-Beginnings: Part 3-

'Why am I here?' Kyoko felt like she walked into some Roman temple, even though she knew for a fact this room was actually Lory's home office. Lory himself sat a what looked to be a klinai styled couch. He wore a toga that covered one shoulder that was draped with red instead of the white she would have expected for a toga. Laying or more correctly leaning against his lap was a young looking woman with curly hair dressed much in the same manner while Lory fed her grapes as if this was an everyday thing. The fact remained they were both for the most part fully covered while Ruto was fanning the two of them, almost completely naked. Kyoko wanted to back out but taking any steps backward would mean running right into the chests of either Keiji or Cody.

"Darling is this her?" the very petite woman Kyoko spoke as she reached over for a glass of wine. At least Kyoko was sure it was wine based on the time setting that was clearly taking place now.

"Yes, this is my Kyoko," Lory said proudly.

Kyoko felt her head spinning "I'm Your what?" she turned to look at Cody and Keiji both who shrugged their shoulders as if to say this is a Lory. "Yes I know it's a Lory thing!" She gasped at the two of them for their lack of help in this matter "and Ruto is half naked!" she gasped before cringing at the fact that she had even said that much before turning beat red and covering her face. "I can't… I just can't... " she wanted out of here, she thought this sort of stuff was long since behind her even if it hadn't honestly been that long ago.

Cody looked towards Ruto before turning a questioningly look towards Kyoko, "Is he bad looking?"

Kyoko lifted her head up to look at Cody her eyes daring not to dart towards Ruto at all, "No…. I mean… I that's not what I mean! It's just not proper!" Somehow she felt even more sensitive to such things. How that was even possible was beyond her understanding.

Cody tilted his head some before looking towards Keiji who gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, slowly Cody turned back to look at her giving a faint smile, "But Kyoko-chan guys tend to go topless at the beach and sometimes just walking around for that matter." he said thinking about it "Or they show part of their chests too, it's really not that bad."

Kyoko eyes widen more in fear as she looked between the two teens as if the thought of them doing something like that was a horror all of its own, "Not… not that bad? How can you say that? I mean if I did that… I mean I wouldn't do that but if I did…" if she could have gotten any redder she likely would have been but instead, she refocused her mind to something that wouldn't fluster her as much. "Besides I never even been to the beach…"

Keiji raised an eyebrow at this, something flashed in his mind as he stared at the girl before him. His eyes turning towards Lory and then finally Ruto, "Perhaps it would be best for you to cover yourself a bit more. She seems fine with some chest showing based on Lory's earlier outfits." Ruto gave a small nod of his head and pulled some cloth up so that it now draped over his own shoulder.

Ruto turned towards her, "Kyoko-sama is this better?" Kyoko slowly turned her hands covering her eyes before slowly peeking between the fingers, a sigh of relief washed over her as she nodded her hands dropping to her side. Suddenly she felt able to face the room in general, as if the strangeness of the place no longer matter because everyone was properly dressed or at least dressed enough for her comfort.

Lory looked towards Jelly Woods, they shared something between them and she seemed to fully understand without a single word being spoken that this girl even with her past, was still rather innocent in nature. Jelly rose to her feet and made her way towards the Kyoko. Who took in the fact that the woman wa much smaller than her, but she was in Kyoko's eyes perfect somehow, "Hello, I'm Jelly Woods, but you can call me Ten-chan!"

"Oh... hello Ten-san" Kyoko bowed her head in a formal greeting "I'm Kyoko"

"Just Kyoko?" Jelly asked looked at her carefully.

"Yes… that's all that's left now." her eyes seemed to lost a bit of the glow. The darkness seemed to wrap around Kyoko's very being, her hand slowly running the rough hair of a unseen grudge as her eyes turned towards Lory, "How much have you told her Takarada-sama" her voice was cold, dangerous even. Yet if the man was bothered he showed no sign of it.

Keiji and Cody looked between each other watching the room carefully, they seemed to be the only two troubled by how the room seemed to grow darker, how Kyoko's sweet temperament seemed to for a moment completely disappear. Though Kyoko's voice was cold they both noticed that she was smiling ever so gently if it wasn't for those eyes. The coldness and darkness that seemed to surround her no one would have been able to tell her real feelings.

"Oh, she's just like that other child of yours," Jelly said simply as she looked at the girl before.

