Summer Shopping (Ryu)

[Ryu Hikari]

A clump of rice halfway to his mouth, Ryu's hand would halt in mid-air before lowering it back down. He would frown slightly at Kazue, but not as though he was annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.

"During the entire time I showed you around my house, I never once heard or saw a loud Spanish woman with silver hair and eyes that burned with the fury of a thousand fold hatred."

Overkill perhaps, but hey, it worked.

"I haven't really heard of Sanada Corp. before, the world of business doesn't really interest me right now. I think my grandfather might have heard of and know that company though, he is the CEO after all."

Shiro promptly sat on by Aiko, he'd mew at her in mild fright, before eventually calming down and letting Aiko hold him down while grooming him. He wasn't exactly one of those hyper, sugar high, bounce off the walls kind of kittens, but he did like playing and having fun with his buddies, something he had no chance of doing before he had been adopted by Kazuya and given to Ryu and Mai. As a stray, he had to worry about finding food to eat to avoid starving, while avoiding other bigger felines that could beat him up.

Hearing Kazue speak in Spanish with a thick accent while feeding the older feline, Bandit he concluded his name was, now while Ryu spoke no Spanish whatsoever, he did know Tagalog, though a fat load of help that would be. Still, he was glad he knew how to speak it, because not only was it a reminder of his mother, Tagalog was fun to listen to, but not so much fun when you don't know if what's being said is about you or not.

"It's alright, the fact he ate means it tastes good, if people appreciate the food cooked, that's all that matters... at least to me..."

Giving Kazue a slightly easygoing smile that would make most girls blush, he'd then resume his bewildered staring contest with Bandit once more, Ryu would just stare at the calico cat for a good solid five minutes, all the while eating his katsudon and wondering if this cat was obsessively possessive or something though who could blame him...

"Tell me about yourself, Kazue. Besides the fact that you're the same age as me, in the same high school and grade come this September, can speak fluent Spanish, and single?"

The last bit was tacked on as a joke... maybe >.>

[kazue]

"Yea... you know... come to think of it I didn't see her either. Hmm... that is a little worrisome. My mother gets in all sorts of trouble. She is almost like a big kid."

Kazue said trying to remember if she saw her mother out of the corner of her eye at any time at that party. It seems her mother just vanished. How strange.

"Well my mom was married once before to some guy, I never met him and all but... they married right outa high school and I guess he hurt her bad. Anyway she got half the company in the divorce."

Kazue didn't mind talking about her family oddities or family life in general. Though the only one she could talk about was her mother and her pets. That was all the family she had till she got to know her dad better and met her siblings. As for Aiko, after both her and Shiro settled down she would pick the kitten up in her muzzle like a mother fox and carry it over to the table where the two teens sat. Deciding the liked the little fluff ball she deposited him into one of Kazue's many bags. Aiko wanted to take Shiro home with her. Hearing the little plop of something into her bag she looked down to see a very innocent looking Aiko. Blinking Kazue reached her hand into the bag and procured the fuzzy kitten and smiled.

"I know he's cute Aiko but he doesn't belong to you. He belongs to Ryu."

Aiko whined and Bandit tore his attention away from the boy who was having a quite intense staring contest with him. The calico's only thought was 'you win this time boy...' and stared at Aiko. Kazue giggled and stroked little Shiro before setting him back down. Bandit joined Aiko on the floor and swatted her in the nose, almost to say 'don't try to replace me' Aiko just licked him in reply and then licked Shiro. Kazue smiled at them and went back to eating her lunch.

"Hmm? About me? Oh gosh uh... well lets see here..."

Kazue said sitting up to think a moment.

"Well you know about my crazy mom, you've met my crazy pets, we already know I'm in some way nuts since everything around me is nuts... Oh I also am pretty fluent in Japanese. My mom insisted I learn because it was a part of me."

Kazue tried to think a little more about what else she could really tell and then a smirk appeared.

"Oh yea, I play guitar and I love to sing. I got the latter from my mother. She sings really well, and if you can convince her to sing in spanish, holy cow. She even sings in Japanese, though she's a bit rusty."

Kazue tried to think of something else and looked at Bandit and Aiko for a little help. Both pets just stared blankly at the girl.

"My mom has had those two forever, they are almost like my siblings."

She laughed a bit and ate a bit more of the katsudon. Her curly hair bouncing in its pigtail form.

"Really... there isn't m-....Well... okay I'll tell ya something but most people don't really think it sounds like me."

She smiled something finally dawning on her.

"My mom used to go to a school here in New York. It was shut down years ago she said or something like that...Anyway she used to be part of a gang called The Knights and she was the ONLY female there. They used to call her The Knightess. She loved fighting, used to do pit fights and bar brawls and everything."

The more she talked about her mom's past the more her eyes seemed to dance with wild imagination.

