Chapter 7

The walls were crumbling, the marble floors were marred with multiple thin, spidery cracks, the once clear blue skies were red and the air was stifling. The curtains that had served to hide her room from prying eyes were now tattered, burned and black. He heard an unholy scream come from behind the curtains and he rushed in to find the sweet woman that had entered his dreams before, she was covered in glowing red tattoos, tongues of fire whipping about replaced her hair and her eyes glowed red. "Kyoko?"

The stunningly beautiful yet, terrifying image trained her gaze directly on him. "You should leave here for your own safety Kuon. You know not what you are dealing with." She ground out.

"I... I don't understand what you're saying Kyoko. Please tell me." He begged.

"I said leave! Before you anger me further!" She barked at him and he was thrown back out of what he had thought was a nightmare.

He bolted upright in his bed, panting heavily out of distress and noticed that he was covered in soot and his pajamas were torn. "What the hell? It was a dream, right?" He shook his head not believing what he was actually living. He got up, stripped off his tattered clothing, took a shower, redressed and attempted to go back to sleep as the nightmare slipped from his mind and into the ether.

After she had evicted him from her palace via tantrum, she began to slowly calm down. She surveyed the destruction and glumly began to repair it. "I hope I didn't frighten him too much." She murmured remorsefully. She looked at the little stone. "Did it really mean so little to him?" She felt something moist on her cheek. "Why does it bother me so?" She sighed and sat roughly on her chaise.

She sat quietly in contemplation and twirled her finger in the goblet of water she held, turning it to a liquor that was stronger than any human could ever tolerate. She sighed and took a sip. "Oh... Very good." She smiled as her mood lightened and the alcohol took effect. "Perhaps I was too harsh on him. When I first saw him, it did seem as though he treasured it." She sighed again. "Teasing me like a child..." She took another drink. "Oh my! Dizzy." She giggled and little butterflies in a rainbow of colors started flitting about the room.

She finished off her considerably large drink and stood, giggling and swaying in her inebriation. She nodded to herself in determination. "I must ask for his forgiveness. Yes... I shall do that." and in a glittering shower of gold mixed with butterflies she materialized next to his bed.

In his half asleep state, he heard the voice of a softly giggling female. "Sweet Kuon..." She sang his name. He felt a gentle caress of fingers through his hair. "Psst... Kuon... Psst..." She giggled in a drunken whisper.

His eyes popped open to a completely naked, giggling, drunk, tattooed female sitting next to him on his bed. What the hell? He quickly propped up on his elbows and rubbed his eyes.

Her beautiful smile almost blinded him. "What is... Who...?" He stammered finally remembering her anger from before. "Kyoko?" Gotta be another dream.

"Kuon... Hic... Please forgive my anger." She asked sweetly, draped herself over him and propped her elbows up on his chest while resting her chin on her hands as she gazed into his eyes. "You are soooo beautiful... Hic..." She pulled herself up closely to his face. "Hmmm... Hic..." She purred drunkenly. She then leaned down and kissed him.

His mind was in a haze as he felt her soft lips caress his own. Her taste was as sweet as honey and her lips were as liquid silk flowing over his. Her velvety smooth tongue teased as his hands relished in the feel of her soft skin. Oh god, this is... and then it all stopped. His eyes flew open to find his arms empty. Such a tease! He groaned. How am I going to sleep after that?! He rolled over and punched his innocent pillow out of frustration and attempted to find the sleep that was determined to evade him.

He would have thought it was all a dream last night had he not awakened to several strangely colored butterflies flitting about his bedroom and a naked shapely butt print on his sheets in gold dust where she sat before she molested him in her drunken state. "Well... That certainly explains a lot." He smirked remembering the gold eyes, the soft skin and the tickle of long silken hair. He chuckled and raked his fingers though his hair. "I suppose I should get ready for work." He reminded himself then left to begin his morning routine after stripping his sheets. "Can't let the cleaning lady see that."

She sat at the table in the LoveMe office resting her face on the cool surface of the table, groaning in hangover misery. "Why did I have to drink that?" She blushed as she remembered her behavior last night with Kuon, thanking every known deity that she had passed out before she took it too far.

Lory entered the room with his usual grandiose style and plopped down next to her. He leaned in to look at her face and laughed. "You look like absolute hell, sister. What happened?" He commented slyly.

"Oh, shut up." She grumbled irritably. "I drank from Father's recipe last night."

"Whoa... What caused that?" He asked curiously.

She groaned. "I'd rather not speak of my childish behavior, if you don't mind." She groused.

He chuckled. "Fine... Fine. I will not ask again. I know how your temper can get." He jabbed a little.

"Why are you here Huba Syd? Is it expressly to torture me or, do you actually have something relevant to say?" She asked grumpily as she sat up and rubbed her temples.

"I only came to see my favorite sister and tell her that Sawara-san has a job for you and Kotonami-san." He pouted.

She rolled her eyes. "I am your only sister and thank you for telling me. I'll go as soon as this infernal demon puts down the hammer inside of my head and I can see straight."

He laughed. "Alright, try not to take too long. It will leave you more quickly if you take that." A glass of clear, cold water and 4 small pills appeared on the table in front of her. He smiled at her and left.

She rolled her eyes, picked up the glass and pills then took them. "Thank you little brother." She smiled softly, then winced again at the throbbing in her head.

He felt so stupid having to explain his problems to a chicken of all things. Thankfully, he seemed like he could understand my circumstances. It was almost as if he had just learned the word himself. I hope he has better luck with his next job. He seemed like a honest, helpful guy. Ren pondered as he poured himself a glass of milk then took his dinner from the microwave. I wonder what show he was from.

He ran his encounter with a giant mascot chicken through his mind as he ate his dinner and watched the images on the television flash through the day's news. Everything had been so strange the past 24 hours. He honestly didn't know what to think of it. He shrugged it off and decided to chalk the events up to just another weird day.