SM: My so called plot inches forward. We're finally approaching a beach! But still, there is a lot of filler. Darn...
On another point, I've noticed that Naraku isn't too popular (well, when is he ever) for sending (or plotting to send) Kagome to work at The Beach. To clarify, it isn't a whorehouse, and it really is more of a Host Club in the clean sense of the term. I'm awful at writing smut, or even attempting to, so the best you'll get is smush if I fell like writing fluff. So it's not all that bad...
And it's not incest. I guess I didn't make it too clear before but Naraku and Kagome are not blood related. They simply grew up together under the same orphanage and eventual foster family. I hope this clears up most of the confusion.
I've been loving your reviews! And for some reason, this should have been posted last week, and in fact I thought it had... Whoops!
I'm trying to work on other things as well. Unfortuantely many new fics have threaded their way into my workload. (sigh)
Anyways, enjoy chapter three...
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Chapter Three
Kagome sat at her desk, twirling a pen in her fingers by the light of her lone desk lamp. She rested her chin on her palm.
Naraku had appeared genuinely surprised that she had been fired, and had offered his sympathies. He'd even suggested that the three of them go out for dinner as consolation. But she declined. She felt more like moping about her room for a bit.
He accepted that, saying that he would order take-out, and that he and Bankotsu would party in the other room until she saw fit to join them. She figured that the two would just get plastered and pass out, and she would be allowed to cloister herself up until tomorrow while they nursed their hangovers.
She was surprised when Naraku had entered her room two hours later. He gave her door a brief rap before slipping on in. She lay on her back on her bed, her arms covering her face. She felt the bed dip as he sat on its edge.
"Kagome." He began.
"Yeah?" She tried to keep the tremor from her voice.
"I know that working meant a lot to you. And that you must not be feeling too good about it right now. So, I was wondering if…if you'd like to work with me this summer. Just to try it out, if you're not already looking for another job." He started slowly, as if testing the words out, before finishing in a rush.
Kagome looked at him, surprised. He was offering her to work with him? She never thought that she'd hear that from him. She would LOVE to work with her brother. She always did wonder what it was that he did.
"I'd like that." She replied quietly.
He grinned. "That's what I wanted to hear. So cheer up, okay? I'll go talk to my boss, and see if we can't get you signed up by the end of the week. Boss always is looking for pretty young girls to work for him." He ruffled her hair affectionately.
She blushed, shoving his hand off. "Stop it. I'm not a little girl anymore."
"Of course not." He placed a light kiss on her temple. "Sleep tight, anyways. And I'll see you in the morning. Good night."
"G'night." She replied, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
He smiled and gave her one last pat on the head before standing. He clicked off the light in the room and closed the door. She listened to his footsteps as they descended down the stairs and away until she couldn't hear them anymore. Then she sat up and went to her desk.
So there she was, contemplating the rather strange turn of events. Things had happened rather rapidly within the first week of summer, and she still hadn't been able to contact Shirou-san about his wallet.
She hadn't told her brother about it either. She didn't want him to worry about some stranger getting a hold of her personal information. He could be so over-protective that sometimes it was scary. She did miss her pictures and her drivers license. Luckily, she didn't have a car and everything was in walking distance, but she still would have liked to have had that.
She sighed. What was she going to do if she couldn't get in touch with Shirou-san. She hoped the Fates would be kind.
-:- -:- -:-
The two men sat across from each other in large plush seats. Sesshoumaru sipped delicately from a wine glass while Ryuukossei swirled his absently in his hand. He was staring bemused out the window, watching the flashing lights pass by. No doubt he was wishing he was down there in that mess, probably paying a visit to the redlight district.
"What kind of place is The Beach?" Sesshoumaru inquired, initiating conversation and fulfilling his own curiousity. After Ryuukossei had mentioned it, he had made no further explanations. He had merely grinned excitedly and begun to plan.
"A beach!" Ryuukossei replied cheekily.
Sesshoumaru stared at him, not amused in the slightest.
