’s about time you slept without nightmares."

Kaoru sat up. "What else does he say?"

"That he hates that you stopped writing music. You kept going at first but now you’ve stopped. He hates that he killed your music."

"No, no Taro. You didn’t kill my music. It just stopped coming."

Toshiya half smiled. "Bullshit. He can hear you humming when you do things. The songs are there, you just stopped writing them down."

"Music isn’t the same any more." Kaoru admitted sadly.

"He says he’s sorry for breaking all the things in his room. He just gets so frustrated. He never meant to leave you."

"I know you didn’t Ryutaro. It was an accident."

"He wants to thank you for changing him, and for loving him. With you there was no sickness, no pills, no darkness. You gave him life and he’ll never be able to repay you."

"Your love was all I ever needed Ryutaro. Your smile, your laughter. I miss you."

"It hurts him to be so close and yet so far." Toshiya reached his hand to Kaoru who moved around the coffee table to take it. "I never wanted to hurt you." It came out as barely a whisper.

"Ryutaro?" Kaoru whispered. Toshiya had stopped talking as if he was the middleman. "Taro, I know you didn’t."

Toshiya broke eye contact with the bird to look at Kaoru but Kaoru knew it wasn’t Toshiya looking out at him. "Aishiteru." Toshiya whispered before the bird crowed and flew off, back out the porch door into the sunlight. Toshiya fell back into the couch, breathing heavily.

"Toshiya, are you all right?"

"I was half afraid he wouldn’t let go." Toshiya admitted quietly. "He wanted to talk to you so badly he took over."

"Oh good. You’re both awake." Yoshiki announced as he entered the room. " I want to talk to you Toshiya, about Mana. Kaoru, I want you to act as witness. People can ask you if they want to know something Toshiya says." He passed Kaoru a pad of paper and a pen, ignorant of the conversation.

"What do you mean? What about Mana?" Toshiya asked warily, body language voicing discomfort as he withdrew to a far corner of the couch. The sunlight was gradually fading as rain cloud began to gather outside the windows.

"You are the only one who’s spent time with Mana since he left Gackt. Anything you might know could be of help to us." Yoshiki replied.

"No, he never told me anything." Toshiya replied quickly.

"Toshiya, if you help us we can stop him from doing it to others." Kaoru explained gently.

"We’ll start out simple and if you want to take a break just say so." Yoshiki added. "Where did you meet Mana?"

Hesitantly Toshiya nodded, pulling his knees to his chest. "I was a … bartender, in this dance club and he started showing up quite often. It’s hard to miss him in his fancy dresses. We were closing when he asked me to join him in a toast. At first I said no because I wasn’t allowed to drink on the job but he told me a water toast would work just fine." Toshiya closed his eyes. "It’s stupid. We’re supposed to be the ones trying to stop that shit from happening…but…He must have slipped something into my drink." he shook his head. "He changed me while I was still out of it."

"What did he tell you when you woke up?" Yoshiki pressed.

"He called me his First Child and said I was more powerful then he thought I would be. He never explained that. He’d tell me over and over again that if I was good he’d love me forever. I’d be his first and favorite. Sometimes, I’d pretend to be asleep and he’d start to whisper. He talked to the thin air, saying he only needed a little more time. Then he’d get him back. I never knew who ‘he’ was but…" he practically writhed with discomfort. "When he…when we would…It wasn’t my name he would call. It was Kozi." Toshiya shook his head, corn-braids falling over his face in an attempt to hide bitter tears.

Kaoru gently rubbed Toshiya’s shoulders with one hand, unsure how to comfort Toshiya, he was so different from Ryutaro. "That’s enough for now Toshiya. You aren’t with Mana anymore, remember. And as terrible at it as I am I will look after you."

Yoshiki sat in silence, pondering the information Toshiya had given when a sudden pain struck his heart and he curled over. "Yoshiki? What’s wrong?" Kaoru was beside him but Yoshiki was unable to respond until the pain faded.

