The so-called normal girl had wavy red hair which fell just past her shoulders. She had bright blue eyes which kept darting around, taking in as much of their surroundings as possible.

Nicole Webster was dressed in faded blue jeans and a white t-shirt. Her plain trainers scuffed the floor as she walked. The twenty-four year old glanced at her Goth friend, Däyna Axtell.

Twenty-five year old Däyna was oblivious to her friend’s quick look as she kept her eyes focused on the ground. She had waist length black hair and large brown eyes. She was dressed in black crushed velvet, the hem of her mini dress reaching just above her knees. The flared sleeves covered her hands.

Neither girl wore much jewellery, except for the pentagon necklace around Däyna’s neck and the gold studs in Nicole’s ears.

Both of the girls were Western, but Nicole was American; Däyna was English.

_____________________________________________________________________________

In the centre of Tokyo, inside a large and magnificent castle, three men were seemingly having a row.

The young man who was on his own in the argument was the nephew and heir of Count Takeshi. He was named Michiru Jo. He faced his uncle defiantly, who was fuming and red in the face from shouting. The other man, Takeshi’s second in command, Sonnemanma Higashi rested a calming hand on the Count’s shoulder and stepped forwards.

‘Do your worst!’ snarled Michiru. ‘Whatever you do to me, it will never make me regret my actions.’

‘You are an Emerald Guard,’ growled Sonnemanma, ‘and you turned to General Tani.’

‘You betrayed me and the Emerald Guard,’ said Takeshi, talking of his private army. ‘The consequences of your actions are punishable by death!’

Michiru merely shrugged and stated that he did not care. If he died because of serving General Tani, he said, then he could die happy and with a clear conscience. He would be prepared.

‘You’re filth,’ screamed Michiru. ‘Everyone knows why you and Tani are having this war! We all know that this castle was supposed to be inherited by the General, but you overthrew him! Everyone -’

Michiru was prevented from saying anything more by Takeshi striking him roughly in the face with a backhand slap. Michiru placed a hand over his split lip and stormed off before Takeshi could bruise and abuse him anymore.

_____________________________________________________________________________

General Tani himself was currently wandering through the milling crows of people who had shown up for the once a week market.

He was an extremely good looking man with a healthy brown tan, strong features and jet black hair and warm brown eyes. He was dressed in his normal everyday clothes as opposed to his General’s outfit.

He wore heavy black boots and black jeans. Tani’s shirt was also black, and the first two buttons were undone, revealing nothing more than a hint of a muscular torso underneath.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Nicole and Däyna has also found themselves at a market, the hundreds of people pushing past each other meaning that it would be more than easy to get lost from each other.

Two men shoves their way between the two girls without bothering to do so much as apologise. Däyna had been shoves backwards by a pushy shoulder and Nicole was shoved further forwards and to the side.

When Däyna looked around for Nicole, she was nowhere to be seen.

Great, thought Däyna sarcastically. First time we go to a Japanese market and I lose her. Typical.

She forced her way through the crowds, becoming as pushy as the insensitive pair who separated her from her friend.

Däyna accidentally slammed into the back of a black clad man of roughly her height. He turned around to see who had just careered into him.

‘Oh! Er. . . gomen!’ exclaimed Däyna, using some of her less than meagre knowledge of the Japanese language. She stumbled over her words and as she stared into the man’s eyes, she thought that she was seeing a real like Adonis.

He picked up her accent and said in perfect English:

‘Perfectly alright madam. Are you okay?’

She muttered that she had just lost Nicole and rambled ff a description of her, but he shook his head and said that he had not seen anybody like that. He held out a hand.

‘I’m General Tani, although not on duty at the moment,’ he joked, with the merest flicker of a grin. ‘And you are. . ?’

‘Uh, Däyna. Däyna Axtell,’ she replied, taking his hand.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Däyna.’

_____________________________________________________________________________

Count Takeshi had turned away in disgust as Michiru rapidly exited the castle. He was pacing around the main entrance, fingers steepled, index fingers pressed up against his lips.

‘I don’t understand. What could have happened to make him turn to Tani?’

