As this IS AU, expect some OOC to be abound. Circumstances and environment shapes who we are. I kinda wanted to break the old mold where the reborned characters retain all of their personalities; sorta like breaking tradition. I WILL keep them close to the originals but it's gonna be a bit tricky with all the interaction I'm putting in.
Disclaimers: *chasing after a very hyperactive Kenji-chan, this author and Yahiko looking worst for wear* Kenji! NO!! NOT THE ARTBOOK!!! ACK!! DON'T TOUCH THAT!!! AIIIIIIII-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! (Uncle style, from "Jackie Chan Adventures") THAT COSTED ME A FORTUNE!!!
*Kenshin and Kaoru, cuddling in the background with little hearts floating in the air, without a care in the world*
Yahiko: ::trip, CRASH!!:: KORRA KENJIIIII!!!!!!!!
Kenji: *laughs in delight, still running like crazy*
% % % % % % % % denotes scene change from a location/characters
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Part 4: Of Staying at a New Home and Of Living Together"You're kidding," Karen said softly, staring at those bright amethyst eyes.
Zeke could only stare at his guardian with wide green eyes. "Aniki...."
"What's wrong with that?"
"What's wrong, you ask? What's wrong is that are you out of your mind?!" Karen nearly shouted. "You saw how two of my brothers reacted! Do you know what's gonna happen if my eldest brother found out?!?!?!"
"Etoo...."
The younger officer visibly sweated. Whenever his guardian spoke in Japanese, it was either the man was serious or extremely nervous.
"Soren might have gone easy with you, while Sam is most likely gonna challenge you but you have no idea what Ash is gonna be like! The man was almost insufferable when I just started middle school! He used to promptly come right over after school was
over and any guy that looked at me beyond friendship often found themselves having to be scraped off of the walls!" She paused, taking a breather.
"Okay, maybe Sam and Soren as well since they're fine with me living by myself but me living at your home? Ash is SO gonna flip when he finds out and--."
Giving a smile that pretty much stopped her ranting, Ken gestured back to the Tacoma. "Why don't you come to my place first? Just for a look-see and then we'll discuss the rest of the details."
"But--"
"I don't mind. It's just that..." His eyes turned a bit nostalgic at this point, not to mention a bit sheepish as well. "A man can only live so long without a lady's touch in his home."
Red flushed into her cheeks upon the term "lady" and Karen turned around, hiding her embarrassment. "Well, I..."
"You'll be getting a place to stay with no problems."
"Yeah..."
"Only need to pay your share of the bills."
"Uhm..."
"No worry about neighbors bothering you at night."
"Er..."
"Fairly close to UCLA."
"That's good... HEY! How'd you--"
"You don't mind music practicing?" Zeke piped up, catching on his guardian's idea.
"Not really...."
"Kendo sparring or any budo practice in the early hours?"
"I'm used to getting up at odd times..."
A grin, white teeth flashing. "Then it's settled."
Karen blinked, then returned a smile that could make men sigh with love. "Very well. I'll take a look."
* * * * * *
The face on the university student was one that would send Zeke into snickering in the future any time he thought about it. He couldn't help it! Who'd thought that eyes can widen that big. Her eyes were so stretched that they look like they were going to fall out sooner or later.
"No. Freakin. Way," she squeaked.
Ken chuckled sheepishly. "It isn't much, but..."
"'Much'?! Are you kidding me?! This is beyond 'much'! You're a cop, with a ward, and you live in a place like this?!"
Said place was a two-story penthouse close to the outskirts of Los Angeles and near Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Normally, in a city where celebrities lived and movies take place, you'd think the house would be like those of American style. In a nutshell, the two officers' home was literally of Japanese design, illuminated by stone lamps and the ones hanging from the eaves.
Clean, white walls surrounded the penthouse and another building, which was attached by a roofed open hallway. The roof was a dark indigo, made of ceramic tiles, also on the wall. The second building looked like a true dojo, straight out of the textbooks that talked about the various budo. Several trees were planted along the walls, as well a flower garden, koi pond, and a couple fruit trees. Leafy bamboo clusters sprouted as well, a large bunch near the body of water. An octagonal mirror, with the eight red trigrams surrounding it, hung over the door, reflecting the light from the waxing crescent of the moon. Near the back, Karen could see what looked like the parking garage, since Zeke had dropped them off at the front gate and left to park the Tacoma.
