- A Beautiful Tomorrow - An Ambient Generation

. . .Sweet Allure . . .

I really need to update more often but I'm a busy girl and I hardly have enough time to write silly fanfictions. But I want to finish this story and its being a great pleasure writing it for you all so here's the next chapter, enjoy.

Ding dong.

Alice's head shot up as she heard the doorbell chime ring. She was here. Yoshiko Kawashima was here. Alice stood up and quickly ran out of the formal living area, where she had been waiting and resting.

Her footsteps echoed softly against the linoleum floor. That evening, half of the homeless people were still at work. Others were down in the den or living room. Alice quickened her pace as the doorbell rang again.

Pulling the door open, Alice plastered a smile on her face. "Hi! Yoshiko right--"

An Asian girl, no doubt Yoshiko stood there. Alice stared at the skinny girl in shock and nervousness.

Yoshiko's hair was a short low maintenance cut that suited her quite well, her eyes were a shade of dark brown and her lashes were so long and thick and ended with jewels just at the side of her eyes. She was pretty all together, but Alice just stood there, staring at her.

"Alice Elliot?" The girl said, a bit curiously.

"Oh--oh yes, um hi, c'mon in." Alice took a step back and allowed her smile to flit back into place. The girls' dressing was absurd. Maybe it was because Alice never dressed like that.

But she had seen a lot of girls wear revealing clothes to school, but she never anticipated…

Alice was actually expecting to see a very smart looking Japanese girl standing at her door steps. She silently shook her head and allowed her smile to widen.

"You're Yoshiko, right?" She asked brightly. "I've been expecting you!"

"Yeah, hi." Yoshiko surveyed the area around her before glancing again at Alice. "So… uh…"

"So, let me show you your room." Alice turned and went quickly up the stairs, waiting for the girl to follow her.

"Hey Alice, company?" Terry who was sitting on the stairs, reading a newspaper clip asked, glancing at Yoshiko, who was staring back at him.

"Erm, yes." Alice looked back at the doleful eyed girl. "Terry, this is the foreign exchanged student which will be staying with us. Yoshiko, this is Terry."

Yoshiko nodded curtly. "Nice to meet you."

"You too." Terry said cheerfully before returning to his reading.

The girls clambered up the stairs and Alice showed her the guest room. "Hope you feel comfortable here," She said, trying to strike up a conversation. "Are you hungry or anything? Do you want a drink?"

Yoshiko dropped her two suit cases and looked at her after studying the room. "Yes please. I'll unpack while you go get us something to eat, shall I?"

"Um, sure." She turned to leave when suddenly Yoshiko grabbed her arm.

"Oh wait! I was wondering if I could use your phone? I need to make a really important call."

Alice looked at her doubtfully.

"All the way to Japan?" She asked, hesitating.

Yoshiko shook her head. "My friend is here too, staying at some one else's house. She gave me the number to the place she's staying… so could I please use your phone?"

"Sure." Alice turned and headed down the stairs.

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"Kurando is here!" Alice called up the stairs. "Yoshiko? Are you ready? We really need to get going." It was Monday morning, Yoshiko's first day at Nemeton High.

Kurando had asked if they needed a ride and Alice accepted. She didn't feel like riding the bus with Yoshiko.

Soon the Asian girl appeared with a back pack over her shoulder. Her hair was up in some style which consisted of tons of clips. Her outfit was just as striking as yesterday.

She wore tight capris and a pale blue tight sleeveless shirt, which had AF written at the front. The shirt kept riding over her stomach, which revealed her bare navel with an exquisite bell ring, even she had to admit.

Maybe it was some Chinese or Japanese symbol or something. Alice sighed and turned away; walking towards the front door and pulling it open for her guest.

Kurando's car was parked in the drive way. She could see his guest of honor sitting in the passenger side.

"Hi guys," She greeted them. "You must be Masaji… Kurando told me about you." She couldn't believe he was 15. He looked fairly old.

Kato nodded shyly and shook her hand. "This is Yoshiko." She introduced Kato and Kurando who both smiled and said hi.

Kato got out and pushed his seat down so that the both of them could get in the back.

"So, you guys are going to love it here!" Kurando babbled. "The school's great! Especially in it's studies and education! Our technology class is really something! Are either of you into tech?"

Yoshiko mutedly shook her head at Kurando as Kato started telling him how much he liked technology classes.

Alice felt uncomfortable and tried to think of something to say. "Your um… your eyes are really nice." She said awkwardly.

