Disclaimer: Some of the scenes, most of the plot and the characters are not mine. And neither is Brian. ^.^

The Misted Glass of an Angel

The next few days passed quickly, even though there were more fights than usual. Motoko and my grandmother seemed to have a row every three minutes. Motoko and her boyfriend were doing fine, just not my grandmother. It wasn't a couple; it was a trio.

Grandmother was becoming used to having Mitsune around, referring to her, as 'It.' Mitsune didn't seem to mind. She still joked around with my grandmother who didn't find the jokes funny. Mitsune continuously made trips down to the hospital, though no one knew why. When we questioned Mr. Ueda if she had some type of treatment she had to attend for, he shook his head. So why she went there, we'd never know.

Before I knew it, it was Friday and Mitsune was over. She was already dressed and done in an ice blue dress. I was dressed in my red dress. However, my hair wasn't to Mitsune's liking. She took it upon herself to fix it. After she finished, I looked in the mirror, impressed. It was half up and I was surprised.

I looked…good.

As I left my room to go downstairs, I was shocked to see everyone standing there, waiting for me. They had cameras in their hands. It was as if I was going to get married. We left the house in a flurry of tears, smiles and huffs. Grandma wasn't too happy. My dress showed my knees.

Mitsune waved down a taxi and she shoved me in. Soon we were at the dock, boarding yet another mode of transportation. The ferry ride, though cold, was quick. I had a zipped up jacket on, so I was fine. Another taxi was taken to the club.

When we reached the club, Seta voiced the same thoughts that I had before when I had seen myself in the mirror. I looked good. He and Mitsune soon dropped into a comfortable conversation about the current state of the world's healthcare. I was nervous so I didn't join in the conversation.

It was odd, seeing all these half naked bodies writhing against each other to the music. I held my face in a frown, which garnered the attention of Mitsune. She grabbed my hand and shook it a little. I hesitantly looked up at her then at the bar, where we sat. There were shot glasses there, being filled by a bartender.

"What are you doing?" I asked over the din of the surrounding club.

"Don't you know how to take shots?" She asked.

"No." Mitsune looked shocked, as if I had personally wounded her.

"You're no fun." She replied. "You're an old hag." Seta nodded grimly along with that comment. "You're afraid of living. Poor soul." Both she and Seta broke out laughing. I was hurt. Tears stung my eyes and I looked away.

I could live. I could drink. I could dance like those half-clothed bodies out there. I could live in a state of abandon. I could smile. I could have fun. I could. I could do it.

Determinedly, I turned in my seat towards the tabletop where Mitsune and Seta were getting ready to drown their first shot. I glared at them then swept both hands out, bringing the little glasses towards me. I took one in my hand and without even thinking, downed it.

It burned. It slid down my throat, leaving a trail of fire. I didn't know that that wasn't how you took a shot. To me, a shot was just drinking that little glass quickly. Not really. I took another one and let it slip down my throat. The burning was renewed. But in an odd sense, it was the enjoyable kind of pain. Plus, I had something to prove to those twerps. I grabbed one in each hand and drowned those consecutively. 

After four more, my mind became hazy. I don't remember much but Mitsune and Seta related everything to me later on. I became drunk and went out and partied, joining the flowing mass of bodies out there.

Apparently, I had stepped up onto a cube that was positioned on the dance floor. I unzipped my jacket, throwing it into the crowd. Seta moved towards me, as if to halt me but Mitsune held him back.

"She's stripping!" He yelled.

"So? Everyone's naked out there anyways." Mitsune took a shot and handed one to Seta. "Relax. Enjoy the show. This is probably the only time you'll ever see her boobs anyways." She smirked at Seta's blush.

I do remember some of the dancing. It was strangely enjoyable. I was having fun. I don't really know how to dance so all this was new to me. I didn't know what to do and how to do it. But I was drunk. So that means I didn't care.