Sonnemanma Higashi watched expectantly.

‘Go and find him,’ ordered the Count. ‘Bring him back and if you see the General, drag him along as well.’

Sonnemanma nodded respectfully and headed out the door.

He eventually found Tani in the market saying his goodbyes to a Western girl dressed in black. He strode over determinedly and grabbed the General’s shoulder, turning him around. Tani’s expression darkened ominously when he saw Sonnemanma. He shook his shoulder free of the grasp and started to walk off.

‘The Count has requested that you see him, General Tani,’ said Sonnemanma, with a nasty stress on his name.

Tani ignored him as he saw a wavy red headed girl who looked about Däyna’s age.

‘Suminasen!’ he called. She did not seem to head him. ‘Excuse me!’

She heard him and turned around. Tani, still ignoring Sonnemanma asked her if her name was Nicole. When she nodded, he said that Däyna had already gone off, and pointed in the direction she had gone.

‘Come with me, girl,’ interrupted Sonnemanma, shooting a surreptitious glare at Tani. ‘I’ll help you find her.’

He rested a hand on her back and gently ushered her away. As they walked off,

Sonnemanma turned back and said:

‘Count Takeshi will not be pleased.’

The General shrugged.

_____________________________________________________________________________

‘Who are you?’ asked Nicole. She had made it obvious what she thought of him by the way she could not stop staring at him.

‘I’m Sonnemanma Higashi. Second in command for Count Takeshi and his Emerald Guard.’

‘You don’t get on with that other guy, do you?’ questioned Nicole.

‘General Tani? You could say that. There’s. . . friction between him and the Count. Keeps trying to overthrow his castle. Claim it for himself.’

‘That’s terrible!’ exclaimed Nicole, who, at that moment in time would have agreed with anything he had said.

Nicole looked around and saw a familiar figure running towards her.

‘Däyna!’ called Nicole.

‘Where the hell did you go?’ demanded Däyna. ‘I just ran into that Tani bloke again, and he said that he’d just seen you in this direction.’

Nicole turned to Sonnemanma and informed him that she had been reunited with her friend. He shook hands with her and kissed her on the top of her hand before saying goodbye, smiling.

‘That Tani bloke was well good lookin’,’ said Däyna. ‘You should’ve seen him.’

‘I did. Yeah, he’s nice, but not as sexy as him,’ Nicole replied, staring at Sonnemanma’s retreating back.

‘Who’s he?’

‘Head of the Emerald Guards. Under Takeshi of course.’

Däyna made no comment. She had run into Michiru Jo the second time she saw Tani and they explained the whole story to her. She was shocked at how Takeshi wronged the General and hid her distaste for Nicole being so blatantly sexually interested in him.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Michiru had caught sight of Sonnemanma searching for him and had run. He had found his way out of the market and was hiding in one of the alleys round the back of a building.

He started to walk around back onto the pavement on the footpath and jumped when he found himself face to face with Sonnemanma.

Michiru turned on his heel and fled. He knew that if Sonnemanma was searching for him, then he must be in serious trouble with his uncle. Sonnemanma caught up with him almost instantly and practically threw him into a wall. Michiru’s head cracked loudly as it connected with the brick walls. His eyes watered.

‘You need to go back to the castle. Takeshi is far from finished with you,’ he snarled.

‘I couldn’t give a damn,’ retorted Michiru viciously.

He pushed himself away from the wall and rubbed the back of his head. He stared Sonnemanma in the eye.

_____________________________________________________________________________

A week later, Nicole and Däyna were lounging in the living room area of their hotel room, just generally chatting.

Nicole got up and ran a brush through her hair, staring critically in the mirror.

‘What brought that on?’ asked Däyna, watching her friend.

‘Just remembered, I’m meeting Sonnemanma later,’ replied Nicole, without turning around. ‘Why didn’t you ask Tani out on a date?’

Däyna snorted.

‘D you seriously think I’d have the courage to ask him that? Beside, I don’t think hr likes me.’

There was a knock on the door and Nicole swore.