"She has been teaching me to fight ever since I was like five years old. I'm not as good as she is... but, I think that stuff sounds cool. A pit fight or a bar brawl...I would love to try something like that. Mom says it isn't as fun as it sounds but the way she smiles when she talks about it...You can tell... she loved it. One day I wanna try those things...last people I told this to, in my private school... they laughed at me. Said it was stupid."

She shrugged it off like it was nothing and took a bite of the katsudon.

"Mmm, but that is why they got their nose broken. Brick walls are a real problem if it meets your face."

Her smirk turned a little wicked and she looked at Ryu. In an instant a wide happy go lucky smile appeared. Well... now that he knows she's crazy...

"What about you Ryu?"

[Ryu Hikari]

"Maybe she became occupied with a conversation she was in that lasted the entire night, I know my dad came here to visit us and for a vacation, maybe she bumped into him and they ended up in a conversation with each other."

Come to think of it, Ryu remembered Mai had said their dad had gone to rest from the long flight, and while Ryu had been the host, with Aunt Kevala at the party, there was no way his father wouldn't have talked to her at least once.

"My mom and my dad weren't married when Mai was born, since my mom had left for England when she was sixteen and my dad was seventeen, which is around the time she adopted me."

That's right, Ryu just straight up told Kazue he was adopted. Shiro once again mewing in mild fright as he was picked up in Aiko's muzzle and carried over to Ryu and Kazue's table, where he was promptly deposited into one of Kazue's many shopping bags, as Kazue reached into the bag, she'd see a very confused white ball of fluff staring wide-eyed up at her and letting out a little sneeze before he was procured.

"Technically he belongs to my little sister too, but I tend to spend more time looking after the little guy than she does."

With Bandit tearing his gaze away from the staring contest soon after, Ryu would look over at Kazue and smile slightly after she stroked and set Shiro down, as he mewed away happily and trotted over to Ryu's foot after Aiko licked Bandit and then him, very much glad to be out of the bag.

"Whoa whoa, slow down there, I need to grab a pad of paper and pen to write all that down."

Ryu smirked, he could see how wildly her eyes had danced from talking about not just herself, but her mother and a bit on Bandit and Aiko.

"Really? I don't think it's stupid, the only thing that's stupid is those that laughed at you. They got what they deserved, having their noses smashed in by running into a brick wall. I've been in a few underground cage fights back in Japan, when I was fourteen, but only because my dad wanted me to get some real life experience in fights."

Not exactly the best way to get some real life experience, that's for sure, but it beats fighting in school and risk getting kicked out.

"Me? Well you know about my little sister, she's three years younger than me and loves drawing and painting, you know about my dad, he's the Chief Financial Officer in my grandfather's company, and you've met Shiro. I'm fluent in Japanese too, as well as Tagalog. I like to play guitar too, my dad gave me his electric guitar that he used to own, a Fender Telecaster. I like singing sometimes, but mostly Japanese and English songs."

Hearing a mew issue from somewhere by his foot, Ryu would peer down and see Shiro sitting by his foot, begging him to pick him up, as Ryu leaned down and scooped the little guy up, depositing him in his lap, Shiro promptly nestling in and taking a nap.

"I'm into all types of music except for American rap and country, my list of favorite bands and songs spans longer than the Great Wall of China, I like watching the sun set, I'm single, I like to stargaze, computer hacking, disarming alarms, I'm single, reading, sparring, meditating, training, repairing cars and motorcycles, and I can cook... but you already knew that. Oh, and did I forget to mention I'm single?"

Giving Kazue another easygoing smile that would make most girls blush, it felt like a dating site or something, but Ryu wanted Kazue to feel at ease around him, despite possibly having a crush on him. Looking out the window, his head turned away from Kazue, he'd then turn back to face Kazue, his eyes softening slightly.

"It doesn't matter to me if you're somewhat nuts, it doesn't change what I think of you. You're still the same Kazue I met back then, and you always will be."

[kazue]

Kazue blinked. Ryu was more open about himself then she was with him, well now the little girl felt bad. She felt as though she should have been more open with him. It wasn't like she hid her life, she just didn't think he wanted to know details most found depressing or annoying. She did smile the whole time listening as she ate. If there was something Kazue learned with her mother it was that listening saved you from getting into trouble later.

"Maybe, my mom might have flirted a bit with him too. She's quite the flirty woman. Guys like her a lot for her looks. You wouldn't know she was 42. She looks pretty young for her age."

Kazue said softly.

"Well the guy my mom first married isn't my dad. She moved to Japan after the divorce cause she always wanted to go there. My dad is a man she met there. She kinda... she ran off when she found out she was pregnant."

Kazue played with her lunch a bit before looking back at Ryu with a smile.

"She had reasons she had to leave. She had a rough life when she lived here and she had been hurt quite a bit. All her boyfriends either died or left her when she was in high school and her ex cheated on her so she didn't want anything bad happening between herself and my dad."

Bandit and Aiko made their way into her bags to settle into the clothes and get comfortable. They were rather noisy for pets weren't they?

