-Gathering: Part 5-

Ren was hiding in his dressing room, hiding was the correct word for it, it was a long day and Kimiko had such a minor role it made no sense for her to be here. Then again lots of women liked to hang around when they had free time to do so. White's day was coming and she was making it clear she was waiting for his gift. He stared at his own reflection in the mirror 'it's always the same isn't it Kuon?'

'Yes…' he could almost see the blond hair, emerald eyes of his true self in his reflection. Their face but right now he only saw Kuon staring back at him. What he saw was a deep sadness, only when they were alone would he allowed his true emotions to show.

'They don't really know either of us, yet they all want to be that one.'

Kuon smile sadly at him, 'Hasn't it always been that way? Everyone wanting something from us? Every woman and child… none of them saw our pain.'

Ren ran a hand through his hair before looking back at the reflection of himself that only he could see in that mirror because so few knew the truth it was better that way. It's better this way, 'Is it?' Kuon's voice asked him

The knock on his door caused him to turn away from his reflection, from Kuon. "Ren the director is calling everyone."

"Alright, thank you. I'll be out in a moment." Closing his eyes he took a deep breath looked at his reflection one last time, no longer seeing Kuon he nodded his head and walked out.

Kyoko sat on the bed next to Maria "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Kouki was heading back to American today. She knew the little girl was upset but she refused to talk to her about her feeling when it came to Kouki, she placed a hand on the back of her head petting her, "You don't have to worry about him traveling you know."

"I'm not worried" the words came out harsh as she leaned into Kyoko's side. The lie was clear to Kyoko when she had left to come to England she had been upset and the day she left, she had refused to come to see her off. What Kyoko did know was that her mother had died in a plane crash and that had been the start of her fear perhaps. The thought that any time someone left on one it would crash but how could she make her understand that wasn't going to happen.

Still, her being with them on the plane didn't seem to cause the same fears in her yet Kyoko doubted it. According to Lory and Ruto when she had asked them, she had been rather a delight, talking happily even fell asleep at one point. So was that an act, or was it true? Kyoko eyes trailed towards the little girl 'Perhaps it is the knowing vs the unknown. The fear is still there but she can relax more by being with the person she cares about. Their fates being tied'

"Oba-san" she whispered in Japanese.

"Yes, Maria-chan?"

"Do you think I could borrow your powers?" Maria looked up at her hopefully, before Kyoko moved towards a little sewing kit. She watched as Kyoko pulled out a small doll that looked like Kouki "Why do you have a voodoo doll of Papa?"

Kyoko smiled softly and knelt in front of Maria as she sat on the bed. "Well, it's not a voodoo because we love your Papa."

"Then what is it?"

"A poppet, you can cast spells on them. They can help the person they represent." Holding out the mini-Kouki to her "I'll teach you the first spell you need to do to make it work alright." she placed her other hand over the doll. Before removing her hands "Don't take your eyes off of him alright?" Maria nodded her head. "Little one you have been made and now I give you life." She began Maria repeated every line as Kyoko paused "I name you Takarada Kouki, His body is your body. His breath is your breath, his passion is your passion. his blood is your blood. Though separate you were. Now you are one."

Maria a finger across his face before looking up at her "Now what do we do Oba-sama?"

Kyoko moved to her dresser pulling out a little notebook that she had written out. "There is a list of spells you can do but there is one thing that needs to be clear. When the wish has come true, you need to break the bond the correct way."

"What's the correct way?" She held the little book in her hand. "It's all written here. I recommend you cast a protection spell…" she said flipping a few pages, before showing it to her. "When you have cast it you need to wrap it up a white cloth, to protect it from harm."

"You mean I can do this each time Papa leaves?"

"Yes… and every time he gets to where he needs to go, you break the bond again." Maria looked at the little doll in her hands before jumping off the bed and launching herself onto Kyoko. "You cast a spell." she said picking up Maria and moving towards the closet pulling out a small box "Everything you will need is right here. Make sure you clean up your spellwork when you are done" Maria nodded her head.

Kouki sat across from Lory and Kyoko. It would be a small farewell, Kyoko had gotten out of class today just to see off her brother. He sighed as looked down at his hands. Kyoko looked up towards Lory as he spoke, "She just doesn't like saying goodbye..."

