CrossBlades Chapter 4


    Smoke curled up towards the beams and pipes jutting across the high ceiling. He rested his head on the box behind him, just high enough to be comfortable. The store was quiet, like usual this time every afternoon, right before the school girls came to gawk before running home to supper and homework and long chatty girl-talk phone sessions about every hot guy and trash like that. How can so much emptiness sit in so many peoples’ heads?
    Somewhere behind the door there was a muffled crash, pulling his eyes from the ceiling top the doors, which now swung furiously as Omi stormed in, red-faced and looking for something obviously important. His eyes passed over his team mate before realizing he actually saw him.
    “Yohji!!!”
    “Yes?” His tone mimicked the slow trail of smoke from the corner of his mouth.
    “What the hell are you doing back here?? I’m the only one in the store! What if we’re robbed?”
    “Not many everyday robbers are a match for you, Cupid.”
    Omi turned bright red. Not only did he hate Yohji for being so lazy and self centered, but he absolutely detested his latest nickname. It especially didn’t help that he was so recently and secretly in love, irony that annoyed him to no end.
    “Call me that one more time and I’ll put an arrow in your neck!”
    Yohji leaned forward and was suddenly more animated than he’d been all day. “Yes! And then I’ll fall hopelessly in love with the first thing I see!” He clapped his hands together and jumped up, swaying to some dumb song only the lovesick heard. “I picture a beautiful body, great curves, brown hair to get lost in... She’ll just walk into the store and it’ll be love at first sight. Ag! What if it’s Aya? OW!”
    Yohji glared as the dust pan rattled on the floor, rubbing his head and making no move to pick it up. “You don’t have to be such a brat.”
    Omi looked into the store as the bell over the front door tinkled. “There’s a broken vase in the back corner and the watering cans need to be faced. I have to help this customer so get to it!” He threw the broom at him and walked out.
    “Where’s Ken and Aya? And who do you think you are bossing me around? I’m twice your size!” He shouted for the pure reason of shouting, since Omi probably couldn’t hear him anyway. He bent to pick the broom up and butted out his smoke on the concrete. There was a knock at the back door.
    “Where’ve you been?” Yohji stood back to let Ken in.
     “It’s my day off, remember?” He shifted the helmet in his hands to avoid scraping his knuckles on the door frame, and slipped past Yohji towards the stairs that led to their apartment.
     “Well where’s Aya?”
     Ken paused on the stairs, not turning around. “How should I know?”
     “Someone should know where our esteemed leader is.”
     “Since when is he our leader and I his keeper?” Ken turned, a cold look on his face.
     “He is, isn’t he?”
     “Why should he be?”
     “Well I’m not being led by that kid in there, and I’d hardly call you leadership material.”
     “Who says we need a leader?” Ken continued upstairs, leaving Yohji with the broom in his hand. The slow arm mechanism on the door finally shut and it slammed behind him making him jump. God, this place couldn’t be any more negative if we were all dead, he thought, and then felt sorry for harassing Ken. He was still having trouble dealing with Aya’s lack of interest in him, when he was so obviously enamored with the red-haired assassin. It must be hard, wanting someone who doesn’t care at all. It couldn’t possibly have helped any when Aya chased after that chick who looked like his sister. He wondered what it was about their mentally insecure leader that got Ken so hard, then shook the whole idea out of his head. Thinking about his teammates banging eachother wasn’t one of those things he relished doing on his time off. He brushed his hand through his coppery brown hair and tucked it behind his ear, then looked down at the broom, remembering two seconds before Omi’s voice cracked above the radio. “Yohji to the front, please.”
    “I’m coming, brat!” He yelled at the speakers.

     Aya was on the couch, wrapped around some book as Ken passed by on the way to his room. He lowered his gaze as he climbed the stairs.
     “We have a meeting later.”
     “Okay.”
     “Are you all right?”
     Now you care. “Fine, why?”
     “You sound distant.”
     “Nope, right here.” He turned around and shot a smile to Aya, who just dropped his eyes back to his stupid book.
     Ken reached the top of the stairs and flung his helmet on his bed, going straight to the bathroom at the end of the hallway. He resolved to drown himself to death, or till Aya came in and rescued him, or supper, whatever came first.