I turned, twisted, flowed and jerked, becoming one with the music. I let it rule me, control me, be me. I was in a sense, free. I was going crazy, just letting the melodies become my blood and control my movements. They were odd movements. But I'm Urashima Haruka, dancer extraordinaire.

Seta soon joined me, being just as drunk as I was. He flowed like me, as odd as we were.

Mitsune later told me that this left her to not get drunk. So she stuck it out and joined the dancing. A few hours later, after both Seta and I had danced enough, but wouldn't leave, she called security and had them carry us out.

"I don't wanna leave! Put me down you big gorilla! I wanna…I wanna dance!" The security man put me down, and then left. Another burly man led Seta out of the club. Mitsune had said she was losing it.

"Haruka, Seta, lets go." I then whirled on her, shaking but still barely standing.

"No! I don't wanna leave! You told me to smile and have fun!" Oops. Almost fell. "So then why don't you let me? I wanna have fun! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Is he Mohammed Ali?" Seta was confused.

"I hate you!"

"I'm confused. Am I Mohammed Ali?"

"Why can't you let me dance!" I start dancing. "I'm a dancer!"

"I'm Mohammed Ali!" He starts boxing, though missing his target.

"Shut up!" Seta and I froze. "Both of you! Hold hands!" Lips turned down, Seta and I held hands. "Not each others! Mine!" We let go of each other's hands and each held one of hers.

"Now no talking! Got it?" We both nodded and we began to walk home. On the way home, Mitsune would tell me later, I started crying.

"Why are you crying?" Mitsune questioned.

"I miss my dad." I said, sniffing dramatically. Seta looked over in my direction drunkenly. He then raised his hand.

"Yes Seta?" Mitsune asked testily.

"I miss my dad too." Tears began to stream down his cheeks.

"Oh. I'm sorry. When did he die?" Seta turned on Mitsune indignantly.

"He's not dead! Just because I miss him he has to be dead?"

"Okay! Sorry! Sheesh…Are you still crying?" I nodded. Seta raised his hand again.

"What?" Mitsune asked, irritated. He pointed to me. Mitsune nodded and then he let go of her hand and made his way over to me.

"Hey. Don't cry. You look prettier when you're angry. So when you're sad, think of me, then you'll be angry. And then you'll look prettier." I then stopped crying. "Aw! You're so cute! Cutie cute cutie!" I didn't notice it then but days later, I would remember. At that moment, Mitsune let go of my hand, letting Seta and me tease each other freely. She was giving us a free rein to love and be loved. Another thing also happened.

I was smiling…laughing…

And from then on, Mitsune would be known as Kitsune.

.~.

"You didn't leave for the job did you?"

"…No."

"Then why?"

"I thought I could save you. From over here."

"…The papers?"

Nervous laughter.

"Those were real."

Silence.

"…I hate you."

"I know…I miss you."

" I'm coming over."

"Oh."

"Why the papers?"

"I wasn't happy."

"Oh."

"Yeah…Hello? Hello? Hey! Hello! Did…O gosh…How could you hang up?"

Guess.

.~.

I woke up the next morning, feeling dead. Of course, it was because of the hangover, but I'd never had one before. So it hurt. My tongue felt like carpet and my mind like an anvil. Not fun.

I slipped off my bed and landed on the floor with a thud. I needed a shower. I lifted my body off the ground and stumbled to the bathroom, where I experienced how much a cold shower can help. After dressing in some new nice clothes, I went downstairs to make myself a cup of ginger tea.

Ah, the wonders of herbal remedies. I gulped the solution down, amazed at its amazing effects. I was already beginning to think clearly. Slowly, so as not to injure myself, I began to make a mental to-do list. Of course, I had to go to the café. That's where I would be spending most of my time, in the café.

I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I peeked out of the kitchen and smiled at my mother. It was soon dropped. She had been crying.

"Mom?" I asked, worried.

"You were smiling. Nice." Avoiding the subject.