"He just found out about me this year so it is a new process. I know why my mom liked him though. He seems like a very good person. Since he has known... I kinda have been hoping he and my mother get back together. It would be nice to have a whole family. I'd like to have my siblings not be pets. That would be nice."

When Ryu said he didn't think her wanting to be a pit fighter was stupid, Kazue smiled quite a bit.

"Really? Mom still does pit fights every now and again. Maybe I can convince her to take us with her. Not to participate of course, I don't think she'd let us... but maybe she will let us watch her do one. I think she'd feel better bringing me into an underground fight club filled with big scary men if I had a strong boy with me."

And smile, bat the eye lashes subtley and giggle a bit. Yea, kinda a cliche way to flirt but hey if it worked... She laughed a little and ate a bit more of her lunch with a big smile. As Ryu talked about his interests she could have sworn he mentioned he was single a couple times. She thought he was just joking around so she laughed and smiled though it almost felt like he was kind of flirting with her. How amusing, she does things that are super embarrassing and already has a guy hitting on her, though she doesn't even know it. She is very much like Silk. Both girls have no idea when a guy likes them.

"Well we could always jam one day. Maybe you can play guitar and I'll sing. Don't know how your family feels about ya know having loud music being played and stuff but I know my mom wouldn't mind letting us use the penthouse for a jam session."

Now, being that Kazue was quite a little minx and got into a bit of trouble every now and again, quite a few things that Ryu said made the girl grin.

"Computer hacking and you can disarm alarms? That sure sounds better then my lock picking. I got caught actually picking the lock on my mom's truck. I got the door open and then her alarm went off. So much for teaching my self to drive that month."

She laughed a little and when Ryu gave her that charming smile she blushed. It was almost like he knew the effect he had on her. Of course anyone could see that so it wasn't saying much.

"So, this single thing... is that code for actually dating?"

She laughed a little at her sarcasm and smirked again.

"You realize you said that quite a lot right? If you didn't want to come off desperate you kind of blew it. I could teach you to fix that though. You might get a girl after I'm done with you too."

She smiled and finished off her lunch.

[Ryu Hikari]

"Your mom sounds like she really loved and cared for your dad, despite running off after learning she was pregnant. But I think that meant she didn't want to hurt not only herself again, but your dad as well, spare him the possibility of mental anguish."

A small sad smile appearing on Ryu's face, he'd look down at the table, sensing his owner's sadness, Shiro mewed softly and trying to comfort Ryu by nuzzling his head against Ryu's stomach.

"When my mom died when I was nine, my dad never knew that he had two kids until Dr. Layla Clavering, my mom's mentor, called and spoke to him over the phone a few days before my mom's funeral. I think he was affected more by the loss of my mom than suddenly learning he had two kids to take care of and look after back then."

Looking back up at her, he'd return Kazue's smile with a slight smile that slowly appeared of his own, grabbing a small bit of rice from his bowl, he'd feed it to Shiro, who happily took the food and even licked Ryu's fingers a bit.

"I hope you and your dad get back together too soon. You have siblings though? Younger or older?"

Ryu earnestly wanted Kazue's family to be whole and for her to be happy, even though he knew his own family would never be whole, sadly. But as long as he still had his adoptive father and sister, and now a half-sister, though he still never met her, and Kazue was happy, he'd be fine.

"Are you sure we'd be going to watch, or actually participate in it? I've got a mean one two kick combo, you know..."

Smirking slightly at Kazue's cliched flirting, he'd finish up the rest of his food, although he had said it in a joking manner, he was serious about being single. Sure, he liked Kazue, but didn't want to mess up their relationship or knew she had a crush on him.

"Well, my dad is only here for a little bit, for vacation. The rest of the time, it's just my little sister and me, and I usually practice in the basement, so I don't bother her. I'd love to hear you sing one day though, you must have a great voice."

Smirking at her, just like his father, Ryu was a tech expert, and it wasn't just because he was Asian. His father taught him everything he knew, including mechanics, and while he wasn't old enough to drive yet, he was pretty handy at fixing cars and motorcycles up.

"There's always next time. I've got my own car and motorcycle, but until I can drive, I either bike or get driven in our limousine."

Seeing Kazue blush, Ryu wasn't trying to charm her on purpose, he just unconsciously knew what to say or do, and just said what came to mind.

"No you baka, clearly it's code for I'm already taken."

Smirking back at her, Shiro snoozing away in his lap, he'd rub the top of his kitten's head with his index finger, the little guy snuggling closer to Ryu.

"No, really!? I never noticed! If I was trying to be desperate, I would've spoken in nothing but Japanese and pretend I'm a foreign student, but I'm not. Really? You'd do that for me? Thanks... but no thanks. I haven't really met the right girl yet anyways... until recently."

Answering back with just as much, if not more sarcasm than her, he'd smirk widely at her, so much like his father.

"Come on you baka, unless you feel like sitting here all day, maybe we should consider going and carting your loot back to your place."