"He couldn’t have." Yoshiki said at last. "He would never." Suddenly on his feet Yoshiki ran for his garage, ignoring the two that followed him. Jumping into his sports car he revved it up and pulled out onto the street, Kaoru’s blue sedan hot on his wheels.

They followed Yoshiki’s car into the cemetery parking lot that was so familiar to Toshiya and he fought back a whimper. This was the last place he wanted to be after telling Yoshiki and Kaoru about his relationship with Mana. Yoshiki illegally parked and ran for Mana’s crypt, his Children taking the time to park properly before following.

All the candles had been replaced and lit but the thin layer of dust remained, two sets of footprints visable to their vampiric senses. When Kaoru and Toshiya hit the bottom of the stairs Yoshiki was kneeling in the center of the room.

Warily creeping closer Toshiya put a hand to his mouth at the mess Yoshiki kneeled over. Mana’s black viper lay beheaded and quartered, blood marring the marble floor.

"He did it." Yoshiki whispered, incredulous. "He killed his own soul."

"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked suspiciously.

Yoshiki looked up at them, a deep frown creasing his features. "Contrary to popular belief when you’re turned into a vampire you don’t loose your soul to the devil. Your soul is transferred into the body of a familiar along with your mortality. When your physical body dies normally the familiar does the same so your soul and your essence are united in the after-life. Sometimes the soul feels it has unfinished business and remains behind, like Ryutaro." Kaoru could only blink at the sudden influx of information.

"But no one has ever killed their own soul before…I don’t know what to think." He continued. "But I do know that without his soul I won’t be able to find him. I can feel the location of every familiar in Japan because technically I sired them all. That’s why you didn’t feel Ryutaro die Kaoru. His soul refused to do so. You knew something was wrong but you didn’t feel him die. For Mana, his soul is gone…but I don’t know where he is. Which was probably his plan all along."

"So Mana could be anywhere and you’d never know?" Toshiya asked quietly.

"He won’t leave the country. What ever he’s up too it isn’t escaping." Yoshiki stood. "Toshiya, go wait in the car, Kaoru and I are going to take a look around."

Toshiya nodded and caught Kaoru’s car keys that were tossed to him before heading back up the stairs without looking like he was in a hurry. Yoshiki and Kaoru thought badly of him as it was without being a complete cry-baby, running from shadows.

Dark clouds had gathered thickly when Toshiya exited the crypt and he played nervously with Kaoru’s keys. Sure it was the middle of the day and sure he was a vampire and all (already dead) but graveyards put him on edge. Mana had locked him in a crypt, that was bad enough without having to wander the graveyard alone.

Kaoru’s car gradually came into view and Toshiya picked up his pace, goal in sight. Picking the correct key Toshiya slid it into the door.

"How’s my first and favorite?"

Toshiya spun around in shock, backing up against the car when his eyes confirmed what his ears already knew. "Mana."

Mana was dressed relatively simply in a black dress and white shirt, a plain clear-plastic umbrella in his hand. Blond hair cascading down his shoulders, eyes filled with amusement. "There’s been an awful lot of rain lately. Are they treating you that badly?"

"I…I don’t understand."

"I didn’t teach you so I’d hold power over you, I wonder why they aren’t teaching you." Mana took a step closer and Toshiya cringed, afraid to be struck. Instead a soft hand slid down one cheek. "Poor beautiful Toshiya." He purred. "If they are treating you so badly you can always return to me."

Toshiya whimpered as rain began to dot mana’s umbrella. "Oh Toshiya. Even in the middle of the day when I can’t call up a puff of air you’re able to call down the sky. The moment I saw you I knew but you’ve surpassed my wildest dreams. What a fine family I will have when I find him."

"Kozi?"

