A/N: Sorry for the wait. I was working on Haunted House of Horror .. check it out sometime eh? And thanks to my three reviewers for reviewing, means alot to me tear .. anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
By the way, I just read Digimon Murderer, it's a great Ryuki fic, you guys should read it if you haven't already! And it isn't complete yet shakes fist
Please note, I used Free Translation to get the Italian for the story, since I don't speak it. Enjoy!
Chapter three – First night in fine Italy!
Rika looked at the Hotel's pamphlet in complete disgust. "How come the hotel looks nothing like the picture in the pamphlet?"
Rumiko thought for a moment before replying. "Well because pictures are designed to make things look pretty, even if they aren't."
"Explains you," Rika smirked. She quickly entered the hotel before Rumiko caught onto the remark.
Everyone was standing inside the main lobby. Rika looked around, okay so maybe it's not as ugly inside as it is out. The hotels lobby had an elegant effect. The tiles were shimering gold in the pattern of diamonds. A red carpet led from the door to the main desk. Pink sofa's lined the waiting rooms' walls followed by elevators and emergancy stairs on the right. To the left, grand oak doors with the desgins of mountain lions carved in it, lead to a small room with fine designer couches and chairs. More rooms were attached and Rika made a mental note to check them all out later.
Across the room, a man in the main desk looked up and them and smiled. He was wearing a nice black jacket and matching pants, and a mustache covered his upper lip. He greeted them as they approached.
"Dare il benvenuto all'hotel." He said, with a bright smile. The Tamers all looked at him. He blinked. "Lei parla l'italiano?"
Mr Shimizu walked to the desk. "Molto spiacente, non parlano l'italiano." He smiled and continued talking to the Italian man.
"So, who's all staying with whom?" Henry asked.
Rumiko smiled, "well I myself will be staying with Rika's grandmother(A/N: anyone care to fill in the name please?). And I guess, everyone will have to take a partner and share a room with them."
"Obviously," Rika snorted. Jeri giggled. Thankfully, Rumiko didn't hear.
"Right, this way please." Mr Shimizu said. He lead the way to the elevator and waited until everyone climbed in. The doors closed and he pressed the number 5 button. "We have five rooms booked. Rooms 116,117,118,119, and room 124." The elevator jerked to life and sped up to the fifth floor. It haulted, and the doors opened. Mr Shimizu stepped out first. "Room 124 is mine. Have a good night everyone." He said. Pulling his luggage he took off down the hall.
"Well I guess I'm rooming with Kenta," Kazu said. He stretched and headed down the hall. A sign on the wall read Rooms 114-125 with a red arrow pointing to the right. Kazu followed the sign and made his way to the rooms, Kenta close behind him.
"Of course he is bunking with Kenta," Rika began, "those two make it seem like they are a couple."
Everyone, but Rumiko and Rika's grandmother, laughed. The rest of the Tamers, and Rika's mother and grandmother, headed down the hall and claimed their rooms.
"Where is the key?" Rika asked frowning.
Rumiko gasped. "Oh darn, Mr Shimizu forgot to give it to us. Rika, hun, will you please go get it?" Rika hesitated then nodded.
Rika walked down the hall slowly so she could take in the scenery. The carpets were a nice beige colour, and the walls had a light tint of blue, making the hallway bright. Pictures from all around Italy lined the walls. Rika turned around a corner and continued walking for a couple more rooms. She was nearing the end of the hallway when finally she approached room 124. She lifted her hand to knock when she noticed the door open a crack. Mr Shimizu was standing in the centre of the nice hotel room, talking on his cellphone. Rika pressed her ear against the door to listen in. Not that she was eavesdropping, but she was curious to know what was being said.
"Yes. Yes. I've told you, everyone is here," Mr Shimizu growled. Who ever he was talking to was surely annoying him. "I know what I have to do." He paused to listen. "No. Shut up and listen to me. Things will work out. I know what I'm doing." Another slight pause. He nodded at the phone. "Yes, yes. Miss Nonaka is here." He sighed. "Yes I know. I know the plan. I will see you tomorrow. Good night." He shut his cellphone and threw it on the table beside him.
Rika worked up the courage and knocked on the door. It opened a bit more as she hit it. "Um, Mr Shimizu." Mr Shimizu turned around and faced the door.
"Who is it?" He barked. Wow, he's a real grump when he's not in front of everyone, Rika thought. He stepped closer to the door and opened it. "Ah Rika, it's you. What do you need?" He asked with a smile. Rika frowned.
