-Oxford - Friday: Part 6-

Lory watched his daughter carefully, there was clearly a dark cloud around her, even next to him he could feel how she seemed to be drowning in sadness. In many ways, she had extreme mood swings but that was only when she allowed her walls to drop. The chances were high that she likely didn't even really notice him at the moment sitting there next to her. 'Wouldn't be the first time' he thought with a slight chuckle, oh she could be completely closed off from the rest of the world. It was cute most of the time, except when she was like this. "Kyoko, sweetie?"

As he knew would be the case she didn't respond to him. Squeezing her hand tightly he had to remind himself that even if she had come a long way, there was still something broken inside of her. 'Romantic Love, Abandonment issues, low self-conference even when it comes to the way she looks.' Not that he could see where that came from, she was a beautiful young woman and he wasn't saying that just because she was his daughter. No, he knew these sort of things because of the line of work he was in, he also knew that people in that sort of trade, would not have much use for her if she didn't have some sort of appeal to them. That, however, would do nothing to help her gain a more positive body image of herself, but if being asked to model wasn't enough what would be?

Carefully he turned her face towards him, "Kyoko" he spoke gently and watched as her eyes began to refocus she bowed her head quickly muttering apologizes. He chuckled slightly, "No need to apology sweetie," he said patting her on the head, "Now what's the matter?"

"Everyone is leaving..." her eyes turned towards the window before looking back towards him, "I know it's important for me to stay here, just a little longer. I just wish I was going home." She chewed her lower lip "and you are going to be leaving back to London. Kyo will be busy tonight with wrapping up everything and she's told Keiji he has to go back. Daiki will be staying until Kyo goes back..." she sighed heavily.

"We are all just a call away Kyoko." He patted her hand "and besides you can come to visit me, that's the nice thing about the school you are in." Actually, if he thought about it he would of likely put her into the same type of school if she had been living with him but this was better. This made more sense, Kouki had been here, no one would question him having a daughter who was raised in the same manner. It really was the best school in the world.

He watched as she looked down at her lap, "I know Daddy... but I wouldn't wish to be a bother, besides Easter Break will be at the end of the month" she said with a soft smile "Don't you think it would be too soon for me to all of a sudden show up?"

Lory couldn't believe what he was hearing, but then again when he thought about her biological mother he could understand why she thought such things. He mentally sighed, 'there is much we will have to work on, but for now' he turned his eyes back towards her and smiled warmly, "Kyoko, I know this might be hard to believe but it would never be a bother for me." He reached over pulling her into a hug, "You are my daughter and I enjoy spending time with you. So no, it isn't soon. Perhaps for me, it's not soon enough." He smiled warmly down at her as she stared at him with big round eyes. He kissed her forehead before settling back in his chair, he pulled out a cigar and she frowned at him as he lit it.

"Now Kyoko, we have to discuss the plan for your stay here."

Kyoko couldn't help but stare at her father, she knew he was nothing like that woman. Still, the fact remains that he worked, he and Kouki basically held an empire of their own if she really thought about it. Sure not in the same way that Aunt Mary had the British Empire with Grandma Leiko and Uncle Robert... but still an empire in many ways. More so when she thought about what he tended to wear. Being there would distract him, at least that's what her mother had always made clear to her. She was a distraction and she needed to learn to be on her own. Yet this man, her father didn't care about it. The thought of seeing him during the Easter Break would be wonderful. 'If...' she didn't want to think about the fact she might not actually be able to do so. 'Even with Reino's help' she didn't want to worry him either.

"So this is my plan, Maria and I will be leaving Tokyo, with Ren Tsuruga. Yet Ruto will be staying, he will be returning in two days time. It's more reasonable that way he will be your manservant, who was personally chosen to take care of the basic needs of a Lady until you choose to return home." She frowned slightly as she looked at him.

"Wouldn't it make more sense if I had a lady in waiting then?" she was pretty sure that was more common for a female than a manservant who tended to be used for young lords. At least that's how she recalled it from her storybooks. 'I really need to make sure I'm not getting those and history confused' there was always the very high chance that she was mistaken because sometimes the worlds blended 'but not as they used too' no she missed those days deep down and part of her wondered if she would ever find that innocence again.

"Normally yes that would be more proper..." he tilted his head as he blew a cloud of smoke into the air. "No, I think it's still better if it's Ruto, besides I rather he stays with you during your time here."

Kyoko frowned as she looked at her father, anger was slowly bubbling up in her, "Daddy, Ruto can't be here, they know what he looks like" well they knew he looked like in his thawb. Yet that wasn't the real problem, it was the fact that Ruto was very protective over them all. She knew that it wasn't just his job to be protective and serve them, though that was a big part of it. It seemed to her that Ruto truly cared about her father, about Maria and even herself. Though it rarely showed in facial expressions, she had years of practice, perhaps that was why Tomi had also thought she would be good at learning how to examine the human body by her own personal measurements.

