Hey guys!! So, I got lotsa reviews for the last chapter; understandably, as it ended in a sort of cliff-hanger. I hadn't decided on what to do next. I could be all dramatic and say she got hit by a car, or romantic and say Ren saves her etc. But, in the end I decided on...! Read and see. Sorry if you're disappointed, I'll explain at the end.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!
But actually, I received one review which I didn't like. It said: "you suck. but the story does more." The reason I have issues with this is that it insulted me first, then my story. Shouldn't you just insult the story? This person, who used an untraceable name, doesn't even know me. They should really give a reason why they think I suck...
Disclaimer: Not mine. Belongs to Yoshiki Nakamura and Baroness Orczy.
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CHAPTER EIGHT!!
Ren looked around the room. Kyoko was late. It had never happened before. It was unheard of. Despite telling himself that, yes, it actually had happened before when she got the Natsu role, he found himself starting to get more and more anxious. For once, Yashiro wasn't teasing him about it; the other man seemed to be worried also. He checked his watch for the thousandth time; Kyoko was now twenty minutes late. He shared a troubled glance with the Director.
"Okay, we'll start filming scene 24 instead!" called Shinkai to the assembled cast and crew.
He made his way over to Ren.
"She's never late, Director. Something has to be wrong."
"You're jumping to conclusions, Ren." The Director admonished gently, "She's a young girl. Maybe she forgot. Maybe she was sidetracked. Maybe she's having a bad hair day."
"Kyoko doesn't have bad hair days, and even if she did she'd never be so unprofessional as to miss an appointment." Ren shot back.
In the background, some minor actors were filming dancing scenes, and random panning shots of what looked like an elaborate party. They had moved from the main building in the city to one of Lory's mansions to film this part; Lord Grenville's ball, where Marguerite tells Chauvelin where to find the Scarlet Pimpernel at midnight. Ren knew Kyoko was looking forward to this particular scene. Her dress was the most elaborate thing she'd ever seen, and he knew it would be like a real ball to her. He himself was dressed in a sophisticated cream coat with gold trimmings that was quite heavy even though it was only a reproduction of what would have been worn in the 18th century. They had just finished filming the entrance of the Prince of Wales and the Comtesse de Tournay, when there was a commotion at the main entrance of the hall. Ren whipped around to see Kyoko, cheeks flushed from running and embarrassment, enter the hall in her costume.
Ren immediately felt the knots in his chest loosen and disappear. She looked fine. Better than that, she looked beautiful. But she always did. Today she was wearing a turquoise dress with ribbons and bows around the full skirt, with white gloves that reached her elbows and a blue fan in her hand. He saw her look around the room and run straight over to him, bypassing momentarily stunned crewmembers and the Director.
"Ren! I'm so sorry I'm late! There was some trouble, but it's okay now, I'm so sorry!!!" Kyoko flung herself into the dogeza position of extreme apology. Ren felt a little stunned, but he had sort of expected it. He then grabbed her lower arm to stop her, and was extremely surprised when she jerked out of his grasp. She wouldn't meet his eyes; instead, she looked at the floor and blushed.
"Umm... I'm sorry..."
Ren was worried. Now he thought something was wrong after all.
"Kyoko, are you okay? Is something wrong?"Ren asked, getting no reactions, "What happened that made you late?"
Kyoko briefly met his eyes, before smiling and looking away, "Oh, nothing, don't worry about it...Hey, it's very nice here isn't it? It's just like a palace!"
Ren frowned. "Kyoko, look at me."
She avoided his gaze. Ren frowned more.
"Kyoko."
It was more of a command now. Almost unwillingly but seemingly unable to resist, Kyoko's eyes got dragged to his and were held there. Ren could read fear, apology and rebelliousness there. He kept his own feelings carefully veiled. The famous actor leant forward slightly, using his height to shameless advantage.
"Tell me."
The fear and defiance grew. However, as Ren kept repeating his earlier demand, tilting his head slightly and for once not covering his stern face with an angel smile, he could see the defiance being eaten away. She was breathing faster with her mouth slightly open. He narrowed his eyes.
"Tell me, Kyoko."
She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, apparently about to comply. Ren never got to hear her answer though, because at that exact moment the Director stepped over to them and broke their eye contact by waving his hand between them. Kyoko exhaled and slumped slightly, relief in her eyes, as she smiled at the Director. Ren almost glared at him, but held himself in.
"Kyoko-chan, it's good you're finally here!" Shinkai smiled.
Kyoko bowed, "I'm so sorry I was late, there were... complications on the way over here."
"Well, that's fine, just try not to be late again. I'm glad to see you're already dressed. I think we'll start on your scene now. No NG's, we're a little behind schedule."
Kyoko bowed at the two men and hurried away.
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Kyoko couldn't believe herself. She'd lied to Ren! Well, she'd omitted the truth. That morning, when she fell onto the road, she had immediately rolled towards the gutter when she hit the bitumen. Luckily, the oncoming traffic swerved towards the other lane when they saw her fall. The result was that besides some scrapes on her knees and her forearms, she was mostly fine. One of the bystanders called it a minor miracle. Unfortunately, someone had called an ambulance straight away, before anyone knew what had happened, and she'd been dragged off to the hospital before you could say "LoveMe". They'd bandaged her cuts, checked for other injuries and told her she was an extremely lucky girl. They also asked her why she fell. Kyoko said that she thought someone had rammed her, but everyone dismissed it as the pushing and shoving that happens on busy streets.
