Fear of Angels Part Nine Tatiana Celeste lintila@hotmail.com Akio opened the door at the sound of a light knock. Kanae was on the other side, her face illuminated by a smile, her eyes betraying her intrigue and fluster. "Ohtori-san, welcome," Akio said politely, "Please come in." "Oh, call me Kanae," she emphasized her smile and stepped inside, "Thank-you for having me over." "Oh certainly," he closed the door behind her. She had obviously been trained to smile and look pretty for prospective male suitors. Poor child. "Please sit and I’ll get us some tea," he said waving his hand towards the couch. She nodded and sat down in a truly feminine manner, smoothing her skirt out and crossing her ankles. "You have a nice apartment, your sister must take good care of you," she said looking around. "Thank you. She’s quite the worker really," Akio said from the kitchen. He had to woo her, which truly would not be a problem...it was entirely possible that he could woo Kanae’s mother but he just chose the more attractive of the two. "Here we go," he said in a cheerful voice, setting a tea tray on the table. She smiled, "How wonderful! You can cook! I thought you were kidding the other day." He forced a chuckle, he had to be cheerful to her, loving, calm, caring, "Yes," mostly he had learned because try as she might Anthy just could not cook. She did try, he gave her that...she really did try...but one could not live on shaved ice alone. "Did your mother teach you?" she asked taking a sip of tea. "No, I had to teach myself." "Oh?" she looked at him inquiringly. "My parents died when Anthy and I were but children." "Oh! Oh I’m sorry." He shook his head, "No, it is something we have moved past. I will miss them of course, but one cannot dwell on it." "Perhaps..." she peered over the edge of the tea cup, "Perhaps father could be persuaded to adopt you." "Oh?" he chuckled. "Well, you never know. Certainly you have built a name for yourself here. Father is rather pleased with how much you’ve invested in the school," she peered at him through hooded eyes. Akio leaned back in the couch, "Well, this school has been my life, why wouldn’t I want to invest in it?" He smiled and took a sip of tea. Kanae set her teacup down on the table and leaned forward, "I don’t know if I should tell you this, but I have over heard my father talking about you. He is very impressed with how you run things and I think that he might try to talk to you about..." she trailed off and pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "About?" Akio asked calmly, crossing one long leg over the other. He looked at her kindly, admiring her features. She was pretty, in that there was no doubt. "Well," she blushed faintly and flitted her eyes about before answering, "I think father is interested in perhaps..." She was so flustered! He smiled and leaned forward, placing his own cup on the table and taking her hand, "What is it? You’ve become so flustered, surely we have been meeting enough that you would not become so flustered around me. Is it because this is the first time we’ve met here in my home?" "Perhaps," Kanae said blushing. Akio smiled as she blushed again but allowed him to continue to hold her hand. "I think that father is interested in perhaps promoting you. I think that he wants you to follow him as dean. I cannot be certain and you mustn’t tell anyone what I said. This is in total confidence." "Of course. But, why me?" He felt that he should ask that for the sake of humility, many considered that a good personality trait. "Why not you?! Your intelligent, charismatic, you care about the school and its students! I think you would make a wonderful dean." "Well, I thought that he wanted it to continue on in the family though," Akio said offhandedly. "Well, it could stay in the family if he adopted you," she looked at him. "Are you certain that he wants this?" "Well, I can’t say exactly, and it will be some time until I’m certain, until he decides." "Of course." "But, if he did ask you...would you agree?" "I would have to think about it certainly, but...I would be honored." Kanae smiled and Akio leaned forward to kiss her. His lips felt the petal softness of Kanae’s as he considered what she had told him. He was closer to being welcomed into the family...old Ohtori was considering adopting him. It might be suggested that he marry her. It was likely those things would go hand in hand. Either way though, it was all working out perfectly. ****** Anthy sat on the couch swinging her legs back and forth while Akio adjusted his tie. "Why only you?" she asked finally. "What do you mean?" Akio asked, now busy placing his hair under control. "Why do you get to be a part of their family? Why can’t I join it?" It was the day that Akio had been awaiting since that day Old Ohtori had invited him up to his office. He was to be adopted into the family and would be trained to take over the school when his ‘father’ retired, or died of stress, whichever came first. He had also promised to marry Kanae though he would put this off as long as possible. Of course it could not be prevented, it was a mandatory part of the deal. Anthy had not been happy about that at all. He smoothed his shirt and turned from the mirror slowly, "I am your family Anthy. You need no one else but me. You do not need to be