Chapter 2:


A few minutes later, by Keiichi's influence, Seiichirou found himself standing at the window of the great dragon that was the centerpiece of Flower. He'd heard a lot about the dragon; that it was where the most high-profile men who came to the club met with their favored ladies for the night. The thought of what usually went on here made him a little nervous, but he consoled himself by remembering that all he'd be doing was reciting a bit of his poetry to Karen.

This is a wonderful place for a poetry reading, isn't it?

Seiichirou turned around, and his gaze slowly traveled up from Karen's diamond-encrusted shoes to the black stockings that covered her long legs, to the small black bodice and the gauzy, transparent coat she wore over it. She was moving in a deliberately seductive manner, swaying her hips and staring at him with heavy-lidded eyes. Is it... /poetic/ enough for you?

he whispered, unable to think of anything else to say as he gazed into her golden eyes.

Turning around, she motioned to a small table in the center of the gaudily decorated room. Would you like something to eat? Maybe some champagne?

I'd really rather just get it over with, Seiichirou answered nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

Karen stopped, frowned, and rolled her eyes. Honestly, this man was so strange. She'd never known a customer to act like this before. Then again, you never knew what some people might be into... Perhaps he liked to play hard to get. All right then, she purred, facing him again. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to continue playing the part of the smoldering temptress, walking slowly across the room toward the bed. Then why don't you... She put one leg up on the bed, posing for him, then lowered herself down onto it and flipped her coat over, revealing more skin. ... come over here, and we'll get it... over with?

Actually... well... I prefer to do it standing, Seiichirou said, coughing a little.

Karen's eyes widened in shock. Oh... I didn't realize... She began to get up from the bed.

Oh, no, you don't have to stand! Seiichirou cried, getting flustered. It's just that... I... it's quite long.

Karen stared at him blankly, eyes widening even more.

And... and I'd like you to be comfortable, he pressed on blithely, completely unaware of the double meaning of his words.

Karen gave a little, confused smile.

What I do... it's a little different, and it might feel a little strange at first, but if you... if you're open to it, I think you might really like it...

I... I'm sure I will, Karen managed to murmur, still completely shocked by this man's frankness.

Excuse me, Seiichirou said softly, and walked across the room to plan what he was going to say. When he had figured it out, he turned around and said decisively, The sky is--

On the bed, Karen was making soft, seductive little moans, slowly stroking her hand down her own thigh and striking various enticing poses. Seeing this, Seiichirou proceeded to utterly lose his train of thought.

Er... the sky... and the blue... birds... ah... Giving up, he turned around, closed his eyes and tried to regain his composure. Come on, he whispered to himself. Come on...

Taking a deep breath, he turned around again and attempted to speak. I think--

Karen had laid back on the bed and was moaning a bit more loudly now, breathing hard and writhing around. There went his train of thought again. He quickly spun around and began bouncing on his heels, attempting to calm himself down.

He glanced behind him to see that Karen had gotten off the bed and was looking at him with no small degree of confusion. Is everything all right? she inquired.

Oh... oh yes... I'm... I'm a little nervous, he stammered out, flushing. It's just that... sometimes it takes a while for... you know, inspiration to come.

Understanding dawned on Karen's face. Oh... oh yes, I get it, she breathed, taking a few slow steps toward him. Let me help.

She stopped right in front of him, pressing herself against him, and abruptly her hand moved down and unzipped his pants. Does that /inspire/ you? she growled.

Oh... I... Seiichirou's mouth dropped open and his face flushed bright red. Before he could regain his voice, Karen spun him around and shoved him onto the bed.

Let's make love, she purred, apparently trying to him the best way she knew.

Make... love? he mumbled in confusion, attempting to get up off the bed.

Oh yes... you want to, don't you? A moment later she was straddling him, rubbing herself against him and moaning.

No... I... I just came to...

Oooh, tell the truth, Karen purred, grabbing his shirt and unbuttoning it so quickly that the buttons nearly popped off. Can't you feel the /poetry/? Come on...

Outside the window, Keiichi and the rest of the bohemians nearly fell off the top of the dragon in their attempt to watch what was going on (they had climbed up earlier to spy on their new writer's progress).

