"Ahhh Celty! That was a holiday well spent, wasn't it? You're working all the time, it's good to have some time off! Maybe now we can have some peaceful time talking together, where you can vent out all your frustrations to me, and then I will kiss away all your fears, and then carry you into the bedroom bridal style, and then- waaahh! Celty! Quit pulling my cheek!" said Shinra as they was exiting the elevator.
"Quit whining, will you, there's someone out there by the door," read Celty's PDA, as she gestured with her head towards the tall, slender and pale woman standing outside Shinra's door, waiting patiently as she listened to a young girl, presumably her daughter, ramble on about butterflies.
The lady's red halo of hair instantly caught Shinra's eye, and he instantly sobered. "Natasha? Is that you?" he asked, hesitatingly, almost unwilling to believe she that she had returned to Ikebukuro, especially after what had happened five years ago.
"Shinra? Oh hey! It's been a while." Said Natasha, smiling warmly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Her tired eyes and two large suitcases beside her indicated that she had come from a long distance journey, as noted by Celty, who also realized after hearing her voice that she had a slight Irish accent. But she refrained from typing anything as she wanted to hear the explanation from Shinra about the mysterious red-haired woman standing at their door.
Shinra, however on his count was dumbfounded and simply stared at the lady. Once or twice he'd look down at the girl, who had given him a shy smile and hidden behind her mother's skirt, and then back at her.
He started, "Is she your-"
"Yes she is my daughter." She replied curtly, all her earlier civility gone, replaced by apprehension. Celty noted her tensed shoulders, almost as though she regarded Shinra with hostility, and in an attempt to diffuse the tension, typed, Do you guys know each other?
"Of course I do Celty!" said Shinra cheerfully. "She's Natasha Ascott, from my high school. She was in Shizuo's class, and was Shizuo's-"
"Friend." Interrupted Natasha testily.
They stared few moments at each other, before Natasha's shoulders relaxed. "Sorry about that Shinra. You've been nothing but kind to me, and even helped me leave the country. And now I'm standing here arguing when I really should be thanking you for all that you have done."
"Ah, don't sweat it, Natasha. You've been through a lot, I'm sure this town doesn't hold plenty of good memories for you. But more importantly," kneeling down to eye level of the little girl, "What's your name?"
"Sophia. Sophia Ascott," she said shyly, looking at the man in the white coat with interest.
"Nice to meet you Sophia," said Shinra, extending his right hand, intending to shake her hand.
"Sophie, don't-"
Crrcckk.
"Ow ow ow ow ow, that's some strength for a little girl! Wait," absorbing the implications of what he had just said, he turned to Natasha with eyes wide, "You don't mean to tell me," looking at Sophia again, and back at her mother, " No way," looking back Sophia. "I see the resemblance,"
Pointedly looking at Natasha, who had her eyes wide open at that spectacle, he addressed the elephant in the room.
"Is she Shizuo's daughter?"
.