A/N:

Take Flight - Lindsey Stirling

Might update later in the week.

"Hello?"

"Maki-chan, it's Nozomi. Elichi gave me your number," Nozomi sat in a little café called Floating Heart , a cigarette in one hand and a phone in the other up to her ear.

"Oh, hey Nozomi. What's up?"

"Not much, just in need of a lawyer"

Spluttering noises sounded from the other end of the call.

"Eh?! A lawyer?!"

"Yes, a lawyer. I'm calling because I need you to recommend me a lawyer, preferably one with knowledge of the workforce."

"Whoa Nozomi! Slow down!"

Nozomi tapped the excess off her cigarette into the ashtray and sharply exhaled from her nostrils.

"Maki-chan, if my father is taking me to court, I'll need a decent lawyer. Seeing as your family owns a hospital, you must have some form of a connection to the administration."

"Y-Yeah, bu-"

"Fantastic, please send me through their details as soon as possible. Preferably before tomorrow."

"Nozomi! Slow the hell down!" Maki seemed to be struggling, but Nozomi didn't care in the slightest. She needed this sorted out ASAP. She had dealt with her father making petty attempts to mess with her business, but he didn't have any ground – any evidence – until now. This simple, stupid mistake, plus his power, money, influence and resources, would surely send Nozomi's studio crashing into the ground, and she could kiss her job, and stability, goodbye.

The artist clenched her fists and stared at the herbal tea in front of her, knowing she'd have to explain to Maki why she was obnoxiously demanding contact information from her, but time would not be on her side for this.

"Maki, listen to me," Nozomi dropped the honorific, lowered her voice and exhaled smoke from her nostrils.

"The chances I have of winning this court case are already slim enough as it is. I need a good – no, perfect – lawyer to help me. If the studio shuts down over this, we'll all be out of a job. I really need your help on this one."

There was silence, save for the hum of the small café. The waitress in the corner was looking awkwardly at Nozomi, then turned around to sip on her water bottle.

"Okay, fine," came the shaky response from Maki, and Nozomi relaxed visibly.

"Just…Just gimme an hour to get some contacts, then I'll text 'em through."

"Thank you, Maki-chan," Nozomi grinned, and hung up.

With another sigh, she put down her phone and picked up her tea, which was now cold. She could still feel that waitress's eyes on her.

Nozomi grit her teeth. It was a bad day, and the last thing she wanted was some person staring at her. With all the restraint she had, the artist picked up her cold tea, sculled it down, then stood up and left her money on the table.

Upon dropping Rin back at her apartment, Umi headed home, not even listening to the music she was playing. In her mind, it was just white noise. It was ridiculous how this was happening – ridiculous how they could forget such a simple thing – ridiculous how this tiny issue was being blown up.

'Dammit, Nozomi!' Umi thought as she pulled the car into a spot outside of her flat, and turned off the ignition. She didn't get out of the car, but sat there, staring at the emblem fixed into the wheel. Everything was snowballing, and the piercer could only imagine what would happen next.

When Umi finally removed her seatbelt and stepped out of the car, she remembered the sudden change in Nozomi and Rin: both were surelynervous as to what would happen, even though Nozomi seemed to be more annoyed than nervous. However, Umi had worked with Nozomi for a long time now, and she knew her boss.

What she didn't know, however, was how she would go about getting legal help.

Nozomi was patient with clients, she knew how to deal with people in her own environment. She was a master of giving off a calm aura, being able to soothe her clients when they were under the needle – not to mention how she lived with the tall blonde bundle of nerves that was Eli. The tattoo artist was also charismatic and exceedingly charming, hence why she was so popular with tourist and always built relationships with clients quickly.

But when it came to her own personal struggles, that was a different story.

Nozomi might be knowledgeable about her store, she may even be a very intelligent businesswoman, but when legal matters were brought down on her, she'd crack. Sure, Umi had seen Nozomi deal with angry customers and business people with a rather calm demeanour, and she knew exactly why they were frustrated, but the second she was done with them, she'd be out the door with a cigarette in her lips and shaking hands. Nozomi did not deal with those kinds of scenarios too well. She'd slowly lose her cool, and her charm would shatter as easily as glass falling from a table.

Umi was yanked out of her thoughts when her phone in her pocket vibrated. She let out a little noise, then took her phone and looked at the screen.

"Hey, Kotori," Umi greeted her fiancé while she walked inside.

"Umi-chan! Are you okay?! I heard the news,"

"I'm not one hundred percent, but we'll see what happens," Umi turned the keys and entered the strange flat.

"Did you call your mum?"

There was silence, and Umi had to check to make sure the line didn't cut out.

"Kotori?"

"Umi-chan, my mother is helping the court case against you."

"What?!" Umi nearly tripped on the stairs down the living area at her fiance's words.

"She…she hates my tattoo, and she hates that I did it, even though she said I could!"

"I don't understand…" Umi started to pace around the living room, making sure she didn't trip over the controllers to Honoka's Playstation 3 .

"Neither do I! Apparently she hates it and only said she wouldn't mind if I got it as a joke! She didn't think I'd go through it! 'Kotori,' she said, 'You couldn't even decide on what hairstyle to wear for high school, I doubted you would actually get something permanent on your body.' I can't believe her!"

Umi's head was swimming as Kotori continued to panic.

"The second she checked the reports from the studio, she sent them off to Nozomi's father, and apparently they're going to team up on the court case!"

"Oh, shit…" Umi swore and shoved her other hand deep into her jeans pocket.

" That type of influence would ruin us."

There was silence again for a few seconds, and then Kotori's breath hitched.

"Oh, Kotori," Umi soothed, sitting down on their couch and lowering her voice, she could hear the crying on the other end of the phone.

"It's…It's going to be okay."

"No it's not! Umi-chan, my mother is going to ruin your business!"

"She will not," The piercer was confused as to why she was suddenly so calm all of a sudden. She was practically hyperventilating upon receiving the call from Rin that morning, and could not stop shaking as she got into the car to collect Eli.

"Nozomi is apparently talking to Maki in order to grab a lawyer.

"It's definitely going to court?!"

"We don't know," Umi's voice grew shaky, and she stared down at the koi fish on her left forearm, as if it would somehow magically come to life and calm her nerves.

"We're just getting prepared for the worst."

Reviews are welcome. Remember to #Pray4Umi

Do you reckon if we all chip in, we could get Nozzy Osborne that snickers?