GetBackers Fan Fiction ❯ Witch Hunt ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Witch Hunt

Chapter three

Quietly, Ginji opened the door and peeked out. No one was in sight. He hurried to the stairs, and was soon back in the entrance hall. Now, where was the cellar? From behind a door to his left he heard voices approaching. He quickly opened the door to the cupboard where he had hidden the guard and slid in, closing the door behind him. The guard was lying, still unconscious, on the floor and Ginji did his best not to step on him in the cramped area.

The owners of the voices were now in the entrance hall. Ginji peeked out and saw two young women in their nightdresses, anxiously talking to each other.

"What did Toriyoshi-sama mean?" one of the girls asked. "Did she say there is a young man for us? In the cellar? But we are not supposed to meet him yet? I wish she had said something more. But she seemed to be in a hurry."

"Yes, but we'll soon find out," the other one answered. "She said she needed to talk to father and then she would be coming back to talk to us. I wonder when she comes. Oh, this night has been so weird. I haven't been able to sleep at all since that phone call."

The older girl nodded. "Me neither. I'm glad you are awake too." She yawned. "I still wonder what Toriyoshi-sama meant when we met her in the kitchen."

The younger one looked slyly at her cousin. "Let's get to the cellar and see if we can find that boy!"

A giggle was heard from the older girl. "You're crazy, you know that? She told us not to. What if she comes back and finds us there?" There was a hint of hesitation in her voice but curiosity had soon taken over. "Alright, let's do it!"

Ginji saw the girls open another door and heard one of them say before the door closed behind them: "I hope he's handsome."

Ginji couldn't help but smile. Yes, he's handsome alright. Quietly he left the cupboard and sneaked over to the door where the girls had disappeared. There was a stairway behind it and he followed the girls' voices downstairs.

He reached the bottom and was standing in a small room with three doors. The one in the middle was closing before his eyes and Ginji cautiously opened it. It led to a big room with one door in the left wall and one at the opposite end of the room. The room was empty except for the two girls now standing in front of the door straight ahead. They opened it and disappeared inside.

Ginji walked across the room and listened. From the other side he could hear voices and one of them was Ban's. He opened the door. Behind it was a comfortable room with a small window to the left high up near the ceiling. Since it was dark outside, four lamps on the walls lighted the room. On the floor lay a thick carpet; there was a big bed, a table and two armchairs. In one of them Ban was sitting, facing the door, with the two girls standing in front of him. The girls turned towards Ginji as they heard him open the door behind them.

Before he had a chance to reflect on what he was doing, Ginji let a flash reach each of the girls and they both dropped unconscious to the floor. Not caring about anything else but his Ban-chan, Ginji eagerly stepped over the bodies and…

"Ban-chan!" Ginji threw himself at Ban and embraced him. He loosened the embrace and rose, dragging Ban up from the chair.

Ban unkindly took his arms and pushed him away. "What do you want?" he asked.

"Eh? Ban-chan? I got the Seikon. Hurry, we must leave this house now." Ginji was a bit puzzled by the strange look in Ban's eyes. What kind of spell had that woman put on him? It looked like he could move alright at least. In Ginji's mind, Ban had been immobilized, and Ginji should have to carry him out of the house. There the spell would be broken and they could go on with their mission. It didn't look like it was that kind of spell, though.

"I'm not going anywhere. Why would I follow you? Who are you?" Ban stared at Ginji with a condescending expression on his face, but he felt confused. Wasn't the Seikon mentioned in the conversation he'd had with Toriyoshi-sama earlier? And did this guy says he has got the Seikon? Toriyoshi-sama had said something about him being put on guard to keep the Seikon safe. Was he supposed to take it from this guy now? As a matter of fact, he had promised her to take it back if it had been stolen. Ban decided to wait a little longer before he took the Seikon back from this boy. He was sure he could handle the guy if he turned out to be a threat, but Toriyoshi-sama had said Wait for my Orders. She hadn't mentioned anything about what to do in a situation like this.

"Ban-chan!" Ginji gasped. "It's me, Ginji, your partner, your best friend, remember?"

Ban frowned. "No, I don't remember you." He gave Ginji a considering look. The name Ginji had also been mentioned, he was sure about it, but he couldn't remember why. Not as a partner, or was it?

"I see no reason why I should follow a guy I don't know, and frankly, I don't I like you." He sat down again. "I'm waiting for my orders and I haven't heard anything about a partner so if you give me the Seikon and then leave the room it would be much appreciated."

A sharp pain in Ginji's heart made him almost bend over. He now understood what kind of spell the old woman had put on Ban. It hurt. It hurt so badly. Ban-chan didn't recognize him, said he didn't like him. Ginji had to sit down in the other chair.

"I asked you to leave," Ban said in a cold voice.

"Wait... wait..." Ginji struggled to come up with something that could make Ban listen and remember. First of all they had to get out of here as quick as possible.

