[Nekita lunges towards Hibichi again. He ducks just as she nears him so that her forward momentum puts her in the perfect position for him to flip-kick her behind him. Hibichi turns around, drawing his sword as he does. Nekita does a quick series of knife thrusts, all of which are deflected by Hibichi.]

Tomiko: Hibichi! Nekita! Stop it please!

[They pay no attention to her. Nekita gets a quick kick in to Hibichi's face, causing him to stagger back. She lunges forward, but Hibichi side-steps and swats her in the knee pits, forcing her to her knees. She turns around… only to see Hibichi sheathing his sword with an indignant look on his face.]

Hibichi: Hmmph.

Nekita: What the -- you're backing out?! You wuss!

Hibichi: (looks at her angrily) If you're gonna do that, could you at least not hold back? You make me feel like I'm a little kid or something!

[Nekita looks stunned for a moment, then laughs. She stands up and puts an arm around Hibichi.]

Nekita: All right! I like this kid already. What's your name?

Hibichi: (looking uncomfortable again) Er… Isuto Hibichi.

Nekita: (notices discomfort and removes arm) Sorry, got a bit too friendly for ya, I guess. Name's Gorusama Nekita, but you can just call me Nekita.

[Nekita notices a lack of movement from the others.]

Nekita: Hey you two! Be polite, damn it!

Asato: Hmph. Very well, if Nekita has grown fond of you, then I see no other choice than to introduce myself. I am Kintaro Asato. YOU may call me "sir."

Hibichi: (muttering) Gee, how generous of you…

Rosiko: (gets up off couch and moves to Hibichi) And I'm Kintaro Rosiko. But you can call me anything you like…

[Rosiko moves a bit close for comfort. Hibichi sweatdrops.]

Hibichi: Uh, nice to… meet you… ma'am?

Rosiko: And he's polite, too! I like that.

Tomiko: Rosiko! Cut that out!

Rosiko: Ah, I'm only having a bit of fun, Tomiko-chan.

Rosiko walks away, but not without winking at Hibichi. Hibichi gulps.

Nekita: Good ol' Rosiko. Always teasing the guys. Although frankly some might consider that illegal... [shoots a glance in
Rosiko's direction.]

Tomiko: Nekita, go ahead and show him around the place. I'm going on patrol again.

Nekita: Aw geez, again? You really oughta rest once in a while, Tomiko-chan!

Tomiko: Nekita, even as we speak some poor person out there's getting attacked. I can't just stand by and idle my time like you do. [leaves]

Hibichi: Is she always like that?

Nekita: *sigh* Pretty much. It's a long story. In the meantime, wanna check the place out?

[Hibichi looks around. Long shot of the small store again.]

Hibichi: There's a place to check out?

Nekita: [winking] You'd be surprised.

Caption: One Hour later...

[Hibichi and Nekita are walking down a long hallway, with several doors branching off.]

Hibichi: Wow! I never would've expected all this!

Nekita: Yeah, well we like to keep a low profile. 'Course, I wanted a nice Shinto shrine, but Tomiko kinda felt that we "unholy
types" really oughtn't hang out in a place like that. [rolls eyes] Frankly, I'd've thought it'd be the last place people would look for vampires.

Hibichi: Tomiko's pretty uptight, isn't she?

Nekita: Y' gotta understand, kid, she ain't exactly proud of herself. She's only half-vampire, ya know.

Hibichi: [surprised] Half-vampire? How does that work?

Nekita: *sigh* It happens from time to time. Usually when a kid is born to a human and a vampire.

Hibichi: Why doesn't the vampire just turn the mother into a vampire before impregnating her?

[Splash page. Nekita, of course, occupies the foreground, looking serious. In the background, a large drawing of Tomiko looking contemplative is seen. Also in the background are various scenes; dark sinister eyes, a woman being pushed against a wall, two women and man smuggling a child out of a mansion by night.]

Nekita: Vampires can't have kids. We don't have the lifeforce necessary to support a young life. As a result, if some vampire
decides he'd rather continue the line directly, he usually uses a human woman -- and usually not by her choice. Tomiko's mother was assaulted like that. Shortly after she gave birth to the kid, her mother was, well, "embraced." But her mother was a strong spirit and her soul wasn't contained, as usually happens. Her mother managed to help her escape, asking Asato, Rosiko and me to be her guardians. Tomiko's never gotten over the fact that she was conceived that way.

[We now see that they've made it to the roof, and Tomiko is sitting on the edge staring vacantly out over the city.]

Hibichi: Wow, I had no idea...

Nekita: Well personally, I say que sera sera, but Tomiko's a bit heavier than that, as you can see.

Hibichi: Naaah, she just needs someone to cheer her up! [Walks towards her.]

Nekita: Hey hey, don't go doin' something stupid, now...

[Not listening, Hibichi sneaks up on her and, suddenly reaches his arms out and tickles her on the sides. She backhands him -- HARD.]

FX: KA-POOOW!!!

[Hibichi is lying on the ground, spirals where his eyes ought to be and little stars circling around his head. Tomiko, indignant,
leaves via the way Nekita and Hibichi came in. Nekita stands over him.]

Nekita: You're not very bright, are ya kid?

Hibichi: I'm definitely having my doubts...

[Far shot. Nekita is helping Hibichi up.]

Caption: Sometimes, great stories have the humblest of beginnings. And then sometimes they have the STRANGEST of beginnings. For Hibichi, the latter is almost certainly more true than the former.