Kouki smiled sadly, "I know… because she lost her mother..." he sighed held so much heartbreak that Lory reached over patting his son's leg.

"She's still young, she doesn't understand yet. Give her some time."

Kyoko looked down at her hands "You are wrong father."

Lory looked towards her, "How do you know?"

Kyoko's hands balled into fists while holding the edges of the dress. "Even a child can understand such things. Maria understands better than most people." Closing her eyes she tried to hold the pain inside of her 'I cried every time my mother walked away, it didn't change anything. She still walked out. What would crying do her? Kouki will still go, he will still leave for work. He will still be far away from her.' lifting her head she smiled, a perfect business smile, the smile that hides all her pain all the sadness that threatened to come spilling out.

"Maria is saying goodbye to her Papa the only way she can. She's asking for his protection, she doesn't want her Papa to worry about her. That's why she won't come and say goodbye. She might not be able to keep her brave face up if she does."

Kouki smiled softly at her "is that so?"

Kyoko nodded her head "I'm sure of it. After all, you two don't know how to talk to each other since Lina is not there, she has to learn a new way to talk to you. So don't give up, I'm sure in time both of you will learn how to talk to each other again."

Lory watched her as 'the way she can understand people's pain…' he looked out the window 'it's almost like my ability to understand love… and both of my children are broken when it comes to the romantic love.'

Sho was in one of the offices of Akatoki Agency, Umeiki sat in one of the chairs, along with a man he didn't know. "Congrats Fuwa Sho." Umeki smiled warmly, "Your Debut has hit number 1 on Japanese music charts."

She slide the piece of paper so he could see, Sho couldn't help but want to jump up and down but that isn't cool so he, of course, didn't do that. 'Take that Tsuruga.' the grin that played across his lips didn't go unnoticed by either person in the room. As he looked at the demographic teen girls before tapering off with women about 25 years old. 'Well I don't want old hags for fans this is good, plenty of mature women this way' he mentally nodded to himself.

"You did so well we believe it's only right that you have a manager" she motioned towards the man next to her, Sho lifted his eyes from the sheet his eyes looking towards the man sitting next to her.

"I'll take a manager but it's not going to be a guy." The man gave him a wary smile, clearly, he was used to this sort of treatment because it didn't seem to bother him at all. At least not that Sho could tell.

Umeiki was startled by this "Fuwa-san, he will also be able to protect you from your fans. Many male actors have male managers that help them."

"A real man doesn't need another man to protect them." he mentally added that he was not a weakling like Tsuruga. "Besides he will ruin my image, my sales will drop. A guy protecting me? Don't be ridiculous how do you think that will me look?" he said pushing the piece of paper back at her. "Women don't want weak guys. They want to feel assured that their man can protect them" he leaned forward "nothing personal" he said looking at the guy.

"Of course not." His smile never faded from his face.

Umeiki sighed softly, "Well it's in your right to reject the manager, let me see who we have who can take you on." she bowed her head towards the man "I'm very sorry."

"No worries, I rather not manager such a person anyways Umeiki-san," he said getting up before looking at Sho carefully, "I think it worked out for us both." he bowed his head and walked out of the office.

Umeiki sighed watching the man leave, 'I was so sure that he would be perfect for this child too, he clearly is a handful but if he does as good as his debut and projected outcome for his success he might just become are the highest talent.' looking back towards Sho, she said the words she was sure she would regret. "What type of manager do you want Fuwa-san?"

"Well minus being able to manage things, they need to be a female and single of course. Someone a pretty so when my fans see her they wish they could be her."

"I see… alright, give me a moment. I'll be right back."

Miroku watched as Reino stared at his phone. It was ringing again, "I thought they stopped bothering you."

"No… he got bored… now he wants someone to play with…" Reino flipped open his phone answering it, "Hello Authoritet." he knew that Tomi hated that title, though he didn't officially claim the family, he had no out because of who his father was. Rather or not he would become the head didn't matter, if he didn't he would still hold that kind of power in the family.

"Reino~" the man on the phone sounded way too happy. "So she did talk to you or did you see it?" Reino mentally sighs, he knew that he wasn't actually happy. His emotions were normally fake what people expected him, a way to let one's guard down.

"Does it matter?" He already knew the answer even before he said anything.

