Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own a car, either. What does that have to do with anything? Who knows!
Greetings and Salutations to all of you!!! This is nessie, aka chocolatechipp, aka Shokora no Sakuhen here with a brand spankin' new story. Hooray!!!
Now, for my Maiden readers, you're probably all steaming right now, with this thought on your mind: "why the HECK is she starting a new story when it's taking her so FREAKING long to update her old one? Well, I simply just could not get this story idea out of my head, and I all ready have an idea of what I'm going to do with it, so some of you guys are just gonna have to DEAL. I'm not forgetting The Maiden, I'm simply…writing two stories now. Lets hope it works out, right?This is going to be SO different from The Maiden; it'll probably be like night and day. I wanted to make this story funny and post it under "Romance and Humor", but…I just don't think I have it in me. I have a hard time being funny on purpose…
Ruri: You can say that again. To put it lightly, her jokes suck.
Nessie: Hold on guys, hold on, I have another one.
Ami: Oh Lord.
Nessie: One time I confused my poodle with a Dogwood tree. Get it? A Dogwood tree?
Absolute silence
Ami: Someone please put me out of my misery.
So anyway, I hope ate least some of you will enjoy this story. Now I should probably wrap things up. I mean, I bet hardly anyone reads what I write here anyway. So, enjoy the story!!! Tootles!!!!nessie
Oh, and I don't really own a poodle.
Oh, give me a home…
Where the buffalo roam…
And the deer and the antelope play!
Where seldom is heard,
A discouraging word,
And the sky is not cloudy all day!
"You're going to be all right, Miss Kaoru," the soothing voice assured her. The small ten-year-old girl nodded, ignoring the searing pain in her left leg. She refused to open her eyes…she didn't want to see what that horse had done to her. Gentle fingers softly brushed sweat-soaked black bangs away from the gash on her forehead. Kaoru could feel the hot Wyoming sun beating down on her and practically baking her as she lay on the open, dusty ground. She knew she shouldn't have ridden that horse, but her dad…he had promised her that it would all be okay. Kaoru felt her teeth clench instinctively. She usually didn't trust her father. Why had today been any different?
"Sing softly, sing sweetly, the tabby cat purred,
For there's no other way to catch the bluebird.
As that glorious thing flies up high above,
Sing softly, sing sweetly, my child, my love."
Kaoru let her eyes drift open and looked up at the face singing down at her. A boy…he looked about her age, maybe a few years older. With striking red hair, yet surprisingly gentle violet eyes. She couldn't make out any other facial features because of the bright glare of the sun.
"What are you singing?" Kaoru managed to whisper, her voice cracked and dry. She wished for cool waters. Kaoru squinted to get a better look at the boy. Was he smiling?
"It's a song my mother used to sing to me when I was scared. Its okay to be scared, Miss Kaoru." The young girl bit her lip.
"I'm not scared." The boy shrugged.
"I didn't think so." Kaoru resisted to urge to say 'yes-you-did' and began to sit up. She was gently pushed back down.
"You're leg is broken. You should stay here and I'll get help." As he began to stand up Kaoru grabbed the boy's wrist and pulled him back down next to her. She waited a few moments before speaking.
"I don't like it out west. When I'm older I'll move to New York City."
"Will you now?" Kaoru didn't like his amused tone. It sounded as if he was making fun of her, or like he didn't believe her. Kaoru nodded confidently.
"I will. I'm going to see Times Square. When I get there I'll send you a postcard, and I'll write that song you just sang on the back. When you get it you have to send me a postcard too. Promise?" The boy hesitated.
"I think you have a concussion, Miss Kaoru. You probably won't even remember any of this." But Kaoru was confident.
"Promise?"
The boy sighed in defeat.
"Fine. I promise." Kaoru smiled and closed her eyes again. She was beginning to feel a little dizzy.
"Now sing me that song again."
"You are a pushy one, Miss Kaoru." Kaoru nodded. She heard that everyday from her father…that liar.
"I know. But please just sing."
"All right."
