First things first. Responses!
Flame Rising: Hello! How are you today?
Life Song: Thanks for the great review. While some of those points were already well-known to me (I have several friends who Mary-Sue. I know how irritating that can be.), it's always good to make sure a dude has down the essentials.
I have taken your points and used them to improve this next chapter. Thanks again!
(I loved 'No Pain, No Gain', by the way.)
Rasputin: I know, I know. It's overdone. But I'm still gonna do it.
(By the way, did you know there was a 'Rasputin' movie, where Rasputin was played by Alan 'Professor Snape' Rickman? How cool is THAT.)
Halo Expert: Thanks! I hope I can continue entertaining you!
Now…the next chapter.
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CHAPTER ONE
"HE'S GONNA BE WHAT?!!"
The gathering around the table quickly broke down into a disorganised rabble.
After Jack had explained his meeting with Keitaro, his offer to help, and his entrustment with the letter, Haruka had called the rest of the inn's residents to the kitchen and explained the situation to them. While Jack had reacted with mild surprise when he found out that Hinata Sou was not an inn, but in fact a girl's dormitory, his shock would be nothing against the uproar upon Haruka's announcement.
"He's going to be your new manager." stated Haruka. "From what he told us, it's obvious he is a good, trustworthy man…if a little odd." Jack looked up at Haruka, one eyebrow raised. She ignored it. "And if my nephew isn't up to the job…" a flash of anger passed through the older woman's eyes. "This man should be the next best thing."
Haruka picked up the letter from where it lay on the table.
"He does have the letter to prove it, after all."
Naru Narusegewa was the first to protest.
"But he's a man, Haruka! It's not right for a girl's dormitory to be managed by a man! And a gaijin at that!" the girl yelled.
Motoko quickly added her agreement. "That's right! We cannot allow him to live under the roof as us! What if he tries something on the younger ones?"
Motoko gestured towards Kaolla and Shinobu as she said that. Jack cast his eyes over in that direction. Kaolla was fidgeting around in her chair and Shinobu was looking at Naru with a fearful look on her face.
'Geez, what do they take me for, some kind of sexual predator?' Jack thought, a little irritably. 'They're not even thirteen, for Goddess' sake! Why would I even want to do something like that?!'
Discreetly shaking that train of thought from his head, Jack continued surveying the other residents as Motoko and Naru continued their protests. His eyes fell on Kitsune next, who was sitting back and smirking at Naru's protests as she sipped from a can of beer.
'Now that girl…freeow. She's a real cute one. I'll have to talk to her later, even if this doesn't pan out. Can't let a girl like that pass you by…even if all you get is some good conversation.'
Kistune caught him looking at her and gave him a sly wink. Jack grinned a little nervously and moved on to Motoko.
'I hate being caught out like that. Now, she is…Motoko Aoyama, right? Pretty violent girl, but…I suppose she was just trying to protect Kaolla. Can't fault that, even if she does act rashly.'
'…She's pretty cute, too.'
Lastly, Jack looked at Naru, still screaming about how awful this man could be in full force.
'Yeesh. And so we come to the last of this motley crew. What's wrong with this one?' Jack thought. 'She hasn't even said two words to me and she's already screaming at me like I was her worst enemy! I've known girls with issues before, but she…agh. I dunno. I shouldn't do that, judging people before I get to know them. That's not cool.'
"You of all people can't rip on people with issues, you neurotic." said the reasonable part of his brain again. "Especially girls with issues? Right?"
Realising the irony of the statement, Jack smirked to himself.
'I have always liked girls with issues. Must be the masochist in me.'
Naru and Motoko's arguments looked like they were finishing up. Jack shook himself out of his reverie and started listening again. He was feeling a little snarky, so he chanced a sarcastic comment.
"So, I guess it's safe to say that you don't like me?" asked Jack.
Motoko slammed her hands on the table and glowered at Jack.
"You tried to take advantage of Kaolla, you scum!" she growled.
Jack quirked an eyebrow at that. He could take all the insults and hits in the world with grace and good humour, but once his patience ran out…
Jack pushed his chair back and stared right back at Motoko, slamming his hands on the table in the same position as the swordswoman and staring her right in their eyes. Jack's voice lowered to a hiss, their faces mere inches from each other.
"No, I did not. I told you – and Kaolla told you – that she jumped onto me. What you saw was an, unfortunately, rather suggestive looking moment. You judged me without even taking the time to gather information."
Jack leaned in closer, positively smouldering with his rare anger.