The large double doors in the front gate was, to her eyes, merely decoration since Zeke had opened a small one inside one of the large panels. Carved into the wide entrances were two dragons chasing after pearls, amidst clouds floating in heaven. A plaque hanging to the right had Ken's family name, in English and another in Japanese.
"Hi-mu-ra? 'Red Village'? Isn't your name 'Hilmringer'?" Karen said, pointing at the kanji on the name tablet.
"Ancestor's name. Shishou did a little digging on our family tree and pretty much insisted on having it written as well. He's a bit old fashioned with tradition. Come on in."
Inside of the house nearly surprised her again, if it wasn't for the outside, after removing their shoes and the lights flicked on. Upon entering through the metal shoji, a large aquarium stood right in front of her, exotic fishes swimming about. Green tatami lined most of the floor, the living room to the right and the rec room down and to the left. Wooden stairs, to the left as you enter the door, led up to most likely a couple bedrooms, the master bedroom, two baths, and the attic. Each section of the house seemed to be decorated according to the four seasons.
The kitchen, linoleum in place of the straw mats, was almost like being amidst a maple tree during the fall, with the reds, oranges, and browns mixing. Small plaques hanging about on the walls were carved into animals that roamed during the autumn season. Even the containers were shaped like the harvesting creatures. Mahogany formed the table and chairs, a deep russet matching well with the theme. A large wok stood on the stove, black from many years of usage.
The living room felt like stepping into spring, light blue and green, along with several potted plants, some longevity trees, and cottontails in small Ming vases. Hanging scroll paintings were of mockingbirds, swallows, and young deer. Sakura trees were also present, as well with bamboo sprouts. Several cushions were placed around the low table, the chabudai, the straw yellow patterns reflecting off the coming moonlight.
A peek into the rec room proved to demonstrated the cold solstice, navy blue with gray, splashes of white like a flurry of snow. A vase that sat on top of a drawer, which was decorated with cranes amidst the snowy background, contained a plum blossom branch, not yet bloomed. A beige couch was aligned with a couple love seats, as well a large screen TV, and a modest entertainment systems. There was also a dog bed, which Salem happily plopped onto with a "wuff".
Upstairs, five bedrooms matched the coloring of the five Chinese elements; Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Silver, auburn, light blue, red, and green for each room, respectively. Zeke occupied the Fire room, an assortment of electronic gadgetry laying about in a way that could be deemed "organized chaos". Stacks of papers laid neatly in a pile near the desk, including what looked like two violin cases. The Earth room contained stuff what looked like that belonged to a male elementary student.
Summer dominated the master bedroom, twilight indigo tossed in with deep magenta and bright green, a glass wind chime hanging by the open window. The king-sized bed seemed to have almost disappeared with the wall, had Karen not looked for the white pillows that stood out. It was composed of only two large mattress on the floor, with the bed covering underneath the blankets. A biyoubu, crafted from lacquered dark magnolia wood, sat folded in one of the corners, displaying a pair of Mandarin ducks with several ducklings in tow. A large bureau stood to near the bathroom, as well a desk stacked high with papers. The master bath had, other than the usual plumbing and a shower stall, a Jacuzzi large enough for five people.
The two baths looked completely to be made of wood, a shower stall in each and a large furo. Plus the usual plumbing that looked like, as if made from gray-white marble. Sitting on the windowsill in each room was a branch with closed buds in a bamboo container, like waiting for their seasons to return.
Looking up to the ceiling proved that the second floor rooms got most of their brightness from skylights, lamps providing in night. First floor from wide windows that are made from either glass or paper was how it received their source of light.
"Wooooow....."
Ken stood next to Karen, standing near the doorway of the master room. "So, what do you think?"
She popped her head out one of the window and looked down at the overlaying view of trees and the sprawling city, lights shining away. Stepping back, the student still had a look of awe on her face. "I actually like it here, so, it's a yes. Though, it's kinda hard to say at the same time... I mean, that you live in such a place with all this stuff....."
