Making Amends

By Indigo Siren

Disclaimer: Bloody Roar is copyright to Hudson Soft and my using of the characters and any game plot within this story are clearly for entertainment purposes only and are in no way being used to make money. I do however have rights to my idea of the story. All rights reserved.

Part 2

One week had gone by.

Routines had gone on as per usual, as the busy, bustling city life didn't stop its hectic consistency. Children came to and from school, workers went back and forth from house to office, punters hung around the back street bars as per usual. Life was just normal.

In a sense it had been all BUT normal for Uriko. One week had gone by - since THE incident.

She'd alienated her Master's trust in her and made him think she was only an ignorant child. She'd also embarrassed herself in front of her friends and family by forgetting her responsibilities.

Uriko hadn't seen her Kenpo teacher since that last Monday - in some ways, she was glad, as she didn't want to have to face him. He was always so scarily composed. The way he could mask his emotions so artistically had her insides churning with the need to know what he truly felt. But then again, she already knew of his disappointment; he didn't need to show it.

Uriko dejectedly walked down the high street, another day of school behind her. It had been a long, dull week where she'd barely spoken to anyone. She'd also given her supposed friend, Jiro, a hard time. There was so much pity for her it was frightening. But it was better then feeling shamed.

She'd even felt embarrassed to talk to Kenji after what had happened, and it took a lot to keep her quiet in his presence.

She'd felt cheated with everyone being so unreasonable. The punishments had felt so harsh for something that looked so little. She was so usually very organised and dependable, and this one deviation had made everyone suddenly look down on her. It was if she'd been wearing some disguise in front of them and they'd been waiting for it to peel off.

With thinking so much of her and having her be so strong and reliable, any small change from the norm seemed to have everyone defensive.

What kind of people were they to be like that?

Uriko inwardly cringed. She'd become so bitter about it.

'Master Long didn't have to be so hard on me. He doesn't believe I'm mature enough, even when he's going on about how I'm such a skilled young lady… it all feels so false…' Uriko sighed. 'And mother… I hardly ever do anything wrong! They all made it so hard on me! I don't get it, I really don't.'

She flicked her long braid over the front of her shoulder and twiddled it through her fingers idly, trying to take her mind off the situation.

She decided to think about the day at hand, being Wednesday. Alice's birthday.

She didn't want to feel so bitter on her sister's birthday, but she just couldn't help it. Seeing their friends and sitting over a big dinner wasn't going to be all that easy. By now, it would have been known by everyone that Uriko was under the eye of shame - though, she didn't understand why it would be anyone else's cause to be nasty to her about it.

'Just stop thinking about it! Think about the whole birthday aspect… umm, lets see! Got to wrap the last of Alice's presents… I hope she likes it.' She inwardly smiled, remembering the set of miniature china rabbits - the irony had made her want to buy them for her sister. 'Got to help with birthday preparations and… chores. I've got to do more chore… oh boy…" She sighed, happy thoughts shattered that she was still stuck doing grounding chores on her sister's birthday. She could celebrate, but she was still stacked with literally one hundred and one things to do.

She found herself half thoughtfully staring into a passing shop window, trying to focus on something that would ease the heaviness that seemed to fall on her shoulders.

It was then she was brought to a dead stop. Her eyes grew wide, her body suddenly moving so she was pressed up to the glass barrier before her.

Through an antique shop window, she stared at the object of her infatuation. It felt like a sign, a gift from the heavens…

… A staff, so beautifully presented - sitting so near but yet so far.

"It's just like Master Long's!" She drawled out in complete awe. "I have to get it for him!" She was about to turn towards the door, when a sudden train of thought paralysed her. 'What if he thinks it's some sort of bribe? Like I'm trying to win my way back in…' She cursed under her breath. 'I'm stupid… but wait! He'd understand! If he really had faith in me, he'd know I'd get it to show that I have the mature responsibility of replacing what I broke. No more thinking! Go in!'

A bell chimed above the door as it was pushed open. The musky insides of the shop welcomed the fourteen-year-old into its cluttered arrangement. She grinned and bared against the smell of day old polish and something hinting a waxy odour, and trod towards the counter area. She held in the urge to sneeze as she sniffled against the dust threatening to clog her nose.

A young man, looking to be about twenty and dark haired, stepped into a stairwell, just behind the counter area. He was just glancing over a magazine before catching view of Uriko. His eyebrow rose in confusion to her presence. She looked to him ready to speak but was then cut off as a curtain was pushed back from a back room and an old man hobbled out onto the shop floor. He too gave a look of surprise to her being there, but his demure was a lot friendlier to her.

