The flourescent light above Ayaka buzzed as she filled out the last of the paperwork under the watchful eye of the insurance adjuster. Thankfully nothing had occurred that made him overly suspicious, even if the explosives had made them hesitant... The van outside that had taken her there had three others in it. Rob. The red head. And Watson. They assured her the kids would be safe back at the Sept, Rob swore to it up and down. And they were there to protect her. Incase.. They came again.
Ayaka signed her name on the last of the papers and slid them across the desk. "Is there anything else?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The man read them over quietly without a word, then shook his head. "No, everything is in order. Have a nice day." He gathered it all up, flipped through it, and went off into an office.
"You too." she said, heading out the office store. Now she had the insurance for both the shop and her mother.. She only had to think about what she was going to do with it all. The van was right there at the curb when she came out There was only the social security to take care of. Then...
Where would she go if she went? There were many choices. At least now she had more money..
She got into the van and shut the door. "How did it go?" Rob asked as Watson started driving the van without asking for a destination
"I got the checks."
"Good.."
"To the bank then?" Watson asked, turning down a busy street. It was rush hour about.. Watson said it was better that way. More people meant less chances.
"Yes."
"Alright. Is there anywhere else we must go while we are out ?" He checked his watch, then the dash one. The red haired man was scanning up and down the block, more then most likely the watcher. Rob probably wouldn't even be there if he hadn't asked to come.
"Sakura needs new clothes."
"And that's all? Not a problem. We'll go to a mall or store right after the bank."
There were several more long moments of tense silence before the van pulled up outside a big, stone bank with intricate roman style pillars that were so common in large, old cities such as this. "Rob, you go on inside with her, alright? Just keep quiet and follow along." Rob nodded his head and looked at Ayaka, who just climbed out of the van and headed for the doors.
Rob followed behind quietly, almost like he wasn't even there as she headed to the teller. Surprisingly, there weren't as many people in there as there were on the streets.. Probably because everyone was busy getting lunch.
Ayaka went up to one of the three tellers and said, "Excuse me."
The teller put on a phony smile that was so common to those that worked with people. He tilted his head a little, looking her in the eye. "Hello miss, how may I serve you today?"
"I'd like to deposit this check into my savings account." she gave the teller her account number and her drivers license. "And I want to get this check cashed."
"Just one moment please, ma'am." He looked them over carefully then went into a back room. It was a good 15 minutes before he came out with a couple stacks of cash, and put them on the counter. Some people stared. "Would you like a guard to escort you?"
"No, thank you. Just a bag."
"Alright.. Here you are.." He gave her a canvas bag with the bank's logo and such on it. "Have a nice day ma'am, and thank you for your business."
Ayaka headed out of the bank without another word. Rob followed behind her and got into the car with her, closing the door and locking it. "Now to the store. If you want to avoid that, we do have clothes for children at the grounds."
"I can take care of them myself. Just.... drop me at the mall or something. There are some other things I want to pick up."
"Alright.. But here, have this." Rob gave her a necklace, putting it in her pocket. "If you get into trouble, squeeze it tight and think about your feelings hard. It'll be a signal."
"Alright." Ayaka tucked the necklace into her pocket, along with a roll of bills.
"Seeya soon.." Rob said as the van pulled up outside of a mall and let her out, then drove off to park nearby.
Ayaka hurried inside and looked around. Her first stop was the little convenience store right in the front. It was a fairly large mall, and the inside looked to have some sharp angels inside, which were reflected by a large angular fountain in the middle, with seats around it. The store was to the right, and to her far left she saw the food court was *packed*.
Ayaka perused the isle of the convenience store, picking up some basic hygienic items before heading to the counter to pay for them. The attendant thanked her for her money and smiled, giving her the items in a bag and thanking her for her business. She just nodded before moving on to a chain clothing store. It was just a good thing she knew Hiro and Sakura's sizes.
She picked out some durable, comfortable clothes for her siblings and piled them into a cart, then grabbed some jeans and sweatshirts for herself. Good traveling clothes, they wouldn't have to stop or have to have them replaced for a while, even with the way kids acted.. It was nice to have a lot of money to buy things like that..