[kazue]

Ryu was right as to why Silk had run away from Kazuya and Kazue knew it. Her mother and her had been talking more and more about it since Kazue met her father. Seeing the sad smile on Ryu's face Kazue knew she probably should have kept her family history to her self. She didn't like seeing a sad smile on the boy, it didn't fit him. Hearing him speak about his mother and how he met his father she just quietly listened and when he was done she spoke.

"My mother lost her parents when she was young, but she told me the most important thing that she tried to remember while growing up... was that her parents loved her more then she could understand, cause you know she wasn't a parent her self. Even if they left her... their love still lived in side of her because a parent can never stop loving their child, even if they can no longer be there to look after the child."

Kazue smiled a little trying to pick Ryu up from his sad thoughts.

"And your dad... he was probably shocked about your mother's passing because he cared very much for her and didn't get to say goodbye. The reason he wasn't as shocked about you and your sister was probably because now he had two children to love and take care of who could remind him of your mother all the time. My mom said that is why she was never sad with me around. She said she might have left my father but I looked so much like him... it was like he wasn't gone at all."

Like her mother, Kazue wasn't that great with dealing with sad moments. She felt the heaviness in the air and it unsettled her. At the mention of her family getting together she smiled a little and nodded at Ryu's words.

"Well, I have a brother and a sister. My father didn't tell me much. Just said that one was my age and the other was younger... I think. The day it came up was pretty emotional so I have trouble focusing on that talk."

She did mean it. Trying to remember everything said during that first meeting was hard. She had yelled at her mother for keeping secrets, gone through the emotional trauma of learning she had siblings and that her father wanted her even after all these years. Young girls had enough emotional trouble with their normal day to day lives but that was a lot of drama for her to handle. Ryu's comment about the pit fights made her giggle and smile.

"Do you really think my mouth would get me in that much trouble?"

She mocked surprise and covered her face all dramatic like.

"I can't believe this Ryu. How dare you say such a thing..."

And then a giggle left her. Oh the dramatic acting. It was so like her mothers it was ridiculous. Her hands left her face and she smirked like her father once more. Perhaps he didn't know that his words were charming but he was certainly flattering her well enough.

"Well I'd be lying if I tried to be humble about it. Still I would like to hear you play guitar. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two. I'm still kind of learning. My mother used to have a band when she first started in high school. She was their drummer and their singer. I haven't heard her play though. She has a tape of it some where..."

Kazue was very interested in her mother's life but that was perhaps because her mother was all she had. The young girl had no grandparents she knew of and no aunts or uncles. She kind of envied Ryu and his sister because it seemed he had such a large family. Hers was so small, just her and her mother. Though perhaps now with her father back in the picture and two siblings, that would change. If she ever found them.

For a bit of back and forth talking, Kazue would giggle and laugh at Ryu. It was nice being able to hang out with someone. He was just as sarcastic if not more than her and it was fun for her. His smirk was so much like her father's. It was a little charming to see it on the younger boy's face. If Kazue wasn't careful she might start liking boys who reminded her of her father, like Ryu here, who she already had a crush on.

"I think my mother might be a bit worried. She knows I tend to wander so getting my loot back home before she calls her secret cop buddies to locate me would be a good idea."

She would get up and start picking up her bags. Aiko and Bandit made sounds of snoring from her bags and she would snicker.

"Lazy butts. Ryu, if Shiro is sleeping too, you can put him in on top of Aiko or Bandit so you won't have to carry him and your bike. They are cuddly sleepers so he will be welcomed and warm."

[Ryu Hikari]

"My mother lost her parents when she was young too, and my dad lost his mother when he was young. Both my little sister and me miss our mother, and most especially, our father, because until the funeral, he hadn't seen or heard from her for nine years. Even though she is gone, as you said, her love lives inside of us and she'll never stop loving all of us."

A bit of a sad smile still on Ryu's face, although he was still felt somewhat down from bringing up the memories of his mother's death after locking them away deep down for the last six years, he was grateful to Kazue for trying to cheer him up.

"My little sister, she looks so much like our mother, it's hard to feel like my mother is really gone after all this time. I don't think I look like either my father or mother, but Mai used to tell me all the time that if I dyed my hair white and wore gray contacts, I'd probably look like a mix of my father and mother. I've never actually tried it before though."

So she was looking for a half brother that was the same age as her, and a little sister. Come to think of it, Ryu was looking for his adoptive half-sister too, and tried to think of anyone in his grade that looked like Kazue or looked like his father, but all he succeeded in doing was giving himself a righteous headache.

"I hope you find your half-siblings, I'm looking for my half-sister as well. My dad didn't really give me a lot of details, and I was pretty shocked when he told both Mai and me, so I can't really remember much of what he said."

All Ryu really remembered was that his half-sister would be returning to New York City and would be attending Public High School #8011 in September. Giving Kazue a smirk, he'd simply raise an eyebrow at her accusation and drama queen act.