‘Damn, he’s early. God, I look a mess.’

Däyna rolled her eyes and reassured her that she looked fine. Nicole went to answer the door and stepped back to reveal the tall figure of Sonnemanma Higashi. He smiled and kissed Nicole on the cheek. He looked around the room.

‘So, you haven’t lost each other again lately, have you?’ he asked Däyna, with a faint smirk.

Nicole laughed and said goodbye. Däyna looked at the clock. It was ten past seven. She sighed and settled in front of the television on the sofa. Her pattern for the evening was set. Her jet jag had and still was taking a lot out of her, and within minutes, against her will, she gently drifted off to sleep. When she awoke the next, it was twenty minutes past ten.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Nicole and Sonnemanma had gone back to his house, where the level of intimacy had risen.

They were sitting next to each other on the sofa in his living room, both of them drinking a glass of wine. Nicole found she was having a good evening. She had been bought an expensive meal in a posh restaurant and was drinking wine with a man whom greatly aroused her. To top it all, both of them were feeling tipsy, to say the least.

Sonnemanma set his glass down on the coffee table near the sofa and stared at Nicole. She glanced up at him and when he did not remove his gaze, she giggled embarrassedly.

‘What?’ she asked, grinning. Sonnemanma was still looking at her with a solemn expression on his face. He sighed and Nicole started to look worried.

‘I really like you,’ he muttered, almost as though hoping she was not going to hear him.

Relief washed over Nicole.

‘Well that’s good,’ she started. ‘Because I really like you too.’

‘I know we only met a week ago, but we’ve seen each other every evening and, despite you may think I’m being forward, I could see us being very happy together.’

Shock rocked Nicole. She did not think that he was being forward at all. Mentally, she was taken back to her teenage years, feeling the same way she did not when the object of her desire had smiled or spoken to her back then.

Sonnemanma gently took the wine glass out of Nicole’s clasping hands and set it down next to his. He turned to face her and the pair inexorably drew closer to one another.

His lips met her softly and his arms snaked around her waist and moved up until his fingers wound and twisted in her hair.

Nicole leant back and Sonnemanma kissed her neck down to her navel. He stopped momentarily to ask one question:

‘How do you fancy taking a tour of my bedroom?’ he had asked, in a lascivious tone.

Nicole grinned and nodded and Sonnemanma took her hand and led her to his room. They kissed again and forced each other down onto the bed.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Däyna had awoken at midnight to find that she was still alone. Cursing her jet lag, she attempted to smooth down her wild hair and slipped her long black coat on.

She left a note for Nicole and headed out of the hotel. She there was luminous full moon shining in the sky. She suddenly heard a cough behind her and spun around with a gasp.

‘Sorry to startle you,’ said a familiar voice. She made out in the gloom the figure of General Tani.

‘It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. What are you doing around outside \t this time of night? I’m up because of my damn jet lag.’

‘I can’t sleep. Been having trouble lately,’ replied Tani.

‘Mmm, same here.’

‘Missing the boyfriend you’ve probably got back in England, I expect,’ suggested Tani with a hint of flirtatiousness. Däyna smiled.

‘Boyfriend? Nah, I’m single,’ she replied.

‘Single?’ repeated Tani, eyebrows raised. Däyna thought she could see sparks in his eyes. ‘Well let me say that I think you look very beautiful in the moonlight.’

‘I hope you’re not trying to flirt with me,’ came the reply. Däyna could not stop the grin spreading across her face. She wondered whether she was turning red yet.

‘Are you busy tomorrow?’ he asked suddenly. Caught unawares, Däyna stumbled over what to sat. She managed to shake her head.

‘Would you allow me to take you out then? Just for lunch, that is.’

‘Um, yeah okay. Thanks,’ replied Däyna awkwardly.

He asked what time would be convenient for him to pick her up and she suggested maybe around two o’clock. He told her that would be fine and after Däyna had told him where to find her, she said goodbye and that he would see her tomorrow.

‘It’s a date,’ replied Däyna, smiling.

She returned to her’s and Nicole’s hotel room and was dismayed to find that the note she had left had not been removed or touched in any way. She was starting to feel worried about her friend.

