What time is it Mr.Wolf? (Yuki's fan fiction) (Updated Ch10)
Dec 31, 2014 2:00:32 GMT -5
Kuro, Trin, and 8 more like this
Post by Yukihime-tan on Dec 31, 2014 2:00:32 GMT -5
`Yuki~ <3
Chapter one: A dark hallway
A woman runs quickly down darkened hallway. Her black patent shoes stamp the floor leaving small puffs of dust in her wake. Her long blonde hair flies behind her, steadily falling out of her once tight french braid. Her white petticoat and white stockings slowly became dirty with the dust and dirt of the long hall. She clutched a book in one hand and a stack of notes in the other. Almost there.... Just a little bit farther and she would be okay. She looked towards the end of the dimly lit hallway towards the door.
The door was a dark coloured door with brass handle, locked from the inside. The only way you could open the door from the outside , was for someone on the inside to unlock it. She knew this but this was too important to worry about. The problems of getting back in could be solved after she had delivered the note. She had to give this note, all of their lives depended it. Her breath became labored, she cursed not being more active like the other members but it was too late for that. She had to run. She finally reached the door, she touched the knob and turned it. She heard a soft click.
She knew that that was the wrong sound. The door knob never went click, her eyes went wide and then frantically kicked the door. The door was stuck. She kicked it harder, she punched it and screamed. A pulse of wind flew past her and then she felt a sharp pain in her leg, followed by another in her chest. It didn't matter she wasn't about to die here. She refused to die in a dimly lit hallway while the door mocked her for her ignorance. She didn’t know that the door was trap, simply because before when she came through the door last at twelve that evening the door, was just a door. It was only her that came through that time, but perhaps she wasn’t quiet as alone as she thought she was. Either way, this note and its message commanded her attention. The lady wasn’t about to give into a long nap, her stubbornness kept her awake and hitting the door. She spit at the door and kept kicking it. The door started to splinter and she kicked harder seeing her way out. a hole opened and she reached through turning the door knob. The door swung open and she ran through the door and down a carpeted hallway. Every step hurt but she was almost to where she needed to go. She turned and then burst through a set of golden doors. People stood from their desks staring at her.
"Where is the GM?!!!" She screamed at them. They stood and stared and pointed to a slim brown door on the other side of the room. She started to limp towards the door when it opened. A tall slim man stepped through the door. His hair even in the golden dawn rays was dark indian ink, his eyes were soft brown that reflected his intelligence and his characteristic quiet charm. He wore a dark military uniform that was free of most military things, the only thing that denoted his rank was three silver rabbits that were on his chest.
"Kuro,"
The woman started to say but stopped and blinked trying to form words in her head. It was becoming harder as the blood flowed from her. She was losing the battle to stay awake but at least she had made it. She would be able to deliver the note and the book.
The man now in defied as Kuro nodded and walked towards the woman.
She tried to straighten and she held out the stack of notes to him. He frowned slightly as he walked more quickly. She blinked again and cursed the pain in her chest was making this extremely difficult to focus. The world grew dim and she felt herself fall onto the floor. "Kuro..." She whispered as if she was trying to apologize for her weakness.
Kuro sat beside her and took the notes, he quickly read them and looked at the woman. She lay in a heap on the floor, her blood starting to pool around her. He then reached down and took the book from her hand. He then touched her hand as if to pat it and say that everything was alright.
"Get me the other GMs, and get Yuki to the infirmary." Kuro commanded quietly. The people stared at him and he looked at them. He raised an eyebrow. The office workers snapped to attention and quickly followed his orders. The woman now identified as Yuki was carried away on a stretcher. Kuro stood and went back to his office. He picked up the phone and a voice on the line said: "I have connected you to Santa sir, she is on line 1. " He pressed the number one and said into the phone. " Gallo, we have a problem. The wolf is in the barrow, It knows about our plans everyone on the rose case is in danger. You have to stop them..."
The phone crackled and the voice on the other side said, " Its too late Kuro.." He placed a hand over his face.
What time is it Mr wolf?
1 o clock.
Chapter two: Rosemary and Thyme
She stiffly in a infarmy bed, with a frown on her face as she slept. Her long blonde hair lay in long curls that trailed on her shoulders. She wore a hospital like gown that was a pale green that did nothing for her face. With her pale snow like skin it made her look slightly ill.
“Yuki,”
A man said softly in order to check to see if she was awake. She did not stir and the man breathed with a soft sigh of relief. His brown hair had been hastily trimmed on the trip over and his dark eyes looked on with slight concern. He straightened his black tuxedo and sat on a stool beside the bed. He never was sure how to react around her. So much had happened between them through the years. Whenever he came to see her, she would always laugh with such merriment about his latest tale. Even when the story was hardly funny at all. Her laugh was like a bell, and it make him smile awkwardly. Only her could make him feel this, Around the others he could feel at ease, he could be extremely charming but Yuki.. She had away about her that cut through people. She had no interest in anything except the truth and her own amusement. This had made her friends as well as enemies around the organization. So it did not surprise him that she had been injured even though the circumstances were slightly odd. He had just finished delivering a message from Trinity another GM to Kuro, when an internal messenger had come into to talk to Kuro.
“Sir,”
Kuro nodded at the messenger.
“Receiver Yuki is reportedly in stable condition. The head of infarmy Liel expects her to be awake in a few days.”
Kuro nodded again and quietly thanked the messenger. The messenger saluted and then walked out and closed the door.
The man was at a loss for words, he struggled to say something to Kuro.
Kuro looked up from his papers and said quietly.
“Yuki was injured while trying to get a important message to me.”
“But… How? She works in the barrow’s headquarters?”
“Someone laid a trap for her, two arrows on a winding string that was released when she tried opening the door. Someone knew that she would be coming out that door Degree…”
Degree stood there in shock, questions raced through his mind. He ruffled his hair trying to think clearly. The barrow was the most secure building in the organization, if someone had infiltrated here then they were all in danger. This is the one place where it had all the records, records that included their former identities.
Kuro saw the mix of emotions on Degree’s face and said: “We don’t know if there is a leak, i would prefer if you kept this unwraps. In the meantime i would suggest visiting Yuki. I think she would apprentice a familiar face. “
Degree knew this was a dismal and he saluted lightly trying not to be sarcastic, and walked out of the small dark office.
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Yuki did not sleep in a dreamless sleep in which she craved. But rather she drifted through her memories and thoughts about the organization in which she was so deeply involved in. Thee organization in which it was more commonly know, was actually called Rabbit’s barrow. It was a resistance organization. It had been active for about 6 years originally created 7 years ago as a simple idea, it had grown to include over 100 official agents and 1000 support people. It was only one of its kind. How it came to be was simple, the war.
The War to destroy all wars. It had begun with the assassination of the King, while he was on progress in a rather turbulent state. His advisors had warned him not to go, but he went anyways. His death meant that their beloved empire started to crumble from within. As countries around the empire claimed their own independence, it attacked its neighbours to protect itself. It was this time of chaos in which the main ally of the empire, the monarchy of Ulfur had turned and then moved to take power. Ulfur seeing the empire destroying itself from within had invaded and using lighting fast warfare had quickly crushed most of the former empire. The only one that remained standing was a mountainous country, high above the others. It closed itself in and saved whatever it could, successfully resisting the monarchy and creating a new life for itself. It was from here that refugees came from all around the former empire and it was here that they created Rabbit’s barrow.
It was supposively created by a rabbit lover who prefered to be known as Rabbit or just simply R. No one had ever meet R, not even R’s generals also known as GMs. The first GMs had just received written letters with orders and other thoughts. They were always typed, with a rabbit stamped at the bottom of the letter. It was the GMs who ran the day to day operations of the organization. But there was something rather strange about the GMs.
The current GMs with the exception of Kuro had not always been GMs. The other GMs in which Yuki had known through her time had disappeared under strange circumstances. Ellie, Xekta, Kura, Maou… All disappeared. Oddly enough when she reflected on this thought it was almost like they were expected to disappear. ...
