hell or glory, don't want anything in between

    “Watch carefully, okay? I don’t get to use these often. Since your dad recommended us so highly, I think it’s okay to serve you this.” 

    Letting the water flow into the pot, the ball of leaves slowly began to open, floating gently to the bottom as the flavor mixed with the water. Leaves curled under themselves, some popping open faster than the others until at last, a petal peeked through. Slowly, a chain of jasmine flowers began to float, waving gently against the bubbles that appeared. 

    Keiko grinned, letting the other girl take a good look before pouring some of the tea in carefully to her cup before setting a paper menu down in front of her. "Enjoy! I’ll let you have this pot for free— Just keep it our secret, okay? Let me know when you’re ready." 

Her answer soon came as the tea gently unfurled before her, a delicate display of beauty and grace, dancing throughout the clear water. Was that what she thought it was? She had heard of this particular tea a number of times, mostly from the patrons back home, but she had never seen it herself until now. The raven haired girl's eyes grew to the size of saucers, her mouth slightly agape in wonder, mesmerized by the sight within the glass. Her head whipped up as Keiko removed the pot to pour the tea, momentarily jarred from her entrancement, and she turned to face the brunette woman, apple green eyes nearly sparkling.

"That was SO COOL! Where'dja get something like that, anyway? I know my mom would FLIP if she ever got a--"

Keiko's words finally sunk in, and it was all Hourai could do but blink. This? This was for free? For HER?

"Wha-- no way! For real? Isn't this kinda expensive? I-I mean, I appreciate it, but I'd feel really crummy wasting your good tea..."

Keiko fiddled with her apron a bit, before shifting aside to let the girl in. Something about her seemed… off. Not in a threatening ‘I better call Yusuke’ way, but just overly familiar. 

Grabbing a cup of water, she flipped over the cup on a table close to the grill. A few utensils clacked down and she bustled over to the stove top, where a kettle was sitting. 

A finger reached up to scratch her cheek, sheepishly, trying to will the faint flush upon them away. "Well, if it's not bugging you guys..."

Hourai edged into the restaurant, trailing away from the other girl as she studied the surroundings. This was, to her sudden realization, her first time here on her own-- no father to act as a buffer or take the reins when it came to ordering things. Granted, she was was already in middle school, so she was more than old enough to eat out at establishments by herself at this point. It didn't stop it from being any less exciting (or slightly intimidating), though.

The taller girl finally settled herself into the seat Keiko had laid out for her, propping her elbows onto the table and watching her work. Even with cooks for parents, seeing other people in action never ceased to be interesting.

"Y'wouldn't happen to have jasmine, wouldja? I'm good with oolong too, if you don't."

She tapped a small, quiet rhythm against the counter, trying to search her brain for things to cut the lull and the enka droning up above. Small talk maestro, she was not.

Green eyes, about the same shade of new grass, narrowed as she wrinkled her nose, hackles already rising thanks to the insult. Just who the hell did he think he was, calling her dumb? Granted, she was never very diplomatic with strangers, and could come off about as delicate as a blunt end of a two-by-four, but he was the one waxing poetic in front of the bushes, not her.

A world he had been to once before. It seemed like only yesterday he had slept in the bushes outside this apartment he shared with a kind couple. The man being a crude, but kind person to him that taught him the value of different aspects to life. The woman who treated him affectionately and took him out from the cold. It was their efforts together that showed him what the bond of a family was, and it was exactly why he had to leave those years ago. They had a baby on the way, and with their current financial situation supporting him along with their biological child at the time would have been rough. Shun never even learned its name, gender, or even what the baby would look like. It was better that way.

He stood staring at the old building in which he had shared with the two before fate separated them. Rather, it was his childish fears that they would no longer care for him once they had a family of their own. In his travels he had realized the folly he had made, but he would live with his mistake. Because he had left the safety of their home he had learned much, explored lands unknown, and made friends across a myriad of worlds. Shun couldn’t give that up to change the past, and it’d have disappointed them if he did. Finally words escaped his lips as he reminisced by the bush he slept in over a decade ago.

Never mind the aching, bruised, and somewhat bloody mess she had to drag back home-- the lecturing teachers, the angry phone calls, the dirty looks the faculty shot her way... it was too much trouble sometimes. Not that smacking the smug look off of Nakahara's dumb face when he made a snide remark about her size wasn't worth it, as it totally was, but she had to start picking her battles better these days. Trying to explain to her parents why the PTA was so far up her ass after the fiftieth time was starting to get old, even if her Papa seemed pretty supportive over her kicking in other people's teeth.