Free the tiger! Karen growled, unbuckling his belt and continuing to undress him.

Seiichirou closed his eyes and whimpered a little; whether it was from embarrassment or pleasure, he wasn't sure.

Alternately growling and moaning, still rubbing the lower half of her body against his, Karen tugged his pants down, then gaped at him in surprise. Ooh... you're a big boy, she breathed.

Outside the window, Keiichi was staring as well. He turned around and called up to his friends, who were holding him by the ankles so that he could look through the window into the small room. He's got a /huge/... talent!

Karen moaned loudly, writhing faster against him and feigning ecstasy. Yes, I need your poetry /now/!

A-all right! Seiichirou panted, making one last desperate attempt to escape. He shoved Karen off him, nearly throwing the startled woman to the floor and managing to yank his pants up before standing up and trying to regain some sense of dignity. I-it's a little bit funny...

Karen gasped out, her hair hanging into her eyes, too exhausted and confused to bother with the smoldering temptress act anymore.

This... this feeling in-inside... Seiichirou stammered. I'm not one of those who can... can easily hide...

Getting up onto her hands and knees, Karen tried to catch her breath.

Is this okay? Seiichirou asked shyly. Is... is this what you want?

Karen breathed, believing that she finally understood. So he liked to talk dirty? Well, she'd give him something to talk about... Poetry. Yes, yes. This is what I want... naughty words. She giggled, beginning to writhe around on the bed again.

Seiichirou frowned. I... I don't...

Oh yes! Yes! Naughty! Karen moaned.

I don't have much money...

Yes! Oh, yes!

... but boy if I did, I'd buy a big house...

Yes! Yes, I love it! Ooohhh...

... where we both could live... Seiichirou trailed off and frowned at the woman. Shrugging, he went on. If I were a sculptor...

Oh, oh, yes! Oh, you're so bad... so wonderful...

... but then again, no... or a man who makes potions in a traveling show...

He paused for a moment, watching Karen writhe around on the floor and rub herself against the thick red blanket she'd dragged off the bed. Noticing that he was silent, she looked up at him. Oh, no... don't... don't stop!

Seiichirou blinked. I know it's not much...

Give me more! More! Yeeesss! Karen was practically screaming at this point, throwing herself against the bed and doing everything in her power to make this strange poetry-reciting man get the hint. She was all for interesting foreplay, since it did make her job less monotonous, but this was just ridiculous.

Seiichirou frowned at her behavior, feeling a little embarrassed for her, but he pressed forth anyway. She was his only chance at getting the job, so he had to try to please her, no matter how strangely she was acting... ... but it's the best I can do...

Naughty! Oh, yes! Don't stop! Don't /stop/! /Naughty/--

Getting more and more flustered, Seiichirou did the only thing he could think of that would silence her. He burst into song.

My gift is my song... he belted out, his voice echoing in the small room. Outside the dragon, Keiichi and his friends paused in their enjoyment of yet another round of absinthe. And on the floor, Karen finally stopped rolling around and fell completely silent, awed by the power of his voice.

Seiichirou turned around slowly, addressing the shocked woman on the floor. ... and this one's for you. His voice built in confidence as he sang. And you can tell everybody that this is your song... It may be quite simple but now that it's done... I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words...

Karen stared at him, slowly dropping the blanket she'd been clutching to the floor.

How wonderful life is... A beautiful smile dawned on his face as he continued to sing. ... now you're in the world.

Seiichirou turned and stared out the window, coming up with more words off the top of his head just as he had when he'd first met the bohemians. Karen gazed at the back of his head, completely speechless. Something about the sound of his voice and the look in his eyes as he sang was touching her, awakening something inside her. It was beautiful, and she was in awe.

But the sun's been kind while I wrote this song... Smiling, he walked toward her, looking into her eyes. It's for people like you that keep it turned on...

Together they walked toward the window, and Seiichirou circled around Karen, still gazing at her. So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do, you see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue...

The beaming smile on his face was contagious, and Karen found herself smiling back at him.

Anyway, the thing is... What I really mean... He grasped her hand and lifted it to his lips before gazing back up into her face. Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen, he sang soulfully, taking her into his arms and spinning her around.

