Chapter 6: Apart.
"Wow Chase-dono your place is huge!" Rhea gawped at the sight before her: everything was a light blue colour, step stone stairs leading up to various open rooms, there was even a waterfall: How that was possible Rhea wasn't quite sure.
Ignoring Rhea's comment Chase ascended the staircase as several big cats appeared from one of the nearby rooms making her panic slightly.
"These are my pets." There was something about the way he said that which made Rhea feel very uncomfortable. She flinched when a clouded leopard nudged her hand. It stared at her intently as if asking to be petted, Rhea cautiously extended a hand and stroked the large cat on the head. Sensing no further danger from the cat, Rhea crouched down and smiled at the leopard.
"Aren't you cute." The jungle cat purred loudly in response.
"What's she doing here?" a familiar bitter voice questioned.
"Oh, if it isn't Wuhoo." Rhea joked smiling politely.
"IT'S WUYA!" the ghost snapped angrily.
"She's working for me now." Chase explained.
"Hello." Rhea waved and went to follow him up the stairs.
"Why would you want her working for you? She's clearly on the monk's side!"
"Pfft. Highly unlikely Wuya but as they say 'the mind is the first to go'" Rhea shook her head sympathetically.
"Why you little ingrate-"
SLAM
"Ow...HELLO?" rhea heard Chase sigh infuriated.
"What is it now Spicer?"
'Wow he didn't even have to look' Rhea thought quite impressed but then realised no-one has a voice quite like Jack's.
"I er...brought you some wu. I was hoping we could work out a new deal." Jack stuttered nervously as the jungle cats started to circle him.
"I have no need for Shen Gong Wu." Chase was very quick to discard Jack's request.
"Aw, come on Chase-dono. Give him a chance." Rhea argued, her presence catching Jack's attention.
"Rhea what are you doing here?"
"That doesn't matter at the moment." Rhea skipped back down the stairs and shooed the hungry looking cats away from Jack. "Chase-dono you might want to feed your pets better." She suggested humorously.
"HA!" Wuya's screechy laugh went straight through Rhea, "The only thing Jack can do is look after Cyclops."
Rhea sneered at Wuya "A Cyclops? Your mind really did erode over the years didn't it? I mean is that the best you could think of Wuya?"
The purple ghost was quick to bite back and flew straight down into Rhea's face. "And what's wrong with a Cyclops?"
"They're stupid, clumsy, no depth perception, bigger doesn't always mean better and their extremely unhygienic it's quite gross." Rhea ravelled off her list of why a Cyclops is no good.
"O and what would you suggest then, little miss know-it-all?"
"Something with a little more brain for starters. Sirens? They're pretty useful, good abilities too. They can use their voice to hypnotise those with weak wills."
"HA and do you know where to find one?" Wuya smirked Rhea might have knowledge about mythical creatures but she'd look stupid if she couldn't find one.
"Naturally." Rhea pulled a taunting face at Wuya, "So Chase-dono how about it? Giving Jack a chance?" she asked the master of the layer.
"I suppose, if he can fetch this Siren. You can show him the way but you are not to interfere" Chase warned.
Rhea grinned and excitedly fluffed Jack's hair. "We can do that now." Rhea looked down at her clothes "though I best change. WE can stop at your house Jack. I left my stuff there anyway. We'll be back later Chase-dono." The dark pink haired woman grabbed Jack's arm and dragged him out of the secret layer.
"What is this place?" Jack looked up at the red neon lights that arched up above them.
"KabukichÅ." Rhea looked much smarter in her black fitted trousers, electric blue bat collared shirt, sunglasses and platform boots. "A word of advice: don't leave my side at all." As they walked through the district, Jack made the mistake of looking at the store windows.
"R-Rhea..." she looked at Jack's beat red face then realized what he probably saw.
"Ah...I should have warned you not to look either." She chuckled, suddenly stopping in her tracks "Here it is." Jack looked at the sign she was pointing at 'Club Paradise.' There was a large board with pictures of people on it some of them were dimmed out. She guided him down the stairs and pushed open the heavy door.
"Welcome~." A voice cooed, "Is this your first time?"
"Actually I wanted to speak to your Mama-san." Rhea removed her glasses and smile at the blond girl talking to her.
"Oh, I-I'll be right back." The girl scuttled off and spoke to a tall dark haired man who glanced in her direction smiling at her. He then spoke to the girl and she ran off somewhere.
