Well, I didn't think I was going to do a sequel but the wheel just kept spinning x.x I'll try and follow my weekly update schedule though I think I'll have it on Friday or Saturday this time ^^ I hope you guys enjoy it!

Exotic Flower

Chapter 1: What is change?

Kazama Chikage

I thought the looming clouds might be promising. If they brought rain, I wouldn't have to water the ridiculously huge garden Ayame had insisted on some years ago. The pool had been her idea as well.

It took up some of the space that the garden had previously inhabited but brought even more work. I'd been designated the pool boy.

Tires screeched on the turn down the road and the wind stirred by the car knocked cherry blossoms off the neighbor's tree and into our yard. I felt like sighing but held it in, stretching out one leg instead. Sighing was a bad habit of mine, according to Ayame.

She was visiting Emi down the street, probably planning a flower viewing party at the nearby park. They dragged me to Gion last year. Honestly, it wasn't how I first imagined my retirement.

Certainly, humans who looked at us still saw us as a young and childless couple. They'd never guess that we were the opposite. It was sometimes a bit troublesome to deal with curious eyes but we could always spend time in Agano where everyone was familiar with us.

I'd actually grown quite fond of Agano but I couldn't deny that it got boring after a while. The garden was even bigger too.

A half smile found its way onto my face. I still thought that it was nicer when the house was noisy.

The weather was warming up again. Ren's fourteenth birthday had just passed.

His interest in learning kenjutsu had waned some, especially now that there was a ban on carrying swords. It didn't bother me much since most of my time was spent in Agano or back at home, where human laws didn't matter.

He still practiced most afternoons, probably from the lack of anything else to preoccupy his time. There were enough kids running around Agano now that he could easily make a bit of money but he refused to babysit anyone but his own sisters. He complained that they were enough trouble as it was.

Kaori and Nanami were nine and mostly sensible. They tried his patience sometimes but were smart enough to stay away from seriously dangerous areas.

Chouko was turning seven in a few weeks. She was hardly any worry at all. She spent all her time in the garden with her mother. She did fall into the river once but that was hardly her intention.

"Chikage? Kuri was wondering about Ren's new sword,"

I lifted my head off my arm, contentedly gazing back at her. "Come sit with me,"

She rolled her eyes but followed my instruction. She shouldn't have been on her feet constantly with another child on the way. I laid my hand against the bump, just in time to feel a slight kick.

"Tell Kuri he hasn't broken it yet. I told him that if he broke another sword in less than six months I wouldn't give him the Douji-giri,"

That drew a slight giggle from her. We'd both seen how much he ogled at the sword.

"Do you think he'll last?"

"Not a chance," I pressed a kiss behind her ear and she swatted at me. "He and Rikuto are too serious when they spar,"

Ren was too hotheaded to keep quiet and the shoji screen from the room down snapped open. "What the hell do you know, Oyaji? I can keep this sword from breaking for the next ten years!"

I snorted. "I guess you'll have to stop fighting with Rikuto for the next ten years. He's picked up some of your mother's techniques,"

Rikuto had become quite capable in the last view years. Some were wondering if he wanted to succeed Ayame. Unfortunately, he would probably be past his prime (if not dead) by the time Ayame was ready to give up her position.

"You bas—!"

"Ren, watch your language," Ayame chastised. She didn't really care but the twins had just arrived back from their latest adventure at the pond down the road. There were seeds and leaves stuck in their bobbed black hair.

"Watch your language, Ren-nii!" Kaori sang, tackling him. Nanami had a bundle of pond reeds and slapped him with the still wet side. Both of their dark red eyes twinkled with the same mischievous glint.

They both grabbed an arm and I swore I could see a vein popping on his forehead from where I sat. He'd taken to wearing his hair short recently, stuck up in every direction. I thought it might have been his way of rebelling against everyone's opinion. The villagers all agreed that he was the splitting image of me and maybe he thought wearing it like his uncle Chiaki made him look less like me.

He raised his arms, trying to shake them off but they both squealed in delight instead, knowing it would piss him off more. "Mattaku!"

Chouko seemed to have heard the conflict and was drawn towards it like a moth to the flame. She wasn't interested in rough housing though so she sat next to Ayame, putting her ear to her belly.

"Ka-chan? When will the baby be born?"

Ayame smoothed down her messy golden hair and Chouko made herself comfortable by lying across her knees.

"Soon,"

"I hope it's a baby brother,"

"Un! We need another boy in this family, it's getting too crowded with cry babies," Ren agreed enthusiastically.

The twins pouted and tried to throw him off balance by swinging but he wasn't having any of it.

"We want another little sister!"

Chouko blinked her golden eyes sleepily. "A little sister would be nice too . . ."

I chuckled. Chouko just didn't want to be the friction between the bickering of her older siblings.

Ayame rubbed her stomach thoughtfully. "I think it's going to be a boy,"

The twins voiced their displeasure and but Ren's mood improved. This sort of playful bantering could have gone on forever and I wouldn't have complained.