She closed her eyes, and in her mind they were flying, away from the dragon, away from Flower, outside dancing on the rooftops and playing among the stars. And you can tell everybody that this is your song, Seiichirou sang, as a rain of glitter sprinkled down on them. He spun the umbrella in his hand, then tossed it aside, taking her hand again and spinning her around. It may be quite simple but now that it's done... I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words...

He stopped in front of her and clasped her hands again. How wonderful life is... now you're in the world! he finished triumphantly, lifting her into his arms and twirling around under the moonlight.

She opened her eyes, and she was back in the front parlor of the dragon again, but still wrapped in his arms. Outside the window, Keiichi and the other bohemians were cheering and clapping.

"I can't believe it," she murmured, nuzzling her cheek against his. "I'm in love with a young, handsome, talented... Duke."

Seiichirou blinked. "A Duke?"

She smiled softly. "The title's not important but..."

His smile faded as he realized what had happened. "I'm not a Duke... I'm a writer."

Her smile disappeared as well as she stared at him. "A writer? ...wait, you're not one of Keiichi's oh-so-talented, charmingly bohemian, tragically impoverished friends, are you?" She began to look horrified.

"Well, I suppose that you could say that..." He grinned sheepishly.

"Oh my god! I'm going to kill him! I'm going to kill him!"

From his position looking in at them from the window, Keiichi paled and looked back up at the bohemians who were holding him. "I think we have a small hitch."

"Um, Keiichi told me..." Seiichirou stammered.

"The Duke!" Karen covered her mouth with her hands. "The Duke!" She ran to the door and threw it open. In the small room right outside the door, Arisugawa and Yuuto were talking to each other. Horrified, Karen slammed the door shut and stared at the writer. "The Duke!"

"The Duke?" Seiichirou asked, confused.

"Hide!" She began to push him out of the room. "Out the back!" The door opened and in panic, Seiichirou ducked down, finding himself face to face with a certain part of Karen's anatomy. He blushed immediately, sighing with relief as she turned around.

"Are you decent?" Sorata asked, strolling into the room. "Where were you?"

"I.. I was waiting." She smiled enchantingly at Yuuto, running a hand up her thigh. Seiichirou peeked out from behind her thigh and she hit his head, hiding him again. Taking a hit, he began to crawl from behind her to hide behind the champagne table.

Sorata grinned. "Yuuto-sama, let me introduce to you to Karen-san."

Karen kept her smile on. "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit..."

Yuuto stared at her with a strange smile on his face. "The pleasure is all mine."

"Well, I'll leave you two to get acquainted." Sorata winked and closed the door behind him as he left.

Yuuto took Karen's hand and brought it to his lips. "A kiss on the hand may be quite continental..."

She giggled, thinking inwardly that his smile was disturbing. "But diamonds are a girl's best friend." She wagged her finger at him.

"Would you like a drink, my dear?" He began to turn to the drinks table and Seiichirou ducked down.

"DON'T!" Karen cried. When Yuuto turned to stare at her with wide eyes, she improvised. "Don't you just love the view?" She gestured to the window.

"Lovely." He began to turn back to the drinks.

"Oh!" she said loudly, once again drawing his attention from the table. "I feel like dancing!" She growled and danced in front of him, waving the transparent coat around. Seiichirou popped his head from behind the table and both men stared at her as she moved her arms in an enticing motion. "Woo~!"

Yuuto coughed. "Um, umm... maybe you'd like some champagne..." He began to turn back the table and Seiichirou ducked again.

"No!.. it's a little bit funny..." she said softly, pouting.

"What is?" He looked at her.

"This.. this feeling inside..." She repeated the words as Seiichirou mouthed them to her. "I'm not one of those... who can... easily... hide." The table clinked as Seiichirou ducked back down again. "No!" Karen practically threw herself on Yuuto's legs. "I don't have much money!" She looked at him with wide pleading eyes. "But if I did..." she said softly, running her hands up and down his thighs, rubbing her cheek against his legs. "I'd buy a big house where we could both live..." Seeing that Seiichirou had crept up behind the Duke, she spread Yuuto's legs. Yuuto gasped in surprise and his head fell back. Frantically, she pantomimed to Seiichirou to escape through the door. Closing Yuuto's legs and looking up at him, she began to sing softly. "I hope you don't mind.. I hope you don't mind... that I've put down in words..." As she sang, she moved up his body, Seiichirou mimicking her movements behind Yuuto.

