Here we go's! :D

Chapter IV

Allies

"Again!" Mrs. Hatsune directed Miku as she had walked into the parlor for the umpteenth time.

Miku didn't bother to mask her annoyance as she looked at her mother. "Why does it matter how I walk in to greet him!"

This really was getting to be too ridiculous. It turned out the suitor that was supposed to be coming yesterday had some scheduling problems and changed his arrival date to later in the evening today. Of course because of the extra time, Mrs. Hatsune just had to make sure her daughter was presenting herself with the refinement that the Hatsune family was alleged to have.

Mrs. Hatsune snorted at her daughter's silly comment. "It means everything my dear." She opened her hand fan in a quick, graceful motion. "I cannot have you greeting a suitor with such a dreadful expression. Really dear, it looks as if you are about ready to snap someone's neck." She chuckled slightly as she fanned herself.

"Mother…"Miku said very calmly. "I wish you would quit playing matchmaker. I have no interest in—"

"I don't care if you have no interest," Mrs. Hatsune cut her off abruptly. "You already ruined your first marriage by running off with some stupid peasant boy when you were 16."She sneered slightly over her fan. "That was foolish now wasn't it? You loved him but he left you didn't he? Now you won't promise your hand to anyone unless it's him?" She gave her daughter a harsh look as she snapped her fan shut. "It has been five years already, get over it."

Miku deadpanned at her response. This had happened too many times for her to get upset over. Miku's mother was simply what she was—a brash and greedy woman. Not once did she have any hope that her mother would ever develop any maternal feelings towards her. As far as Mrs. Hatsune was concerned her daughter was an asset to the family.

"So this is a mother's love? Marrying off her daughter so she can receive more money?" She turned on her heel. "Fine, do what you want. Bring more suitors to meet me, leave me locked in this damned mansion but I'll assure you," Miku looked over her shoulder. "I won't be doing what you expect of me."

She exited the parlor knowing perfectly well that she had left her mother spluttering. Luka waited obediently just outside the door and Miku motioned for her to follow her.

"Did anyone find him yet?" Miku asked once they were a safe distance away from people's ears.

Luka shook her head. "I contacted some friends back in town to be on a lookout for him milady but nothing has come back yet."

"I see…" Miku's mind seemed to have been far away.

"U-Um, how did it go?" Luka tried her best to break the silence.

Miku gave a frustrated sigh. "Same as usual I suppose. Is there something on your mind Luka?" She inquired as she looked at Luka's conflicted expression.

Luka began to twiddle her thumbs nervously. "It's just that…well…this whole thing with you wanting to find that man, who is he exactly and…I-If you don't mind me asking…why are you so insistent on not wanting to be wed?"

"Ah, that's right…"Miku gave a small laugh. "You just started working for us very recently; after I left the altar five years ago…"

Luka stopped in her tracks and stopped to look back at her in confusion. So, those rumors…

"I'll tell you right now any gossip you've heard from the other staff about me is probably true," Miku said, seeming to read Luka's thoughts. "I did in fact leave my fiancé for another man." The look of surprise on Luka's face seemed to deflate Miku slightly. "You must be disappointed in me…"

"No!" Luka instantly blurted out. "I-It's just that I respect the fact you're telling me all of this!" She said very truthfully.

Miku couldn't help but giggle at that. "Ah, it feels good to laugh." She smiled at Luka. "It's been long time since someone made me laugh. You are indeed my favorite person in this place." Miku sighed. "One needs someone like you in a prison like this." She started to walk again. "Let's go to that place again. I think it's time I let someone else in on what really happened that day five years ago and I'll tell you about my suspicions of that man named Kaito…"

Kaito stumbled into an alleyway using the grimy brick wall for support.

It had been exactly one day since he had left the Hatsune estate. Even though he found it a healthy choice for his emotional and mental well-being, it did absolutely nothing for his physical state of health. He had forgotten Meiko's warning and without anyone around to treat him, Kaito was in deep trouble.

I'm so exhausted…He thought as he slid to the ground to rest and hopefully delay the upcoming surge of dizziness. Kaito shut his eyes for a brief moment. Staying in an inn or buying a meal was out of the question considering he didn't have any money. Thinking made his head hurt. I just want to sleep…

"Oy! Whadda we have 'ere?" A voice interrupted his descent into slumber land.

Kaito looked up very slowly and it took awhile for his vision to adjust to see two very rough looking men sneering down at him. "Who are you?" He scowled at them.

"Oh! What's with the hostile look?" The second man's smirk deepened as he dragged Kaito up by his collar. "We just want to be friends."

"Yeah, friends. Friends share a lot of things…like money for example."

Kaito gritted his teeth. "Sorry to rain on your parade but I don't have any money."

"That's not what your clothes say," the goon who had the grip on him sneered.

Kaito was disgusted by his sour breath. He had forgotten the clothes he had changed into were from an extremely rich heiress. His blue eyes flicked between the two men; he really was in trouble now…

"Hey, buddy come on and fork over the money already!"

Kaito found and opening and kicked the man square in the chest. He backed up from the impact causing him to release Kaito. As soon as his feet hit the ground he made a run for it.

"Where do ya think you're goin'!" Kaito was grabbed from behind and dragged back into the alleyway.

"You little shit!" The man he had kicked had obviously recovered. He clutched at his chest. "That hurt!" He cried as he struck Kaito across the face.

Kaito tried his best to strike back but his movements were too slow and sluggish. He was quickly thrown against the same brick wall struggling for breath as his attacker's elbow dug into his throat.

