Chapter 9

The two young women sat in the little ice cream shop, sharing a large sundae and rehashing the day's events.

"MO! The nerve of her... I cannot believe she just tried to do that. It's insulting!" Kanae groused over Erica's behavior and treachery.

Kyoko smiled at her then patted her hand. "Don't worry Moko-san... She could never harm you and I think that challenge that you issued to her might inspire her to do things on her own. She seemed pretty determined."

Kanae shook her head. "So... Why exactly did you really help me?"

Kyoko smiled. "Moko-san... I told you before, I've never had a friend that was a girl before... let alone a best friend. Best friends do things for each other."

Kanae gave her a long pensive look. "Well... I suppose I don't mind being best friends. I can only wish that we stay friends forever. But... don't get all girly about it." She huffed and took another bite of ice cream without noticing the soft glowing tattoo on Kyoko's wrist that flashed and disappeared.

Kyoko gave her a soft smile. "Thank you for being my friend, Moko-san."

Kanae smiled a small smile. "Thank you too, I guess."

In her excitement over the achievement of getting her first acting job on her own with Kanae, she materialized in Lory's office without warning in a cloud of butterflies and gold dust as she had appeared in Ren's room when she had been drunk. Lory looked up and saw the little spectacle that he hadn't seen since they were children.

"Brother! We did it!" She bounced happily to him and hugged him with all the might her petite, scantily clad body could muster. "Moko-san and I got the commercial for Curara!"

Lory chuckled and cleared his throat. "Farasha... I'm very happy for you, but you must be careful. What if I had a guest?" He scolded. "Ren is supposed to be here in 10 minutes. Had he been early like usual he would have caught a glimpse of you."

"Um... Brother... He knows what I am already. He is the one that found my coin after it was released from Fuwa's contract and I was freed." She told him sheepishly. "But he knows not of our relation." She quickly added.

He shook his head and smiled. "You can trust him Sister, but be sure not to reveal yourself unless you trust that human enough to give them your name from now on." It was interesting that she had chosen Kuon for this. Perhaps I should look into this a bit further, he thought. She could have just as easily had him fall in love with one of his co-stars. Does she even realize what she's done? Lory smirked. Probably not.

She nodded and sighed. "This is almost too much. I feel like the youngest now. When did you grow up without me little brother?"

He gave her a sad smile. "Not to worry... It will get easier for you."

"Takarada-san... Tsuruga-san is here for his appointment." A female voice announced through the intercom on his desk.

Lory stepped to his desk and pressed the button on the device. "Thank you Lily." He nodded to Ruto and turned to Kyoko. "How about we celebrate this later Farasha?"

She smiled and nodded then kissed his cheek. "I will see you later Little Brother." She then left in a whirl of gold dust and butterflies.

Lory chuckled. "It's good to see that her joy is returning to her." He commented as he examined the little butterfly that had alit on his index finger.

He sighed in contentment as he strolled through the entrance to find his favorite little Djinni lounging on her chaise like he did the first time he had visited her. Beautiful... Every delicious inch of her. He smiled and waved.

She smiled and jumped up as soon as she saw him. She bounced to him and wrapped him in a hug, then pulled him to her cushions. "I got the part today. The one for the fizzy drink commercial. We start filming next week."

He smiled softly at her excitement. "I'm happy for you." He congratulated her in her own tongue. She had been teaching him little by little as they had discussed after their apologies.

"Kuon! Thank you..." She smiled brightly. "Very good, by the way."

He chuckled as she held a small piece of meat in front of his mouth between her delicate fingers. He started to answer and she popped it into his mouth. He chewed and took a drink of the wine she offered him. "I've been practicing alone, but I'm still a bit bad at it."

She giggled. "It is fine. You are doing very well. We shall continue to practice together." He was doing surprisingly well. It warmed something inside of her to know he was making an effort to learn something from her and so quickly.

"So where will they do the filming?" He asked as they snacked on the last of the foods that she had conjured earlier.

She told him.

"Oh, I have a drama filming in that area. Perhaps I will stop by and say hello on that day." He commented, his word usage a little stiff and formal due to his inability to use it as frequently as he would like.

She giggled. She found his formal way of using her language, cute and how he was mangling some of the words, endearing. "If you like, we can practice when we meet each other. But only if we keep it from Brother." She told him. He's trying so hard. She smiled softly to herself.

He nodded. He liked the idea of having something like this between them. "I would like that, but what is Brother?"

"Oh... Um... How should I say this? Um... Brother is... Lory?" She said sheepishly, a little panicked that she had slipped with this information.

Oh, she means like boss. He smiled. "It's fine... Brother will not discover from me." He leaned forward from his seat and kissed her temple.

They spent the rest of their evening practicing until she finally lulled him to sleep with her caresses. She smiled while stroking his hair. "Ah... Sleep my sweet Kuon." She kissed his forehead and sighed.

In his slumber Kuon could hear a familiar voice, he couldn't place in his dreamy haze, address and scold his favorite Djinni. "Farasha... What is he doing here?" The voice hissed quietly.

"Little Brother I did not invite him. He came on his own and I enjoy his company. Am I to continue to be alone Huba Syd?" She pouted.

Huba Syd chuckled. "Of course not Sister, but he is mortal and you know the effect it has on them if they stay too often or, too long in your realm."

"Is it so bad Brother?" She sighed.

He shook his head and smiled mischievously. "Not unless you plan on explaining later the strange things he will experience."

She scoffed. "I will tell him as soon as you tell your family of their unusual circumstances."

"Hai, hai... Farasha I will tell, but first... Do you love him?" He asked slyly.

The fingers sifting through his hair stopped abruptly. "I... Huba Syd! That is none of your concern Little Brother." She sounded flustered.

Kuon felt himself get lighter and his eyes flew open to find himself in his own bed wondering if what he had heard had been a dream or not and, he had a hunch that the word Brother didn't mean boss. It must have been a dream. He wondered who the male was in his dream and the familiar word Farasha echoed in his mind. Where have I heard that before?

A/N: The words that are only bold in the overheard conversation, are the words he doesn't understand yet.