"…And this one is the Bubbles Card, isn't she cute?" Ayame giggled at the little mermaid.

"Very!" Michiru peeked out from behind her camera, trying to coax Bubbles to wave for it.  Finally, she succeeded and returned to filming, "This is some great footage! I'm going to edit it tonight!"  The three were in Ayame's gigantic back yard which looked roughly like something out of a magazine – with a willow tree that they were all under, a pristine pond, and flowers in every colour you could imagine.

Ayame grinned, "Sounds cool…Hey Haruka, what do you think of her?"

Haruka was seated against Keroberos' stomach as he lay, head up, like a dog will when you tell it to lie down or as a lion will as it causally surveys the surrounding grassland from a hill.  "She's cute," the masculine girl grinned and nodded, "Hey, wasn't Squall supposed to come over?"

"Yep," Ayame took a deep breath and nodded, "Should be here soon…"

"So…" Haruka leaned back against Keroberos, face towards the sky, unaware that Michiru was filming her, "What should we show him…?  We could do some sightseeing downtown if someone could drive us…or we could go out to a restaurant and maybe introduce him to some people…oh! Hey!" she snapped her fingers, "Let's show him the park!  You know the one near the cinema. Then we can go to a mov - Michiru…" she put a hand over her face and blushed, "Turn that thing off, will you…?"

"You looked cute when you were leaning back!"

Haruka's pupils contracted and she looked down, the blush deepening, then shook it off and returned her attention to Ayame, "So? What do you think?"

Ayame closed one eye, tapping the pen she had been using to write her name on all of the cards against her lower lip.  The camera was now on her, but she didn't seem to mind, "I think it's a good idea! Let's do it!  We can plan to do some sightseeing later on this week, I think my mom can drive us."

"Cool! Hey…can we drop by the manga store?  I need new X…"

"Haruka!" Ayame laughed, "You're the only girl I know who likes that gory stuff!"

***

"Sooooo…" Spinelsun causally examined his nails, "How was school…?"

Squall grinned, looking up from his writing, "It was good, but things are so much different here…I don't know if I'll be able to stand the one day weekends…and we have homework over vacations!"

The seal beast laughed, "Your father felt the same way…well, the vacations are much longer and there are more of them.  Don't worry, I think you'll get used to it.  Who's showing you around?"

"Li Ayame."

"Li…?"

"Li," Squall nodded, "And if you're thinking Li Shaolan, you're on the right track.  He's her father."

"So the master was right…her mother…Li Sakura, neh?"

"That's the one."

"Convenient that you'll be spending so much time with Ayame…are you going to go and see her today?"

Squall glanced up at the clock, "Actually, I should head out right now…I think she's already released Keroberos and the cards…would you like to come along?  I'm sure the two of you have some catching up to do."

"Why not…?" Spinelsun reverted into Souppy and hopped into Squall's bag, "Make sure that I can breath, now…"

***

"He's here!" Michiru prodded Ayame up upon hearing the gate swung open, "Go and meet him!"

"Eeeep…" Ayame sweat dropped, "O…kay…" she ran to meet Squall, stopping inches from him and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear in embarrassment at her rushed entrance as she did so.

He smiled at her, "Nice to see you again, Ayame…is Keroberos awake?"

"How did…"

"Just a feeling…" Squall opened his bag to reveal Souppy, who flew out and reverted to his Spinelsun form.  "I figured the two had some catching up to do," Squall explained, "This is Spinelsun…affectionately known as Souppy…the other Seal Beast."

"Nice to meet you!" Ayame smiled.

Spinelsun gave her a polite nod and a feline sort of smile, "Nice to meet you as well."

Michiru gasped, immediately turning her camera towards Spinelsun, "OH! You're beautiful!"

"Why, thank you," Spinelsun gave another polite nod, "I have a bath every second day…oh – I think some introductions are in order…?"

Squall nodded, "Certainly…Spinelsun," he gestured to Michiru, "This is Tachikawa Michiru…and," he gestured to Haruka, "This is Ishida Haruka."

Haruka grinned, "Pleasure."

Spinelsun winked, "Likewise."

Keroberos grinned and nodded to Bubbles, "Clow Reid used to wash us both with Bubbles."

"I remember that…" Spinelsun mused while posing elegantly for the camera, "I used to love it!"

Ayame giggled, "Come over to my house and I'll give you baths with Bubbles every day if you want!"

