Author's Note: Japanese honourifics have been used here.

Oniichan - endearing suffix for older brother

Guiding Spirit

Chapter II - Reunion

"Pardon me, but I heard that the new worker's surname was Fey?"

The abnormal question seemed more like a snide remark and caused Mia to drop her pen altogether on the document she was writing. It bounced away from her feet and down the aisle of desks beside her. She glanced over to another workspace with a dark, curly haired man sitting behind it. He possessed a rather hooked nose and seemed to be patronising her with his cold black eyes. Her heart fluttered slightly as she recognised him.

"Y-Yes, my name is Mia Fey." She replied indignantly, refusing for her pride to be ruffled by this man, someone that she knew too well.

Robert Hammond, the reason for her mother's disappearance, and the reason she pushed herself so hard to become a defence attorney.

"Ah, excellent." He folded his hands and leaned his elbows against the desk. "I've been meaning to meet up with a relative of the infamous Misty Fey."

The words sent a jolt of pure fury and hatred in the young attorney's heart. She stood up without any thought, a flush upon her cheeks.

"Yes, what of it?" She said menacingly. How dare he address my mother like that?

Some heads rose from their typing and writing, both curious and nervous as they saw where this conversation was going. She was so angry she didn't hear the door creak open a few metres away, didn't notice a young man stepping in.

"I see you are still pretty wound up about the DL-6 incident. Mind you, I want to make one thing quite clear." He also stood from behind his desk and leaned towards her. "Your mother, was nothing but a sick, arrogant spirit medium who merely fibbed about her wonderful, supernatural powers." Hammond almost spat the last few words out of his lips.

A weight seemed to have dropped into her body and clashed with both her lungs and heart. She longed to scream out in protest and hurl a fist into this man's face. But instead, a mixture of fury and hurt in the form of liquid welled up into her eyes as gasps of horror filled the room. It seemed that everyone had heard the situation at hand.

No…why am I crying? I can't cry, not now… I can't let him know that he's won…

"Are you quite done, sir? Or have you found another adjective to add to the list?" The voice was quiet but it caused Hammond to flinch slightly.

Mia suddenly found a strong grip on her shoulder, and whirled around to see who on earth it was. It seemed as if her heart had stopped pounding for a few seconds as she found herself staring into a pair of chilling emerald eyes with utmost hatred towards the man.

"Xe-ku…?!" was all that she managed to croak.

"Who might you be, charging full speed into this conversation? I'll have you know that -," Hammond was cut short by the almost piercing glare from the man's sharp eyes that caused him to close his mouth.

"May I remind you, good sir, as your memory may be failing you….that you have not yet answered my question." He walked a few steps closer to the desk.
"Are you quite done?" The force of his words seemed to push Hammond back into his seat.

Mia was planted to the ground by her feet, absolutely speechless at what had just happened.

"Y-Yes, I am done." He managed to regain some composure. "What's it to you, you cowardly young…boy?"

"Oh, I assure you it is nothing, sir." The man started to turn away, letting Hammond think that fear had overcome him, and that he had given up. Of course, no one was expecting what he said coldly next.
"I was just making sure you didn't lose your job, after all, wouldn't that be your boss standing a few footsteps away from us?"

Nearly everybody in the office jumped in shock as they realised that Marvin Grossberg, was indeed in the office with his arms folded before his chest.

Mia caught only snatches of what her boss was yelling out at Hammond as the young man guided her outside the large room with his warm hands on her shoulders. Everybody else had returned to their work, making sure that they in turn would not be caught for eavesdropping and receive a furious scolding closed the door behind them and smiled for the first time since his arrival, all the anger in his eyes melted away, making her doubt whether it had been there in the first place.

"Well, it really has been a while, Mia." He murmured with sincere warmth in his voice.

She was only aware of half stumbling, half running into his waiting arms, tears blurring her vision as they closed around her. The tears from the conversation with Hammond could no longer be held back.

"…X-Xekuto…" her sobs were only audible to him.

"No! You can't leave… you just can't!" her voice was choked with raw emotion and droplets of tears slid down her rosy cheeks.

"Mia…I,"

"Don't…you c-can't…Onii-chan, you can't!" she blurted out again, using the Japanese term for big brother to address him. Of course, they were not siblings, but because she had grown so attached to him, the term just seemed natural to her now.

It ached the young boy's heart to watch this news dissolve all the existing happiness inside her. He quietly walked over and embraced her tightly.

"Y-You… You're the only f-friend that I h-have. If you leave, I'll be alone… all alone!" Her voice was muffled against his white shirt but he heard every word.

