|| A Bouquet of Red and White Roses || [Yu Yu Hakusho Fan-fic] {Edits}

A Plan for Retrieval

"What's the matter Ciel? You've been quiet for a while now."

Downstairs I could hear Oka speaking to Ciel. At the moment we were currently waiting for the one known as "Senri". According to Oka, he was the childhood friend who went out of his way to find that information about Anzu. There was something sketchy about the situation but I decided to wait and see how things would play out. The most I could do was observe, considering how Shiori was supposed to be dead. Senri, along with the other hunters that were associated with the Nakanishi Branch, had no reason to know that Shiori was still here. Or rather, her body. In order to prevent any possible problems, I had the others go to Genkai's house until this meeting was over. 

"Nothing really", I heard Ciel reply after a while. Her voice lacked emotion. "I was just.. thinking about something."

I smirked at the thought of what happened that night. It's been a couple days since that confrontation. I took a deep breath and sighed in dismay. I didn't care if she got hurt. It amused me to see that pained expression on her face. Someone had to put her in her place. She had to wake up before she could even think about saving Shiori. 

"Aside from that Oka", Ciel said, assuming that she wanted to change the subject, "Is it really okay for Senri to come here?" Oka, who seemed to be shuffling around with something, walked out into the living room. Ciel followed after her. "It is", she muttered softly. "Besides, it's not as thought they don't know where this house is. The only reason to why none of the people in the branches appear is because it's protected by the beads that are scattered around here." Ciel sighed and took a seat on the couch. "Beads huh..?", she said to herself. "Speaking about those beads.. where did they even come from? I've always wondered." "They were from a rosary that Shiori had", Oka replied, "But about where it came from.. I don't know myself. Shiori said that the rosary broke when she was in Kyoto." "Kyoto? But why was she in.."

Ciel was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Oka's footsteps moved away as she went to open the door. "Yo", someone said with a carefree tone. "Hello", Oka replied. I assumed that she had greeted him with a smile. As the other set of footsteps entered the house, I could hear Oka close the door behind her. As usual, there was tension. It never got old.

"To think that you came here yourself", Ciel muttered, "I wonder if that means you're really trying to change something." "Could it be?", Senri chuckled, "I wouldn't be so sure. At this point, I'm moving on my own. It's gotten a little boring lately." "Do they know?", Oka asked. "Do they know that you've come here?" I heard him take a seat by the counter. "No", he bluntly replied, "Of course not." "Aren't you worried?", Ciel asked in disbelief. "About what?", Senri mumbled, "That they'll find out? I'm not worried. Honestly, why do you think I went out of my way to get those papers about the Maeda Stone?" "Heh", Ciel huffed, "You're just asking for trouble.." "You're one to talk", he replied with a smile. "Although this is nothing new is it?" "Of course not", she responded. "Aside from that, what exactly do you plan to do? How do you plan to take the Maeda Stone without getting caught?" 

"The other day, they were going over the schedule for the wedding", Senri began to explain, "They were showing me where and when things were going to take place. During that time, I figured out where the ring was going to be. It's going to be in the room next to the archives. You'll only have two opportunities to get the ring before it's handed down the aisle." "And that'll be?", Ciel asked. "The first opportunity is when everyone is getting ready", he replied. "It's a wedding. A lot of things will be going on. While everyone is getting ready, one of you could go inside and take it." "But that doesn't mean it won't be guarded will it", Oka muttered. "No, of course not", Senri sighed, "It's the Maeda Stone after all. Of course it'll be guarded." "How many will be stationed around the room?" "According to what I was told, they plan to have 5 guards." 

I slightly narrowed my gaze and watched as an suspicious expression appeared on Oka's face. Although I doubt that they noticed. "Just 5?", Ciel mumbled, "That doesn't sound right.." Senri shrugged. "That's what I was told", he replied. "When is the second opportunity?", Oka asked. "The second opportunity is when everyone is prepared to watch the bride walk down the aisle. The ring is going to be held by Yuuko. While they're waiting, you could go and take it." "So basically, you're telling us to cause a scene?", Ciel said in disbelief. "I guess you can say that", Senri replied. "Then there's only one option", Oka muttered. Senri leaned back into his seat with an observant look on his face. 

"Will you two be moving alone?", he asked after a while. Ciel and Oka exchanged empty gazes before nodding their heads. "It's just us", Ciel quietly mumbled. "No one else." "So then it's true?", Senri asked next. "Is it true that Shiori.. the little miss didn't survive?" They both averted their gazes. Oka glanced at the window and Ciel stared at the floor. For a while, not one of them said a word. Senri eventually got up and broke the silence. "I see..", he mumbled. "So it's become like that." "Don't you think it's good though?", Ciel asked. "Now that she's gone, he can finally inherit the Nakanishi Branch. Isn't that what you've always wanted?" "They", he dryly replied, "I never cared about who would inherit what. We were just following orders. "That's why it's disappointing", Oka mumbled. "Indeed", Senri said as he began to walk towards the door. "When Shiori went against the main branch.. she showed us that there was much more to than just following orders. She proved to us that we could carve our paths, that we could decide for ourselves. Despite going against a group who much stronger than herself, she still went ahead and did as pleased. You both understand, don't you? We're not like that." "Of course", Ciel sighed, "We know that better than anyone else." Senri grinned.

"The wedding will take place in two days", he said before he left. "I've brought you a copy of the schedule. If possible, please stop the wedding. You would be doing Mitsuru and I a favor."

~~~~~

As Ciel looked through the paper that Senri had left, I spoke to Oka about something that seemed off to me. "When he mentioned the amount of guards around the room", I said, "It seemed like he was holding back on something. Did you feel it too?" "I did", Oka replied with a frown. "Do you think that he's hiding something?",  Ciel called out. We turned to see her already looking our way. "It's possible", Oka mumbled. "But you trust him, do you not", I asked. She nodded her head. "But it's just like you said", she replied, "There was something off about his response. 5 guards is too little. If it's a wedding, there should be ten times that amount, especially around the ring." I smirked. "If what he was saying was true, then it's possible that there's a third party watching over the event", I said. "And if that's the case, then he was deceived. Why do you think he asked you to stop the wedding? It would seem that even he knows he's being lied to."