Chapter 14

As she researched the possibility of having her tattoo removed, after speaking to Miki-san about it, she realized that it could very well take at least a year for it to go away and then even leave a telling scar in the process.

She sighed deeply as she browsed the internet looking at photos of tattoos and removals gone horribly wrong. "Maybe I should just get it covered up." She typed in black lotus tattoo into her search engine and stared at the first image that popped up. Her head tilted to the side as she gazed at it. "That could work. Mine's small enough for that to work." A small smile crept across her lips and she printed the image out and took out a pencil, then began adding her own little small touches until she was satisfied with the final draft. She took out a pack of color pencils and began filling in the rest.

"Obachan! That's beautiful." Maria said from behind her as she examined the picture.

Kyoko jumped a bit with a start. She had been so engrossed in what she was doing, she never heard her sweet little niece enter her room.

Maria looked at the detailed, 13 cm x 13 cm drawing of the blond male fairy, sitting atop a black European dragon and marveled at the detail. The black dragon, that incorporated the lotus in its scales, seemed to be conquered and tamed as it nuzzled the long-haired, blond male fairy with healed, yet tattered Monarch butterfly wings dressed in leather armor covered in spikes and studs, with a dagger on one hip and topped with jeweled circlet as a crown.

Both girls looked at the final product and Kyoko had been amazed. It was larger than the original tattoo that sinisterly lay stamped on her hip but, it covered it and it was something that she knew she could live with. Something that changed it completely and once again, like many times before, her fairy Corn would save her sanity.

"I want that girl for my avenging angel." The platinum haired singer told his producer Haruki Asami.

She looked at him with a bit of apprehension. "Are you sure. She really doesn't seem like the type that would fit." She asked.

Reino smirked. "There's far more to her than meets the eye... But if you must know, something is telling me that this part can only be done by her. That it wouldn't be right if it weren't her."

Asami sighed. "Reino... You do realize that the part is for an angel that turns into a demon, right? She may not even want the part."

"She'll want it. Trust me." He had a strong feeling that she would, especially after what he had sensed at Kimagure Rock when he had met Bo. He knew deep in his soul that she was that girl.

The PV would be about an angel that avenges the innocent by killing bad humans instead of following her orders and helping to heal the victims. By disobeying she turns into a demon of vengeance and justice in the end after her first kill, who ended up being an innocent mistaken by the angel as a persecutor. The moral to the video would be things aren't always what they seem and when Sawara-san gave the offer to Shoko to propose to Kyoko, she was told that it was to portray an avenging angel, which greatly appealed to the girl.

She pulled the drawing from the little envelope that she had kept it in for the past few days and looked at it again. She guessed she was building the courage to show Miki-san what she had planned.

"What have you got there?" Miki asked as she walked into the library where they had held many of their sessions over the past few months.

"Oh... I was thinking about what you had asked about my tattoo last week. I decided to do some research on having it removed and then saw all of the scarring that it can cause. I decided that I really didn't want that type of permanent scar on me. You know... in the shape of that thing. I mean I have to look at it everyday and if it were to be turned into a scar on top of that... I would feel even worse about it." Kyoko explained.

"I can see what you mean. So... Is that what you want to replace it?" Miki asked with interest.

Kyoko nodded. "It's Corn... and... I made the dragon to cover it." She smiled gently thinking of her fairy Corn.

Miki sighed. "Kyoko... You do know that fairies are fictional, right?" She had been over this with Kyoko many times. It wasn't healthy for her to keep lying to herself over many of the things that had happened in her life.

"I know that, Miki-san, but I have an idea on who he might be." Kyoko had a theory that Corn and Cain were the same people. She didn't know what led her to think this, but deep down something was telling her she was right. The thing that kind of worried her though, was that Ren reminded her so very much of Cain, the man that saved her. She shook off the thoughts. How could one man be so many different people? Maybe she was wrong.

"Who might that be?" Miki really wanted to know. The man that would do that for someone had to be a saint.