"No worry sweetie," he said grinned at her causing her to worry all the more. "I plan to have Ten-chan work her magic on him."

'Well if Muse-sama is left in charge' she wondered exactly how she would even know Ruto was Ruto, she hardly recognized herself... but then again make-up was a sort of magic and she was sure that Muse-sama would know exactly what she was doing. 'Wait' she smiled softly as she looked towards her father wondering how she could go about this. Truth be told she was going to likely have to tell him what she wanted to do, she wouldn't want them to know exactly where she was either. Yet that was something he could help her likely figure out perfectly. "Then I have a request"

"Oh?" He seemed in good humor but she wondered exactly how long that was going to last when she told him what she wanted to do.

"Well..." she closed her eyes taking a deep breath, "I want Muse-sama to make me look like me without looking like me. I need to make sure that they are indeed no longer looking for someone who looks like me because that's why Alice Patterson went missing" she had found herself standing up and pacing back and forth talking rather quickly but if he noticed he said nothing. "Daiki said that they had other girls, other girls who went missing but aren't in the database which of course means that there is likely a police officer, most likely that creepy one that no one seems to think is creepy for some reason but that's beside the point. If they really think she's good enough for a replacement they won't bother with another one... I mean I could be wrong and if I'm wrong that's not a bad thing either because then I'll be lead to Heth anyways."

"Breathe" she turned to look at him for a moment before blushing, "No need to be embarrassed, it's cute really." She frowned at him but he only chuckled softly, "Let me make sure I understand this. You want Ten-san to change your appearance so they don't realize it's you." she nodded her head as she stood there in front of him "And you most likely want to be able to leave the hotel" she nodded once more, "well that might be tricky, but I someone who will be here for a few days."

"Daddy it's not nice to lie" he sighed heavily.

"Well he's been here for a few days already I'm sure he won't mind staying for an extra day. I will allow this to happen on the condition you allow him to watch you until Ruto returns."

"I don't need a babysitter" she muttered and he grin.

"That's the condition Kyoko, take it or leave it." The look made it pretty clear she wouldn't be getting Muse-sama's help if she said no.

She slowly wondered if she could figure it out on her own but that would likely be more dangerous on her part because even if she did, there would be no one who would be able to realize she was missing, besides it wasn't like she couldn't ditch the guy if she had too, all she really needed is someone who wasn't exactly glued to his computer screen all hours of the day and never left his room. If she ditched him, he would notice right away. "Fine, I'll accept it."

"Wonderful" he clapped his hands in pure joy which all of a sudden made her very afraid, "He'll be taking my room then" Her eyes widen slightly.

"Daddy didn't we just get out of one scandal with me!" she growled at him.

"Well then, I guess we will just state he's your boyfriend" he grinned "Better yet, he can marry you if you get caught with him." Her mouth dropped for a moment, she had no idea if he was joking or not, by the way, he was looking. It was not a joke, she threw her hands up in the air and stormed out of the room.

"Love-mon indeed!" she said slamming her bedroom door.

Daniel leaned against the edge of the table as he looked at Charles both in the military uniforms, they were on lunch break but neither of them really bothered about it. 'Course if Kyoko finds out' he frowned slightly at the thought but he had to move further away from where he was station and his team to find his brother. Now that he didn't have to worry about certain ears he figured he could confront his elder brother. Charles was, of course, the heir and tended to get included in matters just like he sometimes got to be included as the spare, as those of the nobility liked to remind him. It was something he had a hard time letting drop, the spare, as though he had no real worth. 'Mother was a spare too' he sighed, he really didn't want to be the future ruler, actually, none of them did. Yet it wasn't something they had any real control over.

"You know don't you?" That was the real thing that brought him here, the fact that Kyoko was not returning, the fact that General Kendi Brown from Protection Command, not just Protection Command but man who lead not only the Queen's Guard and a good part of the military forces. Not to say he was the head of all the Ankou just bothered him to no end. Why was Lory, Maria hell even Ruto returning here with that black hole Kuu and his wife?

"No." Charles didn't once look at him as he turned the page of his book.

"Right, or you can't tell me." Daniel sighed as the book snapped shut, it startled him slightly. Charles almost never snapped books shut, not unless he was upset or annoyed. 'So maybe he really doesn't know... or the reason is not good.' He watched his older brother as he seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before he simply rose from his seat and headed for the exit. Daniel looked at his wristwatch and groaned as he pulled away from the table, "Back to work, but we're not done." Charles looked back at him gave him a sad smile before they both parted ways to go to their own teams.