"Oh, hello there young miss," the old man greeted, scratching his thin mop of grey hair as he manoeuvred to his seat behind the counter. Uriko instantly drew herself in closer, leaning onto the counter top, feeling at ease in front of him. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, you see, I saw this staff over there," Uriko said, and pointed to the item in question, propped up firmly to the wall. "And I was wondering how much it cost?"

The younger man behind snorted and sat on the stairs, engrossing himself in his magazine. The old man chuckled, highly amused by Uriko. He slipped on a pair of thin rimmed spectacles, smiling at her as if she was a little girl who'd come out with something cute to say.

"Young miss, I do believe that staff is out of your price range," he said, with a friendly tone.

"Well, anyway, how much does it cost?" She asked again.

"Well, lets see." He dug below the counter top; picking out a big book and dropping it open onto the surface top. His finger graced the wanted page and tapped a line in the middle. "Ah, that would be one hundred and six thousand, seven hundred and sixty yen."

Uriko almost fell over in shock. "WHAT! That's over priced! How can that be?"

The old man still smiled beside the comment. "You see, young miss, there is much to be learned when it comes to items of such calibre. A price may seem heavy but it is worth it for the time and effort that has gone into the craftsmanship of such an item. It has a fair age to it, excellent condition and made from materials that are not easy to come by. And I must say shipping costs and tax deductions have not made it any cheaper. That's why I said it's out of your price range."

Uriko huffed. She couldn't be so easily defeated. Kicking her shock aside, she pushed on. "What about we haggle - maybe a trade!"

The old man blinked. "You want to barter?" The young man in the background even looked up to this. His eyes began to train quite thoughtfully on the cat Zoanthrope.

"Yes! Anything! It's important to me! I've done something stupid and I want to settle things up and prove that I can be responsible! Please help me?" she said, tone pleading.

The old man's face turned grave and he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that item is too pricey to be so easily haggled down. And besides, I'm sure that even you would not be able to pay a suitable price for this, even if the money was less."

He was right - she'd never in her wildest dreams be able to afford it. She'd been stupid to think otherwise.

She sighed. "I guess so. Sorry I wasted your time." She turned, hope faded and headed back towards the door.

"Hey, just a second!" A voice sounded out through the shop, being that from the young man. He'd come from his perch on the stairs to step out onto the main shop floor, coming close to Uriko. "I thought I recognised you."

"Huh, what?" Uriko turned back his way, confused.

"My cousin goes to your school. Hiroshi, you know him?"

She nodded. "Oh, yeah, I do."

"I remember a martial arts competition at your school. You were the only female participant, weren't you?" Uriko confirmed with a simple nod. "I went to watch that night. That strange Kenpo Master taught you… The Librarian, I think…"

"Master Long isn't strange!" Uriko spoke up defensively, though the words felt lame coming from her lips.

"Okay, okay…" The young man backed off from that and went on anyway. "Well, I saw you fight and I remember you winning, beating down all those top athletic boys. You have a lot of skill - yes, I do remember you well."

Uriko tilted her head, confused what he was going on about.

"How about we put those skills to a test… for a price?"

The old man spoke up then. "Yoshi! I don't want you fighting again, and especially with a young girl!"

"Come on, father! You can tell she really wants that staff. Must be something important for her to come in and be so inquisitive." The old man scowled upon his answer and fell quiet. The young man, Yoshi, turned back to Uriko. "So, what do you say to a contest against me? I'm well known for my own unique karate skills. A contest for the staff."

Uriko's eyes lit up. "What! Really?" She stopped and gave him a half glance. "Though, what would you want if you won?"

Yoshi smirked. "Well, if you won, you'd get the staff for free." His father gave a short protest in the background, but the boy silenced him off. "Though, if I win, you won't get the weapon, but have to pay the equivalent money of the staff in its entirety. Whatever means and ways you can."

Uriko glanced him over. Strong looking and it seemed he'd be able to back his words with his skills. He wasn't a Zoanthrope for sure, so that gave her somewhat of an advantage. A lot was at stake if she lost… he could rig the fight to go his way… but it was a risk she was willing to take, for her teacher.

"Alright. But you have to promise that there are no tricks and it's a fair fight! No cheating!" She warned.

Yoshi gave a nod. "A fair fight is the best fight."

"When then?"

"Well, its fight night for me and the boys, so your chance is at six or never," he said firmly.

Uriko blanched. It was Alice's birthday! Was it really worth it? Was this a responsible way after all?

She twiddled her braid. "Isn't there any other time? What about tomorrow night?"