     “Our enemy travels tonight.” The shadowy image of Persia flickered on the screen, Manx perched on the desk as usual, one heeled foot swinging lazily above the carpet.
    The orders ended in the same blathering about white hunters and something something. Yohji tuned it out and for a brief second wondered what the team would do if he threw Manx on top of the desk and fucked her in front of them. He snorted under his breath so it sounded like a cough and took a long drag off his cigarette. Like that thought had never come to mind. True, Manx was hot, but the whole stuffiness of business sucked all his interest for them away. Besides, they were hardly the easily acquired bar sluts, and he was far too lazy to actually chase someone. He preferred it when the fell into his lap and bobbed up and down.
     He’d completely missed Aya’s first few sentences and by the time he actually tuned in, he was already explaining locations and strategies. Not that knowing who they were attacking was of any importance to him, as long as he wasn’t the one making the first move, but that hardly ever happened since they knew he wasn’t the best at listening all the time.
     “So we’ll all be on rooftops then separate the cars and go from there.”
     Leave it to Ken to fill in the rest of the audience.
     “There may be more than two or three cars, but we should be able to take out a number of them before we get close, right Omi?”
     “Hai.” He nodded, pulling out one of his darts for emphasis and some amount of beaming.
     “Show and tell, Cupid?”
     Omi raised his arm, poised to throw the dart at Yohji, as if daring him to say more, but Ken touched his elbow and he put away the dart.
     “We don’t need you two fighting tonight.”
     “I promise to be on my best behavior.” Yohji flashed a salute without moving from his slouched position on the chair, feet propped up on the edge of the desk.
     “I should hope so.” Manx moved from her desk and gave him a sly look as she left the room.
     “You always make me behave.”
     The door closed and Ken swiveled his chair around. “You’re such a pig!”
     “Oh please, it’s just harmless flirting.”
     “Completely shameless!”
     “Would you rather I turn my attention to you, my little neglected one?” He leaned forward, catching the shade in Ken’s cheeks despite the low light in the room.
     “You skanky bastard!” Ken’s voice shook with more embarrassment than anger as he stood and left the room.
     Aya watched him leave then turned to Yohji. “Behave.”
     “I will, I will, I’m not 5.”
     “I won’t have you pulling down the team.”
     “I can be professional you know!” He yelled after Aya’s back. He waved a gloved hand back to dismiss him. Yohji crossed his arms and glared.
     “A professional pain in the ass!” Omi hissed at him as he got up to leave, glaring down at his teammate.
     “Look you!” Yohji stood and instantly towered over him.
     Omi stuck out his tongue and ran out of the room.
     “Don’t make me give you a weggie!” He ran after him, almost running over Aya as they raced into the living room.
     He cornered Omi on one side of the couch, neither giving up any gap between them. Omi giggled and stuck his tongue out again. Yohji matched him, scrunching his whole face into the gesture, opening his eyes only to find Omi running around him and back upstairs.
     “Oh forget you, ya brat!” He looked at the clock and decided to get dressed, provided Ken wasn’t in the shower again.