Kyoko felt like cold water had been dumped on her and she turned towards Jelly Woods. Lory grinned "No, that one is worse…" he rose to his feet and moved towards his desk pulling out a piece of paper. "Kyoko you haven't been here that long. Still, I had a feeling about you." He motioned towards her to sit. Kyoko stared at him for a moment unsure before moving to sit on the couch. Lory sat next to her before patting the spot next to him for Jelly. Ruto behind the three of them. Cody and Keiji sat on the only thing that looked like a modern couch across from her. Once everyone has settled Lory handed the piece of paper to Kyoko.

Her eyes scanned it "A birth certificate?" so this was to be her new life. Guess she was moving on from here now. Perhaps that's where Jelly Woods came into play. Still, it kind of hurt that she would be leaving here, she really had hoped that this place could become her home.

"Please look at it carefully Kyoko" Lory's voice was gentle, calming. She closed her eyes, she didn't realize she was going to actually miss this strange man with his weird hobby. Still, she might as well get it over with, after all, Kyoko had been given away at the age of seven by her own mother, then three months ago sold by someone she truly loved and trusted, to only end up being given to Lory a month ago. Why not be given to someone else? Perhaps that's just how her life would be until she turned eighteen.

Slowly Kyoko opened her eyes and really looked at the birth certificate before, her eyes shot up towards Lory "I don't understand. How… is this even possible?"

Lory chuckled as he leaned back, "Well my dear, when you have people helping you. Anything is possible. I won't force you of course if you don't like this. However, I would be honored to call you my daughter." He patted her on the head "However, I'm afraid if you accept, you will have to spend about a year with Cody and Keiji going to school in England."

Kyoko mouth opened and then shut tightly. "Why…?"

Lory closed his eyes and sighed "I did it with my son until his 16th year, which then allowed him to make the choice of where he wanted to go from there. It is only fair I do the same with my daughter. The school is for the elite, World Leaders all over the world send their children there. It is the best place for connections. I'm not talking about rich people, though it goes without saying that they have money. I went there too. You have been given a place thanks to Cody's mother, my cousin, the Queen of England. Fact you will stay with her at the palace. I'm afraid… we have to create a bit of story" he motioned towards Ruto who moved back to the desk and handed him a few clippings.

"You see Kyoko, you have been a very shy child, Well behaved of course… but you don't make friends easily… shall we say you have trust issues? The reason for it growing worse than before is that a few months ago you were kidnapped while outside wandering around England, someone noticed your uniform and knew what it meant… a ransom was paid for you. It was all rather hush, hush."

Kyoko looked down at the birth certificate in her hands 'It makes sense, it uses my past too. If I started out so shy and a loner then no one would question it. They would just miss me… maybe even bullied but my name ever really remembered, just that nameless child that gets forgotten. Yes, this could work.'

"Um, I notice my mother's name isn't listed," She said motioning towards the empty field, it was common for the father to be missing but the mother. Well, that only happened when a child was abandoned even if her mother had done that, she still knew who she was.

"Yes. I thought it was for best." Lory said leaning back some as he looked at her. The truth was her mother didn't want to be listed this time, though he got a feeling if it came down to it she wouldn't deny the girl either.

"Won't people question it?" Kyoko asked as she stared down at the piece of paper.

"Kyoko-chan you don't have a good relationship with your mother. This works well, sometimes in cases of royalty even a child born out of wedlock to someone who the mother or even the father has no desire to marry they simply give birth to the child but don't give their names. We have places that help hide information actually. The staff would know, the parent maybe should one keep the other, the child may never know the truth of the matter. Done this way, it could be assumed that Lory… your father told you." Cory smiled softly hoping she would understand what he was saying.

Keiji, "In other words Kyoko, you can have the pain of what it's like for your mother to leave you, even speak up about it if you wanted too. Yet you would refer to her as.."

"That woman…" she said emotionlessly "...have you contacted her?" she said looking at Lory for a moment.

"Yes…" he wasn't sure if he should say anything more.

Kyoko looked down slightly "Tell me.'

"She agrees to this, she believes this is for the best." he said squeezing her shoulder, "However should you ever wish to get in contact with her. I will do whatever I can to see that it happens." he meant that too.

Kyoko smiled sadly, "No… it's fine. Afterall, she wasn't really ever part of my life." no the truth was her mother only looked at her with disgust.

Jelly Woods patted Kyoko's arm softly as she smiled at her. It was time, in the petite's woman mind for something much more happier. "Kyoko it's time for you to create Darling's little girl whom he loves very much."

"Even if I'm like this? Even if I never really change or heal?" she asked barely above a whisper. The one thing she really knew about this man next to her was that he was all about love healing everything and romance was a huge part of this man's personality just as much as him dressing up as historical royalty was.