adopted." "But then..." she began to protest. He shook his head, "It is all part of the plan. We will have financial stability and a home within the school. It will be ours to rule and the rules will no longer affect you and I. I will make the rules." "I don’t want to lose you. You give up your name to take theirs. Soon you will take her..." Akio raised an eyebrow at the venom that followed the word her. "You speak of Kanae I assume?" "Yes. Why do you have to marry her?" Anthy crossed her arms and looked at him darkly. He suppressed a smile at this blatant jealousy coming from her, "Anthy this does not suit you. It will be years yet until she will be of age to marry, and I can convince her to wait longer certainly. By that time the revolution will have happened." "How can you be so sure?" "If I do have to marry her how long will it be for? Surely we will out live her, time with her will be brief to us." Anthy looked down, "I don’t see why I cannot go with you." "It’s a bunch of boring legalities, you wouldn’t enjoy yourself. Go tend to the roses, perhaps Saionji will be there." "Saionji hasn’t spoken to me since the encounter with Touga." "Oh? Well that’s too bad then isn’t it? Bring Touga over then." "Touga is too busy with his following of girls, larger then before," she said flatly, glaring at him, "I think that you have become distracted, when is the last time you have check up on your toys." "You insult me. I know where they are, what they do, their desires...they are all ready, a bit longer and the time will be right." "I don’t think I can do this. I don’t like any of them. Touga is negligent, Saionji has become increasingly antisocial and violent." "It’s a bit late to change your mind isn’t it Anthy?" "Why? You can just change it can’t you?! I don’t want to live with them!" she looked at Akio, her eyes pleading. "Don’t be a fool Anthy, it won’t be for long. A small sacrifice certainly." "Why must we make the sacrifice at all?! Why do we have to have eternity itself?!" She leapt from the couch and encircled his waist tightly. "Anthy?!" "There’s something different about this time...I’m afraid, afraid that...that I will lose you. At the same time I don’t think that I can continue on like this. Will we waste eternity just trying to seize it?" He looked down at her and stroked her back gently, "There now, your tired. You should rest." "I’m not tired, I’m fine," she protested, "Don’t patronize me." "You’re tired," he said again, " I won’t be gone long, then we can talk," he began to disentangle himself from her grip. "Please don’t go," she floundered for him but he held her hands. "Shh, we’ll talk later." She looked away and relaxed her arms. "Good girl, now don’t go out unless it’s to the Rose Garden and don’t let anyone but Touga in," he reminded her, checking himself one last time before heading out the door. Anthy dropped into the couch. Don’t talk to strangers; don’t go anywhere...trapped, just like a fairy tale princess. She let her fingers linger over the place where the Sword of Dios had entered her body. Dios...was he correct? Was this path that Akio had chosen to take the wrong path? If it had been the right one would they have succeeded by now? Chu Chu leapt onto the couch and began to prod at her to do something, preferably something food related. "Not now," she said laying down and pulling her arms into herself then her legs so that she was in a protected ball, "I’m tired," she shut her eyes, squeezing them tightly as the tears began to flow. ****** Ohtori Akio and Kiryuu Touga sped through the street, the rows of street lamps guiding their way to the end of the world. Ohtori was now the Trustee chairman and thus truly the most respected man in the school other then Old Ohtori himself. Touga at his side was now the President of the student council, which conveniently included Saionji, Juri, and Ruka. Miki was still young yet but he would be a fine replacement when they lost Ruka. Akio half closed his eyes as the wind covered his face. "She purrs nicely doesn’t she?" "Hmm?" Touga looked over at Akio distracted. "What’s wrong?" "Nothing." "Nervous? The game will begin soon; within days." "Perhaps that is it," Touga said. Akio looked over at Touga, "I am going to ask your opinion on something." "Sir?" "Anthy is becoming increasingly difficult to deal with. She is forgetting how much she owes to me, how close we are to revolution, and how close we were as children. Do you think something should be done about this before the game?" Touga studied Akio’s face for a moment, using his right hand to keep his red hair from getting in his face, "I do not think that I can comment here. Certainly you must know what to do with her." "I wonder what would be best for her. I think perhaps if she were to recall the reasons for this...that she would be more eager to take on her position as the Rose Bride." "Perhaps if she was unable to know what she did...what she must do..." "No, I will not make her completely numb to the world." "Perhaps...you could take her on a little trip?" Touga suggested slyly. "Yes, I have considered that. It is time that she visited it. Yes, time indeed. Thank you Touga." "Anything to assist you sir," Touga said calmly. "Anything to get what you want from me you mean," Akio said carefully, changing gears. "That too perhaps."