"Such a stiff." The elder man sighed. "It's a place of relaxation for people who choose to relax with companions."
"An outdoor brothel?" Sesshoumaru questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Not at all!" He waved his hands fervently in a negative gesture. "It's more like a business. A customer designates an area. Each area has a certain number of attendants, and sometimes, specific attendants. And they're almost like servants, but not. They'll fetch drinks, bring towels, and the like. The service is all paid for with a rather nominal fee, at least in proportion to the services garnered: food, drinks, companionship. But, what makes it stand out are the Invitations." Ryuukotsusei grinned.
As the elder man was obviously enjoying his explanation a great deal, Sesshoumaru resignedly played along. "Pray tell, what are these 'Invitations'?"
"If you enjoy the company of a particular attendant, they're called 'Beach Mates' by the way, then you can Invite the attendant out, be it male or female. It's something of a date. You can take the attendant as a private companion for the night to do whatever. Drink, party, or as a nocturnal companion." He grinned lewdly.
"I see. And how does it differ from a brothel?" Sesshoumaru asked, stone-faced.
"Truly, you are proper." Ryuukossei sighed again. "It's in the contracts. Everything a Beach Mate does must be willing. During an Invitation, the Inviter must be cordial toward the Invitee, and vice versa. Customers are not purchasing a person. They only purchase the area in which they choose the relax, as well as the food and drink covered in the fee. Invitations with Beach Mates are more like exploring a relationship within guidelines. The customers are also bound within rules as well, for them to be hosted they must sign a terms of agreement contract. It's all quite professional." He explained.
"Beach Mates work something like attendants at The Beach. They'll sit with you, chat with you, sometimes moving on if they're bored. At The Beach, they're not tied down to any one person or area, though they can choose to be. If a customer is taken with an attendant, then they can Invite the person. Then the Beach Mate has the choice to accept or decline. If they accept, then they'll go with the customer to do whatever, completely within the contract of The Beach. It's almost like a dating service."
Sesshoumaru nodded. That made sense. It was a well thought-out institution. He would applaud the owner at his creativity, had it not been such a lewd proposition to begin with. His mind could not fathom how some men could think to create such a business, however profitable it was. "And The Beach would employ people of odd coloring?" He asked, returning to his original goal of finding the woman he surmised was in possession of his wallet.
"The Beach is renown for it's collection of exceptional individuals. It would be difficult for people to get Invited if they weren't classy or had some kind of talent. Many of the people employed aren't just lovely bimbos. They're witty and clever and make good conversationalists, as well as looking gorgeous. That's what makes The Beach so popular. And they might employ who you're looking for. Unique coloring is just a bonus." Ryuukossei clarified. "If they don't, maybe someone there will know her. There aren't many blue-eyed girls here. It's not a large town." He sat back in his chair, satisfied with himself.
By the concise description that Sesshoumaru had provided earlier, the girl had to have a nice face. It was just how he knew Sesshoumaru worked. The boy was something of a perfectionist. If the girl so much as had a mole or a scar on her body, he was sure to have taken note and mentioned such a trait. The fact that he had said nothing in the negative assured Ryuukossei that the woman was sure to be beautiful. That increased their chances of her being at The Beach. And Ryuukossei was curious over what kind of a girl interested Sesshoumaru. The girl had to have more than just looks to have captured Sesshoumaru's attention, as trivial as it may have seemed. He still toyed with the idea that perhaps Sesshoumaru looked to the other sex for companionship, or was maybe celibate.
"I've noticed." Sesshoumaru muttered, in response to Ryuukossei's comment about the town. "So, when can we visit?" He asked.
"The area I reserved opens up next week." Ryuukosei replied.
Sesshoumaru nodded. "Next week then. I thank you for your hospitality." He stood to leave.
Ryuukotsusei stood as well, raising a hand and shaking his head. "It's the least I could do for the son of my greatest rival."
Sesshoumaru's lips curled upward in a pseudo-smile. "Of course." When it comes down to it, everything is about my father. He though bitterly.
