Hikaru- san: OMG! I have no idea how much to thank Bert8813! Thanks a lot! (Yes… since I can't think of anything original at the moment, I borrowed, yet, an already used character or two… this authoress is forever in debut, in real life and in the fan fic world…)

So that's my shout outs.

I own no character or product or music used in this story (Except Sayuri, Karei, Chiyo, Ryusei, Lili, and the entire Satome clan) anyway! On with the story.

"Oh! Inari! Turn it up! That's my song!" said a tall woman around 5,8 caramel complexion with long dark brown hair pulled behind her elf ears that stopped mid back. She was dressed in a white spaghetti strap shirt with matching blue jean jacket and capris.

The other woman in the room rolled her eyes and turned the XM radio up. She looked a lot like her sister, only her face was rounder, was slightly pear-shaped, and she was thirty pounds heavier. She had eyes that faded from brown to green. They both had the same elf ears and dark brown hair, only her's stopped just above her breast, parted to the left side. Nakamura Akiya started to move her hips to the beat of the music. It was just another day at Top Choice Hair Salon. A really slow day at that…

I lose all control when I see you
Standing there in front of me
Your style, your clothes, your hair
You fair woman, you look so sexy
De way you wine and, de way you dance
And de way that you twist and turn your waist
Leaves me wanting, leaves me yearning
Leaves me feelin for a taste

"Before the end of the night
I wanna hold you so tight
You know I want you so much
And I'm so tempted to touch
Tempted to touch, tempted to touch
Little woman, man I need you so much
Tempted to touch, tempted to touch
Little woman, man I'm inside your clutch…"

Akiya and her sister Inari started to sing. Yura, one of the other stylists at the Salon, rolled her eyes, as she continued to work on her client.

"Do they always do that?" Jakotsu asked.

"Only when the really good songs come on…" Yura replied with a smile.

Akiya sat down in her chair, causing it to spin a little.

"I can't help it. It's really boring right now…" she said with a yawn.

"Oh Kiya- chan, I hope you don't mind, but I have a friend of mine coming in!" Jakotsu suddenly said, leaning up in his chair.

"Put your head down! How in the hell am I suppose to finish conditioning!?" Yura practically shouted, jamming his head back down.

Akiya and Inari couldn't help but laugh at Yura's antics.

"And who, may I ask, is it?"

"(Blub)…yu… (blub blub)" Jakotsu said.

"Quit trying to drown him Yura and let the man talk!" Inari said annoyed.

"Sorry! I'm just trying to do my job…" Yura said, finally finish rinsing Jakotsu off.

"As I was saying… Sayuri…is coming in. She needs a little cheer up session…" Jakotsu said. All three women leaned in, full alert.

"What happened?" Inari asked.

Jakotsu gave them a serious look.

"You three are sworn to secrecy! The press hasn't even heard about it! So no one else is to know. And I'm surprised you don't know about it yet, Akiya, as you are Sesshomaru's best friend."

"Oh just get on with it already!" Yura said.

"Well, you know Karei?"

"WHAT HAPPENED!?" Akiya shouted, getting annoyed.

"She was kidnapped a few days ago…"

"No…"

"Yea… Remember you didn't hear it from me, and not allowed to tell anyone else!" Jakotsu said, leaning back into his chair.

Akiya thought for a moment. Why didn't Sesshomaru mentioned anything about that to her?

But on the other hand… she did just get back from New York the night before. Plus, she only saw Karei when her mother went to get her hair done, or when she was invited over.

Wonder how he's doing…

"… Earth to Akiya…"

"Huh?"

"I was just telling y'all about the big news on Chiyo…" Jakotsu said.

"What now?"

"She's gonna be a mommy!"

"WHAT!?"

Sayuri turned off the engine to the BMW. Rin tapped her on the shoulder.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok mom?" Rin asked. After the visit from Kohaku, she's been trying to cheer Sayuri up. So far, all she got was a small half smile.

"I'll be fine…" Sayuri said weakly. "I just need to get my mind off a few things…"

"Then a visit to Aunt Akiya is just the thing you need!" Rin said happily.

Akiya was probably the only other woman in Sesshomaru's life that didn't hate Rin, though she and Sesshomaru were just friends. They dated a little in high school, but it didn't work out. But they remained very close friends. Akiya couldn't make the wedding, but did run into the couple on their Italian honeymoon. That's how she met Sayuri.

Sayuri sighed. It seemed like forever since she heard Karei's voice, though it's only been three days. She and Rin got out of the car and went into the building.

"Guurrlls, let me tell you about my date last night. Y'all know Muso, right?" Jakotsu babbled.