She knew, in the back of her mind, that Nicole was probably still with Sonnemanma, but it was the fact that Nicole had not bothered to phone, or text, to say that she was going to be late or not return at all that got Däyna. She started to imagine horrible things, but then got a grip on herself.

She’s probably having too much fun with Sonnemanma and she forgot to let me know when she was going to come back, though Däyna, trying to calm herself down. Just ‘cause she ain’t said anything to me, doesn’t mean that something’s happened. She’s gonna turn up tomorrow and will have had a great time.

As those words ran through her head, she started to believe them more and felt more relaxed.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Nicole awoke at roughly seven o’clock the following morning and felt more than slightly disorientated. Her head was throbbing slightly with the amount of wine she had drunk last night.

She started to get out of bed when she realised that she was not in the hotel with Däyna, and also, she was naked.

She moved back under the covers and turned to the other side where she saw Sonnemanma lying, the duvet hanging half off him, just concealing him below the waist.

He opened his eyes and saw her upright and looking down at him, clasping the covers under her chin.

‘Morning,’ he said groggily.

‘Morning,’ replied Nicole.

Sonnemanma pulled her down and planted a long kiss on her lips.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Däyna had been awake since six o’clock, something which only happened once in a blue moon and only happened because she was getting worried about Nicole again.

She snatched up her mobile and sent Nicole a furious next message, asking where she was.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Nicole was in bed, on her back with Sonnemanma on top and kissing her furiously when Däyna’s text came through. Nicole’s phone, which was on the floor on top of her abandoned trousers played its chime and vibrated.

Sonnemanma sighed and rolled off Nicole so she could answer her call.

‘Whoops. It’s from Däyna,’ explained Nicole, ‘asking me where the hell I am, and by saying ‘hell’, that’s me being polite.’

‘Do you have to go, then?’

‘Might be a good idea if I did. Don’t want Däyna getting stroppy with me,’ replied Nicole.

She gathered up her clothes and dressed quickly. When Sonnemanma gave her a parting kiss, he lingered for a while, holding her close as though trying to get her to stay. She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and stared into his eyes.

‘Did you mean what you said yesterday? About us being really happy together?’ she questioned.

‘Yes. I did. I wasn’t saying that just to get you into bed. I meant it.’

‘Awww…!’ muttered Nicole, kissing him again and hugging him tightly.

She exited his house and texted Däyna back to let her know she was coming back to the hotel.

Däyna looked up from the book she was reading when the door opened and Nicole entered, looking shy and embarrassed.

‘Have fun last night?’ asked Däyna. Her tone was so icy Nicole was half expecting to get frostbite.

‘I’m really sorry I never said anything. Sonne and me got a bit carried away and I never thought to  say-’

Däyna held up a hand.

‘I don’t want to know.

I don’t wanna know what you and Sonne did. Even though I could hazard a guess, I don’t need that confirming.’

‘I’m so sorry!,’ exclaimed Nicole, seeing how hurt her friend was.

Nicole sat on the sofa and hugged Däyna tightly, but she did not move in any way.

When Däyna turned to actually look Nicole in the eyes, she saw tears. She visibly softened, seeing how genuinely sorry Nicole was.

‘Still, one good thing came out of it I suppose,’ said Däyna. Nicole looked puzzled. ‘I went for a moonlit stroll last night and saw Tani. He’s offered to take me out for lunch today.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, really,’ smiled Däyna.

Nicole looked ecstatic for her friend.

_____________________________________________________________________________

At five minutes to two, Däyna was pacing around, feeling nervous as hell. She had applied a small amount of black makeup to her eyes, had slipped into a long black gown and had pulled her hair back into a plait.

She hurried to the door and opened it after the first knock resounded.

‘Hi. You ready?’ asked Tani, looking at Däyna and seeming to be as visibly nervous as she felt inside. Däyna nodded and turned back to say goodbye to Nicole.

‘Have fun,’ she leered, ‘and don’t do anything I wouldn’t!’