"If you're going to throw around accusations like that, at least make sure you know what you're talking about. Otherwise you look like a damn fool."
Motoko blanched at this. First this man managed to avoid her ki blast, and now he was standing up to her with anger and passion that rivalled the strongest swordsmen?
Motoko blinked quickly and regained her focus. Perhaps…she had judged too hastily. This time.
The swordswoman sat back down and crossed her arms.
"Very well, gaijin." she said grudgingly. I was in error this time and I apologise for that. But I will keep my eye on you."
Jack let out a breath, and just like that, his anger subsided. In moments, his usually calm demeanour and easy smile had returned. The man stood up straight and addressed everyone.
"Now, look. I don't know any of you, and you don't know me. You have no reason to trust me; as you've said, I'm a man, a gaijin, and a complete stranger to all of you. But if you give me a shot, then I can at least try to be a good manager to you." Jack flashed his cocky grin again. "I just might surprise you, you know."
Jack looked around the table once more. Kaolla was grinning happily at the prospect of a new playmate; Shinobu was staring at him, wide-eyed; Kitsune was observing him with a devious grin; Motoko, with a cold stare; Haruka, with her usual blank look; and Naru, with barely contained anger.
When Jack looked at Naru, their eyes met. Jack gave her a small smile. Momentarily, his eyes strayed down to her cleavage, pushing against her yellow turtleneck…
And that was enough. Naru flew up out of her chair and screamed, "Jerk! Idiot! Gaijin asshole!" Her fist flew forward, aiming straight for Jack's face.
Jack yelped in surprise and ducked, throwing himself backwards. Naru's punch sailed harmlessly over his head as his momentum threw him painfully into the kitchen wall.
"Mr. Kavanagh!" called Shinobu.
"Jack, you alright?" asked Haruka, looking down at him dispassionately.
Jack groaned in response. He got to his feet again, rubbing the sore spot where the chair had connected with his back.
"I'm fine. Gotta stop doin' that to myself." Jack said. He turned to Haruka. "So do I get the gig?"
Haruka appraised him one last time. She took a long drag on her cigarette and blew the smoke upwards, gazing at the ceiling.
"If you can handle all that with a smile on your face, I suppose you do." she stated. "Your room is on the second floor, opposite Kitsune's. You'll start tomorrow."
Haruka turned her head to address the rest of the room.
"That's all. Go on back to what you were doing now."
Naru got up and stalked off in a huff, quickly followed by Motoko. Kaolla bounded off, cheering about her new playmate. Shinobu stole another small glance at the new manager and rushed off, leaving Jack alone with Kitsune and Haruka.
"Looks like you're in, Jacky boy." grinned Kitsune.
"Looks like I am, at that." replied Jack.
Kitsune raised her can to the new manager in a toast. Her eyes opened slightly as a devilish expression crossed her face.
"May the Gods have mercy on your soul."
The next few days were rather difficult for Jack. Motoko and Naru kept a very close eye on him, waiting for the smallest slip-up to call him on. Jack tried to busy himself with managerial chores, but he couldn't shake the knowledge that at all times of the days he had at least one of these women keeping an eye on him, waiting for him to make a mistake. Jack's paranoia, a problem in regular situations, rose to worrying levels. Jack found himself picking up some of his old nervous habits; twirling a pen at all times, fiddling with his hair, and cracking his knuckles. Anything that kept his hands busy and his mind occupied.
After only two days, Jack had had enough. He excused himself early from lunch on the second day, stating that he needed to take a bath to wash off the smell of window cleaner.
Soon enough, Jack was easing himself into his private bath and sitting back to think.
'Goddess…this is ridiculous. These girls don't trust me at all. And for no good damn reason, too!' Jack thought. 'I need to think…'
Jack slid down into the bath, submerging himself in hot water. After a minute or so, he re-emerged, slightly more at peace.
'Ahhh…okay. Plan time.' Jack said, leaning back. 'Haruka said that it's part of my duty as manager to get to know every resident and make sure that they're happy.'
So, do it. said the reasonable part of his brain, piping up again. Your prime directive, as it were, is to Make People Happy. You know that. So just go around and make these people happy.
'I guess that's as good a plan as any. I'll leave Motoko and Naru until further along…don't want to interrupt their studying or training, at any rate. I'll wait until they're not busy.'
'That just leaves…Shinobu, Kaolla, and Kitsune. Kaolla won't need much; she likes me already. In fact, I've got a sneaking suspicion she likes everyone.' A smirk crossed the man's face at his internal sarcasm. 'Still, I should find out more about her.'