Don’t be silly Yuki
she thought herself. How could they have been expected to disappear? Why that would mean that there was something.. The thought drifted away and she continued another thought.
...With their disappearance new GMs had been appointed by R. These as they stood now were Kuro, of course, Trinity and Santa. Santa to Yuki and to those who knew her well would always be remembered as either toothy or Gallo. It was her original code name and only had changed when she became GM. This was not a sad change but it seem strange to Yuki calling her Santa, so Gallo she remained. She smiled in her dream and laughed silently. Lots of fun times with Gallo.
Ah right...
Each GM was responsible for a certain part of the organization. Kuro was in charge of headquarters in which new agents were trained, new ideas were hatched and the receiver room. The receiver room, the one where Yuki worked was their lifeline to R. R a few years ago had decided to give them this new building along with a telephone line directly to him? Her? No one was sure not even Yuki. The telephone could only call in rather than call out unlike a normal telephone. It usually rang every few days with various memos for the GMs and suggestions for new recruits that R had found. No one was sure how R found people it was like they had strange knack for finding the right people they needed, at the right time. It was not the only strange thing about R, for the most part no one knew what gender R was. The voice that rang up was neutral it never differed, and was always pleasant. Like R knew had heard some funny joke just before they phoned. Yuki’s stack of notes had included some of these memos in her mad dash, however there was one note that was most peculiar of all.
It was a normal shift in the dimly lit room, the rabbit clock on the wall had just struck 7am. The usual phone call had come a few hours before and R said it wasn’t terribly important so no need to rush. When the phone rang again, Yuki had not been expecting the call and when it did ring she jumped out of her seat. She remember staring at the phone and then hesitantly picked it up.
“Hello?”
There was a silence and Yuki was just about to hang up when she heard a owl hoot. She frowned and waited for anything else to happen. When a voice came on the line;
“Danger WILL ROBINSON DANGER…”
It was a mechanical voice and Yuki cursed quietly.
“Hello? Who is this? Why do you have this number?”
Yuki heard someone clearing their throat and a deep throaty voice said;
“The wolf has found all your little plans little bunnies. Run Rabbits, the wolf is after you all. Say goodbye to those that little bombing run. Run Rabbit Run.”
“Who are you?!”
“You should know that, its in your book. Hoot Hoot.”
Click and the line went dead. She picked up her small book of codes and flipped through it. She came to a page and that described who else might be able to phone the line. It was a short list, besides R only one other person knew of this line. The owl. The double agent that worked for R and spied on monarchy’s spy agency. She bit her lip, looking over the code. It was the same as in the book. She quickly grabbed paper and scribbled down what the strange caller had said and grabbed the other notes, along with the code book. She opened the blue door that lead out to the hallway and then started her mad dash.
Reflecting on that mad dash, someone knew that she would be coming. But who? Who would set a trap that was meant to wound? Or… maybe it was meant to kill. She wasn’t sure. Either way it wasn’t time for her to be sitting around waiting for the wolf to come. Time to get up Yuki. She willed to herself. Come on…
Degree was reflecting on his thoughts when he heard her stir. He looked up and saw Yuki sitting up in bed with her eyes closed still frowning deeply. “Yuki, I don’t think you should be up…”
Yuki turned to him and opened her eyes, her ice blue eyes stared at him. It was the princess stare, that said ‘How dare ye, order me’. She smiled slightly at him. “I don’t think i have time to be sleeping Degree. Now could you help me find my dress, Liel should have put it in that closet over there.” Degree shook his head and pushed the stool back. He wanted no part of this, helping Yuki would mean he would have to help her further. He prefer his peaceful life, without much of Yuki.
Yuki rolled her eyes and swung her feet over the bed and then stood. She was shake and she almost fell but she bit her lip and then walked towards the closet. When all of sudden the floor shook and Yuki feel. Degree was knocked off his chair and he stared up at the ceiling, the dust long placed there by some invisible dust bunnies drifted down and then they both heard another large BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
What time is it Mr. Wolf?
2’o clock.
Chapter Three: A rock and island.
She lay cuddled, holding another person’s hair in her hands, sleeping deeply. It had not been easy for the woman to sleep, the times around her had started to crush a upon her. Being in charge was lonely, so she looked for something or someone to fill the gap of the long nights. It did not matter what sex they were so long as they wanted to cuddle and not speak of what happened when the morning came.
The young woman beside the woman knew that this, was meant to help the woman and to take advantage would mean her losing the trust of everyone in the organization. Trust was hard to gain once lost. The young woman wished she could do more but this as the woman said, was enough. The woman was sleeping and the young woman knew she had to get up soon. The dawn was a short time away, the girl had chores to do and the woman had meetings to attend. The young woman sighed inwardly trying to figure out a way to get the woman to let go of her hair and allow her to go. When suddenly.. there was a knock at the door. The girl looked towards the door and back at the sleeping woman. The young woman bit her lip and debated how to awake the woman. The knock happened again and the young woman reached over and shook the woman. “Um… Miss GM?” The woman did not stir. “Miss GM there is someone at the door?”
The woman opened one eyelid looked towards the door, where the person on the other side of the door was knocking and looked back at the girl. Woman opened her other eye, smiled slightly and patted the girl’s shoulder. “One moment..” The woman called to the door. The knocking stopped. The woman leaned in and stared into the young woman’s eyes. The woman touched the young one’s cheek and smiled. It was cool smile that reflected slight amusement but little else. The young woman blushed a deep scarlet and looked down. “There is a window over there if you want to avoid any embarrassment.” The girl blushed a deeper shade of red. “Or.. You could go through the door over there and risk being seen by whoever it is at the door. I’m sure they won’t poke fun at you too much.” The looked at the window and then at the door. The room was on the third story of the building, it was possible to survive a fall but it was also very risky. The door was at the end of a back hallway with a private staircase, that lead to the kitchens. The young woman bit her lip once more and rose from the bed. She looked back at the woman and then at the window. She sighed and opened the door. The officer stepped back from the door and allowed the young woman to pass quietly before stepping into room.
The woman on the bed sat up and stretched, yawning. “Morning, what do you have for me?”
The officer stepped forward, it was woman with almond coloured eyes. She brushed off a dark green uniform and handed over the stack of memos. The woman on the bed frowned and took them. “Do you have a light?” The officer nodded and pulled out a lighter and turned it on, holding it above the woman so she could read. The woman read the memos quickly and stood up. “Loveless...” The woman said like a crisp command. The officer brushed her light hair out of her eyes and stood attention. “Yes,Trinity?”
“Get me the other officers we have a problem.”
“Yes sir, I mean Mam…” Loveless left the room in a dash and the woman known as Trinity went to a chest at the far end of her room. She took out a key and opened the chest, pulling out a short silver pistol and six bullets. She opened the revolving chamber of the pistol and placed all the bullets into the gun. She clicked the gun closed and then closed the chest. She looked behind her to check to see if there was anyone in the doorway before she took the pistol and hid it in her dark uniform. Trinity stood brushed off her uniform, straightened her three silver bunnies and walked out of the room.
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Trinity stood at the head of the table and she looked at every officer that surrounded the table. It was hard for her to believe the note she received because it meant that one of them had sold all of them out to the wolves. She needed to move carefully, if the Kuro knew what she knew then they would all die. “I’ve called you all here to tell you what has happened with the rose case.” There was a loud gasp from all of them and then a babble of chattering. She smacked the table with her hands. The officers all went quiet.
“Someone tipped off the wolves, everyone on the rose case fell into trap. They are all presumed dead if you knew anyone on the case… Then i can only offer my sympathies. We are not sure who or what tipped off the wolves, that is what R would like us to find out. I’m sure you know what that means, so i won’t go into further detail however…” Trinity paused and looked at them with slight frown. “Please do this with the utmost secrecy. We don’t want to blow another case. Is that understood?” She saw the nodding of heads. “With that you are dismissed.” The officers stood and saluted before quietly leaving the room.
