Saber Marionette Fan Fiction ❯ Precious Things ❯ chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )
[ A - All Readers ]
By: Lady Aoi 
Anime/Manga: Saber Marionette Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.14.2002 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 323 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Saber Marionette Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.14.2002 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 323 | Status: Completed
Precious Things
Chapter One
A Saber Marionette J Fan Fic
by
Lady Aoi
Summary: When Yumeji hurts his brother's feelings, he wants to find a special way to make it up to him. But can he ever return his brother's most precious thing?
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own Saber Marionette J or any of its characters but they are such fun to write for that I just can't resist.
Lady Aoi's Notes: Wow, my second 'G-Rated' fic in as many months. What gives?! Anyway, expect upload on this one to be fast. It's another birthday fic for my friend Anabella, who has been generously giving me some of the most incredible Hanagata fan art I've ever seen since January of this year. Thanks, Anabella! And happy Twenty-first!!
~*~
"....And that's about it for today, class,." the teacher said, smiling at his students from his casual perch atop his desk. "Don't forget your division homework tonight. Also, don't forget that tomorrow is show and tell."
"Show and tell?!" Yumeji cried.
The teacher frowned slightly. "Please remember to raise your hand if you wish to speak, Hanagata Yumeji-kun."
"Oh... gomen ne," the younger Hanagata sibling blushed and immediately raised his tiny arm.
"Yes, Yumeji-kun?"
"I didn't know that tomorrow was Show and Tell!" Yumeji cried. "What am I s'posed to bring?!"
"Now, now, calm down, Yumeji-kun," the teacher soothed. "You must have been absent when I explained your assignment on Monday."
"Oh... oh yeah," Yumeji nodded. "Yeah, I had to help my Daddy at his business that day."
"Well, since we have a few more minutes, I'll explain for the benefit of anyone else who might have been absent that day. You are to bring in your most precious thing, an item that has a lot of meaning for you, like a favorite toy or something special you made."
"Precious thing..." Yumeji nodded. "Okay, I got it, sensei!"
"Well that's all the time we have for today, everyone," the teacher said as the dismissal bell rang. "I'll see you all tomorrow morning!"
~*~
As Yumeji and his three best friends made their way home from school that day, Yumeji was unusually silent, preferring to concentrate on the pebble he'd been kicking along for the last ten minutes than the happy chatter of his three best friends. Although he'd never been particularly good at mathematics, his division homework was really troubling him today. As a matter of fact, he and his tutor had finished it the night before. Today, the thing troubling the usually cheerful child was nothing other than tomorrow's show and tell. As his friends happily rambled on about the things they would bring, Yumeji, on the other hand, was at a complete loss about which item he would take to school.
"Man ohhh man, you guys are gonna be so impressed with what I'm gonna bring tomorrow!" Tsuchiya Ken grinned as he and his friends made their way home.
"Aww, not that stupid soap box car again!" Tsuwabuki Koji cried, rolling his eyes. "If I haveta listen to you tell that lame story about how you and your brother won the Sanja Festival race, I swear I'm gonna eat my shoes!"
"Hey, shut up, Koji! Tsuzuki and me made that car ourselves, and it's gonna take first place in this year's Sanja Festival Soap Box Challenge, too! Unlike your stupid cruddy piece of crud that didn't even start!"
"Heh. Who cares about that boring old race? My Daddy says that racing just isn't my talent, that's all. And besides, your car's paint job was stupid."
"Don't call my car stupid, you moron!"
"Stupid! Stupid!" Koji taunted, sticking his tongue out at his friend, who proceeded to chase him, demanding all the while that Koji take back his insults. At last, tired from their game, the boys returned to their two other friends.
"I can run faster than you," Koji said, making a face at Ken. "So who cares whether or not your car is better."
"Aww, heck with you. Hey, Dimitri, what're you gonna bring?!"
"Well," the Peterburg exchange student said, putting his hands in his pockets and smiling. "I am going to bring my father's Balalaika."
"Huh? Bally-what?" Koji and Ken asked in tandem.