"Friends or not, I don't think I want you to get outta here alive!"

"Go ahead and teach him a lesson, Jack!"

Kaito coughed violently as his air supply was being cut off. This is it. He thought desperately trying to suck air into his lungs. I can't fight back in this condition. I'm going to die right now… A curious image popped into his head as he felt the world closing in around him…

Luka couldn't believe her ears.

"Milady, you feel for an angel?"

Miku nodded. "What I've told you, it's up to you whether you wish to believe it or not." She again brought that ring on her finger up to her lips as she murmured. "There isn't a time where I'm not thinking of her."

Luka blushed furiously. Thinking about Miku with another woman was a little…too much for her to handle. "S-so technically Len was a woman?"

"Yes, they were the same person. Rin knew my situation. She knew my marriage was a political farce. I guess deep down I knew it too but I was still just a child. You wouldn't believe how hurt I was when I rejected her over superficial feelings." Miku sighed. "I was scared what people would think but when she disappeared…I-I felt as if I didn't have a purpose in life anymore…"

"She was reincarnated into Len when she cut her wings away. So…Rin did that for you?" Luka was suddenly blubbering like an idiot.

Miku's eyes widened as Luka threw herself down onto the grass and rolled around weeping her eyes out. "Uh, Luka, really, you don't have to be that upset. I have some days where I feel like crying like that but—"

"B-but it's such a beautiful love story! Forbidden love! Angels! I believe every single word of it even if I sound like I've gone mad!" Luka exclaimed.

Miku laughed at the sight. I really did feel good to laugh again after so long. She touched the tree where she had placed the flowers a couple of days ago. "My dear, I wish you were still here…" Miku smiled as the tears began.

Luka stopped her tears as she joined her master at the tree. "Um…Mr. Len—I mean Mrs. Rin—I'd like to also share my respects to you." Luka smiled. "For you to choose milady you must have been a very good individual."

"L-Luka…" Miku gaped at her as she wiped her eyes.

"Alright!" Luka said as she sprang back up to Miku's surprise. "I'm going to do everything I can to find that Kaito man!"

Miku gave a sad smile. "Luka, that's kind of you but I'm afraid he's long gone by now. You don't need to trouble yourself over—"

"Sorry to interrupt you milady," Luka suddenly cried. "But you changed my life and if finding that man will help you in any way, I'll do it!" Miku looked up at her. "You see, I'm not usually very good with talking to people and I'm very clumsy. My family was going through a rough spot so I needed a job. I can't even count how many times I've been fired." She pouted slightly then continued, "When I came to work for milady, I had heard so many rumors that you were so coldhearted. I thought you'd fire me right on the spot." Luka gave a small shiver at the past experience. "They said you hung people by their toe nails if you were upset with them…"

Miku's mouth twitched with slight irritation. "Oh, really? I didn't think people talked about me that way…"

"But as soon as I saw you, I knew there was no way milady could be such a cruel person." Luka said dispelling Miku's anger. "You were kind to me when I did the dumbest things and you said you appreciated my efforts. You made me strive to try harder. You kept to yourself, that's the only reason people think you're so stuck up but I think you just don't want to trouble others with your problems. Milady is a very considerate person!" She grinned. "Which is why I want to help you. That time five years ago was probably very hard for you and people probably thought you were going crazy when you said what had happened. I will stay by your side no matter what people may say about you!"

Miku grinned back. "You really are my favorite." She got up and linked arms with her. "I'd like to thank you for today. Let me treat you to some tea and cookies. Oh and please call me Miku for now on."

They walked off together towards the house. Miku finally had an ally in this world that seemed to be her enemy.

As Luka left that spot in the woods that day, something still bothered her.

The part of Miku's story that involved Rin's death….Rin sacrificed her own life for Miku…but what had killed Miku in the first place?

"My, my, what do we have here?"

Kaito was starting to come back to the real world. He felt that the pressure from his throat was lifted. He saw that Jack was goggling at something towards the mouth of the alley. Kaito fixed his eyes on the entrance to see a man who seemed to be an aristocrat standing with someone who appeared to be his assistant. The aristocrat had a handsome face and the most peculiar color of hair.

"You there!" Aristocrat pointed at the man who held Kaito against the wall. "Unhand that poor man this instant!"

The one named Jack sneered again. "Look another rich boy. What're you gonna do, huh?" He motioned for his accomplice to come forward. "Oi, Boris let's rough this one up too."

The man clicked in tongue in disdain. "That's low of you, two against one." He removed his top coat and handed it to his assistant. "Kiyoteru, hold my coat for me. I'd hate to soil it while dealing with trash."

"Yes, Mr. Kamui," he responded as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

The men charged at him and 'Mr. Kamui' easily deflected any attack they imposed on him. Kaito was surprised, in a mere few minutes he had both Boris and Jack knocked down onto their hind sides, moaning in pain.

He sighed as Kiyoteru slipped his coat back onto his shoulders. "People these days," Mr. Kamui rolled his eyes. His eyes feel on Kaito and he offered him a hand with a smile. "Hello, I'm Gakupo Kamui. Are you okay? What's your name?"

"I-I'm Kai—"

Before Kaito could say another word he vomited right on Gakupo's white pants.

Haha I thought some comedy was needed….

Have you noticed I'm like obsessed with strangling or something? Haha last chapter had a choking scene too….

Well anyways please review and see ya next weekend. (I hope -_-)