She waited until all of them had left before she also left the room. Trinity walked away from the three story building that served as her headquarters and down the hill. She wanted to think for awhile away from the hustle and bustle of the office. It was not unusual for her to do this but today it mattered more for her. She walked down the path into the almost silent forest. Far away she could hear birds chattering, but that was all the noise she could hear. She walked for awhile deep in thought when she hear a small crack.
She did not stop walking and made it seem like she was still deep in thought but there was something not right. Was someone following her? Who would follow her? If it was message they would wait for her…. Unless.. She reached for the hidden pistol and kept it close to her body while she focused listening around for any other noise. She heard another crack, like a tree branch breaking. It was to the right of her and not very far. She knew that someone was following her, she thought back to the rose case. And cocked the pistol, using her hand to muffle the sound of the bullet entering the chamber. She heard another sound, a rustling of clothes and she knew she had to act. She turned to the sound and fired. Trinity fired three shots, then paused to see where the person was before firing the final three. The man fell to the ground and trinity waited for a moment, before walking over to the man.
The man wore a wolf mask and she tore it off him. “D..” She said quietly, she was confused. D was someone she had not seen in years. How did D know she was here? She thought he had died with… Kura. The GM who held Trinity’s spot last. Kura.. the GM who had disappeared in a mysterious accident, that took five people with her. If D had survived, then… Who else survived that? Could it be that Kura a lost GM was still alive and hunting the organization? Trinity sat down beside the man known as D. And looked at his face, it was still the same for the most part but there was a brand on his face. It was in the same of a wolf’s head.
It meant that he had tortured and turned. It was called the cleansing ritual, a favourite of Ulfur. It was cheap, and very effective at causing maximum chaos. She covered D’s face with the mask again and started the walk back to her headquarters. Deep in thought once more.
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A man settled into a seat on the train and looked out the window. The train travelled swiftly through the rolling countryside and he watched with great interest. This land was far from his native home in the south, where the sun was high and the wind was warm. He did not think he would ever get used to this landscape. He smiled to himself and adjusted his hat. He patted his coat to see if something was still in his pocket and relaxed into the seat feeling it was still there. It had been a long time for him, he had been away trying to find something for an old friend. But all was well, because he had found it and he was well on his way back to where he needed to be. He reached into another pocket and pulled out a key chain with a snowflake on it. He flipped it over, and read what was engraved on the back. ‘To Yuki, may this be a small reminder of better times and times that will come. with Love, D..”. He held it to his chest and then put it back into his pocket. It was time for him to return and he knew that he would hold D in his arms. Probably crushing him in a massive bear hug. He laughed at the thought and turned back to the window.
What time is it mr. wolf?
3 o’clock.
Chapter 4: Into the woods we go
She sat in a lacquer wood chair, it had a geometric pattern on its back. The pattern and the chair were in a older chinese style, a style which had been lost to the ages. The chair itself was new, a present given to her when she took this office. She tried to sit in a relaxed pose but even in this looming darkness of the tent she could not relax. She drummed the arm rests with her fingers, in a song she had not heard in a very long time. It was almost daybreak, almost time for her to meet her officers and discuss things. She did not know how to address them, the matters of her mind weighed heavily on her.
Interrupting her thoughts she heard soft foot steps. She pulled out a small knife and waited.
“Madam, I have messages for you from headquarters. They seem urgent may I come in?”
“Come.”
The woman wondered what it could be at this ungodly hour. A girl of about 15 walked into the tent and bowed. She laid the messages on a desk to the woman and bowed, then left the tent. The woman frowned, turned on her lantern and started to read. The message was brief and devastating. The woman covered her eyes with a hand and then stood. She held on to the arm of the chair steadying herself before walking quickly out of the tent. She looked around her, seeing small army of tents around her.
She walked over to a small metal table outside of her tent. It was army issue that they stole in a raid when they first began this mission. She lightly touched the table top, before pressing a small red button. Suddenly an alarm was blaring and people tumbled out of tents and abandoning everything except the small cache of weapons everyone had in their tents. They ran out of the camp, into the forest. The alarm was a warning, the warning was that their cover was broke and to disappear into the woods. Do it quickly, it warned. Do it now.
The woman watched the scene which was unfolding, unmoving. It was past time for her to go, for her to escape but she did not want to, at least… not yet. She half smiled to herself and walked back into her tent, she picked up her set of knives. She placed them carefully in all the specially made slots, and adjusted her three silver bunnies. She went to the desk picked up a small green book, tucked it into the only free pocket she had and walked out of the tent. “Time to go Toothy.” She said to herself and walked swiftly into the woods, amid the dawn rays that cast shadows on the trees.
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Yuki rolled away from her bed among the dust and debris. The room was covered in a sudden dust but at least she was alive, that as always was a start. She looked around, trying to ignore the ringing in her ears. Degree was laying on the floor uncoucious, Liel wasn’t in the room. Yuki was curious to know what the hell that explosion was but she had a feeling she already knew what it was. She sighed and got up, almost falling over once more. She cursed her bad luck and waited until her body was steady. She then walked slowly over to Degree and shook his shoulder. “Degree? DEGREE? DEGREE?!” She shouted at him. “GET UP YOU LAZY PENGUIN ! “ Degree stirred and looked at her. He blinked his eyes and shook his head. “Nice to see you too Yuki.” He said getting up slowly.
Degree was confused but he was working through his confusion. What he saw was the infirmary which was once clean white and green was now a deep dark brown. The dust rising above the floor. Yuki was standing over him half hunched with an look of concern with mixed annoyance. She was still dressed in her hospital like gown which made her look ill.. The thoughts came rushing back into his head. The explosion… It sounded like it came from the basement. The basement from what he remembered held their supply of experimental weapons which they had captured from Ulfur. How they got them Degree wasn’t sure, but what it probably meant for them now was that was not the last possible explosion. “Yuki, can you walk?”
“I can try, but if i can’t walk then I’ll crawl.” She grinned like a shark all teeth and no feeling of happiness behind it. “Good enough.” Degree said grimly, he looked towards the door. A cabinet which had been knocked over blocked it. He heard Yuki say something but he ignored it, focusing on getting them out of there.
“I’m going to get into my dress, Lord knows this gown is very flimsy.” Yuki walked over to the closet, she opened the door carefully remembering the earlier door. She flinched inwardly and cursed herself for being a coward. She saw her dress and closed the door. She quickly changed into her long blue dress and rebraided her hair. She shook her braid ensuring that it would not become loose while travelling and then something caught her eye. She turned and saw something gleaming hidden behind a coat. “How curious…” She picked up the coat and put it on, unsure of what else to do with it. But when she did she noticed a silver bunny with holding a gold pocket watch. She brushed it with her fingers, she heard a soft whirl of machinery and then a softly melody. Yuki knew this melody it was a song she hadn’t heard in years. The words sprang to her mind and she sang it.
“Deep, deep in the heart of the forest, there you'll find that circus
With its ringmaster, wide-eyed and 10 meters tall
All the performers are so happy, though their appearances are bizarre
The Dark Woods Circus is such fun!
Come see the two-headed freak and the wondrous siren
And watch as the blue beast eats dreadful things
It's not that we wished to be born into these forms
Why are you looking at us like that? What a rotten face.
"This life is horrid, yes, it can't help but be so."
That's what she said; and yet, the show goes on
What fun, what fun, this circus is great
You can see it in our rotting faces, melting eyes, and festering skin
I want to die, I want to die, get me out of here, please
But I feel like someone said to me, "That'll never happen."
She blinked and the whirling stopped as she finished the final note of the song. The rabbit with the pocket watch blinked and then seemed to smile. As it did the floor opened up, Yuki screamed falling through the floor into the depths.
Degree had almost cleared the way when he heard a loud scream. “YUKI?!!” He shoved the cabinet upright not caring to stabilize it and ran towards the sound of the scream, it came from the closet. He tried opening the door but it was locked he banged on the door. “YUKKIII?” No answer, he pushed himself against the door unsure of what he would find. The door stood solid, he kept slamming himself against the door and yelling her name. Finally the door gave way and collapsed into the closet. The door stretched the length of the closet it was good it did or else, he would have fallen into the hole that had opened up. The hole was wider than the door and as long as the door. He yelled into the hole, “YUKIII?!!!!” No sound was heard from the depths of darkness which filled the hole.