Lory reached over pulling her into a hug before kissing Kyoko on top of the head, "Yes but I think in time you can heal but I also know you will never allow yourself to be weak again." he said gently, "If you never find someone to walk with, that is alright too. You are my daughter now and forever."

Kyoko looked at him carefully before looking back down again, a soft smile played across her features as she handed him back the certificate, "When I next see you I'll be your daughter" she rose to her feet and looked at Cody "and I guess we will be family"

Cody smiled "More than that, Keiji and I are also your most treasured friends after all the three of us grew up together in this new story being told."

Keiji didn't smile as he looked at her, "besides we will be here when you are reborn. So in a way it's true. We will have known Takarada Kyoko from birth."

Lory handed the clippings that Ruto had given him "These are some photos of hairstyles and colors that I thought would look lovely with your eyes. Depending on what you choose, Ten will help you pick the best clothing. I want you to be you, the you that you always wanted to be. Whatever that may be."

Jelly rose to her feet, taking Kyoko's hand in her own she gave a slight bow of her head she smiled as she looked up at her "In the world of cosmetic makeup, they call me The Witch and with this name, I shall change your life Kyoko-chan"

A blush crossed her features "I'm in your care" she said with a small bow of her head as the smaller woman lead her way.

Shoutaro pushed his hands into his pockets as he walked towards Bakkin Hana he still had a ways to go on his dreams but he was so much closer, he could taste it. He had an interview and he wanted to tell someone. The only person he really could think to tell was Kyoko, that she would be happy to hear the good news right? Kyoko would know how to praise him, how to make him really feel like this was the most amazing thing without him having to flatter himself on his own. Shoutaro sighed, he had no choice then he would just buy her back, not that he felt he had to buy her back but he really didn't like having to take care of himself or paying for someone to help take care of him. Woman work was beneath him. Shoutaro would deny that Kyoko fluttering around him made him feel that much better about himself.

"Welcome back Fuwa," said the door guard man. The guy, however, didn't seem happy to see him at all. "Do you have an appointment?"

Shoutaro glared at him, "No. I just wanted to talk to my Kyoko"

"I'm afraid there is no one here by that name." the man said without even looking at his clipboard.

"Don't lie to me!" snapped Shoutaro, "I know for a fact you have her here."

The man looked down at his clipboard though it was clear he wasn't really reading it, "Sorry there are no flowers here by that name sir. Fact sir we never had flower by the name Kyoko."

"Doesn't matter what you call her Kyoko, is still Kyoko." The man didn't reply back he simply stood there as if Shoutaro was nothing more than a buzzing fly that he just didn't want to bother with. "Just tell your Boss I want to talk to him. I want her back."

The man pulled out his phone, moving down the screen "Come back after you called him and made an appointment Fuwa."

"Why the hell do I need to make an appointment to get my property back?" Shoutaro growled at the much taller and bigger man.

The man let out a sigh, it was clear on his face at that exact moment he didn't actually enjoy his job. He shifted his weight before looking at him carefully "Fuwa if I said to come back once you have an appointment." He held out his phone taking a picture of the young man before him. "It means come back once you have an appointment. Now if you want in to see some of our other flowers you can pay the entry price. If you want your name to remain off our records you can pay that price or you can leave. Those are your choices."

Shoutaro mentally sighed as he placed his hands in his pockets, "Fine how much is to get in?"

"25,000 yen" Shoutaro's mouth dropped at the amount. Not that it would have mattered to him if he had a real income or Kyoko paying for everything but at the moment he didn't have that.

"Why the hell does it cost so much?" There was also the added fact he didn't like the idea of spending that much to see Kyoko, she wasn't worth that much to see.

The man shrugged his shoulders, "You would have to ask Boss."

"Right, right" Shoutaro pulled out his id and the cash.

The doorman as Shoutaro didn't know his real name and didn't care enough to ask scanned the ID card before taking a picture of it, "I'm afraid I can't let you in sir" he said handing it back to him.

Shoutaro glared at him "Why the hell not?"

"You are only fifteen years old," he said putting the cash in his pocket. "At least not until the end of May, even then we don't tend to let sixteen-year-olds inside." not exactly true, just not men unless they were being sold which sometimes happened.

"What about my fucking money" Shoutaro growled at the much larger man, who didn't seem at all bothered by him.

The man grinned, "It's for wasting my time. Please leave"

Sho opened his mouth, he turned on his heel and stormed off. "Fine! I'll make a damn appointment!" he snapped before flipping him off. 'How dare him, how dare they treat me like that. Soon… soon I'll be a big you will regret treating me like that. You all will!'