"As I say, tonight or never," Yoshi confirmed, folding his arms.

She groaned, grinding her heel into the floor. She hesitated, then sighed. "Fine, where do we meet?"

"Behind the shop. Be prompt," he said and grinned. "Hope you're ready for an ass kicking."

"Cocky," she said and turned on her heel. "Six it is."

"Don't be late," he said after her as she left the shop.

"I won't," she muttered lowly, barely listening to her mind screaming at her with lost sense of morality.

'What am I doing? This is not what being responsible is all about! Someone better lock me up before I do anything else stupid!'

***

"Are you ready yet, Alice?" Mitsuko called up the stairs. The creak from the bathroom door was a good sign of progress and the Boar Zoanthrope was stunned as her eldest appeared, standing on the landing above.

Set in a silken, pearl white, thigh length dress, Alice nearly hopped down the stairs towards her mother, still fiddling around with the puffy headband that sat on her cyan-coloured hair, which was down instead of up in it's usual pigtails. She couldn't help but smile at the look on her mother's face.

"Oh, Alice, you look beautiful," Mitsuko said, brimming over with pride.

Alice looked at herself in the mirror, fingers coaxing the bottom of her hair to curl slightly. "It's not too much, is it?"

Mitsuko scoffed, going to stand behind Alice and helping her to adjust her thin straps to the right position. "Don't be silly, little rabbit. You're suppose to look overly amazing on your birthday."

Satisfied with her appearance, the giddy Alice turned around to her mother. "So far, so good. Everything set in the kitchen, I hope?"

"Oh yes, I made sure of it. No one will go hungry today! I've made enough to feed half of Japan!"

"Good, good…" Alice trailed off thoughtfully.

"Still worrying about your birthday curse?" Mitsuko asked with a touch of humour to her voice.

"Oh, I guess… just hoping everything will go right," Alice said, then sighed dubiously, putting a smile back on her face. "Well, I better finish up. Want to put on my silky hose, but I can't until I find those darn shoes of mine. I bet this is just the start of everything going downhill."

Mitsuko laughed. "Don't be silly, they're just a pair of shoes."

"Shoes now, something blowing up later," Alice concluded before going on the hunt for her high heels. Mitsuko just shook her head to the whole silly birthday curse.

The door opened behind the broad woman and she turned to see Uriko finally traipse in.

"Ah, was wondering when you'd get home," Mitsuko said firmly. "We're in a rush as it is without you lagging behind. Everyone will be here soon."

"I'm sorry," Uriko said, kicking off her shoes to the side.

Mitsuko sighed. "I need you to move the decoration boxes for me while I sort the food out. You can get changed after. And please make sure you've put all your school stuff away and anything else too. The place needs to be respectable."

"Yes, mother," Uriko said with a sigh and put her bag and coat in the corner temporarily while she went off to tend to the boxes.

Mitsuko disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Uriko alone, staking a few boxes at hand in the dining room. Most of the decoration boxes were empty, though some still rattled with a few items that didn't go up - namely things that had been broken from prior years.

Alice appeared in the doorway as Uriko came back through to the room. She almost gasped when she saw her sister and her gorgeous attire.

"Wow, Alice, you look fantastic," Uriko commended.

Her sister grinned. "Have to look my best now, don't I?" Uriko gave a small nod to that, and it made the older Nonomura girl want to question her sister's feelings. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, just tired. Been a long day… and it's gonna keep getting longer with there being so much to do," she answered.

Alice gave her a look of understanding. "Everything will work out okay." Uriko didn't answer, just looked at her with acknowledgement to what she meant. Alice smiled once more and raised up the lone white shoe in her hand. "Have you seen the partner to this?"

"Oh, umm…" Uriko looked about her feet, coming to spy a flash of white beneath the long table. "Ah, I think it's under here." She knelt down and fumbled below, making a grasp for the shoe between the intertwined row of chair legs. She stood up, shoe in hand, knocking back into her mother as she entered the room with a tray - luckily, the older man had a firm grip on the item. The young girl leapt back in surprise.

"Uriko! Be careful!" Mitsuko scolded her daughter. The item in question that she was holding was a very beautifully decorated birthday cake. Uriko inwardly cringed; horrified to think what would have happened if she'd knocked the tray from her mother's hands.

"I'm sorry," the young girl apologised and presented the shoe to Alice. "I was just getting this for Alice. I didn't see you coming."

"Oh well, no harm," Mitsuko relented with a sigh and placed the cake on the side table. The three gathered around, the birthday girl in admiration and her mother in pride of her work. Uriko just felt really hungry looking at it.

