- Sold: Part 1-

They had only been here for a few weeks now since running away from home, they were alone, with no aid or help. At least that's what Shoutaro believed. The truth of the matter was his mother and father were sending them money or correctly they were sending the funds to Koyko to assure their safety. Still, the income wasn't much as Shoutaro was used to a certain standard of living. His allowance had always been several times more than Koyko's being the son and heir to the Fuwa Inn.

Koyko not wanting to worry them, was good at giving them reports between her last job and making it home to cook dinner for Shoutaro. It was hard having to work three jobs and she was starting to look for a fourth now that she had to quit the last one a few weeks ago. Things were tight but it was all for the man she loved, who had chosen her, no one else to help make his dreams come true. She would stand by his side and when all the hard work was over, life would get easier.

His hold on her wrist was tight as he dragged her through the busy streets of Tokyo. To quickly for her to really look around."Shoutaro... you're hurting me." The young man glared back at her and she clamped her mouth shut in the silent command, knowing that it really didn't matter if she did end up having a bruise by the end of the night. Taken a deep breath she quickens her step but at the same time making sure that she was never in front or right next to him. Even with the years of being trained to not complain, she felt safe enough with him to try again after a few minutes. "Shoutaro..."

Shoutaro sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, "We have to hurry... or we will be late." His grip didn't loosen but he had at least slowed down so Kyoko wasn't running after him. It was this small act of kindness that had caused Kyoko to have a soft smile as she stared down at her feet as she hid the blush that appeared.

"Late for what?"

"Kyoko... will you still do anything to help me with my dream?"

"Yes! Of course, I will!"

"Good because this will help. Trust me okay. Would I really let anything bad happen to my favorite girl?" Kyoko's face turned up towards him. The last three words took her breath away. It was all that was needed; she followed with no more questions.

The building they came to was large; she saw no windows but it had to be at least two floors. There was a single door right smack in the middle with two guards all in black. The only real clue Kyoko had was the neon pink sign with a rather perky outline of a woman wearing a top hat, sitting on top of the words "Bakkin Hana." She knew for a fact they didn't sell flowers.

"Don't worry Kyoko." She felt the urge to run but instead, Kyoko was frozen in place. Shoutaro's gently trying to pull her after him. "Kyoko? Don't you trust me?" Kyoko looked up at him, her mouth opened yet she could not find her voice. Slowly she lifted her head back up toward the sign and then down towards the two men standing guard at the entrance. "It's just a nightclub. The real start for my dreams is going to begin here." Kyoko's eyes shot towards him and his eyes told her that he wasn't lying.

Kyoko, "Really?" Shoutaro smiled at her. Kyoko followed without a second thought to her own wellbeing. Just like when she had left home to be with him. He wanted her to be there with him when it all began. The thought that he was again choosing her to be the one by his side took her breath away. "Today things will get easier right?"

Shoutaro, "Yeah, the money is really good. I can't pass it up." Kyoko nodded her head as he led the way to the two guards in black.

Stopping in front of the two very heavy set men who Kyoko was pretty sure could pick both of them up and toss it to the curb with ease. The one on the left held a clipboard in his hand while the partner wore shades and stood with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Fuwa Shoutaro" The man with the clipboard scanned the list, nodded and held out his hand. Shoutaro muttered under his breath before pulling out his wallet and showing them his ID. Expecting that it would be enough he looked at him motioning for him to hand it over. Shoutaro swore again under his breath. Kyoko found herself taking a step away from Shoutaro, fear written all over her face but rather it was for herself or Shoutaro blatant disrespect it was unclear.

The man with the clipboard took out his phone, took a picture, then another picture of Shoutaro then handing his ID back to him. Shoutaro took it and put it back into his wallet. As he was going to shove it back into his pocket, the man on the right put a hand on his shoulder. "One more, hold out your ID please." Shoutaro sighed heavily before flipping his wallet open showing his ID and held it to his face. Another picture and the man put his phone back in his pocket. He flipped a few papers over before pulling out another sheet and handing it to Shoutaro.

"Sign," said the guy on the left, handing him a pen. Shoutaro signed his name. "Date it" he muttered as if he was too stupid to think about it himself. He took it, turned and gave a faint smile. "If you would, miss." As Kyoko took the piece of paper, he leaned forward some and tapped the place where it said, witness. She nodded and signed Mogami Kyoko on the line and dated it before handing it back to him. "Thank you…" he said looking at the name "Mogami-san." There was something in his voice that had bells screaming in her head but Shoutaro's grip on her wrist was back as the door was opened by the man with glasses, "I'm very sorry, Mogami-san" his voice was low but the panic in her heart had her staring at him as she was pulled inside.

