Has anyone noticed the music Pirika will use to skate her long program? I chose that for a reason. It's up to you how you interpret it. It is a very beautiful song. Every time I hear it I feel relaxed and serene. And every time I see Sasha Cohen skate to it, I cry because of the emotions she portrays.

Oh well, on to the story! Here's chapter XII!

Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter XII: Time with Friends

"You've been in the country for three days now and only now did you decide to show your face, Tao." Hao pointed out as Ren sat on an empty seat on the table. They were in the café they were always in when they get together. By "they", meaning the whole gang: Yoh, Hao, Lyserg, Chocolove, Horohoro, Manta and Ren.

"Well, I've seen him before." Horohoro smirked. The rest of them looked at Ren in realization.

"Oooh…" the table chorused sans Horohoro.

"Yes, yes, what else would I be doing?" Ren rolled his eyes. "So, what's been happening?"

"Well, I've started to perform on open-mic nights," Chocolove was the first to answer.

"Still want to be a comedian eh?" Ren passed the menu back to the waitress after he ordered.

"It's my life's dream!" Chocolove suddenly stood up and pumped a fist in the air, causing half the café to look at their table. Then, Ren turned to Manta. "How about you?"

"Huh?" Manta looked up, surprised. "What about me?"

"What have you been up to?"

"I'll be graduating college at the end of the year." Manta laughed. "And I already have an offer at Macintosh as a software developer."

"Still a computer geek, huh?" Ren and Manta laughed.

"Sit down, dimwit!" Hao snapped at Chocolove as he pulled on the latter's shirt, forcing him to sit. "So, what's been happening with you, Tao?"

"I had to take over most of the responsibilities of my father as clan head." Ren snorted. "I had to give up Wushu. But if I had time, I still train."

"Yoh declined multiple invitations to compete in Kendo competitions." Hao revealed, signaling to a waitress.

"Why?" Ren faced his bestfriend. "You idiot. Why would you pass that up?"

"I have better things to do." Yoh scratched his head, an awkward smile on his face.

"Yeah," Chocolove snorted. "Like take Anna out to dates and doing chores for her."

"Well, Lyserg has a girlfriend, too." Yoh retorted.

"Oh?" Ren raised an eyebrow as he looked at his green-haired friend. "Since when?"

"Just six months ago." Chocolove answered, opening a menu and browsing through its contents, just as the waitress came back with Ren's latte and Hao's sandwich. "Very pretty: Silver hair, crimson eyes. Not to mention daughter of the business tycoon, Joshua Iron."

"And here I thought you'd be a priest." Ren smirked. The Tao's had been doing business with the Iron's for a long time. So, he knew of Joshua Iron and his mysteriously beautiful daughter; impossibly kind and impeccable. He was happy that his friend had found a girl that is as well to do as her.

"Well, before Pirika," Lyserg started. "We all thought you were gay."

"Touché." Ren sat back, taking a sip from the cup of his café latte.

"So," Hao leaned on the table and eyed Ren closely. "Did she slap you?"

"What do you think?" Ren glared at him. Although he didn't show it, he still felt the sting of her hand hitting his face. Pirika was a strong girl; given the fact she goes to the gym three times a week and does several forms of exercise to enhance her strength.

"I wish I saw that." Horohoro spoke up, snickering.

"That would've been a photo op." Hao laughed out loud. "If that was caught on camera, I could've had Tamao post it on the cover of the school magazine!"

"Funny." Ren let out a sarcastic laugh. But then turned serious, "I'll be taking over all of my father's duties in three years. I'll have time to see you and visit you, guys, though."

"You'll be twenty-one then, right?" Lyserg pointed out. Ren nodded in response.

"I'll have to travel and stuff, won't be able to stay in one place for more than a month." He let out a sigh. "I'll have to make these three years worthwhile. That's why I came to Japan."

"That's not the only reason you came back to Japan, Ren." Yoh stated. "What did she say?"

"My sister will decide after Nationals." Horohoro told them. "I know she'll choose whatever she thinks is best for her."

"She told my sister two days ago," Ren started. "That if she falls, even just once on her long program, she'll come back with me to China."

"Fate, huh?" Hao thought, taking a bite from his club sandwich.

"This is pretty!" Tamao spun around in the white kimono she tried on. "I hope Horo likes it when I wear it to the festival next month."

"He'll love it, Tamao-neesan!" Pirika beamed as she took in the pink cherry blossom design of the dress. It was perfect for that festival her brother would be taking Tamao to.

"It suits you." Anna commented after she surveyed her childhood from head to toe.

"Thanks, Anna." Tamao smiled.

"Pirika, I heard Tao kidnapped you the other day." Anna raised an eyebrow at their youngest friend. "What did he want from you?"

"He was trying to convince me to come back to China with him." Pirika rolled her eyes. "He's so infuriating! He left without a word and come back here and expects me to melt into his arms?"

"Ah, he didn't tell you why he left?" Anna asked as she sat on Tamao's bed.

"He did, but that's not the point." Pirika continued. "If he only told me why he needed to leave, we would never have been separated in the first place."

"He should have," Anna agreed. "That way you could've come with him in the first place, right?"

"But, Anna," Tamao spoke up, starting to untie the knots from the back of the kimono. "If she had, then Pirika will not have had continued her figure skating, right?"

"Yes, that's true," Anna nodded. "But Ren, as we knew him, always wanted to put himself above what others wanted."

"Exactly!" Pirika exclaimed. "He didn't even think about what I wanted!"

"Well, that's so selfish of him," Anna shrugged, leaning back against her hands that she placed on the bed. "Only thinking about his family business and himself, leaving you here to be a champion figure skater."

Pirika looked at Anna as if she ate a watermelon whole. Anna just slapped some sense into her.

How could SHE have been so selfish? Ren WAS thinking about her when he left. He gave her a chance to live her dreams and here she was, judging him for it.

She knows what she must do now.

So, what will Pirika do? Hmm…

Thanks for all the great reviews. And I appreciate Bengara Koushi for correcting me about Ran's eyes. But, I would like to remind everyone that this is an alternate universe fic. This has nothing to do whatsoever with the anime. So, Tao En being Ching's son is a crucial part of the story since the bracelet is only being passed down to the eldest SON. Let's just pretend that all generations of the Tao family always had a SON. Hehe… ^__^

Sorry, btw, for the late update. I wanted to insert the whole gang here and drop a few hints about the other couples. Two more chapters to go and an epilogue! So, wait up for that, guys! Hang on with me!

Lotsa love,

Vylette xoxox