The cake was covered in pink icing, with fondant flowers for the boarder - the odd thing that stuck out from the cake was the happy smiling sheep with the number '23' on the side, breaking the seriousness of the cake.

"It's wonderful," Alice said lightly.

"That's one freaky sheep," Uriko commented, making her sister laugh.

"I'm glad you like it," Mitsuko said. "Well, I'll get that candles for that in a bit, but still, the other food needs to be dealt with. Uriko, there are still some things to be put away. We're running out of time."

"I'm dealing with it," Uriko said monotonously, going back to her previous activity of clearing away untidy boxes.

"I'd better go get those hose on," Alice said, clicking the heels on her shoes together as she lightly bounded off back upstairs.

Mitsuko once again disappeared back into the kitchen, humming as she checked over the trays and trays of food that she had covering the surrounding counter tops.

Uriko was on the last box of decorations, picking up the last box of unused oddments. She looked up at the clock - it was going on for four o'clock. Time was not being gracious.

With looking up at the clock, she'd tilted the box and a red ball bounced out and rolled across the floor, going under the side table with the cake on.

Uriko cursed. "Just my luck for some crazy escapee ball-ball."

She set the box down on one of the chairs and ambled over to the table, getting onto to her hands and knees and ducking under the very low opening. Her hand snaked beneath, padding across the floor as she tried to reach out for the item.

'Just a little closer…' Her hand nudged it and she stretched her fingers out to pull it within her grasp. It was then her back bumped up against the table, jolting it quite wildly. She managed to snag the ball and pull it out, and just at that moment, the tray, cake and all, came crashing down in front of her.

Uriko looked horrified at the splattered mess. Her eyes trailed over the mess in disbelief of what she'd just done - almost faintly reeling as she glanced across the amazingly still intact sheep, splattered with pink icing.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Uriko mumbled, frozen there on her knees in front of the former beautiful cake, now just a beautiful mess on the carpet.

Mitsuko came through to see what the noise was and was completely riveted on the spot. It had only been literally a minute ago that she'd put an intact cake down on that table, and now, it was on the floor, nearly a mush pile with Uriko knelt next to it. The young girl turned to her with begging eyes, trying to project her innocence.

"Mother, I swear it was an accident! A ball rolled under there and I tried to get it and banged the table… and… and…"

"It's a mess now," Mitsuko said flatly, scarily staying calm voiced against her fuming emotions. The fury behind her dark eyes made Uriko cower. "I… I just can't believe you'd do this."

"Mother…"

"That was your sister's cake. I spent a lot of time on it and in all of two seconds, you reduce it to nothing," Mitsuko seethed through thin parted lips.

"I'm really sorry," Uriko tried to amend. "I… I… I can fix it!" Like a desperate little child she scrambled to try and arrange the mess back on the tray in the form of a cake, patting it together like play-dough. She knew it was hopeless, and that she was just making it look worse. Uriko was ashamed of herself.

"STOP IT!" Mitsuko shouted. "JUST LEAVE IT!"

Uriko's shoulders dropped and she rested the sheep on top of the cake, as if she was laying it to rest. 'Oh boy… what have I done?'

"Just put the tray on the side and clean up the mess!" Mitsuko had to hold back from blowing the roof off the house. "Uriko, what has got into you lately? YOU'VE BECOME IRRESPONSIBLE! How can I trust you to do anything when you're acting so clumsy!"

Uriko slowly stood, putting the tray aside, daring to face the furious glare on her mother's face.

Alice rushed down the stairs, now fully dressed up; to see what the shouting was about.

"Mother, Uriko, what's…" Alice saw the mess of the cake, her mouth nearly unhinging completely. "… Happened…" She walked around the dining table to come stand in front of her former cake, looking sombre.

"And I can't even make another one in time," Mitsuko said gravely, her voice pained more then anything.

Uriko threw the escapee ball-ball across the room. "It was an accident! Why won't you believe me!"

Mitsuko felt the anger slip into disappointment, her head shaking and voice full of sorrow. "Did I baby you too much, Uriko? Is this why your acting like this?"

"What! No!"

"Oh, I don't know," Mitsuko just sighed. "I'll go see if I can find a replacement." And she went off back into the depths of her kitchen.

Alice turned to Uriko, her voice soft. "I know you're angry, Uriko… but I don't understand why you had to…"

"I can't believe that you think I would do it on purpose," Uriko questioned unbelievingly, watching Alice just shrug in answer. The young girl just huffed and walked off to get a cloth and bucket of water.