"It is... very old instrument made from birch wood that people in Peterburg play at festival each year. Maybe I play a little song, too."
"Ohh, that'd be so cool!" Ken cried. "Hey, make you a deal, Dimitri. If you make some blintzes or something, I'll bring some of that pocky Tsuzuki and me won in the race. Deal?"
"Da, I like pocky very much," Dimitri beamed. "So, what will you bring to show, Yumeji-kun?" he inquired, turning his attention to the small blonde who trudged along at his side.
"Heh. Some real cool toy I bet," Ken said. "His Dad's loaded, you know?"
"I do not understand. What is meaning of this 'loaded'?"
"He's rich, Dimitri," Koji chimed in. "Isn't that right, Yumeji? Your old man's some big shot business guy, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess," Yumeji replied, digging his hands further into his pockets, his eyes intent on the pebble he was kicking along the ground.
"What d'ya mean you guess? Don't listen to him, Dimitri. His Dad's filthy rich. So, what cool toy are you gonna bring tomorrow, Yumeji? That new robot they're selling at that toy place in Kobe Market?"
Yumeji shrugged, his eyes never leaving the ground. "Daddy says that a clever and resourceful boy doesn't need a lot of toys to amuse himself," he said gravely, as if quoting his father word for word.
His three friends exchanged a puzzled glance. "I don't get it," Ken said at last. "What does that have to do with your robot?"
"I don't own any robots," Yumeji replied, still not raising his eyes from the pebble.
"But you're really rich, Yumeji!" Koji cried. "I thought you had a whole collection of robots!"
Yumeji shrugged. "I don't really like them."
"But they're the coolest thing ever!"
"Not to me."
"Okay, fine. So what toy *are* you gonna bring?"
"Well," Yumeji said, looking up from his pebble and giving his friends a gap-toothed grin. "I was thinking of bringing that neat train that Onii-sama got me for last Christmas!"
"Oh, c'mon! That's like, so old and boring!" Koji cried. "And besides," he added, folding his arms across his chest and turning his head away dramatically. "I'm bringing my train, and it goes a lot faster and has a way cooler red paint job, so there!"
"Oh...O--okay," Yumeji said, blushing slightly and returning his attention to the pebble at his feet.
"So, tell us already! Inquiring minds wanna know!"
"Well..." Yumeji looked up and sighed. "I dunno, guys," he said after awhile. "There's just so... it's just there are so many cool things to decide on, that I just dunno what I'm gonna bring yet!" And so saying, he flashed his friends a large and completely disarming smile. "So I guess you'll all just have to be surprised tomorrow morning, huh?"
The three boys considered this for a moment. Finally, Ken spoke up.
"Well, okay, that's alright. 'Cause I know whatever you'll bring will be really cool!"
"It sure will be!" Yumeji beamed, thankful that his group had just arrived at the entrance to the Kasahari Apartments complex. "Well, I need to go now, 'cause I promised Onii-sama I'd be home right after school."
"Okay, see ya tomorrow, Yumeji." Ken waved.
Yumeji waved back and then ducked through the gates before anyone had another chance to question him about his toys. And then, shoving his hands dejectedly into his pockets, the boy walked down the dirt road towards his older brother's apartment.
If the truth were to be told, Yumeji didn't own nearly as many toys as his friends seemed to think. Although his father was certainly 'loaded' as Ken had put it, Kamatarou typically only lavished his wealth upon Yumeji's elder brother because, as the businessman put it: "Mitsurugi is going to inherit both the family business and the family fortune, Yumeji. So, it is only fitting that I teach him a healthy respect for money while I am still living." And although Yumeji had certainly never wanted for any necessities, he was far from being spoiled. In fact, aside from his teddy bear, his bicycle and his train, the only toys he owned were a yo-yo, a shogi board and an art kit. And while these things were certainly enough to keep Yumeji far more entertained than children who had seven times as many things, something told the younger Hanagata sibling that nothing he owned was really special enough to impress anybody at show and tell, especially when held up against Ken's soap box car, Koji's super fast train and (especially) Dimitri's balalaika.
