-Oxford - Wednesday: Part 21-

Leiko had listened to her nephew. The fact that Kyoko was going after Heth was indeed troubling, the fact she didn't want any real protection from anyone was also a troublesome issue and she could understand Lory's fear that something would happen to her. Yet according to Lory, the girl had told him what would happen. To Leiko, it was simple if it didn't play out where Kyoko had control, the power, the plan. It would only get worst. 'She understands the game she playing well' Leiko said sighing into the phone as Lory finished the story asking her for help, for guidance. "Well my dear child..." she said looking out towards the window, "I'm afraid if you want to support her, you have little choice in this matter but to let her do what she wishes."

"This isn't the life I wanted for her when I... when she became my child." Lory sounded so broken inside "I'm her father don't I have any say in this?"

Leiko looked out towards the garden, it was never easy for anyone. Let alone a parent or a guardian of another human beings life. 'Well at least not for everyone' she quietly thought thinking about Kyoko's true history, her true past before she was reborn. Still, she knew she had to find a way to make Lory understand his place, his choice and what it would mean for her. "Mary must have her children, her sons join the service, it is a requirement. She is a Queen and she has no say, the very heir is serving his country right now, not only Charles but the heir apparent Daniel is as well." she licked her lips "Even when there is a chance they both could die. My little boy died, so I know the pain of this." she said closing her eyes trying to push the thought from her mind. "It's not easy to accept, I know that Lory."

"She's a girl, she wouldn't need to serve." he was fighting it and she knew that as well. Still, he was correct born as a female citizen it was not a requirement for her to join. Still, she knew Lory was just trying to find a reason to disagree and it was nothing more than that. That left her with only one choice.

"Yes, I know. Yet that little girl, your daughter, it is she who has lived through more horrors than you will ever understand." she rose from her seat moving towards her bay window to look out into the gardens, "You know I grew up in a time of war... long before Japan ever had a constitution." she closed her eyes, "I watched as my father left our home to fight in that war, knowing he did not have to, do to who he was. My mother feared he wouldn't return, my brother did not understand this being so young. We were lucky that he did but so many did not. When the bombs were dropped oh we lost so many members of our family, we lost our mother. So many of our people died Lory. You do not know that horror." she smiled sadly as she stared at the garden that was being rebuilt by the men below.

"Father was never the same, he was always ready for another war, another battle. He was a kind man don't misunderstand he loved his family, he loved his country and he loved me and your father." she said smiling softly at the thought, "So much so that when my dear Philip fell in love with me, oh he wanted to kill that man. To be honest I did not like him all that much to begin with. To kind-hearted, too weak, oh mother would have been horrified at the thought of this man courting me, let alone marry me?" she chuckled at the thought. "Father did not approve of a white man marrying his little girl. Not after what happened to mother, but Philip he didn't give up and he won father over. Father wanted me safe, he didn't believe that the Westerns would keep their word so if his little girl became one? She would be safe from those sort of horrors and father was right of course I've always been very safe because I live in the Western World now." she nodded her head some as she thought about it. How lucky she had been, how lucky her children truly were, how lucky her grandchildren are. It was by God's will that Lory grew up here instead of with his grandfather, no perhaps Father had a say in it too.

Lory sighed "I understand that but we aren't in a war, there is no reason for her to do this." she could tell that even as he said it he didn't really believe it himself.