"No, not really," Reino noted that his voice sounded bored. Not a good sign, never a good sign he pitied whoever Tomi took an interested in and more so whoever stood against him.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, you wound me, can't an uncle call his nephew without wanting anything?" Normal families perhaps ran like this but not his mother's side of the family. It's why she never talked about them, no it was more like she knew what they were but pretended she didn't and by pretending she could get away with not having to take part.

"No," he said simply.

"Boris is there in Japan but you know that don't you?" Reino mentally flinched at the images that had come to mind when he patted his shoulder. He must have paused too long "No worries, he was there for me I'm sure. He won't hurt you, he's not allowed too."

Boris only listened to Vas "Unless Pakhan says something." no that wasn't completely true.

"Do you think I would let him hurt you?"

"If you are bored enough maybe." Reino knew that he really wouldn't, they were too much alike they did things based on their moods, they didn't let people get close for different reasons. They both spent to much time around death. Though Reino had to admit his way of being around the dead was far more amusing than what Tomi had been forced to deal with all for the sake of The Family.

"Then I guess you shouldn't bore me" there was no humor, no hint that he was a jest and without him right there with him, he couldn't read him. "I have something I want you to do for me."

"I figured as much." Reino matched his tone.

"Look at your messages." Reino pulled his phone away and looked in the box, 'Fuwa Sho' putting the phone back to his ear "let me know if you hear anything about him, not in the news of course. I'll talk to you soon." Reino sighed as the other side of the phone tone kicked in. He pulled up the text with the single name.

"What you looking at Reino?" Reino held the text message from the unknown number with the single name. "Fuwa Sho? The guy who just hit the top of the Japanese music charts.?"

"I have no idea." he said simply "I don't tend to care about what's going on in the living world."

Umeiki stared at the woman walking towards her, her long wavy brown hair and green eyes caused the Umeki to frown, it was common knowledge that she was only half Japanese. Still, would that kid agree to someone like her? Umeiki couldn't think of anyone else who fit his requirements and would actually be able to handle him. She was talented no matter how you looked at it, but so far she managed no one, she had wanted a female talent but they were many times jealous over the woman's body. "Aki-san"

Shoko smiled at the woman softly "Hello Umeiki-san, you said you needed me?"

Umeiki smiled softly at her as she looked at the woman "Yes, we have a very new talent who may just become our biggest talent in a long time." Her eyes darted towards the door "He requested a female manager."

"I see…" she placed a hand on her cheek "I was hoping for a female talent…" she trailed off some.

"Yes… I know. Still, we need you to take care of him. We really can't lose him to LME.. they would love to have someone like him I'm sure."

Shoko sighed softly, "I understand." she really did LME was known for its talents, it wasn't that Akatoki didn't stand pretty much even with them when you looked at just Japanese talents. It was when they went international that the differences between the two of them really grew. LME was known worldwide. It didn't help that Hozu Shuuhei was one of their superstars even after his death the man that came from his ashes was even more famous, and his wife was just as famous and she was not Japanese she had been one of their Russian talents. Now they had Tsuruga Ren and he was quickly going to take over Hozu in no time.

"So you accept?" Umeiki asked her.

"It is the job you are asking of me, besides it would be foolish to turn down an offer to someone who is rising start in Showbiz."

Umeiki bowed her head "that's wonderful news, thank you Aki-san" she motioned for her to follow her through the door. "He's right inside here. His name is Fuwa Sho."

Ren sat next to Kijima leaned against the wall staring up at the darkening sky next holding out his hand as Kijima reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his cell phone handing it over to him. "When are you going to get your own?" His voice carried how tired he was while Ren texted someone they sat in silence while they waited lost in their own thoughts.

"It's almost time…" no sooner were the words out of his mouth then the phone began to ring, flipping it open he hit speaker.

"Are you alone?" came Haru's voice.

Kijima shook his head slightly "Yes, but you are on speaker."

"I will send you the detailed report after I hang up but it seems the Good Doctor has a problem."

Kijima chuckled softly "Yeah I think we got that figured out."

"I spoke to two people, I recorded their statement and should it be required they are willing to testify against them. Their names are Matabei and Chie. I will send those as an attachment for you."

Ren "anything else on the records?"

"Yes, it seems Komiya corrects a lot of their work, the reason they work those hours seems to play into account of their daughter she has Fibrous dysplasia of bone, there is no cure. The girl needs the hospital, with that knowledge it is easy to use him."