Kaoru settled in to the sound of his voice. It was calm, protective, and musical as he sang his song just as it advised him: softly and sweetly. And as she felt herself beginning to fall asleep, his comforting voice was the last thing she could hear. That, plus the sound of an…
ALARM CLOCK?!
Kaoru groaned as she reached out from underneath her blankets and blindly groped for the snooze button. She felt a pang of anger as the loud beeping finally stopped. Her dumb alarm clock, interrupting a perfectly good dream.
A dream that seemed very familiar…and gave her that strange sense of déjà vu…
"Oh, double scratch it," Kaoru mumbled her home made and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She knew in her head she was just going crazy, and that if she didn't get her butt out of bed and dressed she would miss another dull, monotonous day of work at The New York Herald.
What a tragedy.
Kaoru sighed as she fingered through jam-packed clothing drawers for a clean pair of jeans. Work wasn't exactly satisfying. She had worked at the newspaper for three years, and her boss (Mr. Hershog) didn't even know her by name yet. Kaoru studied her image in a small, clouded mirror mounted clumsily on her wall. She bit her lip, cocked her head, and smiled, satisfied. Her only friend at work was Suzumi Nato-and she wasn't the best of company these days, to say the least. Suzumi had recently been dumped by her long-term boyfriend (Ted-or was it Todd?), who claimed she was "too boring". The result? A weepy eyed, sniffling, sob-crazy Suzumi who wasn't much fun during lunch hours. Not to mention the receptionist, who Kaoru knew only by "Marla", was out to get her ever since Kaoru accidentally dumped a pot of hot coffee on the middle-aged receptionist's new skirt. So Kaoru was reminded every day why it wasn't a good idea to get on the receptionist's bad side.
Kaoru checked her watch and moaned-how was it no matter how early she got up, she always managed to be late for work?
Kaoru rushed through the throb of people moving in what seemed like one motion against her, trying to keep her from making it to work. Unlike life-time residents of NYC, Kaoru had been a girl from the west-and it had taken her a very, very, very long time to get used to the millions of people who lived so close to her. Even now, she had troubles navigating through traffic. But Kaoru knew that she would rather spend a lifetime stuck in a crowded McDonalds with "Marla" than move back to the west. Wyoming held bad memories for her-and a life she had worked so hard to get out of her head.
The cloud was a dark, miserable gray, and the rain dripped down in small, slow little spats. Enough to get you uncomfortably damp, but not enough for an umbrella. Kaoru pulled her long black coat tightly around her as a biting wind whipped around her ankles. She sighed. What a great way to start the day: her mood was so bleak she didn't think coffee would cheer her up. And the tall, bland building with the words "The New York Herald" Carved into it didn't exactly cheer her up. Taking a deep breath, Kaoru pulled open the heavy bronze doors to begin her day at hell-or work.
"Ms. Kamiya, I regret to inform you that you are late again today. This is unacceptable, and I'm sure Mr. Hershog will agree with me." Marla's nasal voice echoed off of the granite walls of the lobby. Kaoru bit her lip. She knew Marla's threats were empty-Mr. Hershog hardly knew she existed.
"I'm sorry, Marla. I slept through my alarm, and-"
"No excuses!" Marla snapped, tapping her abnormally long fingernails against the cold stone counter. Kaoru nodded, trying to not make eye contact.
"Right, of course. No excuses. I'm sorry." Marla nodded stiffly.
"I'll have to inform Human Resources, of course, and we'll just have to wait and see what they plan to do about your…not exactly exemplary time card. Just so you know, Ms. Kamiya, if I were they, I would fire you as fast as I could get the paper work done. Now please, go up to your cubicle and try to get some work done for once. You are dismissed." Kaoru nodded, feeling ashamed and very stupid. As she boarded the elevator, she heard Marla faintly speaking to another late employee about how of course she could overlook the time. Kaoru gritted her teeth, and smiled. Grin and bear it, girl, grin and bear it!
As soon as the elevator doors opened to Kaoru's floor, she was bombarded by Shara-the office bimbo.