Sayuri placed a finger over her lips, telling Rin to keep quiet as they snuck in without anyone noticing.

"Yeah." The three stylists said again in unison.

"Well, he took me to that new club Tick Tock and guess what happened?"

"What?" Inari screamed, annoyed that he was not getting to the point.

"Some heifer tried to push up on him!" he said, crossing his legs in the leather chair.

"You playin'?"

"No girl, so I slapped him and sent his ass runnin!" snapping his fingers from side to side, making all of the women in the salon burst into laughter.

"I would do the same thing if it were Mike." Inari responded briefly.

"Sis, I think Mike would be too scared to look at anyone else." Akiya chimed in.

"Damn straight, I'll gut him like a fish!" flexing her manicured claws, making everyone laugh again.

"Damn, I'd hate to be your man." Jakotsu said, taking a sip of his bottled water.

"Bitch, I don't consider you a man. I've seen you walk in heels."

"I'm the one who taught you."

"A skill I cherish to this day." making a curtsy.

Sayuri broke at that point. She started laughing.

"And who did you think taught him!?" Sayuri said in between laughs.

Rin smiled. It was the first time in three days since she saw her step- mother like that.

"Aw Sae! How can I forget you?" Jakotsu asked, pretending to start crying. "By the way, nice to hear you laugh…"

Sayuri finally calmed down enough and lightly smiled.

"You have no idea how much I needed that…" she said.

"Well, well, Sayuri! It's been a while!" Akiya said, hugging Sayuri.

"Yes… it has…"

"And how are you doing?"

Sayuri immediately send cold daggers at Jakotsu.

"Uh… um… well… I thought Akiya had the right to know…" Jakotsu said meekly.

Sayuri sighed.

"I could be better…" Sayuri admitted.

Akiya looked over Sayuri's shoulder.

"Hey Rin, I didn't see you there." Akiya said, looking over at the teenager.

"Aw… Aunt Akiya, I'm hurt…" Rin said, placing a hand over her heart.

"Sorry!"

Sayuri took a seat in Akiya's chair.

"Hm… so… what should we do with you today?" Akiya asked, playing around with Sayuri long hair.

How does she keep it so soft?

"I don't know. I kinda drift in and out lately…" Sayuri said.

"You know, Akiya, Inari, Yura…" Jakotsu said, getting out of Yura's chair, as his hair was finished. "I think someone needs a change…"

Yura smirked evilly.

"Like what kind of change?" she asked, helping the others circle Sayuri. Sayuri looked around nervously.

"Like this hair… when was the last time anyone walked around with this long of hair?"

"I'd say… the Heian period…" Inari said, joining in with the evil looks.

"What are you trying to say!?" Sayuri said, beginning to panic.

"You're over due for a new look!" Yura explained.

"But I like my hair like this…"

"But you'd like it more if you had bangs." Akiya chimed in.

"And if you cut off a foot or two!" Inari added.

"I am not cutting off that much!"

Akiya spun the chair so Sayuri was facing the mirror.

"Just trust me on this one…" she whispered into Sayuri's ear.

"Oh fine… I give…" Sayuri said defeated.

Nakamura Akil paced around the office, trying to figure out how to deliver the recent news to his younger sister, Akiya, who was currently a retired member of the youkai elite, not to mention the only hanyo.

Akil was a tall, well built neko- youkai with a light caramel complexion. His hair was cream colored with a brown streak going down the middle, stopping past his butt. At the moment, his white button up dress shirt had its sleeves rolled up and his black tie loosened just for his day at the desk.

It was rather unusual that Akil had trouble to figure out what to say, as he was the kind of person that knew his actions well. But he's been given an important task. His partner and close friend, Matsuba Sano, has requested that Akiya to be taken out of retirement and brought in for the Tashio case. It was his theory that if there were people that we're close to the girl working on the case, then there would be better results in finding her.

But Akiya had just got off the phone with him the day before, babbling on about how it was great to see their parents and all the leisure time she had since retiring. And Akiya was one of the best to qualify, one, being one of the best agents in the Youkai Elite, two, she's a very close friend of the Tashios, and three, there was no one better…

"Ok… it's now or never…" he finally said, as he picked up the phone…

"Inari! I'm going with Sayuri and Rin!" Akiya called into the shop, while Sayuri and Rin waited in the car.

"Fine…. Leave the entire inventory to me…" Inari said, pretending to be annoyed.

Akiya rolled her eyes and got into Sayuri's BMW.

"Will you quit touching it! You'll wear out the curls!" Akiya said from the back seat, slapping Sayuri's hand away.

"But… don't you think it's a bit much?" Sayuri asked nervously.

"Mom, it looks good!" Rin said encouragingly.