"Let me finish child." he fell silent and she went on. "My family is very blessed, but I still hold so much hatred for the people who killed my mother with that bomb, and my cousins, my aunts, and uncles." she shook her head. "I had the power to kill the ones who agreed to allow such a weapon to be used. I would've done it in a heartbeat. Yet I gave my word long ago. Now it doesn't matter so much, many of those men are long dead, but I still regret it some days. Wondering if promising my father was truly worth it? Yet father believed that it would cause such outrage, and I saw that father was right. That was the right choice but sometimes I wonder, I will always wonder I think if I had done it just in another way. Could I bring them to their knees? Knowing all that I know now? Yet I know like Father did that there is a time and place, that not all those who hurt us can be caught and made to pay for those crimes. So we pick and choose carefully. I have done so for my Philp and Mary does so now. Sometimes the cost for what we want can't or should I say shouldn't be paid. What I want would only make more bloodshed, more children would lose their parents, more parents would lose their children. So even though I wonder, even though I regret, I know it was the correct choice. My father helped me see that Lory. That was my father's choice I believe, to allow me my foolish desire or to try and make me wiser."

"This cost is too high..." he said sadly, "She might not come back from this."

Leiko lowered her head as she shook it sadly, "Yes. You are right. The cost is high for us. Yet only us. Your daughter, Kyoko she is fighting for all those little girls who died, all those little girls who have been hurt so deeply, and she wants to keep it from happening again. You must allow her... you must support her, or you must send her away and she will die a different kind of death. One where she could have done something and she knows that she can do something, but was denied and told she has to be a weak little girl who must be protected. She'll hate that part of herself all the more" Leiko dabbed the tears at the corner of her eyes, "My father supported me but the choice was mine, Lory. I made that choice." Her voice began to crack, "I could have destroyed them all, with Philp at my side, but what world would our children, would you have grown up in? Would all those other children's grow up in who had yet to be born? I had the power, I still do. Yet I know that if I did this if I was to do this even now, all those children will pay the price, not just me or my family. I am my father and mother's daughter, I have power unlike so many people in this world." she shook her head allowing the tears to fall, "Though I could just be a bitter old woman who lived a long time. Still, I walked a very thin line between the dark and light of this world even today. I chose love instead of revenge against those men, but I have also done things that you would not be proud of Lory. My husband was a good and kind man, he did not know how to deal with the harder choices, the darker side of this world. It was not something he ever had to do. Now my daughter has to face those choices and soon my grandson will do the same." she shook her head sadly, "They have love in their hearts, like you. I believe they will always desire to choose to look the other way unless they are forced to see that it cannot be allowed. Yet for our Kyoko, love has not been so kind to her as it has for you and all my children. Yet she still has so much love, Lory. She has the knowledge and understanding of both worlds now. I believe if she was only on one side of this world you would not have brought her into this family." she leaned back against the wall some, "You gave her a new life and she chooses to fight for that life and to give others a chance for a happier life. Your choice in this Lory is to let her be a child in command who can tell you what she wants to do and you help guide her way. Or a child living in fear who will no longer be so honest to you, because she will know and understand she does not have that support to be a strong girl in your eyes because you will only ever see as a weak and fragile girl."

Lory had not said a word while she spoke, yet when he did he sounded defeated but she knew for sure that he would make the right choice in the end. "I don't like it."

"I don't either dear. So what are you going to do now?" she smiled softly even before he said the words.

"I am going to be on her side, I'll do everything I can to help her win." he chuckled but there was no real warmth to it, "And pray to every God and Goddess that she comes back home to me, to all of us." she nodded her head sadly, for she had done the same thing so many times. "Tell me why do I feel like you have chosen her as your heir to the family?

"Maybe because I see myself in her," she spoke softly, "And I think you see it too, and it's a good thing. She belongs in this family, you were very correct about her Lory. You knew she was always meant to be ours. When the time comes she'll keep our family strong and together." she smiled sadly as she stared out the window, "Our family must always be strong and to be strong one needs an heir who knows the world, truly know the world of darkness and light and is not afraid to face their fears yet is willing to listen and understand. She was born outside of our blood, but she is and will always be our blood, she was always meant to be your daughter." she smiled softly, "There was simply no other path for that child but to belong to our family." She had to live that old life of hers so she could keep the family strong for the next generations.

