Chapter 16: A Claim to the First Move
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She sighed. Where was he? Uriko sat on the overpass that looked down upon the main labs. If he was going to step outside his clan's quarters, he would pass through this room without a doubt. Then again, maybe he only left his quarters when he was on a mission, so perhaps it was good he stayed inside.
She pondered why she wanted to see him now. She had somehow gotten over most of her fear of him somehow. Was it hypnosis? She started feel somewhat betrayed, but at the same time she felt grateful she could talk to him again. At one time, he was the only person she could trust in this place, and then she suddenly turned against him. Now she was living with a prince, protected by his money and influence. Still, the more she stayed with him, the guiltier she felt. Now, she wanted to see Kenji again. She wanted to make sure he was okay without her, that his mind was not being completely controlled by those ninja.
Uriko sat down on the metal bridge and tried to keep her hopes up. When a brown leaf fluttered before her face, she excitedly turned around,
"Kenji!" she cried, but her hopes were soon diminished when she saw the old master standing before her. "What have you done with him?" he growled.
She voiced without thinking, "Huh? Who?"
"The Young Dragon," he told her in an angrier voice, "What have you done with him?"
"Is something wrong with Kenji? I haven't seen him in a while."
He looked at her with a disbelieving glare, searching for the telltale signs of a liar. "I have not, either. He has been missing for the past few days, most likely because of the games you play."
She became defensive at that remark. Bakuryu paid no attention and then asked her if she knew of his clan's heirloom. She appeared to be telling the truth when she said she knew nothing of any heirlooms.
"The one place where Young Dragon's scent was fresh," he told her, "Was where the heirloom was kept. The chest holding it is empty."
"What, is it more important than him?" she asked accusingly.
"Our heirloom caused him much grief many years ago, and ever since, he has not even dared to go near where it's kept. He avoids merely entering the room, if possible."
"Something is very wrong," Bakuryu then whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sweet smell of roses, He composed in his mind,
Intoxicating catnip
My playful Kitten
He happily strolled to a colorful tin that probably cost much more money than it was worth and pulled out a small ginger snap. This was the high called love, famous for making many a self respecting person fall into a dreamy daze. In the middle of his cookie, the door opened and in stepped his one and only. "Kitten," he called out, "Welcome home!" While his precious guest trudged to the next room without having heard him, he burst into a wordy proclamation of his feelings. "I have counted the minutes so eagerly while you were gone," he cooed, "Tylon is undeserving of such a display of your total beauty, and I have been waiting for what seems like eternity to see you walk back through the door to seek asylum from the troubles around you."
He spun around, his arms wide open. "Come! We'll make love!"
Upon seeing nobody on front of him, Cronos looked around foolishly and then went to the next room. She was seated on a couch, looking downcast. "Kitten," he called to her, "Is something the matter?"
He then lightly touched one fingertip and continued, "Ah! Speak not! I have noticed your less happy mood over the course of the past few days and I have prepared a surprise for you."
He led her by the shoulders back to the main room by the shoulders and told her to wait on front of the mirror. He would be right back with her present.
"Prince Cronos," his bodyguard butted in, "There's a call for you."
The young man resisted cussing under his breath, though he did make a silent scowl behind Uriko's back. "Can't this wait?" he asked, trying not to sound tense.
"It's from his highness, your father."
"Wait right here," he told the kitten, giving her a light pat on her shoulders. Cronos stormed off mumbling, "What the hell does that idiot pawn want?" He roughly snatched the receiver from Ganesha's hand and angrily brought it to his face. As soon as he started to speak, any evidence of annoyance or anger mysteriously melted away.
"Dearest Father," he chirped, "It has been far too long since I have heard from you last! Hm? Why yes, I have been courting someone..."