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Naraku sat at his fax machine, Kagome staring beside him, as the machine printed out the sheet of paper. He caught the paper as the machine finished printing, eyes scanning over the document. He feigned a sigh of relief over its contents. He had already previously corrected and made adjustments to her contract as was agreed upon, but she couldn't know that.
"So, is it good?" She asked hopefully.
He smiled. "Good as ever. You'll be doing the morning shift to afternoon shift. Not as many people until a few hours past noon, but they tend to be more sociable, in a good way. Night customers are the ones that might become a bit crass." He showed her the paper, pointing out the noteworthy sections. "You'll be paid hourly, and this here is the waiver."
He carefully explained each section, and she nodded in understanding. All in all it sounded like a good deal, and she knew her brother wouldn't put her in a position that she wouldn't want to be in.
It looked as if she'd be maintaining one of the Item and Refreshment booths. Sounded easy enough. She wouldn't be required to wear anything too revealing, and she could sit in the shade all day.
"Thank you." She beamed at her brother, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She took the document happily, rereading it once more before signing her name to it. "So, I start in three days?"
He nodded. As he had already assured his boss of her signing, her schedule had already been made up, by him. She would be placed in area no. 182. A sunny spot somewhat near the shoreline with many trees. It was somewhat isolated but there was no danger as the people who usually requested it were reclusive in nature or just not sociable. She would hardly find trouble there.
He had also taken other precautions as well. There would be no way that she would be Invited.
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"I can really go like this?" Kagome stared at him with wide eyes.
Naraku nodded with a smile. "You're only running a booth, so there's no need to show off. Knowing you, you'll probably sequester yourself in the back with a book anyways. And it's air-conditioned back there so you won't need to worry about the heat."
Kagome was clad in a loose set of grey colored sweats. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail and she was wearing her glasses. The sweats hid her figure nicely, and the rest of her features were equally veiled by her rather unflattering eyewear and hairstyle.
He grinned mentally.
None of those shallow, big-named corporate buffoons would Invite a girl looking like that. They had too much dignity. Plus, area 182 was going out to Ryuukossei starting that week. That sack of hot air wouldn't look twice at Kagome dressed like that. All she had to do was sit back, mix drinks or fold towels in the booth, and the other BM's would take care of the rest.
Naraku himself usually hung out in area 357. That area collected the greatest number of female patrons. Plus he was quite well-known for that particular area, so he couldn't just up and change areas. He wouldn't be able to keep as close an eye on her as he would like, but Kagura would be tending 182 as well. He could trust her to keep an eye on his sister. Also, Kagura knew exactly how to deal with men like Ryuukossei.
"Will you be comfortable like that?" Naraku asked her.
She beamed. "Definitely!" She never had the chance to go out in the clothes that she preferred, the laid-back sweats of a couch potato, but her brother was letting her work in that outfit. She couldn't be happier. "Thank you so much!"
He smirked. "All right then. Shall we be off?" He extended a hand.
"Eh? But I thought you worked a later shift…" She looked puzzled.
He looked appalled. "What kind of man would I be if I let a lovely thing like you wander off to work at a place like The Beach alone on your first day?"
"A good big brother. I don't want you sabotaging this or say embarrassing things!" She pouted. She clearly remembered her first day of High School where he had walked her to school and proudly proclaimed that he would personally see to it that any guy who hit on her would no longer be able to produce children, in a much more ungentle manner.
Kagome had almost died after that. Thank the Fates for friends like Sango. She wondered how her friends were doing on their trip. Well, she would e-mail them when she got back home. She was looking forward to her first day at work.
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Kagura sauntered on in to the Entrance Gate of The Beach, stretching her arms as she walked. "Ah…why am I starting so early today?" She complained rubbing her neck. "A night owl like me shouldn't be up so early in the morning."
"Even if it's for a friend?" A bemused voice asked from behind her.
She snorted. "Some friend you are. This is extortion." She turned, raising a brow and placing her hands on her hips.