"I'm home!" Yumeji called, sliding the screen door of their apartment open. "Hey, Onii-sama! Guess what? I haveta bring something to school tomorrow for Show and Tell, like a really cool toy or something. But since I don't have anything really special like that, can you help me think of something to --"
Yumeji's voice broke off as he noticed the empty apartment.
"Mou, Onii-sama!" He called, sliding the door shut behind him. "Where are you? Hey, did you sleep in all day again? 'Cause you know that's not a good idea, Onii-sama. Then you can't get to sleep at night and then you're always cranky in the morning. Huh? What's this?" Yumeji asked, cocking his head to look at the note taped to the refrigerator. "Dear Yumeji. Daddy wanted me to come home today for a visit so, as you probably know, I had no choice but to oblige. I left the door unlocked in case you forgot your key again." Here, Yumeji blinked and rolled his eyes. "Oh, as if! You're the only one who ever forgets the key, Onii-sama." The boy sighed and turned back to the letter.
"And don't you DARE say I forgot my key, Yumeji! If I told you once, I told you a thousand times, I simply misplaced it. That's all." Yumeji blinked. How had his brother known he would say that?
"I knew you would say that because you nag me about my key every time I want to leave the apartment."
Yumeji rolled his eyes again. "Yeah, whatever, Onii-sama."
"AND DON'T YOU DARE 'WHATEVER' ME, CHIBI!!! You know you're a nag! So there!"
Eyes widening in surprise, Yumeji read on.
"Anyway, I will be home at one-thirty, should all go well. So, please call Pinsuke and have him bring something for lunch. I'll leave the choice up to him, but I would prefer the following: caviar, salmon, New Texan prime rib, fresh grapes, apples, pears, white bread, halibut, lobster, and if he wouldn't mind, a bottle of blush wine, preferably Romanan and preferably '08. Anything younger tastes so cheep. If he asks, he can probably get a bottle in the Little Budapesht district downtown. Feel free to take a nap until I'm home, but don't sleep too long, because the chore wheel says it's your turn to do the dishes. Also, when I check this morning, your bed needed to be made, young man.
Love you, Yumeji,
~ Onii-sama."
Yumeji sighed and placed the note back on the table. "Big liar," he muttered, glaring daggers at the chore wheel taped to the refrigerator. "It so says that you're washing the dishes this week." But, rolling his eyes, Yumeji opened the cabinet under the skin and hauled out the detergent, anyway.
As the child turned on the hot water, he decided one thing: for a rich man, Hanagata Mitsurugi sure had some disgusting habits. While Yumeji always made sure to wash, rinse and put away any dishes he'd used within a few hours of doing so, Mitsurugi always put off doing so until the stench of rotting food and the accompanying flies either became overwhelming or he was able to nag/bully/bribe someone into washing them for him. And Yumeji had yet to be bribed.
"Mou, just look at this," Yumeji muttered as he scraped a blob of rotting coleslaw into the garbage. "These dishes are so pretty, and real expensive, too! So why doesn't Onii-sama take better care of you?" And it wasn't as if his elder brother were simply careless with the dishes. The suit of armor he'd purchased on the family's last trip to Romana, (the one he'd said he would love and treasure forever "as if my life depended on it, Daddy!") now stood in the corner covered in dust and several sticky notes which read "Yumeji, dust this stupid thing! - H.M." Meanwhile, Mitsurugi's bedroom floor was littered with clothing and knickknacks from all over the world, including (on Yumeji's last count), a silk robe and matching slippers from Xi'an, several pairs of New Texas jeans, a few Peterburg hats and no less than two boxes worth of ivory shogi pieces. And then there were the stacks of sheet music, guitar pics, and various instruments that Mitsurugi always vowed to learn how to play "tomorrow, or whenever. After all, my musical talents are quite prodigious, Yumeji."