"Kaoru honey! Listen, I've got to write this article about unwed teenage mothers that's due this afternoon, and I was wondering if you could just-"
"I'm not going to write your report for you, Shara," Kaoru told the blonde, exasperated. Was it just bad memory, or did this happen every single day? Kaoru had a specific dislike for Shara, because the girl had no talent and a better job. Why was this? She and Mr. Hershog had a private relationship going on. Which left Kaoru writing the financial aid articles.
"Oh, Puh-Puh-Puh-Please, Kao-Kao? I just have no idea where to start, and if you could just write down some ideas, I would be soooooo incredibly grateful…please?" Kaoru clenched the pencil in her hand until it broke. She whirled around.
"Fine. Fine. But only ideas, promise? I don't want to end up writing the entire thing again, like I did with that article on downloaded music, ok?" Shara nodded solemnly, her ponytail bobbing up and down. After a few paper exchanges and Shara going to get a cup of crappy office coffee, Kaoru set to work answering the pressing financial questions of New Yorkers everywhere.
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Lunchtime. The dreaded two-syllable word, which promised misery and pain and soggy sandwiches. Following normal routine, Kaoru gathered up her wrinkled brown paper bag lunch and headed to human resources, where she would eat lunch with Suzumi. Not something she looked forward to.
But this time when Kaoru made her way down the rows and rows of gray cubicles, she practically fainted when she stopped at Suzumi's. This was not Suzumi Nato, the timid, brown haired, emotional mess that Kaoru had seen yesterday.
No, this was a girl wearing knee-high black platform boots; orange fishnets, a sparkly purple shirt with a white feather boa draped around her shoulders, and spiked purple hair. Kaoru felt her jaw drop.
"Umm…is this…Suzumi Nato's desk?" She asked carefully. To her horror, the stranger in Suzumi's swivel chair whirled around and offered Kaoru a wide, white smile, accented with her lime-green painted lips.
"It was Suzumi Nato's desk. What a change, right? No one, absolutely no one, can say I'm boring now. Look at my nails!" Beaming, Suzumi displayed her freakishly long fingernails, painted hot pink. Kaoru didn't know whether to scream and run or cry. Instead, she sat cautiously on Suzumi's desk, and slowly opened her lunch bag.
"How do you type with those on?" Kaoru tried to make small conversation. She had to hand it to Suzumi, she certainly wasn't boring anymore.
"Oh, its difficult, but I manage. All in the name of creativity, right?" She winked, exposing incredibly long, fake blue eyelashes. Kaoru nodded weakly, not knowing what to say.
"I'm planning on going to see Tom tonight-just to show him up. Won't he be surprised when I come looking like this? And if he begs me to come back, do you know what I'm going to tell him, Kaoru?" Kaoru shrugged.
"That he's too boring?" Suzumi's shoulder's slumped, and she frowned, confused.
"Exactly. How did you guess?" Kaoru sighed, and put her arm around her work friend. She didn't know how, but she had to break it to her that she looked like-well, frankly, and idiot.
"Listen, Suzumi, I-" Suzumi quickly cut her off.
"Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you. I got my name officially changed to Kiwi Rainbowflower. Suzumi Nato was just too boring for the new me. So you get to call me Kiwi now! What were you going to say, Kaoru?" Kaoru hesitated, then stood up, crumpled her brown bag into a ball, and threw it out in Suzumi's-or rather, Kiwi's-wastebasket.
"I'm sorry, I'm just not feeling too well. Good luck with Tom."
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As Kaoru packed up her things, she felt the waves of self-pity washing over her. This had been the mother of bad days. Shara had stopped by and gotten on her hands and knees, begging Kaoru to write her article for her. What was she supposed to do? So Kaoru gave in, of course, and dropped it off in Shara's large glass office. Mr. Hershog was there, sitting on her desk, crooning over her while she giggled like a lunatic. Neither of them even noticed she was there.
And now it was back to home through the pouring rain. Kaoru wondered why she forgot to bring an umbrella as she ran with her coat over her head, trying to at least save her hair. This was to no prevail, of course: by the time Kaoru reached the sanctuary that was her apartment complex, she had managed to get herself soaked to the bone (including hair) and covered in mud, since she had the fortune of being right next to a taxi as it slammed into a puddle.