'Shinobu…I guess I could help her with the next meal, and talk to her then. A nervous girl-'
And you know from nervous, man. You're as neurotic as they come.
'Yes, yes. Thank you, brain. But she should be relatively easy as well.'
'That just leaves Kitsune. She's very sexy, and the girl knows it. As quick and as cunning as the eponymous fox, too.'
What to do, what to do…
'Exercise caution, I guess. Get to know her.'
Jack shifted around in the bath, leaning his arms on the edge and putting his head on his arms.
'Naru…I dunno. I guess I just extend the olive branch and see what happens. Same for Motoko. Just try to talk to them.'
And if they don't like you enough to talk to you, Mister Gaijin Manager Jerk? You just gonna keep 'Paying it Forward'?
'Yeah. I guess that's all I can do. For now, anyway.'
Satisfied with his decision, Jack leant back into the bath. He hummed happily as the hot water enveloped him. After all the housework he'd done recently – and he was not the sort to do housework, usually. Desperate times and all that – his bones were aching. A hot bath did wonders. Without realising it, he began to sing.
"God give me grace, and dancing feet, and the power. To. Impress. God give me grace, and dancing feet. Let me out. Shine. The moon."
After half an hour of soaking, singing and mulling over his thoughts, Jack reluctantly pulled himself out of the bath. He dried himself off leisurely, and pulled on a new set of clothes; a black pair of jeans, a blue-and-white striped button-down shirt, and a brown jacket. With a plan and a new sense of confidence, Jack strode out of the bath to start his mission.
"Kaolla? Are you in there?" called Jack. He was standing outside of the dark-skinned girl's door, waiting for her to answer.
"I'm here, Jack! Come in and take a look at this!" the reply came.
Jack hesitantly opened the door – he'd seen the explosions from Su's inventions back in town – and entered. What greeted him caused his eyes to widen to the point of nearly popping out of their sockets.
The inside of Kaolla's room was…a lot lusher than it should have been. He'd been told by Shinobu that Kaolla's room was a jungle, but he figured it was just a metaphor…what he saw was an actual, living jungle. And in the middle of it all stood Kaolla Su, tightening a few screws on what looked like a large, mechanical turtle.
Jack composed himself as best he could and walked over to where Su was standing.
"So, what's this?" he asked, gesturing to the metal turtle. "It, uh…it looks like a giant metal turtle."
"That's because it is, Jack!" shouted Kaolla.
Jack winced. 'Doesn't this girl ever speak softly?'
"This is…the Mecha Tama!" continued Su, gesturing wildly. "It's a personal transportation solution, a fully-automated weapon and a turtle-tracker from a distance of one thousand feet!"
Jack looked up at the giant turtle-machine with a new interest. Clearly, Su was a lot smarter than she let on.
"It's very impressive, Su." Jack said. "I had no idea you were so talented. This is…amazing."
A huge smile broke across Kaolla's face. She bounded forward and hugged Jack tightly.
"Yay! Jack likes me!" she said, rubbing her cheek against his.
Jack laughed nervously, and tried to pry Kaolla off of him.
"Heh, yeah. You're great fun, Su."
At that, Su blushed a little, and jumped back off of Jack. She looked at her manager with a serious expression – or at least, as serious as Su gets – on her face.
"Su thinks Jack is great fun, too! But I don't know why Motoko and Naru are so angry with you all the time."
Jack rubbed the back of his head.
"I wish I could explain it, Su. But I don't really know either." he explained.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. Jack crouched down slightly and beckoned for Su to come closer.
"But - I think I can tell you this - I'm working on it. I'm gonna talk to everyone in the building today and tomorrow and see if I can't get everyone to be friends again. I upset things when I came here, and I want to make everything better again."
Jack looked Su straight in the eyes.
"Can I count on you helping me out, if I need it?" Jack asked.
Su looked confused for a moment. As realisation dawned, a new smile crossed Kaolla's face and she nodded emphatically.
"You can count on me!" she said.
"Good." smiled Jack. "Now I gotta go. I'll see you later."
"Bye, Jack!" called Su as her manager left her room and closed the door behind him.
Left alone, Su giggled mischievously.
"I'm going to have more playmates if Jack manages to make everyone happy! Good luck, Manager!"
With that, Su threw herself back into her Mecha-Tama, her fervour for her work stronger than ever.
Jack walked out of Su's room with a smile on his face. His plan had started with an exceptional success. He only hoped that the rest of them would be this easy…
Jack stretched languidly, pondering his next move.
