http://clampfix.fanworks.net/kenichi/hearts1-.txt </head><body><pre> This is a fic I did out of the blue; It may not be up to par with what I wrote before, though... I still remember the Character Shiroi Ogami I created a year back, and felt it good to tell a tale of what he's been doing lately. Hope you enjoy... Hearts: King of Clubs "There is no security on this earth; there is only opportunity." Gen. Douglas MacArthur Assassin I was. Assassin shall I ever be. The difference lies only in the cause for killing. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Reluctance as ever. I was afraid to leave Mirei alone in her sleep. I caressed her brown tresses, feeling the gentleness of her sleep. I wished I could not leave her. I wished to bring her with me, if only for her company. Yet this was one thing I alone could do. The only assurance of our continued living this way. As I crept out of bed, snakelike. I left a kiss on my angel's forehead. Already the thought of leaving her tore me apart. I shall not be long, my love. This task must be done. For our safety. I picked a Ninja-To. Stereotypical indeed, but a fair weapon to use in the close quarters I was expecting to face. Under the innocent clothing of a student's uniform it hid well. All of it, going over the sleek black leotards I wore. I would need the protection of Mother Night. The Government Office building. In the half-light of the near-dawn, it poses majestic. A glittering monolith of harsh beauty. Concealing the rot within. One target. One politician. Nobody will miss him. I felt the Sakurazukamori's smile on my own lips. "Accidents" can happen. Since I heard of talk linking me to a highschool girl, I feared for Mirei's life. True, her Onmyoji powers have only increased in skill and strength since we stayed together, but I still felt protective of her. That one politician holds the files I need. Files I must destroy. Files that prove Mirei's connection to me. And therefore, make her a target for any enemies I have made. I laughed in mild sarcasm. More like the enemies the Sakurazukamori had gven to me. Whistling in the night... Means to an end. A delivery boy. His direction was all too obvious. The poor fool was in the right place at the wrong time. Speed is my key. At this time, few people see. And the Government building has a fond habit of growing trees strategically nearby. Any other fool would walk by. I did not kill him; there was no need. Besides, I was merely borrowing his work uniform. I checked his delivery. Hamburgers, two softdrinks, a few toothpicks in for good measure. Perfect. Don't forget the thick nerd glasses the boy has. The grade of the lens made me dizzy, but it was ideal. Make yourself look uninteresting. Easy. Guards who were disillusioned at their night shift. Never suspected a thing as I walked through the halls and up to the floor. Delivery first, of course. Then business. I swallowed my breath as the door opened. Fat. Lazy. Ugly. Typical Politician. Dietman Kasshin. I could smell a feminine perfume about, and the sweat on the fat man's forehead. A night tryst, no doubt. A so-called overtime duty of most politicians. "Yeah...?" Smile, you crazy bugger. If he recognizes you, it's all over. "Special Delivery Snacks, sir... Your order of two Large softdrinks, a pair of extra-heavy Hamburgers, fries, and toothpicks as requested." All this with a smile as fake as the guise I wore. The piggish Dietman grunted. "Come in. I'll be back with the cash. Set it over there." I set it down as he turned to his bag. Wallet not in pocket, must keep in bag. What idiots run this country. Ahhh... I picked up the plastic bottle on the table. As expected. Digitalis. Heart medicine. In small doses, a heart maintenance drug. In a large enough dose, lethal to an elephant. Best of all, it was available. This fool's death would be explained away easily. Shove it in your pocket, quick. "Thanks, kid. Here's your tip." I nodded consent to the portly man. He smelled of musky stench. "Now, get lost!" "Yessir.. Where's the tip?" Oh... beautiful! "GET OUT!!! CAN'T YOU SEE I'M BUSY?!?!" I nodded and left. Out the door but not out the building. In the elevator. Switch off the lights and jam it to a halt. No cameras. That made it even more perfect. I slipped out of the costume I took. The skintight leotards I wore bore no hindrance to me as I slithered up the Elevator shaft. The clothing I left there. For good measure, I'd best insure my alibi. I cut the elevator rope. The car below me plummeted a few floors before stopping. The emergency brakes worked. Good. Twelve. The floor I left earlier. The airvent grates took some time to remove, as they were welded rather than bolted on. That aside, I marveled at the relative ease I had in entering the shaft. I coughed as I smelt the smoke; to protect my lungs, I pulled down the ski mask I had bought just for the occasion. It took minutes to find Kasshin. One shot. I took the bottle of Digitalis and a pair of toothpicks. With a little bit of hot sauce and saliva, I mixed the drug into the toothpick's tip. The straw. One thing I learned to do under Seishirou was to improvise. That and to rely less on my power and more on pure skill. The fat Dietman's ear was an easy target. Now the show begins. Wait... He opens the desk where he worked. Wait... Taking out a folder... NOW. I let a burst of air into the straw. "OWWW!!!!!" Bullseye. The Dietman went down like an injured bird. I wasted no time in kicking the vent grate down. Rush. Check his pulse. Satisfaction as I tack another efficient kill to my record. But no celebrations yet. I dug into his file folder. Riffling through the pages. Quickly, quietly. No one must know I'm here or ever was here. "I assume you are looking for this." Ninja-To; sword out of