Kaoru slumped up to her room, cringing as her shoes made very odd squishing sounds every time she took a step. Depression washed over her like the downpour she had been stuck in. It wasn't only that she had experienced a day from hell, it was that dawning realization that basically every day ended the same way: Kaoru trudging up to her room half-heartedly, just wanting to fall into the couch and watch the newest Jeopardy.
Tonight, of course, Kaoru had to peel off the wet pieces of fabric clinging to her legs and stomach before she could even think about watching her favorite show. And, of course, there was dinner to prepare. This really filled Kaoru with dread. She hadn't had a decent meal in years, since anything that she touched that was food related seemed to burn to a crisp. To make this horrible procedure easier, Kaoru settled with a simple Lean Cuisine meal, which she yanked out of the freezer and shoved into the microwave. Waiting for her meal to thaw, Kaoru contemplated her latest actions. Was it just her, or did she seem to have a bad case of doormat syndrome? She couldn't seem to tell anyone no, couldn't seem to stand up for herself. This wasn't like her. Kaoru remembered how she was before NYC took over her: stubborn, tough, determined, and opinionated. As her father had once stated, "That girl is like fire. And she's a pain in the ass.".
What had happened to the Kaoru of old?
Had she disappeared forever, or was this new personality temporary?
Would she always suffer from doormat syndrome?
Or, one of these days, would she be able to tell Marla what a bitch she really was?
Kaoru was suddenly torn from her profound thoughts when she realized the Lean Cuisine had blown up.
The once fiery girl swore loudly as she opened the microwave door and was greeted with melted plastic, steaming noodles, and garlic sauce-everywhere. With a dejected sigh and slump of her shoulders, Kaoru went to get the used-way-too-often sponge.
And of course, right after the mess had been cleaned up; right after Kaoru had made herself some bread and butter instead; right after Kaoru had settled down to an episode of Jeopardy; the phone rang.
Again with the loud swearing, Kaoru yanked the phone off the hook and practically screamed, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!?!?!?!?!?"
"Am I speaking with Kaoru Kamiya?" The voice on the other end sounded calm, not at all taken back from Kaoru's shouting. But something wasn't right, didn't feel right. She pulled up a chair and sat down slowly.
"Yes, this is she." Kaoru paused, almost afraid to ask. "What is it?"
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Miss Kamiya, but I'm afraid…your father has died."
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"Dr. Takani, paging Dr. Takani, you are needed in the E.R immediately. Dr. Takani, you are needed in the E.R immediately."
"I know already," Megumi Takani muttered under her breath, dropping the apple she had been eating for lunch as she proceeded to run down the loud, bustling hospital hallways, white coat trailing behind her.
"Can't they do anything without my help?" Megumi grumbled as she rounded a corner swiftly. It was no secret that Dr. Megumi Takani, for having just gotten her license to practice, was one of the best doctors Central Jefferson Hospital had to offer. Whenever any of the nurses had free time, they always buzzed about the young doctor: she was only twenty-five years old, and although many of the senior doctors refused to admit it, she was excellent at what she did.
But Megumi never listened to nurse's gossip. She wasn't a strong believer in relationships. When asked why such a lovely, smart girl was single, she often replied (in a not-so-lovely manner), "Relationships interfere with work.". This was also why she had practically no friends.
Megumi told herself that she didn't want a man cooing over her like a fat dove, or any giggly girlfriends to watch chick flicks with. She refused to admit to anyone that the reasoning behind the no-boyfriend-to-speak-of might have gone a little deeper than that…
"What's the problem?" Megumi asked as she stepped into the room filled with doctors and nurses, all rushing about in chaotic panic. A timid, blonde haired nurse looked up with shame in her eyes.
"I gave the patient pain relievers, and…he had an…allergic reaction…" Megumi had started moving after the trembling nurse said "sedatives". Within seconds plastic gloves were on, a hypodermic needle was filled with a tranquilizer, and many of the useless people in the room had been thrown out. With smooth, fluent motions the needle was injected into the underside of the patients arm, and soon the once-thrashing patient was calmed. The quivering nurse smiled shakily.