Trailing off, Karen waved her hand around.
"It's still all new to you and it's weird that a cop like me could have a place like this," he finished, amusement twinkling in his eyes.
"Well, that. Plus, who sleeps in the green room?"
"Hm? Oh, Zeke's younger brother."
Karen blinked. "Younger bro?"
The older man nodded. "Fifth grade at the local elementary school. Quite the kid, that he is."
"Why's that?"
Moving down to the kitchen with ease, Ken pulled out a china teapot, scooped in some leaves/flower heads, and filled it with hot water from the water boiler. He also pulled out two small white cups from one of the cupboards. Giving a sigh, he let the water infused with the tealeaves, taking a seat while Karen took one adjacent to him.
"Zeke and his brother were originally the children of a yakuza and triad marriage. Plus, one elder sister that bears a strong resemblance to you."
Feeling that the flavor has sufficiently spread itself, the sergeant filled both cups. He served Karen first, then himself.
"I can't really say much about him or Yiheng."
"Yi-heng?"
"The younger brother. It's the boy's Chinese name, from their maternal grandfather's choosing; Zeke's father was the one who gave him that name. 'Yiheng' means 'resolute persistence' in Chinese," Ken chuckled, taking a sip from the hot tea. "Fits him quite well, though I can't say the same with Yiheng's surname, Ming. That means 'bright'."
Karen mulled over her cup a bit, tasting the slight sweetness of chrysanthemum. "Why is it that both boys are related but with different names? What about their sister?"
"You'll have to ask Zeke about that. I don't know all the details."
The sounds of arguing stopped what Karen was going to ask, Zeke and a young spiky-haired boy coming in from one of the side doors.
"You could've called me!" the pony-tailed cop protested.
"I'm not a little kid!"
Giving a suffering sigh, Zeke only ran a hand through his helmet tussled hair. It was quite a bit frustrating dealing with his brother at times.
"But what would happen if I didn't know where you went?"
"I'll be fine!"
"Yiheng," Ken broke in, his voice soft but demanding obedience.
Freezing in place, the fifth grader shuffled his feet, like an alcoholic caught with a jug of sake by the police. "I went to Yancy's place to finish up a project and we got caught up in it so I forgot to call."
Again, another sigh but that of relief. "C'mon squirt, bedtime."
"Don't call me squirt! And who's Ugly?" Yiheng pointed a finger at the sitting college student.
Karen's ponytail seemed to rise upon that comment, like a cat's tail bristling in anger or in fear. "Who're you calling Ugly?! I happen to be a rose in kenjutsu and a better student than you are!!"
"Oro/ara."
"So what?!" Yiheng grinned impishly. "Bet any guy would rather date someone else than with you!"
"Brat! Insolent child! I'll show you!!"
"Ugly, ugly, hag hag!!"
Zeke immediately dragged his brother away while Ken held back Karen, trying to calm the 19 year old down before she did any major damage. Not to mention wincing as he nearly pulled his stitches.
"Now now.... He isn't too bad once you get to know him. I suggest getting some sleep; I'm sure Kazeki brought in most of your necessities."
"Left-side of the bike," came the young teen's voice, as if knowing what his guardian was going to say.
"He drives a motorcycle?!"
Ken rubbed the back of his head, looking a bit sheepishly, letting go of Karen (and slightly blushing upon such close contact) to go to the garage in the back.
"Two bikes, from the money he earned while still living in Japan with Yiheng. Before I picked them off from the streets around Shinjuku and near Ginza, Zeke was considered the racing king amongst the yakuza. Whereas most racers go with the fancy Yamaha or Suzuki's, his was an old Kawasaki Ninja bike, reworked after having found it at the scrap yard. No, he didn't use any money in the account his sister left him; Zeke would rather earn what he needs the hard than the easy way. Oh, have you decided which room you want to sleep in?"
Karen tapped her chin in thought. "I'll take the Water room. Blue happens to be one of my favorite color."
'Hmmm..... Note to self, buy her something blue for Christmas. If I don't get killed during our annual party, that is.'
As the night continued deeper, almost everybody asleep, Karen stared at the plaster ceiling. It was decorated with swimming animals, ranging from both mammals and non-mammal marine life.