"I... was sent here by Toriyoshi-sama," he managed to say at last, remembering the name he had heard Motohashi call the old woman. "She told me to get you. You and I are going to team up, we've been partners before." That at least was the truth. "Will you please follow me, you'll soon get the rest of your orders."

Ban seemed to consider this. Maybe Toriyoshi-sama had said that Ginji was his partner after all. But what about the Seikon? Ban's confused mind couldn't follow, but now when he looked at the boy before him more thoroughly, he could see that the blonde kid was quite cute, and his eyes somehow made Ban feel he should trust him. Maybe this guy wasn't a thief after all; they could be on the same side. It was a possibility that Toriyoshi-sama had sent this boy to give him his orders. And if the kid was lying he could always knock him down later and take back the Seikon. Somehow everything seemed to be a little unclear when he tried to think, but Ban believed he had come up with the right solution. "Alright. If she ordered me to have you as my partner I'll be patient about it. What are we supposed to do?"

Ginji was thankful Ban didn't seem to be able to think straight. As far as Ginji could see, Ban didn't care at all about the two girls lying unconscious on the floor.

"Eh... first we have to get out of this house." Ginji looked anxiously at the door, half expecting to see Motohashi, or worse - his grandmother, coming through it. "We must be careful so no one sees us."

"Why?" Ban demanded an explanation. "Why can't Toriyoshi-sama's other servants see us?"

"Well... you see..." Ginji was desperately trying to find a good excuse for this. He wasn't used to this. Ban was the one that was supposed to do the thinking.

"There is... a spy among them, and... we don't know which one it is. So no one must know we are leaving the house." Lame, Ginji, really lame. He wished he could come up with something better, but Ban only nodded.

"Then we have to be careful as you said." He gave Ginji a contemptuous look. Cute the boy may be, but he looked kind of useless and he had no need for useless. "If Toriyoshi-sama said you should be my partner I guess I have to stand you, but it's not going to be easy. You look disgustingly innocent and harmless - what good can you be to Toriyoshi-sama?"

"Ban-chan..." Ginji said in a hoarse voice, his heart almost stopping. He cleared his throat. "Ban-chan, I..." He was interrupted by Ban's fist at his jaw.

"You should call me Midou-san." Even if that boy had to be his partner and was sent by Toriyoshi-sama, he should know how to address him in a proper way. It was only logical to show the guy who was going to be in charge. That blond kid might have been given order to get him and get out, but as soon as they had reached wherever they were going, they would get the rest of their orders and then Ban would be the leader, of that Ban was absolutely sure.

Ginji sat on the floor where he had fallen. All kinds of emotions were fighting in him at that moment. Midou-san... His Ban-chan hit him and told him to call him Midou-san! Part of him wanted to sit down and cry, part of him was scared someone would come and find him here, but the biggest part of him was furious. How could that woman do this to his dearest friend? And why? It seemed like an awful lot of trouble just to deal with a couple of thieves. Of course, if she hadn't done it she wouldn't have been able to stop them. But how did she know how to handle Ban, and how did she do it?

If she had put a spell on Ban she must be a witch, he guessed, but he hadn't heard of any other witches than Maria. Or hadn't Himiko witch blood, too? Ginji wished he knew a little more about these things, but this was one thing Ban wasn't willing to talk about much. Ginji only knew what he himself had experienced.

He swallowed. "Okay, Midou-san." The word sounded strange in his mouth. He wanted to scream at Ban, shake him, make his partner recognize him. But all that had to wait until they were out of this building.

"We're supposed to get out in the forest, without being seen, as I told you."

"Why?" Ban crossed his arms in front of him. A little more explanation was necessary in his opinion.

Ginji sighed in desperation. Stupid Ban-chan, why couldn't he just do as he was told for once?

"You'll get the rest of your orders out there." Ginji pleaded.

"You've already told me that. What about the Seikon? You are bringing it with you? Why?" Ban's voice was as cold as ice.

Ginji swallowed again. That voice was a terrible thing to hear. All he could do was to pretend that everything was exactly the way Toriyoshi wanted it.

"Yes, of course I am. You'll soon know why. Can we please go now?" he begged, staring with big puppy-dog eyes at Ban.

Ban frowned when he saw Ginji looking at him that way. "You're quite childish, aren't you?" he said in the same cold voice. "Alright, I'll come with you, but it better be as you've said or it'll be my pleasure to teach you how to treat Toriyoshi-sama's loyal servant!"

Ginji couldn't help but shudder at Ban's words. He always hated not being together with Ban, but with a Ban acting like this he would rather be alone. Ginji only hoped he would be able to snap Ban out of this somehow. A spell, the old woman had said, but Ginji didn't know anything about breaking spells. Well, first things first. And that would be to get Ban out.

He turned to the door. "Let's go... Midou-san."

