Chapter Seven: Ojisan Momomiya, Nyan...
"What the hell are you doing here?" Ichigo stepped back once, her mouth agape.
"There you are, child!" The man opened his bulky arms warmly and took three steps toward Ichigo. The child picked up a piece of glass from a plate and grasped it, the pointiest edge facing the man.
"What did you do to them?" She screamed, stepping back up against the wall. She was trapped.
"I was merely ensuing conversation." The man clarified. He turned his eyes to Retasu. "Isn't that right?"
Retasu nodded nervously, a little more than miffed about Ichigo's reaction to the man.
"Mei (Niece), I did not do anything to your friends. It pains me to think that you would think such hateful thoughts about your Ojisan." The man placed a hand up to his heart and pouted his lips, taking another stubby step toward Ichigo. Her grip on the glass tightened. Minto saw a trickle of blood escape from her hand. She turned to face her own hand to see a cut wide open.
"Ichigo!" She scolded. Purin whimpered.
"Touch me, Ojisan, and I swear that I'll use this!" Ichigo ignored the pain in her hand, holding the glass up in the air. The man's face turned stern, and his voice darkened.
"Whether you like it or not," He whispered so not even Zakuro's Wolf Ears could have deciphered what he said. "You must deal with me here or at your home. You already have one lesson coming to you; shall I do one in front of your friends?"
Ichigo gasped vocally, dropping the blood-stained glass onto the floor. She stared at him for a moment, glanced at her friends—who were all watching her strangely, and then glanced at the kitchen door where Kisshu, Pai, and Taruto resided still. Then she sighed, hanging her shoulders back in surrender.
"There we go!" The gleeful voice returned and the happy grin splattered across the man's face as he embraced Ichigo roughly. She took it limply, grunting as he slapped his hand across her back harshly. "How's my little Mei?"
"Fine, Ojisan," She said dully, as if it was all she knew how to say.
Ryou was astounded. He stared at Ichigo with wide eyes. She was so behaved! She didn't smart off, she didn't give dirty looks, she didn't "Hmmph!" or anything.
In fact, that's what scared him. He hadn't heard what her Ojisan had told her, but whatever it was subdued her.
Maybe it's just a lucky break, he conceited. Maybe she'll work now.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to any of your friends, Mei?" The man asked, laughing deeply. Ichigo shuddered.
"T-This is—"
"Oh, that child and her shyness. She doesn't even get out of it with friends around. Very well, I shall introduce myself. But we shall have a lesson when we get home." The man shook his portly finger at Ichigo, who scrunched her eyes shut. The man continued. "My name is Momomiya Hintaro, Shintaro's brother. But since you are friends of my little Mei, you may call me Ojisan."
"I am Midorikawa Retasu." Retasu bowed deeply, reddening as she saw the whites of Ryou's pants. Ojisan nodded.
"My name is Aizawa Minto," Minto said suspiciously. She looked the man over and raised an eyebrow. Ojisan simply bowed slightly.
"I'm Fon Purin na no da!" Purin jumped into the air and landed on Ichigo's head, toppling both of them over. Purin burst out into a fit of laughter, expecting Ichigo to join in as she always had. However, Ichigo merely stood up, helping Purin up.
"You stupid girl!" Ojisan snarled at Ichigo, making her flinch. "You could have hurt this young lady, and then where would you be? Another lesson!" Ichigo whimpered helplessly, but nodded.
"Yes, Ojisan."
"I am Fujiwara Zakuro." Zakuro said dully, glaring at the man. She didn't like him. She hated the way he seemed to pound Ichigo into the ground with fear. She wanted to get Ichigo away from him, even for a second, to see what the matter was. "Ichigo, I must talk with you privately. Please meet me in the kitchen." Ichigo jumped at her name being called, staring at Zakuro strangely. She remembered where she was and nodded.
"But it's not private! There's the aliens in the—!" Purin screamed. Minto slammed a hand over the little one's mouth and began whispering in her ear.
"Now, Ichigo." Zakuro said sternly. Ojisan's hand flew into the air, too close to Ichigo's face for anyone's liking.
"You heard the lady, Mei! Shall I give you another lesson?" Ichigo suppressed a squeal, dashing into the kitchen quicker than anything.
Zakuro quietly followed, walking nonchalantly, like she was only discussing work business. Ojisan scoffed.
"That girl never had a right head about her. Please excuse her." He bowed deeply. "It shames me to think that she puts you people through so much trouble."
Ryou sweatdropped. He despised this man now.
Ichigo dashed into the kitchen, hiding behind Kisshu, whimpering.