Mana’s eyes flickered between sadness and approval. "So you aren’t as unobservant as I thought. Yes, I search for Kozi but I have to find someone else first. I’ve actually decided to wait for Him to come to me." Mana played with the collar of Toshiya’s shirt. "I always hated you in this street punk wear." He muttered then looked up into Toshiya’s eyes. "I found another. Did they tell you? He isn’t half so powerful or beautiful but I did. He’s timid, like you were, frightened." His eyes smirked but not his lips. "I love to make him whimper." A single finger traced a line down Toshiya’s chest to his waistline. "If you ever want to return to you place at my side…" He licked his lips. "I’ll be waiting." The rain pelted Mana’s umbrella as he walked away into the cemetery.

Kaoru found Toshiya seated next to his car, completely soaked, keys still stuck in the door. "Toshiya? If you couldn’t get the door open you should have come and gotten me." He announced as he walked up.

"He replaced me." Toshiya looked up, his eyes red from crying. "He replaced me!"

Kaoru kneeled beside him. "Who did?" he asked stupidly. Toshiya gave him a look and he jumped to his feet. "Mana? Which way? Where?"

"He left into the cemetery. If I’d followed," he shook his head. "I don’t know what I would have done. I couldn’t decide."

"Decide what?" Kaoru turned back.

Toshiya hid his eyes. "Whether to go with him or not."

Kaoru was suddenly kneeling beside him again. "He abandoned you, turned you against your will, forced you to feed on house pets and probably hundreds of other things you haven’t even told Yoshiki about, and you’re still considering going back to him?"

"He’s my sire!" Toshiya yelled defensively. "And sometimes I wonder if he didn’t treat me a hell of a lot better then you all have! Yes he’s doing bad things but I don’t believe he’s really as bad as everyone says! There’s a motive behind this that even I don’t know but I’m willing to believe once he gets Kozi back he’ll stop!" He got to his feet. "Last night everyone couldn’t wait to figure out where Mana was and slay him, or behead him, or whatever it is you do. ‘Look at what he did to poor Toshiya. When are we going to do something?’ Yes, he hurt me but did anyone stop to think that maybe he’s a victim too? No one knows, you’ve all passed sentence!"

"Toshiya?" Yoshiki asked, causing the younger man to turn to face him.

"Why didn’t you confront him when you had the chance?" Toshiya yelled over the rain accusingly. "You knew where he was! Or did you just hope your presence on the mountaintop would keep him from hurting any one else? You sat back and hoped everything would be okay but it’s not! Mana said he’s waiting for someone to come to him so he can find Kozi. Maybe you should try and find out who so we can end this!"

Yoshiki was at a loss. "Toshiya…I…"

"I don’t want to hear you excuses!" Toshiya cut him off with the slice of his hand. Using the keys still in the door Toshiya got into Kaoru’s sedan and slammed the door.

Kaoru looked at Yoshiki who sighed. "Take him home Kaoru. I think we all have some thinking to do."

*

"So who was that guy on the street?" Kyo tried to sound like he couldn’t care less as he flipped channels, Levin sipping hot chocolate on the opposite side of the couch.

"Taka. An angel, like me. Checking up on me I guess." Levin replied just as cooly.

"Making sure your ‘secret mission’ is still going all right?"

"You could say that."

"Did you get to meet Yoshiki last night?"

"No." Levin frowned. "Something hurt him, inside, and he left before I could talk to him."

"So how does he fit into your master plan?"

Kyo and Levin eyed each other suspiciously. Once again summing each other up. Essentially from either side of the playing field not realizing how close their ambitions were they wondered just how much they could disclose without giving the other the advantage.

"How does Sheena know about me?" Levin asked at last, not answering Kyo.

"Sheena can sometimes see bits of the future." Kyo replied cautiously. "Things that come into play that could effect us all. She told me a little while ago she’d had a dream about me standing with my wings out but I had an extra wing of white feathers. The weird thing was that the feathered wing was backwards, as if someone was standing behind me, back to back. Maybe she continued the dream later and it explained about you, I didn’t get to ask when I borrowed the van, she was in a hurry."

