That evening found Anastasia making her way down to meet up with Aleyn. It was their daily ritual: the two girls would walk home, make dinner together, and return with their fathers' suppers. After eating with them, they would return to work in their respective divisions until their set time, which they would then return home, either alone or with their fathers; in recent years, the former was more often than not the norm.

The main Tenyakuryou building actually housed three sets of elevators: one for the upper levels, where confidential business was carried out and where Dmitri, Liu-Shen, and their respective divisions worked; one of the "common" levels, where research on the more "mundane" issue of medical biotechnology was conducted; and another leading down into the confidential underground laboratories. The upper levels and basement were encrypted with biometric security, and in order to access them, one would have to make a trip from one set of elevators to the other.

It was during her walk to the common elevators when a pungent smell hit her nose. Scents were rare in the building; there was excellent ventilation due to all the chemicals that the scientists used, so the most common aroma was the artificial lemon in the cleaning products. This wasn't even close to it, and with the rank came voices, made indistinct by distance. Curious, Anastasia followed them until she saw a blob of colour that didn't belong in the monochromatic corridor. At first she simply dismissed it - there were plenty of people in the building - until she realized that one of them . . . Anastasia flattened herself against the wall, hiding behind the corner. A few stiff moments, and she turned to peer over again.

Two young men stood over . . . a blob. The same guys from lunch . . . ? But no. Neither had the bleached locks of her saviour, and their hair was too long to be the one who'd helped Aleyn. Her attention was drawn to the thing they were staring at. It looked like something straight out of those cheap Western lagoon monster movies, all green and rancid and made of slime. It was some kind of head, with sunken red eyes, yellowed tusks, and two black horns protruding from its skull.

". . . could sneak in unnoticed?" one guy with hair slightly longer than his companion's was asking. His tone was that of a disdainful drawl.

"Even for a lesser, that's foolish of you," the other agreed.

Slime-head's responding chuckle and words sent chills down Anastasia's spine. "Heh heh . . . you think you're so powerful . . . but rest assured . . . we will get . . . your pretty little princess . . ."

Was the head . . . shrinking? The one who'd had the drawl swore as both men jumped up as if to intevene. Too late; the thing was gone. With another curse the first one turned around with a stamp of his foot.

"Damn it! When I get my hands on him . . . !"

"Enough," the second one sighed. "He's a lesser. Not worth your time getting angry at him . . ."

"What was that . . . and that smell . . ."

At the sound of her voice, the two youths whirled around, alert. Anastasia, realizing her folly, gasped and clapped her hands over . The first man seemed surprised that she was there, but then glared at her.

"What're you doing here!?" he demanded.

"Na- . . . !? I should be asking you that!" the mocha woman snapped back, instantly defensive at his tone.

The other man stepped towards her. "Matte! You shouldn't be h-"

A dark chuckle sounded and before any of them could react, she felt something akin to bog slime and smelling of rotting flesh on her shoulder and over , effectively cutting off her scream. The two males stopped mid-leap.

"What d'ya know . . . the little pretty came on her own," the slimehead snickered.

The man who'd yelled at her made to move towards them, his eyes livid. The head tutted, and Anastasia's grey eyes widened as she felt something sharp tickling her neck. The youth froze, and the slime thing chuckled again.

"Better." It began talking again, and she realized it was talking to her. "Now, how shall I kill you, pretty girl? Should I crawl down your throat and choke you to death? Or I can stick you like a pig and let everyone see your pretty blood . . ."

The mocha felt her heart leap into as she fixed the two adolescents with a panicked look, desperately pleading for their help mentally and hoping the message got through in her eyes.

"Teme . . . !" the youth with the longer hair growled, but he remained where he was.

The second man sighed, and when he spoke, the ice in his voice was frightening. "Bakayarou . . . now you've made me annoyed."

His lips moved, though no sound came from them. Anastasia felt her captor shudder slightly and tense. Moments later, it was shouting indignantly.

"Huh? I can't . . . What did you do!?"

The first man's next movements were a blur. Anastasia blinked twice and he was beside her. She caught a glimpse of his eyes before she blinked again; vivid yellow, like twin gold disks. But she didn't have time to process it, for suddenly she was free of the cloying stench and the putrid slime, and in the arms of the man with shorter hair. One of his slender hands went to cover the mocha's eyes as he drew her to him.

"Himegimi . . . you'll want to cover your ears," his soft voice whispered at her ear.

But apparently she didn't do as he asked quickly enough. She heard the monster beg for its life, heard its screams as a sudden wind picked up, heard the sound of flesh being torn to ribbons. When the wind died, the man removed his hand. The rank was gone . . . and so was the slime. The first youth sighed, and turned to where the mocha woman leaned against his companion, too stupefied by the whole set of events to remember her legs.

"Daijoubu, hime?" he asked, extending his hand to her.