"It's so unfair," Yumeji murmured as he turned the tap off and put three scraped dishes into the sink to soak. "If I had half the cool stuff Onii-sama did, then I wouldn't have any trouble finding something to take to school tomorrow. Maybe I shoulda asked Daddy for something last time he was in New Texas, like one of those weird 20 gallon hats, or whatever they're called, or a lasso, or --"
A smile slowly pulled itself across Yumeji's face. "That's it!" he cried. "How come I didn't think of it before?!" And it was so easy, too! All he had to do was go into his big brother's room, find something interesting and ask permission to take it to school tomorrow. Then everyone would be impressed and no one would know the truth but him! Drying his hands on a nearby dishcloth, Yumeji practically skipped out of the kitchen and towards his big brother's door, blatantly ignoring the several "keep out or else! and this means you too, Yumeji!" signs plastered across the screen.
~*~
However, when Yumeji pulled the door open one thing and one thing alone caught his eye. The large cabinet near Mitsurugi's bed (the one which he zealously protected not only with a combination lock, but with a complex barricade consisting of several pots and pans and overturned chairs) was conspicuously unlocked. Shutting the door quickly, Yumeji instantly looked around the room for any signs of a break in. But finding nothing but his brother's usual mess, Yumeji relaxed slightly and slowly crept towards the cabinet.
Unlike most of his possessions, Hanagata took extra special care of the item in the cabinet: a crystal ball containing a holographic image of Mamiya Otaru, Mitsurugi's next-door-neighbor whom Mitsurugi had a huge crush on and often referred to as his soul mate. And while Yumeji often had a difficult time understanding just how you could be in love with someone who obviously didn't feel the same way, he had to admit that the huge collection of Otaru merchandise Mitsurugi had amassed because of his crush was nothing if not really cool. And Mitsurugi probably had the biggest collection of Otaru collectibles in Japoness, if not in the entire world. But while Mitsurugi's shelves were filled with Otaru dolls, action figures, coffee mugs and resin statues and his walls were nearly wallpapered with Otaru pictures, posters and post cards, the holographic crystal ball was by far his brother's favorite item because it was truly one-of-a-kind. Mitsurugi had wanted a unique Otaru item so much that he'd actually stolen five-hundred ryo from their father in order to have the ball custom made. And not even Kamatarou's threats and a sound spanking for the transgression could get him to apologize or return the ball for a refund. Yes, Mitsurugi loved his crystal ball so much that he was not only willing to take a beating for it, but he was also willing to beat up anyone who touched it without his express permission. And this fact alone caused Yumeji to hesitate as he reached for the ball.
~If Onii-sama catches me doing this, I'm toast,~ Yumeji thought, staring up at the ball. But the item was just so cool and interesting that no amount of begging, bribing or threatening on Yumeji's part could ever convince Mitsurugi to allow his brother to loan the ball to anyone, especially his little brother! And so, Yumeji simply stood there, considering the situation for a moment. On the one hand, his brother could find out about the ball, but on the other, Yumeji could easily distract him from its absence by keeping his brother busy with games and pleas for homework help until bed time. And if he hurried home and replaced the ball right after show and tell, then Mitsurugi would never even suspect it was missing in the first place! These self-assurances and the thought of how amazed his friends would be was finally enough for Yumeji to pull over a nearby chair and climb on top of it.
"Don't worry about it, okay?" he reassured the ball as he removed it from its velvet cushion and held it tightly against his chest. "I'm gonna take real good care of you 'til you come back. And I promise you, you won't get scratched or anything, and Onii-sama'll never know that you came with me. So, it's our little secret, okay?" and so saying, Yumeji shifted the crystal ball into the crook of his left arm, reached forward and pushed the cabinet door closed.
In order to do this, however, Yumeji had to balance on his tip toes to give the door the extra push that was needed to get the combination lock to click into place. And as he did this, the crystal ball began to slip out of his grip. Pressing his arm closer to his side to keep the delicate thing from falling further, Yumeji released the door and quickly moved his right hand around to catch it.
He did so just a moment too late.
Just as Yumeji's finger tips glided onto the ball's bottom, the slippery object fell from Yumeji's arm and shattered against the floor. As Yumeji looked on, horrified, pieces of glass and a shimmery blue and olive substance that appeared to be part of the Otaru hologram scattered across the floor.