What time is Mr. Wolf? 4 o’clock
Ch 5: A trip to grandma's house ?
Degree layed there motionless unsure of what to do. Yuki… He thought and bowed his head. There was nothing he could do except move away from the hole, Yuki had fallen probably to her death. It would do the organization no good if to loose more people at this point. He whispered to the hole. “I’m sorry Yuki.” He crawled back from the hole and towards the closed door. He shoved his weight against it, it gave way freely, collapsing into the hallway. Degree stood in the doorway, and looked back at the closet. He sighed and shook his head and walked swiftly down the darkened hallway.
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Yuki awoke in a heap, her every muscle hurting. She could see nothing in the dusty darkness, so she felt around her. She seemed to landed on a old mattress which broke her fall, beyond the mattress was several broken crates and what felt like.. A lamp? She felt for a switch, and the lamp lit itself, it was an old kerosene lamp from an earlier era. She looked around at the now lit room. In front of her was rusted bars, beyond the bars were a desk and old looking chest. She frowned, ‘where the hell I am?’ she thought to herself. She got up leaving the lamp on the floor, Yuki touched the bars. The rust flaked off but the bars held solid. She looked around her and picked up a piece of the broken crate and smacked it against the bars. The bars rang with the sudden smack and then seemed to move slightly. She smiled to herself, All she had to do was smack harder, something she was always good at.
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Kuro surveyed the damage to the barrow, the once proud building was titled falling into a hole which the explosion had created. He wasn’t sure how was able to escape with so many people, but when he looked back the building he felt that there was more he could and should have done. He closed his soft brown eyes and took a breath, he breathed in and then out before he turned away from the building. In his hands he held the small code book that Yuki gave him and the note. He looked over the note once more, trying to reaffirm in his mind that everything he had worked for so long was falling apart in front of his eyes. Snap out of it Kuro. He blinked and walked into the woods towards his temporary headquarters. His headquarters was a canvas tarp with a folding desk and a log chair. He tucked underneath the canvas and was just about to sit when he heard someone approach. “Yes?”
“Sir, The raven has been sent to other GMs, they should know what has happened.. Is there anything else?”
“No, that’s everything. Jay..” Kuro turned to the person who had approached. The person known as Jay blinked, his brown eyes surprised to be addressed by his name. “Yes Sir?” Kuro smiled softly at him and patted his shoulder. “Go and eat something, you seem so dreadfully pale.” Jay blushed and nodded before running off towards the canteen. Kuro smiled softly after him and took a seat at his desk, he opened a book and started to read.
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Degree coughed the dusty air was slowly choking him and he wasn’t sure of when he would breathe fresh air again. He looked around for a window of some sort of so he could breath in some clean and fresh air but he was unable to see anything in the dusty darkness. He felt along the wall and felt something sharp. He pulled his hand away with a sharp yelp. “What the…” He strained to look closer. It was something shiny, that glowed in the darkness. He leaned closer trying to see what it was. It was a wolf, with eyes made out of some sort of precious stone. He looked to see what part of it had scratched him, when he saw the giant teeth. “What big teeth you have grandmother…” All better to eat you with my dear. He pulled up his sleeve to his hands and then touched the wolf once more. A soft melody played, he felt he had heard it before but he wasn’t sure where it was from. It was piano melody that echoed in his head.
It was soothing and he relaxed, listening to it. When the melody ended he heard a soft click. He stepped backwards away from the wolf. He tripped over something unseen and fell. He landed with a loud umpf… and looked at the wolf. The wolf seemed to grin wider and then split apart. The wall split apart to reveal a large window, it brightened the hallway revealing the amount of debris that had scattered the hallway. He blinked and got up. Degree reached out to the window and found a latch. He opened the window, breathing in deeply. He looked down, he was on the second floor of the building, there was a small ledge below him so he could climb down. But the building had tilted towards the right leaving the ledge tilt towards the ground. He looked back the hallway, then back down through the window. It would be risky but it was a risk he would have to take. He slowly climbed out of the window and down to the ledge.
__------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
A man sat his desk and stretched, his long hair tied back with a black ribbon. He was lucky really, lucky that this boss did not mind his long hair. Anywhere else in the office he would have been forced to cut it. He smiled, yes his job has perks, one of them of course was the job itself. Bring~ Bring… the phone rang interrupting his thoughts. He picked up the phone, “Hello?” He said into the line. “Is the job done Felix?” He grinned and wiggled his toes. “Yes Boss, in fact those little bunnies should be running right into our little trap.” “Good, make sure that the plan is in position. I want to kittens! up, or I will look for another owl. Understand?” He placed a hand over the receiver and gulped before answering. “Yes sir.” “Good.” The call ended and the man known as Felix, collapsed into his chair. He looked at the other telephone line. The line was silent. The phone seemed to wink at him, mocking him. Everything had to go well or… He wouldn’t be alive very soon.
What time is it mr. wolf?
5'clock.
Chapter 6: It was all fine and dandy.
The bars fell with a crash, ringing down on the dusty pavement. She smiled and walked through the gaping hole. “Now where the Kittens! am I?” Yuki looked around, it looked to her like an old dungeon in which the army had held prisoners. It was the general feeling of stiffness she felt from the room which made it feel like something the army would have. There was faded posters on the walls around the cell with various propaganda posters. They were fairly standard, “Loose lips sink ships..” and the old trustworthy “You never know who is listening in” with a stereotypical picture of a spy listening in. She nodded to herself, that would fit into what she suspected the building to be. An old army barracks. It would make sense considering the relatively large space the building housed, and the general non descript feel of the building. It was big fat and ugly, at least from the outside. The inside had some nice places, like the GM’s office. But everything else was practical but ugly. Yuki laughed to herself when she thought of what she said when they first got the building.
It’s ugly Kuro what the hell are we going to do with it?
R wants us to have our headquarters here, he or maybe she said that there is a telephone line into the building which connects to them. It will be nice to have a direct line to R, rather than relying on messenger crows. Oh and They also want us to train the newbs here, it will be a lot easier to gather them all here.
Oh i see…
Now that she thought about it, It was always a bit odd that they got a free building just when they needed it… The building was given to them shortly after Maou, Kura and Ellie disappeared. Not shortly after, it was very soon after. Right after the last crow… That was the strange part because the crow had said “All is lost.” and we get a message from R which said “There is a building i want you to use …” How strange.
Could they be related? Yuki pondered this as she looked around the room for something useful to use. She spotted an old broken looking desk and she opened a drawer on the desk. It flew open to reveal a small piece of paper. She frowned and picked it up. It was musty smelling paper, old and water lodged. But she could still make out what it said, it was a telephone number. “A telephone number?” She thought out loud. I wonder where it connects to?
She looked around for a phone, she could see no phone, she walked back to the cell and picked up the lantern. “Hmmm…” She walked forward and looked around. She could not see any door but how did the guards get in and out? Yuki looked at the cabinet and ran her fingers down the outside looking for a trap or a latch to make it swing open like a hidden door. She heard a soft click and the cabinet doors popped open. Yuki blinked and opened the cabinet, inside was what looked like a large bulk box with straps on it. “No.. it couldn’t be.. Could it?” She picked up the strange looking thing and opened the flap on the top of it, then undid the zipper. It revealed a telephone, she laughed with surprise and joy.
It wasn’t just a telephone it was field telephone something that she hadn’t seen in years. It when wound up, could place calls to whatever number you gave it, within limits of course. The call could not be placed outside the radio towers, no radio towers, no phone.
Yuki was aware that there was a radio tower near by but she wasn’t sure where about it was exactly. That was the only reason why they had a main telephone in the first place. This, must be an emergency phone then. She pulled out the antenna and then handle in which to wind it up. She looked around and put the lantern on the ground, she then rested the field telephone on the floor and sat beside it. She looked at the piece of paper once more and at the handle. Yuki nodded to herself and put the paper down. She grabbed the handle and started to crank it as hard as she can, she knew it would take awhile but she was more than curious enough to turn the crank as much as it needed it.