"Darling~" Jelly woods walked into the room "and Gentlemen," she said turning on her heel she gave a slight bow "I present you with Takarada Kyoko, daughter of my Darling Lory, and goddaughter of Ruto" as she rose to stand straight as Kyoko entered.

Kyoko stepped into the room, her once long black hair was a chestnut hair girl and now a cut into a blunt bob, she had a fresh face with almost no makeup at all, and the important feature in Lory's mind was the fact she kept her golden eyes. Kyoko wore a long sleeve blue plaid dress, around her waist a simple belt with a silver belt bucket. Black stockings and black boots with just a couple inches of height.

Cody laughed happily as he saw the new her, "it's perfect Kyoko! You look like you grew up with my sisters!"

Kyoko lowered her head blushing softly as Lory cleared his throat trying to keep from becoming too emotional over the whole thing and moved towards her, lifting her chin to look at him. "My daughter looks beautiful."

"Thank you, daddy" before looking down again. Wondering if she shouldn't have spoken in English after all but it felt right. A girl who was raised in England with her cousins and friend, it just seemed like the correct way to speak. It still sounded like her true self in her mind but maybe it was wrong or he wouldn't like it. The worry began to show up on her face the more she thought about it.

Lory chuckled and pulled her into a hug "I like the sound of that" her eyes widen as she pulled back to look at him. Searching his face to see if that was lie or a trick but she saw nothing. Nothing but someone who seems to be proud, happy and maybe adoration. Fear washed over her before she looked down again, not wanting him to see that. "What's wrong sweetie?"

"No… nothing… nothing at all. I just…" she chewed her lower lip as she stepped out of his embrace as if trying to figure something out in her mind. Lory smiled allowing her to work out whatever it was she needed to. Slowly she seemed to figure something out and looked up at him "I wasn't expecting it. I just felt this is… this is who I am. Who I want to be…" she looked towards Jelly "Thank you Muse-sama" she said bowing towards the woman before turning to everyone else and once again bowing "Thank you all for allowing me to become my true self and accepting me into this world I've been reborn into." she lifted her head and smiled softly.

"Now Kyoko, I wanted to show you, your official school report" he said as Ruto held him the transcript "I want you to see how brilliant you truly are, also you will be leaving here in two days time, you will travel with your childhood friends Cody and Keiji back to your Great Aunt for school that starts next week." He sat down next to her as she took her seat "I will be joining you in two weeks time with your brother and Maria for a couple weeks. Your brother will likely leave prior to that though. Your brother is such a workaholic" he said with a sigh.

Kyoko nodded her head slowly as she opened the transcript before her eyes opened wide, perfect marks. This couldn't be correct "Umm… Daddy?" she wasn't sure how to even process this "There must be some mistake"

Keiji took the transcript from her hands "hm." he said showing Cody. Keiji wasn't dumb by any means of the words, he got straight A's in everything. Yet even his marks weren't that high.

Cody stared at them in shock, "Wow Kyoko you really are smart… they are perfect scores."

Kyoko shook her head in disbelief, "That's why there must be something wrong with that. I have never gotten perfect marks in anything" well that wasn't exactly true she got perfect marks in her homework or mock tests but never on days of tests.

"No… you always have," said Lory leaning back some, "my daughter has always gotten perfect marks and even if she didn't it wouldn't matter. It would just mean that the professors weren't good at teaching the subject" he said with a huff. He looked at her for a moment, "She is like her brother that way."

Kyoko stared at him, shock written all over her face "You… you must be joking!"

"Not at all. You did all the work. I gave you those sheets, they are the bases of your education in that system. Not only did you get perfect marks you did so in English." he said looking at her "I'm sure it's because my daughter is just too hard on herself that she thinks that she can't get perfect marks. Yet like I said, it just proves you are like your brother. So you must get it from me." He said with a grin, "Though I never did that well..."

"I… I see…" her eyes looked down at her hands 'maybe he changed them somehow…' she sighed mentally, it felt more like pressure to keep it up now than it ever did to try and get a perfect score to make her mother proud of her.

"Kyoko I did nothing to change the grades. I didn't correct them, I didn't pay for them to be changed. It was all you. Regardless you don't need to get perfect marks. Just study hard and rest the night before. No one expects perfection, at least not in our family. All that matters is you do your best." he said patted her on the head "Even if you are perfect and will only become more so each day"

Kyoko stared at the transcript not really wanting to focus on the way Lory, her father, was talking about her as if she could never do anything wrong, "So I'll be learning Russian and French?" changing the subject seemed the far better choice than deal with the bitterness that she could never get the perfect score she needed to make her mother happy or that her father wouldn't care as long as she did her best.