"His name was Cain... I don't know his last name though. He wore all black leather that night. His eyes were a icy, dazzling blue and his hair was as black as coal. He looked a bit intimidating, but he was sweet and gentle to me." Kyoko pulled the little Cain doll she had made out of her bag and showed Miki.

"Oh my..." Miki was surprised at the girl's creative skills. "He is handsome under all of that though."

Kyoko giggled.

Miki looked at her with a bit of seriousness. "Kyoko... Perhaps there is more than one person that can be good to you like that. Maybe they aren't all the same person. Have you considered that?"

She looked at her in deep thought. "I suppose they could be different people, but something deep down is telling me otherwise." Kyoko sighed deeply. "I don't know. I guess it is kind of ridiculous to think that it would be the same person. I mean Corn was in Kyoto when I was small. Cain was just some random nice stranger." Besides, why would Ren-san go around like that?

Miki turned her attention back to the drawing. "So... When do you plan on having the artwork done?"

"I thought I would ask Ten if she knew anyone really good and go from there." Kyoko told her, easily being distracted.

Miki smiled at her. "Well... I expect you to show me when you have it done. I really like that drawing. I think it will look really nice when it's finished."

Kyoko blushed and nodded. "It'll be in an awkward spot. I'm not sure I'll be showing it off much." She commented.

"Nonsense... I think it'll be beautiful. Something to show off." Miki told her, trying to build Kyoko's confidence in her own skill and body. "Nothing to be ashamed of." She smiled gently as she patted Kyoko's hand. "Besides, you can always cover it with makeup if you don't want anyone to see it."

Kyoko nodded shakily. "Th-thank you Miki-san. I'll show you if I get it done."

One would say what Sho did was greedy and selfish and one would be correct in that assumption; however, he had very much behaved as the spoiled, pampered little prince whose parents indulged his every whim until he left the nest. Jail is not the cushy little resort that he had expected, not by far. In fact, he slammed into the wall of reality the day after he had been incarcerated. His day began at 5 am and didn't end until 8pm, only breaking for a meal, exercise and a small bathroom break in the middle. The rest of the day was filled with various forms of hard labor and communicating with other inmates had been strictly forbidden. They were there for rehabilitation, not socialization and that was made abundantly clear to him the first day when he witnessed the punishment for stepping out of line. It wasn't exactly a corporal punishment, but it was definitely something physically demanding that he was not willing to endure for only a few spoken words out of turn. He sighed internally. This is what he was going to have to deal with for at the very least 2 years. At least this would be considered as time served once his sentence was handed down, according to his lawyer.

My lawyer...He thought wryly. He had originally thought his uncle or, Viride would represent him, but no such luck. His family was no longer on speaking terms with him and his parents had completely disowned him for what he did to Kyoko. He was coldly informed by his own mother that Kyoko was being trained as the Okami as his sister, not his wife or, property. Yayoi Fuwa was appalled that she could have raised a son to be like him and his father politely informed him that he was no longer a Fuwa. He was told never to even mention their relation to them or, to expect them to acknowledge him in the future.

Sho was still in that selfish state of mind that was under the misconception that she would have been used as a servant. The meaning of the photos his uncle had shown him, still had not sunk in. He did however, take his uncle's sage advice and give them the information that he had. He just wasn't sure how it would affect him or, the case. In actuality it had affected the case immensely. The names and faces he had given, had been picked up by the authorities and would be brought to trial shortly after him. His lawyer hadn't had the chance to inform him yet, but it would greatly reduce the sentence that Mogami-sensei had recommended. Not that his stay would be any less punishing for him. He was a spoiled little boy that was going to be forced to grow up, military boot-camp style. Very early mornings, grueling work hours, rigorous physical training to keep the mind clear, strict diet and finally... late evenings. Yes, he would grow up quickly and no... He would never revel in the stardom that he had briefly enjoyed in Japan again. His reputation had been tainted. Being labeled as an ex-convict would severely limit his career choices and travel out of country.