it's scabbard. Placed on the woman's neck. A woman... Tall and seductive. Truly beautiful. Truly dangerous as she betrayed no fear of my edge. Third eye...? A seeress? Clearly the Dietman's tryst was more than it appeared. "I am honored to meet the infamous White Wolf, student of the Sakurazukamori." She Knows?!?! Ripping off my mask. Can she really see who I am? "If you know this, you must die. All I care about is that file." "A file that may spell life or death for the Onmyouji Miyazaki Mirei, is it not...?" Fear. The one emotion which I claimed to have mastered. Fear. I never feared for my own life before. But I do fear for hers. This stranger... This female. She holds the one thing that spells life or death for Mirei. And mocking me all the while. Yet why can I not kill this woman? "You cannot kill me because it is not foreordained, my young and handsome assassin. I have many plans to put in machination. You, however powerful you are... You cannot stop destiny." I lowered the sword. Impossible. I want to kill her. I loathe the very sight of this woman. This... evil...? She tossed the folder to me. "Catch. Be as it may, you pose no threat to us." I caught the folder in mid-turn. Look. Indeed. Every record of Mirei's life was in my hands. As were mine. Damning records linking her to me. Proof that she was every bit my weakness as well as my strength. "You really didn't think that I'd let an idiot like Kasshin take you in, would you?" I turned hateful eyes toward the woman. "Who are you...?" The dark hair glistened as she gloated. "You may call me Kanoe. Seishirou has taught you well." Seishirou. My master and father figure. Whom I betrayed for love. "You know of Seishirou...?" A sense. Of course. Seishirou... My eyes wandered as the window opened. A soft rain of cherry blossom petals greeted me. An illusion, indeed. But impressive nonetheless. A figure. One I know too well. One that I had gotten so used to that it frightens me not. "I am glad to see you have not lost your touch, Shiroi-San." One eye. Cold heart. Or no heart at all. "Seishirou-Sama." I bit on my lip from the honorific. "It has been awhile indeed. I am surprised you do not take the opportunity to kill me where I stand." His hand gently rubbed the majestic falcon at his side. His shiki. Beautifully grand, an emblem of power. Not unlike my own. "Let us say I feel... Sentimental of our time together, White Wolf. Besides, you have already done our work for us." I did not comprehend. "Work...?" Seishirou walked to the unconscious Dietman and nudged the body. "Ingenious. Using the medication as a poison dart. It will not be detected in the least. Very clean work..." Somewhere within, I still beamed at his appraisal. The woman Kanoe grinned evilly. "It was a pain. Eventually, Kasshin would have found out about the plan. I thank you for taking him out of my hands..." The long fingers of Kanoe caressed my face. "Seishirou-San... you have crafted a most beautiful work of art... A shame that he is hopelessly flawed..." It was with only slight violence that I knocked the fingers away. "So... You used the folder as bait for me to do your dirty work?" I turned to Seishirou. My heart felt as cold as the one he possessed. "You used me as a weapon, then." The smile, waxing nostalgic. "Yes. Just like the good old days when you were my student..." Kanoe giggled. Somehow that light ringing laughter terrified me all the more. Why am I afraid of this woman, even more so than Seishirou? Idiot. Is it that unclear? You who know the workings of the Sakurazukamori. If you understand Seishirou's subtle workings... ...You must know the intricacies of politics... Or worse. Kanoe is more than a mere Politican. Because she alone knows the future. She alone is confident of what it brings. She knew my identity behind the mask. She knew that I could not kill her, much as I would like to. Most of all, she was a friend to my once master. I let my hands soften around the Ninja-To as Seishirou nodded. "Leave this place, Ogami Shiroi. I am now involved in affairs out of your standing." The cold face softened as he turned to tousle my hair. "If you will not interfere with my affairs...I will not harm your beloved. That much you deserve from me." I walked out numbly. Assassin I am. But even an assassin cannot turn the tide of destiny. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ It was near daybreak when I returned. Mirei still sleeping naked in the bed we shared. I couldn't help but notice the comparisons. She looked so innocent, and many said I did, as well. Who could imagine the dark powers within us? Mirei roused gently. Her smile seemed brighter this morning. "...Good Morning..." I noticed my Shikigami, the white wolf Shirogami, curling up in the corner where Mirei's Shiki, Kaguya the black cat, slept. The two looked almost petlike, had they not been the spirits of our own two souls. Sharing each other's company, Different yet inseperable. Mirei grinned soft as she observed the two. "Theyr'e quite the couple, aren't they?" I did not answer as I proceeded to gentle place my lips on hers. Did it matter...? What "plans" were Seishirou and Kanoe up to? My mind wished to know all. Yet I found myself lost in my beloved's arms. It mattered little to me whether I could change the future or not. As I held Mirei in my arms, I knew. I knew that I could not possibly hope to win against Seishirou and whatever force Kanoe represents. I know that all that matters to me is in my arms right now. I know one person who CAN stop Seishirou. His name is Subaru Sumeragi. </pre><p><a href="./">Back</a></p><p><a href=http://www.dreamhost.com/donate.cgi?id=216><img border=0 alt="Donate towards our web hosting bill!" src=https://secure.newdream.net/donate1.gif></a></p></body></html>