Ren "Send me everything."

"Of course." with that the phone went dead and another buzz. Ren pretended to open the files, things that would likely be added after the fact, he held the phone to his ear, pretending to listen to some record conversation before handing the phone to Kijima who made the same motions.

"So what's your plans for Komiya?" Kijima asked once he pretended to be completely done.

"Nothing… they are a good doctor. We only have one target. Shall we go see the Good Doctor?"

Kijima shook his head, "You know he can't be let off the hook." He motioned towards the information on the phone, "They still played a part."

Ren's eye trailed towards the phone, "This time they can…"

"You saw something didn't you?" he said flipping the phone back open looking through the information was sent to them.

Ren stood up before holding out his hand for Kijima. "Maybe, but now we have all the pieces. Let's go." Kijima sighed grasping his hand and got to his feet.

"Cut!" Morizumi called as he went and reviewed the take. The thing Ren was dreading came running towards him with a bottle of water.

"Here," she said holding the bottle of water to him, yet Kijima had caught onto her it seemed as well as he grabbed the bottle from her instead.

"Ah thanks, Kimiko-chan," he said popping it open before drinking out of it. He then held it out to Ren who smiled and took it following suit. Kijima didn't see the look she gave him when he had done this but Ren had not missed it. "I was wondering why you were on set so much, but I get it now Kimiko-chan," he said turning towards her again. "You are helping your uncle, you're just a good girl," he said patting her on the head.

Ren saw the darkness in her eyes before she smiled sweetly "That's right."

"Is it?" came Ren's voice handing the bottle of water back to Kijima "That is really kind of you if that is indeed the case" his voice made it clear he didn't fully believe but she didn't catch it but Kijima did and he didn't miss the smile that was on Ren's face.

Morizumi moved over to the three, his hand resting on Kimiko's shoulder smiling warmly at her before looking back at the two actors. "You two really have great chemistry together on the screen. I want to go over it one more time to get some close-up shots so do it exactly like that."

Lory held out his hand, Kyoko frowned at him slightly before taking his hand as he helped her out of the car. Her eyes turned towards the street, that was extremely crowded, she wanted to crawl back into the car and go to school instead. Yet Lory insisted that they have a father and daughter day. He patted her on the head, "I don't really like huge crowds" she whispered softly but Lory smiled softly at her.

"Why is that?" he watched her carefully as she looked away from him, he knew it had to do with something she had gone through. Yet he waited for her to speak he knew she would. He had asked her a direct question and the one thing he learned very fast she had no ability in lying and if you waited she would blurt it out.

"I wasn't well liked… jealousy can move people's hearts in dark ways." she shook her head she knew when it came to those things, it wasn't really Shotaro's fault. He didn't understand no matter how many times she tried to explain it to him. They were childhood friends, plus they lived together, his parents took care of her so why wouldn't he call her by her first name? She saw and understood the logic of his words but that didn't mean other people did. They wanted his attention, they wanted to be called by their first names, they wanted to live with him. Afterall his parents of approved of her… that made her closer to being his bride.

'Not that I would ever want to go back to that me' she could feel the bit of her stomach growing darker as her children began to wrap around her, their little arms and hands trying to soothe her pain in the bitterness 'Even when he didn't mean to cause me pain he did.' taken a deep breath she looked up at him "Father, people in larger crowds… tend to turn blind eyes to others in trouble. They don't want to get in the middle of it. I can't blame them for it but this isn't a normal shopping district after all."

Lory pulled her into a hug "Even if the world turns it's away from you I will not." he pulled he lifted her chin to look at him "You are my daughter Kyoko."

Kyoko couldn't help the smile that fell across her face as she took his arm "I know daddy" Lory smiled but he could feel deep down that her heart would always be crackled from the shattering of the last blow. Even if he told her to trust him, she had been told that in the past. All he could do is make her never feel such pains from him.

"Remember Kyoko, I love you," he said looking, he felt her tense before slowly relaxing.

"I love you too daddy…" her voice was tight but there was no hint of sadness, no relief seemed to have flooded her whole being.

Kyoko stared at the table that Lory had chosen, newspapers that had been rolled up and covered in Resin to make what looked more like ram horns to her. Her eyes trailed to the price tag and then back to Lory, "Father…" He was way too happy over this item his hands running across it "what exactly are you going to do with it?" she didn't have to touch it to know that it was not smooth. That it could in no way really function to use as a desk, let alone a cup be stabled to stand on it.