"Kiyosawa-san, it's good to see you again." The tall man smiled at her.
"You too Ares."
"And who is the cute one hiding behind your back?" Ares enquired noticing Jack quivering behind Rhea.
"Ah, this is Jack. My brother in a sense." Rhea managed to shove Jack forward, "This is Ares...he's a host." Jack gave a meek 'Hi' before backing off again. "As you can see, Jack isn't quite used to these places more like his first time ever."
The blond girl reappeared "Sorry to keep you waiting , Mama-san will see you." She bowed and took her place back at the door. Ares lead the pair to the head of the head of the club. He left them at the door.
Knocking loudly, Rhea waited for a response before she opened the door. Behind a mahogany desk sat a woman dressed like a Victorian lady. "Yo, Rayne-chan."
"Rhea!" the woman leapt up and rushed round to hug her, "What on earth happened? I mean I heard you got kicked out and then you vanished!"
"Eh. Sorry, I wound up at Jack's house." Rhea gestured to the timid teen behind her, "I just got an offer for some more training so I'm crashing at my sensei's place." The woman known as Rayne hit her hard.
"What happened to being able to come here if you had trouble?"
"Sorry sorry."
"You're here on business I can see that." Rayne sat back down at her desk.
"Venus is she free?"
The 'Mama-san' glanced at her laptop and clicked around "You're in luck. She's free, her regular is on probation by his wife this month."
"Ah good. Though I'm not the one that needs to see her, he is." Rhea gestured over to Jack who was taking in the surroundings of the office.
Rayne eyed the teen very warily "Rhea, is he even legal?"
She chuckled "Nope, he's on a mission and we need Venus. Although I'm only allowed to show the way and besides you still owe me one." Rhea smirked slyly.
"Very well, you do realise she won't be happy at all." Rayne pointed out as she stood up.
"Yeah but she'll get over it eventually."
The pair followed the host club owner down a corridor to a door with a plaque that read 'Venus'
"Okay Jack, I'll leave this up to you. I'll meet you back at Chase's."
"W-what you're not coming in with me?" Jack started to panic now, he was being taken out of his comfort zone and tried to cling to Rhea.
"Sorry but you're on your own."
Rayne pried the red haired teen off Rhea and shoved him into the room "Venus you have a visitor be nice." She then quickly shut the door before anyone could argue. "Drink?"
Rhea grinned eagerly "Gladly." The women headed back the way they came and into the main lounge area where Rhea and Jack had first entered. "There are a lot of new faces I don't recognise." Rhea caught a glimpse of some of the hosts and hostesses.
"I've been scouting out some new workers since some of the old ones didn't like me taking over from the last Obaa-san." Rayne explained as they took a seat at the bar.
The bartender was a tall and attractive young man with wavy blond hair with a dashing smile. "What can I get you ladies?" he glanced at Rhea "Kiyosawa-chan I've missed you." He pouted.
"Sure you did Dionysus." Rhea chuckled knowing full well to never be swayed by a Host.
"You only ever come on business now why?"Dionysus passed the women a glass of vodka each.
Rhea shrugged "It's just the way it rolls."
The pair chatted away until Rhea finished her drink.
"I best get off. I still have to unpack my small amount of belongings."
"You staying with that guy you mentioned earlier?"
"Chase? Yeah. He's a friend of Jack's and is a Tai Chi master."
"You should just come work here with us. You'd be so popular." Dionysus suggested handing Rayne another drink.
"Not my style. I'm a fighter not a flirter."
"A kid? What on earth is that woman thinking?" The woman Jack presumed as 'Venus' exclaimed angrily.
'Rhea left this up to me. I can't fail.' Jack thought, trying to calmly plan what he was going to say to the hostess. "My name is Jack Spicer, Evil boy genius. I-I er came to ask you for a favour...you're very pretty." The genius trailed off as he shuffled nervously under Venus' unwavering stare.
"Well isn't that cute." Venus patted the spot next to her, indicating Jack to sit with her. Jack wasn't inclined to reject her offer. "So what did you want Venus-onee-san for?" she cooed at him patronisingly.
"I need the help of a Siren and I was refereed to you." Jack blurted out, shuddering as her facial expression changed. She looked angry. "I-I need your help in my plans of world conquest and to prove to my evil idol: Chase young."
Venus ignored everything he previously said and with an icy cold smile asked "Who told you about me?"
Blindly Jack replied "Rhea."