The "Tea Room" was a couple of blocks away, Ami discovered o the map, and journeyed around the beautiful streets of River Front Views. Reaching the doors, her head bobbed to a sign. The door was framed closed. But it was unlocked, and what little room there was inside, booths and tea tables had their lanterns on, giving them, a rural gift. The place was empty, and for a Sunday, being seven in the morning, and yet the world seemed just as tearfully quiet as it did when she came from the airport.
"Have you ever been to Virginia before?" Usagi appeared from the kitchen doors holding a plate of cucumber sandwiches.
Undoing the wrinkles in her suit, she looked away. "No." and Usagi in her large beige dress shrugged.
Reaching for a booth covered in files and folders, they sat down to talk.
"I am no longer Usagi Tsukino.... the only other person besides you, who actually calls me so is my neighbor. I speak to very little people, and am otherwise called Serenity. Don't like it? Tough shit. This the new and improved me, and though you're here to change my views in this beautiful world I am going to remain ignoring you high praises and continue by myself till I die."
Silence
Usagi bared a grin and began skimming through a file.
"I donate 20 of my earnings every month for the Anime Clubs and stores here in River Front View. Not very much of them actually know what Anime means, so the supplies are limited. I will pay you 30 of my earnings, every.... what? Every two weeks or so. The rest of the money goes into paints, brushes, canvases and charcoal. And little of it for food." She handed her a couple of scribbled papers.
"This is your job. Remain on track, follow my league. Refrain from giving this touch any personal importance and we shall all be fine and dandy. Oh, and by the way...."
She got up, chewing, and heading for the door.
"There's an art gallery I'm opening up tonight at ten called he "Hana no Tama" I helped creating it. And maybe if you stopped worrying so damn much about this stupid tumor, you just might find it with out getting too lost and walking back to Tokyo someway or the other. Good luck!" and she ran off.
Ami focused now on the lined papers before her. Checking accounts...bills.... mortgages.... accounts in places both over seas and in land. ...outrageous usernames and important email addresses.
And then the little bell of the door jingled.
Ami looked up, and a man in a business suit was looking around quietly. Flipping through the other folder's contents she sighed heavily. A real manager when all she had been trained to do was work with metal scalpels and mirrors.
He neared her, looking uncertain. His eyes a deep shade of green and a unruly crown of dark brown curls. His suit, made of blacks.
"I am looking for an artist." He looked around once more, almost expecting for something to actually appear when he weren't looking.
Ami's eyebrows lifted. "well, she left a while ago, maybe you can...."
"You are also Japanese?" He showed no recognizable emotion. Yet her eyes returned to the paperwork before her.
"Yes, but I am Serenity's manager. How may I help you? Are you also Japanese?"
she heard him chuckle and take a seat.
"No I am fully American, but your accent is quite strong." Her brows furrowed and she shook her head slowly.
"I am sorry, I shall try to improve it. Is that all?"
He slumped forward and surprised her when he banged his head on the table.
"I need to see her artwork....I must! I must....."
Ami stiffened.
"Why such a great need to?"
he looked up at her with a large red spot in the middle of his forehead and sighed.
"I have....a client who is in love with her......work. I need her to get an appointment. So I can speak to her."
She frowned.
"what is your name?"
"Alyx Montgomery. And yours?"
She stood annoyed.
"not that it matters, but isn't hers more important than mine?"
Hi smiled as he too stood.
"I know it. I have done enough research to have the rudimentary of her life."
She walked to the door with the folders under her arm.
"how utterly interesting....." she muttered as she headed back to her hotel.
'the Lilac Jazz' she whispered as she tossed herself unto the bed, and made a wakeup call reservation at the front desk through the phone.