13. They're almost home.

    “Ok, good. Everyone’s here!” Hanaka cheered as they assembled in the living room.

    “Not if you count my innocence,” Allen muttered zombishly. “I have just been adulterated by a room. My senses have fired right through the roof. I’m frozen. Ice. I can’t feel anything.”

    “Are you ok?” Orihime carefully squeezed her hands.

    “No, I’m not,” Allen admitted.

    “Of course she is,” Hanaka stated immediately. She looked at Allen. “Get over yourself.”

    “I can’t!” Allen moaned. “The room...it’s was..it was horrifying! So..so horrible! Oh my god..”

   “O...k,” Uncomfortable, Hanaka ignored Allen’s bowling animal-screeching-like sobs. “Maybe some lemonade will help.”

    “Well done,” Isamu admired as Hanaka raced out of the room.

    “Sloppy,” Hayato commented from the couch he was currently slouched upon.

    “I could say the same thing about you,” Toroi said, wrinkling her nose at Hayato. The man was spread all over. Literally. One hand spread over the couch, one laying on the floor, his feets were pointing in opposite directions.... “I’m ashamed to be even in the same room as you.”

    “What?”

    Allen and Isamu snickered. “Torori-One is very particular....with details.” Allen explained. “And people.”

    Hayato frowned. “Great.”

    Hanaka came back in with a serving cart. “Snacks. I think we’ve all deserved them.”

    “Awesome!” Orihime plus Allen, Hayato, and Isamu launched themselves at the food.

    “Easy!” The older girl scolded but moved a step back to give them some room.

    Torori caught Hanaka’s eye. “And I thought we kept the slaves pretty well feed.”

    Eyes laughing, Hanaka nodded. “Me too. This is just sad.”

    “This is so unfair,” Orihime announced for the three of them. They scanned the living room, standing shoulder to shoulder in camaraderie. “Tell me again,....why us?”

    “Because they are bullies and we are the slaves,” Allen spat.

    “Good.” Orihime turned to leave. “Let’s start a rebellion. Who’s up for some video games. I just bought Galaxy Zenon the Fourth. Lands of Misfits, Gobongs, and the Devil-Minks. Half Devil, Half Monkey. All evil.”

    “That’s quite a mouthful.”

   “Yes. Yes, it is.”

    “Let’s go out to an arcade. I don’t want her to smash the T.V when she finds us.”

    “Good idea.”

    “Wait....” Isamu looked hopelessly at the two girls. “Wait. Just stop a minute. And listen to me.”

    “What?” Allen asked turning around. “You're not going to be a goody too-sho and rat on use, are you?”

    “Even that’s a little low for you, brother dear,” Orihime put in sweetly.

    “What...No!” Annoyed, Isamu glared at Allen. This is all her influence. Before her,...my sweet baby never talked back to me! “No, I’m not going to rat-out on you. But what I will do, if you leave me to clean the better half of the house myself, is glue your hair together. Sprinkle sugar, cheese and pineapple on it. And do you know what I’m going to do then?” He sent Allen a mensing look. “I’m going to release all the possible insects and creature I can buy from Pet-Mart and let them EAT YOU!”

    Opps. Orihime looked at her brother and Allen. Better scoot from here......

    “And don’t you move one bit either,” Isamu told Orihime. “I don’t like this either, ok. Hanka-One’s preparing for dinner and Torori-One’s went out to get some last minute stuff. She’ll help after she gets back. So, we have to do our parts as well.”

    “But I’m tired,” Orihime whimpered. She rubbed her eyes together, “I’m sorry.”

    “Ah,...” Isamu looked completely hopeless. Apparently all the fire inside him had died.

    “Can I please lay down for a while?” She blinked, and angled her face just so. Letting her brother have a clear vision of her lost puppy eyes.

    “I guess so...”

    Allen, watching the whole show, decided it was her turn to step in. “Nugh-ah, no way. If I’m helping out then so are you.”

    Isamu looked at her, “But she’s tired.”