     “We’ll split up and meet together at the discussed place. Omi, you’re with me.”
     The shortest assassin nodded, and followed Aya to the porch. Ken turned and headed for the stairs to the shop, Yohji in tow. They hardly ever went out together, four guys walking together at the dead of night usually drew entirely too much attention, and they hardly ever even took normal streets. The only exception was when they traveled by car.
     Ken pushed open the door, cold air meeting him as they slipped into the dark night. The moon hung somewhere behind thick clouds, just a dimly lit smear in the sky.
     They began their slow wind through back streets and alleys. Ken was somewhat annoyed to be stuck with Yohji, but if he’d gone with Aya, he’d probably completely loose track of what he was doing and most likely forget how to walk. Why had he let himself get so wrapped up in his thoughts for Aya? The fact that he didn’t return any of his interest only made him feel that much more attached. He had done everything but announce his love for the redhead, and it had gone on now for entirely too long. Any attempt at anything would be just wasted. He had no idea if Aya even went for guys.
     “Why so slow, Siberian?” They usually stuck to using their code names when on a mission. Yohji’s voice startled him back into his normal pace, paying more attention to what was up ahead rather than the ground.
     “Nothing.”
    “It’s hardly nothing. Oh come on, even Bombay knows.”
     Ken spun around and glared at him. Yohji shifted his weight and just stared back. A street light lit the edges of his jacket, the white crosses running over the sleeves and ending abruptly above the black gloves. Dark circles sat in front of his eyes, his glasses reflecting nothing. The light made his hair more golden than usual.
     Ken softened and dug a finger under his goggles, absently scratching at his forehead. “Well you hardly have to bring it up.”
     “If you don’t get over him soon, who knows what’ll happen.”
    “You think I don’t know that?” He snapped, claws out at his side.
     “Look, I don’t want any of us getting hurt if you’re not on top of everything.”
     “It’s not your concern. I’ll be fine.” He turned back to face the rest of the alleyway. A hand touched his shoulder and pulled him back around.
    “Ken, stop beating yourself up over him. So what if he doesn’t want you? You’re only wasting your time and your tears. I’m sure you’ll find someone else a little less blind to the obvious.”
     “Why do you care all of a sudden?”
     He pulled his hand away and crossed his arms over his navy jacket. “Fine, I’ll go back to being a jerk and you can be all mopey and fall in front of one of Farpharello’s knives.”
     Ken opened his mouth to say something but lost whatever it was and just sighed.
     Yohji pushed his glasses up with his middle finger. “Now are we gonna go kill something or what?”

    When they finally met up with the others, Aya merely narrowed his eyes, then returned to glaring past the shadows and over the edge of the building they were perched on.
    *what took you guys so long* Omi mouthed.
     *sightseeing* Yohji grinned at the younger Weiß member.
     *what’s going on* Ken asked.
    *aya says they’ll be stopping through here soon just have to wait*
     *joy* Ken sat back on his haunches as Yohji sat down and uncoiled his wire. He watched the silver flash between his teammate’s fingers. It was somewhat calming, a distraction from his growing nerves at the impending confrontation. They’d been through this a million times before, but ever time butterflies still worked their way into Ken’s stomach, which was healthily in some way, keeping him on his toes. Better to be cautious and alert than over confident. He wondered if any of the others ever felt nervous any more. Omi seemed timid on occasion. Aya was completely unreadable, and he could hardly even remember the last time he’d seen an emotion pass his face. Yohji was another mystery, usually so calm and collected, arrogant if nothing else, but Ken was curious to know if it was just a mask, or a mask over a mask, and how much of himself did he hide from the others, or was that really all there was to the womanizing assassin. He found himself studying his face now, instead of the wires. Aya and Omi had their backs turned to him, and there wasn’t much of anything else to look at under the dark sky. Yohji’s glasses had slipped down his nose as he inspected the wire, sliding it through his fingers. Even through his gloves he could feel anything amiss. He rubbed a section of it against his teeth, then held it in his mouth, looking up with a completely blank look in his eyes, until his emerald eyes met the dark ones that had been staring at him.
     *what* He mouthed around the wire.
    Ken straightened and moved to rest one hand behind himself. *nothing*
     *just cause yer gay and can’t get any doesn’t mean i’ll fuck you*
     Ken’s face dropped into a glare. *i’d never lower my standards that much*
     *i wouldn’t have your ass in a million years*
     *fuck you* He gave him the finger.
    *you wish* Yohji turned his head and ended all conversation, leaving Ken to the knot in his stomach and his growing headache.
     Ken’s legs were completely numb by the time Aya finally moved. A quick hand motion and all four were crouched and ready to spring. Omi drew his darts from his pocket and waited for a shot, Ken and Yohji crept to opposite ends of the building and leapt across rooftops to circle around the area. Aya remained where he knelt, fingering his sword hilt, waiting for the time to pounce.