"I'm going to make put it in my office!" Her eyes trailed back up at him she could tell he wasn't actually thinking this clearly.

Kyoko tapped her foot slightly, "And do you plan to do work on it?"

"Yes, I'll put my cup in this gap here, and then my computer can set here and… " she sighed taking his arm and pulling him away. "Kyoko-chan~" he looked like he was going to cry.

"No," she said refusing to look at him, "That will be too much work to clean." Not that she could honestly think of anything he did just walking around didn't mean a lot of clean up.

"It's great and I'm looking for a new desk." One would question who exactly was the parent at the moment.

Kyoko twitched turning to look at him "did you even see the price on it?"

"I'm willing to pay any price." he said with a huff, crossing his arms in front of his chest like a child. Kyoko took a deep breath.

"Daddy you should look for a desk that will really work for you, not one that just looks cool. You would lose things in that….thing." He wasn't listening he was making his way back to the shopkeeper and that desk, "It costs too much!" she snapped stomping her feet as she took his arm and attempted to drag him away.

Lory didn't look at her but he was smirking as he stood his ground. When he did look at her it was with such a sad face she flinched and quickly closed her eyes. "No… no no no… I'll tell Grandma Leiko on you!"

Lory looked down, kicking his foot sadly, "But Auntie Leiko won't mind if it's not in her home."

Kyoko frowned "and exactly where are you going to put it while you are here?"

"I'll find somewhere that she won't see it." he said looking at her "I really do like it. You going to take it away from me?" Kyoko felt like sobbing or throwing a fit but in the end, she threw her hands up.

"Fine just stop with that… " she pointed at his face and his eyes brighten up, picking her up he gave her a tight hug before turning to the shopkeeper buying his new table and telling them he would send someone to pick it up later.

The one thing she had learned today, is that shopping with Lory was a nightmare. The man didn't look like prices and picked whatever caught his eyes. 'How did I get such a father?' she asked herself as he put a big feathered hat on her head.

"I don't think this is my style?" she said pulling it off her head looking at it. She could almost see how they shaped the feathers to look more like birds, which just had her wondering why they just didn't use fake birds. It was followed quickly with another hat on her head, she pulled that one off and smiled softly. A large floppy sun hat a simple black band. "I like this one.." she said putting it back on and handing him the feather one.

"You can pull off any look Kyoko."

"Yes but this one isn't practical for everyday use." Lory sighed giving her a look she turned her head. "I'll take this one or neither of them."

"Fine…" he said paying or the one and putting the other back. "Let's grab something to eat and head home. I got something for everyone now." Kyoko mentally sighs he indeed had gotten everyone something… most of it was just strange, even if in theory they would use them. Michael, for example, was getting a set of lifting weights… the downside, they hot pink with little cupids and roses painted on them. The weights shaped like little hearts themselves. Amanda and David got matching mirrors but she was pretty sure they had simply glued cupcakes and other sweets on them, used resin and then painted it gold.

Maria was getting a hot pink Victorian style dress… she was pretty sure she would never wear it even if it had a matching tiara and shoes that he had found. Leiko would be getting a large hat shaped like a rose or maybe cabbage as the hat it was green. Mary found a very interesting necklace for she had to admit, yet it was so packed with the silver coins that it was more like a shirt than a necklace. He pointed out that it also played for Robert because he liked history. She didn't want to ask. Charles would be getting a book of pranks, but he had forbidden her from reading it until she was twenty years old, which told her that the pranks where really pranks. While Daniel would be getting a collection of plastic baby dolls shaped to a desk lamp. Laura got a dress that was really pretty if you didn't mind it being made of anything but feathers… and Cody got a pair of tap dancing shoes... covered in pennies.

The whole time he made it clear that he really just wanted to see the reactions they made… she had made up her mind not to be around when he handed them out. She had lucked out the best of course… maybe only because she was there, otherwise she feared what she would have gotten.

A/N: Authoritet - is like a captain in charge of a small group of men. (Tomi holds this title but has no men, in his case, it means he has power in The Family. High enough that only there isn't anyone who can stop him really as long as he doesn't betray The Family.)