Uriko, still on front of the mirror, turned around slightly and wondered if he was talking about her. She turned back to the mirror and looked down at herself and the other casual outfit Cronos had bought her. It was baisically the same outfit, only trimmed in a slightly different way, but the print was the major difference. While the one she had worn to the carnival bore blue with a yellow border across the shoulders and along the sides of the legs on the shorts, this version's areas of color were areas of bright pink zebra stripes. She held up her hands, hidden by the sleeves, and sighed. I look like some sort of raver or something, she joked in her mind. Uriko looked in the mirror and did a goofy little dance on front of it, humming a tune to herself.
"Of course! I am very concerned about our nation's future..." Cronos then paused and laid his eyes on the girl, who was rhythmically swinging her hips from side to side.
"... And that is one fine ass..." he purred thoughtlessly. "Huh?" he yelped upon hearing his father's reaction, "Erm, that is to say..."
To overshadow what he had accidentally let slip out before, he practically yelled into the receiver, "I said she has a great butt for bearing sons!"
"Wh-What?!" Uriko stammered. Cronos slapped one hand to his face and growled curses to himself. Ganesha merely moaned and shook his head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, who is this person?" Alice asked, trying not to breathe. "I told you. I don't really know," Yugo answered, also attempting in vain to turn off his nose. The two were holding onto the metal "straps" of a subway car, though it was so crowded enough that human beings that the crowd would hold them in place just fine. Unfortunately, packed into this condensed can of a car was somebody whose personal habits created a strong and foul stench. Cruel fate had this person packed right next to them.
"Well, I hope we'll be able to at least get off the train when our stop comes," Alice voiced uncomfortably. She was desperately wishing the crown would disappear so she would get the chance to scratch her bottom.
"Don't worry," the boxer assured her in a nasal voice, "His stop is near the end of the line. I'll bet the train'll be empty by the time we get there."
When Alice grumbled in her frustration, Yugo argued, "Hey, Gado said he was a recluse!"
"Can't he be alone without living all the way out there? Honestly..."
There was a moment of silence and then much shifting of the crammed masses. "Oi. Rabbit. Was that you?"
"No."
"What? You eat all that tofu an' whatnot and you're telling me it isn't you?"
The nurse growled, "It's the meat that makes it smell bad, dumbass.
"You're blaming me now?" The wolf, in becoming defensive, had elbowed some innocent bystanders in shifting his position. "I didn't think you'd sink that low."
"Shut up, mutt."
"Mutt? Mutt?! I ain't no mutt, rabbit!"
~~~~~~~~~~~
The prince, smiling profusely, still kept his back turned and his eyes shut. May I look now, Kitten?
"Sure."
He turned around and found his choice looked just as nice on her has he had imagined. "It's perfect!" he cooed.
Uriko looked down at herself. "You don't think it's a little skimpy?" Her body was just barely covered by the two pieces of the red bikini. It was a rather simple design, actually. The pieces were held onto the body by tying little bows on the sides. The fabric was bright red with a pattern of gold coins, the long coins waving cats held in their paws.
"It fits your figure marvelously, Kitten," he sighed. He put one hand on his hip, which was covered in tight blue swimming trunks, and slung a towel over his shoulder. He opened the door to a huge room of clear baby blue tiles and tinted glass. The smell of chlorine from the water of the huge swimming pool in the center that permeated the locker rooms as well as the halls was much stronger now.
Uriko, amazed, stared in silence.
"There's more than one building to Tylon," Cronos reminded her.
The two walked along the side past many chairs where other pool goers were seated. The pool was reserved for those who barely worked at all for huge sums of money they had. All of them were the very rich, the people who had much control in Tylon Corporation and those who were closely linked to Tylon.
Uriko started to say, "Are you sure it's alright to enjoy myself when..."
"Hush, hush," he lightly purred, "I figured you might not like to play, so I reserved a spot for you at the spa to relax your nerves. How would you like to be pampered and groomed like the princess you deserve to be, Kitten?" He reached through her hair with his fingertips and gave her a little scratch behind her ear. The girl chuckled slightly. It did feel good despite the guilty feelings coming back to her.