‘That really narrows it down!’ Däyna’s voice was saturated with sarcasm. Nicole laughed as Däyna closed the hotel room door.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Sonnemanma made his way to Count Takeshi’s castle with a grin that would not leave. He knocked hard on the front door and one of Takeshi’s main Emerald Guards, a tall, broad shouldered bald man named Strong Kobayashi answered the door. Sonnemanma entered and shut the door behind him with a back kick. Even the ominous site that should fill him with foreboding was not enough to wipe off the post-coital grin from his lips.

Standing in front of him was the Count, looking sombre. Behind Takeshi and to his left was Michiru Jo, being held captive by the other two of the trio of most dangerous Emerald Guards.

On one arm was Kibaji Tankobo, who was fond for some strange reason of wearing a bright red wig which fell past his knees and almost to the ground. He grinned at Sonnemanma, revealing two sets of rotten, grotesque and yellowing teeth.

Holding onto Michiru’s other arm was the most out of control and volatile Guard of the lot. Like Strong and Kibaji, he was tall, with broad shoulders. He was dressed from head to foot in black un samurai clothes. He was the only one in the vicinity who was armed with a katana. He was a Western man, with curly black hair to his shoulders and dark eyes. When he spoke, his tone was low and menacing. Apart from himself, only Count Takeshi knew of his name. To everybody else, he was Animal.

Michiru quaked in the grasp of these two formidable Guards whom he used to work alongside.

‘You were with a woman last night, weren’t you, Sonnemanma?’ asked Takeshi. He nodded in reply. ‘Ah well, I hope she wasn’t expensive, for the sake of your bank balance,’ A deep rumble told them that Animal was laughing.

‘No sir, it’s not like that.’

Sir, thought Michiru scornfully. Everybody has to be polite to the Count and call him ‘sir’ to avoid angering him. Even Animal. And they do, as well. He says ‘jump’, they ask ‘how high?’ I used to be like them. Weak willed and subservient, always under the whip of Count Takeshi. Thank God I quit…

‘You mean you’ve found yourself a girlfriend?’ snapped Takeshi, his bad mood making him crotchety.

‘You summoned me here in front of Animal, Kibaji, Strong, Michiru and yourself to ask questions about my sex life?’ retorted Sonnemanma, just as rude as the Count was being.

‘We found this one,’ started Animal, striking Michiru heavily on the head in the same place he struck his skull on the brick wall when Sonnemanma was pursuing him through the market, ‘snooping around the back of the castle, listening in to what we were saying, obviously hoping to feed information back to General Tani!’ Michiru glowered at him as he shook Michiru’s head by the hair.

What Animal had said was only half true. Yes, Michiru was skulking around for information, but he was also bugging the castle, planting tiny hidden microphones around. Fortunately, when Animal caught him, he was just starting to leave, so none of them should have any reasons to suspect that anything might have been planted.

Despite Michiru had been thoroughly searched, he had still managed to smuggle his mobile phone inside with him because it had been concealed in his clothing.

He knew that several miles away in the General’s secret headquarters, his second in command, the Western blonde Corporal was listening to everything on a pair of headphones. Michiru prayed that she had worked out that he had been captured.

Takeshi ordered that he be taken away and Animal and Kibaji dragged him outside, with Strong at their heels to the separate prison block. He was locked up and abandoned. He pulled the phone out of its hiding place and phoned Tani.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Tani and Däyna had been having a wonderful time together, enjoying each other’s company.

‘Uh, Däyna, listen, um…I doubt you -’

He was cut off by his phone ringing. Frowning, he took it out and hung up on the person without so much as looking at the name that had come up after the first ring.

‘Would you consider -’

Tani closed his eyes when his phone went off again. Once more, he hung up without checking the name. He decided to spit out his question before that blasted ringer on his phone played again.

‘Will you go out with me?’ he blurted. Däyna flushed red and nodded. A broad smile spread across his face and he asked if she meant it. She nodded again, also smiling. The cursed phone rang again. Tani buried his face in his hands, partly out of exasperation, and partly out of embarrassment.

‘You might want to answer that,’ giggled Däyna.