How wonderful life is... now you're in the world, she finished very softly and slowly, attempting to gaze meaningfully into Yuuto's eyes before glancing behind him to make sure that Seiichirou was making his way to the door.

That's... very beautiful, Yuuto murmured, gazing hungrily at Karen.

It's from the play, she whispered, sliding her arms around Yuuto's neck. Suddenly with you here, I understand its meaning so much better. With one arm, she motioned for Seiichirou to open the door and leave. Nodding, he began to slowly slide the door open. How /wonderful/ life is now you're in the world...

What meaning is that, my dear? Yuuto breathed.

At that moment, Seiichirou spotted Yuuto's manservant behind the door and, panicking, slammed it shut. Yuuto began to spin around, but Karen, thinking fast, sobbed loudly and flung herself onto the bed. Noooo! Don't toy with my emotions, Yuuto-sama! You must know of the effect you have on women!

Yuuto nodded, looking vaguely pleased with himself, and was about to respond when Karen grabbed hold of his legs and dragged him down onto the bed. Let's make love, she growled, just as she had to Seiichirou only twenty minutes earlier. You want to make love, don't you? She arched her body against Yuuto's and covered his face with kisses, at the same time gesturing wildly at Seiichirou to get him to leave.

Seiichirou frowned, staying put. For some reason he didn't like the idea of Karen throwing herself at this man just as a diversion, especially since he knew that she didn't care about him at all. He caught her eye and shook his head slightly, and she rolled her eyes and waved at him in irritation, still rubbing herself against a very compliant Yuuto.

Finally she gave up and sighed. Oh yes, you're right, we should wait! Until opening night! she said to Yuuto, rolling her eyes at Seiichirou and shooting him a look that said /Are you happy now?/ Seiichirou nodded, looking slightly satisfied, and ducked behind the window frame in a corner of the room.

Yuuto said, sounding quite obviously disappointed.

Yes, yes... there's a power in you that scares me, Karen breathed. You should go.

But... but I just got here! Yuuto pouted.

Oh, but we'll see each other every day at rehearsal. We must wait, Karen insisted, propelling Yuuto toward the door. We must wait until opening night. Get out. She practically shoved him out the door and closed it firmly behind him. As soon as Seiichirou heard the door shut, he stepped out into the room to face a nervous and angry Karen.

Do you have any idea how much trouble we would have been in if you had been found? she snapped, breathing hard. Seiichirou frowned at her-- she was panting as if she'd just run a marathon, and her face was pale and covered with a fine sheen of sweat. He stepped forward to take her arm, and at that moment she gave a soft sigh and fainted into his arms.

Oh... Oh my-- Karen-san? he gasped, leaning over her.

The woman gave no sound and he shook her, trying to wake her up. From the tower next to the dragon, Sorata grinned and leaned over a telescope. "Let's take a little peek..." From his view, he could see Seiichirou shaking Karen in a manner that looked very wrong. "Right on target." Sorata grinned wider.

"Hello? Wake up! ... Maybe I'll just put you on the bed." Seiichirou began to pull the woman's limp body over to the bed while Keiichi and the Bohemians looked in from the side of the dragon, confused. "Oh!" Seiichirou gasped as he tried to lay Karen down, falling on top of her.

At that moment, the door opened again and Yuuto stepped in, making the bohemians duck behind the screen. "Forgot my ha..." He spied the two on the bed. "Foul play?" Karen chose that moment to wake up, moaning and lifting her
hands to her head.

"I-I... she..." Seiichirou stammered desperately.

"Oh... oh Yuuto-sama..."

"It's a little bit funny... this feeling inside?" Yuuto quoted, gritting his teeth.

"Beautifully spoken..." Karen lifted her hands and placed them on Seiichirou's shoulders, who was still on top of her. "Let me introduce you to the writer."

"The writer?" Yuuto's eyebrows almost disappeared inside his hair.

"Yes... yes, you see... we were rehearsing."

"Scantily clad with another man in the middle of the night in a dragon and you were REHEARSING?"

