Chapter Ten: Ayame's Shop And The Inspiration

*~Cady's POV*~

Sunday rolled around pretty quick. I needed a break from my attempts of writing a new song. Kyo looked fidgety again.
"What's up, Kyo?" I asked as we all walked down the street.
He looked at me. No doubt looking at what I was wearing. I'd been wearing one of my dark denim miniskirts that was ripped along the bottom, black and purple, horizontally striped stockings, my favorite boots, a baggy black shirt that was off the shoulder, and a grey tank beneath.
"I swear, your sense of style is so odd." He said, looking away.
I grew irritated. "AT LEAST I HAVE ONE, MISTER CARGO PANTS AND HOODIE EV-ER-Y-DAY!" I huffed and crossed my arms. "Geez. You know, it took me forever to make these."
"Huh? Make?" Kyo asked.
"What do you mean, Miss Rhinestone?" Yuki asked.
"You guys didn't know?" I asked smirking.
"Cady designs her own clothes." Tohru said. "I figured you guys would've noticed it by now."
"It's how I make some extra money." I cooed.
"Extra…money?" Yuki asked.
"Well…those senior girls from the cultural festival…I didn't know that you were going to be wearing it! I'm really sorry, Yuki!" I said, sweat dropping.
Yuki flinched. "You…designed that dress?"
"Yeah?" I then received a punch in the head. "I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE FOR THEM SO I USED THEIR MEASUREMENTS! I SWEAR: IF I'D KNOWN THAT THEY WANTED IT TO BE FOR YOU, I WOULD NEVER HAVE DESIGNED IT THE WAY I DID!"
"We're here!" Tohru said, breaking up the fight.
We walked inside. It was a fabric store…sort of.
"Well…that's ironic and awkward." I murmured.
I heard Kyo stifle a laugh.
"I'm sorry. We're closed today." A soft voice called.
A young girl wearing an adorable maid costume came out. She had brown hair in pigtails and glasses. I was astounded by the stitch work.
But that's not what sent me into an even worse state of shock.
"Mine," Ayame's voice came out. "We need to left this…hem…"
Ayame stared at us. He was wearing a wedding dressing, cooing Yuki's name as he rushed towards his younger brother. Kyo and Yuki and Tohru were all petrified.
As for me…
"PWAHAHAHAHA! AHAHA! AHA! AHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!"
I was crying from laughing so hard and was now on the floor, kicking my legs like a kid. I couldn't help it! He actually looked good in it!
Anyway, after that little fiasco, Ayame explained that a man had costume ordered it. Then…
"Cady! I must know where you got these clothes!" Ayame asked me, grabbing my hands and pulling me to stand so he could inspect them.
"Sorry! These are Rhinestone Originals!" I said.
"Rhinestone-AH! You designed and made these!"
"Yuppers!" I said, twirling around.
"Simply stunning, Cady! It reveals the rebel within you. Truly excellent work!"
"Thanks, Ayaa!" I said, cooing.
Mine then came in, noticing the likeness between Yuki and Ayame. As soon as Yuki figured out that Mine Kuramae (That's her full name) was Ayame's assistant, he asked if it was her uniform.
After we got the color scheme conversation figured out (which I gladly joined), Mine spotted me and Tohru.
Suddenly, we were dragged into the back by Mine. Well, at least Tohru was. I kinda just shrugged and followed her.

*~Kyo's POV*~

As soon as Yuki and I recovered from Mine kidnapping Tohru and Cady, I explored the shop a little.
Ayame and Yuki spoke in private. I didn't really care. I was still in a bit of shock that I never noticed that Cady was so into designing clothes. I guess…I still don't know some things about her.
"Kyo, what are you doing?" Ayame asked as I stood outside.
"Thinking. What's it to ya?"
"You didn't know about Cady's talent, did you?"
"Shuddup."
Ayame took me back in.
I saw Tohru wearing a princess dress. Not really my taste. Yuki liked it though.
"Cady! Please come out!" Tohru begged. "You look great-"
"I feel…ridiculous." I heard her growl.
"Mine, please pull out Cady." Ayame asked.
"C'mon, Cady. It's okay. You look great." The assisstant said comfortingly.
I heard Cady let out a sigh of defeat.
She came out. She was wearing an outfit that fit her perfectly.
It was a samurai outfit. When I saw her face, she seemed angry but her blushing face…she looked cute. There was only one thing missing…
"Ayame, did you bring it here?" I asked him.
Ayame blinked for a moment. "Oh! Yes! I forgot! It's on the third shelf over there."
"Thanks."
I walked to the shelf. Cady was the only one out of the loop. I found it. It was a long object wrapped in black paper. I walked up to Cady and handed it to her.
"What's this?" She asked.
"Open it and find out." I said, trying not to sound soft. Cady blinked and opened it. I heard her gasp as she saw it.

