30Hell Hath No Fury
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I do not own Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro.
"It's too dark and way too quiet." Yako says, frowning at her own uneasiness as she stands in front of the office door. As she places her hand on the door-knob she hears movement from the inside.
"Figures." She says to herself sardonically.
Yako slowly bends down slipping her fingers into her ankle-boot retrieving her handy-dandy pocket knife.
"Better to be safe then dead." Yako says quietly to herself as she puts the hand holding her knife behind her back and cautiously enters the office.
"Neuro? Are you here?" She calls out to the dark room. Only silence answers her.
She tosses her keys onto what she knows is the coffee table even in darkness. The rattle causes a stir in the corner to the right of her; she quickly turns to the noise, only to be tapped gently on her left shoulder. She gasps swiftly turning back around, practically tripping over her own feet with nerves. Only to be startled again when she sees a quick shadow move across the moonlit window.
"Neuro, if you're trying to be funny, you're only pissing me off." She says trying to sound brave.
She rushes to the light switch to turn it on. Only it doesn't. She switches it on and off, trying in vain to light the darkness and reveal the intruder set on playing games with her. She stops all attempts when she feels a hot breath on her neck. She turns suddenly, blade drawn and ready. She swipes her blade in the general direction of the breath, but makes no contact and is left standing in darkness, knife held defensively in front of her. She listens for anything, but can only hear her own panicked breathing. She doesn't even notice movement before she is slammed against the wall painfully knocking the wind from her. She is held there by a strong grip around the throat. She can feel the same hot breath move closer to her lips, can feel soft eyelashes flutter against her own. The grip on her throat lessens to the point that the intruders hand is just gently resting against her neck.
"Stop." Yako says taking in a shaky breath. Lips brush softly against her own.
"Stop!" Yako shouts more urgently, instincts kicking in. She shoves against the invaders chest, finding it burning hot and…naked. Alarmed, Yako swings her blade aiming for this man's face. This time making contact, her blade is stopped. Though, as she struggles to pull it free, the lights switch on.
"Really Ippai… enough teasing." Takumi says, leaning against the wall. He looks healthy; he wares a fitted black suit and his black hair has grown out and falls freely around his face. Yako then looks her attacker in the eyes for the first time. They are a clear blue, a blue holding nothing sinister in them. Ippai bracing himself against the wall leans over Yako, holding her blade between his teeth.
"Ippai?" Yako says, tightening her grip on her knife, trying to pry it free from his bite. Ippai only smiles biting down, shattering the metal.
" My knife!" Yako gasps. Ippai steps back, spitting out the shards.
"It was a nice try, but not quite effective." Ippai states observing Yako intently.
"Not against a demon anyways." Yako huffs irritably.
"Exactly. So where is your demon?" Ippai asks searching the room.
"In Hell." Yako says bitterly.
"Aren't we all." Takumi says making himself comfortable at Troy; Neuro prized desk. Yako watches Takumi's every move carefully.
"Oh please, stop looking at me that way. I haven't come to kill anybody." Takumi says waving a dismissing hand at her.
"Then why have you two come here?" Yako asks turning back towards Ippai, who is currently trying to undue his pants button, but stops suddenly turning to look to the window. Yako goes to turn to see what he is looking at but is too late. Takumi throws Yako to the floor, shielding her from the large shards of glass that now rain down upon them all. Once the shattering sounds stop and the room is once again quiet, Yako peaks out around Takumi to see Ippai pinned to the wall by his throat just as she was moments ago, shock written clearly on his face. Shock and genuine… fear.
"Where is she?" A woman's voice angrily asks. Yako peeks to see the woman but can only see her back. She's thin and tall, with long thick braids a color of pale lilac, looking almost gray draping down her back, throughout these braids are dozens of tiny bells that jingle to any slight movement and she wears traditional Japanese robes made of the finest silks and the most intricate stitching. Among the chaos of broken glass there are beautiful silk feathers on the floor. Her feathers, she's a demon.
"Takumi. Run." Ippai says never taking his eyes from her. Takumi quickly stands swinging Yako over his shoulder and does as he's told making a jump out the window. Yako continues to stare at the woman, even as Takumi and her fall. The woman turns suddenly, her bells chiming brilliantly together. The two women meet eyes. The woman has such beautiful black eyes, but they look disappointed and angry. Then the moment ends as Takumi and Yako hit the concrete, hard. Yako can feel the shutter of pain run through Takumi's body as he holds her tight.
"Are you alright?" Yako asks, trying to pull herself free. Takumi tightens his grip.