"Oh, thank you Dr. Takani, I'm so glad you came in time-" she was cut off as Megumi slapped her smartly, leaving a bright red mark. Her eyes welled up with tears.
"That was a stupid mistake that never should have been made," the young doctor snapped. "Empty-headed girls like you should be receptionists, not nurses. Don't make a mistake like this again." She stormed out, leaving the nurse to sob her head off. Heads turned as Megumi stomped down the halls, and the surgeons gave each other looks: Dr. Takani had made yet another nurse cry.
"Did you have to slap her?" Megumi stopped walking when she recognized that old, tired voice, and turned around to face her senior doctor.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Lee, but I had to get my point across" The old doctor shook his head. He was one of the few physicians at CJH that had Megumi's respect, probably because he had proven he had a brain in his head.
"Are you leaving for your camping trip soon?" Megumi asked, picking a piece of dust off of her lab coat. He nodded.
"A week in the Grand Tetons, away from this hospital and away from this rainy weather." He gestured out the window, where it was indeed pouring. "Are you jealous?" This time Megumi shook her head.
"Not at all. The idea of 'roughing it' makes my skin crawl. That's why I moved from Wyoming to Seattle as soon as I could."
"Couldn't stand ranch life?"
"Pretty much. Cows smell, you know." The old doctor 's lips twitched as he fought back a smile.
"I know. Well, I have a patient waiting for me. Try not to make anyone else cry until we've all had lunch, ok?" Megumi wrinkled her nose.
"I can't make any promises!" She shouted to his back. He shrugged it off and continued until he was out of sight.
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Megumi smiled as she pressed her keys into the lock of her door. She had been very pleased when she purchased her house, because it was everything she wanted: small, trendy, and clean. After pushing the door open she quickly collected her mail (a few bills), organized them into neat little piles, and started cooking dinner.
Megumi hadn't been lying when she told Dr. Lee she hated the outdoors. Farms and woods didn't appeal to her, and although she could deal with blood and guts any day, bugs and animals were another thing. She wasn't a veterinarian for a reason.
Megumi smiled as she poured herself a glass of Chardonnay. Wine was a simple pleasure she enjoyed, as were bubble baths and expensive chocolates. She quickly cooked up some pasta with low fat garlic sauce and sat down to enjoy her feast.
"I don't mind eating by myself," Megumi spoke into the silence after swallowing a forkful of noodles. "Relationships just get in the way." She nodded to herself to make sure she was certain. Boyfriends are for people who aren't serious about their careers, she repeated over and over in her head. I'm totally ok with being alone. I wanted it this way.
Looking up for a brief moment, Megumi caught a glimpse of a picture on her mantel. This really made her smile: a picture of her Aunt Haruna, long black hair framing her face, decked out in a Stetson and everything. Haruna Takani had taken Megumi in when she was young, after…the incident. Megumi had dropped the last name of "Kamiya". Why keep the last name of a father she hardly knew? Changing her name to Megumi Takani had been her way of thanking her Aunt. Of course, Megumi hadn't talked to dear Aunt Haruna since she moved to Washington.
I'm sure she understands, Megumi told herself, sipping her wine. She was the one who encouraged me to move anyway. She jumped out of her seat when the phone rang.
"Why do they always call during dinner?" She grumbled, picking up her cordless phone. "Yeah, hello?"
"Hi! Is this Dave's Pizza?"
Megumi swore silently. There was one downside to living in this house. Apparently the number was very similar to a sleazy pizza parlor.
"Yes, this is Dave's Pizza, want to hear our specials? STOP CALLING MY HOUSE!" With that she slammed the phone back in the receiver, already planning what she would do to the next caller asking to order a large pizza with extra cheese. Megumi had never been friendly with pizza lovers, probably because she had to give up cheese for her new diet. The young doctor glanced back at her meal and smiled. Her lifestyle was perfect for her: she wouldn't change it in any way.
Would she?