"Such a big word from such pretty lips. But I wouldn't call it 'extortion,' more like paying back one the many times I've stuck my neck out for you." Naraku grinned in response, knowing that there was no possible way for Kagura to refuse anything he requested of her.
She sighed. "Whatever. So why did I have to come in at this ungodly hour?"
Naraku looked her up and down. Despite all of her complaining, Kagura was dressed as impeccably as always for this sort of work. Dark yellow flowers blossomed across the scarlet material of her bikini top, accented by the matching cloth she wore sarong-styled about her hips. Her hair was pulled back from her face to fall around her shoulders, and her make-up was as subtly and flawlessly applied as ever. All eyes would be trained on the 'Fire Princess' of The Beach, leaving his little Kagome to her own devices.
"You're training the new girl." He replied, smiling.
"Eh? You got me up for that?" She stared surprised. Training the newbie wasn't her cup of tea. Those girls were either too pretentious for their own good, or to shy to be of any use. Often, they would be clumsy and ignorant until they were fully trained to the style and air of The Beach.
Though The Beach would only hire the 'cream of the crop,' very few of the newbies got the hang of it on their first day. The Beach was a much more complex organization from the inside than it appeared on the outside.
Kagura scowled. Great. Just fantastic. Naraku was truly a sadist. She knew that he loved to watch her suffer.
However, the man in question simply shook his head. "The new girl is my darling sister." He explained.
Kagura's face blanched. She swallowed. Naraku's little sister? That was a whole different ballgame. Here she tread in treacherous waters.
He hovered just behind her, his voice lowering. "I don't suppose I'd have to tell you the consequences if my dear little sister found her way into trouble, now, do I?"
She shook her head. "Of course not! What do you take me for?" She shot back, crossing her arms.
"Great!" Naraku clapped delightedly. "That's just what I wanted to hear. I've already suited her up to my specification. She's in area 182 with you, on refill duty. You'll be her Tendant until she learns the ropes, yes?"
She gave a sharp nod.
"Good good. She's already waiting for you in the other room. Come and introduce yourself." He suggested, already walking away.
Kagura hurried to catch up.
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"Kagura, this is my lovely and darling little sister, Kagome. Kagome, this will be your senpai at The Beach, the Fire Princess Kagura." Naraku introduced them happily.
Kagome smiled politely and gave a respectful bow. "It's nice to meet you. Please treat me kindly."
Kagura nodded in reply, unable to articulate a reply. This was Naraku's little sister? She looked like a spud! But Kagura knew that appearances were deceiving. Buried under those sweats and glasses must be one lovely girl. After all, to even be considered to be as a Beach Mate, one had to have the goods; face, body, voice, brain, the works.
She had even heard that Naraku had negotiated Kagome's contract personally. He had wanted her to work there. But to bring her dressed up like that, he must not want her to get Invited. So that's what he wanted to prevent. Well, she would definitely take care of it. This was looking to be a piece of cake.
Confidence returning, she offered up a saucy smile to Kagome. "I'm sure it'll be a pleasure to work with you. I'll be your Tendant until you learn the ropes. If you have any questions, just ask me, after all, I'm going to be looking out for you until after your trial period. Come now, we girls gotta get our work done without the boys." Kagura took her by the hand, grinning.
Kagome smiled in return. Then shot her brother a look. "Don't follow! I don't need a stalker on my first day!"
Naraku looked appalled. "I'd never!" He declared, holding up his hands in a gesture of innocence.
She squinted at him. "I remember my first day at elementary school, and middle school. You followed me everywhere! You stay out of it."
He gave an exasperated sigh. "As you wish."
Kagura chortled, leading Kagome away. "You have him well-trained." She murmured to the younger girl.
Kagome giggled. "He's just like a big teddy-bear."
"Ah…of course…" Kagura smiled. A teddy bear? More like Beezlebub made flesh.
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Once the girls rounded the corner and were out of earshot, Naraku flipped open his cell phone. "You see them?" He asked.