'Kitsune next, I think.' he thought. 'But I gotta be on my guard. She looks like a crafty one…'
Jack's devilish grin appeared on his face again.
'Guess I gotta turn up the charm.'
With that satisfying thought on his mind, Jack turned and walked down the hallway. Unfortunately, being so absorbed in his own thoughts, he failed to notice Naru coming from the opposite direction and collided right into her.
The two of them fell down with resounding thumps.
"Oof! Sorry, Naru." said Jack, rubbing his rear. "Guess I should pay more attention to where I'm going, huh?"
The manager's apology fell on deaf ears as Naru leapt up, an expression of pure anger on her face. She had noticed which room he had just come out of.
"What were you doing in Kaolla's room, you pervert? Trying to take advantage of her or something?" Naru yelled.
"What? No!" replied Jack, horrified. He quickly got up and held his hands in front of his chest in an 'innocent!' manner. "I just needed to discuss something with her!"
"Oh, like I'd believe that! You just tried to grope me, so why should your story be worth anything?" Naru retorted.
At that comment, Jack's self-preservation promptly disappeared, replaced with confusion and a bountiful supply of sarcasm. He crossed his arms and arched one eyebrow.
"Wait, what? I did not try to grope you. I just bumped into you!" Jack said incredulously. "Where in the Goddess' name did you get that sort of logic from?"
Naru growled under her breath and bunched her fist. She seemed to be ready to punch Jack through several walls. Thinking quickly, Jack moved closer to her. This was not a situation that warranted incisive comments, he decided. This was a situation that needed to be defused before this girl broke his nose.
"Look, Naru. I know you don't trust me, but I swear on my honour that I would never do anything to Kaolla. Or Shinobu, for that matter."
On a wild impulse, Jack gripped Naru by the arms; just below the shoulders. The girl gasped and a shocked expression crossed her face.
"They are my responsibility as manager, as are the rest of you. I swear, I promise, I give my word…that I would never hurt any of you or let anyone else hurt any of you."
Naru looked at Jack with a newfound sense of respect. Feeling her face warm, she quickly averted her gaze.
'He's really dedicated to this…I can tell he means every word he says. Maybe I did judge him too hastily before…'
Sensing Naru's growing discomfort, Jack released her and stepped back.
"I know it's asking a lot, but…can you give me your trust, Naru?" asked Jack.
Naru looked back at her manager. He was standing there with his arms out by his sides, displaying himself in the most vulnerable fashion possible. If she wanted to punch him now, he would not even try to block it.
Naru took a deep breath and nodded her head.
"I suppose." She replied. "For now, at least."
Relieved, a ghost of a smile appeared on Jack's face. In moments it had grown back to his usual cocky grin.
"Good." he said. "I really appreciate it. Now I gotta get back to work."
Jack walked past Naru, inadvertently brushing her shoulder. The redness reappeared on the girl's face. It went completely unnoticed by Jack.
"See you later, Naru!" the manager called back over his shoulder.
"Oh." replied Naru. "Um…bye."
For a few moments more, Naru Narusegewa stared down the hallway after her manager.
'He was so open…why did I blush so much when he spoke to me like that?' the girl thought. 'Could it be that I…'
Naru shook her head, dispelling the thought. She rushed off to her room, pushing the thoughts away, only to have them return with greater fervour.
When Jack saw her again at dinner that night, she would still be debating the point to herself. But he would never know.
Naru was, after all, a girl who knew how to keep a secret.
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ANs: Okay, so that's the first chapter squared away! And in less than the three day buffer period, too. Who knew fanfiction was so easy to write?
So…yeah. I took the time to edit and clean up this chapter, acting upon the suggestions of the people who reviewed the Prologue. Hi, Life Song. I really liked 'No Pain, No Gain'.
Had a bit of trouble coming up with ways to refer to Kaolla. She was never the most interesting character to me, and she's not gonna play a great part in this story…but still. Gotta do my best in all aspects, right?
And if it seems like I'm going for the 'every female character in the series goes OOC and has the hots for the 'self' character' trope, well…I'm not. It might seem that way, but not. I've got a very – well, moderately – clear idea of where I'm going with all this, so please bear with me.
Also, I share Jack's sentiment. Not to judge your own preferences or anything – free world, infinitely complex exchange of ideas and beliefs and all that - but who would try to hit on twelve year old girls (aside from twelve year old boys)? That's just gross.
Anyway. Here's the first chapter. Feel free to call me on spelling mistakes, continuity errors and OOC-ness.
Enjoy!