For a moment, Yumeji could only stare at the remnants below him. And then, hands moving instinctively to his mouth and heart, he whispered the following words:
"Uh-oh..."
(End Part Two)
Chapter One
A Saber Marionette J Fan Fic
by
Lady Aoi
Summary: When Yumeji hurts his brother's feelings, he wants to find a special way to make it up to him. But can he ever return his brother's most precious thing?
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own Saber Marionette J or any of its characters but they are such fun to write for that I just can't resist.
Lady Aoi's Notes: Wow, my second 'G-Rated' fic in as many months. What gives?! Anyway, expect upload on this one to be fast. It's another birthday fic for my friend Anabella, who has been generously giving me some of the most incredible Hanagata fan art I've ever seen since January of this year. Thanks, Anabella! And happy Twenty-first!!
~*~
"....And that's about it for today, class,." the teacher said, smiling at his students from his casual perch atop his desk. "Don't forget your division homework tonight. Also, don't forget that tomorrow is show and tell."
"Show and tell?!" Yumeji cried.
The teacher frowned slightly. "Please remember to raise your hand if you wish to speak, Hanagata Yumeji-kun."
"Oh... gomen ne," the younger Hanagata sibling blushed and immediately raised his tiny arm.
"Yes, Yumeji-kun?"
"I didn't know that tomorrow was Show and Tell!" Yumeji cried. "What am I s'posed to bring?!"
"Now, now, calm down, Yumeji-kun," the teacher soothed. "You must have been absent when I explained your assignment on Monday."
"Oh... oh yeah," Yumeji nodded. "Yeah, I had to help my Daddy at his business that day."
"Well, since we have a few more minutes, I'll explain for the benefit of anyone else who might have been absent that day. You are to bring in your most precious thing, an item that has a lot of meaning for you, like a favorite toy or something special you made."
"Precious thing..." Yumeji nodded. "Okay, I got it, sensei!"
"Well that's all the time we have for today, everyone," the teacher said as the dismissal bell rang. "I'll see you all tomorrow morning!"
~*~
As Yumeji and his three best friends made their way home from school that day, Yumeji was unusually silent, preferring to concentrate on the pebble he'd been kicking along for the last ten minutes than the happy chatter of his three best friends. Although he'd never been particularly good at mathematics, his division homework was really troubling him today. As a matter of fact, he and his tutor had finished it the night before. Today, the thing troubling the usually cheerful child was nothing other than tomorrow's show and tell. As his friends happily rambled on about the things they would bring, Yumeji, on the other hand, was at a complete loss about which item he would take to school.
"Man ohhh man, you guys are gonna be so impressed with what I'm gonna bring tomorrow!" Tsuchiya Ken grinned as he and his friends made their way home.
"Aww, not that stupid soap box car again!" Tsuwabuki Koji cried, rolling his eyes. "If I haveta listen to you tell that lame story about how you and your brother won the Sanja Festival race, I swear I'm gonna eat my shoes!"
"Hey, shut up, Koji! Tsuzuki and me made that car ourselves, and it's gonna take first place in this year's Sanja Festival Soap Box Challenge, too! Unlike your stupid cruddy piece of crud that didn't even start!"
"Heh. Who cares about that boring old race? My Daddy says that racing just isn't my talent, that's all. And besides, your car's paint job was stupid."
"Don't call my car stupid, you moron!"
"Stupid! Stupid!" Koji taunted, sticking his tongue out at his friend, who proceeded to chase him, demanding all the while that Koji take back his insults. At last, tired from their game, the boys returned to their two other friends.
"I can run faster than you," Koji said, making a face at Ken. "So who cares whether or not your car is better."
"Aww, heck with you. Hey, Dimitri, what're you gonna bring?!"
"Well," the Peterburg exchange student said, putting his hands in his pockets and smiling. "I am going to bring my father's Balalaika."
"Huh? Bally-what?" Koji and Ken asked in tandem.
"It is... very old instrument made from birch wood that people in Peterburg play at festival each year. Maybe I play a little song, too."