"Oh, my sincerest apologies, Your Highness. If anyone tries to hurt you, I'll protect you."

Bowing mockingly to her, he'd continue to smirk at her just like his (and her) father always does. He certainly wasn't trying to charm her or flatter her, he just said what he thought was true and came to mind.

"I'm not really spectacular at playing the guitar, since I taught myself to play, but if you let me hear you sing, I'll let you hear me play."

He really didn't think he was great at guitar, he knew enough that he could play pretty well, but not play it with his eyes closed type of deal. The two of them trading sarcastic quips back and forth between each other, she really was just as sarcastic as he was, and her smirk was a lot like his father's.

"Or she sends the S.W.A.T. team out to find you. Actually, I don't want to stick around and find out if she does, let's go."

Lifting Shiro up and out of his lap, his kitten rolling over and continuing to snooze away in his grip, Ryu would pull out some bills and leave enough to pay for and give Kenji a tip.

"...? Thanks... I'd think Shiro would like that."

Carefully lowering his kitten down into the bag Aiko and Bandit were in, his kitten would immediately snuggle closer to Aiko, as he snored quietly. Grabbing his bike from the wall he had leaned it up against, he'd then head out of the restaurant and wait for Kazue, since she would be the one showing him the way.

"Here, pass me some of the bags, so you don't have to carry all the bags all the way back to your place."

If she did, he'd place some of the bags on his luggage carrier on the back of his bicycle, and wheel his bicycle while he walked beside Kazue and down the sidewalk.

[kazue]

Kazue smiled at him and listened to him talk about his family. She really did envy him. It sounded like he had a large family full of love. Not that her mother didn't love her, she knew she did. Kazue just always wanted a big family. When the boy mentioned that he had never dyed his hair or worn contacts Kazue's face went blank and she blinked. If Ryu didn't notice before he might now. The young girl was wearing blue contacts. Her eyes were grey when they met at the pool party. A grin of mischief crossed her lips.

"Oh my god, you have never dyed your hair or worn contact?! We can fix that... I can get a hold of some grey contacts and my mom has a shit ton of silver/white hair dye. She wouldn't mind if I snatched some. I say we give you a make over!"

Kazue bounced in her chair with excitement. Her hands clapping with joy. She was serious about it. Hair dye and contacts were pretty normal in her household. She didn't understand why everyone didn't do it. Then again... her mother taught her about individuality and said that if everyone did it, it wouldn't make anyone unique.

"I hope you find your sister too. It is driving me crazy that I haven't. How funny that we are both looking for family though. That has to be like a once in a million type thing."

Kazue said as a thoughtful look crossed her face. You know, if she didn't know better she could have assumed that Ryu and Mai were her siblings but that was impossible cause they looked nothing like her or her father. This just had to be some coincidence. Kazue would laugh at Ryu's sarcastic response to her drama queen act. She giggled and held onto the table so she didn't face plant into it with laughter.

"Wow, nice come back."

She said finally, her laughter dwindling down to just soft giggles. She would nod in agreement at the idea tit-for-tat solution to hearing each other play and sing. Kazue had no problem singing in front of others. She was fearless like her mother almost. Only difference was, Kazue's mom saw every threat as a challenge and Kazue thought about every threat carefully before challenging it. The young girl watched as her new friend settled his feline friend into a bag with her pets. Almost immediately both Bandit and Aiko curled around the fluff ball and Aiko's arm would drape over the feline to hold him close.

"That is so cute. If I didn't know Bandit and Aiko were absolutely crazy I'd say they looked like adorable little angels. Only angel in that bag is Shiro."

Kazue blinked as Ryu offered to help her with her bags. She would nod and hand him some of them. The two teens would fit as much as they could in the rack on the boy's bike and the rest, the young girl carried. They walked for a few minutes down the street, then a few more minutes down another street. Eventually reaching the Hotel that housed her penthouse up at the top. Kazue would usher Ryu in and once in the lobby the security guard would wave.

"Welcome back Ms.Velasquez...Have fun shopping?"
"What do you think Tommy. Mom home?"
"Well... I think so. Last I saw of the garage cams her truck was still parked."
"Okay then. Thanks."

Kazue would smile at the guard and walk with Ryu to the large elevator marked 'Private use only'. Once inside the elevator Ryu would notice that there were only a few buttons. The usual buttons for emergencies, a call button for calling the front desk or security office should the need arise, Then there was one button marked home. It was a bit of an elevator ride before there was a ding and the doors opened into an empty looking hall way with only one door. She smiled at Ryu and lead him to the door. Instead of knocking or pulling out a house key it appeared this house had a special type of security system. Kazue would fumble with her bags and procure from between her breasts a card that looked very much like a room key card. She pushed it into a little slot and pressed a few numbers in.

"Welcome home Ms.Kazue."