"Yeah…" was Bankotsu's nervous reply. He wasn't exactly too keen on stalking Kagome again. But, Naraku hadn't given him a choice. This was Mission: Preserve Kagome's Virtue, and he would have done that without instruction. The Beach was no place for a girl like her.
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"So, you see her?" Kouga demanded on his phone.
"Y-yeah. She's with Kagura though." Ginta replied timidly.
Kouga slapped his forehead. Kagura? The Fire Princess? Nothing good could come of that. "What are they doing?"
"Folding towels." Ginta reported.
"Towels?" Kouga asked, surprised.
"Yeah. They're at one of the Refill Huts and Kagura's showing her where everything goes, I guess."
Hm… "What…is Kagome wearing?" Kouga asked slowly. He was getting a hunch about this.
"Sweats and glasses." Ginta answered.
Kouga bit his lip. Naraku was a better man than he had given him credit for, but only when it came to Kagome. So, Kagome was in a Refill Hut in sweats. No way she was going to be Invited. Perhaps he shouldn't have worried so much. Still…
"Keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble." Kouga instructed. He may have been bullied into letting her go, but he was going to make sure that it wasn't a mistake on his part. He would assure her safety at The Beach if he had to drag her away from there himself.
"No problem boss." Ginta replied hurriedly.
"Good." He hung up, tucking the phone into his pants pocket.
Kagome looked to be in surprisingly good hands.
Now, all he had to do was find a replacement for Kagome. Letting her go had made short-handed again, and the current applicants were…sub-par to Howl's usual parameters. Oh, having Kagome back would be a joy at this point. But he had to work with what he had.
Howl was swamped during the summer season.
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Kagome sat happily on her stool, folding towels, and arranging them into neat stacks. Kagura had told her that business would be slow in the mornings, so it would be a good chance to restock items and clean up before things became busy.
Kagome, thanks to Naraku and his friends' drinking habits, had a pretty good idea of mixing drinks. Kagura had given her a quick run through of the basics and pointed out the drink mixing guide beneath the counter. She had made a practice drink and Kagura had deemed her a natural at it. Then she patted her on the back and wished her luck.
Kagome's sole responsibility was just maintaining the booth. It was a Refill Hut where other BM's would stop by to pick up towels, drinks, lotion and the sorts for the clients. It was one of many small stations that dotted The Beach in somewhat secluded areas. There were larger huts that served the food and managed the more frivolous Beach accessories, and all were interlinked with phones and a computer.
It was actually a well-regulated system where if one booth fell short, or requested something special, any nearby booth would be able to aid or provide. Kagome was impressed. The Beach most certainly wasn't an escort service as she had secretly presumed.
She had just set down the last stack of towels and was rearranging the rows of suntan lotion on the shelves when the phone rang. She picked it up. "Hello?"
"This Hutch 182-b?" A male voice questioned.
"Um…yes?" Kagome answered tentatively. She still hadn't gotten the system of The Beach memorized yet. As far as she remembered, there were five to eight Refill Huts in each quadrant, designated by the letter. She knew she was a 'Hutch' as that was the slang for a Refill Hut. The Refreshment Huts were 'Bungalows', and the Service Huts were 'Cabins.'
"You the new girl?" The voice asked.
"Yeah." Kagome replied in a breath.
"Okay. Well, I'm Hutch 172-b and I think you got our shipment of towels this morning. Can you look in the back for a black plastic bin? The designation should be on the side in red paint."
"Sure." Kagome walked to the back, grateful that the phones were wireless. "Yeah, I see it."
"Great!" The voice sounded relieved. "Can you bring it up? Schedule says you're not due for reserved customers for an hour. You'll have plenty of time."
"Sure. Just, where are you?" Kagome asked, sliding the bin with her to the front of the Hutch.
"On the wall to the left of the phone there should be a grid map. Your position is the blue light. I'm the red light, just flipped it on."
Kagome saw one of the green lights turn red. "I see you. You're south of me?"
