Seeking Salvation

Author: shaydoe

I do not own Sailor Moon.

Chapter 1: A New Beginning

Five and a half years later...

She filled his dreams, the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. An aura of purity surrounding her like warm silver light. Her very being was like an angel given human form, full of a graceful, shy innocence that captivated him to the point of blocking out all else. She quickly became the whole of his universe almost every night.

Dressed all in white, a simple silk shift hanging off her petite, supple frame. The fabric was iridescent almost see through. Her silken flesh hidden beneath playing a seductive game of peek a boo with him, every time she moved. He could just make out the darker peach at the crests of those decadent breasts, hinting at the lush satin nipples. That were briefly pressing against the underside of her camisole. Every time they came into view, his cock spasmed painfully.

The thin white straps of her dress falling alluring over her slender arms. So loose and erotic, a brisk wind could easily pull that top right down. Revealing her deliciously perfect breasts, oh how he wished he had more control over this dream!

Her skirts were twirling in the breeze as she turned in small childish circles before him. Her golden hair glowing in the soft light, fluttering like the finest silk in the warm breeze that surrounded them. Her hair fell over her shoulder's in a golden cascade of shimmering spun gold. Trailing down her back to the gentle arch of her lower back. Her long bangs draping over the tops of her luminescent blue eyes, falling on either side of her head in twin cascades. Giving the middle of her forehead a cute heart shape, the flawless skin peeking out between the part of her bangs, begging to be kissed. Her long full eyelashes fluttered softly like the delicate wings of a butterfly. Her elegant blue eyes always shimmering with hidden joys and mischief. Those playful, emotional eyes always held him captive. Staring in awe, his breath catching as their eyes locked.

The chill that always wrapped around his heart, thawing in her intense adorning gaze. The depth of love they held was so inspiring, so sincere. He couldn't help but cherish her, his own eyes holding such reverence for the stunning beauty that she was. A slow delighted smile spread over her full pouting lips, that glistened in the morning light still wet from the kisses they shared previously.

She was everything to him, a perfect companion he yearned for. She was the other piece of his soul, everything he needed to be truly happy. Coming to him only in his dreams. He looked forward to the times in which she visited his inner world, sometimes she would linger. Spurning his lust as she would tease and taunt him playfully for hours. Kissing and caressing every inch of each other, with a hungry restless abandon. Invoking such a profound love for her, he would awaken shaken and grieving. Other times she just allowed him time to talk to her, to hold her hand and perhaps sneak a chaste kiss to her cheek or lips. Certain times she merely snuck into other dreams, appearing for only moments before fading away. As if checking in on him, making sure all was alright in his inner world. Those dreams broke his heart and made his waking hours feel unsatisfying and anxious. Wanting only to return to his dreams in the hopes that she would be there just a little longer.

This time she stood bathed in the gentle morning light, standing with her little bare feet half buried in the beach. The air was heavy with the scent of roses and fresh water. Giggling as her toes dug into the moist sand, her cheeks rosy from her exhilaration of moments ago. The cool water was creeping up the coastline of the lake behind her, soon splashing against the back of her heels. The line of thick pines and elm trees obscured the full light of the sun, filtering it into sweeping fairy lights, that danced upon her and the surrounding sand. The scene was so whimsical, so peaceful and other worldly he felt heavy, drugged by the sheer contentment he felt in that moment. She was speaking but her voice was obscured in the haze of fantasy. He felt it more then heard it, giving him a sense of immense comfort. Only her bright, joyous smile was clear. Her laughter so sweet and effervescent enthralling him completely. As she walked towards him, arms outstretched, the wind playing with her long golden hair. Tossing it about her slender shoulder's, her toned well defined legs brushing the white silk of her long skirt aside as she moved. A superior gracefulness to her stride, she looked to be almost floating. As her curving hips swayed in a subtle sexy manner. Delicate, elegance defined her. She was his goddess...his heart, his soul, his life...