'Nice, soft, bed with a warm blanket for once! I could get used to this! Plus, tomorrow's Saturday!'
Looking around, the tones of blue seemed to calm her down, as if like staring a lake or the ocean. At the same time, there laid a tinge of a mystery that appeared to dance out of her grasp within her mind.
'Are there any strings attached? I've read stories how the girl who stays at this guy's home later finds out that he turns out to be a psychotic serial killer. But.... Mr. Hilmringer here is a cop and Zeke's also a cop, even though he's still a rookie. Guess I'll find out sooner or later, maybe around Christmas....'
Turning over to her side, Karen's eyes drooped shut and she dreamed of a red-haired man smiling and offering his hand to her. Funny thing is, he was wearing a navy blue kimono and a white hakama, with a nihontou in his hakama ties. Almost like he had came straight out of the Japanese history books.
% % % % % % % %
Gold eyes slit open a bit when he felt an uncomfortable weight on his chest. Assuming it was Sax again, the captain merely grunted and tried to shift, hoping his K-9 partner would get off. Sensing someone in the morning was like trying to drive through a foggy night with only the parking lights on.
It didn't move.
"Sax, ge'off."
Still no movement.
Giving out a low growl, Kevin finally blinked blurry eyes opened. First thing in sight was Keith sitting on his chest, staring down at his father. This time, a groan from the cop and not just from his son's antics.
"Keith... You're starting to get a little old for this."
A cheery grin before the boy slid off and bounded toward the kitchen. Sitting, Kevin scratched his head, several locks mussed out of the ponytail and shook himself awake. Hearing a soft wuff to the side, a dry nose touched his as in greeting the officer a "good morning". A swift glance at the clock showed it ticking away fifteen past seven.
"And ohayo to you too, Sax," he grumbled out, slightly shoving the dog off of him. "Just let me at least get to the showers."
As if laughing, the canine gave a happy bark and also padded to where the chibi went off to.
Sighing, Kevin shuffled along the carpet and into the bathroom, letting the cold water run over his skin. The sound of the bathroom door opening and closing reached his ears but he ignored it, knowing who it was.
"Is that parole of mine still on?"
A soft chuckle. "I'm considering lifting it."
"How much longer?"
He could almost see the smile.
"Most likely probably until the Christmas performances, in which I think Zeke is conducting for the Nutcracker ballet at the LA Music Center."
"Grrrrrrr......"
Toni only laughed lightly. "Oh, don't forget. You said you'd take Keith to the Pier later today."
"Not again.... The last time we went there he wiped out ten dollars from my wallet!"
"Would you prefer Ennis driving him there?"
"............yes."
"Just so he can get some practice."
"He nearly trashed the Firebird the last time we went out practicing."
"At 3:30 on the weekend mornings."
"Barely any cars at that time. Him driving Keith around can give him extra practice driving when there are vehicles present during the day."
"You just want to see him get defeated by his own nephew on that game again. What is it? Oh yes, Dance Dance Revolution."
"Payback for all the times he bit me after our marriage," Kevin grumbled, shutting off the water and wrapping a towel around his waist.
Dark brown eyes softened, a soft hand touching his. "You can't blame Ennis for his behavior then."
A grunt, plopping down onto the covered toilet. "I know. It's just that I wasn't used to the idea of having another sibling, one real younger than me. Ken being my twin is a different idea."
Pulling out the toolbox-sized First Aid kit, Toni lightly dabbed his cut with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol before wrapping his shoulder up with new gauze. Years of her husband being injured on the job required some medical training and a strong stomach. Kevin barely flinched at all, his uncle's training rivaling almost any wounds he's received. Now, it was done with ease, although dealing with a physically hurt Keith was another story; the five-year old can really raise up quite the racket.
"I'm just be glad that we didn't have a daughter yet." Toni laughed softly, pulling out a wooden comb and running it through his wet hair. "I don't think Ennis and you will be able to handle it, much less Keith presently. If I'm right, all three of you might have quite the daughter/niece/sister complex."