     Zell looked out the window, reflections bouncing off the special tinting and making the whole city sparkle. It seemed even bigger and volatile, flashing its steel teeth and numerous beady eyes before him, everything passing in a blur.
     He turned back to the limo’s interior, no point in making himself dizzy. The limo was quite huge. Squall sat beside him and Seifer was on the other side. Zell was glad to have Squall’s less attractive body brushing his, he didn’t think it wise to loose concentration on the first mission. Not that Squall wasn’t cute, he was the quiet kind of guy-next-door, hardly comparable to a blonde god, something to be studied and made sculpture of, museum quality. But it couldn’t be the kind of museum you weren’t allowed to breath within 20 feet of anything, maybe a petting zoo would be better. Zell tried not to smile and looked for something more boring to think about.
     All three SeeDs were dressed in plain black suits with black dress shirts. Their protectorate sat across from them, talking in rapid Japanese, a low pitched voice made the words sound like a bubbling pot. The language problem was uncomfortable at best, it would have been wiser for at least one of them to learn Japanese. The man put away the cell phone, then began talking to the other suit next to him. Squall had said that the main guy was most important, the other was just an acquaintance that SeeD wasn’t being paid for. They were both done up in black suits, the important man had a blue pinstripe shirt beneath his tie, the other man had a plain cream shirt on. Under their sunglasses it was hard to tell if they were looking at him while they talked. Zell hated being paranoid.
     The window between the backseat and the driver was down, letting Squall keep an unblinking eye on the road. Zell was almost tempted to pinch him, just to see if he was paying attention to anything else, but he figured that wouldn’t be very professional.
     He could almost make out the edge of Seifer’s head, the icy blonde probably staring out the window, his cold blue eyes scrutinizing the city as it flew by. Zell crossed his arms and looked at the carpeted floor. This isn’t the time, Dinch.
     The car pulled to a stop and Zell immediately looked to Squall. The more important man nodded to Squall and began talking to the other again.
    “They’re picking up a package, quick in and out. You two get out and look around.” He never broke his gaze from scanning what he could from behind the dark tinting.
     Seifer’s door was already open as Zell searched for the handle. As the cold air met his face, he heard Seifer groan. Before he could turn his head, something sharp bit into his neck and squeezed the air from him. He stumbled, grasping at a cold line that pointed somewhere off into the distance, then the car suddenly took off from beside him, car doors quietly thumping somewhere behind his pain.
     Zell was lurched forward, falling to his knees, desperately wishing he had a knife on him. The martial artist had never actually encountered piano wire weaponry before, and now he understood why. His vision began to fade to black around the edges as he slowly choked. He tried to look over to Seifer, but he was nowhere in site, faint scuffling noises somewhere. This sucks!
     As quickly as it had attached to his neck, the wire abruptly released, dropping him back into the cold air and leaving a warm trail of blood down to his collar. He pulled the noose off over his head and blinked after his assailant, his vision returning too slowly.