"Thanks Mom. I'm surprised my face didn't fall off from the strain." My mom stared, a little laughter bubbling up. "Were you just joking?" I turned around, preparing some tea for my mother.

"Yes, I was…Why were you crying?" My mother gripped the mug tightly, her knuckles losing their color.

"I-…The-…Well-…Bank-…"

"Mom?" She took a deep breath, struggling to hold back tears.

"The...the bank is...um…it's closing the…café…we have three months t-to le-leave-ve." Mother began convulsing with sobs, having nothing to help her.

"That's not cool, Nahoko. But let me help." I spun around, meeting the serious face of Kitsune.

"Kitsune?"

"Yes. I'm sure I can help. Come on, Haruka. We can take on the bank ourselves. Take me to the café and I'll see what can be done." My mother let out a watery smile before motioning up the stairs. "I'll be there…in ab-about two...uh…hour-rs."

I nodded and grabbed a cereal bar before heading out with Kitsune. We got to the café in no time. We stepped into the café.

"This is the gaudiest, ugliest, most disgusting piece of crap called a café that I have ever seen! I've seen better sewers than this…this…crap!!!" I looked at her.

"Thanks. My self-esteem just went up ten notches." I replied, sarcastically.

"I wasn't insulting you. Just the…the…thing…here…Plus, you're uglier." I stared. "I'm joking."

"We need to figure out how to get this place customers. The colors aren't helping and that restaurant across the street isn't helping much either. Wow. Their line is huge!"

"Kitsune…"

"Oh. Right. Now. That restaurant is…what…Italian? You see, that's why they do so good. They bring their country to their restaurant. Your café, it serves hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and stuff you get on the street for cheap. Why not bring Japan in? We're Japanese. Be proud. Let the Americans handle their own food. We'll handle our own. Got it?"

I looked at her pensively. She was right. So right that it was scary. "Okay." I said, jumping for the phone. "We're calling in reinforcements."

"Yes, sir." Kitsune saluted me, mockingly. I smiled.

.~.

The waitresses, my family, Mutsumi and Seta were over in no time. Immediately, Seta and Keitaro were sent to the nearby appliance store that sold paint. They got a deep red color, which looked surprisingly good on the walls. The curtains were replaced with white linen and the tables were spray painted a mahogany wood color. All in all, it looked…excellent.

Kitsune, Shinobu, my mother and myself cooked the Japanese food for the new restaurant called Café Tokyo. I liked. It was surprising at how quickly the restaurant filled for dinnertime. I suppose Kitsune was right. And she knew it. Though we would be closed in around two hours, the place was packed.

Sure, painting and redoing everything took most of the day but…wow! Problem solved. Amazing. And with the profit we made that day, I'd say the bank would be asking to buy the place. Now all I had to do was hire some Japanese chefs, make Shinobu happy, kill my grandmother, get Motoko married to Brian and marry Seta.

I think I'm in love.

.~.

Well. This is one of my better chapters. I think I had redone it maybe twenty times. Some of my own humor is in here. I have very dry humor so enjoy. Yeah. I had wanted to delete this fic but then I got a real nice review from Mozzarella. Thanks!

Brian, Warrior of Time-I figured that you would like it! ^.^ I loved your review! It was so funny! Especially the sword part! * starts choking because laughing so hard *

mr-winkie- I hope you noticed all the foreshadowing. I mean, there was enough to fill a truck! Scary, I know. Watching Finding Nemo. "Dude, no hurling on the shell. Just waxed it." He he. Thank you!

Book of Doom-I'm glad that you liked Mutsumi! Sorry she's not really in here. Just mentioned. But I think I might have her in the next chapter. That sucks that all your translations died. Could you please tell me when you get them translated? I'd love to take a look at them!

red52-Thanks! Haruka's POV is pretty rare so I figured, why not.

Mozzarella-Aww * blushes * Thank you! I'll keep it then. Thank you so much! I'm keeping this because you said! Thank you!