Cast of Characters / Author's Notes wrote:Mirelle Bouquet
A twenty-something daughter of a Corsican crime-family-turned-assassin and the third 'sapling'
of Noir. Her life and future held back by her past and Les Soldats, Mirelle picks up her gun to
free herself and Kirika from their touch permanently. While initially writing her
character, I got the sense Mirelle could easily fall in love with Sousuke, if not an outright
crush on him given his skills and abilities are as good as hers. Noir himself felt she'd
be too held back by her past for this to happen -- plus we're focusing on Kirika's crush
on Sousuke -- so for now Sousuke simply remains a person of (deadly) fascination
for her as she tries to puzzle him out.
Weapon of choice: Walther P99
Kirika Yuumura
A fifteen year-old girl with no memory of herself or her past, save for a brutal set of
skills which make her a efficient and lethal killer. Since the death of Altena and the
end of Le Grand Retour, Kirika has slowly begun to explore more of her humanity
assisted by Mirelle, but Sousuke's introduction has the potential to be a step forward,
or five steps back for that development. As hinted in the first chapter, Kirika definately
has a crush on Sousuke, though she lacks the words and emotional development
to express it. Will Sousuke return her feelings?
Weapon of choice: Beretta M1934
Sousuke Sagara
A seventeen year old mercenary and former child solider in Afghanistan. Last known to be
employed by Mithril under Captain Teletha Tesstarosa's command, and posted as a
bodyguard for Chidori Kaname, a confirmed Whispered living in Tokyo, Japan.
For reasons unexplained, Sousuke has resigned from Mithril and is now employed by
Mirelle and Kirika as a marksman. How will he fare in his new environment,
and what does he feel for Kirika?
Weapon of choice: Glock 26
A bright sunny morning greeted Mirelle as she awoke the next morning. Making her way
to the kitchen, she heard an unfamiliar sound there. Pulling out her Walther P99,
she crept as silently as she could, her body against the wall.
Taking a deep breath, she leapt out, pistol sighting on what she thought was an
intruder, but instead found herself staring down the barrel of a Glock 26. What surprised
her even more was who was holding it but she recovered quickly.
“Good morning. I trust you slept well last night.”
“As well as can be expected,” he noted almost conversationally.
“That’s good to hear. Now that I know it was you who was making all that noise
in my kitchen, could you please put your gun down, Mister Sagara?”
“Give me one good reason why I should do that, Miss Bouquet.”
“Well for starters, I would find it most uncomfortable to eat my breakfast with just one
hand while aiming my gun at you with the other the whole time,” Mirelle said somewhat
teasingly as she safed her pistol and set it down on the kitchen countertop.
“Very well, but I should warn you I do not take kindly to being betrayed, especially by
my allies.” Sousuke said gravely as he did the same with his own gun.
“My apologies, Mister Sagara. I almost forgot that you had joined us last night and that
you would be living with us.”
“Understandable, Miss Bouquet. When I woke up, I was slightly confused myself as to
where I was. You were mentioning that I was making too much noise? I am sorry if I woke you up…”
Mirelle smiled. “No apologies needed. I think there is going to have to be some adjustment
on both our parts to this… new beginning.”
“Indeed.”
“So… what’s for breakfast?”
“Breakfast?”
“Yes, breakfast. Oh, right… the rule of the kitchen is whoever wakes up first makes
breakfast and whoever wakes up last cleans up.”
“Err…”
“So, what did you make, Mister Sagara?”
Just then, a still half-asleep Kirika made her way into the room, yawning and rubbing
the sleep from her eyes. “Mirelle, good morning. What’s for breakfast?”
“I don’t know Kirika, Mister Sagara was the first one up.”
“Oh, what’s for breakfast Sousuke?”
“Err…”
“Mister Sagara, what… is… for… breakfast?”
Unceremoniously, Sousuke took a silver foil package out of a pot on the stove, tore open
the top and emptied the steaming brown contents onto a plate. Kirika and Mirelle could
only stare, thoroughly bewildered.
“It… looks edible…”
“It… smells edible, I think…”
“Breakfast.” Sousuke said plainly.
“Umm… together?”