     Ken paused in mid leap, literally hanging in the air, his clawed fist inches from the taller blonde’s face. Schwartz?! “Kuso!” He was stuck fast, not even able to turn his face.
     Aya hung back on the roof top, trying to keep whatever advantage he had left.
     “What do we have here? This little mission just got a bit more amusing, wouldn’t you say, Farf?”
     The silver haired man darted from Schudich’s side and collected the silver knives that had sliced the metal laynard. He looked at the shorter blonde for a minute, sliding his eyes over the black tattoo work on the young man’s face. “Pretty.”
     The man looked shocked as he held his neck, red slipping from between his fingers. Farpharello licked his lips at the thought of tracing the tattoo in that red with his tongue, then remembered what had been at the other end of the wire. Something that had run. Something that was running. Something that hadn’t gotten to the wire fence at the end of the alley way it was running down now. Something that was a coward. Something he could hurt god with. Something fun.
     Farf ran down the alley as Crawford and Nagi stepped out of the doorway Schuldich stood beside. The tallest man, pushed his glasses up his nose and continued to walk forward towards Seifer and the man still suspended in the air. Seifer’s gun blade was in his right hand, but Zell noticed his other shoulder hung low, but he couldn’t tell exactly why from his position.
     The raven haired man came to the side of the clawed man and punched him in the face. He was then released and dropped hard to the concrete. Seifer backed up, letting this little scene play itself out. He didn’t know who the hell to attack anyway.
     “Why must I always see you Vise nuisances getting in the way of our plans?” He kicked the brunet hard in the ribs, keeping him down.
     Yes, and who the hell are you? A deep voice cut through Seifer’s mind, so crisp he thought he’d heard it, yet it hadn’t been spoken.
     The orange haired man flicked his cigarette and spoke. “Well?” It was the same voice. Some deep accent flavored his words, richer than the awkward Japanese accents he’d been hearing so much of.
     “Well what?” He turned to see Zell staggering to his feet, clutching at his bleeding neck. His partner was glaring at the redhead as if he hadn’t heard the question.
     He didn’t. A telepath. For a moment Seifer was reminded of Edea’s cold thoughts, invading his own, clawing at his mind, shredding his will. He forced the memories down, trying to muster as much strength as he could.
     ...Because I didn’t ask him. I’m just interested in you.
    Seifer fought back the innuendo in the other’s thought, the feeling he was broadcast. What the hell is going on? Who are these guys? Are they on our side? And where the hell did that bastard Squall go?
     So Squall is your leader, is he?
     Get out of my mind
Seifer shut his mind, remembering how he had been able to hold off Edea’s probing for the first little bit.
     “I don’t care who you are but I sure as hell plan to find out!” Seifer watched in slow motion as Zell charged the man closest to them, his fist pulled back. Something impacted with Zell’s cheek and the cute little body was thrown back, sent sprawling on the pavement.
     “Nagi, there’s no need for that. They’ll be gone within seconds.” As the smaller boy shifted in the doorway, tires squealed down the road, headlights momentarily blinding Seifer. The limo barely avoided the taller man and the brunet, the latter using the distraction to carry his broken ribs off down an alley. It stopped between Seifer and Zell, a car door opened and Squall’s head appeared briefly over where Zell was.
     Seifer lost no time in jumping into the limo. The car shot off and left the 4 men standing in the side street. Seifer leaned his head back against the seat, catching his breath, then looked across from him. The two men were gone, replaced by Squall trying to apply a bandage to Zell’s neck.
     “What the fuck was that?” Seifer looked to Squall then Zell, whose eyes were clenched in pain. “Is he all right?”
     “I’ll live...” Zell pushed his palm to his forehead, digging his fingers into his spiked bangs.
    “Those were our enemies.”
    “Both groups?”
     “Yes, the first group that appeared is a band of assassins known as Weiß Kreuz. The second are known as Schwartz.”
     “They’re assassins, too, I take it.”
     “Yes, and they were both after our employer.”
     “Who is...where?”
     “Back at the office.”
     “Those two groups don’t get along too well.” Zell sat up a little straighter now that Squall was done wrapping him. A bright red mark spread across his cheek, a mark from the invisible impact.
     “So I guess it’s a free for all then.”
     “Hopefully we won’t have to encounter both again.” Squall drove his fingers into his hair and pressed the heel of both his hands into his eyes. Seifer pushed a button and the window rolled down. He pulled the silver darts out of his arm and chucked them out into the street, then closed his eyes and rested his head against the cushioning.

     Aya sheathed his sword as the limo swooped in, picking the newcomers off the street. He tried to make out the figure that darted out of the limo after the shorter man. Not blonde like the others, but brown hair, streaked with red. Was it-?
     He turned as a scream floated up to him from the alley way below him. It was best if he didn’t let Yohji take on the Beserker by himself.