Megumi bit her lip as the phone rang again. The last thing she wanted to do at the moment was deal with another pizza junkie looking for the infamous Dave. The pepperoni-craving loser might not get their pizza, but they would definitely have a taste of Megumi's wrath. Breathing flames, she grabbed the phone and shoved it to her ear.
"Listen," she hissed dangerously. "My home is not a pizza parlor, and I am definitely not Dave, so LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!!!" The last part she screamed as loud as she could into the mouthpiece. Panting angrily, Megumi paused to listen to the other end.
"Hello, is this the home of Dr. Megumi Takani?"
Megumi froze.
The voice on the other end sounded like they didn't just hear the doctor screaming about pizzas a second ago. In fact, they sounded very calm.
"Umm, yes. Yes it is. May I ask who is speaking?" Megumi ran a hand through her black hair, collecting herself. That had been embarrassing.
"Of course. This is your father's lawyer, Mr. Oten. I'm afraid I'm the bearer of…rather unfortunate tidings."
Now Megumi was really shell-shocked. Her…father? She hadn't seen him in…well; it had to be seventeen years at least. They weren't exactly on speaking terms. And what about this lawyer? Megumi scowled. She didn't like lawyers, they were always too eager for malpractice lawsuits. But what news could he be bearing? A surprise family reunion? That would be unfortunate. But Megumi had a feeling that definitely wasn't it.
"Oh," Megumi replied softly. She sat quietly down in her lazy boy recliner, contemplating what to say. "W-what news?"
There was silence on the other end. Then finally…
"Your father has…passed away. I'm so sorry."
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I need my pills.
I need my pills.
I need my pills.
I need my pills…Misao Makimachi sat up in the dark, stiff as a board. Her head pulsed like a heartbeat, and she was drenched in sweat. The room whirled around her, and Misao instantly shut her eyes, not wanting to see the spinning world in front of her. But it was too late-nausea settled in her stomach, and Misao feared she would lose whatever little she had eaten for dinner last night.
Misao threw her hand out into the darkness, groping blindly for that bottle she knew so well. Finally bumping into it, Misao snatched it up and emptied the remaining two pills into her palm. She then gently took the glass of water she had laid out right next to the pill bottle, threw the pills in her mouth, and swallowed.
Her headache stilled.
The room came to a halt.
Misao smiled.
"Misao, I have breakfast ready! Make sure to dress warmly, its chilly outside!"
"Thank you Mrs. Benner!" Misao shouted, flicking the lights on and hopping out of bed. She instantly went to the shower to wash off the perspiration still sticking to her body. She ignored the dozens of bottles in the bathroom, pretending they weren't there. She would only acknowledge them when she needed them.
Misao quickly grabbed a pair of worn jeans and a too-large white tee shirt. She would put on a coat later, but now she took two pills from a bottle with a red label and carefully placed them in her pocket. She looked longingly back at the empty medicine bottle on her night side table as she braided her hair into one long, thin cord-she would have to get the container refilled before the next morning.
Misao couldn't remember when exactly she started having her…problems. Maybe it was around ten years old, give or take a year. She developed headaches, often got dizzy and fainted. At first, the headaches were hardly noticeable and went away quickly, and she fainted very rarely. But then they grew. Her Grandparents, who had raised her ever since the…incident, began finding her out cold on the floor in the mornings. Her headaches often kept Misao out of school for days at a time.
Then the anxiety attacks started.
Misao would wake up in the middle of the night, sweating, nauseated, and confused. She would cry and scream, and when her Grandparents asked her what was wrong, Misao could only speak in hysterical half-sentences. It took hours to get her back to normal.
The elderly Makimachi couple was more than concerned. They took Misao to the doctor immediately. Her prescribed an ocean of pills and tablets, capsules and syrups.
They worked.
"Misao dear, you have to hurry! You're going to be late for your classes!" Mrs. Benner called from downstairs, startling Misao from her thoughts. She smiled and grabbed her knapsack and her navy blue fleece, and bounded down the stairs of her "landlady". She greeted the elderly woman cheerfully, and sat down to a breakfast of chocolatechipp pancakes.