"Almost directly." He answered.
She hefted the bin with one hand. "Okay. I'll be there soon."
"Thanks." He replied, something akin to relief in his voice. He hung up.
Kagome replaced the phone on the receiver, took one last glance at the map, and prayed that she'd find it. The one thing she'd discovered about the Hutches was that unless you were looking for them, they were almost impossible to spot. They had been designed to be invisible.
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Sesshoumaru drummed his fingers on the desk impatiently. Though he may have come here for 'vacation,' he planned on using this trip for anything but. There were many documents he wanted to browse through and hopefully garner a few connections during his time here.
Ryuukossei had been a good friend and rival of his late father, and though the man had become rather lax of late, was still quite powerful. Sesshoumaru had come on the pretense of a social call, at Ryuukossei's behest, but he would try to use it for something much more.
He had heard rumors about The Beach. It was quite popular among the wealthy social circuit, especially those in corporations. People from intern to executive frequented The Beach and it was a good place to meet people.
Absently he felt his pocket, the familiar weight of the wallet resting within. The Beach might also hold something of personal interest to him. He would just have to find her first.
Business came first to him, but he never had let anything interesting elude him for long.
The phone rang and he answered it almost instantly. Ryuukossei's deep voice chuckled from the other side.
"Impatient much?" The man laughed.
"Hn." Sesshoumaru replied stone faced.
Ryuukossei continued, unbothered by the stoic young man. "Well, we're in for The Beach on Monday morning, and I have my slot for the next week or two, depending on if I want an extension. Mayhaps you will find your lady love during then?" His tone was teasing.
"Perhaps." Was Sesshoumaru's non-committed reply. "Was there anything else?"
"Ah, the impatience of youth. When you become old like me, you learn to savor time in life." Sesshoumaru could visualize the man shaking his head on the other line. "Anyways, a few of your father's friends will be dropping by. The six of us should go out to dinner. I'm sure you remember them, Toutousai, Myouga, and Saya. I'm not too sure about Bokuseno, that old man wouldn't move unless you moved him. But for you, I'm sure he'd show up. We'll reminisce about old times and have a lark!"
Sesshoumaru grimaced inwardly. Those men were all old coots. But they all held respect individually. They were four of the greatest men in Japan. Sesshoumaru briefly wondered if eccentricity was a requirement for authority. Or maybe his father simply gathered the odd ones. Yet he found himself agreeing to the invitation anyways.
Crazy or not, Sesshoumaru himself respected them. They were wise, and he had the inkling that they always knew much more than they let on.
"Great! Tonight at nine then. We can meet at that Howl place. Nice café with a great steak." Ryuukossei grinned.
A café that served steak? But Ryuukossei had already hung up before Sesshoumaru could question the man. He found himself staring at the phone in his hand. He shook his head and pulled out a directory. Howls, it was located within walking distance.
He glanced at the clock. Plenty of time before dinner. He decided to do a bit of research about the area. For a small town, it attracted some of the biggest names in business and politics.
-:- -:- -:-
Kagome was circling the same sand mound for the fifth time she was sure when a man came bounding toward her.
"Hey, are you the girl who was at 182-b?" He asked.
She nodded.
"Oh good. I was afraid you'd gotten lost. Here, this way." He took the bin easily from her arms and lead her up the mound to a small copse of trees. Just beyond, a small Hutch was hidden away.
He opened the door for her and followed her in, smiling. "Thanks so much. I'd be in big trouble without these." He grinned, placing the bin on the table and quickly stacking the towels under one of the counters.
Kagome looked at him. He appeared a bit older than herself, pale skin, and dark hair tied up into a high ponytail. His face resembled Kagura's to an extent. And though he appeared effeminate, his body proved otherwise, lean and strong and pure muscle. He was dressed in an opened collared shirt and shorts with a white cloud print over sheen light blue material. Basically, he looked expensive.
He, however, acted unphased by their obvious difference in appearance. Maybe this was one of those places where it didn't matter what you wore as long as you were comfortable? But she kind of doubted it.
