"Ho, Ho, Ho, I am here Tori-san!"Ayame chirped as he waltzed into Hatori's office. Hatori looked up as the silver-haired male gleamed at him. Th cigarette drooped a little further from the edge of his lip with a tired sigh. Hatori was in all his glory, bored with the energy thrust upon him by Ayame, and he dealt with it in his normal way.
"Indeed you are." Hatori spoke, looking back down at the papers on his desk.
"Tori-san, I'm hurt." Ayame chided him as he approached. "Ignoring me, you strike me to the core." He scolded, while holding a gentle hand to his heart.
"You are fine." Hatori told him, not looking up.
"Tori-san!" Ayame yelped hurt. Then he waved off his dramatic turns against Hatori, and instead smiled grandly. "Now, where is my lovely Usagi?" Ayame asked. Hatori sighed, rubbing two fingers against his brow.
"With Rin." Hatori sighed out.
"Ah, the cheerful Usagi with Rin?" Ayame questioned.
"Yes." It was spoke through tight lips. Ayame ignored Hatori's disposition, and instead twirled out of the room with a flourish. His trek brought him to the back, desperately avoiding the window of the clan head. The clan head had an intense fascination against the Sohma's of Ayame, and especially against Yuki. Though Ayame refused to face this when he was younger.
Ignoring the path his thoughts were straying too, he burst into Rin's room. Interrupting what the girls may have been chatting about. Rin actually looked relieved to see Ayame. Usagi's questions had made her a little nervous.
Before Ayame made his graceful entrance, Usagi was explaining her day at school. Including that strange encounter with Momiji's bizarre disappearance. Then Haru's intrude with a strange colored bunny, that she had thought was very cute. Usagi was then asking Rin what she thought about the whole thing.
Ayame had then entered, stopping the whole questionnaire. Usagi smiled surprised at her employer. Who waltzed in and tugged Usagi up by her thin hands. "Ah, my lovely employee." Ayame greeted as he pulled her up. "I need your presence at my shop." He stated while pulling Usagi out of Rin's room. Rin was looking at the pair with a raised eyebrow, before speaking up.
"Usagi-chan, you know Ayame?" Rin inquired semi-amused at the whole thing.
"Yes, Ayame is my boss." Usagi answered.
"No, no." Ayame interceded while stopping to face Rin. "She is one of my avatars of male romances." He answered. "I'm only the avenue of creativity that she travels down." Ayame spoke. Usagi looked befuddled at the turret of words that spilled from Ayame's lips. Rin smiled at the confusion that Usagi had on her face. "Now, my lovely avatar, it's time to make dreams come true, come along." Ayame stated, and tugged Usagi out of the room. Rin stepped out, and waved goodbye to the blond.
"Bye Usagi-chan." Rin spoke out as she waved.
"Later Rin-chan." Usagi responded. Rin's small smile faltered as Usagi finally disappeared with Ayame, as the familiar feeling of darkness invaded. Kureno arrived before her pensive expression with a cool gauge.
"Akito incurs your presence now." Kureno told her. Rin looked toward him with a toss of her head. The two walked toward the clan's head room with a silent stalk. "An outsider." Kureno stated. His eyes were building with a question, but he did not formulate any statements.
"Yes." She hissed quietly in return. They both fell silent as they reached Akito's room.
"Rin." A smoky voice chilled her as she entered.
"Akito-sama." Rin kowtowed to the clan head with a quiet despair.
"I'm unpleased with your actions Rin." A dark scold. "You know what happens when I am displeased Rin." Akito warned. "Another outsider." The clan head quipped. "Do you want to explain this?" It wasn't a question, it was an order.
"Akito-sama, I do not feel in place with Tohru." Rin told Akito. She was lying, but she was playing on the fact that Akito disliked Tohru.
"Hmm, very well." Akito conceded for the moment. "However, she better not be a threat to the family." The clan head stated. "This is my only grace period." Akito warned, and the raised their hand. The clan head struck Rin, causing her to fall to the floor. "Go away, you try my patience." Akito ordered. Rin bowed, shuddered, and walked back to her room, hoping that Usagi did not get tied into the Sohma deceit.
Ayame who was normally flamboyant, was unusually quiet as he navigated the Sohma main house. Usagi who sensed this stayed quiet as well, though she peered at him concerned. Following Ayame as he tugged her throughout the passageways. Suddenly he turned toward her with a brilliant smile. "I just have to say goodbye to Tori-san, and then we can leave." Ayame told her.
"Tori-san?" Usagi asked confused, but Ayame just ignored her once more. Though her question drew someone else's attention as the pair entered a room.
"Yes, what is it Ayame?" A familiar voice questioned, and Usagi peeked around Ayame.
"Oh, Hatori-san." Usagi quipped.
"Indeed, Tori-san." Ayame agreed, Hatori raised an eyebrow, while tapping the his cigarette butt to knock off some ashes. Hatori looked between the blond Usagi, and the silver Ayame with a kind of grimace. Ayame then turned his attention to the person they were speaking about.
"Tori-san, it is time for us to part." Ayame trolled sadly.
"Not a moment to soon." Hatori whispered, which caused Usagi to smile at him. Ayame didn't hear him, because he was still talking.
"I shall think of you always Tori-san." Ayame spoke with feeling, while Hatori was suffering from the beginning of a sweat-drop. "Our parting brings sorrow, but fear not I shall see you again." Ayame trilled cheerfully.
"Yes, tomorrow." Hatori intoned. Ayame stopped confused while Usagi stifled her amusement.
"Oh, what's tomorrow?" Ayame inquired pleasantly.
