Chapter 2

His frustration was reaching its pinnacle. His wish had been for fortune and fame as a singer and songwriter. Why were things not happening already? It was irritating. Did she do as she was told? He rubbed the coin coarsely and waited impatiently for the slave of the coin to appear, his slave. Within seconds she appeared before him.

"Why hasn't anything happened yet? Why has no one noticed my musical genius?" He whined petulantly. "You must have screwed it up or something." He spat at the scantily clad Djinni before him.

"I apologize my master. You were not clear on a time frame." She informed him.

He snorted with derision. "Any idiot would know what I meant." He sighed arrogantly. "But you're no ordinary idiot are you?" He goaded in one of his endless multiple attempts to get a response from her. She was his slave after all, not one of his brainless followers from school. He could say and treat her how he deemed appropriate.

"As you say my master." She answered emotionlessly once again.

"Kyoko..." He commanded.

"Yes Master?" She awaited the demand.

"I wish for my time as a rock star to start now." He told her, clarifying his original first wish.

With the snap of her fingers a cloud of silver rained over him, bleaching his hair to gold, turning his tight denim jeans to leather, forming his tennis shoes to black combat boots, transforming his t-shirt to a light silk shirt and piercing three diamonds into his left ear. In his right hand rested a large manila envelope containing a letter from Akatoki Entertainment in Tokyo, a train ticket and a cashier's check for 5 million yen. He felt a slight twinge of pain shoot through his body then brushed it off as she returned to the coin.

"Now this is what I'm talking about." He smirked smugly as he left the confines of his bedroom and the ryokan where he grew up behind, never to look back.

"Haaa..." Takarada Lory sighed in discontent. "That boy is so boring. Always too polite and not a sign of romance to be found in his life. Isn't he at least a little lonesome for female companionship?" A thought came to mind of the possibility that Ren could be searching for the right male instead and he shrugged it off. "Nah, he's never given any hint to that. Maybe he just hasn't found one that interests him enough for a deep relationship."

Lory rolled over on his cushions and pondered whether Kiki should kiss Ryuu or, hug him and sighed. "Too bad romance isn't as easy to figure out as this." He grumbled, popped a handful of popcorn in his mouth and picked kiss, earning him the winning storyboard. "YES!"

"Takarada-sama... It's almost time for your 4 o'clock." Ruto informed him and left as silently as he came.

"Well, I suppose I should get ready." He grumbled and snapped his fingers. A whirlwind of gold dust tore through the office and transformed it into an Ancient Egyptian Palace worthy of a most exulted Pharaoh and Lory was instantly clad in the appropriate garments with two female companions to feed him grapes as his servant fanned him on his lounge. "Much better." He smiled with satisfaction and awaited the very person that he had been contemplating earlier.

Ren entered the office of his unusual godfather and marveled at the detail and efforts of the decorations. He often wondered how on Earth Lory was able to get some of the things he used from the storage he assumed was in the basement to the penthouse office. Was there a special elevator he had for just such occasions?

"Ah Ren... Have a seat." Lory told him as he pointed to a colorful silk cushion and leaned back into his chaise lounge.

Ren took the offered seat and made himself as comfortable as he could without seeming too relaxed. "Did you need to see me for something Boss?" Ren asked with curiosity regarding the forced appointment when he could be doing something more productive.

"Yes... I have decided to help you by creating a new talent section, and I want you to be the first member." Lory announced proudly of his new revolutionary idea. If it worked on Ren, it would work for anyone.

Ren narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He didn't like the sound of this.

Lory chuckled and tossed a shockingly pink shirt still wrapped in plastic to him. "This will be your uniform." He announced with a smile.

Ren tore open the package and shook out the button down long-sleeved pink dress shirt and gaped in shock at the monstrosity before him. "LoveMe?... NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!" He protested. "I will not wear this or, be a part of it!" If anyone heard of it or, saw him, it would ruin his carefully crafted image.

Lory pouted. "Fine... You don't have to wear the shirt, but you will still participate."

Ren could hardly argue with the man over being placed in the new LoveMe Section, which at the moment he had no knowledge of, he had done so much for him. He sighed deeply and groaned. "What does this brilliant idea of yours entail, Sir..."

Lory clapped his hands in glee and began to explain to him. Of course it was brilliant. It was the most ingenious plan he had in the past 10,000 years! When he finally finished Lory told him that, although he didn't need to advertise that he was the first LoveMe member, he still had to carry out missions until he graduated from it and he would also need to mentor any others that would be placed in the new section. (And that my friends is how and why the LoveMe Section was conceived and how the first ever Phantom Member was inducted, at least in this universe.)

He absolutely hated the man. His face was everywhere. What was so special about just smiling and reciting a few banal lines to a camera? Anyone could do that. He was only the Number One Bachelor, because of his pretty face.

Kyoko had been especially irritated by this insolent whelp that refused to show her the proper respect for her power. Demanding, unappreciative, coarse and abrasive. She was only waiting for that one vague wish that he was so adept at demanding of her and she would finally be free. Free from her stifling prison.

When he had summoned her angrily, her countenance reflected the mood. She arrived in golds, reds and oranges with hair of flames in a pillar of fire. For a moment she had relished in his hidden terror. "What is thy wish Master?" Her voice reflecting her mood and irritation, shocked him.

He swallowed nervously then cleared his head. How dare she give him that attitude? She was his slave, his servant! No matter, he thought. As long as I have this coin, I control her. She can't do anything to me. She said so herself she can't kill anyone. His thoughts continued, ignoring the fact that it was a wish that couldn't be used for that purpose. "I want to be the Number One Bachelor. I want the man who is Tsuruga Ren off of the list... gone!"

Ah... Finally. She sighed to herself and calmed. He had finally made the wish she could use. Suddenly her flames turned a cool blue and her silk trappings oscillated to match. Her features softened. She smiled at her impending freedom. Her lithe body smoothly approached him, and she snaked her soft hand to his neck and caressed him with her thumb. He felt her lips and breath warmly near his ear. "Are you certain that this is your wish?" She cooed seductively, clouding his mind.

He swallowed the hard lump that had formed in his throat and nodded shakily. "Yes..." He croaked out hoarsely.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes, molten gold to icy blue. She smiled for the first time in thousands of years. She pulled him to her and her lips caressed his in a kiss that would haunt him until his last days. "As you wish." She whispered. She moved away from him and twirled before him in her blue flames until she was no more.

He stood there in a haze for several long moments wondering what the hell had just happened. She had never behaved that way. He looked down to find the hand that had tightly gripped the coin, empty. "NOOOOO!"