Her next stop was a toy store. She picked up a few action figures, crayons, coloring books, and a few dolls. Everything was right where she expected it to be, and everything was running smoothly.. No creepy strangers.. Nothing. It was almost like a normal life. She paid for the toys and headed back out towards the parking lot.
The van was in plain sight, waiting for her, and the occupants seemed pretty bored.. Serious, but bored. She hefted her bags and headed for the van, opening the door and climbing inside quickly.
"Hey cool, your back." Watson said. "Do you need anything else, or is it time to head back to the Alamo now?"
"I have everything I need."
"Alright, back we go then." he said, starting up the van and heading back towards the woods.
"So.." Rob whispered. "You decided yet?"
"Are there any safe places in London?"
"I'm not sure.. There might be. I think Europe has a lot of suckers though.."
"Suckers?"
"Vampires, lass." The red head corrected the boy.
"Greeeeeeeeeat. Next you'll be telling me that the gaki really do roam the night and take on the shapes of their victims."
"I'm not sure on that one. We don't really.. Keep in contact with the East much. Though.. It's possible. Werewolves, ghost, spirits.. Why not gaki?"
"You aren't helping."
"I was being honest with you."
"Mmphm."
***
The van pulled up and all save Watson got out. He drove it off into the spot of seeming nothingness where the van disappeared again.
Ayaka shouldered her bags and headed back to the room. She found Sakura and Hiro there, napping quietly on a bed as she came in. They looked up at her without getting up. "I brought some stuff for you guys." she said, putting the bags down.
"What kind of stuff?" Hiro murmured as Sakura got up and went over to the bags, opening them up to look inside curiously.
"Some toys, some coloring books, some new clothes."
He smiled a little and said 'Thank you, Ayaka' before sitting up himself. Sakura brought over two books and some crayons for the both of them and they began to color quietly.
"I thought you guys might want them."
"We do... Thanks.."Hiro said quietly. Sakura nodded her head. "We've been pretty bored when not.. Asleep."
"I know. How are you two feeling?"
"I'm feeling fine." Hiro said.
"I'm.... Ok." Sakura followed up after a pause.
"If anything's wrong, just remember, you can tell me. Okay?"
"Nothing is wrong.. It's pretty quiet here.." Hiro said as Sakura focused on her coloring.
"How would you two feel about.. leaving the country?"
".. Does it really matter where we go? It's not like we have a home anymore.." Hiro replied and Sakura concentrated harder.
"What you want matters. It matters to me."
Hiro shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what I want... I want Shinji to be here again.. I don't want to dream anymore.."
Ayaka closed her eyes and sat up against the door.
"Are.. You ok, Ayaka?" Hiro asked hesitantly, standing up slowly.
"I'm alright. Just a little tired."
"Then go to sleep.. We'll be as quiet as we can, don't worry."
"I shouldn't. Not yet, anyway."
"Why not? It's not like it matters when we sleep here.."
"I need to think. We're not staying here forever."
"Nothing is forever.. Where are we going to go? Where Shinji went?"
"No."
"Where then?"
"Somewhere far away from here. I've been trying to figure it out myself. That's why I asked what you all would think of moving to London."
".. London? I don't know.. I guess I wouldn't mind.. Where are we going to live there? What are we going to do? What are you going to do?"
"We could get an apartment or something. We've got the money now, with the insurance and you and Sakura's survivor's benefits... and I could always go back to what I was doing before... Maybe go to collage."
"Alright.. I guess.. When are we going to leave? How are we going to get there?" Hiro asked, sitting down nearby her, looking down at the floor.
"I don't know yet."
***
Ayaka dipped her spoon into the soup, stirring it around a little. She wasn't really hungry, but Sakura and Hiro would fret if she didn't eat with them. The area underground was a odd looking cafeteria.. Thankfully they had been given their own table in a corner of it, offering a well outlook of all the entrances and people. "Hiro? Could you pass the salt?"
"Yes, Ayaka." He passed it to her and went back to eating his soup, Sakura was picking at some hash browns.
Ayaka tapped a little salt into the soup and ate another spoon full. A man with dark hair similar looking to the man that had come in her shop the second time walked over to her and smiled down. "Are you alright? And hello, Ayaka."