"The keys to the room. You never gave them to us." She answered. He blinked searched all of his pockets. Finding the keys, he handed them to Rika, making an apology. Rika nodded and went back to her room, handing everyone their set.
"Well, well, well. It's about time missy, did you get lost?" Kazu asked.
"No, but if you don't shut up, you're going to lose your head." Rika rolled her eyes and went inside her room, followed by Jeri.
When they entered their room their jaws dropped in awe. The room they were standing in was large. Rika and Jeri were standing in what seemed to be the sitting room. A small couch with a flower pattern sat up against the wall, in between the hallway and what seemed to be the kitchen. When entering, the left side of the room had a doorway, followed by a small space where a desk was sitting. A hallway came off from the sitting room and was attached to another door and a bathroom straight ahead. To the right of the sitting room was the small, but very nice, kitchen.
Rika and Jeri stood in the center of the sitting room, and observed it some more. A red elegant rug with different colour patterns of squares occupided the floor, and a TV with a DVD player sat in front of the couch. A blue chair was beside the TV, followed by a computer desk, with of course, a computer, and on the other side of the computer was another matching chair. A painting of two tigers clashing out in a battle, hung behind the TV. Rika moved into the kitchen and was even more surprised. The kitchen was pretty spacious. A small fridge and a marble counter top were lined on the wall. A microwave sat ontop of the counter, followed by a coffee pot. A table on the other side of the room took up quite amount of space, but the place was nice all itself.
"Hey Rika! Come here!" Jeri called. Rika left the kitchen and was back into the living room. Jeri stood in front of the first door. "I'll take this room," she said. Rika nodded and walked down the small hall. She opened the door to the other room and entered.
The bedroom was half the size of the living room and had a nice four poster bed, and a small dresser. The carpet was almost of a gray colour, and the walls were a very light yellow. Rika smiled and threw her junk onto the bed, and left the room.
"Come on Jeri." Rika knocked on her door and entered. Her room was almost the same as Rika's but with a slight difference. It was a bit smaller but had a TV, and a computer of it's own. Rika looked at Jeri. "It's nearing five," she said, "let's go grab a bite to eat." Jeri nodded and they left the hotel room and headed for the elevator.
(A/N: I've never been to a hotel before, so instead, I described my house, haha. Well almost my house. Trust me, it's bigger then the discription makes it seem. Now on with the story.)
Rika pushed the down button, and the waited for the elevator to collect them.
"Oh Rika, let's go get Takato!" Jeri said. Rika sighed, and followed Jeri to the other rooms.
"Do you know which way his room is?" Rika asked. Jeri shook her head and knocked on room 117's door.
Rumiko answered and smiled, "Oh Rika, it's you honey. What do you need?"
"Nothing mother. We are looking for Takato's room." Rika said. "We're going for dinner wi-"
"Dinner? Oh sounds so good! Let me grab my purse!" Rumiko went into the room, and came out a few seconds later, followed by Rika's grandmother. "Let's go, let's go!"
Rika rolled her eyes, "fine. Let's grab everyone else then." She headed down the hall and noticed Jeri was at room 118. Ryo's head was popped out and he was smiling. He went back inside and came out moments later, followed by Kazu and Kenta. Takato and Henry came out of the last room and met up with them all.
"Hey Rika, a dinner with me. This should be interesting," Ryo said. She looked at him and frowned. He pulled her hair in an annoying manner and took off down the hall chuckling, leaving Rika fuming with anger.
"I'll kill him! I swear I will. You all just watch and see," Rika stamped down to the elevator after Ryo. The doors opened and Ryo went in, pulling Rika in with him. He pushed the button to close the door and hit the ground floor button. "Akiyama, what is the meaning of this?" She roared.
He smiled, "meaning of what Pumpkin?" He asked, all innocently. The elevator haulted and Ryo pecked Rika on the check and took off again, giggling. Rika turned red and stared at the spot he was just standing in. Shaking her head, Rika climbed out of the elevator and waiting for the others to get off the one beside.
A ding told Rika the elevator had finally reached the floor, and everyone climbed out. "Rika, you're looking a bit red." Rumiko smiled. Rika frowned and crossed her arms. She turned and headed for the door, Jeri close on her heels.
"Rika, what happened in the elevator?" Jeri interrogated.
Rika shrugged. "Nothing. Ryo was being a moron ... like always." Jeri giggled.