The minute she said it, Yoshiko shifted her gaze. "Thank you. So are yours. Blue aren't they? Are they contacts?"

Alice blinked in confusion. "My eyes? Oh no, do they look like contacts?"

Yoshiko still refused to look at her. "Hm, I don't know."

After that they both didn't talk and just listened to Kurando and Kato talk animatedly.

"There's a dance after school." Kurando announced. "You get to meet everyone there! It's going to be so fun!" at his words, Yoshiko straightened up.

"Dance? There's a dance?"

Kurando looked at her from the reviewer mirror and smiled. "Yes… but you don't have to dance if you don't want to." He added hastily.

Alice smothered her laughter as they reached the school. Both Kato and Yoshiko stared and studied the building.

"Our school was immense." Kato finally said. His face broke into a smile. "But this school is good." Alice smiled at that. The way he talked was so cute.

Yoshiko on the other hand just gave a very disgruntle grunt. Kurando parked and they all climbed out. She was surprised to see lots of foreign students. It was hard to tell actually, because Nemeton High itself held many Asians.

"Wow." Kato said, "There are a lot of us, aren't there?" He surveyed the school lawn and parking lot, which was brimming with students. "Yep." Alice said. "There sure are--"

"QUIHUA!" Yoshiko suddenly shouted. "OVER HERE! QUIHUA!"

Alice soon spotted who Yoshiko was yelling for. A petite, dark haired girl came up to them and she threw her arms around Yoshiko.

"Oh wow! I didn't think I'd see you!" The girl squealed. Yoshiko and her broke away, still grinning. "Well I found you." She said.

"Any way, come here. This is Alice Elliot; I am staying at her house for my time spent here."

Alice smiled warmly at the bubbly Asian. "Hiya."

Quihua grinned back a bit shyly, then at Kato. "Hi. Nice to meet you." She turned to Japanese companion.

"Oh Yoshiko! You have to come meet the girl I am staying with! She is such a darling!"

Alice watched them leave, eyebrows raised. Kato suddenly laughed as Kurando joined them.

She glanced at him. "What?"

Kato shrugged. "You don't like her much, do you?"

Alice feigned offense. "I never said that."

Kurando draped an arm around her shoulder as they started walking towards the school entrance.

"Masaji is graduating in a month." He announced, "He told me he would try and teach me everything he knew, right Masaji?"

Kato smiled kindly. "Yes."

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Yuri's lip arched with distaste as some Asian boy rammed into him. He wasn't racial to oriental people or anything, being half himself. It was just that there was so many of them now.

He felt as if he was in Japan. There was Japanese in the air. Students exchanging Konnichiwa! and stuff. Yuri knew a lot of the language, but he wasn't going to make an idiot out of himself and start yelling the lingo with such a "white" accent.

He brushed past a group of Asian girls, who were excitedly talking. He noticed two of them were originally from Nemeton High. As he passed by, the two girls who went to the school stopped their chat which made their whole group look at him.

He smiled disdainfully back before they resumed their talking, now in hushed whispers.

"I have to go now, you go wait in line with the other foreign students--" He passed by a girl who was trying to convince a very terrified looking Asian girl into getting in line.

The Japanese girl grabbed her arm. "No! Don't leave me! Please--don't leave me!"

Yuri walked on down the hall, deciding to get to class instead of lingering and watching the Asian students. But he still however, looked around. Yuri found an Asian girl with short hair watching him by the lockers. He stared back at her, cocking an eyebrow.

A small smirk twisted at her lips as she kept staring at him. Yuri shook his head and turned away--and became face to face with Alice, who had a light scowl written on her features.

Yuri took a step back. "Do you usually sneak up on people like that?" He asked, sounding a bit childish.

Alice shook her head and took a step back too. "Sorry." Her eyes scanned the area, "I'm looking for my runaway guest." She said, her scowl deepening.

Yuri shrugged. "So go. You don't have to stop me from trying to get to class like a good boy."

Alice just brushed him off. "There you are!" she said irritably. Yuri followed her gaze and was a bit surprised to see the girl he had just turned away from, walking to them.

"Why'd you just run away?" Alice asked, "I can't search for you the whole day, you know?"

Yuri thought she was being a bit inconsiderate. He laughed at the thought. Elliot being inconsiderate? The girl must've done something horrible to make Alice irritated.