The phone chirped to tell her that it was ready to use and she picked up the receiver, holding it to her ear. There was a soft buzz to inform her that was no one on the line. “Okay now where to
call?” She looked down at the piece of paper. The piece of paper read, in smudged ink, ‘20-8-5 15-23-12 19 4-5-14’. She spun the numbers into the phone and waited for a ring. The phone rang softly, as if there was dust on the line somewhere in the connection. The connection clicked and there was a voice on the line. “How remarkable, someone calling in rather than calling out. ” A familiar voice said. Who is that? “Hello? I know you’re there, this number doesn’t ring on its own.”
“Hello…” She said and paused. Now that she had the line open she wasn’t sure what to say, she could HELP I'M TRAPPED. But somehow she didn’t want to mention this to a stranger, the stranger with a voice she knew. So she asked the most obvious question she could ask. “Who are you?” She heard the voice laughing on the other side. “Who are you? Where does this connect to?” The voice stopped laughing and seemed to pause as well for a moment. “Ahem, that is so funny. Ah, poor silly Yuki. Or should i call you Yukihime? Never remember which one you prefer to go by.”
No… it can be...She thought her mind racing, he was missing presumed dead.
He can’t be alive, there was an accident he was part of the team that had… disappeared. Happy. Happy is alive. BUT HOW? Everyone from that team disappeared. The only thing that they were able to find was scrap of Happy’s scarf...Happy’s Scarf… Did Happy betray the team?
Yuki’s mind whirled, tick tick. It was all coming together. Happy betrayed the team and escaped and now… now he’s working for the wolf. Yuki’s mind kept spinning around that fact, she couldn’t believe it. Happy… Happy killed them. She could hear Happy laughing through the telephone. Almost as if he knew what Yuki was thinking. But then he stopped laughing and said something. And with that simple sentence Yuki felt herself die. There was no hope for them now.
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
Degree looked around him, the once fine building which had housed RDG for years had broken. It lay haphazardly, in giant pieces on the ground. As if a giant had smashed it to bits.
“Well… at least we don’t worry about dusting anymore.”
Degree grimaced at his own terrible joke and brushed off his suit. He looked around him, there was no one else. He hoped that.. maybe he would see someone waiting for him but the woods that surrounded the building appeared empty.
“Now what?” He asked himself outloud. He reached into his pockets, looking for a clue as to where he should go or what he should do. Something fell out his pocket. He looked down at it, he frowned. He bent down and picked it up. It was a small dog statue. But it wasn’t a normal dog, but a dog that white fur, with its red tongue rolling out. Strangely enough it wore armor. This must not be an ordinary dog. The dog also carried a shield and dagger.. or was it dogger? Either way the strange dog looked happy. Degree rolled it over in his hands, the back of the dog read “ searching for…” and the rest was cracked away. He put it back into his pocket. He looked back towards the house.
“I will find out who did this and I will make them pay.”
He clenched his fists and stared at the broken building.
“I swear Yuki, will have not died in vain.”
He turned to the woods and walked slowly into its depths.
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
The roar of engines broke through the sky. It was the first sound. The second sound followed. The rattling of machine guns. The click click, bam bam. The screams of the rabbits as they tried to escape through the open field. Some ran, some tried to take cover. Orders were shouted everywhere. There was no where for them to run. This was supposed to be the safe place. Someone had betrayed them.
Someone told them where the safe spot was.
There was no where to run.
All around them was an open field.
no trees. no rocks.
Just a beautiful endless- sea of grass. Which was turning red.
Blood flowed like river.
The crows floated above the carnage waiting for the planes to finish so they could begin their feast.
What hope did they have? All hope was lost.
What time is it Mr. wolf?
Lunch time.
Chapter 7: farewell to a love song.
“Kuro! Why can’t I go? You know a good agent! Why do I have to stay behind with the rookies? I’m older than them by five years for Christ Sake!”
“Yuki...”
“Don’t you Yuki me! Even Yuki no is going! And he can barely handle a gun! let alone lead a team! Ever since you became GM, you’ve changed Kuro. You used to be so confident and cool. I looked up to you, you saved… you saved me from that hell. And I will never forget that Kuro.”
“Yuki… you can’t go and my order is final.”
“Oh for the love of cripples. You know that Xekta will eat Yuki no alive? He can’t handle being under the weight of her sarcasm. I can. Hell, I don’t even understand why Echi isn’t with Xekta. Why the hell is she with Ellie? None of the teams make sense. Is R nuts? Or is he blind to how our team dynamics? The only team that makes any sense is Maou and Happy. And that is a stretch.”
“Yuki, enough.” Kuro said with quiet authority.
She sighed at him. Her face had a half raised eyebrow and grimace. She showed that she understood but it didn’t mean that she liked it. Kuro hated that look, it was a look that she gave when she felt she was right. It annoyed him but at least… It was better than the other look that was engraved into his mind, the look that she showed him that night. The look of absolute shock.
His mind pulled to that memory. She was sitting a pool of blood. Her soft white dress was stained, and her hands were raised towards him. Her eyes were wide with shock as if she couldn’t believe what she had done. Her lips trembled. She looked like a poor lost little girl. Her long blonde hair was matted with blood, it stuck to the back of her dress. She looked like she wanted to cry but couldn’t. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. It was supposed to be an easy job, she was supposed to go in; charm her way into their confidence and get the info they needed and waltz out.
Kuro… She was calling him.
He blinked and the memory faded.
“Kuro? You okay? You look like you’ve seen the ghost of christmas past.”
“What? Oh yes. I’m fine. Just tired.”
“Go sleep okay? You look death warmed up.”
He laughed and waved her away. She walked away reluctantly. She wasn’t going on the big mission which made him feel relieved. He wanted keep her here for a little while longer. Part of him liked her because she reminded him of easier times. But the bigger part of him was glad she wasn’t going because she was excellent distraction.
Yes, it was good thing she was staying. Maybe he could get some of her famous waffles again.
Why?
Well..
R’s big mission… It wasn’t going to go well. He picked up a red book which was laid on the floor. He played with it in his hands. A cartoon rabbit ran through the pages being chased by a cartoon wolf. He smiled at the cleverness of the flip page animation. The animation ended with the rabbit being eaten alive, the last pages were just a hungry looking wolf with bits of rabbit fur hanging from his mouth.
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
A crow had arrived an hour before and Kuro sat a stump reading the coded letter that it had tied to its leg. The stump was a strange stump, it sort of resembled a throne. As if someone had carved it just for him and placed it in a spot he would find it. Kuro laughed softly at the ridiculousness of the thought and turned back to the letter.
Kuro,
Please take the rabbits to X324 - 2256Y.
You will meet up with Toothy.
Please destroy this letter after reading it.
R
A cool wind rustled the trees that stood behind him. Kuro felt a chill and he shivered. He opened his pocket and pulled out a lighter. He clicked the lighter, the lighter made a soft click but no flame appeared. He looked at the lighter frowning. He clicked it again, again a soft click but no flame appeared. It was almost as the gods were saying.. Kuro.. keep the letter. He sighed and put his lighter away. He tucked the letter into his coat. He patted the side of the stump, looking for something.
“Ah there it is.”
It was a map and a flashlight. He turned on the flashlight, it made a soft click and no light appeared. He smacked the side of the flashlight, cursing softly. “Come on!” The flashlight flickered and he shone it onto the map. “Hm..where about is this place?” He laid the map on his knees and held the flashlight above the map. He traced his hand looking for the right coordinates that were mentioned in the letter. His hand stopped. “Here?”
According to the map it was large open field surrounded by a dense forest. Kuro frowned. Why did R want them to meet there? It didn’t make much sense. There was nothing important in the area. Does R want us to meet up and then move towards another safer location? It must be that. It’s not like R would purposely lead them into a trap… Would they?
Kuro quickly folded the map and tucked it away into his coat. He turned off the flashlight and looked upwards to the sky.
“Is it that time again R?” He asked the sky. The sky said nothing and Kuro stood. He brushed off his clothes and walked back to the camp. He called to the camp.