Rumbling in his throat, Kevin pulled his wife close, nibbling on her nose. "Why don't we--"
"DAD!! Ennie's making fun of me again!!"
Speak of the little dragon.
"Am not! I only teased him a little bit!"
As well the tiger.
"You're just mad cuz I beat ya the last time we played DDR!"
"HEY!! I still beat you on King of Fighters, TWICE!"
"I outlasted you playing Metal Slug AND Marvel Vs. Capcom!!"
"How 'bout Area 51?! I got top score! HA!!
"You still can't beat me at Para Para Paradise!"
"Didn't make it past the first stage on House of the Dead, BRAT!!"
"Brat ja ne yo, Ennie!"
This time, the captain's low growl was that of frustration, causing the DA to stifle her laughter as she drew away.
"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT YOUR TRAPS!!" Kevin roared, causing both boys to cover their ears, Sax included.
"Yes' sir," they said, Keith albeit squeakily.
"We'll finish this up later," came out as a murmur before leaving a deep kiss onto his wife's lips. Toni couldn't help but flush after he left; still had that effect on her, even after six years of marriage.
Looking onto her ring finger, the DA thought back before they were married. Originally, she was supposed to be betrothed to another but her first fiancé's dying wish was that she be wed to Kevin. Neither of them thought that living together would really work, even though the captain had held a hidden crush on her. It had pained both greatly, struggling to get past old barriers and trying to create new bridges. Later, the two finally learned to love each other and Keith's birth was that proof of their hard work for trying.
Unfortunately, Ennis took much longer; the kid bore so much resentment toward Kevin one can say it was almost hate. He often blamed his new brother-in-law for the death of his sister's fiancée, saying that the police captain was the cause of her grief. Yet, after taking care of his nephew for the first time (baby nine months old, alone in the house), Ennis had seemed to have warmed up to his sibling by law but merely a bit. The resentment was still there, only more like the ward giving the parent/guardian a hell of a time.
Another ruckus sounded up again downstairs. Leaving the bathroom, Toni had to smile at the scene.
Kevin, while helping his son tie the shoelaces, was caught up in another argument as Ennis struggled with his boots. Again, this argument was one of those meaningless types where it was just a show of manly pride. Of course, she really has no idea what this squabble this time.
"Now, what is it with you two this time?"
Guttural snarls from both elder males was her answer, sparks flying like crazy (which is much more than Kevin vs. Sam) and dancing between their locked eyes. Keith, stuck in the middle, only sighed in exasperation before tugging on his father's shirt.
"Let's go already, Dad." A bright smile lit onto his face. "You can go up against Ennie at the shooting games!"
A grin. "Which one would you suggest?"
A replying smirk. "Time Crisis II. Two-player. As well House of the Dead II."
"You're on. Don't expect me to cover your as--"
"Kevin!"
"Sorry, Toni. Let's go boys."
A short whistle got the canine bounding from the kitchen and joining them, climbing into the Firebird with Ennis at the wheel. As they peeled off, the neighbors merely sighed as they heard the loud ruckus of arguing again and closed their blinds.
Shaking her head in amusement, Toni merely got ready for her workload at Downtown. Men, really, these days; still competing since the dawn of time.
* * * * * *
Kevin stood by, watching his son beat the crap out of Ennis again on DDRMax 2, sipping an Irish Cream/French Vanilla combo. Despite being calm on the outside, his nerves were still highly tensed.
'Moron. How many times have I told him to look over his shoulder before switching lanes?!'
The trip from their home in Los Angeles all the way to Santa Monica Pier was close to being said as more of a roller coaster combined with one of those water rides. Plus a couple of brushes with several 18-wheelers in which the drivers were none too
happy about such closeness with a small car.
"Yay! I win again!" Keith bounced off of the machine, cheering happily at his high-score (with the initials of "Batt") on the top. Several folks watching the dancing all clapped politely, a couple high school girls cooing over him.
Ennis merely grumbled, his number not even making it to the top score list. Not to mention the announcer's "NOOOOOOO~OOOOOOOO!!!!!" and the "BOOOO!" toward the ending of the song.
"Aw, shuddup, brat."