"I thought you might be here, Amano Ginji." The voice Ginji had dreaded was heard behind him. He slowly turned back towards it. Toriyoshi and her grandson had arrived through a secret door at another wall, and the old witch was staring at Ginji with unpleasant eyes.

Ban was relieved to see her. He had been confused, but now she would tell him how to react, and tell him if this boy had been lying. Apparently he had.

Toriyoshi laid a hand on Ban's arm. "Ban-kun, if he attacks, you take care of him. I don't want him dead, just immobilized. Can you handle it?"

"Of course, Toriyoshi-sama."

In a tenth of a second Ginji made his decision. He couldn't attack, fighting against Ban-chan in the enemies' lair would probably end in a catastrophe. On the other hand, he couldn't surrender either. The only option left meant he had to leave Ban here a little longer, but he would come back for him. Before Ban or any of the others was able to react, Ginji fled.

He ran. From the smaller room into the big empty room. Running over to the door that looked like it was right in the wall at the back of the house. It was locked but easy to unlock from the inside. He hurriedly did so and found he was in luck. The door led to the outside with stairs leading up to the garden. Quickly he ascended and reached the garden.

It was still dark but the moon made more than enough light to let him make a run over the lawn towards the forest. When he reached the trees he didn't stop, he plunged deeper into the forest wanting to make as great a distance as he could between himself and the Motohashis, before he must stop to think.

Finally he stopped. Doubts took a hold of him. Had he done the right thing? Maybe he should have stayed and fought? No, he wasn't sure of the outcome if he had stayed. This way he at least was still free to help Ban-chan.

---

Still with her hand on Ban's arm, she asked him: "What did he say to you, Ban-kun?"

"He said he had got the Seikon," Ban answered. "And that you had ordered him to get me since he and I were going to be partners. I was supposed to follow him out to the forest where we would get further orders."

"And were you going to follow him?"

"Yes, but I wasn't sure he told the truth. If I had found out he wasn't I would have taken the Seikon back to you." He was embarrassed he more or less had fallen for the guy's lies, but he had no intention to keep anything back from Toriyoshi-sama.

"Tell me, did he mention anything about the Sacrificer?"

"No, nothing."

Toriyoshi turned to Motohashi Takakatsu who was kneeling by the girls, checking their pulses and breathing. "It seems I have made a mistake, Takakatsu."

"A mistake? What kind of mistake?" Motohashi rose, satisfied that the girls were no more harmed than he and his grandmother had been.

"I have got this feeling that the man who took the Sacrificer is important to us. It's the same feeling I get when we are looking for our victims to the ritual. In other words, I think he is one of those we must sacrifice in ten years." She looked thoughtful. "You should have sensed it too. As soon as the thief was mentioned we both should have sensed it. Maybe we didn't because it's a little early. The search isn't about to begin until another five years have passed."

"I still don't understand why you said you made a mistake."

"I also feel that these twins know who the thief is. I should have asked Midou Ban before I took his memory away."

Her grandson was a little confused. "Can't you give him his memory back and ask him?"

"I could, but that would be dangerous. In just a few seconds he would remember everything and he will react to it. Since he is very powerful I can't risk that. But I think I know how to correct the mistake."

Again she addressed Ban. "Ban-kun. Amano Ginji is most certainly coming back for you again. When he does, you shall follow him."

"I'll do that, Toriyoshi-sama."

"Then you must find out as much as you can about the thief who took the Sacrificer. When you have done that, kill Amano and bring the Seikon back to me. If he doesn't know, or doesn't want to tell you, bring him back together with the Seikon. Understood?"

Ban was relieved to receive orders telling him what to do. It had been frustrating not knowing what to do with Amano Ginji. "Of course, Toriyoshi-sama."

"In the mean time, you can take care of another matter." She looked at the two girls lying on the floor and pointed at the elder one. "Carry her and follow me."

Ban bent down and lifted the girl. He followed the old woman through the secret door, walking behind her all the way to the second floor where they left the secret passages and was now standing in the public part of the house. Motohashi was right behind them, carrying the younger girl in his arms. Toriyoshi showed Ban in to a bedroom and motioned him to put the girl down on the bed. Motohashi disappeared to another room with the other girl.

"Since the Seikon no longer is in the house, we can just as well start the breeding procedure. This girl is in the right phase to get pregnant. You will sleep with her and she will bring the first child in a new generation of witches to us." There was a glint in her eyes that could only be described as evil. "To make sure this will happen I will cast a minor spell over you two before you start. But the girl needs to be awake. I want you to sit here and wait. When she awakes, you ring this bell," she pointed at a rope hanging from the ceiling besides the bed. "Then I'll come to cast the spell."

Remembering his frustration before, Ban had to ask. "What do I do if Amano comes back now?"

Toriyoshi sighed a little. "It would be unfortunate if he comes back before you can complete this task, but in that case you must follow him anyway. You can always finish this when you are back."

"I understand. I will do as you say, Toriyoshi-sama." Ban bowed and the witch left the room.

TBC