Chapter 17: Dinner and Disagreements

Shigeo crossed his arms and smiled amusedly at the scene in front of him:

The Hokage boys were dead – drunk and sprawled in the living room of their suite. Kaoru on the floor, Domon on the armchair, Recca on the couch, and Tokiya on a beanbag. From the six- pack rings on the floor, he guessed they had purchased cans of beer, raided the suite's mini-bar and knocked themselves out.

'This room has to be soundproof if no one can hear them from outside.' He shook his head at the loud snores emanating from the four. He had searched for them at the bar, the arcade, and even in the pool area, till he finally decided to check the suite.

And here they were. Solid drunk. Kagerou would have their heads if he didn't get them awake.

He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled.

"WAKE UP CALL!"

The boys groaned and stirred reluctantly. Recca threw a cushion in the direction of his father's voice. Shigeo caught it and whacked his son's shoulder.

"Come on boys, get up. You picked a fine time to pull this stunt. They're all probably waiting downstairs for us. I want you changed and mouthwashed in ten minutes. Recca, your mother probably ordered our food already."

The boys let out another collective groan and wobbled up. Tokiya clutched his head as the four of them headed for the bathrooms.

"That's the last time I let you prepare me a 'special' cocktail, Domon." He shuddered at the sour taste in his mouth. It would take half the bottle of mouthwash he brought to get that gone. Why, oh why had he let these monkeys talk him into a second round in their suite after their seven tankards each at the bar?

"I don't think it'll be the last." Domon slurred, swaying as he walked. "You asked for more after I'd already made you three."

"Tokiya Mikagami. Strong Taker." Recca laughed as he hauled Kaoru by the arm. "Who knew?"

They went on down as soon as they had finished changing and gargling. By the time they reached the private dining room booked for them, they found the food had just been served.

"You're all very chipper, this evening." Kagerou raised an eyebrow worthy of Tokiya Mikagami.

The boys were still shaky despite their freshening up. Recca feebly put an arm around his Hime's shoulder as he sat down next to her. His head nearly fell to rest in the breadbasket Yanagi passed him.

"We're… fi-fine, Mom."

Tokiya settled in between Fuuko and his sister and took a grateful gulp of water. The room felt like it was on wheels.

"Early hangover." Fuuko explained to Tanya's questioning look. She passed the other breadbasket to Tokiya.

"I'd better order some coffee." Shigeo signaled the waiter over again. "You boys get something hot down to eat first."

Kagerou ladled out bowls of soup from the big pot in the middle of their table and passed them out to the boys.

"We can forego the 'ladies first' rule tonight. You drinkers will have boulder-sized headaches tomorrow if you don't eat."

The four in question accepted their soup with weakly mumbled thank-yous and began to eat, savoring the tangy flavor that got their senses a bit more alert.

As soon as the waiter brought over the coffee pot, Shigeo handed out mugs of the hot drink.

"I trust this will be the last time you boys will drink yourselves silly in the afternoon?"

They nodded vigorously, wincing at the headaches the sudden movements brought.

Team Hokage started on the main course of lobster after the soup. Ganko had to slice Kaoru's lobster meat for him since the Kougan-Anki master was spilling food down the sides of his plate.

"Good evening." Came a voice from the doorway.

They all looked up to find Kurei standing there, his smile lighting up his handsome features.

Recca stood up and took unsteady steps towards his brother.

"Hey, you Joker! Nice to see you."

"You too, little brother." Kurei clapped an arm around his shoulder. "You all right?"

"Hangover." Recca admitted, grinning. "Your bar serves good strong drinks."

Kurei guided him back to his seat, looking amused.

Everyone began to give him their compliments about the beautiful resort and congratulated him on his engagement.

"It took me years to realize she was the one." Kurei laughed after he had thanked them. "I'm sure I made the right decision when I asked Neon to marry me."

"On that account, thank you for inviting all of us to your engagement party." Kagerou said.

"You're welcome. I was also hoping for you all to be part of the wedding entourage." Kurei said.

"Definitely." Recca answered, while everyone else nodded in agreement. "You can count on us."

His brother smiled. "The nuptials will be held in two weeks. Neon wanted to schedule it so you all wouldn't miss a day of classes."

"Darn." Kaoru joked. Kurei ruffled his hair.