With a wave of his hand, he invited, "Shall we?" He led her away from the pool to a hallway with a desk. Uriko stood behind Cronos while he dealt with the receptionist.
"So much money to throw away over you... Is that why?"
"What?"
The receptionist and the prince looked at the girl, who was looking around behind her asking who was there. There was nobody, much to her confusion. "I thought I heard someone..." she said. After a few seconds, Cronos shrugged and went back to talk to the receptionist.
"He gives you clothes and gifts anything you desire. Is that why?"
"There it is again!" she yelped. The receptionist leaned over the desk and told her there were other people in the building. She blushed in embarrassment and looked to one side.
"Look at you, all dressed up so he can do this!"
She could have sworn she felt something tugging at the sides of her clothes. Uriko looked down when she felt a breeze around her chest and shrieked, "Someone took my top!" Cronos immediately turned to her.
"What? Stay close to me..."
He reached one arm around her and pulled her in so his body hid hers. Yeah, that's the stuff, his mind purred at her chest pressed up against his own. He took the towel from his shoulder and gently put it around her while he still held her. He narrowed his eyes and looked around.
"Some fiend is lurking about."
"Step this way, Miss..."
Uriko gave the prince a slight wave before disappearing behind the door.
She was led into a bright room that smelled of aromatherapy oils and fruits where she lay back on a table whilst the expert slathered her face in a sweet smelling mask.
"Isn't there a word for girls who do that?"
"Get away from me!" Uriko yelled, sitting straight up.
"Please, stay still..."
"Are you sure there's nobody weird here?"
No peace was found in the sauna, either. The room was very small and mist clouded her sight. Still, she heard the voice when she closed her eyes to relax.
"Then again, I suppose I don't care if you're virtuous or not."
Uriko's eyes shot open to find someone sitting in a towel across from her. However, all she could make out was thin brown hair that fell around the face and a small smirk. She immediately sat up to catch this intruder. The figure calmly poured water over the rocks to further fill the room with white haze. When Uriko reached the other side, her apparent stalker was gone.
Needless to say, Uriko was becoming seriously chilled by these events.
She lay on the massage table, waiting not only for her masseuse, but for the voices to come. She felt fingertips on her shoulders and relaxed. The girl let out a deep breath and drifted away along with the help of the hands. She did think it was a little odd that the massage was not as relaxing as she had heard. Also, she did not feel any perfumes or oils on her skin. Full hands touched her and she noticed the feeling of fabric where the palms were. That was rather odd to her, but she supposed it was part of the technique.
Then, she felt something soft against the back of her neck: a kiss.
"Does that feel good? Tell me, who is running through your thoughts right now?"
She rolled over onto her back and found her face-to-face with the youth who had been following her. In his gold eyes was an odd glimmer in the relaxed, pleased expression they seemed to bear, one she had seen in the green eyes of the prince. Strands of straight hair hung from his head and tickled her face. The smell of strong musk flowed from them.
"K... Ken... ji...?"
His eyes formed a dull, displeased expression. "What an awful name to call someone. It's so... weak."
The boy crawled onto the table and towered over her reclining form on all fours. His scarf was absent, as well as his usual yellow shirt. Over his bare chest was sleeveless chain mail and his left shoulder and arm bore an orange sleeve of thick fabric. On the side of it was red plate armor that was reminiscent of a samurai's armor.
She shrank underneath the youth who was acting so strangely now. She barely recognized his face with such an expression. Even his voice did not sound at all familiar.
"You're not used to this, aren't you?" he taunted.
Uriko started edging backwards, trying to get out from under him. With a slight chuckle, the boy clamped her arms with his and completely trapped her body against the table.
"I own you, little girl," he growled, his breath brushing up against her face, "The first move was always mine."
