Ch. 2: Life Now

22-year old Lettuce gasps in surprise. Her eyes shot open as they scan her surroundings. She sees the white lily paper design walls, the brown wooden floors, the rose design rug, two desks on both side of the room across from each other, a small chandelier hanging from the middle of the ceiling, and the queen size bed in the middle of the room where she rests. The room is dark with its thick closed curtains and turned off lanterns. She's in the safety of her room instead of on that cold, foggy day on the deck of the ship.

"Are you awake?"

Lettuce lifts her head up to look up over her shoulder to see another pair of eyes looking at her. She sees her 21-year old sister staring at her with her brown eyes, fully awake. Lettuce's cheeks turn red as she sits up.

"I'm sorry!" she tells her, softly. "Did I wake you?"

Ichigo sits up and stretches her arms. "Nope," she answers. She relaxes and explains, "I was awake a few minutes before you. I thought about going back to sleep but I heard you gasp so might as well stay up. Did you have a bad dream?"

Lettuce shakes her head. She looks down at the covers over half of her body as she plays with it with her long, skinny, beautiful fingers. "I just had a memory played in my head."

"Of what?" Ichigo asks, curious.

Lettuce answers, "Of how we met Pai." Her cheeks turn red and her voice sounds soft and nervous with embarrassment. Ichigo can clearly see this and hear this, even in the darken room. Then to quickly drive the attention away from her, Lettuce looks up and asks, "Did you dream tonight, sister?"

Lucky for her, her sister can be easily distracted. Ichigo looks away and her cheeks this time are a bit pink. "I had that dream, again," Ichigo answers, mumbling.

Lettuce knows what she's talking about but she asks to be sure, "You mean, the one about that man?"

Ichigo looks up at the ceiling and answers, "Yes. The one with the golden amber eyes. Those beautiful, carefree eyes that see more than just the sea. He sees a whole new world, waiting to be discovered! A world we have yet to know. A world waiting for us." There's a moment of silence between them as it appears Ichigo is seeing the small fragments of her dream that she remembers.

Just to keep the topic off her, Lettuce asks, "Was there anything different this time?"

"Why does it matter?" Ichigo asks, with a sigh. "It's only a silly dream and aren't we a little old to be believing in guys created from our nightly imaginations? Your dream guy on the other hand, at least he's real. I'm only fooling myself."

Then Ichigo takes the covers off her legs and swings them to the edge. Lettuce watches her as Ichigo walks over the desk on the left side, the one closer to the door and apparently her desk. Ichigo pulls one drawer out and her hand goes to the top of the drawer. She presses a button and the bottom of the drawer lifts up, revealing a dusty golden coin on a golden chain. Lettuce gasps in surprise in realizing what her sister is doing. She gets up as well but looks to her left at the wall to see two hangers, each hanger holding a robe. Lettuce reaches for the green one and puts it on before walking over to her sister's side.

Ichigo picks up the coin and stares at the designs of it. Lettuce looks over her shoulder and how it looked in her dream still remains exactly that way now. Ichigo asks, "It's been ten years since that day, hasn't it?"

Lettuce nods. "Yes, it has."

Ichigo didn't say anymore. She puts the necklace on and looks down to see the coin lay in between her breasts over her pink nightgown. She lifts it up and continues to stare at it until someone knocks on the door.

Knock

Knock

Both Ichigo and Lettuce look at the door and they hear their father call, "Lettuce? Ichigo?" Lettuce rushes to the other hanger as Ichigo hides the coin under her nightgown. Lettuce comes back with Ichigo's pink robe.

"Lettuce? Ichigo?" their father calls again. "Are you both decent?"

"Yes," Ichigo answers, putting the robe on. "Yes!"

As the door opens, not only does their father come in but two maids as well. Their father, Governor Shintaro smiles at both his daughter as he asks, "Still at bed in this hour?" Both Ichigo and Lettuce stand where they are, smiling as the maids walk over to the windows. As they pull away the curtains and open the doors, both girls closed their eyes from the sudden brightness. "It's a beautiful day," Shintaro comments. Both of them nod while their eyes painfully adjust to the light.

"I have a gift for you both," he tells them. They look back at him as the maids come back with two boxes, one in the hands of each maid – one pink and the other green. Both girls look surprise as Shintaro instructs, "The green box is for Lettuce and the pink one is Ichigo's, of course."

Of course.

Both girls walk to their boxes and they both lift the lid for a soft surprise. For Lettuce, inside she sees a white lace Victorian dress with soft green designs. What Ichigo sees is the same type of dress but instead of green, it's a soft red color. Ichigo is blinking as Lettuce has a small smile on her face.