A fresh jolt of pain ran through his body, there was so much guilt submerged in him it didn't feel like he could continue standing.

"I'm sorry. I have no choice but to leave. I can't change what my aunt and uncle decides…" he tasted bitterness in his throat at the thought of never being able to address his parents ever again, and managed to hold the welling tears back. No, he couldn't cry. Not when she was in such pain already.

Mia continued to sob in his arms.

"…Tell you what, let's make a promise." He held out his pinky finger.

She choked back more tears but did the same.

He smiled, "The next time we meet will be under the same defence attorney office. So, until then, promise to study extra hard so that you can become a lawyer, okay?"

"T-the exact s-same office? B-but h-how is that p-possible, even if I do get there?" she whimpered.

"I'll find you, Mia. Don't worry. No matter where you will be, until then, I promise I'll find you."

The two small fingers crossed over with eachother and clenched tight around the other.

And that was the last she ever saw of him, until today.

It surprised him how much she had changed since the last time they had met. Her chestnut hair was now just about her waist length, and… she had just grown into such a beautiful woman, he couldn't prevent himself from noting. He petted her head like he always used to do, and gently held her closer.

"I've missed you, Mia."

Mia leaned back slightly, a big smile shone on her face. She was slowly getting used to his matured voice.

"I can't believe you managed to keep it…the promise, I mean."

"Hey, I never break my promises."

She marveled at how much he had matured, yet still had that tiny spark of mischief alight in his eyes, just like when he was a child. Mia clutched the fabric of his dark grey suit and lay against his chest, noticing for the first time that he was actually wearing a tie.

"Hmm? Dark green, I never knew you liked that colour." She mused.

"It reminded me of the colour of a magatama, so I guess that's why I wore it. Sort of like a charm to help me find you, yeah?"

She could not spot any differences about her childhood friend at all, apart from him being much taller and… un-childlike. He still possessed his distinctive spiked, silver fringe and sharp emerald eyes. She noticed a white shirt tucked neatly underneath his dark grey suit and forced back a giggle, for she would never had imagined him in work clothes; especially since he always used to wear gi tops. It just didn't suit a member of the Zoren family.

Mia smiled again and broke away from him. "We'd better stop this now, or people will start to get misunderstandings…"

"Ha…! Misunderstandings? What possibly makes you think that?" A cocky voice shot out from behind her.

This time, Mia really did jump up in shock before turning to face none other than Diego Armando, the coffee addict in the flesh.

"W-Would you stop DOING that?!" She growled back at him.

"Doing what?" he asked innocently.

Xekuto stood with an amused expression positioned on his face as he watched the two start bickering. If you could describe bickering as Mia shouting out objections except only to have them 'swayed' aside by the newcomer's coffee mug. After what seemed like five whole minutes, Diego was the first to realise that someone else other than the two of them was actually standing there, politely waiting for them to finish.

"So, who's this?" He motioned towards Xekuto, with yet another one of his coffee mugs.

"His name is Xekuto, he's been my best friend since I was a little girl." Mia explained, not knowing why she sounded so proud about it.

"I see…" Diego surveyed the newcomer with interest. "You're a defence attorney too?"

"Just about," Xekuto replied back with a dip of his head respectfully, trying to not let the strong coffee smell distract him. "Grossberg just needs to file my resume and everything will be set."

"You mean you're going to work here, that's great!" Mia bounced with enthusiasm.

"Whoa there, Kitten. Don't reveal your claws when you don't need them."

Her response was one of her famous glares, causing him to sigh.

"You did quite a good show back there, you know. What, shooting Hammond back and everything..." Diego took another sip from his mug, a calculative look in his eyes as he sized the newcomer down.

"I hope I will be of good service to you then, sir." His trained ears noticed the faint, concealed piece of jealousy behind the first remark made by Diego.

Mia held back a giggle upon witnessing the huge contrast between the two of them.

"A-HHEEMM!" The three of them all shared a look before Marvin Grossberg's head poked out from behind the door.
"Xekuto, m'boy, I need to have a word with you back at my office." He glanced at Mia, and Diego, who was innocently sipping his coffee. "You two, no time for couple business, get back to work."

"Wh-WHAT?!" She screamed in fury at the retreating Grossberg head.

Xekuto gave her a shrug and followed his boss into the office. The door clicked shut. She whipped her head around to stare at Diego, who once again, had that smug look on his face.

"Score." He grinned.

"You…You are SO dead the next time I see you." With that, she charged into the office herself and slammed the door shut in his face.

"I look forward to it, Kitten." He murmured to no one in particular.