"Oh I'm sorry. I'll follow you everywhere like a puppy from now on." The Asian girl replied, calmly.

Alice shook her head lightly, sighing. "Let's go Yoshiko. See ya Yuri!"

She started to mumble under her breath about Yoshiko before steering away the disconcerted girl down the hall.

Yuri turned away again and headed back to Miss Iasant's class. He was glad he didn't take in a student. He wasn't exactly up for FSE hunting. Yuri pushed the AP English room door open and casually walked in.

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Alice found a surprise waiting for her at her locker... Margarete and Lucia stood waiting for her. Yoshiko's eyes narrowed when she saw them.

"Alice!" Margarete cried breathlessly to the much taken aback girl, "I need your--" She stopped and looked at Yoshiko. "Um, can you come with us, Elliot?" She asked.

"Sure," Alice said, pleased that Yoshiko was watching this for some reason. She glanced at her new friend.

"You gotta go and wait in line in front of the auditorium with all of the other FS's." She directed, ""It's in the next building, where the gym is. You know where the next building is right?"

Yoshiko shook her head defiantly.

"It's right next door, Yoshiko." She instructed as Margarete and Lucia giggled ironically. Yoshiko Kawashima pursed her lips before turning and fleeing down the hallway.

Alice felt bad for just telling her to go by herself. She turned back to the two cheerleaders.

"So?"

"We need your help." Margarete said a bit nervously, tucking back a loose golden strand of hair.

"She needs your help." Lucia corrected her friend, blowing a large purple bubble from the gum she was chewing.

"With…?" Alice said.

They looked at each other before saying in unison, "Yuri."

Alice stared at them. "Excuse me? "Yuri? I thought school work or something--"

"No, no." Margarete assured, "I heard that you guys really weren't dating from Nina, who heard it from Sharon, who was told by her boyfriend Joshua, who heard it from--"

"The point is," Lucia cut off her friend. "We heard you guys are like--friends." She smacked on her gum. "Really close friends."

"Yeah," Margarete said earnestly. "And since he didn't host a student, he doesn't have a reason to be at the dance this evening."

"And we needed you to make him come." Lucia finished.

"Me?" Alice pointed a finger at herself and continued staring as if they lost their minds.

"We're not really close! How am I supposed to get him to come?"

"We figured all that for you," Margarete said, her eyes shining with anticipation,

"Just ask him if he's interested in a blind date. Tell him he'll really like me--" Lucia snorted at that comment, "--and that I'm really fun, and outgoing! Please, please will you do it?"

Alice opened her mouth to try and protest but the blonde started talking again. "Just ask him, okay? Please!" she pleaded, "I swear if he doesn't agree--after you try and convince him, then just tell me or Lucia here and we'll drop it."

She pouted her full lips. "Please…?"

Alice sighed and bended her head down, her bangs covering her eyes. "Okay, I'll try. But I'm not guaranteeing anything."

"THANK YOU!" Margarete yelled, throwing her arms around Alice, who was almost knocked down. Several people stared at them. "Thank you, thank you soooo much--"

"She gets the picture, Margie." The dark skinned cheerleader said, trying to pry Margarete's fingers from Alice.

Margarete let go with a giddy laugh, "I swear I'll do you a favor in return!" She called out happily as Lucia dragged her to class as the warning bell rang.

Alice jumped and quickly turned to do the combination for her locker to grab the books she needed. She didn't know how she would even bring the question up to Yuri.

Alice went to her usually table for two at lunch. She had been expecting to eat with Kurando like usual, but before she reached the table, she noticed he was sitting at a table full of Asian boys.

She smiled at that and went to go sit by herself. She didn't even want to bother with Yoshiko, who had found herself in the center of attention at a table filled with Japanese girls like her self.

Alice settled at her table as she pulled out a novel. She had started the book only a few days ago and it was really good. Sort of sad too.

"Mind if I sit here?" Yuri dropped his tray with a bang and slouched in the unoccupied seat across from her. "I don't think you do."

Alice looked at him and slowly closed her book. She'd have to ask him. But how?

"Why're you sitting here?" She asked, trying to sound blunt. She never managed to say things the way Yuri said them. It annoyed her.

"Cuz we're friends now." Yuri feigned mockery and smiled widely.

Alice shook her head and exhaled noisily, biting her lower lip. "I have to ask you something." She said, setting down her book.

"Ask." Yuri said, snatching her book and began flipping through it, with a bored look on his face.

"Would you do me a favor?"

