Chapter 16

CHANGE ! ! !

Far earlier then when they would have liked to be awaken, a knock at the door jerks them from what would have been a very restful sleep. The Iori/Ami combo had set up their hotel roller bed in the main lounge, very close to the front door. At the moment it was very dark in the room, but only because Ami had the foresight to close the blackout shade before she went to sleep. Apparently she learned from previous experience that the Las Vegas sunrise was very bright when in a room facing East. Of the two, Ami rose the faster and began to head for the door. Iori, who hated being awakened before she was ready (though when required, will pull herself out of bed), merely rolled over and groaned. There was a digital clock next to the flat screen TV, and it read 7:42am.

Cautiously Ami approaches the door, electing first to look through the peek hole before opening. This must have been what she'd done yesterday when Iori arrived with Jordan and the Security Guard. Now that she thought about it, Iori stood pretty far off to the side at the time. After getting a look at the visitor, Ami scrambles back to her friend.

"Iorin, Iorin," with urgency in a hushed voice, "(there's a really cool oniisan at the door!)"

"(What?)" Iori's voice was more then a little groggy.

For a moment she sat there as if to say, "what do you want me to do about it," but then realized that, at the moment, she was the only one who could communicate in English. Another knock sounds and there's rustling from the bedroom, either Azusa or Ritsuko or both. Whatever this "cool oniisan" wants, it's better for her to deal with it as quickly as possible so she can get back to sleep.

As she approaches the door, Ritsuko exits the bedroom and asks what's going on. Iori let's Ami handle the response.

"Cool oniisan" wasn't a bad description. Perhaps in his early twenties, it was a tall young man with slick back hair, attired in dark slacks and a royal blue dress shirt. Dressed to impress, he also had some very handsome features. Clean skin, medium cheekbones, and a strong chin and jaw; this was some who looked very comfortable hitting on women in bars. But there was something off about him. It was his eyes, clear yet somehow weary. Deep wrinkles formed as if he were older then he really was.

"(Wait a second,)" Iori whispers.

When Iori opened the door the other girl had formed behind her.

"Jordan?" nearly shouting in disbelief.

"What the heck?" the voice was distinctly Jordan's. "I told you I was coming back in the morning."

Sidestepping Iori, Jordan makes his way in and hits the light.

"It's dark in here-"

Stopped mid-sentence, what the light reveals are the other two members of Ryuuguu Komachi and their manager, all in their pajamas. For one who seemed to never hesitate, even Jordan didn't know what to do in this situation. A few seconds pass by without anyone talking, moving, and perhaps even breathing. All four had the same dandelion floral print, but in different colors. Iori's was light purple, Azusa dark blue, Ritsuko green, and Ami yellow. The two younger ones were wearing matching shorts, while the older pair were in long baggy sweats. In unison with their hairs standing on ends and eyes bulging wide, their hands move to hide their otherwise indistinct busts.

Azusa and Ritsuko scream and rush into the bedroom, slamming the door behind them. Iori sighs and Ami laughs.

"That could have gone better," Jordan says in clear disappointment.

"Iorin!" Ami bids for her leader's attention. "(Is this Jordan-oniichan?)"

"(Yes.)" Then turning to Jordan, "You shaved your beard?"

"Yeah. It felt like they were intimidated by it yesterday. Guess it didn't help though."

"And your glasses?"

"Contacts. I hate putting them on, but I figured I should cause of all the work we gotta do today."

Also was his hair slick back, but now that Iori can see his backside, it was still tied into a ponytail. It was a rather charming transformation. But now that she thought about it,

"How old are you?"

Jordan, who was moving towards the table, stops and looks back, "How old do you think I am?"

Iori wasn't good at this game, so her number was pretty high, "I thought you were like 40, or 50."

"Good Lord woman! I'm only 25!"

Iori was at a short of breath. Only 10 years separated the two! Her impression of him was that of a very fit grandpa. Had she know they were that close in age, she would have definitely thought twice about staying the night with him.

Unconsciously her hands moved to hide herself like with Ritsuko and Azusa, but then she remembers that before he'd seen her in only a T-shirt. The embarrassment she should have felt then hits her now, and her face turns beat red.