Alice's mind just rolled over and over with the whole 'Birthday Curse' theory, but was instantly pulled back to reality by the loud ring of the doorbell. "I'll get it!"

The birthday girl bounded over to the door, shifting her sullen face to something much more warm and welcoming. She didn't want to feel all down over a messed up cake. She felt herself truly have a reason to smile as she revealed Yugo standing on the doorstep. She was instantly in his arms, sharing a passionate kiss with the wolf Zoanthrope.

Kenji chuckled from behind. "If this is the special welcome you get on Alice's doorstep, then we should make it her birthday everyday!"

Yugo parted from his girlfriend, looking flushed, but full of good nature. "As if you'd be allowed to even get a peck off the cheek from my Ally! Special occasion or not!"

Kenji shook his head and instead offered the girl a friendly hug. "Happy Birthday, Alice."

The gracious rabbit Zoanthrope was bursting with so much excitement as she hugged Kenji. "Aww, thank you. Come on in!" She parted from him and ushered the boys from the doorstep into the vastly decorated house. Streamers, banners and all kinds of hanging decorations touched every free corner. The decoration scheme had not been taken lightly.

Yugo whistled. "Wow, heavy stuff! It's bright enough in here to burn your eyes out!"

"You like it though?" Alice hung off his arm, giving him a very affectionate smile - all in hinting of the right answer to say.

Yugo laughed. "Of course I like! You deserve all the decorations in the world. And might I say, you're just as well decorated." He spun her around to take a full look at the silky dress slide across her curves. She was such ravishing creature that tormented him so greatly.

"You do look… dazzling, Alice," Kenji commented, trying not to say something that would make his brother smack him over the head.

Alice blushed. "Thanks, guys."

Yugo's attention was pulled from Alice when he saw the messy cake sat looking sad on the side table. He cringed. "Uh… interesting looking cake…"

Alice didn't bother to turn around - it made her feel horrible just looking at what she could have cut and lit candles over. "Yeah, a slight accident," she said justly. She wasn't going to make a big deal out of it, especially to make things harder on her little sister, who was now in the room, trying to mop up the reminiscence of the accident. The older Nonomura girl noticed Kenji looking sympathetically over to her little sister, as it was obvious who had caused the accident.

"No worries," Yugo said, giving her the A.O.K sign. "We can always make our own dessert later…" He wiggled his eyebrows playfully at her.

Alice lightly punched his arm at the insinuation, unable to pull the big, red cheeked smile from her face. "Yugo…"

Deviating away to save embarrassment for them both, Yugo held up a bag before his lover. "Me and Kenji come baring gifts. Where do you want them?"

"Oh!" Alice smiled with big eyes on the bag. "In the lounge on the table. I'll open presents after dinner."

Kenji handed his present over to Yugo to put in the bag as he and Alice went off to the lounge. The mole Zoanthrope was more interested in the depressed looking Uriko. The usually lively girl, who'd be jumping all over him in a giggly mood at this point, was nothing more then a quiet, stick figure, wiping up on the carpet to clean up the remaining mess. By the way she moved it was as if her life depended on it.

"Bad day?" Uriko only briefly looked up to him over her task.

"You could say that… more like bad week or so," she said quietly.

"Want to talk?" He asked.

Uriko let out a tired sigh. "At the minute, talking is far from what I want to do. I just need time to think, is all."

"Are you sure? I mean, if you need…"

"If I need your help, I'll ask for it," she hissed lowly, much to his surprise. She cringed afterwards, looking rather apologetic. "I… uh, I need to go get changed." With the spot now cleaned, she departed with cloth and bucket in hand, leaving it just inside the door of the kitchen so not to disturb her mother and took off upstairs with school stuff from the hallway at hand.

Kenji sighed, turning to Yugo and Alice on their return.

"You alright?" Alice asked.

"I'm fine," Kenji assured her.

The doorbell called for instant attention.

Alice trotted off to answer the door, revealing her next invited guests.

"Mademoiselle Alice, you look beautiful," came the admirable comment from the war veteran, Alan Gado.

Beside him, a blonde woman gave her own appraising nod to Alice's choice in dress sense. "It does wonders for your figure. You should dress a bit more exotic on a regular occasion."

Alice grinned bashfully. "Thanks, Jenny. Though, it's not my thing - I like to see myself as more of a conservative girl."

"Conservative is boring! If you want to have a little power and pride for yourself, you have to let a little bit of flesh peek out," the bat Zoanthrope said, stepping past the birthday girl with a strut in her step, her tight dress on show as an example. For once, the cleavage was well and truly hidden, but it didn't cover up much else.