“Rabbits, we got an order from R. It’s time to move again.”
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
Trin walked slowly and carefully feeling the sides of the plane. It was an old Biplane, it was a faded black with a red circle on the wings. She felt for any holes, loose rivets in the structure of the plane. Anything that would make her job harder as she flew. The plane’s metal flexed under the rough touch of her hands, but remained solid. It was almost time for her to go, to leave and find the truth that had been bugging her for so long.
“Trinity…” a soft voice called to her.
Trinity turned to see Loveless standing behind her. No.. it was Amie now.. That’s right. So many name changes as of late.
“Yes?” Trinity asked turning back to the plane.
“I have the file you wanted… Trinity… Are you sure you have to go? I mean, Kuro should be here soon and Gallo… Gallo is deep over? I think. “
“I do. Pass me the file, Amie.” Trinity said firmly. She knew what Amie was asking beyond the context of the words that she spoke. Amie didn’t want in charge when things were like this. To be GM when everything seemed like it falling to pieces. Just like five years ago, when Trinity was given GM. Trinity still remembered that day.
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
Trinity stood in front of the tent, she took a breath and walked in.
“Gallo?” Trinity called.
“Come in. I’m by the desk, if you can see it in this looming darkness.”
Trinity squinted her eyes adjusting them to the gloom. Gallo sat on the desk facing away from her, looking at the tent wall.
“You asked for me?”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re aware that we’re currently lacking in GMs.”
Trinity looked at Gallo curiously. Of course they were, they just lost three GM’s to disastrous mission that nearly killed Rabbit Run. They were supposed to jointly attack what was known as the wolf’s lair in a three pronged attack. Ellie was going to lead from the river, Maou through the air and Xekta through the forest. It was going so well and the GM’s had sent back messages of success.. But something went wrong. Ellie was found drowned, Maou disappeared and Xekta… Xekta was found hanging in a tree. The teams that went with the GMs also were found like the GMs with them. All expect Maou. Xekta’s team was hanging in trees. Ellie’s team was drowned and all they were able to find of Maou’s team was burned wreckage of planes. Maou’s plane was never found. This caused chaos in the ranks, there was no one able to replace them. No one expect Kuro, who was the only remaining GM. He stayed behind to recruit more members. The only person that could replace any one of the GMs was Gallo, she was the most senior and was going to be made GM after the mission’s success. Kuro had no choice he appointed her as GM. Gallo was an active GM, she took charge and ensured that those that remained of the teams got out safely. It was after that they got a message from R, that they had a new building. Kuro took over the building and Gallo remained in the field. She didn’t explain why she wanted to, she just took a few people and left for the forest.
“Yes… what about it?”
“I’ve had a chat with Kuro. And we would like to make you GM. You would be working by yourself in the field. But I feel that you can handle it.”
Trinity was flabbergasted. “What?”
Gallo turned to Trinity in the gleaming darkness and handed her the silver rabbits that denoted a GM. Gallo grinned at Trinity, her grin in the darkness was like cheshire cat from Alice in wonderland. It shined in the darkness, had it not been Gallo standing there Trinity would have felt on edge. But it still disturbed her a little.
"Grandmother, what big teeth you have got!"
"All the better to eat you up with."
Trinity shook her head and the words faded from her mind. She took the rabbits and pocketed them.
“I’m taking them but I’m not going to be a perfect GM. Okay?”
Gallo’s grin faded and she nodded. She waved her hand as if to dismiss Trinity.
Trinity paused, but she sighed and turned away, walking quickly out of the tent.
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
“Trinity?”
Trinity blinked and the memory faded. She held her hand behind her, palm open.
“File please.”
Amie sighed and dropped the file into Trinity’s waiting hand. Trinity tucked it into her coat and reached up to the plane. She hopped into the pilot’s seat and turned to Amie.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back. I’m just going to scout out the place that Kuro said he was going to. Promise.” Trinity smiled. “I’m sure you can hold down the fort while I’m gone.”
Amie bit her lip holding back thoughts that she wanted so desperately to say. She wanted to know why Trinity wanted the file for the rose case and why Trinity seemed like this would be the last time they would meet. Amie wanted to know what was going on, but she couldn’t ask Trinity. Not with that sad smile on her face. The smile that said; ‘please… just trust me.’ So all Amie could do and did was nod. Amie tried to smile back and stepped back. She went to the front of the plane and pulled the propeller. She jumped back as it started and she looked towards the pilot seat. Trinity nodded and waved. Amie walked back allowing Trinity and the plane to pass.
She watched it quickly take off and disappear into the rising sun. The sky was a blazing red with the coming dawn.
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
Kuro lay in his cot feeling like death warmed over. He was supposed to be outside organizing the move but he unable to stir from his bed. He heard a tap on the tent and someone opening the flap. He tried to get up but he collapsed to his bed with a groan. His head felt light and dizzy, it made the tent spin and he gasped for air.
“Sir? Are you alright? Sir?”
A voice called to him, he shook his head to say no. He didn’t trust his mouth to speak. He closed his eyes and relaxed into the cot.
“I hope not Kuro. I mean after all I took great care to ensure that you would be out of action… again.” The voice changed and deepened. The voice seemed older and familiar. It was like a voice of someone that shouldn’t be there, someone that should be dead. Kuro opened his eyes and peered into the darkness of the tent.
“Good morning sunshine! Don’t worry Kuro, you won’t be down for tooooooooooooooooo long unfortunately. R said that we need you alive. I’m rather sad Kuro. I wanted to be alive too. But no, you get to stay alive and I’m missing presumed dead. Damn you get all the lucky breaks huh Kuro?”
The voice came into view, it was man who looked about in his twenties with light purple hair. He smiled down at Kuro, but his smile was fake like a game show host who had to sell a terrible prize to an unsuspecting winner.
“Oh Kuro~ you’re such a cutie you know that?”
“Maou…” Kuro managed to cough out.
“DING DING! WE HAVE A WINNER! WHAT DOES HE GET SALLY?” His voice then switched to fasletto. “ A BRAND NEW CAR JIMMY!” And then switched back to his normal mocking tone. “Or so you wish.” Maou bent down and patted his head. “Don’t worry Kuro, no one knows and they never will. All you have to do is lay low and not say anything. You know, like last time.” Maou grinned and then straightened.
“See you later, you know when you ‘die’.” Maou winked and walked out of the tent. He paused in front of the tent and arranged his face into one of great concern. He shouted; “SOMEONE HELP! THE GM IS.. THE GM IS HURT…”
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
What time is it mr. wolf?
7’o clock.
Chapter 8: Safe and Sound
“You have to go on without me…” Kuro gasped and coughed. “R….R…” He choked out.
His second in command nodded and patted Kuro’s shoulder. “I promise, I’ll make sure that the rabbits make it there. When we meet up with Santa, I’ll send a message back.” The second in command got up from his knees and straightened. He saluted Kuro and walked swiftly out of the tent. Leaving Kuro to cough softly, struggling with a unknown illness that had come to him swiftly.
It was strange, one day Kuro was fine and then the next when they were getting ready to leave… Kuro comes down with a terrible unknown cough. It prevented Kuro from taking command which he would normally. The second in command shook his head looked over the camp.
Tap Tap.
He turned.
“Sir, we’re are almost ready to leave.”
“Good, have you taken care for the GM?”
“Yes, sir.. A newer recruit is staying behind. He’s newb but he’s trustworthy sir.”
“Good.. Good.”
“Jay… I mean Sir..”
Jay turned to the younger man, he had dark complexion. Dark hair, dark deep eyes. Jay smiled softly at the younger man and touched his cheek. The younger man smiled and rubbed his cheek against the hand. “Boy… I trust you.” The younger man named Boy blushed and turned away. Jay laughed and dropped his hand, he turned back to the camp. He could see the rabbits running around making all preparations. It was almost time to go. They would meet up with Santa… Then they would be safe. Jay nodded and turned back to Boy. He took Boy’s hand and walked down to the rest of the camp.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Trin flew above a wide field staring down on the carnage below. The field was red with blood, bodies scattered everywhere. This is where Santa and Kuro were supposed to meet according to the reports that the crow had sent. Trin looked down for a safe place to land. She could see no spot that was not covered in bodies of dead rabbits. “Those poor people…” She whispered to herself. She flew further and spotted a small clearing in the trees. Not a bad spot to land, but it would be tricky. She put down her goggles and tucked the report into her coat. She touched her gun and nodded to herself. Time to touch down.. And see what she could find.