He looked at the name and was not expecting Michiru to be calling him. As soon as Tani picked up the phone, Michiru reprimanded him for making him call three times. Tani shot back that it was not the most convenient of times, but Michiru overrode him and started to explain where he was and how he got there.

Däyna watched Tani’s tanned face and registered every expression that he made. She listened to the one side of the conversation and wondered what was being said on the other end. He caught Däyna looking at him and smiled. Then he abruptly said goodbye and hung up.

‘Michiru,’ he said, by means of an explanation. ‘I’m going to have to cut this short, but I’d like to see you again soon. Here’s my mobile number. Put your purse away, I’m paying.’

Däyna had just reached into the back she snatched at last minute. She took the scrap of paper and slipped it inside. Tani escorted her to the front of the restaurant with an arm protectively around her waist.

After paying, they walked outside and Tani turned to Däyna.

‘Sorry to have to run off like this, but something unavoidable has come up. Do you want me to walk you back to your hotel room, get Nicole to pick you up or anything?’ asked Tani, his eyes and voice full of worry.

‘Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I’ll see you later.’

As she started to walk off, Tani called after her and gave her a long, romantic kiss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Tani’s young Corporal, a blue eyed blonde called Kirsty hurried to the entrance hall of their secret hideout when the front door slammed shut loudly.

‘General Tani! Whatever is the matter?’

‘Do you know what happened to Michiru?’ he snapped. She shook her head, her corn blonde pony tail swinging wildly.

‘Captured. Takeshi’s Guards found him and now he’s in the Count’s prison. What have you heard so far over the mics?’

‘Not much, General. Everybody has been talking quietly. I know they are switched on, because I can hear the wind and the crickets no problem.’

‘I’m going to head down to the prisons tonight and get Michiru back,’ stated Tani.

‘No, you can’t! It’s too much risk in case you get caught. I’ll go instead,’ suggested Kirsty.

‘I’ll try and see if I can get somebody to go with you then, because I don’t like the idea of you going alone.’

Kirsty nodded and ran off.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Michiru sat in the cold cell, staring at his knees. He was surprised that Tani had admitted that he was out with a woman. But what was even more surprising was that Tani confessed that she was Däyna Axtell. He remembered her from when she ran into himself and Tani at the market. Michiru subconsciously rubbed the back of his head when Animal opened the door to the prison. Michiru could tell that something bad was going to happen by Animal’s glare and he involuntarily broke out in a cold sweat.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Däyna opened the hotel room door and stepped inside. Nicole looked up and asked her how well her date went. She slumped down next to Nicole on the sofa with a dreamy smile.

‘Fantastic. Well, he had to leave early for some reason, but he paid for the meal and offered to walk me back here. And…’ Däyna tailed off.

‘And? And what, and what?’ asked Nicole frantically. They caught one another’s eye and started laughing.

‘He asked me out,’ said Däyna. Nicole screamed excitedly and threw her arms around her Goth friend.

‘What did you say? I hope you didn’t turn him down!’

‘Do you think I’m stupid? Of course I said yes!’ replied Däyna and Nicole hugged her again.

_____________________________________________________________________________

When it was coming up close to ten o’clock, Tani joined his Corporal in his office. She was kitted out in all black and her shining blonde hair had been covered by the hood.

‘Did you manage to find a partner?’ asked Kirsty, as Tani closed the door. He shook his head, but had an idea.

Däyna had called him only a few hours ago and he had stored her number. He phoned her back.

‘Hello?’ came her voice on the line.

‘It’s Tani. I need a favour.’

Tani explained about Michiru and the predicament he was in. He said that she was to accompany Kirsty and to keep a lookout for any Emerald Guards. Däyna copied down the address in which she was to meet Tani and Kirsty and wrote a note for Nicole, claiming that she was heading out for a walk.

She arrived minutes later, out of breath and panting heavily. She pushed open the front door and saw Tani and Kirsty waiting, both looking equally anxious.

‘Sorry I’m late,’ apologised Däyna. Tani shook his head.