"That would be nice," Spinelsun grinned.

"Hey, monster!"

Ayame turned towards the door to face her older brother smirking, arm leaning against the doorframe. She frowned at him, her blue eyes narrowing. "What?"

"I just wanted to say hello to monsters incorporated!" He ran his hand through his choppy, dark brown hair and laughed.  "I see you have a new member!" The teen walked over to the group and placed his hand on Squall's shoulder, "Welcome, o short one."

Squall flashed one of his disconcerting, half-lidded smiles in Rensuke's direction, "Thank you, o beanstalk.  Happy to be welcomed."  So saying, he brushed the hand off his shoulder.

"…" Rensuke simply stared at the raven-haired boy, dumbstruck.

Spinelsun leaned in towards Keroberos, "You don't like that one, do you?"

Keroberos snorted, "How could you tell…?"

"Way to go, Squall!" Michiru laughed.

Squall gave a polite little bow, "So we're going to the movies, neh?  Shall I provide the chauffeur?"

Ayame shook her head – Squall was good.  Too good.

Rensuke woke up again, "Hey! You squirts ain't goin' nowhere without mom's permission, and don't you have ballet lessons at five?"

"Mom said it was okay to skip them today. I gotta show Squall around town."

"Ballet…I'm impressed, it's a very elegant thing to watch," Squall smiled, although this time it was more genuine.  He then turned to Rensuke, "It would be polite to have…arranged a ride before consulting your mother.  I think that it will cause her less worry that way, don't you agree?"

Ayame blushed.

"…Whatever…" The older brunette turned and headed back inside.

"We're going inside," Keroberos reverted back to his smaller form, and Spinelsun followed suit, "We'll get out of your way while you go to the movie.  If we're here, we don't have to hide.

Ayame nodded, "Sure! We'll see you when we get back!"

Kero nodded and flew off, Souppy at his tail.  Literally.

"You can use my cell phone," Michiru smiled at Squall, handing him a tiny round mechanical object, "My mom's company made it."

"Arigatou," Squall took the cell phone and punched the number out before putting the device to his ear, "Okaasan? Ayame wants to take us out to a movie…hai…hai…" a nod, "Hai, 'kaasan.  Sayanora."  He handed the phone back to Michiru, "My mother to ask your mother and then call back…if the answer is yes, she'll send James with the limo and he'll be here 10 minutes after we talk to her."

"Wow…"Ayame smiled in amazement, "You have a limo? What do your parents do?"

Squall grinned and winked, "That's a secret."

"…Oh." Ayame blinked.

"Come on, Aya-chan!" Michiru took Ayame by the hand, her cheeks turning pink, and began to drag her back inside.  "Let's go ask your mom! You too, Haruka…" she called over her shoulder as she began walking through the doorway.

Haruka nodded and brought herself to her feet, nodding her head in the direction of the house to indicate that Squall should follow her, which he did.

***

"Mrs. Li!" Michiru called into the seemingly empty kitchen, "Mrs. Li! May we go to the movies in Squall's limo?"

Sakura Li looked down at Michiru and her sweat dropping daughter. "Are there going to be any adults with you?"

"No…Squall's limo will pick us up after the movie."

"I'd prefer if you had someone to supervise you, so I'll have Rensuke go along with you."  Sakura nodded at herself, "And I won't take any complaints if you want to go to this movie in the first place."

Ayame sighed. "But Rensuke's so mean!"

"He doesn't bother me too much…" Michiru glanced down at her feet.

Haruka, having joined them along with Squall, sighed and shook her head as she listened to the conversation, running a hand through her light brown hair.

Squall looked from her to Michiru, then back again.  He gave a knowing nod and smiled to himself.

As if on cue, Rensuke stepped into the kitchen, taking out the carton of milk and taking a drink straight from it.  He then wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Wassap?"

"Rensuke, honey," Sakura smiled, "Please don't do that in the future.  I need a favor from you…"

The older sibling glanced at his mother. "What?"

"I need you to go with Aya-chan and her friends to this movie. There won't be any adults and I'd feel better if you would look after them."

"Awwww! Can't the monsters take care of themselves?" He crushed the now empty milk carton in his fist and tossed it into the garbage.

"Yes, but I'm asking you to please just WATCH them. It'd be a big help. I have to go to rehearsals for Swan Lake in about half an hour. Now, you're going with your sister and her friends to the movies. I'm expecting you home before seven. Call me if you have any problems. All right? You have the number of the theater."