"Father," she exclaims in surprise, "It's beautiful!"

"I thought you two might like them," Shintaro comments as Lettuce picks up the dress and lays it against her body. Shintaro looks over at Ichigo and he sees her holding up the dress before her, taking in its beauty.

"May I ask the special occasion for us to receive such lovely dresses?" Ichigo asks, smiling as well. Shintaro grins in approval before answering.

"Can't a father shower his daughters with gifts once in a while?" he asks, innocently. Ichigo raises a brow as Lettuce smiles even more.

The maid holding the green box puts it down on the closest desk to her before walking over to Lettuce and says, "If you please, ma'am." The other maid puts the box she carries down on the closest desk before walking over to Lettuce. "Let's put the dress on." Shyly, Lettuce nods before being led to the corner of the room on Ichigo's side of the bed. There is a Shoji wall where both maids and Lettuce go for her to be trained (I have no idea what the English one is called, only the Japanese so please don't hate me).

Shintaro looks down at the ground before saying, "Actually there is another reason why I bought them. You girls must look your best at today's ceremony."

Ichigo sits down on the bed, waiting for her turn, before asking, "Ceremony?"

Shintaro answers, "Captain Shirogane's promotion ceremony." Ichigo perk up as Lettuce gasps in surprise that she forgot about that. The maids place the corset around her as Shintaro corrects, "Or rather Commondor Shirogane now. He's become a fine gentleman from the little boy we used to know."

Ichigo teases, "This coming from the man who used to scare off every 'fine gentleman' who came within three feet of us." Her father gave her a hurt look for that and it only causes her to giggle.

"Spirited spirit, just like your mother," he mumbles. Then with a louder voice at the Shoji wall, "And he fancies you, Lettuce – you know?" Ichigo's face falls at the mention of that.

Then the maids start lacing and Lettuce gasps in surprise of the sudden tightness before she could say anything to what her father said. As one maid ties the corset from behind, the other holds the corset in place in front. Ichigo's eyes turn to the Shoji wall from the sound of that and Shintaro looks a bit worried. "Lettuce, how's it coming?"

Lettuce gasps before answering, "I can't really say, father." She gasps again.

Shintaro tells her, "I assure you that it's supposed to be the latest fashion in London."

Both Lettuce and Ichigo ask in thought, 'Does that mean that women in London must've learned not to breathe?'

Then there's another knock on the door.

Knock

Knock

Shintaro turns to the door and yells, "Come in!"

The door opens and this time a butler comes in. "There is a delivery for you, sir."

Down below near the front door is a young man of twenty five, Pai. He stands tall near the door with a long box in his hand. He looks around of what he can see and there are candle sticks hanging on the wall within his reach. The interest thing about it is that the metal of the candle holder doesn't look too terribly strong. He reaches for one of the arms and the instant he pulls the metal down, it broke. The sound of the metal breaking echoes through the empty room and he pulls it towards him to see that the holder really did break. Then he hears footsteps coming. He looks around for a place to hide the holder and all he sees is a vase full of umbrellas. Quickly, he puts the broken candle holder inside and stands up straight to look normal as a different butler comes passing by with a tea pot on a tray in his hand. Pai nods but the butler pays no attention. Good for him.

"Mr. Turner!"

He looks up and sees Shintaro coming down the stairs, his eyes fixed on him. He asks, "Have you brought what I ordered?"

"Yes," he answers, calmly. There's a table in front of him and he places the box down there as Shintaro walks towards him. Pai opens the box and inside is an English fencing sword in a black satin sheathe. Pai picks it up and offers the handle to Shintaro. Shintaro grasps the handle and pulls the sword from its sheathe. As Shintaro stares at the blade as it glistens from the small light illuming from the windows. Pai explains as Shintaro examines it, "The blade was forged with folded steel. The best of the best, like you requested. And that's gold filigree laid into the handle." Shintaro opens his hand to look at the handle and Pai speaks the truth. The handle has a golden line swirling around the black metal handle. Then Pai has his hands open. "If I may," he asks.

From up the stairs, Lettuce peaks out and leans her hands on the wall, one of them holding a fan. There, she sees Pai down below in all of his glory. Just the mere sight of him sends her heart racing. Over the years, he has grown and matured. Even from his clothes, Lettuce can see the muscles on his arms from working as a black smith as the rest of his body is well toned. His skin is still pale white from back then as his hair style is still the same as well. But instead of a loose bandage, his dull green bandage on his hair is tight and neat. Lettuce's cheeks turn red as she continues to stare from hiding.