Somehow everything seem right when she was with him, a calming balm for his restless soul. All the inner turmoil he felt in his everyday life just melted away. All there was, was her...her perfect sweet face, those wide cerulean eyes so full of innocent joy and love. He could easily get lost in those eyes forever and never feel lonely again. Her slightest touch excited him, made his skin tingle with a remembrance he couldn't quite place. Her smile was all he wished for every night, to experience that euphoric state of bliss she gave him. When her lips pulled aside, in such a glorious smile of delight it took his breath. No woman could ever come close to the one he cherished in his dreams. She was everything he wanted, everything he needed.

A shrill beeping invaded his dream, droning into the perfect, quiet world he shared with her. Pulling him harshly away from her arms and back towards the sharp light of reality. Always when he was forced awake from dreams of her, it left his heart aching. The emptiness of his life becoming more in focus, always leaving him with that grieving feeling, twisting deep in his gut. As if she died every morning, upon his waking. Making him far more volatile and irritable for the rest of the day.

"OH...Fuck my life." Darien groaned, thrusting his hand out of the bunched up layer's of navy plaid sheets. Slamming his palm down on the long snooze button on his black plastic alarm clock. Set on a simple blonde wood side table before his double bed. With a frustrated growl he popped his head out from the dark sanctuary of his blankets. Having been asleep on his stomach for hours, his spine was now tight and sore. His thick dark hair was a crazy mess on his head, his strong chin and aristocratic features now dusted with a layer of dark stubble. Squinting and blinking away tears of both loss and uncomfortably dry eyed wakefulness. His midnight blue eyes having a hard time adjusting to the brightness. Squinting and grinding a fist into his eyes working out the dust.

The brilliant morning light was spreading over his sheets, from his large picture window that loomed beside his bed. He had forgotten to close his shades last night, so was rudely greeted by the rising sun. With a depressed sigh he raised himself up off the mattress in a full on push up. His smooth, large well muscled arms rippling at the movement. As he swung his toned, well formed legs out of bed. Sluggishly sitting up, he cast the last of his blankets aside. Finding himself oddly naked beneath the layers of comfortable cotton. His rock hard fighter's physic on display before him. There was nothing soft or boyish about him anymore. His torso that was once rip cord lean was now filled out with tight compact muscles. His chest was broad with a smattering of dark hair that trailed down, to smooth well defined abs on his stomach. The soft trail of hair resuming again around his manhood, lightly groomed around the shaft. His cock jutted proudly towards his stomach, amid the fine hairs around his groin. Usually after he experienced a night with his dream girl. He would wake with a magnificently painful erection, that would refuse to go down for nothing. It looked like everything was status que so far.

He groaned and scrubbed his fingers through his thick mass of raven black hair atop his head. The corded muscles of his lower neck to his broad shoulder's bunching and releasing at every jerky movement.

Glancing over his shoulder. He found a small platinum blonde curled up under the cover's, her long hair fanned out over her pillow. Sweet girlish features relaxed in the state of a deep drunken sleep, her eyes slanted downward, speaking of a japanese heritage. The realization that she was japanese, killing the idea she was a natural blonde. She was very cute, had that kawaii school girl look going for her. Her small delicate hand was flopped over a corner of the navy cotton pillow cover. He trailed his eyes up and down her petite, luscious frame, with overly large breasts. No doubt bought a paid for by her last conquest. Those huge swells barely remained covered by the remaining blankets, slowly rising into full view and then falling back out of view beneath the covers, with every breath. He mutely lifted the blankets needing to assess how bad this was. Not surprised to find she was completely naked underneath.