So when she hurried into her dressing room to pull on her dress, hopelessly late, she'd decided against telling Ren. The dress managed to hide her bloody knees, and the gloves him her forearms. Besides, she had her reasons. For one, she had no proof, and no one seemed to believe her. She was also somewhat worried about what Ren would do if he found out someone had tried to hurt her. Kyoko knew almost instinctively that Ren would be Very. Unhappy. She'd tried to act naturally, but somehow Ren knew something was wrong. When he'd touched her injured arm over the gloves and bandages, she'd jerked away from him reflexively. He'd looked stunned and anxious. When he'd continued asking her, she could feel her resistance draining away, and she was worried she'd break and tell him. Thank god the Director managed to inadvertently snap her out of it.
She bumped into Mayui's manager as she hurried away from the two men. Kyoko had talked to her sometimes about various things, and she thought she seemed nice. Saku was quiet and unassuming, but still managed to wheedle the troublesome Mayui into doing what she wanted. The lady had some undeniable skills.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, Saku-san, I hope you're all right." Kyoko exclaimed as she jostled Mayui's manager.
"No problems!" the tall, black haired lady said as she fixed her glasses, "It's good that you're finally here. Feeling okay?"
"Hmm?" Kyoko realised that she must look a little flushed, "Oh, sure, I'm totally fine!"
"I see." The lady smiled, "Well, you'd best get going! They're filming your part at the top of that staircase."
Kyoko ran up to her starting point, meeting Daijiro as she slid to a halt. He was also in formal wear, but with a dark navy coat. It probably had some sort of symbolism or something, seeing how Chauvelin was the antagonist in the movie. However, he did look good; the colour complimented his darker hair. Daijiro did the complimentary greetings, Kyoko bowed, and they both prepared to start their scene.
At the call of "Action!", Kyoko entered.
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She slowly walked through the brightly lit halls, watching the dancers below as they circled in an elaborate waltz. Marguerite was with a loose group of friends, briefly talking with other guests who wished to talk to the most fashionable woman in England. She caught the eye of Chauvelin, and nodded slightly to him before gradually retreating from her circle of stylish acquaintances. She slipped lightly into the darker recess she had seen the Frenchman enter just minutes previously.
"Chauvelin. Is the Scarlet Pimpernel here?" she asked when she saw him.
"Somewhere here." The man nodded, "However, already the possibility of saving Armand is in sight for you! I have just observed Lord Antony slipping a note to Sir Andrew Ffoulkes. Get that note for me, citoyenne."
Marguerite felt trapped. On the one hand, she did not wish for her brother to die, which surely awaited him at the hands of the French Revolution. One the other hand, she would have to betray a man known to be brave and resourceful, who continually risked his life to save others. Although she was the most admired woman present, although she laughed and chatted, she felt like one condemned to death. And the man who should have been her support was happily drinking and playing cards with his frivolous companions. Her fleeting hopes that he might be a friend and advisor to her in a difficult spot had vanished. Finally, faced with the choice, she decided to get the note to Chauvelin and save her brother, to whom she owed so much. The Scarlet Pimpernel, if he was so quick-witted, could probably save himself.
She exited the recess and looked around the crowded ball room, spying Sir Andrew over by another recess across the room. He glanced left and right before slipping through the curtained doorway and out of sight. Quickly, Marguerite skirted the room, desperately trying to get the man before he had a chance to destroy the talisman that could prove to be her brother's life. She entered just in time to see Sir Andrew perusing the contents of a small slip of paper by candlelight, which he rolled up and held to the flame. Suddenly, she rattled the curtains and staggered on her feet, causing him to turn and hurry over to her, dropping the note in order to stop her from falling.
"Oh, my head! The room... it was so hot..." Marguerite groaned.
She fell weakly onto a chair. Sir Andrew glanced quickly at the paper on the floor.
"Sir Andrew, would you be so kind as to fetch my fan?" she asked softly, eyes closed and collapsed in her chair, "I feel... rather faint."
Looking very uncomfortable, Sir Andrew quickly left the room. Marguerite immediately sat up and grabbed the note on the floor, scanning it swiftly before returning to her position on the chair. And just in time. Sir Andrew darted into the room seconds later, handing her the fan she'd sent him to fetch. She thanked him as she opened her fan. He stooped to grab the slip of paper, burning it without a second thought and crumpling the ashes. Marguerite didn't mind. She'd got what she needed. The few phrases she had seen where written in a messy scrawl of evidently disguised handwriting. At the bottom right corner had been a red flower. Marguerite mentally reviewed the contents of the note untouched by the first attempt to burn it:
Start myself tomorrow... If you wish to speak... be in the Supper Room at one o'clock.
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Kyoko hurried back to her dressing room, avoiding Ren as he had to begin his scene. Chauvelin goes to the Supper Room early to see who enters. He believes the room to be empty, but then sees Sir Percy Blakeney sprawled on a couch, asleep. Kyoko was surprised there was a couch big enough for Ren. Chauvelin decides to do the same, and sits down in a chair, pretending to sleep. No one enters. He eventually wakes up past three o'clock, having accidentally fallen asleep. On his stomach is a note that reads, "You looked so peaceful, I hadn't the heart to wake you", with a small red flower as the signature. Chauvelin gets up and storms out of the room, after glancing searchingly at the other prone figure on the couch. As soon as he's gone, Ren sits up without his usual lazy, idiotic expression, and stares after him.
It was one of her favourite scenes, but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to watch Ren. He was probably still angry with her. As she changed out of her dress, she saw another envelope, sitting on the floor. Feeling a morbid sense of déjà vu, she opened it.
Go Away! Careful! You ruin Everything sly Hateful girl!
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Tadaaa!! The end of yet another chapter!
Okay, so I didn't do anything too dramatic because that's just cliché. You know, Kyoko gets injured and goes to hospital and Ren is so worried he rushes straight there to profess his undying love. Sweet, but lame. And I like Kyoko saving herself. She's more smart that way.
Anyway, please review!! If you want to say something negative, sure, but please back it up!