"I'm fine, but we need to get as far away from that woman as possible." Takumi says, standing only to immediately start sprinting.
"Why? Who is she? We can't just leave Ippai with her if she is so dangerous!" Yako yells, still trying to break free.
"He'll be fine; he has to keep her busy while I get you away from her." Takumi says running faster then humanly possible.
"That doesn't explain who she is." Yako says watching the distance between them and the office grow. There is a long pause before Takumi answers.
"She's Neuro's bride." Takumi whispers.
"What?" Yako shouts. "You need to put me down! Stop!" She screams, throwing a tantrum.
Takumi cuts through an alley and stops harshly, and throws Yako to the ground.
"Stop struggling! We need to get as far away as possible!" Takumi yells looking all around very warily.
"What do you mean his bride?" Yako says looking into the puddle she was tossed in. Takumi reaches for her hand pulling her from the filthy street water.
"I'm going to get a car, wait here." Takumi says running off.
"What the hell?" Yako asks angrily, and storms off after Takumi.
As Yako walks out of the alley and into the open, she sees a woman standing alone in the street. The woman has long black hair, and wears white but because she is soaked you can see her grayish skin through the wet white clothing. The woman licks her hand before she turns to look at Yako, Yako can only watch and question what the woman is doing, but the distance between them is gone and Yako is once again being grabbed by her throat in a tight grip. She has complete hatred in her eyes as she looks at Yako.
It begins to pour, drenching Yako as well. The woman's grip tightens and Yako struggles for air. As suddenly as the woman appeared she is beheaded just as quickly, blood spattering over Yako's face causing an odd sensation between the cold rain and the warm blood. Yako screams and before she can even realize it's her own voice, Takumi has his hands pressed harshly against her mouth muting these screams.
"I told you to wait!" Takumi says angrily against the top of her head.
"You killed her?" Yako asks gripping Takumi's shirts.
"She's not dead; it takes more then that to kill a demon." Takumi says dragging Yako to a black car. Once they are safely driving down the road. Well as safe as one can get driving over 100 miles per hour in the rain, dodging traffic and the occasional angry demon woman. Yako sits back in the passenger seat and let's go of her death grip on the seatbelt. Takumi slows down when they arrive in a town.
"It should be safe for a little bit now that we've got some distance." Takumi says, running his fingers through his hair. Yako laughs to herself.
"What?" Takumi asks, giving Yako a sideways glance.
"You are so different, but not at the same time." Yako says carefully.
"Is that a good thing?" Takumi asks focusing on the road once again.
"You're no longer human?" Yako asks, taking off her seatbelt to turn towards Takumi.
"What are you doing? Put that back on!" Takumi panics, grabbing Yako's seatbelt.
"Alright! Calm down! I'll put it on." Yako yells, taking the belt from him. Once Yako's seatbelt is safely secured once again Takumi huffs a breath of relief.
"Not much." Takumi says in a whisper.
"'Not much' what?" Yako asks.
"Human. I don't have much human left in me." Takumi says.
"But you are human. How can you not be what you are?" Yako asks eyes eagerly watching Takumi for the answer.
"Always the detective. Right, Yako?" Takumi chuckles. Yako continues to watch and waits for his answer.
"The air is different in Hell. I will always be human, but my human body and mind is adapting to Hell." Takumi informs. Silence lingers, only the rumble of the car tires driving against the pavement can be heard now.
"What's going on? Where is Neuro?" Yako asks sadly.
"Brushed aside, angry woman. As for where Neuro is, I'd like to know that too." Takumi says, turning slowly to look at Yako.
"Brushed aside?" Yako asks.
"It's important for Neuro to… breed, as scary as the thought is, it's true. And every demon woman wants to be the woman to bear that child, but there can only be one bride." Takumi says, switching between looking at the road and Yako.
"Bride? Being that woman?" Yako asks turning her gaze to the floor, staring at it so intently, obviously holding back her emotions.
"He doesn't want her, and he made it clear recently. The thing is now, all of Hell's woman are furious and want to kill you." Takumi says refocusing on the road.
"Well that sucks." Yako says blandly as she positions her coat against the car door trying to make a pillow.
"No kidding. I wish I could lose this human worrying, I'm going to go insane with this burden of keeping you alive." Takumi says, shrugging at the thought.
"We've already established that you're insane Takumi." Yako says jokingly.
"Haha! Oh yes, you're right. We did." Takumi says laughing to himself.
"Why's it so important to keep me alive?" Yako asks closing her eyes.
"There would be hell to pay if a certain demon loses what he wants. He really is quite fond of you it seems." Takumi says smiling.
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