He raked his hand in irritation through his hair again. Dropping the blankets in disgust. He hated when he lost his good sense during a night out and ended up next so some strange female in the morning. The feelings of guilt about his newest one night stand, already torturing him with hot pokers straight to th temples. As the tell tale throb of a hang over began to pulse behind his eyes. He had no clue where he found her, or what her name was. Hell he had been so drunk last night, he probably hadn't even remembered his own name. Amazed he managed to get them both back to his apartment, he couldn't remember a damn thing. It was a blur of bright lights, loud music, more shots and willing groupies then he would ever want while sober.

Status que...

With a tired groan he rose from the bed, tapped his alarm button off before it woke his 'guest'. Then silently padded out of the master bedroom. That sat at the end of a long narrow hall, his feet slapping lightly on the wood tambata flooring. As he made his way down the corridor to his bathroom to freshen up. Several minutes later he was once more forced from hiding, returning to his bedroom to gather clothes.

As he dug into his netted cloth hamper in the corner of his room, casting his bed set along the far wall odd looks. Wondering where the hell he had found Tokyo Barbie!

His bedroom was spartan, with not a single picture or poster adorning the uninspired beige walls. It had a bed, rumpled with navy cotton sheets and a plain heavy blanket. A small female lump still unresponsive amid the layer's of cotton heaven.

A plain wooden night stand, with two drawers stood beside the simple bed. The mattress sitting on a black iron frame with a twisting elegant rose patterned head board. It wasn't the most manly looking head board, but he had an affinity towards roses and had been drawn to it. A large window took up one side of the far wall just before the bed. With a huge glass patio door that led out to a cement balcony that wound around from the bedroom down the side of the building to the living room. A walk in closet took up half of another wall, with slated doors that pulled aside.

He had moved to Tokyo about six months ago, along with four of his gym mates. Each having their own reasons to want to disappear in a foreign country. Mostly, they all needed a change of scenery after Sarges death. Their old coach had died of a massive heart attack, ring side at the Championship bout in Las Vegas last year. It had been his title match, after years of fighting in the lower classes. He had finally made it. The fight had been bitter sweet, he had won but at to steep of a price. After a long brutal back and forth with the current champion. He came out out of the fight with only a massive concussion while Sarge's heart couldn't take the stress and he had collapsed. Several days later, his championship had been striped and he was publicly disqualified by the league for use of excessive force. His opponent who had been hospitalized after the fight, had suffered a major head injury. Leaving him so severely brain damaged he was pretty much a vegetable. He had been forced to retire after that in disgrace. He was dealing with the fact he had taken away that man's dream, his career...his reason to live. Unintentional but still...he had crippled him so badly he had rendered him completely useless, to be able to take care of himself or his family. He had never really thought about how deadly his sport could be. It was just his career, his passion...He had never been the same since. He had been trying to make peace with it, put it past him. But the guilt bit at him every waking moment, like a puppy nipping at his heels all day.

The road to the UFC hadn't been a cake walk, Kane had been disqualified for illegal moves earlier on. Hollywood was still a contender but he seemed to be lacking any passion for the sport anymore. So with both him and Kane now banned to fight professionally in the States and Hollywood's lack of ambition to enter the cage. It left Jed and Zac, who had become their mangers in Sarges absence, little choice but to go over seas to compete. Hollywood was in a major funk so was more then eager to come along to this new country. Trying to find them professional bouts in Tokyo proved to be rather difficult though. Ending up fighting in the underground matches, run by the Yakuza or the bored elite. Either way, Darien felt his once respectable career was just a roaming circus act now.

Darien had his own demons to deal with, so he never complained about this fall from grace. As far as he was concerned he wanted to remain as anonymous as he could for the rest of his life. He was sick of being in the spot light, having his every action scrutinized by the press. Or the constant stress of having to manage his public image every single day. To assess and evaluate everything he seemed like all he was doing back then was pleasing everyone but himself. He had always been a private man, his sudden rise to super stardom in the UFC had been very difficult for him to deal with. Surrounded by so many fake people who only wanted to use him.

Sarge had been the closest person he had to a father. After his death, he had felt lost and unfocused. His championship tainted by his death, feeling it was his fault that the old man had suffered from heart failure.