"And you would be.....?"
"I'm Leon, I heard of your turn of events.. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
"You don't much sound it.. How are you enjoying your stay?"
"As much as I enjoy anything."
"I see... Do you intend on staying long?"
"No."
"Your leaving us then? Where to?"
"Another country."
"Which one?"
"Maybe England."
The man shook his head at her. "You don't know much, do you? No offense."
"I fail to see how that matters. You look familiar.... I think your father came into my store a few weeks ago."
"You'll all be dead or worse by one month as soon if you went to that place, Vampires are thick as the morning fog there." He nodded a little bit. "Yes, he did."
"He mentioned you. I hope those herbs he bought did the trick." Ayaka chose her words carefully, and kept her tone only slightly more mocking than it was chilly.
He shook his head a little bit with a faint blush. "My father always wants more grand children, but that's not the point. I'm not lying. If you go there you'll die."
"I doubt they'll care about me at all. The only people who seem interested in me at all are the werewolves."
He shook his head at her. "Your related to us, which makes them interested in you. They'll use you as bait, maybe make you a Ghoul, or one of them.."
"No one showed the least bit of interest in me until you lot started showing up at my store."
"And if we hadn't come at all, you'd have had a Werewolf on your hands and no idea what to do with them.. Or you'd all be dead."
"And that's supposed to make me grateful?"
"What you have rather we'd done?"
"Staid the hell out of my life."
"And let you die?"
"Nobody was looking to kill me before you all showed up."
"Things happen.. I"m sorry, but we can't change the past. But going to Europe will just get you and the kids dead."
"I think you're trying to scare me into staying. And that's not going to work."
"Then ask someone that you trust if I'm lying, Ayaka."
"Sakura, Hiro, do either of *you* think going to England will get us killed?"
The man shook his head and sighed. "That's just stupid. They are *children*, and they know nothing of how the world works."
"I trust them more than I trust anyone else here."
"What about that Indian boy you hang around with?"
"Sakura, Hiro, finish your breakfast."
He shook his head. "You shouldn't let emotions blind your judgement." He turned and left her alone with them
"Pack your things tonight..... we'll be leaving tomorrow." Ayaka whispered to her brother and sister when she was sure the man was out of earshot. They nodded to her then started eating their meals again, both of them disturbingly quiet for children.
Ayaka signed her name on the last of the papers and slid them across the desk. "Is there anything else?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The man read them over quietly without a word, then shook his head. "No, everything is in order. Have a nice day." He gathered it all up, flipped through it, and went off into an office.
"You too." she said, heading out the office store. Now she had the insurance for both the shop and her mother.. She only had to think about what she was going to do with it all. The van was right there at the curb when she came out There was only the social security to take care of. Then...
Where would she go if she went? There were many choices. At least now she had more money..
She got into the van and shut the door. "How did it go?" Rob asked as Watson started driving the van without asking for a destination
"I got the checks."
"Good.."
"To the bank then?" Watson asked, turning down a busy street. It was rush hour about.. Watson said it was better that way. More people meant less chances.
"Yes."
"Alright. Is there anywhere else we must go while we are out ?" He checked his watch, then the dash one. The red haired man was scanning up and down the block, more then most likely the watcher. Rob probably wouldn't even be there if he hadn't asked to come.
"Sakura needs new clothes."
"And that's all? Not a problem. We'll go to a mall or store right after the bank."
There were several more long moments of tense silence before the van pulled up outside a big, stone bank with intricate roman style pillars that were so common in large, old cities such as this. "Rob, you go on inside with her, alright? Just keep quiet and follow along." Rob nodded his head and looked at Ayaka, who just climbed out of the van and headed for the doors.
Rob followed behind quietly, almost like he wasn't even there as she headed to the teller. Surprisingly, there weren't as many people in there as there were on the streets.. Probably because everyone was busy getting lunch.
Ayaka went up to one of the three tellers and said, "Excuse me."
The teller put on a phony smile that was so common to those that worked with people. He tilted his head a little, looking her in the eye. "Hello miss, how may I serve you today?"
"I'd like to deposit this check into my savings account." she gave the teller her account number and her drivers license. "And I want to get this check cashed."