Ami, who understood none of that conversation but saw Iori's reaction, asks, "(Iorin, what were you talking about?)"

Not thinking much of her response, "(He says he's 25.)"

"(Oh,)" and a sly, crafty smile creeps up on her face. Darting off like a mosquito who's found it's next target, she runs up to the man and grabs him by the arm, "(Oniichan, Oniichan, do you like younger girls?)"

Upon hearing the question, "Ami!"

While she became suddenly flustered, Iori didn't realize until moments later that Jordan had no idea what the youngest of the group asked. Ami must have known it too, and she only spoke because she knew it would get a rise out of Iori. It was as if Iori just confirmed that suspicion Ami had last night. Iori's loss of composure would surly make her a target for further teasing in the future.

Innocently, Jordan asks, "What'd she say?"

"Never mind!"

It took a minute for Jordan to realize that no matter how many times he asks, or how forcefully he tries, Iori was never going to translate Ami's question. Once he finally gave up, he sat himself in the same chair as he did last night and begins to explain today's plans.

After instructing her to tell this to Ritsuko, "I want to see everything that you'd planned for today. Your manager might not have had bad ideas, so if we can tweak them a bit with a little Vegas flavor that would be all for the better. Of course I have my own ideas on what we should do, but this is my first time doing this kind of thing. I'm not here to take her place. It would be for the best if we work together."

Wanting to put some distance between herself and those two, Iori immediately agrees and heads into the bedroom.

"(Shut the door!)" Ritsuko shouts as Iori enters.

If Jordan had been in a better position, what he would have seen in that brief moment was the girls changing into more appropriate clothes, and more then an eyeful of their underwear. From his position he couldn't even see the door. Did he choose that seat for this purpose? Likely. If he so desired he could have helped himself to some free eye-candy, but this seemed to be the last thing on his mind. Apparently the only one flustered about the age issue was Iori.

"(Was that Huntsman-san?)" Azusa was currently troubling herself into a long white skirt, her bent over position would have made all of her male fans drool.

"(Yeah. He said he shaved his beard because he thought you were frightened of him.)"

"(Oh my, that's not-)"

"(The nerve of him!)" Ritsuko couldn't hold back any longer, hence interrupting. "(What the heck is he thinking, barging into a woman's room like that?)"

Winning over these two might prove difficult indeed, though Azusa seems to be adjusting her outlook on him. Ritsuko was a completely different matter. For whatever reason, these two seemed like they would never click.

"(Jordan wants to see our schedule. He wants us to work together so we can do our very best promoting.)"

Ritsuko hasn't finished buttoning up her shirt, but she stops the moment his request was relayed. This definitely didn't make her any happier. The way she turns and looks at Iori lets the girl know that what's coming isn't good.

"(Iori, I don't know what happened to you during that past day, but you can't trust that man. Why is he doing this? What's his motivation? Yesterday he talked all night, but he didn't say a single thing about himself, and any time we asked, he always changed the subject. He's hiding more then a few things. And there's something else. Something, dangerous, about him.)"

How much of this Iori could handle? She didn't know, but she did know that Ritsuko's badgering was brushing against her limits. Yes, Jordan might not have like to talk about himself, but does that matter? He's lived longer than any of the women here, so wouldn't it be natural that there was a thing or two he rather not say? Besides, actions speak louder than words, and while his words can sometimes be harsh and nonsensical, by far has he proven he has their best interests in mind. However, Ritsuko was her manager, and choosing someone to favor over her would be a damning career move. After all, they'll still have to work together even with Las Vegas behind them.

"(He knows this city better then any of us ever will,)" Iori does her best to reply calmly. "(We need his help, and that's the bottom line. Unless you expect this Richie to be any help. By the way, where is he?)"

Ritsuko pretended not to hear that snide tone of voice that leaked at the end only because she knew their original interpreter wasn't very good. "(He'll be here at 10, like any normal professional would.)"

Yes, Jordan was early, but doesn't that clearly show his commitment to this affair? Just another thing Iori had to fight not to say.

"(The schedule?)" she was forced to ask again.

"(Right.)"