Jed and Zac had been signing him, Kane and Hollywood up for the underground bouts in the city for the last six months. Making big money off their wins, providing each of them with a very well off lifestyle and quiet fame among the fans of cage fighters here in Japan.

Rising back up from the plastic clothes hamper he had thankfully found a pair of black sweats and a white tank top. Darien yawned and stretched, working the kinks out of his back. Rolling his shoulders and shaking the last remaining tingles out of his legs. Absently scratching the back of his neck as he pulled aside one of his closet doors and disappeared inside. Even if the girl was asleep, he was to modest to just strip in front of her. He was also feeling rather shamed for using her, he never thought of himself as a user. But time and again over the years, he would wake up next to some random blonde. As if he was trying to find some solace in a pathetic copy of his dream girl.

Reappearing several minutes later fully dressed and ready to head out on his morning jog. Glancing at the digital display on his clock, finding he was behind schedule to meet up with the guys since it was nearly five thirty in the morning.

Grumbling at the alcoholic fog still shrouding his mind, this run was going to be gruelling. He proceeded through his living room. Glancing mutely at his white leather couch and flanking chair. Littered with the woman's powder blue spandex tube style skirt and form fitting white tank top. Her lacey pink underwear was stuffed between the cushions of the the chair, her bra no where to be seen. He was totally disgusted with himself again. In his drunken stupor he had taken advantage of that poor girl and not in a kind of romantic or tender way either. It looked like he had practically ripped her clothes off!

Feeling like a despicable dog, he trudged into the dark recesses of his small entryway.

Grabbing his plain black hoody, with silver zippered side pockets from the hooks. Hidden in the side coat closet behind the front door, leaving the slated door ajar. He slipped on his old white sneaker's and zipped up. Tucking his apartment keys, and cell phone into a side pocket, zippering it up securely.

The japanese had an odd almost retro sense of fashion, he thought this hoody was quite metro sexual looking with all its zippers. There was even two extra sets on his upper chest for no reason at all? He had always considered himself a simple man when it came to what he wore. Born and raised in the Mid West, his fashion sense consisted of t-shirts, cotton hoddies and jeans. He had one suit but it was only for funerals or perhaps a wedding. He really had no sense of fashion, so trendy attire pretty much gave him hives. But when in Rome he figured, at least he blended in with the rest of the joggers on the path.

"Morning cupcake!" Kane bellowed, as his large hand cuffed Darien upside the head. Darien glared over his shoulder at the living mountain of muscle that was Kane Mackenzie. A burley man in his late twenties. With a full head of thick curly hair, rust red and hanging over his overly muscled shoulders. Falling in untamed disarray around a very square looking face and intense green eyes. Resembling, very much some roguish Highlander lost in the modern era. Darien's long time rival was dressed in a pair of pewter grey track pants and matching wind breaker, with a black tank top underneath.

"Fuck you, Kane!" Darien shot back, he was nearly twenty three years old and the arrogant bastard was still treating like some punk ass kid.

"Had a visit from your lovely dream girl again, huh?" Kane taunted, throwing him a knowing smirk.

Darien grunted a positive, brushing down the back of his hair. Attempting to reclaim his dignity by the pointless display of vanity.

"Yeah, your always a little bitch after those dreams. Remind me to avoid you today, Shields." Kane shrugged before taking a few quick strides ahead. Leading the way from the sidewalk, framed by a grey stone fence line towards the black iron gates into the park.

They crossed under the red tori and then over a wooden bridge that spanned a huge koi pond. Moving with purpose under the swaying shadows of the over hanging canopy of trees. The wind was warm and thick with the scent of flower's.

Entering the Juuban gates to Shiba park. A huge green space on the fringe of Azabu, near the skyscraper district near Ropongii. The metal skyline of tower's easy to spot over the tree tops, gleaming in the warm sun as the morning took hold.

