***
Chapter 1: Dark Rumor
The mansion which Hanagata drove them to left Otaru feeling humbled. He'd seen
such buildings only from afar, not jealous of the status which one needed to own
such a home but simply as an observer. On few occasions as a child, Otaru had
imagined what it would be like to live in such a home. These days, he discarded
such fantasies. A home like that was not truely a home if one did not have the
family to fill it with. His small apartment didn't fit himself and the
marionettes very well, but at least it was comforting and welcoming.
The place where Hanagata grew up was silent and empty. The only people were the
occasional servants that walked by, lost in their own thoughts and duties. Even
Lime, usually too oblivious to subtle tensions, was silent as she looked around.
Her eyes were wide, almost sad. Otaru had to wonder what she was thinking.
"This place is so dusty," Cherry commented, her nose wrinkling in distaste as
she looked around the room which Hanagata had brought them to. She was the first
to break the silence that had fallen upon the group when they'd entered the
mansion.
The blond scowled at her slightly. "I didn't tell my father that you were
coming, so the room was not properly prepared. I'm sure that a servant will be
in shortly to clean it up for you," he replied.
"Are we all sleeping in this room?" Cherry questioned, a blush coming to her
cheeks.
Bloodberry snorted and turned to Hanagata. "Don't tell me that in a house this
big, we have to share rooms," she said, her voice challening.
A servant took that moment to arrive, interrupting whatever argument might of
exploded. He bowed low before Hanagata. "Sir, the Master requests your company
now," he stated. Otaru blinked when he saw the man, shocked. He'd never heard of
male servants before. Usually, a marrionette took care of all servant aspects.
It was virtually unknown for a man to be involved in work such as this.
Otaru then frowned when he saw Hanagata's face turn white and the tremble start
up in his body once again. He was almost certain that the youth was going to
pass out. "Do you want us to come with you?" he offered before he could stop
himself.
The servant replied before Hanagata could. "The Master has made it very clear
that he does not wish for your company. He has allowed you to stay on the fact
that you will stay out of his way. You will be shown to your seperate rooms and
will dine there while Hanagata-sama visits with the Master."
"How friendly," Bloodberry commented with a snort.
"I don't wanna stay in a room all by myself!" Lime complained loudly, looking
forlorn.
"Hanagata-kun, you're looking slightly ill," Cherry stated, blinking wide eyes.
Hanagata visibly drew in a deep breath, then smiled toward them. "I'll go and
see my father while you four get settled in. I'll see you later tonight," he
stated, then followed the servant out of the door.
Immediately afterward, three marionette's entered wearing identical uniforms.
One stopped by each of the girls and bowed stiffly, their absent eyes staring
forward. "I will show you to your room now," they said at the same time, sending
a shiver down Otaru's spine. Having lived with his own emotional marionettes for
so long, it gave him a chill to see these ones acting so... automated.
"Do you like cookies? I like cookies! Cherry bakes them all the time and they
taste really good," Lime babbled as she was lead from the room by the
unresponsive robot.
"I'll see you later, Otaru-sama," Cherry said with a blush and a smile.
Bloodberry nodded and ruffled his hair. "We'll get settled in, then we'll come
back and have supper with you. It would be too boring to sit around on our own,"
she declared.
Waving, Otaru watched as they left, then collapsed onto the bed. He coughed a
little when dust floated up around him, but didn't really mind. Not having the
time to wash it as often as he would like, his own bedding sometimes got so
dirty that he might as well be sleeping on the ground.
The door opened once again and a different male servant walked into the room. He
blinked when he saw Otaru, then bowed quickly. "I appologize. I came in to clean
the room as was ordered and forgot that someone would be in here," he said.
Otaru got to his feet and grinned. "That's no problem," he replied, watching as
two marrionettes entered and began cleaning.
"It has been a long time since we've had visiters here other than the Master's
business associates," the servant replied.
"Ah... well, my name is Mamiya Otaru. I'm Hanagata's neighboor," Otaru
introduced, not really knowing what else to say.
The servant smiled. "You are well known in this area, Mamiya-san. My name is
Higashi Etsu. I've been working here for only a few months," he replied.
Otaru nodded slowly, then grimaced. "If Hanagata's father is anything like him,
then I can imagine he's not an easy man to work for," he commented.