Mirelle picked up a spoon for herself and Kirika and scooped up a heap of the concoction. Staring
her partner in the eye and mustering her courage, her last words were “Well, down the hatch…”
…before making a beeline for the bathroom as fast as she could.
“Was it not to your liking, Miss Bouquet?”
With a straight face, Kirika said “Seconds, please.”
* * *
Typing away at her computer, Mirelle checked her usual sources of information.
No, nothing new they all said. Strange, Mirelle thought to herself. It had been nearly
eight months since the incident with Les Soldats, Altena and the whole Le Grand Retour
episode. Eight months, and they haven’t made a move yet. Why?
Taking a sip of coffee from her mug, Mirelle let her mind drift back to how she and Kirika
had gotten into this predicament. About how in taking the codename Noir, they
had been thrust into a game where the prize was them living one more day. About how
the name Noir had its roots dating back nearly one thousand years. About how the power
behind Noir was a secret organization named Les Soldats. About how an internal
power struggle within Les Soldats had nearly cost both her and Kirika’s life…
and they still didn’t know why or what it was for.
Go on a pilgrimage to the past. Mirelle stared off into space, trying to make sense of it all. What does it mean?
She stared out into the afternoon view of Paris and sighed. Here it’s a lovely day again
and I’m stuck playing a life-or-death game where I don’t even know the rules, much less
the players. Well, that’s got to change!
Whether Les Soldats was still after them or not, whether someone still intended for either
one of them to be unwitting pawns or not, Mirelle planned to be ready, and she was confident
she was ready. Hiring another person was an inspired piece of planning, she felt.
Give Les Soldats something unexpected if they came by again, something to
change the rules on them for a change. And if her information sources were correct,
this Sousuke Sagara should be an unpleasant rule change for any would-be Les Soldats incursion.
Her information sources didn’t have much in the way of details, but they had rumors aplenty.
But what fantastical rumors they were. That this Sousuke had been fighting in war
zones since childhood. That he was an unstoppable killing machine and his hands were
stained with the blood of thousands from every killing field on Earth imaginable. Even
more fantastic were the rumors of where he had been before he had come to Paris.
Mirelle didn’t know whether to take those stories at face value or write them off as the
distorted tales embellished with each retelling, yet she had to admit even she was intrigued.
Intrigued of a story of another secret society dedicated to wiping out evil. Intrigued
of a story of giant robots with powers beyond explanation that it must be magic. Intrigued
of a story about certain special people with the ability to use this magic at will. It was all
too fantastic… yet appealing at the same time.
No matter, I must think about the here and now. And I must be ready. Kirika
must be ready. And Sousuke… She paused a moment to reflect. Could she trust him?
Would he live up to the reputation that preceded his name when she had first heard of it?
After the incident this morning in the kitchen, she suspected he was the real deal and not
some wannabe. But how would he fare in a real attack by Les Soldats? Would
the reputation be found lacking and the boy found to be all too human, or worse, a
plant by their enemy?
The boy… The thought almost made her laugh. He was young enough to be
her younger brother, and here she was trusting this boy to protect her from the big bad Boogie Man.
Kirika…
Mirelle sighed again. The time after Le Grand Retour has been so kind to Kirika,
she thought. Freed from the need to kill as the True Noir or as an assassin, she felt
Kirika was blossoming both as a person and a girl, and the time she and Kirika could spend
together again as normal people was precious beyond words. Yet somehow Mirelle
thought she was doing a disservice to Kirika to let things stay this way. Killing was both
of their way of life, the only way of life either one of them had known.
She thought back to the time Kirika had met that painter. What was his name again?
Damn, I can’t even remember his face. One lone person of the many people they had
met and had lost their life as a result. All she could remember was the emotional response
he had drawn out of Kirika, and how she had seriously, and spitefully, told Kirika it
would be better if she didn’t see him any more.
Am I simply projecting myself onto her? Mirelle wondered. Am I simply letting
my past dictate my future? Mirelle knew Kirika’s reaction to Sousuke last night was not
a fever, that it was something more… something deeper. Kirika, you’re only going to
get hurt again…
Her cellphone broke her out of her train of thought. “Yes, this is Mirelle.” The voice at the
other end made her grab her handbag and her gun.
Kirika, no…!
* * *
err. I glad that you like the fanfic Killer 