"But…but…" Rensuke stuttered.

"No buts. Now, get going or you'll miss the movie!" She smiled. "I'm going to get ready for rehearsals! See you later, kids! Have fun!" With that, she went up the stairs and closed the door to her room behind her.

"Then it's all set?" Squall looked first at Ayame and then at Rensuke.

"Yea…I have no choice but to baby-sit.  Marvelous." Rensuke glared at Squall. "I don't like you…"

An all-too sweet smile, "The feeling is entirely mutual.  Michiru? May I borrow your cell phone again?"

"Uh…sure…" She took the cell phone out and handed it to Squall again.

Squall thanked her  - this time, all he had to do was hit redial, "Moshi, moshi…hai…hai…Ayame no oniichan…nani? Ah…hai, hai…ano…Rensuke.  Arigatou-goziamasu, 'kaasan! Dewa…Sayanora!"

"Let's wait outside then…I need the air…" Ayame headed outside again, having become lost somewhere between Squall saying hello and telling his mother her older brother's name – ah well.

Outside, Rensuke ran his hand through his hair once again and sighed. "Look. If I have to baby-sit, your going to have to behave. Also, I'll let you know right now, that if we see any of my friends or any hot girls, I don't know you."

"Suuuuuuuuuuuuure thing," Haruka smiled innocently.

 "Right." Ayame frowned. "In other words, you don't know us period. You think all girls are hot… and everyone's your friend."

"You got it!" Rensuke shot his little sister a wink and made a gun out of his hand, shooting it.

"Here we are!" Squall pointed to a sleek black limousine that pulled up in the driveway.

"COOL! Hey…" Haruka placed her hand on his shoulder, "Can I stick my head out the sunroof and yell 'We know Rensuke'?" she grinned hopefully.

Squall nodded, "All right with me!"

Michiru giggled, wrapping her arm around Haruka's. "You're such a baby sometimes! Honestly!"

Haruka had turned a very attractive shade of red as she coughed and headed into the car, "The changing lights are COOL!"

 Squall got in after her, coming to sit across from her and Michiru, "I like them."

"Whoa…" Ayame said as she got into the limo and sat next to Squall, "I've never been in one before…they're so pretty…" she smiled sweetly at Squall, "Arigatou for letting us use your limo…it's great!"

"Not a problem," Squall had one leg kicked over the other and his left cheek balanced in his hand as he smiled thoughtfully at her, but said nothing.  If his personality had been different, something suggested that he would be turning pink.

Michiru she stretched and yawned. "Oy…I haven't been getting much sleep lately… I'm probably going to fall asleep…in the movie…" She laid her head on Haruka's shoulder.

Haruka blinked, her face returning to a red, then she smiled dotingly down at her friend.  "I haven't gotten much sleep over the past week either…it's because of this weird dream I keep having."

"Huh? Same…It's like…I'm walking through this long hallway…and there's a large mirror. I stop to look at myself…but I'm not there. Only this pretty girl with pink hair and fairy wings, so I walk away, confused…" She closed her eyes, "Then I'm with Spinelsun…and I see a boy and a girl about our age sitting hand in hand next to two teenagers…the younger boy has on this really English tuxedo and the older one is in a Chinese outfit. The younger girl is in a white Chinese dress and the older one is in this long, black English dress.  They're joined by this other older pair…a blonde boy carrying a laughing silver-haired girl piggy-back style.  I'm watching them, wishing I could have fun like that too, when this angel appears in front of me, smiles, and offers me his hand.  Then I wake up…and there's a butterfly sitting on the edge of the picture I have of my room of Rensuke, Ayame, you, and I."

Haruka nodded, "I can't see myself, but I'm running through a forest and I stop at a pool…I look at my reflection, but its not me…its an angel…with long white hair and huge white wings.  Keroberos is there…another seal beast, and two other people…a girl and a boy.  She has a long, dark cape and silver hair…very pretty.  The boy is in a Chinese outfit…he goes towards her and says something, I can't tell what.  I hear a voice telling me to fight…and I see someone with huge bat wings standing in front of me with glowing red eyes.  He takes out a bow…and shoots the other boy in the back.  The girl screams and runs to the one who was shot.  The one with the wings and bow tells me to fight…it was him who told me the first time…but I don't want to.  He says something and shoots me in the chest…I wake up…a white feather is lying on my chest exactly where the arrow hit me."