‘Doesn’t matter, you’re here now. Go on, both of you and for the love of God, be careful.’

Kirsty managed a weak smile.

______________________________________________________________________________

Michiru Jo was attempting to get some rest in his cell, when he heard a small thud, a quiet curse and a muffled reprimand. The door to the cells opened and Michiru saw two black clad feminine figures creeping towards him. The nearest shook out a mane of golden hair which instantly gave away her identity.

As the other gently lowered her hood, she stopped in surprise when she got her first look at Michiru.

He had been beaten savagely. His nose looked broken, he had a black eye, and his lip had been split again. Däyna could tell by how he moved when he stood up that a few of his ribs had been broken.

Kirsty snatched up a set of keys opposite Michiru’s cell and threw them to Däyna, who unlocked the door.

Both the women helped Michiru out of his cell and back away from the castle grounds. As soon as they made their way out of the prison block, they walked headlong into Animal. Startled, Däyna screamed and clapped a hand over her mouth.

______________________________________________________________________________

Back in his office, General Tani was sitting at his desk, listening on the headphones to the sounds of the castle through the microphones that Michiru planted. His blood froze when he heard the loud scream, sharply cut off. He whisked off the headphones and ran out of his office without bothering to turn off the equipment. His heart hammered loudly in his ribcage.

______________________________________________________________________________

Kirsty, Michiru and Däyna all froze, waiting to see what was going to happen to them.

There was a shadow behind Animal, and the expression on Count Takeshi’s face when he stepped into the moonlight was one to be afraid of.

He slipped his own phone out of his pocket and dialled a number. When the person on the other end picked up, Takeshi spoke in rapid Japanese that only Michiru and Animal could understand. Whilst he spoke, he had not noticed that Däyna and Kirsty had surreptitiously slipped their hoods back on, so their faces were hidden.

______________________________________________________________________________

Sonnemanma was talking to Nicole on his landline when his mobile phone went off. He forgot to lower the house phone, so Nicole was listening to everything he was saying.

‘Hai. Hai? Mmm,…kuso. Oh, kuso! Dewa mata,’ he hung up on Takeshi and spoke to Nicole again. ‘Sorry about that. Look, I’ve got to rush off now, people have been caught trying to break Michiru free, so I’ll have to speak to you later. Bye!’

______________________________________________________________________________

As Tani made his way to Takeshi’s castle, he saw the figure of Sonnemanma heading over to him. He slipped out of sight, hid in the shadows out of the way and followed.

______________________________________________________________________________

Däyna had to stifle a gasp when she heard one of the last voices she wanted to hear. Sonnemanma had shown up.

She self consciously pulled her hood even lower slowly, so as not to draw attention to herself.

‘I think that these two ought to be locked up as well, don’t you?’ questioned Takeshi, turning to Sonnemanma. He nodded, trying to look in the womens’ hoods.

‘I’ll leave these two to you and Animal, then,’ said Takeshi to Sonomanma. As the Count made his way back to the castle, he was certain that he saw movement, but when he looked, he could not make out anything that was out of place.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tani pulled himself back into the shadows. He had nearly been caught by the Count. In this situation, stealth was imperative. He could not let Michiru, Kirsty and Däyna down.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

The three had been forced back into the prison. Sonomanma gave Däyna a rough shove. Her hood slipped slightly. Sonomanma started to pull it down, and Däyna defensively tugged at it, but not before he caught a glimpse of her face. He gasped.

‘You!’ he growled. Animal gave them both an interested stare.

Seeing no other choice, Däyna punched Sonomanma in the face. Kirsty helped out by fending off Animal.

Sonomanma backed off from the force of the punch that had landed on his chin, and grabbed Däyna’s wrists as she rushed him again. He swung her round the small prison block, so her shoulder collided into the bricks. Her hood fell right down, conforming her identity in Sonomanma’s eyes.

He balled up his hand and attempted to hit her, ignoring the sounds of Animal’s fight with the Corporal behind him.

Däyna ducked abruptly out of the way, so Sonomanma’s fist slammed into the brick wall. He uttered a silent profanity as Däyna slipped behind him. She gave him a hard shove into the wall.

