FORTV

Hour Four

By PD Wright

Disclaimer: Own nothing, I do, so sue, is pointless.

A office in the FORTV building. In the lobby of the office, the waiting room, a host of people lounged about on chairs, some staring off into space, some typing on laptops, some scribbling in notebooks, one girl madly playing a video game. Beside her, sat a girl with a very similar haircut, who was busy punching calculations into a calculator. The girl on the video game laughed wildly, the other looked at her, that one looked back, they glanced at their opposites devise.
"Weirdo", they said simulatiasly.
A dark haired person sat behind a desk, a vaguely female form, though really hard to determine. This figure was dressed in a red get-up, complete with dark glasses to hide sinister dark eyes. This person current was on the intercom.
"Mr. Mori, that call from D. Shnieder came thru. He was furious with the changes you proposed."
"Of course, Aoi," said a voice from the speaker, "But if I'd lt it roll as it was proposed, the media watchdog basterds would have had a fit. Just can't do that stuff on network, you know.."
"Yes, sir, but he says he had a offer from HBO and he's decided to take it.."
"Oh, well.. Ce' la Vee."
Aoi looked confused for a moment, then:
"What's Sailor V got to do with this?"
And the room sweatdropped.
Just then, to relieve the tension, in strode a man, dressed in red, his features remarkably similar to the person behind the desk, in fact. He removed his dark shade, stared at Aoi with barely disguised hostility, a burn scar running down his left eye under dark hair. Aoi looked at this man presently, only barely flinching from his dark glare.
"Ahh, good morning, Kurei."
"Whatever. Is the old man in?"
"Well, let me see, alright?" The person moved to click the intercom, said, "Mori-san..."
Over the intercom, the sound of ruffling was heard, a desk drawer opening and closing.
"Quick, Renge," came Mori Korin's voice from the speaker, "Grab the Aki doll, before he comes in."
"Father," came another voice, "When will you let me play with the Sakoshito doll?"
"Quite. That's my favorite, you know that."
The room sweatdropped again. Aoi recovered quickly, said, "He'll be just a moment, Kurei-san. He's busy putting away his tools of wealth."
Kurei felt his right cheek twitch slightly, said, "When he's done putting away his toys, let me know."
Just then, the buzzer sounded. Aoi looked up at Kurei, said, "You may enter now."
Kurei felt his cheek twitch again, strode forward, opened the dark wood door.
Inside the office, Mori Korin sat behind a desk, his hands up under his chin, his wildly staring eyes hidden behind rose coloured glasses. At his elbow stood another ambiguous figure, with dark hair, dark glasses, dressed in red. This person's features where even closer to the man standing now before the desk, glaring with only barely disguised anger at the two.
"Been watching Eva again, father?" Kurei said. Now it was Mori Korin's turn to have his cheek twitch. He said:
"Skip the witticism, Kurei. What can I do for you."
"Well, now that you.."
"Beside that!" Mori snapped. He regained his composure, said, "I've increased the budget of your little spy show. What more do you want?"
"An answer as to why."
Mori raised an eyebrow, which attracted attention from his odd eyes, and so was not a bad thing.
"That's a first. Questioning the reasoning behind a budget increase. Usually it's the opposite."
"I also know you do nothing casually, father. Or without reason."
"Neither do most producers, Kurei," he said, leaning back in his chair, resting his hand behind his head, and looking very, very smug. Kurei resisted a urge to scorch the whole office then and there.
"So, why the show of support of my show, then, over you treasured Sakoshito's show?"
"Ratings, Kurei." He did a rather smug grin. "Apparently, the public like to watch bad girls beating up criminals rather then a sweet, non-threatening talk show host with few scandalous guests. That's the reason, Kurei."
Kurei wanted to smirk, but didn't permit himself the satisfaction. He mused that if the ratings between his show, Kurei no Tenshi, and Yanagi Sakoshito's show were at equal levels, his show would get the boot, while Sakoshito would keep her show as long she wanted it. He shook his head. To Mori Korin, he simply nodded, accepted the explanation. His foot brushed something on the floor. He reached down, picked it up.
"You missed one of your toys, father," He said, tossing a replica of Fuugin to the seated figure, who groped at the flying figure. Kurei smirked, spun on his heel, and vanished thru the door, leaving scowling Mori and a giggling Renge.

On the News center set, the two presenter, Demi and Tatsuko are just coming back from a commercial break.
Tatsuko began, "Hello, and welcome back. Our wacky weatherman has said that the coming week will be.."
"Not good!" Said the weatherman, revealed now to be Joker, his long bangs still hiding his eyes, pulling at a dark tie at his kneck. "Well, let's go to the map!" He said, to the obvious relief of Demi and Tatsuko.
The camera for the map cut on, and Joker strode over there, pointing, it seemed, at random points on the superimposed image of the map. He cackled madly as he did this.
"A low front from the north is hitting the F prefect now" (he was pointing due south) "While the city of Osaka" (He pointed to the city of F) "Will experience frost in the morning, then warming to the fifties in the afternoon. For the extended forecast, a definite cold snap for Tuesday and Thursday" (The projection said lows in the 50's), while Saturday will be nice and sunny, with only a touch of rain," (Again, the graphic said heavy rain Saturday) "Which, by Monday will clear up, leaving the beging of the week fairly sunny and warm" (The graphic indicates rain thru Monday) "So enjoy. Back to the you, Dragon-baby!"
Tatsuko rared, started going ballistic, but was pushed under the table again by Demi, who said:
"Um, thanks for the, um, forecast, Joker. Next up, Saicho with sports."
And the theme song started, the camera switched to a side view of the desk, as Tatsuko burst up, yelling at the grinning Joker, who was more amused then anything, and the diminutive Demi tried to hold back the rampaging dragon girl presenter.
And the screen faded to black.

To be continued.

Author notes: Finally got over my writers bloc for this bit. Had this percolating in my mind for ages, trying to get it into some reasonable form. Hope you enjoy it. By the way, we did, for a long time, have a weatherman who also doubled as a children's TV host, so I thought it only natural that Joker would think he could do both jobs.

PD Wright, March 30, 03