"Ka-san, no, Agano Ayame."

I crossed my arms and Ayame turned to face her youngest son, now a grown man. She wore a melancholic smile.

"Agano Ayame, I'm challenging you to a formal duel for the right to lead the Agano mercenaries."

Ren appeared next to me, his newly cut hair still hanging in his eyes. He'd never wanted to join the Agano mercenaries, let alone lead them. He'd cut it just to let Shou know that he supported his decision to challenge the leader, their mother.

Shou was about to untie his long hair, kept in a ponytail. His dark bangs hung in his determined golden eyes, his defined lips turned stubbornly down. The residents of Agano often called him feminine but that alone wouldn't quell his pride.

"Shou, I combed your hair this morning, I know how long it is," Ayame interrupted.

He let go, a blush creeping across the bridge of his nose.

Ayame produced the subjugating beads from her sleeve and tossed one at him. He caught it, his expression mostly unreadable. He was trying to push aside all his doubt, knowing he'd never be able to beat her if he held onto it.

Shou was a genius when it came to the sword. His experience didn't quite match up with Ren's but Ren wasn't the one he was fighting.

Ren had no intention of becoming the leader of the Agano or even the future head of the Kazama. He'd been hot tempered and ambitious as a child but that had slowly begun to fade away, leaving him aloof and unconcerned with the world around him.

I thought he might have surpassed me, even my father, though there was no way of really knowing since he hadn't drawn the Douji-giri or any other blade since he turned twenty-one. I wondered when I had stopped understanding my children. I still couldn't understand the girls, but I'd never really understood them to begin with.

I almost felt frustrated. I hadn't realized my time with them would be so short. Already they were ready to leave and do things their own way.

The smooth but grating sound of two swords being unsheathed at the same time brought me back.

Ayame waited for Shou with her Steel Petal style at the ready and I wondered how Shou's own unique style would match up against it. His was much more direct, which could mean the end for him. If he wasn't careful she'd break his sword in just three swings.

Their blades met and he passed her off, turning to catch her unprotected back. She was just as quick and their blades clashed again. He forced her back once more and stepped in with the third swipe before she could retreat any further.

I expected one of their blades to shatter, especially Shou's since it was just a regular steel blade. It didn't and I realized he was pressing Ayame more than I'd thought, either that or Ayame's heart wasn't in it. I suspected it might have been a bit of both.

Either way, Shou was pounding relentlessly on her defense. She had no time to make him submit.

Ren crossed his arms. He was wearing a plain button up shirt and black dress pants. He'd taken a liking to the Western fashion recently.

"Hahaue is going to lose," he informed.

I inclined my chin. "Your mother's ideals can no longer protect the Agano's way of life. It's only natural that someone younger and more ready to change would need to take over,"

His detached expression remained unmoved. "Do you think she's willing to retire?"

I shrugged. She had to be. She and Shou hadn't been seeing eye to eye recently. No one would be surprised that Shou had decided to take action in this way. He was very forward.

He managed to cut her arm after another lunge and both came to a sudden stop, staring the other down.

Ayame's hand clenched tighter on the hilt of her demon blade. She looked like she wanted to continue but took off the beaded necklace anyways. "I couldn't cut you even if I wanted to. Maybe I've gotten soft recently, or maybe I've always been this soft."

She sheathed her demon blade and I had a feeling it wouldn't be drawn again for a long while. The blade had been collecting dust for some years already.

"Shou, you're worthy of the Agano name," she admitted. "You can do what I couldn't do,"

Shou returned his blade to its wooden scabbard and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Ka-san,"

Ren turned on his heel, bored with the show. "Everything's changing; you better not get left behind, Oyaji."

I shook my head. I'd already fallen behind.

"Nee-san! You didn't? You tease Ren-kun too much!"

There was laughter and I sat up. Emi and Ayame spent a lot of time together, being the gossiping old women that they were. They might not have looked it though.

"Chikage?" Ayame called. "Do you want some cake and tea?"

"Nii-san, come out and chat with us," Emi added.

"Have you watered the plants yet?"

I stood and shook the stiffness from my limbs. "I'll water them after supper," maybe it'd rain by then. I made my way to the remodeled kitchen, a cross between modern and traditional décor.

Emi's brown hair was half pinned up in the back and ironed into loose ringlets. She uncovered a glass dish, revealing a plump strawberry shortcake with two extra thick layers of cream. She'd probably made herself. That seemed to be her favorite hobby now.

"Hm? Where's Ren-kun?"

"He does have his own apartment," I rebuked. She made it sound like he still lived with us, or at least spent all of his time here.

I took a seat. Ayame complained that I took up too much space when I tried to help out. It wasn't my fault that the table set she picked out made the kitchen tiny.

She hugged my shoulders and leaned heavily on the back of the chair, making it squeak. "Green tea or—?"

"Green tea." She had about fifty different types of tea. I doubted she'd name them all out but I figured I'd save some time.