The inside dim lights to give off a romantic feeling. Dark wooden tables scattered around the room. At each table had at least two large chairs but no more than four at any given section. There were the golden picture frames with little pedestals on one side to help break up the room. Between these pedestals were red couches and chairs giving off a gathering area between the tables and the couches. The empty pedestals appeared to be used for some kind of entertainment. Everything in the room faced the stage that gave off a catwalk like feel to it. On either side of the stage was a door. On the left side of the stage was the bar. The acholic display being lit up from underneath but unlike most bars, there was not a single place to sit at the bar.

A single man dressed in white leaned against the bar, staring up that ceiling. A cloud of smoke trailing up above him from his cigarette. Kyoto stood there taking this all in when she felt the man in white turned to look at her. She didn't notice the man who had to lead them moving behind her.

"Excuse me." Kyoko spun around to face him before everything went black and she was caught in the man's arms.

"What the hell did you do?" Shoutaro was pissed. Kyoko was leaning against the guy in black. The man pulled Shoutaro's hand away from Kyoko's wrist. Shaking his head he tilted her face slightly. "That's my property!" Shoutaro reached back for her but the man lowered his shared slightly causing Shoutaro to freeze in his spot.

"Yo, Tomi."

"Yes, Mick?" The man in white looked towards him for a moment. Mick looked towards Kyoko for a moment. Tomi moved forward. His movements made him seem more like a ghost than a living man. Until he was standing in front of him. His hair barely hiding his red eyes as they looked Shoutaro up and down.

"The girl Doc," said Mick simply.

Tomi's eyes turned from Shoutaro as he carefully took Kyoko into his arms. "50 kgs, hm?" He shifted her slightly, "Correction, 49.3 kgs. Age?"

Shoutaro stared at him, his mouth hanging open for a second. He looked away before coughing and muttering under his breath. "14 but she'll be 15 December 25th."

Tomi kept his eyes on Shoutaro. "Weight is that of a 13-year-old and about 11th months."

Shoutaro looked back at him before looking at Mick. "I swear she's almost 15. I know she looks plain and boring but she's a hard worker. She can clean, sew, cook…" He ran a hand through his hair when he finally noticed that they didn't seem to care.

Mick, "Take Mogami-chan to the back, examine her. I'll take Shoutaro to Boss."

Shoutaro found himself starting to feel uncomfortable with the way Tomi was looking at him. Relief washed over him when he heard that he would be leaving with Kyoko elsewhere. However, he followed just watching him. Shoutaro turned to look at him. "Why do you keep staring at me?" he snapped.

Mick grinned at Shoutaro. "He much rather examine you."

Shoutaro relaxed completely before flashing one of his best smiles. "Sorry I don't swing that way, you'll just have to deal with her." He motioned towards Kyoko who in his arms.

Mick shrugged, "Well if you ever need some money, let us know. This way." Shoutaro made to sure not to let Tomi get too close to him as he walked around the man, following Mick. Shoutaro scratched the back of his head sighing as he once again looked behind him only to find Tomi following them.

Tomi broke away from Mick and Shoutaro his focus never leaving the brown haired boy with blue eyes. Once Mick opened boss' door Tomi looked down at the girl he held. Nothing played across his features, as he turned in the small hall and kicked opened the door on the right. Using his foot to close the door Tomi laid her down on the examining table.

"Pardon me," he said before cutting open her dress. His hands moving down her body "157.6 cms, taller than average for her age." He cut the rest of her clothes away. Hands moving across her body but not lingering in any one location. "Breast size 60, no noticeable difference in size, average. Virgin. Fair skin..." Rolling her over to her side he ran his hand down her hips. "Nice hips, good for bearing children." He rolled her once more to her back. "Hair is black, straight, falls just below her shoulders."

He opened one of her eyes. "Eyes…. Muddy brown." Just as he was about to release her eyelids he paused for a moment. Leaning in he looked closer before using his other hand to pull out a contact lens. A grin slowly forming across his features. "Interesting." Moving away he grabbed a sheet and pulled it over her body. Once down he sat upon his chair and pulled the phone closer to him. He cast one look towards the girl on his table and making a call.

"Hello Boss, I got a few tests left, but she looks good. Ask the boy if she has allergies or eye issues." He reached into his pocket pulling out a pack of cigarettes. "I'll wait a moment." He pulled a smoke out of his pack slipping between his lips as his boss repeated the kid's words. "I'll make a note of it." Tomi hung up the phone and spun in his chair his eyes looking at the Kyoko for a moment as he pulled out his lighter and lit his cigarette. "What are you hiding little girl?" He said spinning back towards his desk and pulling out his laptop.