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Degree waited at the train station, it was far from where he had come from..from the headquarters in the woods. It had taken him days to walk off the mountain but it was worth it. He stood hold his ticket in his hand. He didn’t look around much but He was surprised that this train station was free of most the Volkov guard that were known for patrolling most public spaces. Then again, this was far part of the new empire, perhaps they did not worry about things here. Degree reached into his pocket and rubbed his good luck charm.
Penguin…
Degree blinked and looked around. He could honestly swear he heard Yuki calling his name. But Yuki… she was dead. How could she call his name. He shook his head. He heard the loud whistle of the approaching train and straightened.
The train rolled in slowly, and creeped to a stop. One of the passenger carriage doors opened and a conductor stepped out. He nodded at Degree and held the door open for him. He half grinned and stepped onto the train.
“ALLLL ABROADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD”
Degree looked into the looming gloom of the train for a free seat. The lamps were dim and the seats were mostly full. The train carriages hummed with light conversation; officer and their wives talked and giggled quietly. Young families, tried to deal with hyperactive children looking out train windows. Degree walked through the mounts of people, into the next car and then the next. It was three cars down before he found a quiet carriage. The only person that was in the carriage was looking at watch and then looking out the window. He seemed very familiar to Degree and Degree couldn’t figure out why.
Degree started to walk towards the strange man. The man took no notice of Degree and looked out the window with a wistful look on his face. Degree almost fell in pure shock. He grabbed the seat in front of him and took a breath. The man heard him and turned from the window.
“Degree! I haven’t seen you in ages! How have you been?”
“Yuki no…”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost…. Are you alright?”
“Yuki no…How are you alive?”
The man now noted as Yuki no, blinked. “Didn’t you know?”
Degree shook his head rapidly.
“I thought Kuro would have told you by now. It’s been five years. Besides, It was him who arranged everything.”
“Arranged… What exactly?”
“The plan! Oh it was great plan!”
“Plan?..”
“Yes! Why don’t you sit down and I’ll tell you everything. Come on! Sit.” Yuki no patted the seat in front of him and smiled at Degree. “About the plan.” Yuki no smiled softly and pocketed the watch into his front pocket.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What time is it mr. Wolf?!
8'oclock of course. It's time for Dessert!
Chapter 9- Rain in the distance
“So where to begin… I suppose I should begin where all things start. The beginning. My name is Yuki no Fuyu. Winter’s snow as it should be translated… but you know that don’t you? You were there after all when I joined weren't you? I remember you being there… or was it someone who looked similar? I remember Yukihime-tan being there, she thought it was dreadfully funny that we both chose names with ‘snow’ in them. I suppose it shows how much we both loved that language, before the empire corrupted it. Anyways.. I’m getting off track where was I? Ah yes.”
As the train speed through the quickly darkening sky, Fuyu smiled at Degree and closed his pocket watch. Degree sat lightly on the seat he was offered. He said nothing, his face was blank as if he was playing a very careful game of poker that he was only just invited to join.
“D and I, wanted a place to escape to the empire was so terrifying no one knew what to expect. We all heard the rumors. You remember those right? Stories of camps in the far east where you never come back from. So we received a telegram to our house stating if we wanted to join the fight against the empire go to this address and sing this tune.” Fuyu paused and winked at Degree. “I’m pretty sure you can guess which tune, it was something that Yuki loved to sing. You used to follow her like a lost puppy after all..”
Degree coughed and shook his head, to deny this claim. He did not follow her, he just wanted to ensure that she was happy so she wouldn’t smack him. He didn’t like making her unhappy, it pained him in a way that it would have been easier to live with the pain of being beaten than to make her unhappy.
“You don’t remember? I’m surprised. After hearing some many times from her, I memorized it. “
In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me
And speaks my name
And do I dream again?
For now I find
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind
Fuyu stopped singing and looked out the window at the rapidly passing nightscapes. “I’m a poor copy of her, but when I think of that song I think of her and better times before I knew of the plan.”
“What plan? You been talking for the past five minutes and you haven’t mentioned what the plan is. If I wasn’t sitting here with you right now I would think this is some poor quality exposition which explains nothing. Now tell me what the plan is before..” Degree pauses, opens his jacket up and to reveal a revolver. He lazily points it at Fuyu and grins like a wolf, showing all his teeth. “I have to use this nice gun I had stored away.”
Fuyu blinks and drops his pocket watch. The watch popped open and the glass shattered, scattering around the floor. The watch began to ring loudly. The two of them stared at each other.
Bringgggggggggggggggggggg Bringggggggggggggggggggggggggg
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Trinity hopped out of her plane and looked at the encroaching darkness. It would be hard to find her plane in the dark but she would have to risk it, there is something she needed to know. She reached into her pocket and flicked her lighter. It produced a small flame. She flicked it closed again assured that it worked. She walked towards the forest of trees which separated her from the large field she had spotted earlier. Trinity knew that it would not be a nice sight but she needed to see… to know that everyone had been lost. She walked more quickly, pushing branches out of her way as she entered the trees. It was twilight by the time she reached the field, she knew she had reached it by the smell. The smell that clung to the air, it rotted the mist that creeped through the trees.
Trinity flicked her lighter open once more and held it above her so she could see. All around her were bodies. Some looked like they clung together, some looked like they charged at whatever attacked them. And some looked like they prayed as they were mercilessly shot down. Big gaping wounds, smaller wounds with nasty colors pouring out of them. It didn’t matter, they were all dead. Trinity looked around for an officer, or even a patrol leader someone would, have something to tell Trinity what had occurred here. She wandered the field, looking for any clue any at all. The lighter flicked and wavered. She stopped and rubbed her forehead, trying to think about where if any place an officer would be in this mess. Trinity knew that she was wasting valuable lighter fluid, she would either have to give up the search or turn off the lighter. Trinity sighed and turned off the lighter, closing her eyes.As her eyes adjusted to the gloom she walked carefully around the field once more. Something in the distance glittered and she walked towards it. The blades of long grass whispered and the bodies hissed under her feet.
She finally reached the spot from which she spotted a glitter. Trinity bent down and carefully reached for the object. It scratched her glove but the leather held firm protecting her hand. She pulled it up close to her face so she could see what it was. It was a craving made out silver, with a wolf devouring a rabbit. Trinity frowned and turned it over. It had elegant script but she couldn’t make out the words exactly. She turned on her lighter and held it over the carving. It read:
“ Which dreams indeed are ambition, for the very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.”
Trinity sat down and turned the carving back. She examined it carefully, wondering what part of it had caught on her glove. She felt it carefully and noticed that the rabbit’s ears which stuck out from the wolf’s mouth were not sanded smoothly. She put the lighter’s flame above rabbit’s ears and noticed a small crack from where the teeth of the wolf scraped the rabbit’s ears. She frowned and pulled at the teeth. A loud pop escaped the carving, a small piece of paper fell to the ground. Trinity dropped the carving and picked up the paper.
It read:
“This month’s password is Lacrimosa. Please remember to use it carefully as failure to sing it in the correct key will result in you being shot. You have been warned.
Ellie
Deputy chairman of Special Topic Planning Commission.
Building 1313 - Floor 21- Room 15
The Empire of Ulfur
Long shall Ulfur reign over us.”
Ellie
Deputy chairman of Special Topic Planning Commission.
Building 1313 - Floor 21- Room 15
The Empire of Ulfur
Long shall Ulfur reign over us.”