At least she's worried over something else for a while…

"So… talked to Chiyo recently?" Akiya asked.

"Yup… I can't wait! I'm going to be a real aunt for once!" Sayuri replied.

"Don't forget Aunt Kagome!" Rin added.

Akiya gasped.

"She's pregnant too!?"

"Just called me yesterday to re- do an extra room they have…" Sayuri said. "I know she just asked me because, one, she knows I'd do it and give her a major discount, two…" Sayuri paused. "To help me get my mind off of a few things…"

Rin and Akiya looked at each other. Sayuri was on a roll to being close to her cheerful self, but then the subject of Karei being missing came back up. It seems like the little girl affected everybody.

Sayuri suddenly sighed and gave a small smile.

"I really shouldn't worry about her too much should I?" she suddenly asked.

Akiya and Rin didn't know how to respond.

"Last time I was worried about something this much, I almost hurt myself. But I can't let that happen again. Just gotta try and stay cheerful. I know Rei's a smart girl. She'll be fine. She gets it from Sesshomaru…"

Rin and Akiya sighed in relief. At least Sayuri was aware of how she was behaving. But what mother wouldn't be worried about her child that much.

"But… do you really think Sessh will like it?" Sayuri asked, changing the subject back to her hair.

Rin and Akiya laughed.

Sesshomaru sat quietly at his desk at home. So far, nothing was found on Karei. On top of that, he was getting worried about Sayuri. He remembered what Sayuri said about what happened when she got emotionally disturbed…

"…

"I told you to stop doing that!" a voice rang out.

Akiya?

"I can't help it! It's still new to me!" Sayuri's voice whined.

"But its fine the way it is!" Rin said.

"What's going on?" Sesshomaru said, as he entered the living room, only to stop dead when he saw Sayuri.

All of her long hair was chopped off. Now it reached a little passed her shoulders. She also got bangs and it framed her face quite nicely. The ends of her hair were curled inward to add to the framing effect. Sayuri ran a hand through her hair.

"So… do you like it?" Sayuri asked, a little nervous. She liked the fact that her head felt lighted, but it was a sudden change.

The small smile that Sesshomaru gave her was reassuring enough.

"It looks really good on you, Sae…" he said, pulling his wife in for a kiss.

"See Rin… he get's turned on by the new look and we're completely out of the picture…" Akiya said, shaking her head. Rin nodded in agreement.

"I thought I told you to mind your own damn business. Didn't curiosity kill the cat?" Sesshomaru snapped at Akiya.

"But satisfaction brought her back." Akiya replied with one of her world famous smiled. She reached over and patted Sayuri on the head.

"God, I am good…"

Suddenly, her cell phone began to ring.

"Who in the hell…? Excuse me!" Akiya said, as she went out back to take the call.

"I'm going to go and take a bath…" Sayuri said.

"Ok…" Sesshomaru and Rin replied.

As soon as Sayuri was up the stairs, Sesshomaru and Rin crashed on the couch.

"So… how was the cheer up attempt?" Sesshomaru asked.

"It went pretty well…" Rin replied. "Jakotsu was there too. It was his idea that mom got a makeover. Inari and Yura, whose one of the stylists, pretty much had to hold mom down, while Aunt Akiya cut her hair. Mom didn't like the idea of losing all that hair."

But she looks so damn hot now! Sesshomaru thought to himself.

"Wonder what's taking Akiya so long?"

"They want me back?" Akiya asked.

"I know you like being retired… but they really need you on this one sis…" Akil said on the other side.

"But…"

"Think about how much it's going to mean to Sessh and Sayuri. I mean… it is their daughter we're dealing with…"

Akiya sighed. She didn't plan to go back to the elite, ever. But yet, what Akil said was true. She was the best one suited for the mission at hand. She sighed.

"If… if that's what it's going to take to find Karei… then fine… I'll come back…"

"Thanks sis… Sano will really appreciate it."

"I know… just on one condition…"

"What?"

"That Kohaku and I are to be the ones first notified if anything comes up…"

"I try to get that pass Sano, but you know how he is…"

"Just try…"

"I'll see you back at the agency…"

"Bye, Akil…"

Akiya hung up the phone. At first, she was happy to hear from 'Buddha', her older brother. But after he said that the Elite wanted to re- instate her, she was surprised. But if it was only for the hunt for Karei, then she was going to do her best friend a favor and help find his daughter.

Hikaru- san: Ok… I'm out of ideas for now…

So if you have any ideas about where to take this story, let me know.

Oh yea… and Bert… I hope I kept your characters in… well, character… well enough… thanks again for the lend.

So people, please read and review!!!!