Shoutaro sat in front of the man they called Boss. The man looked more like a gangster than a businessman, tattoos wrapped around his neck and seemed to go downwards to his chest. He was however dressed well, his hair slicked backed and steel grey eyes looked at him as he kicked his feet up. He hadn't bothered to say anything to the boy before him. Boss set a single file laid on his desk taking in the sight of the boy in front of him. Shoutaro found himself starting to fidget under the pressure.

After about 10 minutes he finally sat forward and opened the folder. Inside were several pictures of Kyoko doing housework, a few in her work uniforms. "You'll be responsible for calling the places she worked. I don't care what you say other than the truth of course. You are not allowed to say nothing about this place. She is to be dead to the world which…" he said moving a few pieces of paper, "seems she pretty much disappeared from any official records when she was 7 years old. "I can't even find school records…"

"Yeah, I couldn't go any further than that…" Shoutaro said leaning back "That's when she officially moved into my family's business. So I could only erase up to then. Which was a real pain." Boss said nothing "I had to reach out to some of the girls I knew back in Kyoto. With promises that once I hit it big, I'll send them some tickets with VIP passes and show them my thanks." He ran his fingers through his hair, kicking his feet back on the coffee table, "It's such a bother being so loved."

Mick grunted, "I'm sure…" he muttered under his breath if Shoutaro heard, he said nothing. Boss flipped through a few more things when his phone rang, picking it up.

"Tomi." He nodded and then looked towards Shoutaro, "does she have any eye problems? Allergies?"

Shoutaro opened one eye. "Yeah, she has allergies. Nothing serious, just normal pollen stuff."

"Allergies" there was a pause and then he hung up. "It seems we are good. Once you finished the task of making her disappear here, I'll give you a call. In the meantime, we have more tests to run. So the girl will remain with us." Shoutaro opened his mouth to say something but Boss pulled out a brown paper bag stopping Shoutaro's thoughts. "For your time." Boss tossed the bag at him. "You have a week to tie up your loose ends."

Kyoko opened her eyes. Her body felt heavy and cold. Slowly sitting up she looked around the room, it looked more like a doctor's office. Kyoko's head snapped towards the door as it opened and in stepped the man in white.

"Hello Mogami-chan!" he said cheerfully as he held out a robe. "I'm afraid we had to remove your clothes. I had to give you a proper exam after all." Her eyes widened. Quickly looking down she down at herself, seeing nothing but the sheet. Snatching the robe from his hand she held it to her chest. Tomi held both hands up turning around. "Please get dressed."

Kyoko promptly put the robe on and tied it shut before looking back at him. "Why am I here? Why was an exam needed? Where are my clothes?"

Tomi turned towards her for a moment before sitting in his chair. "Your clothes are gone. Everything you had on you is also gone."

Kyoko's face paled, "Even… Corn?"

Tomi tilted his head "Corn?" as he reached into his pocket pulling out his lighter and a cigarette.

"He's a blue stone…"

Tomi grinned cutting her off. "Did you have it with you?" Kyoko nodded her head slowly. He lit his cigarette, inhaling the smoke as he studied her. "Then I'm afraid it's gone." She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks as she tilted her head upwards. Tomi watched her carefully, she cried for 15 minutes before she seemed to calm down enough to listen. "Now I will answer your questions…" He had long since finished his cigarette by the time she had stopped.

Kyoko fist was balled up over her heart but with her nod he leaned back, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it. After taking a couple of puffs he kept an eye on her carefully. "You have been sold Mogami-san." Kyoko's head turned towards him. She had not missed the fact he hadn't used 'chan' this time and this hit her hard. Tomi went on as though the blank expression on her face hadn't been noticed. "They'll want to train you. Virgins pay more. That won't help you, you'll still need to be taught how to please a man. The training will make it clear if you will end up as one of their Flowers or if you will be sold as a Rare Flower to another party. What happens to you after you are sold well no one will care about."

Tomi couldn't believe this girl. He found himself watching her carefully as he spoke about her future. It had been some time since he had told them more than they had been sold. Yet there he was telling her more than he had originally planned to do so. Not since when he started working here when he came to the conclusion that telling them tended to make things worse. Not only that but it wasn't as if he took any joy in this so-called 'good work.' No, as far as they cared his so-called criminal record him being here a given. Add in that there was a reason for him being here and he just didn't have the energy to care about explaining anything passed being sold. That made her fascinating more so as the room began to darken around her, creating a small black void of light with her at the center, slowly spreading outwards sucking in all the light around them.