"Here's some milk to wash those hotcakes down," Mrs. Benner handed the cup to the girl renting her guest room. When Misao told her Grandparents she wanted become a photographer and take art classes in Santa Fe, they had arranged for Mrs. Benner, a trained nurse in mental health. It worked out well.
Misao headed for the door, zipping up her jacket, when she remembered the pill canister on her night side table. Taking a deep breath, the seventeen-year-old turned around.
"Mrs. Benner, I forgot…I need to get my morning pill bottle refilled." The old woman arched an eyebrow.
"Misao…you know how I feel about you and those pills. You're becoming…too reliant."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Misao shouted angrily.
"Well…there's no easy way to say this…" Mrs. Benner paused, as if she were desperately trying to think of a way. "Misao, the problems you had when you were younger are probably close to being totally healed. If you gave it a chance you could stop them for good, but you're so used to being sick…you're so used to taking the pills that-"
"That's…that's total crap!" Misao yelled, the word tasting foreign on her tongue. Being raised by her grandparents meant no cursing whatsoever. "I want to stop taking the pills. I HATE them! I can't stand them! If I could stop, I would!" Mrs. Benner shook her head.
"You only think that. The problems are in your head, Misao."
"OF COURSE THEY'RE IN MY HEAD!" Misao cried, frustrated. "I'M MENTALLY ILL!" Mrs. Benner was silent, thinking it over. Misao realized she had squeezed her small hands into fists so tight her knuckles were white.
"I'll renew your prescription," Mrs. Benner finally said. Misao sighed with relief. "But please think over what I've said. I won't renew the medicine anymore. You've got to wean yourself off of them, Misao. Now you had better go or you won't catch up with Okon and Omasu." She turned, not wanting any more arguments. Misao's mouth opened as she prepared to start up again, but mentioning her friends Okon and Omasu made Misao remember she had art classes to take. With a sigh of defeat, the stubborn girl ran out of the house to meet up with the twin sisters waiting for her up the road.
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"I have sooooooo much homework," Okon groaned as she sipped a low-fat latte. "And I have to write an essay on the metaphorical value of Monet's paintings for Art Evaluation. I'm going to be up all night." Misao shook her head.
"Its not the art classes that annoy me." Misao paused to take a giant slurp from her mug of hot chocolate. "It's the other mandatory classes. Algebra. English. Biology." Misao spat the last word out like it was poison. "Those are the real pains. The art stuff is fine."
"Yeah, and what do you know?" Omasu teased. "We take you to a fancy coffee shop and you order hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. You're such a baby." Misao stuck out her bottom lip.
"Don't call me that! Besides, coffee grosses me out and you both know it. I'm not giving up my chocolate and marshmallows just because you guys think I'm childish." The twin girls gave each other looks.
"What?" Misao asked, glancing at each girl. "Why are you guys giving each other those weird looks?"
"Misao," Okon began. "When one looks up the word childish in the dictionary, one can find your picture right next to the definition."
"That goes for stubborn, too," Omasu added helpfully.
"And headstrong."
"And loud."
"Don't forget rambunctious."
"Oh, and-"
"Ok, I get it, I get it!" Misao held her hands up in defeat. "I know what you guys are getting at. Obviously, I'm very famous to have people wanting to put my picture all over the dictionary, or else-" Immediately Misao was pelted with plastic straws. The threesome laughed heartily and continued drinking their beverages and talking about school.
"Whoa, its late. I've gotta go, sorry you guys. Have to get a head start on all that lovely homework, right Okon?" Her friend nodded, smiling. "I'll see you tomorrow, bye!"
Misao bit her lip as she jogged home. She didn't want to have to argue with Mrs. Benner again (the lady had been more than hospitable), but there was no way they could eat dinner together without bringing up the subject again. And Misao refused to back down. She knew that she couldn't survive without those pills, no matter what that old nurse said.
Misao finally turned onto her street, waving to a few people she knew. This made her feel a bit better; Misao was comfortable with familiarity. She liked routines, and she didn't like change. That's why moving to New Mexico had been such a big step.