Shintaro looks at Pai before looking back at the sword and answers, "Sure."

A hand taps Lettuce's shoulders and when she looks up, she sees Ichigo fully clothed in her red and white dress with a pink fan in her hand, standing behind her. Ichigo exhales for a moment, her showing distress from the tight dress, before whispering to her older sister, "How much longer do you expect to keep staring at him?"

Lettuce turns red as she tries to answer, "W-w-well I-I-I was going downstairs and saw him and I-I…"

Ichigo lets out a sigh and gently smiles at her older sister. "I understand but we have to head down stairs soon or you know how father will be if we end up late for the ceremony."

Lettuce loses her blush as she asks, "T-Tell me something, sister. How is it that you fancy Ryou when he's not the man you speak of in your dreams?" Ichigo blushes this time.

"I-I don't fancy him!" she tries to say, still whispering.

But Lettuce asks, "Then why do you appear anxious to go to his ceremony?" Ichigo says nothing. She is caught and Lettuce looks back to watch both her father and Pai.

Pai quickly puts on a smile for a short second as Shintaro offers the handle back to Pai. Pai grasps the sword and balances the sword on his finger between the blade and the handle. Pai explains, "Perfectly balanced between the blade and the handle. The best sword to be forged, like you requested." Then with that one finger, Pai flicks it up in the air and Shintaro leans back as the blade come falling down. But Pai catches it easily without slicing skin as he offers the handle back to Shintaro.

"Impressive," Shintaro comments, standing straight and taking the handle. "Very impressive. Commodore Shigone's going to be pleased with this blade, I'm sure." Pai picks up the sheathe and Shintaro puts the sword back in. Pai takes the sword and places it back in the box as Shintaro instructs, "Be sure to send my compliments to your master, Pai."

Pai looks up at him for a moment as he slowly closes the box. But he says, "I will. A craftsman is always pleased to hear his work is appreciated."

Ichigo shakes her head and thinks, 'It's so obvious that he forged that blade. His master is too drunk to tell what a hammer is and what's a rum bottle.'

Lettuce gulps before inhaling a deep breath and gains her composure. She stands up straight and appears herself. Ichigo took that as a sign to go. Lettuce tries to sound surprised as she explains, "Pai!"

Both Pai and Shintaro look up at the top of the stairs after Pai passes the box to Shintaro's hands and they see both girls coming down in their new dresses. Pai looks amazed when he sees Lettuce and Ichigo notices that. Pai greets, "Ms. Momomiya, you look beautiful. Both of you." He said that last one fairly quickly.

At the bottom of the stairs, Lettuce turns red from the compliment but smiles as she answers, "Thank you, Pai."

Ichigo didn't wait for Pai to say anything. She cuts in saying, "Lettuce had a dream about you last night, Pai." Lettuce then turns even more scarlet in embarrassment as Shintaro looks surprised by the forward remark.

Pai asks, "She did?" before looking at her. She tries to avoid his gaze as Ichigo nods.

"It was of the day we first met you. Do you remember, dear Pai?" she asks.

Pai nods. "How can I forget? You both saved me."

Shintaro clears his throat and all three of them turn towards him. The governor tells his daughter, "Something a bit more appropriate should be spoken of instead."

Ichigo tells him, "Pardon me, father."

Pai tries to say, "Please, do not be proper on my account. I'm sure that Ms. Momomiya means well."

Ichigo asks him, "Pai, how many times must we say that you can call us by our first names?"

"At least one more as always," Pai answers, "Ms. Momomiya." Ichigo looks a bit insulted as her smile dissolves away and Lettuce finally has the courage to look up. Shintaro nods in approval.

"At least someone here has a sense of priority," he says. "Come, girls, or we will be late."

Ichigo nods to Pai and tells him, "Good day, Mr. Turner."

Lettuce nods as well. "Good day, Mr. Turner."

After that, both girls walk towards the door and Shintaro opens it for both of them to exit. Ichigo unravels her fan and starts to lightly fan herself as Lettuce soon fallows. Pai watches them go as the carriage man opens the door for the three member family.

The carriage man greets, "Good morning, Ms. Momomiya." But his attention appears to be on Lettuce.

Lettuce nods and greets, "Good morning."

Ichigo enters the carriage and Lettuce fallow soon after her. Lettuce sits next to the window where she can see Pai coming out of the house as her father enters the carriage. The carriage man closes the door and walks over to the front to get on.

Lettuce sees Pai mumbles, "Good day, Lettuce." She continues to stare at him until the carriage man starts the horses and she goes down the road, her eyes not leaving him until she can no longer see him.