-Oxford - Thursday: Part 8-
Yashiro looked over his log book at Ren's schedule while he may have agreed to watch Maria, the truth was that he himself would most likely be watching over the care of the young girl. Sure Maria would be in Ren's sight for the most part but Ren was a very busy man. Yashiro also felt a bit bad that his stomach tabs where still slow in kicking in. Honestly, it likely wasn't a good thing to be taking them, which he seemed to be doing a lot more of late. Not that Yashiro was surprised by this, he was lucky if Ren actually ate anything at all during the day. So to see the concerned look of Maria who was sitting on the armrest of the couch while Ren was resting was almost heartbreaking to him.
Maria, "Are you okay Ren-sama?" she barely spoke above a whisper as if that would make him feel worse.
Ren smiled softly as he looked towards the little girl, "I'll be fine Maria-chan, don't worry so much."
Maria looked towards Yashiro and he could only smile at her, "Don't worry Maria-chan." He said gently, "This happens."
Yet Maria couldn't help frown slightly turning to look back down at the man she loved more than anyone else, well maybe not as much as she loved her Papa. She loved her Grandfather and Kyoko but Ren, Ren was going to the man she married. Maria worked hard at keeping all those losers away from him, it got her in trouble with Ruto and she was sure that if Kyoko caught her in the act she would not be too pleased with her either. "Ren-sama are you sure you are going to be okay?"
Ren slowly sat up, regretting it the moment he did so. He felt like he would throw up at any moment, and it was only his will that was keeping it all down. If there was one thing he wished he could change while being Ren and not Kuon it would be not feeling sick almost every time he ate something. Kuon's mother used to tell his father that there was something wrong with him because he didn't eat enough. Now he was dealing with Kyoko who only seemed to be around him by choice when it came to making him eat. 'Does she have any idea what she did?'
'Of course, she does, that's why she did it.' He knew that his inner self, was most likely correct and she used the perfect means to make it happen. Maria was far too hard to resist, he could deny everyone anything but for some reason the moment she personally requested something from him, he couldn't help but spoil her. Maybe it was in part due to the fact she almost never asked for anything, but he also wouldn't be able to deny the fact that she was one of the few people that he could honestly say that Kuon and himself both cared about. 'These Takarada's girls will be our undoing' he mentally groaned at that thought but he couldn't deny it either. Kyoko, the girl from his childhood, the woman that she was now holding the strongest pull to him maybe it was because of his place as her Fairy Prince Corn, the fact that she still held that little blue stone he gave her, the fact she still believed in that part of him that he no longer believed in. There was just too many things that drew him as Kuon but him as Ren.
Taking one deep breath Ren turned towards Maria and the worry on her face 'Would Kyoko look at me like that?' He mentally winced at the thought before smiling warmly at her, "I just ate too much Maria-chan, it's like Yashiro said it happens."
Maria lowered her head, "Because of me you are feeling sick?" it didn't cross her mind that by asking him to eat another bite of cake until it was all gone would have resulted in her hurting him. "That's why Kyoko-oba said bite for bite because she trusted that you wouldn't eat too many sweets..." she said looking up at him in near tears. "But I got greedy and now your sick!"
Ren placed a hand on top of her head, "It's not your fault Maria-chan" if that was the real reason then he was more to blame than Kyoko was and fit a lot more than her doing it just to be mean to him, true he didn't doubt that she had brought it up to punish him for 'Why did she want to punish me in the first place?' Maria moved closer to him as he placed his head in his free hand. 'Teasing her... or the fake smile?' He wasn't exactly sure, all he could hope was that she had not meant to make him feel sick 'Actually she doesn't even know does she?' He lifted his head as Maria snuggled into his side he smiled softly, 'No Kyoko would have felt really guilty all she thinks is I hate eating.' at least the one he recalled from his childhood would have responded much like Maria was now. "Just need to let the meds kick in is all." He wrapped an arm around her hugging her back.
Yashiro smiled softly as he watched Ren with Maria, part of him wanted to take a photo but that would do no good as his manager. Yet wouldn't the people go wild over how he was taking such care to comfort a little girl while he himself didn't feel good? 'Though I'm starting to wonder if he likes Kyoko-chan' he wanted to ask but he knew better than anyone exactly how much Maria loved Ren. It likely would only hurt her feelings to find out that Kyoko was someone that Ren liked 'Besides I'm not even sure he does... he's always been kind to young women' his eyes trailing towards Maria once more before he sighed heavily.