"The banquet." Hatori reminded, and Ayame still couldn't put the news together. "Akito-sama." He added with a serious expression. Ayame's face revealed his knowledge and he nodded.
"Yes, yes." Ayame agreed waving off what was just said to him. "I shall be here because Tori-san wishes it." He stated. Then Ayame spun around, and Usagi's hand was found to be tugged again. Usagi craned her head a little and waved at the serious doctor.
"Nice to meet you Hatori-san." Usagi stated.
"Just Hatori." He responded back, and Ayame stopped with a smile.
"No, no." He quipped, and the two glanced at him. "It's Tori-san!" Ayame added, and then left with Usagi being pulled along. Hatori just sighed while wondering how he put up with the vivacious personality that is Ayame. Seriously he wondered, if he wasn't a Sohma, how would he have met Ayame. Then he smiled ironically, as charming as Ayame was, he probably would of been in his circle any way. That was just how Ayame is, and how Hatori dealt with him.
Usagi was once again covered in splendid colors, and wrapped in luscious materials. Ayame stood just outside the changing room making adjustments, and several compliments. As Usagi was caught in the whirlwind, she managed a question.
"Ayame-san?" Usagi inquired.
"Hmm, and it's just Ayame." He responded, and Usagi glanced down with a blush.
"Yes, um, why did you need me here today?" Usagi asked.
"Oh, I thought I explained that." Ayame mentioned.
"No sir." Usagi answered.
"My first show is this weekend that you are scheduled to work, and I need your fittings now." Ayame chimed.
"Oh." Usagi stated.
"Why?" Ayame asked while locking gazes with her and clasping his hands above his heart. "Don't you want to be in such a presence as mine?" Ayame trilled, and Usagi blush. "I know, that I am beyond these normal males, but I regress that you are welcome here." Ayame continued, Usagi blinked, once again under his daze.
"By the way." Ayame cut in as Mine ruffled a sleeve.
"What?" Usagi intoned to show she was listening.
"You need to come to work after school." Ayame stated.
"But." Usagi tried, but was immediately cut off.
"I know about your schedule, and you can be tutored here." Ayame added. Again Usagi tried to speak up, but Ayame was on a roll. "We have several orders to fill, my lovely maiden." Ayame continued. Usagi merely opened and closed her mouth. "Good, I knew you would see it my way." He finished, and then fixed a hem on one of the skirts she was currently in. "Now, hurry on, lots of work to be done." Ayame settled whatever argument that was to be heard against him. Usagi sighed in puzzlement and punishment, there goes napping after school.
Since her life forced her to get up early, Usagi had been making up time in the afternoon. Now it seems that the whimsical thought of sleeping had been thrown out the window. She withheld a whine of despair and mourned her passed sleep with a dismal smile. This caused Ayame to click his tongue and order her to smile. 'How am I going to explain this to my cats?' Usagi wondered.
Speaking of said cats, they were currently on reconnaissance in front of the small shrine that they had discovered the talking dog. As they had returned to the school and had followed the estranged Momiji to this place. He had been flanked by Haru arguing with the ignorant Kyo, who was yelling at the silver-grey haired male. They had been privy to a three-way fight with Kyo in the middle. Haru grew tired of being ignored by Kyo and had slammed him in the jaw. Which caused the silver-grey youth to taunt Kyo. As all of this was going on, Momiji was leading the brunette Tohru with a large smile.
Luna and Artemis shared many side glances that held their thoughts. The whole family so far to them, was loony in the head. Though Artemis found their antics kind of funny, which made Luna promptly smack him in the head. They were gathering intelligence on what they considered a threat to their princess.
Lest us not forget that their suspicions could not be well founded. After all, they were just as suspicious about the would be senshi when Usagi first met them. Luna thinking they could be nega-verse generals in disguise. Artemis thinking Venus was the one true senshi until he met the others. Then their suspicions about the Outer Senshi and Endymion. However, that's all in the past, they are bound to be right, eventually. After all, fifth or sixth times the charm, is it not? Anyway, such was their reasons for standing on the outer shrine's walls.
Usagi finally strolled into her home several hours later. Ikuko was standing there with a crossed countenance on her face. Though Ikuko had her suspicions as to why Usagi was so late, she was willing to hear her daughter explain. Shingo, on the other hand, wasn't as patient, and chimed in.
"Odango, were you on a date?" Shingo inquired with a pointed smile. This caused Ikuko to smile in happiness that her baby was growing up, but it still didn't ease her worries. It also caused the snapping of the newspaper to be heard as Kenji peered from beside it.
"No, I went to visit Rin-chan in the hospital." Usagi clicked in, before her father could heat up. "I said that as I ran out of the house earlier." Usagi reminded. Ikuko paused in thought, and then nodded. "Then Ayame-san needed me at work." She stated. Ikuko smile fully, her worries laid to rest, too bad Kenji's were just getting started.
"Work?" Kenji spoke up, and Usagi turned to him with a nod. "What kind of work?" Her father asked. Ikuko was all to happy to tell of her baby's maturity for a job, working as a model basically. Kenji would have none of this, his mind taking the advance fatherly approach. So, he argued his point that Usagi was to young to work. If Kenji should of recalled anything, it's that he shouldn't argue with his wife. Who was more then happy to argue her point as she dragged him off. His last words echoing as the siblings laughed. "What do you mean she works for a nice, young, man!" Kenji shouted.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now, what's to come, or should I say, who's to come. Enjoy, please review, and I hope you have a wonderful New Year too. I believe 2006 is the year of the dog. Shigure-san fans should be thrilled. Oh, and yes, I'm still counting the votes for pairings. WCB.