"A little you say…" Alice said, shaking her head.

Jenny took it all in good nature. "Who said that I personally had to only show a little?"

"Now, now, lets not start a fashion war," Gado interrupted as he shut the door behind him with an obvious loud click (But thankfully not a hinge wrenching slam). The older man glanced over at the half drooling Yugo, who was obviously giving the whole exotic look on Alice a bit of thought. Being caught in mid-daydream, Yugo seemed to sink back, a slight grin on his face. The older man just shook his head, and decided to present Alice her gift quickly so that the ladies wouldn't start all over again.

Alice beamed. "Oh, thank you!" She took the gift and went to put it in the lounge.

"It's from both of us," Gado called after her. "I let Jenny choose it. I never know what to buy for people."

"It's not a usual thing for you, is it?" Jenny chuckled, going over to ruffle a hand over his hair playfully. "It was best to leave it up to some one with a bit of expertise."

Alice returned, guessing what she could have picked out for her. "Well, it will be an interesting present I can guess."

"I'm sure you'll like it," Jenny said, casting an eye over to Yugo sneakily. Though he didn't catch it, Alice sure did and started to really wonder what she'd brought.

Uriko reappeared on the stairs, carrying her presents for Alice, now all wrapped. She'd discarded her school uniform and had cleaned up, opting to wear a white top that had long, flowing sleeves. It could have been described as a short dress, in which she wore cycling shorts underneath.

"Ah, Mademoiselle Uriko," Gado greeted on seeing the young woman.

"Mr. Gado, Jenny," Uriko greeted with a bow. The two mentioned people looked at each other and back to the girl. They'd both distinctly noticed a very doleful tone, trying to be hidden behind a happy greeting and a smile. It wasn't their place to start prying, but if she needed to speak, they would obviously listen.

Mitsuko appeared at the entrance between the dinning room and the hallway, carrying with her a tray of drinks, now looking a bit brisker then she'd been earlier. "Hello! Thought you would want to start on a drink. We're nearly all here anyway, so I can start passing these around."

"My daughter and Long should be along shortly," Gado informed, accepting a drink gratefully. "She is being rather… moody to say the least."

"Having one of her off days," Jenny said, taking a sip of her drink. "Always seems to want to pick a fight with me when she gets going."

"I left Long to sort her out. At least he can actually get through to her, better then I ever have," Gado continued. "They should be well on their way by now - just hope her 'tantrum' wasn't too bad."

Jenny chuckled silkily. "Oh, she'd have your throat out for that one."

Uriko remembered that her master had been invited to the party too. How could she have forgotten? Well, it didn't matter; there had been so much on her mind to really think about the guest list. Her stomach turned over a few times. For once in her entire life, she was left standing in an assembly with nothing to say to anyone. She caught Kenji staring her way, but she couldn't hold his gaze. It was so sympathetic; it made her want to sink into the floor.

"Oh, what happened to the cake?" Jenny had keenly spotted the mess on the side table.

Mitsuko cringed. "Ah, I would have cleaned that away. Been too busy." The older woman's eyes glanced over Uriko with a not so happy affliction. "To cut a long story short, a certain daughter of mine is still building on her streak of damaging things left, right and centre."

Everyone got the hint, not wanting to stare rudely at her. Uriko just decided to remain quiet, so not to get on her mother's nerves.

"Well, never mind, as long as you've got us all here to celebrate the day, then who needs a cake?" Yugo said, rubbing Alice's shoulder. The woman patted his hand affectionately.

The last anticipated doorbell chime sounded, making it know the last guests had arrived.

Alice stepped, welcoming in the younger Gado first off, followed by her Chinese companion.

Shina gave a rather sharp, hole-burning glare at Jenny, whom just smiled pleasantly. Blowing out a breath of agitation, she decided not to let the other woman get on her nerves and instead turned to Alice. "Happy birthday! Another year on the clock, so, how does it feel?"

"Rather candid, Jane," Long said, shaking his head.

Alice laughed. "It's no different to being twenty-two, but just knowing you've added another number makes your stomach go all weird."

Long handed the gifts from them both to Alice. "And I wish you many happy returns myself."

Alice took the presents gratefully. "Thank you, Long. I'll just go put these with the others."

Mitsuko offered drinks to the two newcomers, whom accepted them with appreciation. Now with a clear tray, she decided to retreat. "Enjoy yourselves. Put on some music or something. Alice organised all the main games and things for after dinner, which I must say will be ready anytime soon."