"Konichiwa." Jed waved, rising from a wooden bench he had been lounging on, just off to the side of the path. Brushing his short cropped sunny blonde hair out of his bright blue eyes, with a charming smile. A shadow of facial hair adorning his unkept chin and cheeks, matching Darien's own, only far more lightly. Dressed in a pair of flashy yellow and red sports shorts and a white t-shirt.

Darien rolled his eyes in contempt. "Stop...Your not even Japanese. It's annoying to listening you butcher the language in some vain attempt to fit in here."

"Yeah, the locals don't even like hearing you speak their language." Zac groused. Slumping down beside his twin brother. He unfortunately still laid claim to his boyish looks, with out a hint of hair on his face. His dusty blonde hair slightly curled and hanging low around his shoulder's, giving him a very feminine appearance. Dressed in a pair of matching shorts to his brother and a bright yellow t-shirt.

"I swear to god, your mother still dresses you idiots." Hollywood appeared behind them, his voice low and refined. Striding powerfully on long well toned legs. His long silver blonde hair tied back in a long pony tail that snapped at his back. Dressed in black shorts that showed off his pale white skin, and a black sport's shirt with the little white nike swoosh over the heart. His piercing blue eyes bored into all of them, silencing any further banter. He was the eldest and had become their would be coach in Sarges absence.

Soon the group was racing at full strength down the winding natural paths, Jed and Zac as always were egging each other on. Hurling crude names and nasty comments trying to out manoeuvre each other on the path, generally making a immature hazard of themselves. Receive numerous unheeded glares from passing joggers sharing the path. They were the same age as Darien, but one would think they were far younger by their antics. The competition between the two was always quite heated, always fighting to dominate and out do each other in almost anything. Jed was older by a few minutes, always needing to prove it. By beating his younger brother in everything. Zac was always striving to best him, to knock him down a few pegs.

Over an hour later they had finished their route, circling around the lake to Zojoji Temple. The heritage Buddhist landmark in Shiba park. It was still a stout grey shadow on the horizon, atop a huge hill when they began to slow their final sprint. While to the right of the path, one could see the red iconic metal spire of Tokyo Tower just off to right at the very edge of the park's tree line. They slowed to a cool down walk, as the simple wood beam and post building rose into better view around the next bend. The pagoda tile roof soon looming over them as they started up the incline of the hill.

Crossing beneath the cool shadows of the roof skirts, as they left the park and jogged down the set of stairs. Heading back down to the busy street below.

"Rest up, Bro. We're going to Osaka tonight." Jed clapped Darien on the shoulder. The Dorrii was packed with morning commuter's, honking and shouting at one another. As the traffic and busses crawled by the group of men standing against a metal corrugated guard rail.

"I'd rather just stay in tonight, Jed." Darien heaved, still needing to calm the rapid beat of his heart from the intense run.

His dark hair now plastered to his head, sweat covering his face. Making him feel cool and clammy in the hot wind.

"Look your com'in. If I gotta go, you damn well have to too!" Kane roared, snapping his sweat soaked bangs at him in frustration.

Darien blocked the disgusting attack with a raised arm, glowering at the taller man.

Kane couldn't stand being left alone with Jed and Zac. They drove him absolutely insane when bar hoping or clubbing. Always trying to pick up woman, usually failing miserably. Ending up pouting at the table, bemoaning to him why the ladies didn't like them. Hollywood was just plain boring, never leaving the table and usually to absorbed in playing apps on his phone. While obsessively nursing his one solitary drink to care about his surroundings. The man was more robot then man, Kane swore he had a plug in cord stuffed up his ass. Leaving Kane to brood and wallow in boredom for hours on end. Darien was the only one he could carry a half decent conversation with. He was a damn good wing man too, Kane always seemed to have good luck with the ladies when the young man was around.