"Is something wrong Yashiro?" Ren asked looking at Yashiro.
There was no way to answer that, Ren has never shown any real interest romantically with anyone, at least not without a need to do so. "No, just you have another photoshoot and I don't know how long Kyoko-chan will be gone." It was true but not the reason for why he was suddenly feeling depressed that his charge would never fall let alone admit to falling in love. 'All this man thinks about is acting anyway and didn't Lory tell me Kyoko hired him for a project.' His eyes looked towards his log book once more as he thought 'Depending on the project it would likely distill the last of those rumors. Ren has never had a scandal until today. Even that is being written off as a misunderstanding. Would really taking her out to eat later also help prove that?'
Ren smiled looking at Maria before his eyes turned back towards Yashiro "It's fine, Kyoko will be back before dinner, I'm betting she's cooking isn't she?" Maria nodded her head, "Then no harm." There was a knock on the door and Ren's eyes turned towards it, "Come in."
Kyoko sighed heavily as she sat on the edge of the bed in Daiki and Keiji's room. Keiji laid in the other bed with one of his books, Daiki was on several of his computers and Ruto was standing nearby. Daiki had not been exactly willing in letting her use his laptop and the list of rules for using it well, to be honest, she would think she was watching over a newborn and not just any newborn either, one that was sent from the very heavens to walk among the mere mortals like herself.
The clue that she really had no idea how to about finding information on any missing person when she didn't have the information to really truly search for them in the database was not helping. She had no names, no addresses, she couldn't even be sure they were all taken place here in Oxford for that matter. The database was large and short of going through each and every one of the results and that being done per age, per date they went missing. She felt she was getting now where mainly seeing since the Queen Mother was Asian, many people had come to the UK, it wasn't the largest group by far but still, they made up 15.3% of the population in just the England. 'Plus what's stopping them from bringing them in from another part of the world?' She set the laptop aside as she held her head. 'That is a possibility and add in the fact that the only real key factor besides that is my age... which they don't have to exact in either.'
Kyoko was at a complete loss in what to do, she couldn't exactly report this without proof, not when it seemed the cops were looking at her as the bad guy in this story it seemed. 'Well not exactly innocent' her eyes lifted up towards Daiki before slowly looking towards Keiji, 'Well he knows, but Daiki doesn't' she said slowly turning to look back at him. 'But he is really the only person I know who knows anything about computers... even if it's just games.' Her eyes trailed back towards the laptop as she sighed heavily, 'Well maybe I can figure out a way to ask without telling.' She narrowed her eyes slightly 'Maybe he'll be easier to lie to than Keiji.' Licking her lips she bit her lower lip trying to figure out a way to ask him.
Keiji "Will you stop doing that?" Her eyes darted towards him, the fact he was reading his book almost reminded her of Charles and his habit of reading. "It's distracting me." Well, it was almost like Charles, she didn't think he got distracted when he read books, it was almost as Charles could read and pay attention to things around him at the same time.
"Sorry," she said softly before sighing and then wincing at the fact she did so. "Right umm, sorry..." this time Keiji sighed as he sat up from his bed shooting her a slight glare that showed he was growing annoyed and finding her to be troublesome at the moment. "Sorry!" she squeaked as she bowed her head towards him. Kyoko felt the world around her becoming a tight ball in her gut again, as she placed her hand on her stomach. Keiji was not going to put up much more of this so she supposed she really did have to move forward. "Umm Daiki?"
Daiki this time sighed, "What Kyoko?" the tone of his voice told her that he was also growing annoyed with her, but she was sure it had to do more with the fact that she was keeping him from his work and not so much that she was sighing. At least she hoped that was the case.
"Umm..." her eyes darted towards Ruto and he gave a small nod of his head. She smiled softly 'Everything will be alright' she closed her eyes for a second before turning her attention towards Daiki, "I was wondering if there is a better way to search for someone who has gone missing." She knew she was asking a lot in this, "You see, I have an idea of race, even age... and the date idea for when they went missing or could have I mean." She shook her head, "But that might not even be right either. I might actually need information on people who have been brought here too." Yet rather or not they were listed as missing was another matter, not every girl was listed as missing. No, sometimes the cops knew exactly where they were, they just minds had been so bent and twisted that they didn't try to run anymore. Not to say those who still had their minds didn't attempt because they knew what would happen if they did.