    Allen rolled her eyes, “You're being played through-and-through.” She pushed Orihime back into the living room. “Come on. Your brother’s not the only one who can get his hands on mice, and caterpillars.”

    Orihime sighed. “I am not liking this day. Not one bit.”

  







  Rhhmmmm!!!

     “Ouch!” Yelling, Hanaka turned off the whiskers. “Rats-Bats! What’s going on!” Sliding a towel off it’s hook from above the oven, Hanaka commenced wiping up the flying batter for the 5th time. She was clumsy as the next guy but this.....this was plain stupid!

    “Rough day?” Torori asked and Hanaka jumped into the air.

    “What’s wrong with you?” Hanaka exclaimed.

    Torori grinned, “I just love doing that. It brightens up my mood considerably.”

    “HaHa,” The older sister made a face. “Good for you. Did you get the whipping I told you?”

    Torori searched through the bags she’d dragged inside. “Yup.” She pulled it out. “Here it is.”

    “Thanks.”

    Torori settled herself into one of the counter chairs and watched her twin. “Something's troubling you.”

    “Nothing.”

    “That wasn’t a question. It was a statement.”

    Hanaka ignored her sister and continued to bash a couple of innocent eggs together. “Stop bothering me. Go interrogate someone else. I can handle myself.”

    “I know, and I’m glad you know it as well.” She flung her hand behind her and made a whooshing sound. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way. Explain yourself. You know I’m going to bother you until you do.”

    “You're a pain.”

    “True, but I’m an overly persistent pain. So, whats it?”

    Hanka chewed her lips, and grabbed her hand whisk. She decided it was that or risk her fingers. “I’m worried.”

     “Whop-de-do! That's a shocker!” Torori chuckled as her sister flung a spoon at her. “That was secondary murder attempt. I think.”

    “If you want to listen. Shut-up.”

    “Right.” She raised her hand in surrender. “Zipping my mouth. And there goes the key.”

    “I’m wor-”

    “So...far...far...away,” She sent a longing look behind her. “So, so...far, far, way.”

    “Get out of my kitchen.” Hanaka ordered.

    “Technically, it’s our kitchen. Dad left the house to all four of us.”  

    “Damare!” Hanaka grabbed one of her beating batons and pointed at her twin. “Not one word.” Torori nodded.

    Hanaka picked up her wisk again. “I’m worried about......Allen.”

    Torori waited. “And?”

   She squinted her eyes at Torori. “Get out. Just get out.”

    “Sorry. Sorry. Please continue.”

    “I’m worried about Allen....and Katane-One,” She finally relented. “I’m worried they might-”

    “Start shouting at each other and then threaten to blow the other’s head off?” Torori supplied. Hanaka had looked at a lost of words.

    “Thank you, Miss. Know-it-all.”  She went back to her cooking. “But, yes. That’s exactly what I think. I don’t understand.....Katane-One was so close to Allen. And Allen? She looked up to her...”

    “We all do. And One-san’s close to everyone.”

    Hanka shook her head. “No, it wasn’t the same. Allen is her baby, in-fact she’s everyone’s baby. But One-san particularly raised her.”

    Torori sighed. “And your point is?”  

    Hanka bristled. “I’m worried!”

    “Yes, I get that point. You’ve repeated it a couple of time.” Torori rose. “And that’s your problem. Stop worrying. Thing’s will settle down eventually. Problems are just problems. We always work them out. We always have and always will”

    “I don’t think she plans to let Allen go back to the states,” Hanka called behind her.

    Finally, the real problem. “Then she won’t. Simple as that.”

    “But-”

    “Let it go, Hanaka. It’s pointless.”

  “Stop complaining!” Allen hissed at Orihime. The girl had been moaning and complaining over and over for the last few hours. “I mean it.”

    “But I’m tired!” Orihime whined. Again!

    Allen looked at the dirty cloth in her hands. She’d, previously, been using it to wipe dust off the table. Now, currently, she was contemplating throwing it at the devious little girl in front of her.

    “Orihime-chan, quite,” Isamu asked nicely. “I don’t want to hear another word, understood?”