"Did Shoutaro say why?" Tomi couldn't pick up a hint that she was scared. No, she had inner darkness that he rarely saw. Not even the Boss' aura seemed to get as dark as this girl seemed too.

"Yeah, when he first came in. I overheard him talking to Boss. Seemed he brought you here because he's some sort of Prince and he didn't want to work. Sounded like you were the housekeeper and your part-time jobs weren't cutting it. He was growing tired of you not being there all the time to take care of him. Well, that's paraphrasing what he said. Mostly he kept repeating about how you are plain, boring and ugly."

Kyoko began to laugh, the room seemed to only grow darker as she did so. "I see…"

Tomi was surprised but was finding himself quickly interested in the young girl. "You are interesting one aren't you?" That seemed to take her by surprise. Tomi went on as if he didn't notice. "To be honest you're above average, a bit underweight, you'll grow and fill out more in a few years. Still, I'm more interested in why you hide your true eye color. Golden Amber… they are truly your best selling point." Tomi found himself watching her carefully. There seemed to be waves of dark energy pulsing coming from her but nothing like before, almost as if slowly calming down.

"Pardon me…. I know I've been sold but… I don't know what to call you. May I ask you what is your name?"

Tomi was surprised. This girl was different than all the others that he had come across. It wasn't that you didn't get your strong-willed women but this one, she was on a different level altogether. He knew that Boss and the others would want to keep her for their personal flowers. He felt the urge to do something about that. "You can call me Tomi, or Doc if you like." Most just referred to him as Doc, only those who thought themselves his better dared to call him Tomi.

"Tomi-sensei..." Again she surprised him. When she spoke it was clear and should her strength. "I ask you don't tell your Boss..." she trailed off clearly not sure what else to refer to the man who had bought her. Kyoko lowered her head in a perfect bow.

Tomi turned away from her for the first time since she awoke. Putting out his cigarette he turned back towards her. She hadn't moved from the position clearly waiting for his answer. "Depends on the answer to why." She lifted her head, her back straight. She had been trained well. Tomi recalled the answer that the boy had given about her having allergies. That was not the true answer and it had been her eyes that caused his interested in her in the first place. If it turned out that she did it for that boy, he would simply write her off as a lost cause. He tapped the side of his eyes, "Why hide them?"

"My mother… you see apparently it's the main thing that reminded her of my father. I never met him but I wanted to make her happy. So when I was five years old I learned how I could change my eye color and began to hide them. People just assumed that my eyes had finally settled… no one knows the truth but the nice eye doctor who helped me and you Tomi-sensei."

"I see. I'll keep it hidden… on one condition." She lifted her head and Tomi knew he might regret what he was about to do as he sighed. "Rare Flowers are the ones they don't think will make it after they are first deflowered… they deem them too broken to be of any use and to make them any money. When they begin your training… you need to make them believe you are of no use. Fight… and then just stop. Don't cry, don't show fear. Can you do that Mogami-san?"

"Why… why do you want to help me?"

Tomi leaned back in his chair pulling out another cigarette from his pack as he lit it and stared at the ceiling again seemingly lost in thought. Kyoko stood straight watching him but making no move. After a while he spoke, "I'm not and to be honest I should put you down for a normal flower." He held his hand up so she wouldn't speak. "It's your aura that makes you alluring. I find it interesting and there isn't much that I do."

"Keep in mind Mogami-san everyone here will treat you nice, the Flowers will tell you how wonderful it is. Then you will begin your training in a day or two. They will try to make sure you fall in line with the rest of their Flowers. Like I said you are above average in looks. I'd give you another couple of years, add some makeup and you'll likely become one of the beauties of Japan. You already have the eyes and aura to pull it off if you wanted."

Tomi rose from his seat. "I'll mark you for Rare Flower for the time being..." He paused looking at her once more sighing heavily in annoyance. "And make a note that I want to see you daily during the next two months." He rose his hand again stopping what he was sure was a thank you. "Don't think too much into it, they like to have their Flowers depend on one person." A slow grin formed. "That boy did say you were a great cook and housekeeper. I could use that. That will be my reasoning. Yes and I've had others." Though he grew bored with them and they didn't make it in the end. He put his cigarette out and looked at Kyoko once more. "Don't become a Dead Flowers they have no worth. Dead Flowers are a waste of resources and they won't put up with that." With that, he motioned for her to follow him. "Please look heartbroken Mogami-san," he said leaning over her shoulder.

"Thank you Tomi-sensei…" her voice was just as low and for a strange reason. It pained him.