"What is this about Kyoko?" Daiki said turning his chair around to look at her fully.
Kyoko looked down, there were so many things she could say. She could say her biological father who no one was ever able to track down but she knew if he could be found he would have already been found. Besides she didn't care about that man, she didn't know him he was just a stranger to her. She closed her eyes sighing softly as she leaned back on her arms, "Heth. It's all about Heth." There was no point in lying, no point in pretending she supposed. Heth was the end game, she couldn't risk more people getting caught by him, "I've made myself a target, but I'm too..." she trailed off her fingers moving in the air as if to unseen music.
Keiji eyes narrowed, "You are nobility, blood relation to the Crown." His eyes turned towards Daiki he already understood now. What had caused her to come and use a computer, why she was asking Daiki for his help, the only person she knew who could use computers as if a part of him.
Daiki leaned back tossing his head back "Fuck, you think they're looking for someone to be your double."
The Officer, Jia Mianju a man who had a daughter, a pretty little girl name Cinderella held out a cup of coffee for Sam Patterson in his ex-wife's home. The man was distraught and he knew that he was to be hopeful while not really believing in it himself. "She's only been missing ten hours at most" they didn't have a perfect time frame, well the cops didn't. Snake knew exactly how long she had been missing, exactly thirteen hours and 36 minutes and counting but that was not something he could tell the man. They didn't have a perfect time frame and that worked for Snake but not for Officer Jia, that three hours and now 37 minutes and counting made a huge difference.
The first 72 hours were very important and she just wasn't reported in time. Why? Because they hadn't thought anything about until her mother came home and realized something was wrong. That was the one thing Snake loved about eye-witnesses they never did think anything about it, who would attack a cop's family anyway? However, it was the worse thing for a cop. Silver SUV, it was late, sometime late last night, maybe early morning. It was dark. She wasn't physically carried or well maybe she could have been. She looked like she was just going out with friends, to go party. They really didn't think much of it, wasn't the first time she snuck out with a few guys. That he had noted had cause Patterson to curse at his ex-wife for not being more careful. The blame would keep them sane and less focus on the actual facts.
Sam nodded his head, "Yeah... your right, maybe she's just having to drunk to come home safe yet."
He could tell right away that the man didn't believe it. Not that he blamed him, it wouldn't be much longer before she would be taking the place of another young woman who would be going missing. Once she was alone if they could only catch her out and about in the city. He had a hard time keeping his own desire in check, if she was so willing to be with six men at once, then there she wouldn't likely deny him. Not like little Alice did, 'But she might be more willing by the time I get back' he patted Sam on the shoulder. 'Just need to make sure Heth leaves her alone, won't do any damn good if she has old wounds on her pretty face and body' that man could ruin everything if he didn't get back there, didn't find someone else who he could have a bit of fun with. 'No Alice needs just a bit of work to fit what Heth desires right now' but that's because he had a harder time seeing the protection in them, a bit make-up, hair, small things that made a person a piece of art when they were found, left no questions and the things that they would question you remove those things, hide it so they don't look at it.
The additional problem was at the moment, the Young Master desired the little lady, but not just her. He was promised the young man, the thorn, but that one would be too hard for him to handle. No that was Heth's personal little problem. He had to find a way to lure him without fucking everything up, not that he had much faith in him. Yet right now he had to be this fucking officer, this kind-hearted man who wanted to save the world. "We'll get her back. You'll see her again" of course he knew that when he did it wouldn't be as Alice Patterson but as one Lady Kyoko. Still, it wasn't a lie. "Besides she doesn't fit fully, you know how these guys are, they have a type they don't verge much from it."
"Yeah maybe your right, I just can't help but feel like it's related," Patterson said looking down at the cup of coffee.
"I know but her hair is a key factor all the others, he hasn't changed that pattern. The eyes, they change even the age changes. The hair is always the same pattern. Just have a bit of faith in God." He sighed heavily, "I think you should go be with your wife, we'll take care of this. We'll get your daughter back, after all, she's the daughter of a cop you know we won't stop until we find her or the men took her."
A/N: The Asian population as of 2011 in England made up 5.5% in 2011. I rose it up higher in this story due to the connection between Japan and the Royal Family. I made it about 15.5% or about 9 million British Asians in England in all of UK the numbers would remain about the same as in real life [making up a total of about 20.6% or about and additional 3 million spread about elsewhere in the UK]