"Can't wait to see what you've got in store for us, Ally." Yugo wrapped an arm around his girlfriend.

"I assure you that you won't be disappointed," she said proudly.

"Oh?" Yugo had a playful gleam in his eye. Alice just swatted him.

"Not anything crude, Yugo!" The rabbit Zoanthrope sniggered.

"He's just begging for it," Shina put in, giving the couple a wink - in turn, laughter erupted amongst the group.

Long didn't want to think much into that comment, and instead looked back to the stairs where he's briefly spotted Uriko on the way in. Normally, she'd have joined on the joke and laughter, but she'd not said a word. Surprisingly, the spot she'd been in had been vacated pretty quickly. He knew that with his presence, she'd made herself quietly scarce. He inwardly sighed, feeling his arm being tugged by Shina, whom broke him from his drifted attention, so to guide him to the dining room where the others had gone to decide on music.

"Rather… interesting taste you have," Jenny said, mildly amused by the CD rack like up. Mostly occupied by Uriko's pop culture CD's, though some were of what Alice left when she'd moved out, and very few were of gold and oldies that Mitsuko listened to. The variety was thin.

"You go with it, pick one at random!" Alice presented. "Just something for the background."

"I don't think any of us mind really," Shina said, browsing for herself.

"As long as it's not anything like… 'Heavy metal'," Long said, barely remembering what the name of the genre of music. "I don't particularly want to hear incoherent babbling about people wanting to butcher each other pointlessly."

"Aww, but that's the best kind of music," Shina defended, giving her companion the eye of distaste.

"It's hardly what I call music," he said bluntly, dodging a playful punch from the leopard Zoanthrope.

"You've got to remember, Shina," Yugo put in. "Long is still at least twenty years behind everyone else in pretty much everything."

"That's harsh," Alice said with a shake of her head.

"Careful with the insults wolf boy!" Shina turned on the man in question.

"Now look, you're getting her all worked up," Jenny said; hoping the taunt was known. Shina most expectantly gave her a cold glare.

"Okay, okay, sorry for taking a shot at your man," Yugo said with a grin.

Long rolled his eyes, trying not to glow at the indication. "I'm not saying a word."

Before Shina would start tearing up everyone in the room, Alice jumped into the fray, CD at hand. "I've got some dance anthems. I'll stick that on, shall I?"

There were a few mumbles of agreement and Alice promptly put the CD in. She selected the track she wanted and sighed in settlement. It was a sudden surprise that her favourite upbeat song seemed to want to crackle in high and low tones then rather blurt out the song forcefully as it was suppose to. She exchanged glances with the others, and completely confused, tried button after button, to see if there was any difference.

"That doesn't sound too healthy," Shina commented, leaning over Alice's shoulder. "Maybe the CD is scratched or your player needs cleaning."

"No, no, it's alright usually. The CD is in perfect condition… I don't understand," the birthday girl said, going into a huff with the CD player.

"Probably a loose wire, let me take a look," Yugo promptly volunteered. Alice had given up with it, never really understanding why technology had to be so… technical! Her beau was now crouched at the side of the CD player, pulling it's back to angle towards him and he checked all the leads at the back.

"It doesn't appear to be… GAHH!"

The poor man leapt back with a shock as a sharp current of electricity struck him, travelling from an unseen exposed wire. He made a low whimpering sound as he held is half twitching arm. Alice was suddenly all over him in her nursing ways.

"Oh, my poor Yugo," she sympathised, assessing him and cuddling him at the same time.

"Wimp," Shina muttered, not taking Alice's glare into account. "I'll turn off the power and we can take a better look."

"I'd better make sure you don't destroy it," Gado tormented his daughter, setting his drink aside for the time being. And for a fact, it was obvious she didn't like the whole scenario with him looking over her shoulder; he knew that from experience.

"Calm down," Jenny soothed, almost teasingly between them. "Lets just see what you can do to help fix the CD player."

"It's alright, I'm only here to help, and she knows I'm not serious," Gado enlightened obviously. His daughter just muttered something quietly and cracked her fingers. Kenji stayed out of the whole situation; merely watching the events of a background argument and the most wanted attention Yugo was getting from Alice.

"I'm not going to be able to give any assistance with any of this technical insanity," Long interjected, though he knew he was barely heard over the groups deviated attention. "I… think I will go and acquire another drink…"

The Kenpo teacher left the group to it's mixed devices as he disappeared from the room. Kenji was the only one who noted that the glass Long was carrying was still half full.

***

Uriko heaved the last of the boxes behind the sofa to clear room in the lounge for the latter part of the party. She'd made sure to leave the games box just under the coffee table so she wouldn't accidentally move it so nobody could find it.