Kyoko couldn't believe that she had agreed to wear this dress. It was just not suited for someone who had such a boyish figure. Even if Kyo, Laura, and Amanda said otherwise she could not believe it all she could see were the flaws that Shoutaro pointed out to her, the words of the men who told her she had no sex appeal. She was not beautiful and they would not be able to ever convince her that she was, they cared about her but she knew what she wasn't and what she was. True the dress was beautiful, it would hide all the bruises and have been fitted to her form so quickly to assure that it looked perfect on her.

The navy blue dress flared out to the floor, it was cut with a slit up the right side of her body allowing her leg to peek through as she walked, giving the flare of the dress more reason to bellow around her, when she walked she could feel and understand it was meant to make the woman who wore it feel powerful and in charge and she had to admit that it did just that, it would not get in her way if she had to run. Not that she planned too but that thought calmed her deep inside. It was designed to highlight the outline of her breasts and while she had felt very uncomfortable about this little fact. Still, she did prove she had breasts because of the design and cut of the top. The double straps on the shoulders easied her mind because it also meant that the back did not show off that much bare skin. Kyoko would have felt more comfortable with wearing Corn but she had been denied that instead she wore a teardrop diamond, in her hair was a diamond-like headband much like what Leiko wore. They had given her hair more of a wave that made her look much less childish and with the natural makeup, she almost could say she was pretty. With the silver strapped shoes and the silver clutch, she looked far more put together than even she would have ever thought possible and actually looked far more mature yet still very clearly herself. There would be no way to mistake that she was anyone else and that was the most important piece that they held onto when putting her together.

Yet even though she had felt powerful when she walked the moment the door of the elevator closed, she found herself fidgeting. 'This is a huge mistake' she closed her eyes trying not to pace, 'No one would believe that Ren Tsuruga would be on a date with me. That he would even find me attractive is stupid, I'm a child!' she mentally berated herself, 'He is a great actor I'm told' she opened her eyes as she thought about it. 'Actually, if I didn't have my dark children, would I even be able to tell he was hiding behind a mask?' she honestly wasn't sure, she knew for a fact she wouldn't be able to know when he was mad, her dark children seemed to adore this about him. Yet even they couldn't tell all the time and that bothered her too.

Sighing heavily as she felt the sudden feeling of depression, her first kiss had been taken by the man known as Boss who she now knew his name was Hachirou Cao. Her first sexual experience had been that man's too and while she had not been willing it would never change that it had belonged to him and would always belong to him. 'Now my first date is to be a lie' she thought bitterly 'and act to make Heth move closer to me...' she wrapped her arms around herself trying to give her the self-comfort, the only thing that was not taken or forced upon her by another was her first love. 'Even my second love... was my choice in the end...' she thought bitterly, 'He never returned, I never heard another word from him... and the other...' she closed her eyes 'Well I'll make him regret his choices.' she said opening her eyes "It doesn't matter, that sort of love is unwanted by me." she said softly as the doors opened. Yes, she would no longer care that those firsts were taken from her, she had the most important one for herself and that was what mattered.

Kyoko stepped out of the elevator her eyes falling upon the tall figure of Ren, but her eyes were quickly drawn towards the much fuller woman who was leaning against his. She had not missed the fact that prior he had been staring at her, nor the fact that her body was clearly enjoying. 'Well they look like they belong together' she closed her eyes taking a deep breath, 'Good looking men, want beauties on their arms, at least that much has not changed' she thought as she opened her eyes, now able to deal with the hurt that this had caused. The fact that he was no different from Shoutaro and that this was all an act. She smiled softly her eyes fully focus on the pretty blonde as she made her way towards them.