"I would really rather stay home, I got one hell of a headache...and..." Darien tried to get out of it again, giving Jed and Zac apologetic half smile.

"I planned this for a month!" Zac relented, his voice close to a whine. As he pleaded with Darien to change his mind.

"You are such a woman!" Jed rolled his eyes, "Look, Shield's your coming willingly or not. We are not partying with out you. Perhaps it will take your mind off you latest Dream Girl issues." Jed shrugged, having over heard Kane speaking to Hollywood in hushed tones during the run about Darien's latest dream funk. They had been enduring the man's obsession with this dream girl for years. Ever since he woke up in the lower hall of the High School, after Homecoming. He had been plagued by dreams of this mysterious girl. Her image always haunted him, as if he should know her but just couldn't remember.

She was an enigma not only to him but to four other girls he had befriended in High School soon after. They had formed their own little click, with his best friend Andrew. A deep friendship based on the foundation that they all seemed to be haunted by her face as well.

That time had been filled with confusing circumstances. For the whole school populace who had attended that fateful dance. The students remembered waking up scattered all over the school, or on the cafeteria floors. The dance had long since ended and morning had arrived. They all shared the same strange feelings of waking up from some kind of spell.

Almost everyone was accounted for, even Pink was found sprawled out on the football field. The only student missing from that night was Daniel, everyone figured he had cut and run. As his brother's charges of murder were soon discredited as insubstantial to convict. The investigation was soon centered on Daniel himself. Since he was the only other witness to the murder.

Darien gave Jed a unimpressed look.

"Your not backing out." Kane crossed his arms stubbornly over his barrel chest, glaring dangerously down at him.

"It's going to be EPIC!" Zac exclaimed, attempting the sell the night with one very loud very over used exclamation.

"It's this club called "The Silver Millennium" his eyes were sparkling with anticipation and pent up excitement.

"It's supposed to be the best dance club in all of Japan. Tonight's show has been sold out for months. It's hard to get tickets when Serenity Moon preforms." Jed shrugged.

"I had to sell my ass to the scalper to get those tickets!" Zac cried, curling his fingers into a painful pose before his stricken face, to illustrate how much trouble it had been for him.

Darien, and the guys raised their eyebrows in speculation. Wondering if the guy really would actually take it up the ass.

For the chance to party in the hottest club in the nation.

"So stop being a little prissy bitch and get your party pants on!" Jed crossed his arms over his chest, glowering at Darien in irritation, as his little brother now looked near tears with disappointment.

"Alright, fine." Darien conceded. Waving his badgering friends off, as he walked away. He had six blocks to walk to get back into Azabu. Then ten more to get to his condo complex.

By the time he got home, the sun was already beating against the huge living room windows. A blinding glare that penetrated every inch of his open living room. The mid summer in Japan was a humid nightmare, of long days of sweltering heat. That baked the city as if it was in an oven. He tossed his keys into the small dark ceramic bowl he had set on a dark wooden hutch in his small entry way. Tossing his hoody into the small closet before kicking off his sneaker's and stepping up from the foyer and into his living room area.

Proceeding over to the panoramic windows that filled the back wall. Slowly unfurling the paper blinds to shield his living space from the bright sun. Casting his now uncluttered white leather couch and arm chair an approving glance, as it was cast in cool shade once more. His guest had thankfully removed her clothing, now he wondered mildly if she was dressed and lounging in the bedroom. He wasn't looking forward to this mornings confession. His lack of interest in pursuing a relationship after having drunken intercourse with so random woman. Usually ended up with him getting a slap, or enduring her wailing away in shame and disgust at herself.

Ah...good times...good times... He thought bitterly, not intending to seek the woman out. Honestly the coming drama could wait, he had more pressing matters to attend to. Namely his stomach! It growled angrily up at him. His body not approving of all the booze he had consumed last night and then not getting anything to eat before he exercised this morning. Breakfast wasn't a want anymore it was now a need! Hunger was gnawing at him, relentless and demanding like a wailing babe. It just couldn't be ignored!