Ritsuko passes Iori her phone with nearly disgust. Clearly the manager isn't keen on sharing responsibilities, but the reason why could be her own lack of experience. Certainly was this damaging to her pride, so Iori would give her the benefit of the doubt.

As a small coincidence, Iori and Ritsuko had the same model phone. Top of the line touch screen that isn't particularly popular in Japan, but a phenomenon around the rest of the world. Very expensive, Iori chose this model merely because of it's price, while Ritsuko needed it for it's functionality. Swiftly did the young girl manage to navigate the device to retrieve today's itinerary. Unfortunately it was all in Japanese, so Iori would have to translate and write it down on paper. In the nightstand next to the bed she found a pen and notepad.

Now that she thought about it, it was probably a bad idea to leave Jordan and Ami alone together for too long. When Iori finished and returned to the main room, the man had the girl over his shoulder while he was on his laptop. Irritation was clear on his face.

"Iori," he anxiously says when noticing her return, "do something."

"(Ami! Get off!)"

Upon being called the young girl leaps off Jordan's back and says, "(Guess what! Jordan-oniisan is like, really strong! He's got all these big muscles, and he's really smart! He types way faster then piyo-chan.)" And by piyo-chan, she meant Kotori Otonashi. Ami has nicknames for just about everyone.

"(Yeah, I know.)"

So thus had been established Ami's fascination with Jordan. Whether or not it was a healthy fascination was another story.

"Here's the schedule," she nearly throws it at Jordan. "You better appreciate all the effort I put in into translating it."

"There wasn't any effort," shooting back. "Your English has gotten a lot better since we met. You're speaking fluently, don't pause anymore, and your accent is nearly gone. This was a breeze for you. Too easy."

Iori didn't know if she should be upset that he was disagreeing with her, or flattered at his compliments and trust in her skill. Either way, the tension that was building from the Ritsuko episode was now completely drained. All she could do was sigh at the situation.

"By the way," Jordan added, "what does oniisan mean? Ami keeps calling me that."

"It's," and Iori didn't know how to continue. Did he want to know what it really meant, or what Ami likely meant? In the end she concluded, "It's just something you call a person that's like you."

"Meaning?"

"It doesn't translate into English."

This language barrier was seriously turning out to be a problem for Jordan. Iori completely had the upper hand. Only she knew what everyone was saying, but that didn't mean she had tell everyone or even translate accurately. Heck, she could downright lie and nobody would be the wiser. A number of times already had she refused to translate something, and Jordan was committing those occasions to memory.

Not having the time to argue, now that the schedule is in his hands it was time to work. After studying some he takes to his laptop and begins to type away. Iori isn't sure what he's planning, but decides it's best to leave him for now. Dragging Ami with her, they head in the back to change.

One bathroom, shared between four girls, can make the most peaceful and understanding of families into raving lunatics. Even though everyone bathed last night, cleansing oneself wasn't even half the battle. Thankfully the bathroom had twin vanity mirrors, but they were still fighting with each other so they could do their hair, makeup, and dress themselves. Apparently it wasn't that big of a deal yesterday as they were in search mode, but now that they had actual business to preform everything needed to be top class. Iori had to stop Ami from rushing back out into the lounge after only changing.

Since cutting her long hair, Azusa's prep time had dropped dramatically, and she was the first out of the bathroom. Iori wasn't sure, but that woman almost seemed a bit hurried. Was she possibly taking last night's conversation to heart now that she had a look at the man without his unkempt qualities? The girl didn't know, but one thing she did was that Azusa wasn't afraid to get close to a man and test the waters, so to speak. By far she wasn't someone who would hunt with the ferocity of a predator, but she wasn't afraid to flirt a little bit. Normally the woman was too busy to partake in such activities, but from time to time she's been noticed getting friendly with the stage crew or whatever staff who happened to catch her interest. However, if the male was too pushy she'd immediately be turned off, so it seemed she preferred being the hunter over the prey.

Actually, knowing the man as well as she did, Iori imagined that really would make Jordan her type. He respected others wishes and thought of them before himself. Maybe that's why there was nothing between him and Vanessa, because he's not the type of man that confronts women in that way. Actually, it might be more accurate to say that he's bad in that type of situation. Sure he can be casual and friendly, but when getting serious and committal, he gets nervous. Kind of like when he gave those tickets to the dark-skinned woman. That was one of those rare moment in which he hesitated.