Yuri didn't bother looking up from skimming her book. "Uhhh…well… I don't know…"

"Would you ever go on a blind date?" Alice felt her cheeks flush as Yuri slowly looked at her.

"Depends." He said, perplexed. "Why?"

"I want you to go on one for me." She swallowed, "Don't worry, she's real pretty and nice, and fun and…outgoing. You don't have to take her anywhere fancy. Just meet her here tonight at the dance for the FSE kids."

She said it all in a rush, afraid of what Yuri was going to say.

"Why do you want me to go on a blind date?" He asked a little suspiciously.

"Uh--well, because--because you never go on date any more!" She smiled weakly at him. "Come on, just this once? If it doesn't work you can--you can just… forget everything."

Oh my God, she was pleading with him to go out with another girl.

Of course another girl, She told herself, You wouldn't want to set him up for a blind date and the date turns out to be YOU. She shuddered at the thought, That would be so embarrassing.

But Alice seemed a little jealous, all at once.

"Fine."

The coy girl looked up. "What?" She said with amazement.

"Fine." He repeated. "I'll go…" Yuri sighed and slumped in his seat, running a hand through his hair.

"I really didn't want to come tonight… but I'll do it." He stood up, "Well I gotta go. Catcha later."

Alice watched his retreating back fondly. She felt so attached to him for some reason. She averted her gaze from him almost immediately after the thought ran through her head.

Her eyes scanned the lunch room and it fell on a nearby, large table which seated many cheerleaders.

Karin's cold grey eyes met hers and Alice was forced to look away.

I'm not too happy with this chapter but it gets the job done. I can't wait for the FSE dance. I have something planned. Shocking? Maybe. You'll just have to wait and see!

Little Ballet Rat – Squeak, indeed. -

F-chan1 – Glad you like it, it's always a nice thing to hear!

Fireinu – No, the foreign exchange students are from Shadow Hearts 1 and 2. There will be no other characters from any game outside of Shadow Hearts. Cuz…well I personally think cross overs are inane. lol

Kingleby – Yeah, Yoshiko and Kato aren't very in character well Kato kinda acts like SH1 Kato. XD

SonChan – Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Bill – To answer your question, no Alice didn't sign Yuri up. That's a good thing, too. He's not liking the new students. XD

Yaara – Ooooh the suspense! I just keep you hanging; I love to torture my readers. Haha

Unknown Heart – Hey there. Anymore surprises from Nicholai? You'll have to wait and see I love giving people shocks.

Moric – New reviewer! Thanks for reading. :D

Wanderer of the Dark – Hey Marcus, your review makes me feel good. And I'm sorry I take long, as I stated above on my author note, I'm very busy and when I write this is when I have the time to actually sit down for an hour or so to keep all you guys up to date. I'm trying to finish this ASAP so please be patient. Anyways hope this chapter didn't disappoint you, it did for me. I send lots of love! I'll email you when I have the time.

AliceElliot – Thanks I'm glad it gave you smiles. By the way, I read your Koudelka fic it was very cute. I hadn't got the time to review it though.

Darknessmistess – My story, interesting? I hope you keep reading more.

Lil Doro – Yay it's you again! I'm so cracking up on what you said about 14 year old Kato. The geek aspect of it all. Heehee! Of course Lucia will be ditzy, that's why we all love her! Well, me and Bella anyway. Hope you found this chapter somewhat entertaining!

Asnee – My brain is fried. And your short lil review gave me giggles for no apparent reason. Huh… lol

Anime-Alee – Yes I'm a romantic fluff too but I'm trying to this not so mushy at the moment. Who knows what the future holds? -

pure bling bling – Arigato!

xxladyx1xonxyouxx – I can't wait to see your story!

Roxsheena – Hi! I just got out of highschool but when I was in highschool we hardly had any dances either. I never went anyways, I'm not very school pride-ish. lol Is Kurando going to fall for Yoshiko? You have to wait and see! Oh and I can't wait to chat again sometime:D

Bella – Oh it's fine! And congratulate you on your acceptance for the Master's degree! Really makes me happy for you!

Pyaara Wala – Nah Kurando just loves Alice a lot as a friend. He just thinks there's something fishy with Yuri. Mwhahahaha…

yukionna-chan – Thank you thank you - bows –

Roach – Nope, I'm still here! I wouldn't let this fic go! Thank you for saying I'm doing a wonderful job. And I'm sorry but I have a busy life offline. TT