Trin sat there stunned unsure of what to do or say, her only thought raced through her head. Ellie is alive. Ellie is alive. ELLIE IS ALIVE...and she’s responsible for the deaths of these rabbits here and… maybe the incident five years ago too? Trin shook her head and stumbled to her feet she raced across the field, stumbling through the trees and towards her plane. She needed to get out of here, she needed to find whoever was left and she needed to.. Needed to do something anything. Anything but here with all the dead that lay sleeping. Dead that dreamed, of better days of when things made sense and no one suffered.
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What time is it Mr. Wolf?
Marching time.
Chapter ten: The spine of the world
Fuyu stared at Degree with some semblance of longing in his face. It didn’t matter that the gun rested pointing at his chest, he wished that he could be like Degree was now. He blinked and continued his story which had begun some moments before.
“The plan was to reset the rabbit burrow. Rabbit’s Run every five years is reset in order to provide a better challenge to the Empire.”
Fuyu paused and look at Degree to see if this was sinking in. Degree’s face still showed the earlier confusion and rage.
“Rabbit’s Run is fake Degree. Everything you have worked for years is false. It’s part of the grand plan in order to provide release for any resentment towards the empire. The first run was terminated five years ago. That’s what was true mission. Most of the GMs knew.. It was Kuro who had arranged it all. That operation was meant to fail, Kuro made sure of that.
I was given a choice, survive and work for the empire or die like hunted animal. I survived and I still do because I promised. I promised to work for the glory of the empire...to protect him.”
“Protect who Fuyu?”
“You know Degree. You know.” Fuyu smiled and nodded at the watch which lay on the floor of the train. “Don’t you want to protect someone too?”
Degree lowered the gun and sat down carefully on his seat. “I did, once. She’s dead now.”
Fuyu seemed to understand as he nodded, he bend down to grab his watch. His hand rested on the surface of broken glass when he heard the shot. He fell to the floor, blood ran between his eyes and he gasped out a breath.
“You should have lied Fuyu. I would have been able to forgive you.”
As Fuyu’s world ended the watch ticked loudly, the alarm had stopped much like his heart.
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The night passed quickly in a fog of confusion, Kuro lay half sleeping half dead. His dreams had troubled him. He remembered the event five years ago, and Ellie getting ready. He didn’t like the turnover, he wished it could have been delayed but too many new people were coming and it was time for fresh starts. When he awoke he had an ominous feeling that something was coming for him but he wasn’t sure what it could be. The only people in the camp were him and Maou. No one else knew that they were there. But still the feeling lingered. It bothered him so much that he rolled off his cot, and stumbled towards the door.
He stumbled out of the tent and heard shouting in the distance. Was it his mind playing tricks on him again? Probably. He was not sure of what Maou gave him but it left him hearing strange things. He walked like a zombie to the sound. He saw Maou and a woman.. He didn’t recognize the woman at first but then it hit him like a ton of bricks. It was her, Trinity. Trinity was punching Maou savagely as Maou cowered on the ground. Kuro tried to say something but his words failed him. He was overcome, he fell to his knees. He heard something in his ears that had not been there before. It was music, a song that someone sang to him once. What was it again?
Lacrimosa dies illa
Qua resurget ex favilla
Judicandus homo reus.
Huic ergo parce, Deus:
Pie Jesu Domine,
Dona eis requiem.
Amen.
That’s right. He smiled finally remembering what the tune was, he breathed out a final breath enjoying the song that had finally played for him correctly.
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Trinity threw his pistol to the side far from the unmoving body that had laid before her. Maou, was dead. She felt like she feel something more for the man that brought her so much grief. But she did not. She felt numb, unable to find the time to waste anymore emotion on the piece of PUPPIES that layed before her. She looked towards the camp and saw that Kuro lay on the ground with blood pouring out of his mouth. Trinity ground her teeth thinking. Considering how much of a fight Maou put up, it was safe to assume that he also poisoned Kuro. That was a shame for she wanted to question Kuro and gain something.. Anything of an answer to her questions. Nothing was left for her. She stamped on the pistol to the side of her, it shattered and she walked towards the lonely woods towards her plane.
-___________________________________________________________________________-
Degree reached down and put the watch into Fuyu’s hand. He stood and brushed off his coat. Degree walked to the end of the car. He stood at the car’s door, waiting for the train to stop. His job was complete. All he had to do was report in at the next train stop. The train slowed down and finally creaked to a halt, he stepped carefully off the train and onto the platform. He saluted the ladies on the platform, causing them to twitter among themselves. He smiled and walked into the station master’s office. Degree pulled out his silver wolf badge, flashing it to the station master. The station master stood in surprise and bowed. “How can I be of help Sir?”
“I need your phone and some privacy.”
“Of course Sir! Right away Sir!”
The station master gave Degree the phone and marched out of the office. He closed the door behind him with a firm snap. And Degree relaxed a little. Degree dialed the familiar number and waited as it rang. It clicked as it finally connected, a warm voice answered. “Owl’s room, how can I help you?”
“Yes this is Degree, winter’s snow has fallen. Do you want me to see to anything else?”
“Big Owl says that you’re needed to…”
Degree listened to the rest of the command, he was shocked but he would fall orders. Even ones that seemed like they should never existed. It didn’t matter, It was time to go. He hung up the phone with a final click. He walked out of the office in search of a car, it seems he had somewhere to be.
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“Come Yuki, you must be still there. I know you are~ I can hear you breathing. How about this, I’ll give you a riddle and if you solve it.. I’ll tell you how you can get out of there.”
A riddle?
“Alright Happy, I’ll play your game what is your riddle?”
“What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?”
“Is that your riddle?”
“Yes now answer it, its simple! If you do i’ll tell you how to get out of there.”
Yuki inwardly sighed. ‘Seriously?’
“A stamp Happy.”
“Oh you’re good that this… Well you know how you can get out of there?”
“How?”
“I was asking you.” Happy laughed through the phone and Yuki clenched her fist. “You know what Happy. KITTENS! you.” She slammed the phone down and looked around her jail once more.
It was still as dusty as she last looked at it. She rubbed her head and tried to think. She fell through a hole…and this place seemed to be an old jail. Maybe there was an old door that was boarded up? She got up, taking her lantern with her. She examined the walls around her knocking at various walls.
Knock Knock
Knock Knock
Nothing. Her search was fruitless. She stumbled to the old mattress. She lay down heavily down on it, falling into a deep and dreamless sleep.
When she awoke she was not sure, but she felt less tired and willing to try again. She strolled around the small space and knocked on walls listening for a hollow sound. Knock Knock. She must have done this for hours, before she felt dizzy. She wasn’t sure why she was dizzy but nonetheless she stumbled back to her mattress. Falling again into sleep. The second time she woke, she did repeated her routine she felt like she was mouse in a maze looking for cheese, unable to find her way out again. She had to try, it didn’t matter she had too. But after every sleep it became harder for her to get up once more, she felt dizzy- weak. Her body ached, her bandages seeped with blood of wounds unhealed. It was becoming harder and harder to convince herself to move. Until after one sleep she could not rise from the mattress. Nothing she could do, her body refused to listen to her command. This… was the end. She thought. She was angry that it was going to end like this. She didn’t want it to end like this. She had tried so hard. Yuki closed her eyes and took a dusty breath in. She could breathe.. Maybe she could sing one last tune? It seemed ridiculous but that thought made her want to try. Yuki breathed in deep, just like she had been taught and sang a line.
“In sleep he sang to me...In dreams he begged.”
It wasn’t a perfect line, but it cheered her up a little.
She sang again.
“In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me”
That’s it, let’s finish that one.
“And speaks my name
And do I dream again?
For now I find
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind…”
Yuki smiled, she loved that musical. She closed her eyes at peace with herself.
BANG
She must be hearing things in her last moments. How strange.
BANG BANG
It almost sounded like someone was banging outside the wall?
BANG BANG BANG.
She really must have lost it because there was no possible way anyone could be there. After all they all should be at the camp waiting for R’s orders.
CRASH.
A flood of light touched her eyes. She opened them slowly and saw someone who she knew. She smiled and said: “It’s about time you showed up.”
What time is Mr. Wolf?
The end.