She done herself proud by giving the lounge another clean over - it was distracting for her. At the moment, she wanted to stay out of the party, let things settle in with the group before she would rejoin them. It gave her time to boost her confidence.

'Mother sure is angry, and Alice is upset with me. The others… oh I don't know, I feel so stupid.' Uriko fluffed up a cushion a little too roughly, throwing it down into the corner of the sofa with a winding force. 'I feel so betrayed. Nobody would understand me… not even if I talked to them. I'm in the wrong, I'll face it but why… why can't that give me more then one chance?'

The sliding door to the lounge opened and she nearly jumped as she had been in thought. She was quite surprised to see her Kenpo teacher step into the room. It was obvious by the look on his face that he wished to speak privately, and at that precise moment in time, they were alone.

She gulped, the itchy feeling of discomfort taking over. Her stomach twisted as she contemplated what to say. Nothing came to mind and she quickly averted her attention back to what she'd been doing before. She rearranged things that she'd already rearranged, but it kept her occupied and her eyes from her teacher.

"Hello, Uriko," his soft, smooth voice greeted her with no sense of hate, disappointment or anger. He had once again easily masked his emotions by the calm, pleasant greeting.

"Master Long," she said with equal softness, once again fluffing the cushion, but a little less rough this time around.

"I felt obligated to come see how you were feeling. You disappeared when myself and Jane arrived, so I couldn't inquire."

"I'm fine," she said, trying not to sound too apathetic. "I had things to do in here."

"It seems you've done a exceptional job in tidying in here. Will you not come join the party?" Long asked sincerely.

Uriko could almost feel her eye twitch. "I have much more to do."

Long sighed. "Come now, Uriko, it's your sister's birthday. I think that you should at least give thought to making this day special for her. You shouldn't need to seclude yourself even if you have a bit of work to do."

Uriko just looked down at the cushion in hand. "I'm… too busy."

His face saddened. "Uriko, please, don't take anything out on your sister or the others because of what has happened between us. Is it worth making other people feel miserable?"

"I'm not doing anything to the others," Uriko defended lowly, not looking up to meet his inquiring eyes. "And… who said anything about…" She just stopped herself - she didn't want to talk about it.

"Uriko, I'm you're friend, and I mean that most…" he began to reason, stepping towards her. She finally looked him in the eye, backing a step up, forcing him to stop in wonder. She shook her head, turning his face to a light frown. "What?"

"Friend? But friends don't make other people feel bad and embarrassed, or let them carry around a guilt conscience." She regretted saying anything, but the words were just slipping out. They felt as if they were her only barrier of protection - just enough to keep him at a distance.

He sighed again. "I care about you and your feelings, Uriko, but you have to understand how I felt about what you did. I may have been harsh in retaliation, but if you were in my position, you would most certainly understand my reasoning. Though, I am sorry I made you feel uncomfortable in front of your friends and family."

Friends. She didn't hear him say student or master to describe them. She remained quiet, the word friend rumbling through her head. The word friend to her meant caring, forgiving and trusting…

Trust… that's what it was all about. But he didn't trust her… not for what she did. It seemingly effected everything. She didn't want to say anything about trust in case it got thrown back in her face. She looked down sadly.

"Uriko," he reached a hand out to tenderly rest on her shoulder, but she shrugged away from him before he could touch her.

"You're missing the party," she said simply and turned on him and focused on fiddling with the ornament pieces on the coffee table.

"Uriko…" He tried again.

"Just… go back to the party. I want to be left alone," she said, a little more firmly.

Long was forced to give up and respect her wishes. He didn't want to cause a fight, and deep down, he eagerly wanted to make things right with the young girl. His anger had subsided from the week prior and all he wanted now was some peace, but it seemed that a cord has been struck deep within her. He shook his head to himself and retreated to the exiting doorway, at the last second looking back to her.

"We shall talk again soon, Uriko. I wish to resolve this. For now, I think you should put your sister first over anything else," he said and finally departed.

She wanted to kick the chair over, all her emotions tangling like a web in her mind. Deep down, she wanted it to be over, but she still couldn't let go of the bitterness.

It certainly wasn't believed that she truly meant she was sorry. In their eyes, she was still a girl with so much to learn, looked down upon for things she did.

Her heart ached and she stared at the photo of her sister on the mantle.

'Forgive me,' her mind whispered softly. Just beyond the wall, she could hear the continuous talking, shouting and giggling.

Just a room away, the very tedious party continued.

End of Part 2