"I'm glad all of you are here. The engagement party's on Thursday night here at the West Bar. Neon says to say hi since she's busy with the engagement party and the wedding details. She's been on the phone for two days straight. I honestly didn't know there were so many adjustments to each part of a wedding gown. She says she'll come find you when the hotel chefs are done bugging her about the cake."

"Bet you haven't gotten your tux yet." Recca grinned.

"Yeah. Neon's scheduled my fittings millions of times but things keep coming up." Kurei returned the smile. "I'd better get it done soon, or I'll be getting married in a wheelchair. Her punches have gotten stronger."

"So, what's she like when she's not trying to kill you in a battle?" Kaoru asked.

"She's a wonderful woman." Kurei answered. "And I plan on spending the rest of my life getting to know what she's like as a wife."

"Which will probably end up not happening if you don't get to your tux fitting." A voice said from behind him.

"Hi, Miki!" Fuuko grinned.

"Hey!" Miki smiled back at her before turning to Kurei. "Neon's still being fussed over by the hotel chefs about appetizers. She asked me to tell you your tux designer is in waiting for you in the lobby."

"Thanks." Kurei grinned at her. "I'd better go if I'm still to be your brother-in-law." He gave everybody a wave. "See you all later."

Miki gave them an apologetic smile as soon as Kurei was out of earshot. "I'm amazed at his way of organizing things. Neon's hasn't been the only one with a lot to do. That tux fitting has been the least of his problems."

Everybody laughed and Kagerou asked the young woman to join them.

"Thank you." Miki's smile widened. She sank into the chair a waiter brought over and placed between Tanya and Kaoru.

"So, Kurei says he wants us in the wedding entourage?" Shigeo passed her a plateful of seafood pasta.

Miki nodded. "You've all agreed? Great! Neon wanted it too. She's been having nonstop phone calls from the invitation makers. She still hasn't submitted the full list. Aki and I have been helping out, and finding a flower girl has been a frantic difficulty. Until this afternoon." She grinned at Tanya, who let out a laugh.

They all continued to eat through the four-course meal, chatting amiably. By the time they were through with dessert, the Hokage boys were starting to feel the later effects of the beer.

Miki checked her watch and daintily wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Thank you so much for letting me join you for dinner. I'm afraid I have to go and help Neon and Aki with the reception arrangements. We still haven't scheduled the fittings for the bridal entourage and the groomsmen and Neon still hasn't seen the samples for the entourage dresses."

"Don't let us keep you." Kagerou said understandingly. "If we can be of assistance in any way, come and get us."

"Thank you." Miki smiled as she stood up to leave. "If we get some free time tomorrow, maybe you ladies would like to join me and my sisters for a dip in the hot springs?"

"Of course." Kagerou replied.

"Kurei must've forgot to ask you guys to join him." Miki turned to Shigeo. "He told me he was going to ask you. I'll remind him when I see him later. He's already booked one of the springs for tomorrow afternoon."

She bade them good-bye and gave them another smile before exiting the room.

"Well, we all have something to look forward to for tomorrow." Kagerou said as she signaled a waiter over with the gesture for 'bill, please.'

The waiter informed them Kurei left word that their meals during their stay would be free of charge. He also obliged a request from Yanagi for a few pictures of all of them sitting at the table.

The Healer took back her digital camera and thanked him. Everyone filed out of the restaurant and went back up to their floor of the hotel.

"Anyone up for a walk?" Yanagi asked when they had reached the doors of their suites. "I bet this place is beautiful at night."

"I'm game." Fuuko said, as they waited for Kagerou and Shigeo to open the doors to their suites. "Let me go inside for a minute." She ducked in after Kagerou and Ganko.

Tanya tugged on her brother's shirt. "May I go?"

"Alright. As long as you're not yet tired." Tokiya knelt down and zipped her jacket up for her.

"Thanks." Tanya smiled.

Fuuko came back out, wearing her blue hoodie jacket with her Fuujin in one of the pockets. Yanagi threw her a questioning look.

"In case we run into those bozos from this afternoon." There was a twinkle in her eye.

"What bozos?" Recca demanded, the slur gone from his speech. The hangover feeling was coming back, but he fought it. He took hold of his Hime's arm. "You didn't tell me about that. What did they-"

"I'm alright." Yanagi consoled him. "Fuuko-" she stopped short, not knowing if she should continue.