"Someone's grumpy," Emi commented.

Ayame retreated after ruffling my hair. "He just doesn't want to water the flowers with my pink watering can,"

Emi cut off a sudden snicker with one hand.

The kettle started to boil and Ayame returned, smoothing down the hair she had just messed up. "Has Ren been by?"

"He was here an hour ago but said something about having to model for the freshmen," he hadn't sounded very enthusiastic but when did he ever? "He also said he'd come for supper since the cooking club changed their lock,"

"That's nice,"

"Modeling! Are they drawing him nude?"

If there was ever a time for a facepalm it was now. "I didn't ask and he didn't say," I really couldn't understand what had possessed Ren to suddenly join an art school.

Emi sat across from me, her chin in her hands. "I guess I'll save him a slice of cake,"

Kazama Ren

I fought the urge to yawn. My arm was going dead as well and I really want to scratch the back of my neck. I ground my teeth to distract myself and blinked sleepily. I didn't want to be here but the pay would be nice.

Toshio was amongst the freshmen and I had to wonder what had compelled him to join an art school. His brow was wrinkled and it wasn't hard to see that he was holding back a roar of laughter.

Those purple eyes of his were swimming with mirth and if he weren't of any relation to me I might have decided to knock him out cold after the next hour was up.

I didn't think what I was wearing was that funny. It was better than wearing nothing, at least.

"The Americans have toga parties when they go to post secondary school," one girl near the front remarked, breaking the silence. "Isn't that so embarrassing? Just walking around in nothing but a sheet?"

"No kidding," her friend replied.

I felt like clearing my throat or something. They weren't the ones sitting about in nothing but a "sheet". Thankfully the purple and gold trimmed stretch of cloth was a little more than that. The drama department at least knew how to make their costumes comfortable.

"Isn't it a total mockery of Greek culture?"

A few seats away someone dropped their pencil. Her lip was twitching as she bent to pick up her pencil. I'd thought at first that her hair was dyed blonde but there was no sign of dark roots.

"Toga's are Roman. The Greeks wore practically the same thing but I think they called it by a different name," her features were mostly Japanese but her eyes were distinctly Western in color and shape. "Toga parties aren't just American either. They happen in Europe and other parts of the world as well,"

She was ignored by the other girls and nervously picked at her full, face framing, bangs. The guys stirred, their pencils hovering over their papers.

"Hey, what part of the world are you from?"

"Yeah, I didn't even notice at first but your eyes are really green,"

There were only a couple guys in the class and it seemed they were all eager to be the first to ask about her.

"Can I have your number? Wait, I don't even know your name yet!"

I closed my eyes, pretending to have fallen asleep. I would have rolled my eyes otherwise.

It seemed to me that she hadn't been looking for attention like the first girl. She just couldn't keep her mouth shut when she heard something that bothered her. She somewhat reluctantly picked out her next words.

"Fujiwara Maria from London. I lost my cell phone on the flight over and haven't gotten a new one yet,"

The guys seemed content enough with that but without even looking I could tell the girls were getting more and more jealous. It wasn't her fault that they were ordinary when sitting next to her.

Toshio couldn't resist joining the interrogation. "Your Japanese is really good; you must have lived here for a while,"

"Well, kind of. I lived here until I was seven but my mom wanted to go back to London. Dad wouldn't budge so they split up and I ended up with Mom. Until two years ago I spent all my school holidays that lasted longer than a week here though,"

Toshio continued to monopolize the conversation. There was a growing tension between both genders now. "Heh? That must have been tough,"

She seemed to relax a little. "I didn't understand a word at first. Mom's accent was really different,"

"Your mother wasn't from London either?"

"She's American; she just works in London,"

The professor, who'd been roaming the different rooms, rapped on the door to the studio. "Shush! Concentrate, freshmen,"

Everyone guiltily shut up and I let a small breath free.

"Aree? When did the model close his eyes?"

I hoped everyone turned to glare at whoever made the observation. He obviously hadn't been working for the last ten minutes.

"Model-san . . ." he beckoned, "are you napping?"

I felt my temple throbbing.

Toshio seemed unable to hold his amusement in and guffawed loudly, drawing everyone's attention again. He really had no shame.

I glared at him, eyes half lidded. "Toshio, shut up."

He quickly composed himself, though he still grinned. "Sorry, Kazama-san,"

That sobered up the atmosphere. They'd probably thought that nothing could involve me in their petty conversations after I'd remained quiet for so long. I was still a junior though and they decided it was best to listen to me.

Really, what was the point of me joining an art school after all these years? I'd been painting on my own for the last century without anybody else's help. Ka-san had critiqued occasionally but that was about it.

I couldn't wait for this session to conclude so I could change back into regular clothing.

I started this a bit suddenly since I wanted to release it on the fourteenth of the month x.x I think it might be a bit difficult to post a chapter every week for the next two weeks but I'll try :D I want to improve since I think I didn't do my best with Hanashobu ^^

Anyways, please review :D