All that aside, Iori doubted anything would happen. After all, Jordan and Azusa can't talk to each other.

Compared to Azusa, Ritsuko was dragging her feet to get ready. There really was something about Jordan that bothered her. Rarely, very rarely, did the girls see their manager so openly hostile to anyone. Only when she saw someone as a threat to her idols did she even seem to raise her voice. Normally it's Azusa who's the prime target of "questionable" treatment from with whom she works. DJs, reports, and TV personalities have from time to time gotten too close to the idol, and when they do it's always Ritsuko who immediately rises in her defense. Other then that she was pleasant to work with. What made all those warning bells ring in her manager's head Iori couldn't understand.

Iori made Ami help her with her grooming just to make sure they both left at the same time. Ami was trouble on a completely different level, and by far was the worst when left unsupervised. Of all the girls, Jordan seemed the weakest with the pushy, intrusive types like the youngest idol. Probably because Ami requires constant attention and disciple, which Jordan seems completely incapable of the latter. Actually, any time Iori would want revenge on him, Ami would probably the most efficient deliverer. This Iori would keep in mind.

Outside Iori found Azusa sitting at the table across from Jordan. She was calm, silent, and patient as she simply sat down and was watching him. Her pleasant smile on her face.

"Okay," Jordan could only be speaking to Iori, "you people are officially starting to weird me out."

Seeing that man getting flustered by being surrounded by woman was too amusing for Iori. She couldn't wait to hear what happened.

"First she got me something to drink, and that was fine. Then she got me a napkin, and I was cool. But then she started bringing me paper, pens, and I'm surprised she didn't drag that printer from the desk over there and install it right next to me! Why does she keep giving me stuff?"

Iori had to laugh. Slightly overbearing, this might be how Azusa acts whenever her parents force her into an omiai (marriage interview). This must have been her way to appealing to Jordan with the barrier of language between them.

"(What did Huntsman-san say?)" Azusa asks.

"(He said he wanted me to tell you thank you, and he appreciates the gesture.)"

What immediately caught Iori's eye was Jordan's stern and slightly apprehensive stare. It was if he somehow knew she was lying, but not the context of their conversation. Like a mother who knows her child his hiding something from her, but doesn't know what. Of course Jordan doesn't say anything, but it's as if he can smell guilt like a dog smells fear. It was going to be tricky dealing with him if Iori has to continue being a translator. There were simply things that were better off not said.

"So, ah, what do we have planned for today?" as she asks this, Ritsuko walks into the room.

"(How are you going to butcher my plans?)" is the first the manager asks of him.

Jordan was somewhat put off by being addressed in another language, but Iori waves her off. It was left to his impression that they were asking the same thing. He begins, and Iori translates, "You've committed yourself to some pretty troubling things. A lot of these meeting you have set up won't help sell tickets to your concert, but canceling them will do more harm than good. Make these people mad and they can easily wreck your show."

"(Well if it's pointless why bother?)" Ritsuko asks after hearing the translation.

"Because you have to give your dues. Kind of like, 'you scratch my back and I scratch yours', but without the return favor. It's actually, 'you scratch my back because I'm me, and good luck with your concert'. Simply, they have you hostage. This is cowboy country, and you have to pay lip service just so they'll leave you alone. If you want a favor from them, well, that's going to take a lot of work."

"(If you say we can't change anything, why are you here?)" Iori would clean this up so it wasn't so rude.

"Don't worry, there's plenty we can do in the later hours, and tomorrow too. I have some things I'll need time to set up, so let's start of with going with the flow, and we'll pick it up from there."

Even to Iori it sounded a little irresponsible, but she knows Jordan has something up his sleeve. Actually, probably many somethings.

"First off, why don't we get some breakfast, I know this-"

"No!/(No!)," was shouted in both languages. Any time he starts talking about food, the daily allowed calorie consumption index goes out the window. Instead they opted for room service, and a far less amount then what Jordan would have suggested.