He moved to the light wood coffee table set before the massive flat screen t.v along the front wall. Snatching up his remote and turning on the flat screen. Tossing the black plastic wand to the couch cushions. As the t.v came alive with the local Japanese news station. Now whispering softly through the shadowed condo.

As he absently proceeded toward his galley kitchen at the far end of the main living space. Rapping a knuckle on the black marble counter top of his island that separated his living room from his tiny kitchen. Wondering what he was going to find in his fridge for breakfast this morning. He puttered in the kitchen preparing scrambled eggs and toast for a few minutes.

Casting curious, nervous glances down his narrow back hall, wondering if his mysterious house guest was going to emerge. He kinda wanted to get this hurtful conversation over and done with. Once he plated his food and poured himself a large glass of orange juice. He couldn't stand the anxiousness any longer. He set his food on the island and proceeded to check his bedroom. Slumping his shoulder's in resignation, releasing a tired drawn out sigh as he proceeded down he hall.

Opening his bedroom door softly, finding the room thankfully empty. The strange woman had gotten the hint, when she woke up that morning alone and forgotten. Realizing that he had just taken off not caring enough to cuddle or even to leave a note. Understanding by his lack of proper manner's, that she was just a one night stand and meant nothing to him. He nodded, happy not to have to deal with the woman's spurned emotions.

He didn't even know her name, for gods sake. Shaking his head at his drunken stupidity last night. He wandered back to his breakfast, picking it up from the island and planting himself comfortably on the couch. Setting his glass on the coffee table as he ate and immersed himself in the japanese language filtering out of his t.v. He had been struggling valiantly to learn the local language, even if the local's barely spoke to him with it. Wanting to speak english and not have to endure his clumsy attempts. Yeah, he was a total hypocrite. Giving Jed flack about trying to speak the language when in secret he had been trying to learn it also and was butchering it just as bad.

Yet, he wanted to know what they were saying to each other, when they thought he couldn't understand. He had a bitter and jaded view of human nature and wanted to know what nasty things these japanese might be saying about him and his ignorant, Gaijin, friends. Already he had picked up on the us v.s them mentality they carried when it came to any one not from their country. They were polite to an almost annoying extent, speaking in a very round about way and never truly just stating what they wanted point blank. To nervous about offending anyone, or stepping on each other toes. A by product of living in such close quarter's with the rest of the islands population. The Japanese were also very ingrained with having proper conduct and emotional discipline. He admired their high standards of social decorum and etiquette. The severe contrast between cultures could be rather jarring. American's were brash with their opinions, forthright in their attitude and typically not all that accepting of other cultures either. He must seem like a loud, obnoxious, rude ego maniac compared to the average, mild mannered Japanese man. But as with any culture, there was good and bad points to it. He had so far been having many epiphanies about his own cultures failures. In doing so he was trying to emulate all the parts of Japanese culture he admired and trying to change his less desirable American qualities. In a way, his eyes had been opened to the fact that every culture had something to offer, something to teach to help one become a better person. In many ways he felt he had matured a little more, become more wise and perhaps more worldly. Either way he was no longer feeling like some ignorant, mid-western hick any longer. This trip had really broadened his horizons.

He had found a wrinkled, beat up english to japanese dictionary in his old apartment years ago. Not knowing why he had it or when he had picked it up, he just chucked it out. Now he regretted that, it would have been very helpful now that he was living in Tokyo.

Starting to repeat what the graceful dark haired news caster was saying. Trying to formulate the sounds of this foreign language in a pleasant way. Finishing his eggs off with one last bite of toast, he set the empty plate down on the low table. Drained his glass of juice, while his left hand summoned a blooming dark red rose. Spinning the flower in his finger's as he set the empty glass down on the coffee table. Life had never been the same after that dance, not for him or for the girls.