Keiichi took that as his cue to come in, waving his hands wildly. "How's the rehearsal coming?" Yuuto, Karen, and Seiichirou all stared at him. Behind him, Kusanagi, Subaru and Kakyou came out, each talking at the same time.

"I hope the piano's in tune."

"Sorry, got held up."

"Would you like a drink?"

Sorata leaned over his telescope again to observe the happenings in the dragon. What he saw was unsettling. Keiichi and his friends were surrounding Yuuto, waving their hands and dancing while Yuuto stood there with a bewildered look on his face. "Oh... oh my goodness!" He turned around and raced out of the room.

Karen smiled at Yuuto, trying not to give away the truth. "You see, when I said those words to you, I was filled with such inspiration that I called an emergency rehearsal."

"If you're rehearsing," Yuuto gritted out, his lips thin, "where is Arisugawa?"

There was a sound of fast running feet and the door flew open, Sorata hurrying in. "Oh, Yuuto-sama! I'm so sorry!"

"Sora! You made it!" Karen swept up in front of Sorata, gazing at him. "It's alright, the Duke knows all about the... emergency rehearsal..."

"Emergency rehearsal?" Sorata glanced at Yuuto.

"Yes, to incorporate Yuuto-sama's artistic idea." She smiled at Yuuto, who attempted to smile again, not quite succeeding.

"Well, I'm sure Kamui would be glad--"

"Kamui left," Keiichi piped up from behind the Duke, standing next to Seiichirou

"Left?" Sorata looked horrified.

"Well, no need hiding it anymore, Sora. Yuuto-sama is already a big fan of our new writer." She motioned to Seiichirou. "That's why he's so willing to /invest/." She said the last word slowly for it to absorb into Sora's brain.

"Invest?" The meaning of the word clicked, and he turned to Yuuto with a smile. "Invest! Well you can't blame me for hiding our..."

"Seiichirou." Keiichi whispered.

"Seiichirou... Yuuto-sama, why don't you and I go to my office and draw out the paperwork?"

"What's the story?" Yuuto asked evenly, looking at the two in front of him.

"The.. the story?" Sorata raised an eyebrow.

"If I am to invest, I must know the story," Yuuto said very slowly and patiently, as if he were speaking to a particularly dull child.

"Oh... well... Keiichi?" Sorata smiled at the short man.

"Oh... oh the story... well you see..."

"It's a story about love!" Seiichirou cut in. Everyone looked at him, their heads making an audible swishing sound.

"About love?" Yuuto repeated, looking impatient.

"And it's set in Switzerland!" Keiichi said happily.

"Switzerland?" Yuuto raised an eyebrow.

"Not Switzerland!" Sorata said quickly.

"It's set in... INDIA!" Seiichirou said just as quickly, once again drawing everyone's attention to him. "India! It's set in India! And there's a courtesan, the most beautiful courtesan in all the world..." He slowed his speech and looked at Karen. "But her kingdom's invaded by an evil Maharaja." He turned and half glared at Yuuto, making his voice sharper. "Now, in order to save her kingdom, she has to seduce the evil Maharaja. But on the night of the seduction, she mistakes a penniless..." He looked around desperately and saw a sitar leaning against the wall. "A penniless sitar player for the evil Maharaja and she falls in love with him." He paused and looked at Karen, eyes wide. "He wasn't trying to trick her or anything. But he was dressed as a Maharaja because... he's appearing in a play!"

Kusanagi took the sitar from Seiichirou and stood close to Karen. "I will play the sitar player!" He grinned. "I can sing like an angel and dance like a DEVIL!" He made suggestive moments with his hands down his thigh.

"And... and what happens next?" Yuuto asked, stuttering a bit.

"The courtesan and the sitar player have to hide their love from the evil Maharaja," Seiichirou continued, speaking in hushed tones.

"And, the sitar player's sitar is magical!" Kakyou said, looking from between Kusanagi and Karen. "It can only speak the truth."

"I... I will play the magical sitar!" Keiichi said brightly, grabbing the sitar and holding it in front of him. He was so small that it came to just under his chin. Grinning broadly at Karen, he made sitar noises. "You are very beautiful." Turning to Sorata, he said, "You... you are very ugly." Grinning still, he looked at Yuuto. "You are very--" He was cut off as everyone said "NO!" and covered his mouth with their hands.