Just as the doorknob started to turn, his hand moved too quickly to be watched carefully before a large flash of light was emitted. When the teenager could see again, she was staring through a shower of bright green leaves at a confused-looking masseuse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wolf had been pounding at the door for what seemed like hours. This little house was quite a walk away from the subway stop and from other houses, period. It was all by itself, surrounded by greenery and a rock formation could be see behind it. Yugo looked down at the paper in his hands. It had to have been the right house.
"Open up!" he yelled, "I know you're in there! Show yourself!"
"Yugo..." The rabbit whispered.
"Hey, don't tell me I spent ten billion hours coming all the way out here to see nobody!" he complained.
"COME ON OUT!"
"Someone's coming," Alice hissed when she heard footsteps.
A mature and sad voice was heard from around the house. It was coming nearer with the footsteps.
"Please leave. Is rest so much to ask of you?"
He came around the corner and they could see the man looking at them with a very tired look. He touched the side of his house lightly with one hand, but he stood up perfectly straight. His dreary eyes lay behind locks of black hair that fell to either side of his face.
"All I want is rest."
"Mister Long?"
"Miss Nonomura..." He said with a slight amount of surprise in his voice.
Alice was unaccustomed to see him dressed in anything other than the typical teacher's garb. Long Shin now wore a loose white sleeveless top and loose green pants with them, which tucked into white that reached down to small black Chinese shoes. He wore very large and ornate weights on his wrists and he smelled very strongly of incense.
"You know him, rabbit?"
"He's one of Uriko's teachers."
"The younger Miss Nonomura has been absent for a long time."
Alice nodded. "That's part of why we're here."
"Gado sent us," Yugo added.
He reached the door and lay his hand over the doorknob. "Alan Gado..." he whispered, staring off into the distance. He continued to gaze into space and into his own soul for a few silent seconds.
"So, are you gonna talk to us or what?" the boxer rudely asked.
Long blinked back to the present and apologized. "How rude of me. Please come in."
~~~~~~~~~~~
"I...I'm fine..." She stuttered, "I'll just go to bed now, okay?"
"But Kitten... You seemed awfully flustered since you left the spa. Are you sure-"
"I'm fine!" She yelled in her haste. Uriko closed the door loudly and then leaned against it, panting.
The flush was rushing to her face and she covered it with her hands, almost in an attempt to stop it. Why did she keep on feeling this way? Why was her guilt responding to Kenji's accusations? She was not a foul temptress!
Sure, she had not seen Kenji in such a long time, but that was pretty much outside her control, was it not? Besides, she had gotten rather close to him, but she was rather sure she was not close enough to him so he could say such things.
"So, maybe you do have a soul..."
She whipped her head around and saw him, perched atop her dresser. He sat cross-legged, one leg hanging down. His arms were folded across his chest and he looked down at her. He wore that same slight grin from before.
"What do you want?"
He leapt down and landed right on front of her and cupped her chin in one hand.
"I think it's pretty obvious."
"Kenji, why are you acting like this?"
He frowned. "Must you call me that? I deserve a different name, something stronger."
"What...?"
He took her hand and pressed it to his lips. "Something like... Bakuryu... Yes, that's what my name is..." A tongue protruded from those lips and began to lick her fingers. "It sounds so much better..."
My... My fingers are hot...
"Cut that out!," she shrieked, bringing the other hand across his face. He stayed in place, his eyes shut. His mouth curved into a scowl. The hand that held her own so gently now clenched it tightly.
"Kenji... You're hurting me..."
"I don't know much," the youth growled before sending his fist straight through the fancy wooden table next to the door, "But I do know I'm angry. I'm angry because of everything and I am angry because of you."
"But I don't care," he purred once more, leaning his face close to hers, "If you are so sure you are not cheating on me with him... Then you shall cheat on him with me."
The door suddenly opened and Cronos stepped in. "Kitten? I thought I heard something breaking."
He looked at her, completely flushed on the floor. "What's wrong?" he asked, "And where did all these leaves come from?"