Misao slowed upon seeing Mrs. Benner's house, wanting to delay going inside for as long as possible. She tried not to think about the pills, or the elderly woman she had yelled at that morning. Instead, she went back to an argument with Omasu early that morning. It had been something about Jinko Aida, an actor Misao had denied having a crush on. But the truth was Misao did find him appealing. She yawned loudly, not bothering to try and be quiet. It was just that in all of his movies he seemed so…tough. As much as she told everyone she liked being independent, Misao couldn't resist a strong guy. Hey, was it so bad if she wanted to be protected?
The young girl sighed as she climbed the patio steps up to Mrs. Benner's front door. She couldn't put it off any longer; she was just going to have to deal with it.
"I'm home!" Misao called as she opened the door. The house was strangely quiet, except for the sound of Mrs. Benner talking quietly with someone on the phone. Misao scrunched her face up in thought. Her intuition was telling her something wasn't right. Of course, her intuition had also told her the guy she hooked Okon up with on a blind date was single, when in fact he actually had a boyfriend. That hadn't turned out too well.
"Mrs. Benner?" Misao asked quietly as she entered the kitchen. "Is something wrong? Who are you talking to?" The old woman looked up quickly and, after seeing Misao, held the phone up to her nose.
"Its for you," the landlady explained briefly. "I think you should sit down, Misao." Misao looked up in confusion, but took the phone without question.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Miss Misao Makimachi?"
"Yes…" Misao replied warily, cautious of how the male voice had addressed her so formally.
"I'm sorry to say I bring bad news for you, Miss Makimachi." Misao's eyes widened. Bad news? Had Pops fallen down the stairs again and broken his hip? Did Nana need her to come back home? Misao hoped not, not only because she didn't want her Grandparents hurt, but because she had gotten so used to life in Santa Fe.
"Is it my family? Has something happened to someone in my family?" Misao asked desperately, grasping the cord on the phone. "Is someone hurt?"
"Well, yes, Miss Makimachi-" Misao gasped, cutting off whoever was calling her with this "bad news". She practically ripped the cord off as she began pacing.
"Oh God, if Pops fell down the stairs you can tell Nana there is no need to worry, I'll help them out if it means I have to drop all my classes because-"
"Nothing has happened to your Grandparents, Miss Makimachi. Its your father." Misao stopped pacing. She let the twisted electrical cord drop from her small fingers. Her father? What had possibly happened to her father? Had the old fart been kicked in the head by one of his prized horses or something?
"My dad? What could have possibly happened to him?" Misao asked, disbelieving and full of doubt. She barely remembered her father at all, and had only seen pictures of him. This made him seem like a legend in her mind, or like someone who was always there and who would never go away, but someone who she would never see. Her Grandparents had tried to convince him to come and visit his youngest daughter, but after his fifth refusal Nana and Pops had gone and officially changed Misao Kamiya to Misao Makimachi. She had heard stories of his greed and his stone heart, but hearing he might be heart just felt too surreal to deal with. Misao held her breath; hardly expecting what was to come next.
"I'm afraid your father has…passed on. Please accept my condolences."
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YAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! There goes the ending of the first chapter, and the beginning of a new story. How do you like it so far? I appreciate all reviews (really appreciate them…hint hint); so if you think its crap, feel free to tell me!!! There is freedom of speech, you know!!!! But you might want to break it to me softly, because I can get a tad bit emotional.
For those of you who are practically screaming for another Maiden chapter, it is coming, it is coming. Of course, I might actually just be hoping some of you are begging for another chapter of my story, probably because I have such a freakish need to be liked. It even annoys the heck out of me.
Anyway, I'll properly introduce the ever faithful Ami and Ruri to all you newbies in the next chapter. For all of you loyal readers, you'll just have to suffer through more of our meaningless banters : )
In closing, I'll just remind you all that I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL REVIEWS, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR WEIRD. I can't stress it enough!!! Well, ok, maybe I can, because I bet whoever is reading this is probably rolling their eyes and thinking, Yeah, ok psycho, I get the whole "you want me to review" thing, you don't have to treat me like I have no brain cells. So I'll stop (thank gawd), and I hope to see you all next time! Sayonara!
Tootles!!!!nessie