"BRAT JA NE YO!!" Immediately, the little one scrambled up his uncle and began to gnaw on his platinum hair. Veteran spectators laughed at the sight while newcomers gaped upon the scene.
"Hey! Get off of me!!" Deftly, Ennis plucked his nephew off and placed the pouting redhead onto the ground. "Now, let's see if your dad could beat me at Time Crisis II!"
Finishing off the rest of his coffee, Kevin merely smiled and tossed the cup into the bin. "Let's go."
Five minutes into the game, a large crowd had formed around the two shooters. Most of the experienced shooting players (some that are Ennis' school buddies) were amazed at the accuracy of Kevin and Ennis, their shots picking off almost all of the bad guys before they could even pull the trigger. Not to mention the speed as they went through each section of the game; barely twenty seconds out of the limited 40 and the pair is already onto the next stage.
"Man! They're good!"
"Never knew 'Nis would be a terrific shot!"
"Check out the score!"
"SWEET! Took out that guy right on the head!"
"Dude, that red head shoots like a cop."
"That's cuz he IS a cop, ya jerk! He'z 'Nis' bro-in-law!"
"Say what?! Get outta here!"
"No way!"
"Ain't lyin', man. Go ask the guy himself!"
Before any of them could ask, Kevin spoke up. "Don't ask boys. You never know or you might not want to know."
Ennis merely smirked at his schoolmates' reactions before pulling up the gun to fire off again. Keith just grinned, happy for once, to see that his father and uncle finally have competition against each other on something common for both of them.
"You attending the ballet performance Zeke's conducting?" the auburn haired officer spoke softly, still firing away the plastic gun.
A snort as a reply. "Ya think? Sis is gonna make us go anyways."
"Just checking."
Encouraging shouts from the guys.
"Overprotective jerk."
Cheers from the observing girls.
"Stubborn fool."
By the time the game ended, and after a round on "House of the Dead II", Kevin's arms felt like he had spent over two hours at the shooting range. Going through twenty chin-ups was the feeling according to Ennis. Neither had ever held a gun for such a long period of time, not even the captain.
A cold soda can held onto his limb got a sigh of relief. "This feels terrific."
"Much better if we can get into the tub," Ennis muttered, rolling another can across his head. Moving one arm, he winced as it made a loud popping sound. "Hate it when that happens."
"At least you two got top scores!" Keith chirped, sipping on bottle of juice from the nearby food stand. "You shoulda seen the other players' faces!! Their jaws looked about to really fall off!"
As the little one continued to rattle on, both older men merely shook their heads.
Yet, they had smiles on their faces.
--tsuzuku
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#4 of Author notes (long one, prepare to fall asleep):
Omochi had commented about it being a bit out of the blue but as I'm following both the anime/manga, Ken offering his place to Karen is fitting. Kaoru offered Kenshin her home without too much fuss after the fake Battousai fiasco with Gohei (anime). In this case of living in modern times, it's Jean (Jin-e) nearly killing her and Ken to the rescue but screw that. I had to get Karen to be with Ken somehow, one way or another! If not, then many KxK fans will be after me with pitchforks and whatnot weapons of painful infliction. *sneezes many times, holding back a couple* Ouch. *rubs nose* Seems like someone's talking 'bout me....
On the last chapter, some of you might be confused by the line "Sore wa himitsu desu". To long-standing Slayers fans, you recognized it as the trademark line of Xellos Metallium, our favorite trickster priest/Mazoku. Translation is already there, in Karen's thoughts. I had to add the wagging finger but decided to skip the closed eyes on Zeke. Why? ;) *waggles finger* Ja, sore wa.... hi-mi-tsu! *pauses* No da!
On that term "laceration" for Kevin's injury, it's medical-ese for "slash" or "cut by a sharp object", be it sword, a ceramic piece, or glass piece. Courtesy of 1st Medical Responder classes with a thick book that actually provided LOVELY pictures, which could make a weak stomached person faint.
BTW, on Karen's profile, I kinda goofed up a bit. Both parents are part Japanese, her mother part European. Kamaryn-san is part American, third generation, like the twins' mother.