Etsu seemed to freeze for a moment, then shook his head slowly. "I've never seen
the two intereact personally, but I don't think that there is much in common
between them," he said slowly, his eyes looking pained.
"What do you mean?" Otaru questioned.
Looking up at him, Etsu shrugged and grinned a little. "It's just something that
the older servants talk about. Probably nothing more than a rumor," he replied.
Still, Otaru was curious. He knew nothing of Hanagata's father. Perhaps, if he
knew a little more, he could understand what was going on in the blond's mind.
Ever since Hanagata had heard his father's summons, he'd been acting strangely.
"I'd like to know what you know," he pressed.
Etsu grimaced, then glanced around as though they may be overheard. "I've heard
many stories that really should not be repeated. However, since you are
Hanagata's friend, I feel that you should know. The rumors say that the Master
beats his son."
Otaru felt as though he'd been punched in the gut. His eyes went wide, and he
couldn't seem to breathe. Sure, he'd had fights with Hanagata a lot. Sometimes,
he'd even started a few that weren't justified. However, the thought of Hanagata
being beaten by his own father....
"It can't be," he whispered.
Nodding, his expression saddened, Etsu continued. "I don't know whether to
believe it or not myself. I've never seen the Master strike any of the servants
or other family members. He can be stern sometimes, and he insists that we call
him "Master" instead of by his name. However, I never would of thought he could
strike in own child."
"It can't be true," Otaru stated, his voice firmer. He didn't want to believe
that it was true.
However, Etsu shook his head. "At the same time, he talks strangely when he
speaks of Hanagata-sama. On top of that, I've heard far worse rumors than just
that of him striking the child. Rumors that he's dominated the boy in every
way."
He was going to be sick. Otaru clamped a hand over his mouth, trying to breath
properly. Hanagata, who was so sure of himself, so egotistical, so loud-mouthed
and annoying. Could he really be the same person that Etsu was talking about? It
didn't seem possible.
Firmly, Otaru pushed his reaction to the side. He would find out the truth
behind Hanagata's behaviour and the rumors. He wasn't going to jump to
conclusions.
Still, part of his mind nagged, there was always a little truth in rumor.
TBC
Chapter 1: Dark Rumor
The mansion which Hanagata drove them to left Otaru feeling humbled. He'd seen
such buildings only from afar, not jealous of the status which one needed to own
such a home but simply as an observer. On few occasions as a child, Otaru had
imagined what it would be like to live in such a home. These days, he discarded
such fantasies. A home like that was not truely a home if one did not have the
family to fill it with. His small apartment didn't fit himself and the
marionettes very well, but at least it was comforting and welcoming.
The place where Hanagata grew up was silent and empty. The only people were the
occasional servants that walked by, lost in their own thoughts and duties. Even
Lime, usually too oblivious to subtle tensions, was silent as she looked around.
Her eyes were wide, almost sad. Otaru had to wonder what she was thinking.
"This place is so dusty," Cherry commented, her nose wrinkling in distaste as
she looked around the room which Hanagata had brought them to. She was the first
to break the silence that had fallen upon the group when they'd entered the
mansion.
The blond scowled at her slightly. "I didn't tell my father that you were
coming, so the room was not properly prepared. I'm sure that a servant will be
in shortly to clean it up for you," he replied.
"Are we all sleeping in this room?" Cherry questioned, a blush coming to her
cheeks.
Bloodberry snorted and turned to Hanagata. "Don't tell me that in a house this
big, we have to share rooms," she said, her voice challening.
A servant took that moment to arrive, interrupting whatever argument might of
exploded. He bowed low before Hanagata. "Sir, the Master requests your company
now," he stated. Otaru blinked when he saw the man, shocked. He'd never heard of
male servants before. Usually, a marrionette took care of all servant aspects.
It was virtually unknown for a man to be involved in work such as this.
Otaru then frowned when he saw Hanagata's face turn white and the tremble start
up in his body once again. He was almost certain that the youth was going to
pass out. "Do you want us to come with you?" he offered before he could stop
himself.
The servant replied before Hanagata could. "The Master has made it very clear
that he does not wish for your company. He has allowed you to stay on the fact
that you will stay out of his way. You will be shown to your seperate rooms and
will dine there while Hanagata-sama visits with the Master."
"How friendly," Bloodberry commented with a snort.