"Yes. You also will have lessons with your flute and Koto. Also you will be taking tap dancing with Cody and Dancesport with Keiji. Those are after-school lessons. Then you will have your core classes. If there is anything else you would like to learn we can discuss it." Lory said simply but Kyoko really didn't want to pile on too much until she got more use to everything that would be happening and even then she very well may not say anything just because if she said she was interested in something she had a feeling she would end up in lessons.

Kyoko looked up at the two teens across her "Are we in the same grade?"

Keiji shook his head some, "You can Cody are but your mathematics, you been moved up one level, so in that subject, we are the same grade."

Cody sighed heavily "I'm actually not that great at math... I never saw the need to be, whenever I want something I can just ask someone to get it or go myself with an escort of course." Keiji nodded his head agreeing slightly, yet unlike Cody his marks were much better in the subject. Cody struggled completely with math but Cody was able to keep up with everyone else in his level.

Kyoko stared at the two of them and got a funny feeling it was because they were so used to not having to worry about budgeting or saving money. 'That's going to be troublesome.'

Keiji took a deep breath "There is one more thing you should know." Kyoko looked up at him before he ran a hand through his hair "I know you have some issues with being touched. I figure it's because you expect me to want more. It's not something you need to worry about Kyoko. You're not my type."

The expressions that crossed her face must have read something along the lines of 'boring' 'dull' 'unattractive' before anger started to wrap around the core of her being. Even if she wasn't his type because of those things, he didn't need to say so.

Cody must have picked up quickly what was going on in her mind because he calmly spoke up, "Kyoko, when Keiji says that he means he's into men, you aren't his type because you are a woman."

Kyoko mind was wiped clean at that very moment "oh…" she had no other words as she let that sink in before she began to smile as she looked at Keiji, "So that means you can be like a female friend to me?"

Keiji twitched "No!" he snapped then sighed heavily at the hurt expression on her face "I'm a guy just like any other guy only I'm not sexually attracted to the female form. I don't even like shopping, makeup or any of those more feminine hobbies."

Cody patted Keiji on the shoulder before looking back at Kyoko "You can't tell anyone either Kyoko, while it's not a big issue to his family or friends it is to many other people. He's trusting you because we are friends." Kyoko nodded her head.

Then something hit her, something that she couldn't believe she had forgotten in the midst of it all, "One more thing," she said looking towards Lory "Does Maria know?"

Lory shook his head, "Not yet. I wanted to make sure you accepted this choice before I told her. Your brother, my son does know. He help prepare this along with several others." He smiled as he wrapped an arm around her hugging her slightly, "She will be happy to hear the news, she adores you."

Kyoko nodded her head slowly not sure how to take it all in yet, she was happy but she was fearful of messing everything up. "Then we should tell her at dinner… Which I should start making." Looking towards the woman next to Lory she smiled "Will you be joining us Muse-sama?"

Jelly Woods stared at her for a moment slightly confused for just a second when Kyoko switched from English to Japanese. Jelly couldn't help smiling "Yes… I would be delighted to join you and Darling." Kyoko blushed slightly as she realized that she hadn't needed to switch at all the woman could clearly speak and understand English just fine.

Turning away some she placed a hand on her cheek thinking, "I suppose I'll make brisket tonight."

Keiji threw his hands in the air "Thank all the gods!" he said falling back against the couch.

Kyoko raised her eyebrow at him before shaking her head excusing herself and leaving. Once the door closed Jelly looked at Lory "She is adorable, she can really pull off any look and look different Darling… but she's missing something." Lory knew this already and the fact that even Jelly could see it proved that it was really bad.

Cody smiled softly at the woman "Don't worry Ten-chan."

Lory closed his eyes he had to push that away, for the time being, focus on the happy thoughts right now. Still, he couldn't let it go completely as he spoke up "Kyoko is able to accept family love… the love of friendship as well… but her heart… I'll have to think of some way to fix that." Both his children's hearts for that matter and one Godson's heart as well.

Keiji "Please leave us out of it." he said standing up "Come on Cody. We better make sure she doesn't change the menu plans"

Cody grinned "Well the best way to assure that is not to do anything to make her mad"

Keiji "hm" he agreed slightly as he placed his hands in his pockets and walked out of the office behind Cody.