UCLA (University of California in Los Angeles) is one of the most toughest universities to get into here in Southern California (according to a few, one of the not so great colleges). Getting in requires complete dedication, which I kinda lack (as of now, I'm in a junior college), a heck lot of money, and nerves that are capable on dealing against/with stress. Since it's near Beverly Hills, I had to place Ken's home somewhat close to Hollywood/Los Angeles, as I know what's traffic like. Driving here on the road requires nerves of steel and a good dose of common sense. We've got some crazy folks who thinks that the asphalt is all theirs to control. Give or take for Karen to drive, 'bout twenty minutes if traffic is good. Thirty-forty minutes if rush hour is bad, plus, I have to take into account on the speed limit. Driving experience, few times saw my life flashing through my eyes. *sigh*
I know, a Japanese house amidst Hollywood/Beverly Hills is weird. Temptation got a tad strong. *sheepishly scratches head* In reality, your average Japanese home wouldn't look like that. Several rooms, yes but second floor looks almost the same, if it was two-story. If any of you guys ever watched/read "Ranma 1/2" in which they do shots over/in the Tendo residence, then you know how a modern-day Japanese house REALLY looks like. Not including the dojo, that is. Ken's abode is based off of my uncle's second home (he moved around quite a bit before finally settling down), in which the inside layout is basically similar. Trying to remember upstairs was a bit difficult, as it's been several years since I last saw the house.
If not the Saotome/Tendo home, then the place owned (and reformed by Washuu-CHAN) by the Masaki family from the Tenchi series (preferably Tenchi Muyo! and Tenchi Universe) will do as well, as theirs is a bit more recent and also a two-story residence. The Tendo's home is two-story but in Tokyo, whereas the Masaki's place is close to the mountain areas. The Higurashi home from "Inuyasha" is also another good example, but at least it's not near a lake!
There's a slight difference between the five elements of China and that of Western. In China, the elements consists of metal ('gold' but you get the idea), wood, water, fire, and earth. Most Western ideals goes for earth, fire, water, and wind.
A biyoubu is a folding screen, consisting of hinged panels and decorated with traditional paintings of scenery or animals. Quite useful for getting some privacy in changing clothes, if the door's broken. *pointy objects are violently thrown at this author's head, along with shrieks of "HENTAI!!"* Nowadays, some are used to contain family pictures.
An octagonal mirror with the eight trigrams on the frame is hung over the doorframe of a home, associating with Feng Shui (or Fusui for the Japanese folks. No real reference to the Fusui Arc of the anime series). Used to ensure good luck, good health in the future, and to calm the darn next door dogs down. Usually used by Chinese families who are traditionalists in Taoism or Buddhism, or insisted by the older members. One of my friend's grandmother insisted to have one so the times I visited her house the mirror's there. The wooden frame is usually painted green, red, and gold. Called bagua, the "ba" meaning "eight" in Chinese.
"Wind" by Akeboshi is the 1st ED song to "Naruto", one of the newer anime. The manga's already more or less finished in publication so all that's left is the show. I have to admit, the style reminds me a cross between Watsuki-sensei's style for "Gun Blaze West" and Eiichiro Oda's "One Piece". If I'm right, then the one who created "Naruto", Kishimoto Masashi, might have been also an apprentice along side Watsuki and Eiichiro when they were still *smiles* "baka deshis".
The Pier is referencing to Santa Monica Pier, one popular So. Cal. landmark and tourist spot to go to during the summer or spring as it touches the Pacific. Back in the old days, it was part of Route 66, a highway which stretched from Santa Monica all the way to Chicago. You can't call it exactly an amusement park, like Six Flags, but it does has its own midway games, arcades, small restaurants, one Ferris Wheel, and a roller coaster. Very popular, though quite noisy.
Okay, that little moment between Kevin and Toni was unexpected, even by me. There was this some whim that told me to put it in. *scrunches eyebrows* Most likely satisfying KxT lovers.
Keith giving Ennis hell, that's for Firuze, as she is one of the most devoted Enishi-lovers I've ever seen in my anime fan years. Here's to ya, Fi-san! Oh, if some of the games mentioned above are a bit violent, not exactly.
Yancy is Yuutarou. Go fig, huh? Maybe I'll put in that rivalry between him and Yahiko/Yiheng. ^\^