Michiru blinked. "How odd…you must have quite a collection of feathers now, huh?" She giggled, trying to lighten up the conversation. "Maybe I can use when when I sew!"

Haruka chuckled, "7…I counted this morning, and they're all pretty big and very pretty…like they've been washed and brushed before they were put on my chest or something."

"You should keep them…maybe they're angel feathers…how nice that would be…" The raven-haired girl said before sighing and falling into a light sleep.

****

"I'll pick you all up at 6:30…have fun until then, and try to get rid of those dreams so you all can get some rest!" James smiled and waved at them as they exited.

Still groggy, Michiru clung to Haruka, head on her shoulder. "Can't…walk…"

Haruka carried her out with a grin and placed her on the ground outside the car, "There, lean on me if you still can't walk."

"'Kay…" Michiru continued to lean on her friend.

"Um…What movie should we see?" Ayame looked at Squall, still a little shaky from the whole conversation in the car. "You're our guest of honor…what would you like to see?"

"Hmmm…" he pointed up, "A Girl in Gaia…" he seemed to consider this, "Let's go see that!"

"I heard that's it's really sad…and there's a lot of romance and stuff…" Ayame smiled. "You sure?"

Squall nodded, "The artwork is supposed to be amazing and the fight scenes are supposed to be great too.  I'm sure."

"Yea…yea…" Rensuke, who had paid little attention to the younger people up until this point, walked up to the paying booth, smirking. The woman in the booth was about his age, and very pretty. "Hey, miss…I'll have five tickets for Girl in Gaia, please…I'm taking my little sister and her friends to see it…but to be quite frank, I'd rather spend my time with you…"

"Awww…how cute…" She giggled.

"Thanks…it comes naturally." Rensuke smirked once again.

"No… you're little sister! She's adorable!" She waved at Ayame, who smiled and waved back.

"Arigatou!" Ayame giggled.

"Well you are…" The girl in the booth then turned her attention back to Rensuke, "That movie won't start for another half-hour…here's your tickets and have fun, okay? Bye," she waved at Ayame again.

"Ja!" Ayame waved. "Let's go do something 'till the movie starts…"

Haruka pointed towards the park, "Let's go hang out there…its close and Squall probably hasn't seen it yet."

Ayame blushed. "It's really pretty this time of year…all the trees and bushes are full of flowers…"

Rensuke, who stood there as if he had been stabbed in the heart, turned like a zombie towards his little sister. "What did you do…?"

Ayame blinked. "Whaddaya mean?"

"That girl…you made her ignore me!" Rensuke frowned. "And NO girl…can ignore ME!" He ran his fingers through his bangs and coughed. "Eh…she wasn't all that great anyway."

***

Ayame laughed as she skipped over the bridge that crossed over a softly flowing stream.

"You're getting ahead, Aya-chan!" Michiru, who was still attached to Haruka called after her.

"I'll meet you at the benches! I wanna pick some flowers!" The blue-eyed girl giggled.

From a treetop, a pair of golden eyes glowed menacingly, "Picking flowers won't be on the agenda today…sugar pie…"

***

"Wow…what a pretty iris…" Ayame giggled as she picked it and tucked it behind her ear.

All of a sudden, a snarl sounded and a pair of jaws closed around Ayame's collar, lifting her forcibly off the ground and into a nearby tree – where the girl's captor dropped her but kept its face close to hers.

Ayame screamed at the forceful shove and sharp teeth terribly close to her neck.  "WHAT ARE YOU!?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!?"

"You don't have to worry…" a girl with long, elegantly waving silver hair in a long cape and tightly fitted, short dress sat with one leg kicked over the other, smiling down at her, "You're…how shall I put this…collateral."  She spoke with a strong English accent – upper-class, suggesting that the girl was wealthy.

"What?" Her panic seemed to mellow to more of a confusion, "Collateral…for what?"

"I'll give you back to your brother in exchange for what I want."

"…" Ayame's eyes suddenly widened. "You're…you're in my dreams…but…it can't be…" She winced, "Don't kill him…"

The girl shrugged, "I WILL kill him if that's the only way to get what I want…but I think he'll co-operate."

"What does he have? Can I be of help? Please…just don't hurt him…" her pale blue eyes began to tear.

"I will promise you nothing."