Came a robotic voice as the door swung itself open. Kazue would smile and walk with Ryu into her home. Looking around there seemed to be a lot of asian styled decorations. The kitchen looked like it had a spanish influence to it but everything else looked asian.

"Kazue! About time where the heck have you been?!"
"Mom, I was having lunch!"

Around the corner came Silk. A crimson tube top that left nothing to the imagination, a long black ankle length skirt and no shoes. Her silver hair was curled and left to fall around her. Bright emerald green eyes flashed with fire and suddenly changed to calm when seeing her daughter had brought company.

"Oh... Kazue! Why didn't you tell me you were bringing a boy over?!"

Kazue rolled her eyes leaned over to Ryu's ear and whispered softly.

"Brace your self."

All at once Silk rushed towards the boy and began to look him over.

"Oooh, Kazue nice choice. He's a hottie."

A slow and methodical hand reached up and Kazue would slap her self in the forehead.

[Ryu Hikari]

Ryu would just stare blankly at Kazue. And stare. And stare some more. At the pool party, her eyes had been the same gun metal shade of gray just like his father's, but today her eyes were blue. She was wearing contacts, wasn't she? He regretted telling her he had never dyed his hair or worn contacts before now.

"... You're not serious are you? ... You really are serious..."

Yes, she was. Now he really regretted telling her. But seeing her look so happy and ecstatic, he was 99.9% sure it would be a bad idea and a disaster just waiting to happen, but if it made Kazue happy, he'd tolerate it... a little...

"Yeah... Funny how it ended up like that, the both of us looking for half-siblings in New York City, and I don't even know the name of my half-sister."

A bit of a frown on Ryu's face, if he didn't know any better, he could have sworn Kazue looked just like his father, but that didn't make any sense, because her last name was Velasquez, not Hikari. It was probably purely coincidental, sure she had the same eye color as his father, and while it wasn't exactly a common eye color, there could be other people out there with the same eye color. Yeah, that made sense.

His evil smirk widening a little more at Kazue trying her best not to kiss the table from dying of laughter, he'd fold his arms across his chest and continue to smirk at her.

"Madam, you wound me! Would you rather I call you Empress Kazue?"

Then it was settled, he'd play his guitar for her only if she sang for him. Ryu didn't mind playing for Kazue, like his father, it wasn't so much he didn't like playing, he just didn't like showing off in front of others, so to speak. He was pretty humble when it came to his talents.

A small smile forming on Ryu's face seeing Bandit and Aiko curl around Shiro, the fox even draping her arm on the little fluff ball and holding him close unconsciously, he'd just smirk at Kazue.

"Well he is white..."

With most of Kazue's bags of loot on his back bicycle rack, after a few minutes, they reached the hotel that housed the penthouse she lived in on top, Ryu would raise an eyebrow, impressive, before being ushered into the lobby past the security guard, Tommy, and into the elevator. Looking at the label of each button, after a long elevator ride, and when I say long, I mean long, he'd follow out after Kazue into the hallway, smiling slightly back at her as they reached the only door around.

While she procured the card key from between her two little friends, Ryu would keep his bicycle steady and prevent it from falling over, once she had inserted the card key and inputted the code, the door swung open automatically, complete with a robotic voice. At his house, their security system consisted of a card key, then a retina and hand print scanner. That was pretty high tech if I've ever seen high tech.

Following in after Kazue, a slight smile still on his face, he'd stand by the doorway, still keeping his bicycle steady while looking around the place in mild curiosity, taking in every decoration and detail while Kazue and her mother bantered back and forth. Seeing Kazue's mother come around the corner from the corner of his eye, he'd just raise both eyebrows at her apparel. Conservative, she was not.

Smirking slightly as Kazue whispered in his ear, he'd continue to look straight ahead while whispering back to her.

"Thanks for the warning..."

Her mother rushing over to him and looking him over, a blank look would appear on his face while Kazue slapped herself on the forehead, which is what he felt like doing. Inside one of Kazue's many bags, Shiro would roll over and curl up even more, now appearing very much like a round ball of fluff.

"... Thanks...? Nice to meet you, Ms. Velasquez... I'm Ryu--"

As if on cue, it seemed the occupants of the room below the penthouse had accidentally cranked the volume of their TV too high, and drowned the last part of Ryu's sentence out... AGAIN.

"... Come on, let's get your bags of clothes to your room, Kazue..."

[kazue]

The random sound that came from down stairs and drowned out Ryu's words made both Silk and Kazue start jumping up and down. Funny enough, both women began to scream in spanish. Oddly enough that seemed to work. They heard a very loud "Oh shit sorry!" come from down stairs and the sound went down. However both Silk and Kazue had not heard Ryu's last name. Both girls sighed in defeat. This had to be some sort of curse. It was like random noise followed people around and blocked out their names or last names.

"Do something about them mom!"
"I will I will. That is the last time that happens."

Now all that meant was Silk was going to have a little talk with the people down stairs. She never cried to management about getting rid of people. Thing was, this wasn't the first time the people down stairs had done something like this so they were due for a good talking to. Both girls turned their attention back to Ryu and Silk smiled.