Still dumbstruck, Anastasia only managed to nod and stare as she slowly took his hand. The two males helped her stand, and for a minute or so they stood there, a short mocha woman between two Asian men. Finally the one who'd covered her eyes bent to brush his lips over the back of her fingers.

"It's seems you're alright," he commented with a charming smile, voice sounding relieved. "We apologize for scaring you. We have to go know. Take care, hime-chan."

"Mata neh, ohime," the other nodded.

Releasing her hands, the two gentlemen waved before disappearing down the hall, leaving a very confused, very flustered Anastasia in their wake.


Aleyn fairly flew out of the section of offices and down the halls. She'd been caught up in her work and hadn't realized the time until Shifu had pointed it out. She felt like the White Rabbit, oh so late for her very important date. Only, the consequences would be an impatient, teasing Anastasia and a very hungry father. Still, for the Asian, that was just as bad as that dreaded, "Off with her head!"

Slowing down to catch her breath as she left the stairs to get the "common" elevator, Aleyn heard voices nearby. Peering around a corner after following them, she spotted two young men lounging in the hall. One was tall with short-medium hair bleached to a tawny brown. The other was shorter, his dark bangs combed back.

". . . will look like?" the taller one was speaking.

"Dunno. Those two said they met two girls that fit the age bill . . . but both said that the girl they bumped into had traces."

"So either could be . . . ?"

"Or both."

Both fell silent for a time, and jus when Aleyn was considering stepping out from her spot, the taller male pushed himself off the wall, where he'd been leaning the whole time.

"Ma, well, looks like this area is clear," he stated cheerfully, stretching. "Let's go back. I'm hungry~!"

Still chatting amiably, the two men strode off. Aleyn waited until they were gone before extracting herself from around the corner. "Two girls" . . . were they friends of the pair of young men she and Anastasia had run into that afternoon? What had they been talking about?

A squeak broke her train of thought. The Asian looked around, confused, until another squeak drew her attention downward. The only thing she could relate its appearance to was a fluffball. It was two cute beady little eyes and all fuzz, and was gazing up at her in what could only be described as an endearing way. The woman's eyes lit up as she dropped to a crouch.

"Oh~! Kawaii~!"

Apparently it could understand human speech. Though it had no visible mouth, the fuzzball's eyes squinted closed in an unmistakable smile as it purred. Aleyn giggled.

"What's a cutie like you doing here? Are you some kind of hybrid?" she asked it. "Oh, or maybe you're a robot like Fou-chan!"

The little critter purred again, and Aleyn smiled. As she reached out to touch it, however, something long and pink shot out from behind her and snapped the creature up. There was a shriek from the furball and a slurping crunching noise, followed by a gulp.

"Bleh . . . those Zakki are like eating sugared air," came a raspy voice. "You, on the other hand . . ."

Jumping up with a yelp and stumbling back, the teenager had to stifle a scream as she saw the monstrosity that had crept up from behind. It looked like a lizard with matted fur covering its body, leaving its head, tail, and legs bare to show off its mud-coloured scales. Glassy eyes stared hungrily at her as it its chops and its reptilian lips curled back in a dark smile, showing its twin rows of small, sharp teeth, now blood-splattered with bits of sinew and fur clinging on.

"Heh heh heh . . . don't look so shocked, precious. It makes me feel bad killing you."

With a hissed growl it pounced. This time she couldn't stop the scream from slipping as she threw up her arms in a futile attempt to protect herself. She didn't hear the feet, but she did feel the rush of wind . . .

"Gotcha."

Aleyn's eyes snapped open as she felt arms on her shoulders and under her knees. It was the tall youth from earlier . . . When had he gotten here? And was she now several feet down the hall already? How had that happened? Looking down and noticing her stare, the man flashed her a smile.

"Daijoubu, musume-chan?" he asked. "You're not hurt, are you?"

Mutely, all Aleyn could do was shake her head, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she realized he was practically carrying her. The youth smiled again as he put her down, but before he had a chance to speak, the lizard's hiss brought the Asian woman's attention to its direction. It was facing off with the shorter man, and it didn't look the least bit happy.

"Thought we didn't sense you, lesser?" the man asked, his tone taunting. "Don't take us for amateurs."

"We'll get her, don't think we won't," the lizard snarled.

"I won't count on it, then."

With one arm, the tall adolescent pulled Aleyn to him, using his body to shield her face and his arm and hand to cover her ears. He was a little slow, though; his actions only muffled out the latter half of the monster's screeches, and she still caught a whiff of the bittersweet rank of burning hair and flesh. A few seconds later, she was free. No furry lizard monster. The hallway was empty save for her and her rescuers. The shorter one grinned and pointed off over her shoulder.

"You dropped something, musume-chan," he told her.

Gullible as ever, Aleyn turned to search the ground for that "something" she'd dropped. Of course, there was nothing there, and when she turned to say so, she found herself quite alone.