    Orihime quitted. Allen wasn’t impressed, Isamu had been cuddling and sweet talking the girl through the whole thing. Probably the reason she was being such a pain. And she had yet to see the girl do something useful.

    “Why?” The little devil perked up again. “Why do we have to do this?”

    Allen growled. “One second. I ask you for one second of peace? Can’t you at least do that?”

    Orihime rolled her eyes. Isamu watched her, “What did I say, Orihime?”

    “No! Let me talk!”

    Ok, the back yard’s been swept. I’ve vacuumed, and swiped the gallery of the top floor. Done. Porch, done. Balcony, done. Torori mentally went through the list of things to do. She stopped to wipe a hand over a handle and descended the stairs. Stairs, done. Living room, and dining room, done. The kids did a marvelous job on that. .....So that leaves the guest lounge and the hallways. She looked down at her watch. 2 O’ Clock. Good timing. That’ll give everyone plenty of time to rest, shower and get ready. She raised her head as someone whined from the lounge. Curious, she followed the sound.

    “I mean why do we have to do the cleaning?” This was Orihime. “Isn’t your family rich? Or have you gone into bankruptcy? If you can’t hire servants then it’s not my job to help you clean!”

    “It’s not that,” Torori heard Allen object. She could hear the embarrassment in her little siters voice. “It’s a family thing....everyone helps out, and that way-”

    “What?” The little girl scoffed. “You save money? Cheap-stakes. If I’d know, I’d have asked Mum to hire some servants for us.”

    Oh, no she doesn’t. Torori frowned, getting ready to barge into war head-on.

    “Orihime-chan, Shut up,” Isamu ordered in a steel hard voice.

    Torori stopped.

    “But, Oni-San! It’s not-”

    “I told you to be quite,” Isamu told Orihime, fixing cold and dark eyes on her. “Not. Another. Word.”

    Orihime nodded, hesitantly. Tears welled up behind her eyes, none of her brothers had ever scolded her. Just wait until I tell Mama, you big meanie!

    Alarmed, Allen looked from the sister to the brother. She didn’t want to be the cause of any fights between them. She shouldn’t have complained,...she should have just let the little girl keep talking. She wasn’t really hurting anyone. But this.... And everyone will think it’s my fault.

    “It’s so you learn responsibility, and consideration. It’s about learning to think about how your actions will affect the people around you. It also forms a bond between people.” Isamu watched his sister’s response. “At the Dojo everyone helps to keep it clean. You’ve done it enough times to know that. This is the same thing. A Dojo is a sacred building where people come to learn, and a home is sacred to the people who live there. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

    Orihime whimpered, but nodded.

    “Now apologies to Allen-san.”

    Orihime shot Allen a look,.

    “Orihime,” Isamu said, his voice tightened with unsaid threats.

    “NO!” Orihime screamed and the tears spilled. Embarrassed and angry, she ran out of the room. Bumping into Torori-One besides the entrance.

    Isamu sighed, “I’m sorry. She’s not a bad kid.....”

    Allen shook her head, “No, I’m sorry. She’s just a kid....you shouldn’t have scolded her because of me.”

    Isamu smiled, “It’s not your fault. She was over-due for some reprehension anyway.”

    “But she’s-”

    “Forget about it,” Isamu interrupted. “At least we’ll get the work done faster this way.”

    Allen nodded uncomfortably.

    Well, that was interesting. Torori though as she struggled to pull the vacuum out of the closet.

    I wonder if it’s unreasonable to shower twice, Allen though. She was brushing her hair after another shower. After cleaning Suzuki-One’s bedroom, and then helping with the rest.....She’d needed another shower. She was also thinking about burning her clothes. They were giving off a weird odor. It’s too bad. I really liked them.

I want you to remember how that feels, how you made him feel. You’ll carry this all around you. Your whole life. You’ll know how worthless you are.

“I know,” Katane said, letting her own grief flow, as she clutched Allen to her. “We’ll get through this.”

    

    “This is only for a while,” Katne said as Allen passed her. “A re-treat yes, but only until you're strong enough to come back. And when you do, you’ll be ready to face things straight on.”  