Ren leaned back against the wall, just in sight of the elevator. He had chosen to wear complete black he felt that this would assure the best match to whatever Kyoko chose to wear. Any other colors might not fit her overall look. It would have helped if he had known what she was going to wear but then he supposed this also worked in the long run, they would match without truly matching. The three-piece suit was tailored to his body, with the jacket just a little longer than average. The fact remained he knew he looked good and the extra attention he had been picking up from multi women were starting to annoy him. Yet he knew to expect that, women didn't change no matter where he was. This he figured wouldn't happen if Kyoko wasn't running behind the fact of the matter she was a good 30 minutes late and it was taking every ounce of his self-control not to go up there. The first reason being Lory, the second reason Ruto, and the third because if his mother found out he would not hear the end of it, not as Kuon or Ren. So there he stood leaning against the wall just growing more and more annoyed with Kyoko and most of all the women who couldn't take a hint.

Closing his eyes he felt his phone buzz and reached into his vest jacket to pull it out, he stared down at the number seeing it was from Keiji, mentally he sighed as he opened the text message, what he had first thought would come from Keiji was actually from Amanda and David. There was a slight question of why they had his phone but it was answered within the text message itself which read: We will send her on her way, btw Keiji is such a pain he refused to give us your number and when we took his phone, all his contacts are hidden! That was just rude! - AD

It was quickly followed by the picture of the glaring face of Amanda and David giving him a thumbs up with the text stating he better make this date good or else. He did sigh this time not even bothering to keep the annoyance off his face as he placed the phone back into his vest pocket. His eyes trailed back towards the elevator but quickly turned back. A woman who was now standing in front of him, she was holding herself in such a way that it pushed up her breasts. 'Great another one' he mentally muttered to himself as he smiled down at her. "Hello, ma'am."

Her eyes were a bright blue, blonde hair falling to the side of her face on the left that made her beauty that much more clear. He was not blind to a beautiful woman and his eyes did trail down her body. It was the type of body most women would kill to have, she was slim-waisted, with nice hips and her dress was tight in all the right places. It really did highlight her best features. Even the red which wasn't too dark or to light only added to her beauty, "Do you like what you see?" she asked looking up at him.

Ren smiled at her, "Forgive me I was admiring your her dress." not exactly a lie either but not exactly the truth either. If it was another time if he wasn't Ren perhaps he would have chosen to spend some alone time with her. Yet at the same time, she was way to clear with her desires and that turned him off.

"Seems that your date is a no-show, you been here for a good twenty minutes now." she said running a hand down his arm taking his hand as she placed it around her waist and held it there for a moment, "I'm sure we can have a good time."

"I'm sure you can, but sadly right now he's mine." His eyes snapped towards the petite woman, the height difference and built of the two women already a huge difference. That was easy enough to explain by their nationality, the blonde was clearly from the Western world where Kyoko was from the Eastern world. The world he had chosen to live the last four years of his life.

Ren's eyes trailed down Kyoko's body and he felt a tightness in his chest, once again it was like he couldn't breathe. Yet she didn't seem to notice him, no perhaps she had chosen not too because the woman who was wrapped around him. The one thing he couldn't seem to figure out was why it had felt like he had been cheating on her simply by admiring the woman who arms had slide down and were now wrapped around his own. "Excuse me?"

His eyes trailed towards the blonde and he tried to pull his arm away but her grip was tight. His eyes narrowed slightly before he smiled brightly at her. "She's not mistaken, she happens to be my date." His fingers tried to free her fingers that were now digging into him, 'Great, she's one of those types' unless he used force he was not going to get her to release him without making himself look bad which he couldn't do. At least not as Ren Tsuruga, if he was his true self he would have no issues doing so. Be damned what they thought afterward or anyone else thought. "If you wouldn't mind..." he said looking down at her some but that only resulted in her pushing her breasts into his arm and he cursed himself mentally.

"Don't tell me you actually prefer that little girl?" she said smiling up towards him in a way that would make a lesser man fall. "What can she really do for you?" her eyes turned towards Kyoko as if daring her to say something. He wanted to say something, Kyoko had been so upset over the simplest kiss, she hadn't even wanted to do this date with him. The idea that he was about to lose her came slamming down quickly around him. Yet Kyoko had not missed a beat where he had.