"Just one moment please, ma'am." He looked them over carefully then went into a back room. It was a good 15 minutes before he came out with a couple stacks of cash, and put them on the counter. Some people stared. "Would you like a guard to escort you?"
"No, thank you. Just a bag."
"Alright.. Here you are.." He gave her a canvas bag with the bank's logo and such on it. "Have a nice day ma'am, and thank you for your business."
Ayaka headed out of the bank without another word. Rob followed behind her and got into the car with her, closing the door and locking it. "Now to the store. If you want to avoid that, we do have clothes for children at the grounds."
"I can take care of them myself. Just.... drop me at the mall or something. There are some other things I want to pick up."
"Alright.. But here, have this." Rob gave her a necklace, putting it in her pocket. "If you get into trouble, squeeze it tight and think about your feelings hard. It'll be a signal."
"Alright." Ayaka tucked the necklace into her pocket, along with a roll of bills.
"Seeya soon.." Rob said as the van pulled up outside of a mall and let her out, then drove off to park nearby.
Ayaka hurried inside and looked around. Her first stop was the little convenience store right in the front. It was a fairly large mall, and the inside looked to have some sharp angels inside, which were reflected by a large angular fountain in the middle, with seats around it. The store was to the right, and to her far left she saw the food court was *packed*.
Ayaka perused the isle of the convenience store, picking up some basic hygienic items before heading to the counter to pay for them. The attendant thanked her for her money and smiled, giving her the items in a bag and thanking her for her business. She just nodded before moving on to a chain clothing store. It was just a good thing she knew Hiro and Sakura's sizes.
She picked out some durable, comfortable clothes for her siblings and piled them into a cart, then grabbed some jeans and sweatshirts for herself. Good traveling clothes, they wouldn't have to stop or have to have them replaced for a while, even with the way kids acted.. It was nice to have a lot of money to buy things like that..
Her next stop was a toy store. She picked up a few action figures, crayons, coloring books, and a few dolls. Everything was right where she expected it to be, and everything was running smoothly.. No creepy strangers.. Nothing. It was almost like a normal life. She paid for the toys and headed back out towards the parking lot.
The van was in plain sight, waiting for her, and the occupants seemed pretty bored.. Serious, but bored. She hefted her bags and headed for the van, opening the door and climbing inside quickly.
"Hey cool, your back." Watson said. "Do you need anything else, or is it time to head back to the Alamo now?"
"I have everything I need."
"Alright, back we go then." he said, starting up the van and heading back towards the woods.
"So.." Rob whispered. "You decided yet?"
"Are there any safe places in London?"
"I'm not sure.. There might be. I think Europe has a lot of suckers though.."
"Suckers?"
"Vampires, lass." The red head corrected the boy.
"Greeeeeeeeeat. Next you'll be telling me that the gaki really do roam the night and take on the shapes of their victims."
"I'm not sure on that one. We don't really.. Keep in contact with the East much. Though.. It's possible. Werewolves, ghost, spirits.. Why not gaki?"
"You aren't helping."
"I was being honest with you."
"Mmphm."
***
The van pulled up and all save Watson got out. He drove it off into the spot of seeming nothingness where the van disappeared again.
Ayaka shouldered her bags and headed back to the room. She found Sakura and Hiro there, napping quietly on a bed as she came in. They looked up at her without getting up. "I brought some stuff for you guys." she said, putting the bags down.
"What kind of stuff?" Hiro murmured as Sakura got up and went over to the bags, opening them up to look inside curiously.
"Some toys, some coloring books, some new clothes."
He smiled a little and said 'Thank you, Ayaka' before sitting up himself. Sakura brought over two books and some crayons for the both of them and they began to color quietly.
"I thought you guys might want them."
"We do... Thanks.."Hiro said quietly. Sakura nodded her head. "We've been pretty bored when not.. Asleep."
"I know. How are you two feeling?"
"I'm feeling fine." Hiro said.
"I'm.... Ok." Sakura followed up after a pause.
"If anything's wrong, just remember, you can tell me. Okay?"
"Nothing is wrong.. It's pretty quiet here.." Hiro said as Sakura focused on her coloring.
"How would you two feel about.. leaving the country?"