“I’m even surprised that you showed for the wedding. Should we thank you for gracing us with your divine presence yesterday?”

    “Uni,..what are you talking about?” Allen’s voice cracked. “I...I don’t know what your-”

    Allen clutched her stomach as her body convulsed in pain. No...NO!! Stop! She shook as memories, painful ones, flashed through her. No, please..... Whimpering, Allen tightened herself into a ball. I’m sorry.  

    Then something strange happened. A strange memory....

    It’s not your fault.

    A gap, in her pain, appeared. Slowly,...the pain withered away. For now. Relaxing, Allen picked herself up. How many times do I have to go through this? How many times more? She fingered her shirt. She’d sweated right through it. Sighing, she stood up to find something to change in.

     She glanced at her luggage bags leaning in the closet.  Not that I’ll have to worry about it any longer. I hope.  

    It’s not you fault. Isamu’s voice ruffled through her once again. Calming what ever had been inside her.....An off the hand comment. It’s shouldn’t be so comforting. But it was and some part of her was glad of it.

    Hanaka laughed. Isamu was trying to juggles, horribly failing at it, but watching him trying was very amusing.

    Hayato snactched one of the balls and shoved his brother back into the sofa. “Sit. Let me show you how a professional does it.”

    Isamu scoffed, but didn’t bother to stop his brother.

    “Wow,” Allen commented after Hayato’s performance. “That was extremely bad.” Hayato had managed to juggle for the first three seconds before he sent the balls flying. One had dropped to the floor, one had hit a lamp, and the other nearly caught Torori square in the face. Then, Hayato, managed to tripe on the first ball, but managed to safe crash into Isamu.  

    “I’d say clumsy,” Hanka muttered in amusement. Her head straightened as someone’s cell rang. Torori One pulled out her phone and walked out.

    “It was Suzuki,” Torori told the room as she walked back in.

    “So?” Orihime asked, sitting on the ledge of her sofa. “Have they landed? When will they be here?”

    “30 minutes.”

    Hanka stood up. “Well, that’s enough time.”

    Allen groaned internally. She was tired to the bones and she knew-

    “Allen come help me make the salad. It’ll be ready right when the reach home.”

    “Hai,” Allen muttered and followed Hanaka into the kitchen. Her bones creaked. Or at least she thought they did.

    “I really hate making the salad before hand.” Hanka went on the explain. Allen ignored her. Her sister liked to chatter as she worked. She’d learned to ignore her sister along time ago.

    “Can we help?” Hayato asked as he and Torori walked in.

    Hanka didn’t hesitated. “There’s the dining room to set. Torori know’s where the plates are.”

    “You can’t keep your mouth shut?” Torori asked. “You had to ask?”

    Hayato shrugged. “I feel bad. I’ve done nothing to help.”

    “And you couldn’t have offered when some of us were knee deep in leaves or dust?”

    “Nope,” Hayato smiled comically. “No, I don’t think so. I was a bit busy with other things....”

    “Rrrriiigggghhhttt,” Stretching the syllabus, Torori opened one of the cupboards. “And I can so guess what that was. Were you drooling over your own movies?”

    “No way,” Hayato disagreed. “That would be way too unprofessional. I was drooling on my co-stars in my movies. There’s a difference.”

    Hanaka chuckled. Allen laughed. Torori rolled her eyes.

    “They're here!” Orihime announced peaking her head into the dining room, and then ran back out.

    “Oh, good,” Hanaka said. She fretted over the dinner settings one more time before heading outside.

    Allen touched her heart. It was beating fast, really fast. Please don’t let anything happen. Please let the evening go well. After that.....

    “Aren’t you coming?” Torori touched her lightly on her shoulder.  

    Allen grinned, “Yea, I’m coming.”

- Sorry everyone, and anyone who was looking forward to a new release. I know I'm a few weeks behind, but I have been writing, I just don't have time to edit and add pictures. None of these pictures are mine, and I take no credit. I hope to be posting more :) Subscribe, comment and share!!!