    Yohji’s panting filled his ears, his footsteps echoing off the brick walls on either side of him. He could hear Farpharello running behind him. His arm screamed out in agony as a knife cut through his jacket, then a second later another knife hit his other arm. This set him completely off balance and he fell, skidding across the pavement. The thunder of footsteps was on top of him and he turned in time to see another knife cutting though the air towards his face. He heard his own voice scream and flinched, just enough to the side so that the blade only nicked his cheek. The knife stuck fast in a piece of cardboard beside him and he grabbed it as the madman flew on top of him. His own knife slid into Farpharello’s ribs and Yohji kicked him up and over, sending him further up the alley. The silver haired cyclops landed lightly on all fours, not feeling any protests from his limbs. Yohji was dully aware that his combatant could probably fight until immobilized with no pain to slow him down. He scrambled to his own feet seconds before he was charged again, now another blade diving at his face. Yohji met it with the knife in his hand, barley able to meet the strength driving it down towards his eye. He grappled with Farpharello’s wrist and for a moment they were locked in a stalemate.
     “God must know pain, God must hurt. You must help me hurt God, you must die.” Something glinted in the single yellow eye, something far beyond anything Yohji wished to understand.
     “You’re fucked!”
     “I am, Schuldich is very entertaining, but that is not the point.”
     Yohji lost his concentration and was thrown down on his ass, his head hitting the brick wall and leaving bright spots in front of his eyes. He winced as he waited to feel the burning slice as the psychopath cut him open, but opened his eyes when he heard the clamor of more confrontation.
     Aya’s trench coat swirled around him as he stood, Kitana scrapped along the ground. Farpharello had fallen back against the wall, a gapping strip of red along the black leather vest. He rushed the taller man, but was knocked back again by the side of the blade as it struck his face, pushing him face down to the pavement. Aya grabbed Yohji by the arm and dragged him up, then pulled him quickly down the alley. Yohji stumbled, trying to keep up with him. Farpharello screamed into the night, sending chills straight down Yohji’s spine. Soft laughter echoed after them. He would not sleep easily tonight.

     “So why the hell did you waste our time?” Nagi stood against the wall, arms crossed tightly over his chest.
     “Practice?” Farf gazed at Crawford like a child in a classroom, while Schu absently ran his fingers through the short silver locks, pulling random tufts and yanking the psychopath’s head back like a toy.
    “We had to meet them some time-”
     “And the sooner the better?” Nagi’s tone was so annoyed Schu was waiting for something to start rattling or fly at Crawford.
     “And since there was no risk, it made sense.” He pretended to ignore the youth, angering him further.
     “You could at least fill us in once in a while!”
     “There was no need.”
     “Yeah, kiddo, we’re not important, remember?” Schu hung his head over the back of the couch to look at Nagi, tugging Farf’s head with him.
     “Well fuck you! Let me know when you think it’s necessary for you to give a damn!” He whirled out of the living room and slammed his bedroom door. Everything in the apartment rattled and vibrated as Nagi pulled one of his mental yells.
     Schu felt rather sheepish and turned to Crawford. “It wouldn’t kill you if you told us stuff.”
     “I will when it is required.” He got out of his chair and walked calmly to his room.
     “Well at least apologize to him!” Schu yelled after him. “Fuck...” He ran his finger nails from Farf’s scalp to his neck, hard enough to tear skin off under his nails.
     “Someone should pry the dead animal out of his ass sometime soon, I can almost smell it.” Farf’s cool voice only added to Schu’s complete amusement. He roared with laughter.
     “See...heh heh...” He spoke between laughs and gasps for air. “It’s shit like that that keeps me in your ass.”
    “Well I hope you don’t start to smell, too.” Farf broke his stare at the carpet and turned to look in the German’s face. “Is that the only reason?”
     “Don’t get all simpering like that on me.” Schu glared into the amber sun that was locked on him. “What? You actually want another reason?” Farf nodded. “Fine, here’s yer stupid proof.” With that he pulled the Irishman on top of him and, despite the couch, ravaged him for two straight hours. Normally they’d retreat to Farf’s padded room, but no one would be coming out of their rooms any time soon anyway.

Chapter 5
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