"Well for one..." Kyoko said placing a hand on her cheek as she looked up at the blonde, "If I was like you, I could give him something no other man has taken from me." Ren could feel the heaviness in the room and all he could remember was his father's words that echoed in his head.

'If the girl you like is willing to put up with another woman trying to step into her territory don't get in the middle of it. Let her handle it because all you will do is make matters worse if you try to make them make peace.' Somehow he knew that couldn't be the right answer to this mainly because he was sure she wouldn't suggest such a thing unless it was an act, but he had frozen anyways. He froze in the same manner that his father Kuu had done many times in his childhood when someone thought to try and take Kuu from his mother. Still, the thought that she put into his head was making him want to grab her and never let her go. Something that he realized was not the first time he had thought about doing to the petite woman before him. So why was he listening to his father right now and doing nothing of the sort?

"How dare you?" the woman had finally released her hold on him and he quickly found himself stepping back, which he quickly regretted as the woman smacked Kyoko across the face. Kyoko didn't bother to place a hand across her cheek, she simply turned to look at the woman. "Do you know who I am?" she hissed. The fact remained that the hotel lobby, people were now watching the interaction between these two women.

Kyoko smiled ever so sweetly, "You mean besides a desperate woman who can only feel empowered by hanging herself on a man?" she gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, "No. I don't know who you are." the fact that the blonde eyes widen at how that hadn't scared her, "Yet it's also clear you don't know who I am, which makes me really wonder if all you know how to do is get men to fawn over you with..." she tilted her head looking the woman up and down but didn't say anything.

The blonde woman's eyes narrowed as she stared down at Kyoko, the size difference alone would make most women back away. Kyoko didn't look the sort who could handle anyone, that a simple good push would make her land on her ass not that Ren would let that happen if it came down to it. He moved towards her but her eyes shot towards him and he found himself frozen for a different reason. It was clear she was telling him to stay out of it, he was not welcomed.

"Well you aren't anything special, you can't even tell when a man is out of your leagued." Kyoko's eyes turned back towards her and she couldn't help the small laugh that escaped.

"Oh you poor thing," she said shaking her head. "You couldn't handle that man." she leaned forward speaking so only she would be able to hear her, "Let me show you how a real woman needs to act. If he chooses you all the more power to you, but I know for a fact that he won't." Kyoko knew this because of the contract at least that's what she truly believed in. From all, she knew Ren Tsuruga only truly cared about was his acting. His only really interested in his work. He was always on time, he apparently never had NGs and he apparently was known as a co-star killer not that she understood what that exactly meant. She straightens before looking towards Ren finally, "I'm leaving," and his heart seemed to stop as she turned away from him.

Ren first thought was she was going to go back upstairs but that wasn't the case no, she was walking towards the exist. He thought he understood his father words at that moment, with some women they could handle another easily and his place was to make the final statement once it was over clear to not only her but everyone else. The fact he was playing right into it he couldn't help but wish that this was actually real, that this wasn't just some act that he was sure she was playing. He smiled towards the blonde woman who seemed to think she was winning because of that smile, "You are truly a beautiful woman and perhaps if things had been different," he said bowing his head slightly, "But I like my prey a bit harder to catch... and I won't ever find anyone harder to catch than that woman." with that he moved away from her. The look of surprise and horror at being called not only easy but not in the same league as the girl walking away had caused her to start screaming at how he would regret it.

It had taken him no time to take the few steps from where he had been to where she was. He moved so he was in front of her, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into him. He leaned over her for a moment he could see how she was flushing already her hands pressing against his chest and he knew she was trying to push him away but he wouldn't let her. Instead, he began to kiss her neck softly as he spoke so only she would hear him, "I could almost believe you were mine with that performance" he nuzzled into her neck. The other woman had stopped, he knew if he looked towards her she would be paled because it was now very clear that they were an item to everyone in the room and the other woman was clearly pushing herself on a taken man.