"So girls, how do you like your rooms?" Rika's grandmother asked.
"It is wonderful! Like a house of its own. Must have cost a fortune," Jeri said. Her eyes sparkled just thinking about the house-like hotel room they were going to sleep in that night.
"I'm glad you like it, Jeri. My manager had to pull some strings to get us in. After all, it is tourist season." Rumiko beamed. "Oh I just love it here!"
The nine made their way to a small, but cute, restaraunt. Opening the door to the small italian restaraunt, they found themselves surrounded by the loud chatter of hungry people. They were all sitting at the small – yet beautiful – wooden tables, laden with cutlery of sorts. Stepping in, Rika noticed a skinny man standing to her left, looking at them all. He smiled as he approached. "May I seat you?" He asked in his primary language.
"Si." Henry answered, adding a graceful, "Gracie." Rika gave him a questioning look. "I know some Italian words," he said simply.
The waiter swiftly and deftly flowed through the crowded area and had taken them out back into a sun-civered deck. The nine took their seats. Rika sat down between her mother and her grandmother. Ryo sat across from her, followed by Kazu and Kenta on each side. Henry sat beside Rumiko, and Takato and Jeri claimed a small table of their own. The waiter handed them each a menu and took off back into the crowd of people.
Rika peered at her menu. The choices for the main entree section didn't seem all that satisfying. "Ugh. Linguini, clam chowder, tomato soup? Who wants any of that? What a horrible menu."
"What's wrong Pumpkin," Ryo asked looking at her. Rumiko giggled and said something about how cute it was that he calls her that. "Don't like Italian food?"
"No. I just can't find anything worth dumping on you if you call me that again," Rika snapped. "I guess I will settle with the spaghetti. And a glass of fine Italian Wine."
"Wine? Rika, honey, you are too young for that." Rika's grandmother said. Rika grumbled and folded her arms. Ryo laughed.
The waiter came back and placed everyones orders and headed off again. Rika looked around as she awaited her food. Her attention was drawn to a rather crude, yet cute, painting on the wall. It was a family of very well-fed people sitting down to eat as the also well-rounded chef watches, pulling the chair out for the women. It made Rika wonder if all Italian restaurants were this traditional.
After a twenty or so minute wait, the waiter delievered the food with a smile. Everyone said their thanks and he took off again.
"Oh my, this is absolutely delicious!" Rumiko purred. She was savoring every second of her food. "Just fantastic!"
"I agree with you Rumiko. This is just wonderful," Rika's grandmother commented.
"Hey Rika, you hardly touched your food," Ryo observed. Rika rolled her eyes and ignored him. "And you got a bit of sauce on your face. Right about -" he reached over with his napkin and dabbed Rika's face, "-here."
Rika turned a shade of red and threw a meatball at him. "Ever do that again, it will be the whole plate." Everyone laughed.
After their delightful dinner, they left the restaurant and headed back to their hotel. It was getting pretty dark out. The sun was setting crimson low on the horizon as the birds began to sing their night songs. People were bustling about; the pedalers calling for people to look at their merchandise; the small cars hurtling through the narrow streets; women in elegant and sophisticated clothing looking in shop windows. From all around, smells of foods being cooked for dinner waft, and Rika herself could feel the excitement of food shared by these people. The small trees which lined houses sway slightly in the breeze, as hanging pots creek softly. These sunsets in Rome were always like that; full of gentle movement and a clam serenity that fills the very air, as the world around gets ready for another sweet slumber of Italy.
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A/N: Dun dun dun. Here is the long awaited chapter three. Sorry it was a little dull, but I did add in some forshadowing. Like Mr Shimizu on the phone with this mysterious person. And Ryo's love for Rika played out a bit, though Rika is too 'cool' to notice it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I know it's short but it's just leading up to the good stuff, I promise! Oh, and I can't take much credit for the description of Italy in the restaurant and the sun set. My best friend went to Italy, England, Paris, and where was that other place? I Donno, it will come to me. Anyways she went there in 2006 for a month. I had her describe to me the scenery. So see, it all isn't that lame since it's not a made up description HAHA. Anyways, stick around. I'll try to post the next chapter soon. Which is called, Chapter four – The Italian man and the Photo Shoot. By the way, I hope I get the point out there that I totally do not know what hotels even remotely look like. I googled some and I never really got anything I was particually looking for. So I guess you can call their hotel rooms a suite eh? Take care! And review please! Suggestions are also welcome you know smiles