Levin pursed his lips and glared into his hot chocolate. "I need to find the Maker."

Kyo made a choking noise and dropped his remote control. "Are you serious?" Levin’s face was his answer. "Levin, you can’t just call his secretary and make an appointment!"

"Of course not!" Levin rolled his eyes. "Why do you think I’ve been trying to meet Yoshiki and hanging out with you? You two are the only leads I’ve got!"

"Well don’t look at me! I haven’t seen the Maker since I got my wings."

"Then what I am doing here? I should be spending my nights at Yoshiki’s!" Levin angrily put down his cup and got to his feet.

"You’re staying here because I saved your life and you owe me!" Kyo responded angrily.

"I didn’t ask you too and if I didn’t have to find the stupid Maker…"

Kyo growled deep in his throat. "You’d what? Go commit suicide? I thought the Big Guy frowned on something like that! So you lost a wing! Save your breath to go Wrath of the Almighty on those assholes who did it to you! Eye for an eye and all that good stuff I actually like about the bible!"

Levin opened his mouth to argue and paused. "You read the bible?"

Kyo threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "Levin! Just because we’re demons doesn’t mean we run around poking people in the butt with pitchforks! Despite what they teach you up there! Yes, we guard over the souls of the damned, many of whom certainly deserve a fork up the butt, but we aren’t chittering beasts!"

"No, I didn’t think that!" Levin replied lamely, "I just…"

"Levin, demons, and the souls we watch over are as different as night and day. And trust me on this one point, " Kyo got up and made sure Levin was paying attention by putting a hand the angel’s shoulder and looking him in the eye. "Suicide isn’t worth it." Then he retreated into his bedroom and Levin heard the door lock.

Levin’s forehead creased as he looked at the closed door. Why were Kyo’s eyes so clouded, as if he’d forced the demon to remember something he’d chosen to forget?

*

The two were in their late teens, playing basketball in the court surrounded by chain link. The older of the two had shaggy black hair and a more serious expression. The younger had straight, almost spiky blond hair and a colder, proud look to his features. Although the game was good natured they exchanged teasing remarks and often tried to one-up each other as siblings often do.

The younger, in an attempt to regain control of the ball, grabbed his brother around the shoulders and they both toppled over, pulling each other down in their attempts to get back up.

Momentarily forgotten their basketball bounced over to the fence, brought to a stop by a black platform shoe. When the brothers got back on their feet to search for the ball it was in the hands of a longhaired blond in a green dress. From across the court she tossed the basketball and sunk it, gaining the abrupt appreciation of both players.

*

The music boomed and the lights flashed while Mana ordered another set of drinks. The younger brother, Khota if Mana remembered correctly, was already drugged and mindless, poor Ryuichi trying to keep him awake. The old brother, Kirito, wasn’t a fast drinker and it was starting to get on Mana’s nerves. Kirito was laughing at his brothers seeming inability to stomach his drink with Ryuichi trying to seem friendly when all he wanted was to run and take the ill-fated brothers with him

Mana glanced at the DJ booth as a popular, well-mixed song turned on. Two DJ’s occupied the prime seats, one with particularly green hair who seemed to search the club with obvious excitement. Target spotted the green-haired DJ excited the booth to jump less than inconspicuously into the embrace of another man with long wavy brown hair.

Mana nearly choked when he recognized the longhaired one, mildly flowered shirt and all. Pata, one of Yoshiki’s best friends and the longest holder of the title bachelor in Yoshiki’s little troupe. "Not for long." Mana mused as he watched them disappear into a corner booth. ‘So Pata finally found a beau?’ Mana’s mind flashed with the possibilities. But would it be too far? Would he just kill him rather then bring him for judgment? As Kirito finally fell into the drug’s coils Mana gave a small smile and ordered Ryuichi to bring the brothers and follow him.