"You needn't call me Ms anything. Silk will be fine. Ms makes me sound like some old lady."
"Mom... your 42. You are some old lady."
"Your father doesn't think so, in fact the other d--"
"Aiiee! No mi gusta mama! We have company I don't wanna know what you and dad talk about when I am not around to monitor you!"

Kazue said with a shudder and Silk laughed at her daughter. A pleasantly nice smile appearing on the woman's crimson lips as she shook her head.

"Kazue, all I was going to say is your father and I worked out somethings. Nothing is written in stone but we will see."
"Oh... well why'd you go and make it sound like it was going to be dirty? Crazy old lady, sheesh. Yea, I'm with you on that one Ryu. Lets go. She might actually get worse."

Kazue would give her mother a few bags from the haul that she had.

"There ya go mom...Those weren't your usual shirts... They were actually kinda nice."
"Yea, well you have fun kids. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Silk called as she watched the kids walk off to Kazue's room.

"Ohh! Kazue his butt is adorable! Nice pick honey!"
"MOM OH MY GOD SHUT UP!"

And then the door slam. Silk laughed pretty heavily and walked off to her room with the bags. Kazue shuddered and made a face at the door before turning towards her room. The room kind of looked like the rest of the house. Very asian inspired with a hint of spanish flare. They weren't styles you expected to see together. Still it worked for what it was. Kazue's room was a little messy. Though that was from a number of things. One of them being that her mother and her just got back to New York only a week or so ago.

"Yea, told you. Crazy spanish woman. Bet now you are wondering how you missed her at the party. Hahaha. Oh yea and don't mind my mess. We just got back from Japan and I'm still kinda a bunch of cluttered mess here. Mom is thinking about moving out of the penthouse anyway and getting us a real house."

Kazue set the bags on her floor and began to make room in her large bedroom. She cleared off a couple of chairs and her bed.

"Thanks for helping me with those Ryu. That was awesome. You want a drink or something? Mom is probably trying on all her clothes right now so it should be safe to go out to the kitchen."

[Ryu Hikari]

"..."

A blank look on Ryu's face as mother and daughter began jumping up and down while screaming away in Spanish, it would be very hilarious... if there wasn't the risk of getting hit from laughing. The loud music instantly cutting off downstairs, Ryu would slowly and methodically palm his own face. It was like no matter where he was, his sentences always ended up being cut off.

Both girls turning back to him, just like his father, returning Silk's smile with a slight, if unsure smile appearing on Ryu's face, his head would swerve back and forth between Silk and Kazue's conversation, like he was watching a tennis match. If this was an anime, Ryu would have a sweat drop on the back of his head, he didn't want to know what Silk and her father talked about when they were alone either, but at least it wasn't what both he and Kazue thought it was going to be.

"... With pleasure..."

Leaving his bike leaning up against the wall beside the entrance, he'd wait for Kazue as she handed the bags with her mom's clothes inside to Silk, before walking alongside her towards her room. Methodically palming his face yet again, of all the things to say... Entering into Kazue's room, the door would slam behind him, as Ryu stood by the door, peering around in mild curiosity at Kazue's room before looking over at Kazue.

"She must've been thoroughly and utterly occupied for me to miss seeing your mom, seriously... Mess? What mess? All I see is a exquisitely Japanese and Spanish fused decorated room, Her Imperial Majesty Empress Kazue."

Bowing lowly but teasingly to her, he'd then raise his head up and give her his father infamous slight smirks, before straightening up and searching through the bags, looking for Shiro, finally finding him and gently lifting the sleeping ball of fluff out, carrying him in his arms.

"... It's no trouble, I didn't mind. If you have some ginger ale, I'd like one, and a small bowl of water for Shiro would be nice too."

Taking a seat in one of the cleared off chairs, Ryu would gently wake his kitten up, as Shiro gave a sleepy mew up to his owner, Ryu pulling out a small Ziploc bag filled with kitty treats from his jeans pocket and opened it, pulling one out and feeding it slowly to Shiro.

[kazue]

"Yea, she must have. I just hope if she did run into your dad she didn't start hitting on him. She's quite the flirt."

Kazue said and then busted into laughter at Ryu's comment and stuck her tongue out at him. That smirk though, it made her smile a bit.

"Oh shush you. My mom likes to make sure we always know our roots. Plus, I think she really really loves asian culture."

Kazue finished cleaning up and at Ryu's request for ginger ale and water she nodded.

"No problem."

The young girl would leave and go get her friend a drink. Ryu had free range to look about her room. There were several kimonos in her closet. Boxes of pocky sat on her dresser and night stand. Pictures of little Kazue running around or dressed up for Halloween hung on the walls, sat on her desks, dressers and night stand. Kazue would return after a bit and settle a little saucer of water on her bed. She gave Ryu a can of ginger ale.