He finished his stacking and straightened, extending a hand. "Hi, my name's Byakuya." He introduced.
She took it. "Kagome." She replied quietly.
His eyebrows rose. "Are you Naraku's little sister?"
"Yeah…" She responded slowly, wondering what, if anything, her elder brother said about her.
"I've heard so much about you." He smiled. "All good I assure you. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'm usually at the Hutch all day, but sometimes I do go to Invites. But if you need me," he scribbled something down on a slip of paper, "this is my cell number. Call me anytime." He said sincerely.
She took it, blushing. "Thanks."
"No problem! Ah, almost forgot." He went over to the grid and flipped off a switch. "Can't leave it on too long or other Hutches will probably start to wonder and call." He clarified.
She nodded. Then, her curiosity perked she asked, "um, by the way, what do all the designations mean?" The systematic ordering of The Beach had puzzled her. It was quite thorough, but as not much had been explained to her yet, she didn't quite understand.
"The designations? Like the Hutches?"
She nodded.
He pointed to the map. "This is the entire area of The Beach. It's divided into four quadrants; One, Two, Three, and Four." He pointed the each of the four squares. "That number is the first digit in the designation. The second number is location, where you are in the quadrant, numbering zero to nine. And the last number designates if the area is mainly populated with male or female BM's. Evens for females, and odds for males. The closer one is to zero, the higher females per males ratio is. The closer the number is to nine, the higher the ratio is for men. Make sense?" He explained patiently.
She nodded. She got it now. Hopefully, she would be able to find her way through The Beach well enough. It was bigger than she thought.
She looked at the map. So that meant than her brother was in almost the furthest quadrant from her, and it was mostly all male. That was where most of the female customers hung out, no doubt. Though she had heard that The Beach catered to both sexual orientations, straight and not. She giggled, wondering if any men had tried to woo her brother.
"Thank you very much." She beamed and offered a polite bow.
"It was no problem." Byakuya waved off her formality. "You look like such a sweetheart. Don't get into any trouble okay? And if you get too hot in those sweats, there's a few shirt and short sets in the back of each Hutch." He pointed to his own clothes in example and smiled.
"Thank you." She repeated. "I'd better be off now. It was nice meeting you." She waved.
He waved back. "You'll find your way back okay."
"Yeah." She grinned.
"Good luck then." He waved back, watching until she disappeared over the hill. His expression turned thoughtful.
"So, that was Naraku's younger sister. He must be trying his best to make sure she's not Invited." He smirked at the way she was dressed. Naraku was trying hard for him to allow her to attend the beach in such attire. She was interesting to say the least. Kagome didn't seem to care at all how she was dressed, and only worried about getting lost. Did she not know how The Beach operated, or was she simply too naive. Either way, she interested him.
He grinned to himself, remembering the special allowance each BM contract granted: Beach Mates could get Invited by other Beach Mates if there weren't already Invited for the day.
He might just put that into use soon.
Despite Kagome's outfit, she couldn't hide her natural innocence, and that called out to him like a beacon.
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SM: Yeah boring chapter...So most of this was explaining things, and even that won't matter later, so it's like 80 percent useless filler, ugh! But at least Byakuya got introduced. The first time I saw him, his face creeped me out because it was pasting Kagura's face on a man's body. Yay origami cranes!
For something with a bit more substance, I've been posting snippets of fics in my LJ. Check it out for randomness and reasons I'm not updating. I posted part of chapter one of Pink Slip there. It's not on yet cuz it's not a complete chapter. I'm still pounding out some issues with it while I'm not NaNoWriMo-ing.
Link for Pink Slip here: http // shadyminion . livejournal . com / 8786 . html # cutid 1
As always, remove spaces, or for a shorter short cut, go to my profile, and it's under homepage. Thanks for reading. I adore all feedback. And now I crawl into my hole of labwork and a bit o' exam cramming. And just because I'm evil, I bought FFXII on Tuesday and have been playing it religiously when I can.