"Ohh, that'd be so cool!" Ken cried. "Hey, make you a deal, Dimitri. If you make some blintzes or something, I'll bring some of that pocky Tsuzuki and me won in the race. Deal?"
"Da, I like pocky very much," Dimitri beamed. "So, what will you bring to show, Yumeji-kun?" he inquired, turning his attention to the small blonde who trudged along at his side.
"Heh. Some real cool toy I bet," Ken said. "His Dad's loaded, you know?"
"I do not understand. What is meaning of this 'loaded'?"
"He's rich, Dimitri," Koji chimed in. "Isn't that right, Yumeji? Your old man's some big shot business guy, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess," Yumeji replied, digging his hands further into his pockets, his eyes intent on the pebble he was kicking along the ground.
"What d'ya mean you guess? Don't listen to him, Dimitri. His Dad's filthy rich. So, what cool toy are you gonna bring tomorrow, Yumeji? That new robot they're selling at that toy place in Kobe Market?"
Yumeji shrugged, his eyes never leaving the ground. "Daddy says that a clever and resourceful boy doesn't need a lot of toys to amuse himself," he said gravely, as if quoting his father word for word.
His three friends exchanged a puzzled glance. "I don't get it," Ken said at last. "What does that have to do with your robot?"
"I don't own any robots," Yumeji replied, still not raising his eyes from the pebble.
"But you're really rich, Yumeji!" Koji cried. "I thought you had a whole collection of robots!"
Yumeji shrugged. "I don't really like them."
"But they're the coolest thing ever!"
"Not to me."
"Okay, fine. So what toy *are* you gonna bring?"
"Well," Yumeji said, looking up from his pebble and giving his friends a gap-toothed grin. "I was thinking of bringing that neat train that Onii-sama got me for last Christmas!"
"Oh, c'mon! That's like, so old and boring!" Koji cried. "And besides," he added, folding his arms across his chest and turning his head away dramatically. "I'm bringing my train, and it goes a lot faster and has a way cooler red paint job, so there!"
"Oh...O--okay," Yumeji said, blushing slightly and returning his attention to the pebble at his feet.
"So, tell us already! Inquiring minds wanna know!"
"Well..." Yumeji looked up and sighed. "I dunno, guys," he said after awhile. "There's just so... it's just there are so many cool things to decide on, that I just dunno what I'm gonna bring yet!" And so saying, he flashed his friends a large and completely disarming smile. "So I guess you'll all just have to be surprised tomorrow morning, huh?"
The three boys considered this for a moment. Finally, Ken spoke up.
"Well, okay, that's alright. 'Cause I know whatever you'll bring will be really cool!"
"It sure will be!" Yumeji beamed, thankful that his group had just arrived at the entrance to the Kasahari Apartments complex. "Well, I need to go now, 'cause I promised Onii-sama I'd be home right after school."
"Okay, see ya tomorrow, Yumeji." Ken waved.
Yumeji waved back and then ducked through the gates before anyone had another chance to question him about his toys. And then, shoving his hands dejectedly into his pockets, the boy walked down the dirt road towards his older brother's apartment.
If the truth were to be told, Yumeji didn't own nearly as many toys as his friends seemed to think. Although his father was certainly 'loaded' as Ken had put it, Kamatarou typically only lavished his wealth upon Yumeji's elder brother because, as the businessman put it: "Mitsurugi is going to inherit both the family business and the family fortune, Yumeji. So, it is only fitting that I teach him a healthy respect for money while I am still living." And although Yumeji had certainly never wanted for any necessities, he was far from being spoiled. In fact, aside from his teddy bear, his bicycle and his train, the only toys he owned were a yo-yo, a shogi board and an art kit. And while these things were certainly enough to keep Yumeji far more entertained than children who had seven times as many things, something told the younger Hanagata sibling that nothing he owned was really special enough to impress anybody at show and tell, especially when held up against Ken's soap box car, Koji's super fast train and (especially) Dimitri's balalaika.
"I'm home!" Yumeji called, sliding the screen door of their apartment open. "Hey, Onii-sama! Guess what? I haveta bring something to school tomorrow for Show and Tell, like a really cool toy or something. But since I don't have anything really special like that, can you help me think of something to --"
Yumeji's voice broke off as he noticed the empty apartment.