"Here ya go guys."

She smiled and went about unpacking her shopping bags.

"So Ryu any good clubs and stuff at the school?"

[Ryu Hikari]

"I wouldn't worry about my dad, if your mom really did hit on him, he'd just take it stoically. She'd probably lose interest in him really quick."

Continuing to smirk away at Kazue, Ryu couldn't really talk though, his room practically screamed what his roots were. It was not hard to tell his ethnicity is Japanese.

"Your mom would probably love my room then, it practically screams I'm Asian."

After Kazue had left to go grab the ginger ale and water, while waiting for Shiro to fully wake up after feeding him a kitty treat, Ryu would get up off the chair and explore around Kazue's room, smirking slightly at the boxes of Pocky and the kimonos in her closet, he had some traditional Japanese male clothing in his own closet, if there was ever some Japanese festival in New York City, they'd be good to go.

Peering at the pictures of Kazue when she was younger, he'd smile slightly at them, it reminded him of his own pictures of when he was young, one of which was inside his wallet currently. Turning around after Kazue had come back, depositing his now full awake kitten on her bed, Shiro would trot over to the saucer of water and mew gratefully up at Kazue, before lapping the water up. The little guy must've been pretty thirsty.

Taking the can of ginger ale from Kazue, he'd raise it up like he was toasting her, and cracked it open. Taking a sip from it, he'd watch her unpack her loot and then slowly lower the can in his hand.

"... I know Kazumi Badoer, the Varsity Captain, is holding Cheerleading tryouts, and once I get a good enough response, I'll be starting up clubs that the students want. You should consider trying out for cheerleading, Kazue, I was considering trying out for basketball, and maybe swimming."

Smirking slightly at Kazue, imagine Kazue wearing a cheerleading skirt and Ryu wearing a basketball jersey/square leg swimsuit. Fanservice out the yin yang...

[kazue]

Kazue snickered a bit.

"Ryu... all my mom would see would be a challenge. I'm pretty sure if people didn't like her so much she'd be a stalker to some of her friends."

Kazue laughed and nodded.

"She loved living in Japan. She likes being in New York though... it has a lot of family history and friend history for her here. Plus in Japan people really gave her some odd looks. I think it made her paranoid."

Kazue smirked a bit as Ryu raised his ginger ale and shook her head at him at the mention of cheerleader try outs Kazue smiled and nodded a bit still putting away her new clothes.

"My dad made sure my mom had all the information she could get on the school. She told me about the tryouts and I can't wait. My mom was head cheerleader in her day. I know she's nuts and all... but a lot of the things she has done seem really cool. Not to mention I think cheer leading could help out with my fighting a bit. Make me more flexible."

She blinked a moment realizing that Ryu said he might try out for Basket ball and swimming and she blushed. She was rather happy that Ryu couldn't see her face right now as she put her clothes into her closet. The idea of Ryu looking over at her as she cheered, if that didn't fuel a girl to try cheer leading, nothing would.

"Well what kind of info do you need for the other clubs?"

Kazue asked finally feeling her face cool down so she could turn and face him.

"Since I'm new maybe I can help if you need it. I used to help run a lot of clubs and stuff at my old school so if you need any advice or even some stuff bought for the clubs just let me know. My mom has some pretty cool ins with the shops and big name places here."

[Ryu Hikari]

"... My dad would probably just let her keep hitting on him and not care. Besides, your mom doesn't exactly blend in with all the Japanese people there. I'm pretty sure anyone in Japan would be staring at a silver-haired Spanish woman with eyes that burn with an unquenchable hatred."

Rolling his eyes mockingly, he'd take a seat on Kazue's bed, beside Shiro, making sure not to upset the saucer of water while Shiro happily lapped the water up.

"My dad used to be the Student Body President when he was in high school, twice. I wanted to be a Pillar just like he had been, so I challenged the previous Student Body President, and ended up receiving the title. I'll be cheering you on in spirit at the tryouts, since I can't actually be there in person."

While Kazue placed her clothes away in her closet, Ryu would scratch behind Shiro's ears, completely and utterly unaware of the blushing fit Kazue was having, not that he'd ever know anyways, he couldn't even see her face, seeing as it was buried in her closet. Looking up and over at Kazue after she had turned to face him, he'd continue to idly scratch behind Shiro's ears.

"I just need to know what clubs the students want. So far I've got a suggestion for drama club, and speech club. I think someone even threw out a suggestion for a Host Club, but I honestly don't know if any of the female students would go for it. Thanks for the offer Kazue, I think I'd need someone to run the whichever club is more popular probably, I've got my other duties as a Pillar to attend to after all."

Pulling out another kitty treat, Ryu would hold it out to Shiro, who would pause in his water buffalo imitation and slowly but happily munch on the treat, Ryu making sure no crumbs dropped onto Kazue's bed.

"You'd probably do really well as the Drama Club President, you have that certain, what is it, je ne sais quoi?"