And so, it was this battered, bedraggled mess of a girl that tottered down the small street in this residential area of Tokyo, a quick shortcut to her destination, intent on getting home as soon as possible. If memory served her, this was where her mother and father lived when she was a baby, only moving out once more children made their way in and more space was needed. She had fuzzy recollections of the place, mostly quaint, cozy impressions, and it was always nice to pass it and think of how simpler times must have been like. (Probably a lot less loud and annoying)

Her steps slowed even further, however, when she spotted a lone figure planted in front of the apartment gardens (if one could call a number of bushes that). A small frown puckered her brow as she studied the man in front of her-- was he lost? Stalking somebody? Just plain loony? Hourai was pretty sure he just talked to that plant, regardless, and it was going to prove difficult to get around him either way.

    College had done nothing to impair Keiko’s innate ability to wake up at the crack of dawn, nor to dull the annoyance of the enka station her dad so often put on while preparing to open the shop. 

    Tying her hair up in a messy bun, she quickly got to work, pulling out their morning proteins and vegetables to the front of the giant refrigerator for easy access. A quick sweep through of the store, although she had done so last night, and a fast wipe of each table and they were ready. 

    “Oi, Keiki, watch the grill and make sure it doesn’t get too hot yet while I go and get your mom up, okay?” Her father’s raspy voice (since he often sang with the the radio and tended to belt too loud) trailed off as he hustled up the stairs to the house. The woman bristled at the nickname, lips forming a childish pout to match it. Turning down the grill, she sighed, unlatching the bifold doors to let the sunlight wash through the space. She winced slightly, eyes adjusting as she looked down. 

    A girl? How long had she been waiting for them to open? She hoped it hadn’t been long, but who knew with some of the clientele that came through nowadays. Unlatching the door, she swung it open gently. 

"E-Excuse me, miss? You’re welcome to come inside and order." Keiko put on her most gracious smile. "We’re pleased you’re here so early! It means a fortunate start for the day!"

Luckily, she had only been out there for about fifteen minutes-- though, in her wait, she had started to doze off, head nodding against her arms. It was rare for her to be up any time before ten am on her own, and rarer still for her to be out at such a time. But with all the events in the past few days, sleep was the last thing she wanted to do. There were so many questions, so much stress, and her mind couldn't blank it out as easily as she liked. Walking about and trying to clear her head seemed like the best option.

... though her body clearly had other ideas.

At the sound of a familiar voice, however, she jerked up, startled from her snooze. How long had she been napping for? Blinking blearily, the girl searched for the source, until her eyes settled on the woman at the door. 

Hourai was suddenly much more awake.

Her father had, offhandedly, mentioned to her once that this was run by the family of a friend. Heck, even piecing it together now, the last names were pretty much identical too. But to find one of her favorite 'aunts' here? Completely out of the blue?

It was a struggle not to pop to her feet and rush to hug the smaller lady. After all, it was obvious she didn't know who SHE was yet (and how could she?), and things were strange enough already without Hourai getting all clingy to someone. 

Instead, she scrambled up off the ground, brushing the dust from the street from her bottom. Better not botch this first impression too.

"Oh, um-- sorry 'bout that. I heard a lot of good things 'bout this place, and since I was in the area..."

She trotted up to the door, hovering a bit in the entrance way.

As it would turn out, this was in fact not Yusuke’s door, but his neighbor; Mr. Wilson’s! His eyes, lacking any form of human emotion, locked on to the young daughter of the delinquent. His features showed hints of disinterest and a slight annoyance at this new comer as he slowly made his way towards the girl. Suddenly, a funky rap beat could be heard as each step he took was in synch with said beat.

“My name is Mr. Wilson and I’m here to say, ‘I’m gonna smack your ass in a major way.’ What are ya’ doin’ in my basement? Get outta here…!”

Obviously the Urameshi method of interrogation hasn't been the best method to go about the situation. An escape must be had. NEW PLANS MUST BE MADE.

Figured I’d upload this commission I got from polterghast a while ago in the spirit of Father’s Day/GENERAL FAMILY BONDING times before I went to go spend some time with my own folks

Finally, Hourai/Sailor G! aka that one YusuMako kid I don’t shut up about and am trying to set up an RP account for because I’m a loser