"Mou, Onii-sama!" He called, sliding the door shut behind him. "Where are you? Hey, did you sleep in all day again? 'Cause you know that's not a good idea, Onii-sama. Then you can't get to sleep at night and then you're always cranky in the morning. Huh? What's this?" Yumeji asked, cocking his head to look at the note taped to the refrigerator. "Dear Yumeji. Daddy wanted me to come home today for a visit so, as you probably know, I had no choice but to oblige. I left the door unlocked in case you forgot your key again." Here, Yumeji blinked and rolled his eyes. "Oh, as if! You're the only one who ever forgets the key, Onii-sama." The boy sighed and turned back to the letter.
"And don't you DARE say I forgot my key, Yumeji! If I told you once, I told you a thousand times, I simply misplaced it. That's all." Yumeji blinked. How had his brother known he would say that?
"I knew you would say that because you nag me about my key every time I want to leave the apartment."
Yumeji rolled his eyes again. "Yeah, whatever, Onii-sama."
"AND DON'T YOU DARE 'WHATEVER' ME, CHIBI!!! You know you're a nag! So there!"
Eyes widening in surprise, Yumeji read on.
"Anyway, I will be home at one-thirty, should all go well. So, please call Pinsuke and have him bring something for lunch. I'll leave the choice up to him, but I would prefer the following: caviar, salmon, New Texan prime rib, fresh grapes, apples, pears, white bread, halibut, lobster, and if he wouldn't mind, a bottle of blush wine, preferably Romanan and preferably '08. Anything younger tastes so cheep. If he asks, he can probably get a bottle in the Little Budapesht district downtown. Feel free to take a nap until I'm home, but don't sleep too long, because the chore wheel says it's your turn to do the dishes. Also, when I check this morning, your bed needed to be made, young man.
Love you, Yumeji,
~ Onii-sama."
Yumeji sighed and placed the note back on the table. "Big liar," he muttered, glaring daggers at the chore wheel taped to the refrigerator. "It so says that you're washing the dishes this week." But, rolling his eyes, Yumeji opened the cabinet under the skin and hauled out the detergent, anyway.
As the child turned on the hot water, he decided one thing: for a rich man, Hanagata Mitsurugi sure had some disgusting habits. While Yumeji always made sure to wash, rinse and put away any dishes he'd used within a few hours of doing so, Mitsurugi always put off doing so until the stench of rotting food and the accompanying flies either became overwhelming or he was able to nag/bully/bribe someone into washing them for him. And Yumeji had yet to be bribed.
"Mou, just look at this," Yumeji muttered as he scraped a blob of rotting coleslaw into the garbage. "These dishes are so pretty, and real expensive, too! So why doesn't Onii-sama take better care of you?" And it wasn't as if his elder brother were simply careless with the dishes. The suit of armor he'd purchased on the family's last trip to Romana, (the one he'd said he would love and treasure forever "as if my life depended on it, Daddy!") now stood in the corner covered in dust and several sticky notes which read "Yumeji, dust this stupid thing! - H.M." Meanwhile, Mitsurugi's bedroom floor was littered with clothing and knickknacks from all over the world, including (on Yumeji's last count), a silk robe and matching slippers from Xi'an, several pairs of New Texas jeans, a few Peterburg hats and no less than two boxes worth of ivory shogi pieces. And then there were the stacks of sheet music, guitar pics, and various instruments that Mitsurugi always vowed to learn how to play "tomorrow, or whenever. After all, my musical talents are quite prodigious, Yumeji."