".. Does it really matter where we go? It's not like we have a home anymore.." Hiro replied and Sakura concentrated harder.
"What you want matters. It matters to me."
Hiro shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what I want... I want Shinji to be here again.. I don't want to dream anymore.."
Ayaka closed her eyes and sat up against the door.
"Are.. You ok, Ayaka?" Hiro asked hesitantly, standing up slowly.
"I'm alright. Just a little tired."
"Then go to sleep.. We'll be as quiet as we can, don't worry."
"I shouldn't. Not yet, anyway."
"Why not? It's not like it matters when we sleep here.."
"I need to think. We're not staying here forever."
"Nothing is forever.. Where are we going to go? Where Shinji went?"
"No."
"Where then?"
"Somewhere far away from here. I've been trying to figure it out myself. That's why I asked what you all would think of moving to London."
".. London? I don't know.. I guess I wouldn't mind.. Where are we going to live there? What are we going to do? What are you going to do?"
"We could get an apartment or something. We've got the money now, with the insurance and you and Sakura's survivor's benefits... and I could always go back to what I was doing before... Maybe go to collage."
"Alright.. I guess.. When are we going to leave? How are we going to get there?" Hiro asked, sitting down nearby her, looking down at the floor.
"I don't know yet."
***
Ayaka dipped her spoon into the soup, stirring it around a little. She wasn't really hungry, but Sakura and Hiro would fret if she didn't eat with them. The area underground was a odd looking cafeteria.. Thankfully they had been given their own table in a corner of it, offering a well outlook of all the entrances and people. "Hiro? Could you pass the salt?"
"Yes, Ayaka." He passed it to her and went back to eating his soup, Sakura was picking at some hash browns.
Ayaka tapped a little salt into the soup and ate another spoon full. A man with dark hair similar looking to the man that had come in her shop the second time walked over to her and smiled down. "Are you alright? And hello, Ayaka."
"And you would be.....?"
"I'm Leon, I heard of your turn of events.. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
"You don't much sound it.. How are you enjoying your stay?"
"As much as I enjoy anything."
"I see... Do you intend on staying long?"
"No."
"Your leaving us then? Where to?"
"Another country."
"Which one?"
"Maybe England."
The man shook his head at her. "You don't know much, do you? No offense."
"I fail to see how that matters. You look familiar.... I think your father came into my store a few weeks ago."
"You'll all be dead or worse by one month as soon if you went to that place, Vampires are thick as the morning fog there." He nodded a little bit. "Yes, he did."
"He mentioned you. I hope those herbs he bought did the trick." Ayaka chose her words carefully, and kept her tone only slightly more mocking than it was chilly.
He shook his head a little bit with a faint blush. "My father always wants more grand children, but that's not the point. I'm not lying. If you go there you'll die."
"I doubt they'll care about me at all. The only people who seem interested in me at all are the werewolves."
He shook his head at her. "Your related to us, which makes them interested in you. They'll use you as bait, maybe make you a Ghoul, or one of them.."
"No one showed the least bit of interest in me until you lot started showing up at my store."
"And if we hadn't come at all, you'd have had a Werewolf on your hands and no idea what to do with them.. Or you'd all be dead."
"And that's supposed to make me grateful?"
"What you have rather we'd done?"
"Staid the hell out of my life."
"And let you die?"
"Nobody was looking to kill me before you all showed up."
"Things happen.. I"m sorry, but we can't change the past. But going to Europe will just get you and the kids dead."
"I think you're trying to scare me into staying. And that's not going to work."
"Then ask someone that you trust if I'm lying, Ayaka."
"Sakura, Hiro, do either of *you* think going to England will get us killed?"
The man shook his head and sighed. "That's just stupid. They are *children*, and they know nothing of how the world works."
"I trust them more than I trust anyone else here."
"What about that Indian boy you hang around with?"
"Sakura, Hiro, finish your breakfast."
He shook his head. "You shouldn't let emotions blind your judgement." He turned and left her alone with them
"Pack your things tonight..... we'll be leaving tomorrow." Ayaka whispered to her brother and sister when she was sure the man was out of earshot. They nodded to her then started eating their meals again, both of them disturbingly quiet for children.