*~Cady's POV*~

Kyo walked away to wherever.
"What's going on?" I asked.
Everyone just smiled. I knew I'd just have to-
Kyo approached with a strange looking gift.
"What's this?" I asked as he handed it to me.
"Open it and find out." He said irritably.
I blinked, opening it. When I unwrapped it, I gasped. It was a katana. It's sheath was black. I drew the blade. It was clean and beautiful.
I turned it and saw an engraving.

"You can go on living as much as your heart believes"

I read it and became watery eyed. I sheathed the sword before I did something stupid.
"I…Kyo?"
"Yeah. Tohru, Yuki, and me all chipped in. We wanted to make it up to you. Ya know…for the incident at the lake with your wooden one." Kyo said, scratching the back of his head nonchalantly.
I stared in shock. I then smiled. "Thanks, guys. Thank you…thank you so much."
We left. As soon as we were all pretty far away so that Mine wouldn't see, I hugged them all. Thankfully, the street was empty so we didn't have to worry when Tohru accidentally got Yuki and Kyo, causing them to transform and me to fall.
I laughed at them.
"Sorry. I just didn't wanna do that in front of Mine. She seems like the hugging type so I didn't wanna take a chance."
They laughed at me then changed back, scaring the hell outta me and Tohru.

Upon arriving I heard a familiar voice speaking with Shigure's.
"So, she's doing all right?" The voice said.
"Yes. She's quite a strong girl." Shigure responded.
Kyo and the others all walked in to see who it was.
"Hello." The man's voice said. "My name is-"
"Samuel!" I shouted as I walked in. I hugged the man tightly. "Hey! It's been forever!"
"Arcadia! You've grown!" He said, hugging me back. I pulled away and looked at him.
The man was at least the same age as Shigure. He had blonde hair that was cut short. There was a small hoop in his left ear and he had greenish-blue eyes. Yes. He's American.
"Of course! It's been almost eleven years!" I said, waving my hands around.
He shuffled my hair. This…was the man I hired to investigate about the deaths of mine and Tohru's mother.
"Uh, Cady?" Tohru asked.
"Oh! Guys, this is Samuel Parker. He and my mother were close friends. He's like an uncle. This is Tohru Honda and Yuki and Kyo Sohma."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Cady, there are things I must discuss with you. Do you mind if we step outside?"
"Sure. I need to talk to you too." I said cheerfully.
Samuel and I stepped outside.
"I've gotten some development on the case." Samuel said in English.
"I see." I responded in the same language. "And?"
Samuel let out a sigh. "It was a freak accident."
"So I was suspicious over nothing?" Samuel nodded. "That figures. How about Tengu?"
"It seems that it'll awaken on the night of your seventeenth birthday." I flinched. That was coming pretty soon. A couple of weeks to be precise. "Arcadia…are you afraid?"
I paused for a moment. "Of course I am. Who wouldn't be afraid of something…" I put my hand on the stomach of my shirt. "What if…" My hand clenched. "Kyo or Tohru or Yuki or Shigure, or anyone gets hurt? If it's my fault…if it's because of Tengu…I'd never forgive myself."
"I understand. Cady."
"Hm?"
"It's good to see you again." He said this in Japanese.
I punched and he caught my fist. I smiled broadly. "It's good to see you too, Master." I said in Japanese.
I saw someone anime fall out of the corner of my eye. I then saw Yuki and Kyo piled over one another.
"Well, hey, howdy, hey. What're you guys doing?" I asked them.
"Did you just call him Master?" They both asked.
"Well of course! He taught me all my fighting techniques. Sam and I are pretty close. He's not exactly fatherly material but an uncle, like I said."
Samuel and I caught up. I told him everything that was going on, nixing the part about the curse and my attacks. Soon enough…
"So, you're Kyo, eh?" Samuel said as the red head walked by.
"Uh, yeah?" Kyo said, mildly confused.
"By what Cady's told me, you've been giving her a hard time-"
"SAM!" I shouted.
He ignored me. "-But I also hear you've been quite kind to her. Are you two dating?"
Me and Kyo froze up.
"Time for dinner!" Tohru's voice rang through the house.