"I don't wanna stay in a room all by myself!" Lime complained loudly, looking
forlorn.
"Hanagata-kun, you're looking slightly ill," Cherry stated, blinking wide eyes.
Hanagata visibly drew in a deep breath, then smiled toward them. "I'll go and
see my father while you four get settled in. I'll see you later tonight," he
stated, then followed the servant out of the door.
Immediately afterward, three marionette's entered wearing identical uniforms.
One stopped by each of the girls and bowed stiffly, their absent eyes staring
forward. "I will show you to your room now," they said at the same time, sending
a shiver down Otaru's spine. Having lived with his own emotional marionettes for
so long, it gave him a chill to see these ones acting so... automated.
"Do you like cookies? I like cookies! Cherry bakes them all the time and they
taste really good," Lime babbled as she was lead from the room by the
unresponsive robot.
"I'll see you later, Otaru-sama," Cherry said with a blush and a smile.
Bloodberry nodded and ruffled his hair. "We'll get settled in, then we'll come
back and have supper with you. It would be too boring to sit around on our own,"
she declared.
Waving, Otaru watched as they left, then collapsed onto the bed. He coughed a
little when dust floated up around him, but didn't really mind. Not having the
time to wash it as often as he would like, his own bedding sometimes got so
dirty that he might as well be sleeping on the ground.
The door opened once again and a different male servant walked into the room. He
blinked when he saw Otaru, then bowed quickly. "I appologize. I came in to clean
the room as was ordered and forgot that someone would be in here," he said.
Otaru got to his feet and grinned. "That's no problem," he replied, watching as
two marrionettes entered and began cleaning.
"It has been a long time since we've had visiters here other than the Master's
business associates," the servant replied.
"Ah... well, my name is Mamiya Otaru. I'm Hanagata's neighboor," Otaru
introduced, not really knowing what else to say.
The servant smiled. "You are well known in this area, Mamiya-san. My name is
Higashi Etsu. I've been working here for only a few months," he replied.
Otaru nodded slowly, then grimaced. "If Hanagata's father is anything like him,
then I can imagine he's not an easy man to work for," he commented.
Etsu seemed to freeze for a moment, then shook his head slowly. "I've never seen
the two intereact personally, but I don't think that there is much in common
between them," he said slowly, his eyes looking pained.
"What do you mean?" Otaru questioned.
Looking up at him, Etsu shrugged and grinned a little. "It's just something that
the older servants talk about. Probably nothing more than a rumor," he replied.
Still, Otaru was curious. He knew nothing of Hanagata's father. Perhaps, if he
knew a little more, he could understand what was going on in the blond's mind.
Ever since Hanagata had heard his father's summons, he'd been acting strangely.
"I'd like to know what you know," he pressed.
Etsu grimaced, then glanced around as though they may be overheard. "I've heard
many stories that really should not be repeated. However, since you are
Hanagata's friend, I feel that you should know. The rumors say that the Master
beats his son."
Otaru felt as though he'd been punched in the gut. His eyes went wide, and he
couldn't seem to breathe. Sure, he'd had fights with Hanagata a lot. Sometimes,
he'd even started a few that weren't justified. However, the thought of Hanagata
being beaten by his own father....
"It can't be," he whispered.
Nodding, his expression saddened, Etsu continued. "I don't know whether to
believe it or not myself. I've never seen the Master strike any of the servants
or other family members. He can be stern sometimes, and he insists that we call
him "Master" instead of by his name. However, I never would of thought he could
strike in own child."
"It can't be true," Otaru stated, his voice firmer. He didn't want to believe
that it was true.
However, Etsu shook his head. "At the same time, he talks strangely when he
speaks of Hanagata-sama. On top of that, I've heard far worse rumors than just
that of him striking the child. Rumors that he's dominated the boy in every
way."
He was going to be sick. Otaru clamped a hand over his mouth, trying to breath
properly. Hanagata, who was so sure of himself, so egotistical, so loud-mouthed
and annoying. Could he really be the same person that Etsu was talking about? It
didn't seem possible.
Firmly, Otaru pushed his reaction to the side. He would find out the truth
behind Hanagata's behaviour and the rumors. He wasn't going to jump to
conclusions.
Still, part of his mind nagged, there was always a little truth in rumor.
TBC