Fuuko stood still, hands clenching and unclenching at her sides. Shigeo had gone into the boys' suite and she could hear Kagerou inside the girls' suite. Ganko came back out and stood next to Kaoru.

"Fuuko did what?" Recca pressed, looking from his Hime to his best friend. Tokiya stood up from where he was kneeling, his eyebrows slanting into a concerned frown.

Fuuko looked as though she was trying to suppress a memory very badly. Finally she gave in and spoke up.

"I wrenched up the arm of the guy who told his buddies to try to get fresh with us. I was about to hit him when someone held me back and beat me to the punch."

Tokiya felt his stomach drop. He knew that tone of voice. He had only ever heard her use it when talking about a certain someone.

Tanya registered the look on her brother's face. She clutched his hand comfortingly. Tokiya looked down and pulled her closer.

Domon leaned against the doorframe of the boy's suite and voiced the question on Recca and Kaoru's faces.

"Who helped you out?"

Fuuko's voice went softer. "Raiha."

"That JERK who thinks he's a better ninja than me?" Recca almost bellowed. "You sure he wasn't with those clowns you were talking about?"

Fuuko shook her head no.

"Then there's no way we're letting you walk around by yourselves." Recca declared. Tokiya was about to say something in agreement when Fuuko spoke again.

"Hold on a minute. Raiha threatened to have them thrown out of the resort after he punched the one I almost beat up."

"That still doesn't guarantee they'll leave you alone." Recca insisted. "At least one of us guys should be with you when you girls go around the resort."

"I can take them all and knock them out so bad, they won't remember what their names are!" Fuuko protested, brandishing her Fuujin. She was about to say more when Yanagi put a hand on her shoulder.

The wind-wielder lowered her hands. "You don't trust us to be able to take care of ourselves?"

"We trust you." It was Tokiya who answered this time. "In Raiha? No. Not in a million years."

"He -"

"Sorry, Fuuko." Domon crossed his arms. "We never wanted that pretty-boy for you."

Fuuko's blue eyes went a shade deeper and began to water. Tokiya found himself instinctively reaching out a hand to her when she suddenly backed away from all of them.

"He—he told me he wants me back." She looked at Yanagi. "That's what he said when he asked for a word in private."

It seemed all her friends were holding his or her breath. Tokiya was looking especially livid.

"I told him I'd think about it."

While everyone else exhaled in relief that she didn't say yes right away, Tokiya felt jealousy cloud his vision. He saw everything in a sea of red….

"Neesan?" he heard a squeak from somewhere near his hip. "I can't feel my hand…."

He snapped out of the boiling sensation in brewing in his blood and looked down at his sister. He realized he must have been squeezing her wrist in anger.

"I'm sorry," he said, sheepishly. Tanya grinned wryly and flexed blood back into her fingers.

Fuuko's next sentence got their attention back.

"Look, I know you all mean well, but this isn't this bodyguarding business a bit on the overreacting side? Raiha won't jump out of corners and start attacking if that's what you boys are thinking-"

"How can you be so sure?" Kaoru asked, balling up his fists.

"This is crazy!" Fuuko threw up her hands in exasperation. "He's an ex-boyfriend, not an ex-convict! And he happened to help me out with some idiots who tried to sleaze their way into getting us!"

"Alright, stop it!" Yanagi said loudly enough to shut them up, but low enough so Shigeo couldn't hear. The door to the girls' suite was still open but thankfully Kagerou was in the bathroom.

'We're NOT going to argue about this." Yanagi said, firmly. Tokiya recoiled. The Healer's tone reminded him of Mifuyu's way of puffing up when he did something bad.

"Maybe taking a walk tonight isn't such a good idea anymore. Let's do it right after dinner tomorrow." Yanagi continued. "It's best that we all get some rest."

Everyone sullenly nodded and began to greet each other awkward goodnights.

Tokiya gave his sister an extra hug. "You sure you don't want to stay with me?"

"I'll be okay." Tanya promised before she followed the rest of the girls into their suite.

For some reason, (even the boys with their hangover side effects) Team Hokage, except Kagerou and Shigeo all stayed awake thinking for a long time before their thoughts lulled them to sleep.