"What is this?" Kisshu joked. "Hide and seek?" All he received was a terrified whimper from Ichigo. She clung onto his shirt from the back and buried her face in it. Now he became concerned. He whipped her around, seeing tears in her eyes. Pai and Taruto glided closer to console Ichigo. "What's wrong?" He suddenly became angry. Looking at her terrified, utterly horrified expression made him want to kill everyone in Tokyo. "What happened?" Ichigo shook her head viciously, wiping the tears from her face and smiling brightly.
"I-It's nothing, I'm fine." She said almost faultlessly.
Almost.
"You didn't seem fine out there, Ichigo." Zakuro whispered, placing her hands on her girl's shoulders. "Who is he?"
"He's my uncle!" Ichigo smiled still, her voice now more controlled and stable. "He surprised me when he came in, that's all. I promise."
Zakuro stared at Ichigo's eyes, trying to find a reason not to take the promise. She knew she couldn't, that something definitely wasn't right, but she couldn't not accept the promise without a reason.
"Alright, but if you get into any trouble: any at all, you call me right away. Even if it's 3:00 in the morning, I'll be there." Zakuro said gently. Ichigo nodded. Zakuro looked around the kitchen. "Now," She said. "Get eleven plates, another cake, and come out here with these three, introduce them to your uncle, and have some cake! Don't worry about the other cake, we'll take care of it." Zakuro winked at Ichigo and left.
Kisshu still wasn't convinced. He couldn't believe Zakuro bought Ichigo's obvious lie about being fine. Of course she wasn't fine! She was bawling! He fumed, his hands clamped onto Ichigo's lower arms.
"Kisshu," Ichigo said. "You can let go, now." He let go of her gently, helping her get out the plates and cake.
"Put on your hats, guys." He said darkly to the other two. He needn't tell them twice. They were fixing their ears under the puffy things already. His expression changed almost instantly. "Who's your uncle?" He asked Ichigo happily.
"He's outside, I'll introduce you." Ichigo said solemnly. She took to plates and cake outside and set them on the table nearest the kitchen door.
"Uh—we'll be out in a minute," Kisshu declared. Ichigo nodded. She bent over the cake and stopped before cutting it.
"Ojisan," She called. Her uncle turned around to stare at her. "Would you like some cake?"
"Yes, I would. Thank you, Mei." Ojisan nodded approvingly. "One lesson taken off." Ichigo nodded, not looking up, and began cutting pieces.
"Mei," She looked up at her other name. "I notice you have eleven plates, yet you have seven friends (including me) here, and yourself. Where, pray tell, are your other three guests?"
Ichigo cringed. She was going to get it.
"I—um…. They're in the kitchen." She answered. "They're going to come out to meet you."
Ojisan growled, his temper flaring. Ichigo began cutting cake again, placing plates around the table for people to take.
"And why didn't you tell me that you had friends in the kitchen?" The man roared, quickly closing the distance between himself and Ichigo. She backed up, gasping.
"Y-You didn't—didn't ask!" She squealed. "I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" She bowed—again, again, again, again—
And again.
And again.
"Alright, Mei." Ojisan held up a hand, stopping Ichigo in her tracks. "I can see you were really trying. I shall not give you a lesson for this one."
Ichigo sighed. Where were Kisshu and the others? Where they having some sort of pep-talk?
"Thank you, Ojisan."
Keiichiro was now concerned. Ichigo never acted like this. Never. Something was wrong. He couldn't put his finger on why, but something drove fear into Ichigo at the sight of this man. When he walked through the door she threatened to stab him with the glass. That certainly wasn't natural.
Kisshu sauntered through the kitchen doors, followed by Taruto and Pai. They observed Ojisan and raised eyebrows at him.
"Ojisan, these are—"
"Boys!" Ojisan raged. Kisshu and the others jumped at his sudden blind madness. Ojisan instantly calmed down. "Alright, let's add on another lesson for that."
"But Ojisan—"
"Two!"
"T-These are—"
"Oh, I'll do it myself. Honestly, you need to learn how to control yourself in front of men. It really isn't becoming for a lady to stumble on her every word as you are always doing." Ojisan disregarded Ichigo and turned to the aliens. "I am Ojisan. That's all you need to call me."
"I am Pai."
"I'm Taruto."
"Kisshu."
Kisshu spat his words literally onto the floor, ready to strike that man dead as he stood. Ichigo was being oppressed, could no one see that? He rolled his eyes inwardly and controlled his anger.
"Excuse me, but I do recall the young lady Midorikawa-dono saying that it was closing time." Ojisan laid a hand to his ear and waited for his answer. He already knew it.
"Correct…."
He snatched a hold if Ichigo's arm and dragged her to the front door.
"Then I shall be taking Mei. She will be here on time tomorrow." He said.
And with that, he left.
THE END!
I came up with this in an hour and a half; people kept sending me PMs saying "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE UPDATE!" So I updated. Next will be The Thief and The Fool. I'm already working on it. Please review!