There was a loud thus as the body of Animal was felled at Kirsty’s feet. She made her way over to Däyna’s battle and knocked out the remaining fragment of consciousness from Sonomanma.

The two went back to assist Michiru as the prison block door opened, to reveal Tani.

He relieved the two women of Michiru’s weight and followed them from out of Takeshi’s grounds.

‘He knew you, didn’t he?’ asked Kirsty to Däyna as they retreated further away from the castle and prison. ‘Sonomanma, I mean.’

Däyna looked uncomfortable.

‘God, this is bad. Yes, he does know me. He’s going out with a mate of mine.’ Tani gave her a look.

‘He’s involved with your friend Nicole?’ Däyna nodded conformation. Both looked uncomfortable.

When the four reached the HQ, Kirsty helped Michiru limp along to get some medical treatment, leaving Däyna and Tani alone.

‘Your friend’s not going to be too pleased when she finds out about tonight, is she?’ he asked, treading on dangerous ground.

‘She’s gonna kill me,’ replied Däyna meekly, staring wide eyed at the floor.

‘You’d best get back. She’ll be wondering where you are.’

Däyna nodded. She gave Tani a parting kiss on the lips and hurried out of the building.

When she made her way back, she found Nicole asleep on the sofa. Judging by the fact she still had her shoes on, she did not arrive much earlier than Däyna. Shrugging to herself, she clambered into bed.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Däyna’s fractured dreams about last night were interrupted by a blare of music. Nicole was up.

She made her way, bleary eyed over to the CD player and turned it down.

‘God sorry!’ apologised Nicole, once she had realised what had happened. ‘I thought it was quiet enough to listen to without waking you.’

‘Meh, I was already awake,’ lied Däyna. ‘Just too loud for this time in the morning.’

Nicole gave Däyna a look and motioned to the clock. It was twenty five past two.

‘Close enough,’ shrugged Däyna and flumped down on the sofa.

She glanced up and looked at Nicole again, who suddenly looked unhappy. She sighed and turned away.

‘Sono phoned me while you were still in bed,’ she said once Däyna had asked what was the matter. ‘Apologised if he couldn’t talk to me for a while, but he was attacked last night. Nearly concussed.’

Däyna turned her attention elsewhere the hide the guilty look on her face.

‘Did he mention who it was?’ she asked nonchalantly. Nicole shook her head sadly and Däyna let out a silent sigh of relief.

‘He wouldn’t tell me. I asked him, but he wouldn’t tell me. Said that it was to do with his work and didn’t want me involved.’

Däyna distracted herself some more to hide the red flush creeping up her cheeks. She hoped that Nicole was going to change the subject, but she did not.

‘I’m gonna go and see him this afternoon. He’s still in hospital ‘cause he’s not right, was violently attacked. Come with me?’

A chill ran down Däyna’s back as she took in what her friend had just said. There was no way she could go. She just needed a plausible excuse.

‘Uh, well, I…don’t think I should because, well…I don’t know him that well and uh…I think it should just be you two,’ she invented wildly. Nicole seemed let down, but was prepared to let it go.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tani was nervously making his was pacing around his office.

‘Please stop doing that sir,’ Said Kirsty. ‘You’re making me feel sick.’

He stopped, and have his Corporal a look.

‘It’s only a matter of time before Sonomanma speaks out. I know he will, and then we’re all in for it.’

‘You’re more worried about that girlfriend of yours, aren’t you?’ she tentatively asked.

The General leant against a nearby wall and buried his face in his hands with a heavy sigh.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nicole made her way through the countless wards in the hospital during the afternoon. She asked Däyna is she wanted to come along, but again, she declined. Nicole had noticed that her friend became distracted every time she mentioned Sonomanma being hospitalised. She had wondered if Däyna was somehow involved, but that possibility had been instantaneously cast aside.

Nicole stopped at the foot of Sonomanma’s bed, looking at the figures of Count Takeshi and Animal questioning him relentlessly.

‘Tell me who did this to you,’ the Count snapped for the umpteenth time.