"It's so unfair," Yumeji murmured as he turned the tap off and put three scraped dishes into the sink to soak. "If I had half the cool stuff Onii-sama did, then I wouldn't have any trouble finding something to take to school tomorrow. Maybe I shoulda asked Daddy for something last time he was in New Texas, like one of those weird 20 gallon hats, or whatever they're called, or a lasso, or --"
A smile slowly pulled itself across Yumeji's face. "That's it!" he cried. "How come I didn't think of it before?!" And it was so easy, too! All he had to do was go into his big brother's room, find something interesting and ask permission to take it to school tomorrow. Then everyone would be impressed and no one would know the truth but him! Drying his hands on a nearby dishcloth, Yumeji practically skipped out of the kitchen and towards his big brother's door, blatantly ignoring the several "keep out or else! and this means you too, Yumeji!" signs plastered across the screen.
~*~
However, when Yumeji pulled the door open one thing and one thing alone caught his eye. The large cabinet near Mitsurugi's bed (the one which he zealously protected not only with a combination lock, but with a complex barricade consisting of several pots and pans and overturned chairs) was conspicuously unlocked. Shutting the door quickly, Yumeji instantly looked around the room for any signs of a break in. But finding nothing but his brother's usual mess, Yumeji relaxed slightly and slowly crept towards the cabinet.
Unlike most of his possessions, Hanagata took extra special care of the item in the cabinet: a crystal ball containing a holographic image of Mamiya Otaru, Mitsurugi's next-door-neighbor whom Mitsurugi had a huge crush on and often referred to as his soul mate. And while Yumeji often had a difficult time understanding just how you could be in love with someone who obviously didn't feel the same way, he had to admit that the huge collection of Otaru merchandise Mitsurugi had amassed because of his crush was nothing if not really cool. And Mitsurugi probably had the biggest collection of Otaru collectibles in Japoness, if not in the entire world. But while Mitsurugi's shelves were filled with Otaru dolls, action figures, coffee mugs and resin statues and his walls were nearly wallpapered with Otaru pictures, posters and post cards, the holographic crystal ball was by far his brother's favorite item because it was truly one-of-a-kind. Mitsurugi had wanted a unique Otaru item so much that he'd actually stolen five-hundred ryo from their father in order to have the ball custom made. And not even Kamatarou's threats and a sound spanking for the transgression could get him to apologize or return the ball for a refund. Yes, Mitsurugi loved his crystal ball so much that he was not only willing to take a beating for it, but he was also willing to beat up anyone who touched it without his express permission. And this fact alone caused Yumeji to hesitate as he reached for the ball.
~If Onii-sama catches me doing this, I'm toast,~ Yumeji thought, staring up at the ball. But the item was just so cool and interesting that no amount of begging, bribing or threatening on Yumeji's part could ever convince Mitsurugi to allow his brother to loan the ball to anyone, especially his little brother! And so, Yumeji simply stood there, considering the situation for a moment. On the one hand, his brother could find out about the ball, but on the other, Yumeji could easily distract him from its absence by keeping his brother busy with games and pleas for homework help until bed time. And if he hurried home and replaced the ball right after show and tell, then Mitsurugi would never even suspect it was missing in the first place! These self-assurances and the thought of how amazed his friends would be was finally enough for Yumeji to pull over a nearby chair and climb on top of it.
"Don't worry about it, okay?" he reassured the ball as he removed it from its velvet cushion and held it tightly against his chest. "I'm gonna take real good care of you 'til you come back. And I promise you, you won't get scratched or anything, and Onii-sama'll never know that you came with me. So, it's our little secret, okay?" and so saying, Yumeji shifted the crystal ball into the crook of his left arm, reached forward and pushed the cabinet door closed.
In order to do this, however, Yumeji had to balance on his tip toes to give the door the extra push that was needed to get the combination lock to click into place. And as he did this, the crystal ball began to slip out of his grip. Pressing his arm closer to his side to keep the delicate thing from falling further, Yumeji released the door and quickly moved his right hand around to catch it.
He did so just a moment too late.
Just as Yumeji's finger tips glided onto the ball's bottom, the slippery object fell from Yumeji's arm and shattered against the floor. As Yumeji looked on, horrified, pieces of glass and a shimmery blue and olive substance that appeared to be part of the Otaru hologram scattered across the floor.
For a moment, Yumeji could only stare at the remnants below him. And then, hands moving instinctively to his mouth and heart, he whispered the following words:
"Uh-oh..."
(End Part Two)