Yuuto almost laughed out loud. "And he gives it away?"

Everyone cheered. "Yes! Tell him about the can-can!"

Seiichirou leaned close to the Duke. "It's a... tantric can-can! It is..." Sorata shoved Seiichirou away, leaning closer.

"It's an erotic spectacular scene that captures the thrusting, violent, vibrant, wild bohemian spirit that this whole production embodies." Sorata grinned and leaned closer to the Duke, nearly whispering in his ear.

"What do you mean by that?" Yuuto asked, slightly unnerved by the other man's closeness.

"I mean it will be a magnificent, opulent, tremendous, stupendous, gargantuan bedazzlement, a sensual ravagement, it will be..... SPECTACULAR, SPECTACULAR!"

As Yuuto watched in confusion, Sorata began to dance around him, making exaggerated movements with his hands. No words in the vernacular can describe this great event... You'll be dumb with wonderment. Grinning, he leaned close and touched his nose against Yuuto's. Returns are fixed at ten percent. You must agree that's excellent. Slowly he began to back up and join the others. And on top of your fee...

Everyone else joined in. You'll be involved artistically!

Slowly, the hopeful group began to advance upon the bewildered Yuuto. So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for fifty years! When they got close to him, Yuuto stumbled backwards and fell into his chair.

Keiichi announced.

called out a drunk-looking Kakyou.

Sorata held his hands above his head in a tribal dance.

And courtesans. With a wink, Karen struck a pose.

Subaru swung from the chandelier.

And juggling bears... With a bearskin rug on his head, Kusanagi tossed a few balls into the air.

Exotic girls! Keiichi giggled, wrapping his head in a curtain.

Fire-eaters, muscle men, contortionists... intrigue, danger and romance... chorused the group. Electric lights, machinery powered with electricity! They began to dance in a circle around Yuuto's chair. So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for fifty years! As they sang, they lifted Yuuto's chair above their heads and twirled him around. Finishing their chorus, they set him down and struck a pose in front of him.

Yes, but what happens in the end? Yuuto inquired.

The group exchanged glances, and quickly everyone began to run around searching for props and costumes. Eventually they all crowded behind the curtain in the middle of the room, and only Seiichirou was left to face the Duke. He cleared his throat. The courtesan and sitar man are pulled apart by an evil plan... The curtain opened, and the others appeared, acting out his words as he sang.

But in the end she hears his song, Karen sang.

And their love is just too strong, Seiichirou murmured softly. In the center of the stage, Karen and Kusanagi were pulling closer together in a romantic moment, but something in Seiichirou's voice made Karen stop and glance at him. Their eyes met, and Seiichirou smiled. Karen blinked, a little unsettled, and turned back to Kusanagi.

Yuuto cleared his throat. It's a little bit funny... this feeling inside... he sang in a horribly off-key voice, making faces that he thought were alluring and attractive, but which really made him look incredibly stupid.

The others ignored him, segueing back into their chorus. So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for fifty years!

The sitar player's secret song helps them flee the evil one, Seiichirou sang softly, as Karen and Kusanagi snuck offstage together. Thought the tyrant rants and rails, it is all to no avail...

Sorata appeared, dressed in decorated robes, with a turban on his head. The others gathered at his feet, bowing down to him. Iiiii am the evil maharajaaah! he intoned dramatically, waving his arms. You will not escaaaape!

Karen stopped bowing and looked up at him. Oh, Sorata, no one could play him like you could! she said earnestly.

No one's going to, Sorata responded with a smirk.

So exciting, we'll make them laugh we'll make them cry! So delighting--

And in the end, should someone die? Yuuto interrupted, smiling hopefully.

The others stared at him in confused silence. Then they shrugged and continued dancing and singing. So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for fif...ty... years! They posed for the grand finish, Keiichi somehow ending up on Seishirou's shoulders.

Yuuto gazed at them for a moment, then smiled a little. Generally, I like it, he said finally.

Relieved and thrilled, the entire group cheered and rushed forward to hug Yuuto (who was not exactly the sort of man you'd call huggable).

end chapter 2